About Me

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antrim, antrim, Ireland
Hello and welcome to my blog. If you like flowers and gardens, housey stuff, food and banter, then this is the place for you. I am a decorative artist, florist and maker of things. I sell painted furniture, plants and crafts, through a local retail shop, in my native Ireland, and wedding flowers from home. I am married to a lovely patient man and have a smashing little girl. I blog for the fun of it. Thank you for listening.

Wednesday 15 June 2011

{How to Make a Heart Using Coffee Art

{How to Make a Heart Using Coffee Art








I admit it, hands up, I am guilty......I am addicted to coffee. I started drinking coffee when I was about 11 or 12, in a tea-drinking country, I was quite an oddity! When I was 18, I didn't drink alcohol, I much preferred to have a coffee, but in those days, you couldn't get coffee in pubs and if you did, it was either a filter coffee that had been keeping warm for hours on end, or that hideous instant stuff! Nowadays, it's a different matter, coffee culture abounds, and I for one am sooo happy about it. I remember my first visit to France, the coffee....mmmm, dark brown and fragrant with hot milk served separately in a little jug.. I had died and gone to heaven! Then my first trip to Italy...oh my goodness, the hotel, which had a bit of a Maffioso atmosphere, had the most fantastic coffee machine I had ever seen ,all copper and brass, gleaming  magnificence! The coffee it produced, has never been matched, smooth, rich with a perfect crema on top!


Now , the foam atop your cappucino is manipulated into incredible shapes and pictures, and labelled as 'art'. Check out the link above to watch the artist at work, it is a joy to watch. I love trying and buying different coffee's, I love the smell, the cups and saucers, the beans themselves, coffee cake, ice-cream, machines and equipment, I just love it all! I have only recently discovered the sheer heaven that is, espresso poured over ice-cream, if you haven't tried it, I highly recommend you do.

At home, I make my coffee in a stove top espresso maker, like the one in the above picture and think it makes a really good coffee. I would like to get, at some time, one of the new machines, which use capsules (although I don't like the wasteful packaging element ). Perhaps, by the time I get one, they will have sorted that out!

I would adore an antique silver coffee pot , like this. How special would coffee time be then!

Notice the Irish coffee, all ginger hair and tipsy...how rude!!

Look at this little fellow, you wouldn't want to drink it!

Gorgeous blue and white (Spode, I think).
Aren't these little cuties from Riviera Maison fab?



I would love to get my hands on some of these coffee coloured coffee cups.




So 'slip me a slug from that wonderful mug' and plant me in this chair, looking out at that gorgeous view and you won't get a peep out of me. Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone, love Linda x

                                                              Images are from here and here.

36 comments:

  1. Hello Linda:
    As you say, the making of coffee has been transformed in recent times from a quick act of necessity to provide an instant drink into an Art form verging on a Tate Modern installation. Progress indeed as previously, one was guaranteed a filthy cup of something vaguely brown and warm whereas today, a reasonably satisfying cup of coffee is commonplace.

    We think that you would be in your element exploring the coffee houses of Budapest and we should, of course, love to be your guides!

    And, one day we shall be along to pick up a pot of that jelly. We were talking of it at breakfast today!

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  2. What a lovely post! As a little girl, growing up in my native Italy, I actually wasn't allowed to have coffe until I was about twelve or even older.
    I love my espresso! I couldn't start the day without my caffeine injection! And, like you, I have quite a collection of espresso cups. If you have time, there's a post on my blog, titled "Na' Tazzulella e' Cafe`" (it means "A cup of coffee" in the Naples dialect- it's actually the title of a song) where I posted photos of just some of my cups.
    The smell of coffee, first thing in the morning is a happy one to me. It gives me the illusion that I still have my mamma with me and that, any minute, she going to walk into my room and say:" Anna... il caffe`"
    Thank you for your truly lovely blog.
    ANNA
    X

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  3. Linda, I posted something here yesterday and it didn't appear, for some reason. I also posted ten minutes ago and... nothing again. So... I want to try and see if it works this time.

    ANNA

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  4. Hi Linda. Yes, I agree with you that coffee is so much more sophisticated these days! I love the name for someone who serves up coffee, i.e. a Coffee Barista (from the Italian name for bartender). It's good, isnt' it?! Love that sign - "Love you, blogs and coffee.!" Beautiful images, as always. Hugs.

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  5. This was a happy post for me. I love coffee but my favorite is a strong flavor with no sweetening or cream. Always hot even in the summer.

