Having yarntastic fun !!

Well this is a rarity ! Being able to blog within a few days of a previous blog . My husband is at home this week enjoying the last week of the school holidays with us . So I'm able to sneak bits of time to do my thing !!! Oh boy have I been having yarntastic fun . Let me share with you my latest blankety project , which I am seriously excited about . A couple of weeks ago my very heavily pregnant friend  Heather ( www.littlebird.co.uk ) came on a flying visit with her lovely mum and sister ,  to bestow upon me two rather large bags full of FANTASTIC tapestry wool . Heather had asked me some time ago if I would be able to make good use of it " of course I can " was my reply . Cogs started turning and ideas started formulating some weeks ago . When it arrived and Heather and her family had left I was besides myself . In an instant I had it all tipped out on my living room floor and started arranging group of colour  . Oh what fun !!

 

 

 

 

 

So you get the idea , lots and lots of lovely skeins of endless possibility's . Well Saturday evening I couldn't restrain myself any longer , I had to have a play ( instantly I felt guilty , as I could have be working on my Hares but I just told myself " get it out your system lass "). So I climbed into bed and sat and looked at the wool , then the idea came to me, CIRCLES !! As  there is only small amounts of wool in a skein ,  this seriously limits the size I can work to . With this in mind I started to crochet .

 

 















 





 



 



 

I am really enjoying crocheting these little gems and I have already decided how the blanket will be structured . But I think I will keep you guessing for a little bit longer on that score . Goodness me I'm a tease !

 

But doing these circles has made me feel a tad guilty that I've started another blanket without completing one of my other two first . So with this thought in mind I tried to appease my conscience by working on my other two blankets too . I completed another 5 rounds on my youngest's blanket .

 

Then I worked some more Granny's on my eldest's blanket , I've only got 37 more Granny's to go then I can do the boarder ( I've already done 113 ).

 



So the last few day's have been crochet heaven . But I would just like to share one last image with you . A colleague of mine asked me to make something for her to use as teaching aids , we 've had quite a chuckle in our house  about this little job.

 

 

Yes it's a breast , It is to be used to teach mothers how to breast feed . When I got the request I thought where the heck am I going to get a pattern for that . But a quick look on revelry sorted it and I found a free pattern from the 'Lactation Consultants of Great Britain ' www.lcgb.org . How fabulous!!

 

So I'm off to squeeze a bit of crochet into this evening as tomorrow we are away for the day . So thanks for popping by and ta ta for now . x 



Busy Busy Busy !!!

Well goodness me I've been away for a while , I'm not going to make any excuses I'm finding the school holidays pretty full on !!!! It's busy busy busy every day but in a nice way .I am trying to go with the flow and fit in my sewing , crochet and knitting where ever I can and whenever the situation allows me to !!. I have realised  this evening while viewing the 216 photos I've taken since I last blogged I've made quite a few accomplishments . The first one of which is finishing my first Christmas Mouse which is for this Christmas. Angel mouse was looking so lonely !! I think they make quite the cute couple .

I'm busy under the eves and I've also been working steady away on the Linen Hares , this is the view from my chair at the work in progress .

So my hands have been busy when time has permitted , I do keep reminding myself that from little acorns grow big oak trees !!

One other thing I have realised when viewing my photo's was the amount of baking I've done . Due to the fact that my sisters wedding plans are taking shape and I'm in charge  of producing the cake ( I think we've decided on a two tier cake on a stand of vintage cupcakes ). My baking skills need to be brought up to a professional standard , I will admit I am no slouch in the home baking department but a professional I am not !! So I decided every time I baked I would practise a useful decorating skill ," practise makes perfect ".
So this is the fun I've been having in the kitchen .

I love using this cake stand as It was my Grandma's ,  especially with this vintage table cloth .

                  My first attempt at making iced biscuit's , not perfect but not too bad for a first go !!

 My first attempt at making roses with fondant icing , it was fun !! but more practise needed .

I had a bit of a Eureca ! moment whilst making these stem ginger biscuit . I wanted to put some wording on them and was musing over how it was to be done then . I thought I have little rubber stamp alphabet set , so I started playing and it worked !!( don't worry I did give them a good scrub before I used them ).

