Red Rapunzel

Happy St.Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T20:12:00.041Z

I've been thinking about my St. Patrick's Day post and wondering what it should be about.

I've considered crocheting shamrocks and making cupcakes with super green frosting.

Instead I've decided to show what we usually get up to on St. Patrick's day. The children and I usually go to watch their Dad and his friends at work.

My last post gave a little glimpse into my working world and how I earn my bread and butter.

I thought it might be fun to show you not only how we spend St. Patrick's Day but how the man in my life earns a crust.

What makes a good match for a Midwife ?

Here's a clue ....

Of course, a Circus Performer and Tutor !

Most years that I can remember we have travelled on the 17th of March t0 Downpatrick (burial place of St Patrick), and join in the Festival and watch the juggling, unicycling, fire eating and rolla bolla- ing and stilt walking. The children love to watch their Dad perform and have picked up a few skills themselves.

Various entertainers and Circus acts perform at different locations around the town. The children who have been tutored in Circus Skills Workshops through out the year take part in the parade.

Hope you enjoy the story of St. Patrick as told by a little girl and animated by Brown Bag Films.

My Bread and Butter

2010-02-24T14:07:00.024Z

I don't often talk about my day to day job on my blog. This is mainly due to the confidential nature of Midwifery.

Some days my job is busy and there can be stressful times.

However the good days far out weigh the sad and difficult days.

I can honestly say that I Love my job.

I thought I'd share this amazing animation called "Mother of many" by Emma Lazenby to let you see what I do on a day to day basis.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

I especially love how the midwife appears to draw the outline of the baby when she is palpating the mothers abdomen. I have always imagined that this is what I am doing when I am trying to find the position of a yet unborn baby.

The little sigh that the midwife gives at the end is just perfect.

I'm smiling just thinking about it.

You can find the complete animation here.

Doll quilt taster

2010-02-23T18:46:00.021Z

This year I've been lucky enough to get involved with Doll Quilt Swap 8.

It's a project that I have watched from afar for the past few years and I have finally gathered the courage to join in.

You can read about past Doll Quilt swaps here and enjoy viewing the beautiful quilts that have been made in previous swaps here.

As hoped for I have an International swap partner and have been secretly checking out her likes and dislikes on her Blog and Flickr account. All in the hope that I will make a Doll Quilt that I hope she will love.

Well the postage date is nearly here.

I've doodled my design and collected my fabrics, cut and appliquéd, stitched and embroidered and created a quilt.

But I have a confession.

I am Terrified ! with a capital T.

What if the quilt doesn't get there on time ?

What if it is lost or damaged in the post ?

Worst of all what if my swap partner is disappointed with the quilt she receives?

I'm wondering if any of the other swapee's are this nervous ?

The flip side however is the excitement of receiving an original handmade doll quilt.

Just imagine a handmade quilt from one of the amazingly talented quilters involved. If you've followed the links to the Flickr group you'll understand just how wonderful these doll quilts are.

I have a little finishing up to do and my handmade quilt label to finish and then my quilt will be winging its way from Ireland to another continent.

I hope to post a pic of my finished quilt soon, but not before my partner has received it. I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise.

Stupid Cupid

2010-02-14T19:17:00.005Z

Could there be anything that says "I Love You" more than a heart shaped fried egg ?

Happy Valentines day

Weaving in the ends........

2010-02-12T13:40:00.017Z

This is a sneak peek of the reverse side of a project that has been a long time in the making. But I can finally say that it will be finished and soon.

I have loved every part of making this throw. It is a project that evolved rather than one that was planned with any great care. I've never been one for sticking to the rules anyway.

Hopefully I'll be able to post a pic of the completed "Scattered Flower Throw" with more detail about how it was put together in the next week or so.

Before then I have just a few (hundred!) ends to weave in and some embellishment to finish on the edges.

(note to self- Learn to crochet in the ends as you go along!)

