The English Mademoiselle Diaries

In the midst of a November, the cold days, of staying in and drinking chai lattes while reading enough books to fill a library. But before all this today I braved the cold and stumbled on some almost iced roses in my back garden.

I am pretty sure this is growing in what looks like an old kitchen sink, it couldn't be more strange if my family tried.

In between the berry bushes and the herb garden, where green is the only colour left.

Oh so pure and wonderful.

- Jacket: Singapore Airlines -

- White Shirt: M&S -

- Top: H&M -

- Faux Fur Scarf - Unknown -

- Skirt: New Look -

- Thigh Socks: Tesco -

- Boots: My Mums -

Now I am off to watch Masterchef Australia, and drink green tea.

xoxo Miriam

This gorgeous googy lemon drizzle cake, was baked for my sisters birthday party, and as there was too much mix I have eaten it everyday since, whoops!
I suggest you bake soon before it become inappropriate to eat due to the onset of the winter season, so I bet you are wishing I would stop waffling and give you the recipe to this delightful cake:

Ingredients:
- 110g butter softened
- 110g caster sugar
- 140g self-raising flour
- 1tsp baking powder
- zest and juice of 2 lemons
- 2 medium eggs beaten
- 2 tbsp milk
- 175g granulated sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160°C, and grease a 20cm x 10cm loaf tin with a smidge of butter.
Cream the butter and the caster sugar together.
The beat in the eggs and the milk, don't panic if it splits just add a spoon of the flour,
Sift and stir in the flour, baking power and lemon zest, until the mixture it smooth and creamy.
Pour in to the grease tin, and bake for 30-40minutes
Oh no the dreaded washing up that need to be done in the waiting time!
Once the cake is done place it upside down on the cooling rack on a tray and pour over the syrup (heat the granulated sugar and lemon juice together until the sugar has dissovled)
Do this gradually, and re use the syrup that falls on to the tray below the cakes.
Now EAT, with cream or anything else you wish. (oh and a cup of tea never goes a miss)

xoxo Miriam

As all you Britons know it was Remembrance Sunday yesterday, and despite not actuary attending church due to previous commitments of my family, but I still wore my Sunday best, and donned my poppy with pride and added more poppies to my finger nails:

- Hoodie and Tights - New Look -

- Shirt - Morgan -

- Dress - H! by Henry Holland -

- Shoes - Ma soeur -

This small oak tree is one I planted as a child, which I forgot about until my dad found it last year in a pot that was far to small.

I wish these bows were butterflies sometimes, or maybe I have an overactive imagination..

Glittery *_*

And the poppy appeal.

As I have a tendency to lose my poppy (I didn't this year, I am a little bit proud of this), I painted litte half poppies on to my finger tips.

xoxo Miriam

This has been sitting in my drafts folder since September when I took the photos, I thought now when it is getting cold and dark I would bring back a little bit of the summer to autumn transition. My grandparents have an apple tree in their back garden and my dad, my sister, my dog and me were charged with picking all of the apples, unfortunately they are cooking apples, so NO SNACKING on the job!

Now I will admit I wasn't very trusting of the ladder, one because I have terrible balance and two because my sister was holding it... Sisterly love 'ey?

The oh so many apples that we collected.

* Derp face *

We had a lot of fun swinging from the branches, I think the dog was a little jealous, I think or wanted attention...

Hoodie - New Look

Cropped top - Miso

Dress - A hand me down from ma mere

Scarf - Warner Brother Studios

I always want to take home this table and chair set when we leave

And welcome the always cute but rarely helpful when picking apples springer spaniel AKA. my dog Tarka

xoxo Miriam

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Well you see being a tall mademoiselle in this current clothing market is quite difficult, especially when investing in jeans. Mainly because for 2 extra inches of fabric I have to pay and extra £20ish. So when I saw Isabel Marant's patchwork pink jeans last year I thought that when my jeans begin to fall apart I should ad patches to them:

S/S'12 Isabel Marant Jeans

My old worn jeans.

Patches of denim in different washes to add to my jeans.

The final design pinned on to the jeans, ready to sew!

- Jumper: Street Stall in Bath -

-Jeans: Topshop/Moi -

-Cupcake print in the corner: A sweet present from a friend -

Now to wear these jeans to death again and repeat the process, if you do this or have ever done this comment below and tweet me a picture @coffeechanel

xoxo Miriam

For me autumn is the last taste of summer, before the cold wet grey months roll in, so I thought I should make the most of what autumn has to offer both in terms of fashion and food. I mean what is better than freshly baked pumpkin pie in the middle of autumn and with all the extra Halloween pumpkins I could resist making one for me and my family.

Ingredients:

500g pumpkin puree
250g shortcrust pastry
300ml cream
3 eggs
150g caster sugar
1tsp ground ginger, cinnamon and cloves

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas Mark 4)
To make the pumpkin puree cut up enough pumpkin and just put it in a blender.
Grease and line a pie tin with greaseproof paper and blind bake the pastry shell until brown (No soggy bottoms here, no sir!)
Beat together the cream, eggs, sugar and spices lightly.
Stir in the Pumpkin puree.
Then once the pastry has baked pour the mixture in to the pastry case and place it back into the oven until the mixture has set and is golden on top.