So another new and interesting technique learnt , I'm thinking I could put Mr & Mrs on them too. Due to the quite girlie theme to the buns and biscuits I thought I had better do something the boys  would appreciate .Dinosaur biscuits , this gave me another opportunity to practise my icing skills . Would you believe that they ended up arguing over the pink flowery buns , this did amuse me no end !

Then the other day I held a surprise afternoon tea party for a friends birthday ( well it was supposed to be a surprise picnic outing but it was raining ). So another baking opportunity arose and I wanted to try out my new chocolate button mould , it was time to play in the kitchen again. I do love being in the kitchen and I know some women moan about being stuck in the kitchen but I am truly happy when in there . I must admit I am quite proud of what I made and even my brother in law to be praised them !!( he usually doesn't
say much ).

White chocolate buttons , boy it was hard work stopping the boys from eating these !!

The children ( 13 in all ) were very eager to try them out and didn't last very long .I even managed to save one for my husband , he had been a little disappointed he hadn't been able to sample one !! 

Cappuccino Cake with white chocolate ganache , yum yum !! Just simple home baking and it went down a treat !!

I'm going to keep cracking on with things and lets see where it gets me !!
So thanks for popping by and ta ta for now.xx

I love ...........!

Well It's been a couple of weeks ( again !!) since I last blogged due to the demands of life . But I have been holding back on blogging for  the last two days until the my new adaptation of last years Christmas mouse was finished .I really struggled last year to do a Lady mouse , every thing I  tried didn't work . However I had a spark of an idea when I saw some fabric in my stash next to a trim . I stole a bit of time yesterday evening to finish her and I'm really pleased with the results , I will be starting production of these a.s.a.p.

                                            I love it when an idea works out and comes into  being !!!

Well what other things have I loved over the last two week .... oohh there's been so many things , starting with my eldest sons 11th birthay.

I love preparing for celebrations and welcoming family and friends.  

                            
    I love making my children feel special and loved !!!!

My youngest son  has also had a mile stone to get very excited about , he's lost his first two baby teeth , aawwww !!

 I don't usually show pictures of my children but I could not resist in sharing this image it you .

Children have there own unique take on the world and when I  explained we would have to put his teeth under his pillow so the tooth fairy could take them away and would leave some money in exchange . He replied ' mummy don't put my teeth under my pillow I have plenty of money , can you save my teeth for when I've run out of money and put mt teeth under my pillow then '. I think we may have a sh rued businessman in our midst !!

  I also love a bargain and I also have a thing for little step ladders at the moment !!

Another set of steps spotted in a local collect ables shop , at a fraction of the cost of my last ones ...even better !!!

                                                                Also " love thy neighbour "

Ohh boy do I love mine when she brings me a glut of gooseberries she cannot use .In fact she often deposits veg and fruit on my doorstep when she is over run with her husbands allotment produce ( in fact there not just neighbours but she is an old friend and her and her husband are my children's god parents ).

                                 I love being in the kitchen producing things for people to eat and enjoy .

I also love to share and continue the cycle of generosity by passing on a portion of what I make to friends and family . I also love shopping at my local market and buying direct from farmers and produces .

My whole family love this lemon cheese , I buy it from the egg stall on the market . The eggs are outstanding they are jumbo jumbo size and I'm always getting double yolkers . When I buy this combination of goods it normally means one thing !!!

   
  Lemon curd Victoria Sponge Cake , a big favourite in our house !

Last of all is my constant love of Blue and White .... bowl , jugs , plates in fact any crockery , enamel ware and any Kitchenalia . So whilst in Leeds yesterday I had a little splurge when I saw these cups the Rob Ryan cup is for me ( and fulfils two criteria , blue and white and enamel ware . Result !  )  and I love paper cut pieces , the Keep Calm cup is for my husband as he is a devourer of books .

There have been too many things to share with you so I must make  try to steel more little pieces of time to share with you . The hares are well under way and as soon as I've sorted labels and packaging as well I will be ready to be up and running, very soon!! , but I will be starting production of Christmas things very soon as well . So watch this space !!

Anyway thanks for popping by and enjoy the week ahead , so ta ta for now love Tracy x