Tiny toes and Legendary throws

2010-02-06T14:54:00.039Z

It's hard to believe that we moved to our new house in August and here we are in February and this is only my second blog post since the move !

Our new Home has take up most of our time. There has been a lot of renovating and sorting out needed and Thankfully we are nearing the end of phaze 1 of our building work.
Although we are still limited to a few rooms we thought it was time that we had some visitors.

For the past week we have been delighted to share our house with my husbands twin brother his gorgeous wife, our three little niece's and our one and only nephew.

They travelled from Wales by ferry and arrived on St. Brigid's day. Hannah brought me a beautiful hand woven St. Brigid's cross. Made from reeds. These crosses are traditionally woven each year on the 1st of February, ( the beginning of Spring) and are said to protect a house from fire. The cross made the previous year is either stored in the roof or burned. They resemble corn dollies. If you would like to make one there is a tutorial here.

I've always had a fascination for the Legend of Brigid. Both the Celtic and Christain and how the two have been combined over the years. Brigid has always been associated with the cleverness and strength of women, Patron Saint of Midwives, babies and Crafters.

The story of Brigid's Cloak is by far my favourite. You can read it here.
I've had it in my mind that this tale would lend itself to a beautiful painting or illustration, perhaps even some type of applique. When googling I found this print by Barrie Maguire, the other paintings in this Irish Quilt Series are amazing.

You can read Barries Blog here. While you are there take a look at his Irish Quilt Kit.

Coraline pumpkin

2009-10-31T15:39:00.009Z

Happy Celtic New Year.
We are having a Coraline theme to our Halloween party this year.
I've just finished this pumpkin. I'm hoping to do another one as it needs a few adjustments here and there but thought I would post this one anyway.
More photos later.

The Best book shelf ever !

2009-10-11T02:37:00.029+01:00

How Wonderful is this Bookshelf ?

You can find more details about the Designer here.... at Design Artist.

After recently moving house I've been looking for some new ideas. The new house needs some TLC and hopefully some of the work will be starting in the next few weeks. We have a big meeting with our builder on Monday. So in the meantime we are living with the previous owners taste in decor. Its exciting to be starting afresh with a new space to transform. We are trying to furnish this home with as many renewed pieces as we can, but will I'm sure find space some new stuff.

I've realised that after a few weeks browsing that there is a bit of a tree theme running through

the items that I have as favourites, some are unfortunately out side our budget like......

This Beautiful bed by Shawn Lovell Metal Works.

However I can afford this ....

Its from Urban Outfitters and more in my price range at £16.

This bed is cute but in my opinion is over dressed, I think it would be great with a less is more approach to the linen and accessories, what do you think ?

Its available on Etsy and called The Apple Tree bed, which is coincidental as since the first time we viewed our new home we have called it the Apple Tree House.
The bed is designed by Attilladesign.

Work in progress

2009-07-26T14:01:00.017+01:00

My sewing bug has returned. Inspired by the birth of a friends new baby girl.
I've had this project or one similar to this in mind now for a long time and the birth of Charlotta's little girl has prompted me to give it a burl. I had lots of little tiny patchwork hexagons around after making my flower pin cushion so kindly blogged at turning*turning. So I thought I could put them to good use.

I really can't tell you how much I enjoy making tiny patchwork. I really enjoy using up little pieces of fabric that other wise would be thrown away, yet when put together can be spectacular.

The fact that you can easily carry it with you. Making every opportunity to do a little sewing, no matter where you are. Last week we took a trip to a nearby beach and while O & M explored I was able to sit by the shore line and sew (more about this trip soon).

I'm currently searching for a pretty red work monogram to embroider in the centre of the blanket stitched heart. I was wondering if anyone knew of any good "free" sites for monogram patterns ?
Hoping to get this finished in the next few days so I'll post a picture of it finished and framed.

Perfect Pound Cake

2009-07-09T17:50:00.016+01:00

At home my family love my cupcakes and cookies. My cakes on the other hand are not met with the same enthusiasm.