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  6. Hello Linda,
    I have an on stove coffee maker just like yours, it's such a beautiful, practical piece- I'm sure William Morris would have loved them!
    What lovely photographs, I may have to go and make myself a decent cup of coffee before I write my blog!
    Jane x

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  7. Hi Linda,

    I wouldn't mind drinking my tea while sitting on that chair in the last photo. The image and atmosphere on the photo remind me of one of the costume drama's made of Jane Austen's books.

    I must admit that I am not that much of a coffee drinker. I only drink coffee with a lot of milk (we call it 'koffie verkeerd' or 'wrong coffee' once or twice a week.

    Love the Spode teacups!

    Happy evening!

    Madelief x

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  8. Linda
    I'm sure all my vanishing posts will appear at the same time, but... this is my third comment today and I hope this one gets posted. I posted something here two days ago, and that vanished, too.
    I love coffe, too, and, being Italian, I love it. I drink a lot of coffe and, like you, have a collection of espresso cups. They are beautiful and I love them all. There's a post on my blog, called "Na Tazzulella e' cafe`" where you can see some of my cups.
    I'll try to post this with my fingers crossed.

    ANNA

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  9. Linda, my comments do not seem to be posted. They vanish... I've posted three comments, so I have finally decided to comment using Firefox. I want to see what happens. Sorry if you are suddenly inondated with 5 comments from me, but I am puzzled!
    ANNA

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  10. Oooooo, espresso poured over ice cream, sounds fabulous! I like a great big cappuccino with an extra shot and a biscotti to dunk in it :)
    As always Linda, your photos are wonderful.
    Love Abby xx

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  11. Snap! I also adore my coffee. I wrote about a post it a little while back.
    Little pleasures like this make us happier people. Now I must dash, it's approaching my morning coffee time (I'm also a girl of routine!).
    x

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  12. With my guy working in the coffee industry, we've had our share of java! The best coffee I ever had was in Vienna a couple of years ago - pure heaven. Fun post! I think the Irish coffee is hilarious :)

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  13. Hi Linda
    What a beautiful post. I share your love for coffee and cappucinos. The vintage expresso maker is a treasure.
    I have a De Longhi expresso make/cappucino maker and it is excellent. It is quite small and sits on the counter top. I hope you take Jane and Lance's invitation to stroll the coffee parlours of Budapest.
    Helen x

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  14. I so agree with you about coffee, Linda.

    Here, in Norway, we are a coffee-drinking people. So, the coffee is drinkable almost everywhere. At home, I make my everyday cup(s) in a coffee machine but, like you, I use a stove top espresso maker when I crave that extra kick. Right now, looking at your pictures, I can almost smell the rich aroma........ well, I think it's time for a cup.

    Anna

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  15. Hi Linda,
    Will be drinking plenty of strong, proper coffee in Paris soon...nothing worse than instant stuff... in fact I would rather do without!
    Julie x

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  16. Hi Linda, I'm a cup-of-tea girl, but usually have a coffee in the afternoon for a perk up :).. love those blue and white Spode cups x

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  17. Love all your images Linda, and your pinterest pictures (you are such a pro now!)
    I too adore good coffee, there is something so wodnerful about starting the day with the smell of fesh coffee perculating, but must confess it is not the daily treat I would like it to be- am too rushed and too lazy usually!
    Thanks for your lovely comments - btw Im not sure i'd like Black sabbath now but I still like Deep Purlpe and I love Santana!!! ;) More of a classic music girl now!
    have a great evening Linda!
    Gill xx

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  18. Hello Linda, I did indeed have a cappucino today, how thoughtful of you to ask. You also crossed my mind as I was drinking it :) I was also thinking about the sweet little face decorated on the foam in your picture. Thankfully, it was not on top of my own cappucino, as I would not have been able to disturb it!
    I hope you have a lovely weekend.
    Love, Abby xx

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  19. Dear Linda, I am so sorry to read about your hospital visit today. I will be thinking of you and hope all goes well. Sending a hug,
    Love, Abby xx

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  20. I first saw the hot espresso on ice-cream thing in an episode of Nigella Lawson in 2002, and I haven't stopped indulging since....it's evil how addictive it is! :-)

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  21. Thanks so much for the message Linda, that is brilliant news! So glad to read that you are ok.
    Now you can relax and really enjoy your weekend.
    Hugs, Abby xx

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  22. I loved all your coffee images in this post! I do enjoy a lovely cup of coffee, though I mostly drink tea during the day. I really love to sit in cafes drinking coffee - I used to love that most when I was young and first visited the continent - when we didn't have all the lovely coffee places we now have here... and the smell of fresh coffee is one of my favourite things! Have a happy weekend - enjoy your delicious coffee.
    Helen x

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  23. Oooooooo, yum!!! I'd love to pop over to share a cup of coffee with you, Linda! :)
    Wishing you a lovely weekend,
    ~ Zuzu

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