For years I've been blaming it on my oven . I'm sure that before we bought it my cakes were much nicer.

In attempt to prove this theory I've been trying some new cake recipes. The first attempt was the Bruce Bogtrotter cake from Jane Brockets lovely book "Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer."

This was a very successful attempt. Couldn't fault my oven, I'm begining to realise it may be all in the Recipe.

This week I found the perfect Pound Cake recipe. So easy and it even worked for me. I originally found the recipe on RecipeZaar, but tweeked it a little.

Here's my version if you want to give it a try.

Perfect Pound Cake ......

3 cups golden caster sugar

1 cup softened cream cheese

1 1/2 cups softened butter

6 medium free range eggs (room temperature)

1 tsp good vanilla essence

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest

3 cups plain flour, sifted

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1, Cream sugar, butter and cream cheese, untill pale

2, Add eggs one at a time, beat well

3, sift dry ingredients together and add in stages to cream mixture

4, place in well greased 10" pan (I used two ring baking pans as mine were smaller)

5, Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 mins

6, Let cake cool in pan for 15 mins before removing, this ensures the cake stays

moist.

7, Better served the day after baking.

Property development for Fairies

2009-06-01T15:50:00.021+01:00

Recently we took a day to drive to the Ards Peninsula in County Down.

We walked through the grounds of Mount Stewart, enjoying the ancient trees and the carpet of bluebells.

Then we came across this little jetty at the edge of the lake.

These Alpine water ferns totally caught our imagination.

M and I almost immediately thought of Fairies.

We had recently read Barry and Tracy Kane's book "Fairy houses Everywhere"

The rest of the day was spent collecting materials and building.

We enjoyed building this little house so much .

I can see a Summer filled with more Fairy Real Estate.

I've agreed to carry a ball of twine and pair of nail scissors with us on all our walks and park visits just incase.

You can find some beautiful fairy houses created by Roxie on Flickr here and here.

Sometimes its Sunny

2009-06-01T15:29:00.006+01:00

Some afternoons its Sunny in my back garden and here is the proof.
And, there are daisies popping up everywhere !

Hope the sun lasts for a few days more.

Sew Songs

2009-05-18T18:27:00.014+01:00

I know I've been away from my blog for a while. Lots of new stuff has been happening though.
There is a new Home for us in the next few weeks and I've been busy organizing all the grown up contract stuff for that.
I have lots of new ideas for this house as its pretty much a blank canvas. We will have lots more room and a beautiful garden and to top it all an Apple Tree!!
So as you can guess there has been limited crafting happening around here.
Just lots of cutting ideas from magazines and a little sewing, accompanied by the
Beautiful voice of Lisa Hannigan.....

This song "I don't know " is free on Itunes

Lovely album cover as well, don't you think ?

Pear and Almond

2009-03-08T11:58:00.007Z

After an unplanned break from my blog I've eventually got my act together to post. It's not that I haven't been thinking of blogging, but with a nasty chest infection and a sprained ankle I just haven't had the energy to do very much.
However I'm glad that both have now resolved and I'm back to my old self.
Anyway the picture above is of my latest muffin flavor combination.
Even if I do say so myself they are scrummy.
Sweet, moist and delicious. Best eaten when still warm.
I've used my regular muffin recipe but substituted 1 oz of ground almonds for 1 oz of flour, added a few drops of almond essence and some freshly chopped ripe pears.
A dusting of icing sugar while they were cooling just finished them off nicely.

2009-01-31T17:25:00.004Z

Cold Hands, Warm Heart

2009-01-25T11:34:00.017Z

I don't know about you but my hands have been Freezing over the past few weeks.

This has prompted me to search for nice patterns for hand warmers. Although I like the idea of a full glove, they prove to be unpractical and I hate the loss of dexterity that comes with having the ends of your fingers covered.
So for me the perfect solution is market gloves, hand warmers or fingerless gloves.
I found these crocheted beauties on Etsy, made by the lovely Salina.

You can find more lovely things made by Salina on her blog Salina's Home Journal. I just love the cotton lace trim so much.

Thank you Salina. They are so comfortable, warm and most importantly pretty.

There is a saying that goes "Cold hands , Warm Heart" so to prove this true I've decided to have my first Give Away.

While searching for pretty patterns I have been tinkering with my own and have come up with these.

Please excuse the dodgy nail painting, nail art is unfortunately not my forte. I must get M trained up in the art of manicure.
If you leave a comment to this post with a link or copy of your favourite soup recipe before the 1st of February, I will enter you into the draw to win a pair of these hand warmers. You can choose the colour.
Good Luck.

The challenge of a Chocolate cake.

2009-01-14T12:37:00.030Z

There has been some Very cold weather around here lately , so the fire has been lit most nights.
Some of the best things in the world according to O are a real fire and a Chocolate cake. I tend to agree.
Now I must admit to being a lot more proficient in the cupcake making department.
I tend to burn large cakes a lot !
Not sure why as my scones, cookies and other baking are usually OK, some of it I'm told is very good.

So I saw 2009 as the year to conquer my fear of the CAKE !!

Luckily for me one of my Christmas presents was "Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer" by the ingenious Jane Brocket. While following her blog Yarnstorm I had always admired her cake making expertise. Jane's cakes were never runny in the middle and burnt to a crisp at the edges like mine.

Book in hand I accepted the challenge from O to attempt the Bruce Bogtrotter Chocolate Cake. The ideas for the recipes in Jane's book all come from children's fiction. They can all be found either being made or eaten by the characters in stories that we all know and love.
The origin of the Chocolate cake is from Roald Dahl's "Matilda" were Bruce Bogtrotter is made to finish eating a large chocolate cake by miss Trunchbull as punishment for stealing. My children have always loved this story and were delighted at the thought of having a slice of the cake from "Matilda".

The resulting cake I'm glad to say was a complete success. I'm so pleased that at last I have found a chocolate cake recipe that works for me and my oven.

Another Christmas present was the pastry tin to make these pretty buns.

They are made using the Garden Gang cake pan from Lakeland. Available here. Small buns are much more familiar territory for me . The tin is made of really heavy aluminium. I was apprehensive that it would be difficult to remove the cakes in one piece after baking, but the tin works beautifully and gives a beautiful result.

Starting the Year

2009-01-07T12:40:00.009Z

I can't believe this is my first post of 2009 ! Where have those two weeks gone? Working night shift over Christmas has meant that the holidays have zoomed past for me. The Maternity unit where I work was has been very busy over the past few weeks.

I thought I'd post this photograph taken by D on the first walk of the year. It's of the road approaching Slieve Binnion in the Mourne Mountains. I think it is such a tranquil scene. It reminds me to slow my pace in 2009. The natural colour scheme of purple, pink and green is so soothing and the dry stone wall is a beautiful contrast.

So far in 2009 I've been smitten by the hand stitching bug and have spent the past few nights stitching these tiny fabric boxes while sitting by a lovely peat fire.

They are great for holding small items of jewellery. I've also used them over Christmas as gift boxes to hold small surprises. They are also a good way to use up those little scraps left over from bigger projects.

The pattern for these little gems can be found in this book.

Which is available here.

Seasons Greetings

2008-12-24T20:57:00.003Z

Wishing you all a Peaceful and Happy Holiday.

All my parcels are posted

2008-12-20T20:49:00.017Z

Phew !!! What a week.

I've finally got the last parcel in the post. Now to tackle the Christmas baking and finish off the presents for those closer to home.

I thought I'd share this Post Office advert circa 1951 by Lotte Reiniger, to celebrate that this year all my presents should reach their destination in time for Christmas.

Isn't it Great?

I love Lotte Reiniger's work so much that I bought M the DVD of Lotte's "Fairy Tale Films" for Christmas. Most of her short films included are based on classic fairy tales and all animated using her distinctive Paper Silhouette technique. The DVD is available here and you can find more clips of her work on Youtube.

I am amazed by her delicate attention to detail. Her work is Magical.

Prints of some of Lotte's stills can be ordered here.

You can read more about her work and life here.

3 Wishes for Cinderella

2008-12-13T22:18:00.011Z

After my last post I've been thinking about films, books and television programmes I loved as a child.

I've been lamenting the fact that some of the wonderful children's programmes made in the 1970's aren't repeated today and I suppose nostalgia has truly set in.

My mission this week has been to try and acquire copies of some of these programmes to share with my own children.

Top of my list was a Czech version of Cinderella directed by Vaclav Vorlicek. It was serialised for children's television. I think it was originally recorded for German television, so it has English subtitles. Which I had forgotten about. My children loved every minute of this film.

"Three Wishes for Cinderella" or "Three Nuts for Cinderella" was usually broadcast around this time of the year and has a very strong association with the excitement of Christmas for me.

A great film to be watched on a frosty night in front of the fire while drinking hot chocolate.

The film is so beautifully shot with amazing scenery and exquisite costumes. The story has only slight deviations from the traditional story of Cinderella but enough to add a little more magic.

This Cinderella is independent and in control of her own destiny, even if she relies on a bit of good fortune in the form of 3 magic walnuts which contain 3 wishes and some cool outfits.
The fact that Cinders rides horses and shots like a sharpshooter made it more appealing and enjoyable for the boys in our house.

I found the following trailer on Youtube.

Isn't the music great too ?
The DVD can be found here.

Oliver Postgate

2008-12-09T14:01:00.012Z

Today we lost a wonderful man. Oliver Postgate died at his home aged 83.

He created some of the most imaginative children's books and television programmes ever made. You can read a tribute to him here.

Ive posted the following episode of "Bagpuss" because its my favourite.

When I think about how much I love Fairy Tales and creating things from fabric, I immediately think of this episode of Bagpuss.

I really do think that this Rag Doll house episode sparked inspiration and an interest that would last throughout my life and for that Mr. Postgate I will always be Thankful.

I've included the link below to a short documentary about this amazing Animator and his work.

The Youtube tribute put together by The Guardian can be viewed here.

Moving towards the future.

2008-11-24T18:07:00.010Z

Last week was an important one for the most precious girl in my life.

Where we live in Ireland children aged between 10 and 11 sit two important exams which determine the school they will move to the following September.
M sat her second exam on Friday.

After months of hard work and concentration the pressure is now off. I'm looking forward to more time spent walking, talking and making and baking together.
It's a huge relief as fractions, times tables and long division aren't really my thing.
We just have to wait until February now for the results before we can choose her new school.

Still on the mushroom thing

2008-11-16T23:54:00.011Z

Our little fungi hunting expedition has given me craving for all things mushroomy. I've been thinking of making some felted mushrooms after seeing a fabulous pattern "Myriads of Mushrooms" by Grace Schnebly posted on Kathryn Ivy blog.

The nearest craft shop to where I live has a very limited range of 100% wool yarn.

Two colours to be precise.

Lucky for me they were in hues of mushroom. I bought a ball each of Sirdar Eco Wool DK. It has a lovely homespun texture. I had to cross my fingers that it would felt well.

For the red toadstool caps I managed to find some 20g skeins of Red Anchor Tapisserie wool that had been reduced.

Due to the impulsive "have to make it Now!" aspect of my personality I bought it and hoped for the best.

The Tapisserie wool felted really quickly. I made a mental note to scoop up any reduced skeins on my next visit for felting.

Thought I'd post this pic of me tinkering with the mushrooms in the forest.

I'm still knitting and felting so there may be more mushrooms to follow.....

Seth Lakeman Rocked or should I say Folked !

2008-11-16T11:05:00.008Z

A few evenings ago we had the good fortune to go and see Seth Lakeman again.

Seth sings songs with a story, which we love.

Following the folk tradition of recounting the past and using his own unique style.

Described as folk music for people who aren't ready to wear an aran jumper or stick their finger in their ear just yet.

Our video clip of the night didn't turn out so well so I've added the clip below to give you a little taste of the magic.
You can find our version here. Not so good due to the fact we were behind the sound desk and D's arm started to hurt. Anyway enjoy this clip, much better I think.

Fungi Foray

2008-11-10T21:10:00.025Z

A few Sunday's ago we met in a nearby wood to search for mushrooms. The walk was led by some members of The Northern Ireland Fungus Group.

The weather stayed dry and the scenery was beautiful.

We were amazed at how many species and types of fungi we found.

Needless to say that the children made the best foragers.

They have such good eyesight and can spot even the smallest mushroom hidden amongst the leaves and moss.

The experts helped us to identify our finds.

Our favourite native mushroom was the Earth Star.

A cloud of spores is released by this mushroom when raindrops touch it, or when they are tapped lightly.

I found this clip of one releasing its spores.

Just magical.

By the end of the afternoon we had found lots of variety's of mushroom but none in sufficient quantities to cook.

However we did gather a great collection for M & O to bring to school.

Kitchen Poetry 7

2008-11-09T12:01:00.005Z

M helping to make creamy vegetable soup for todays lunch.

Kitchen Poetry 6

2008-11-08T22:42:00.007Z

Cookies for the weekend.

Got these ready before work this afternoon.
I hope to post some family in tomorrows Kitchen Poetry.

Kitchen Poetry 5

2008-11-07T22:54:00.003Z

The view through my Kitchen door this morning.

A grey and dreary day but my little glass apple cheered me.

Kitchen Poetry 4

2008-11-06T22:11:00.007Z

Kitchen Poetry 3... ( celebration breakfast )

2008-11-05T23:44:00.007Z

After staying up into the wee small hours to watch an historic event on Tv.

A celebration breakfast was called for. Home made Soda Farls.

Soda bread is best cooked on a griddle and stored wrapped in a linen tea towel.

I'm so lucky to have been sent this beautiful hand stencilled linen tea towel by Maya of maya*made blog.

You can see more and purchase some of her gorgeous work here on Etsy.

This was the second batch.

The first batch ?

Well to be honest they didn't last long.

They are too delicious when eaten warm with butter.

Kitchen Poetry 2

2008-11-04T14:23:00.011Z

I'm enjoying taking the photos for "Kitchen Poetry" so much. It is allowing me to see my kitchen in new ways. When I stopped to take this picture this morning I was taken by the colours. I probably wouldn't have noticed this corner much.

You can probably guess we are eating lots of plums at the moment. Don't you just love the rich colours of their skin?

I don't often buy golden delicious apples as I prefer a crisper, more tart apple but the colour of these against the purple plums is amazing. I can see those bananas may be destined for a smoothie this afternoon.

Homemade Chili Bean soup. Mum came for lunch. Just perfect for a frosty day.

Kitchen poetry 1

2008-11-03T10:17:00.005Z

This is my kitchen this morning.

Well really at the moment its the only bit tidy enough to photograph. This week I'm following Toni from Simplesparrow.

She is encouraging everyone to show some "Kitchen poetry". The real life everyday stuff that happens in our kitchens. Everyone is invited to join.

Happy Celtic New Year Everyone

2008-10-31T21:43:00.005Z

From Maya's hands to mine

2008-10-31T11:24:00.007Z

A lovely thing happened yesterday.

A parcel arrived from across the Atlantic ocean. The contents were so delightful that I have decided to dedicate a post to each of them.

A few weeks ago I responded to a post by the wonderfully talented Maya of Maya*made.

How lucky was I to find that I was one of the winners in her giveaway.

Whats more that I could choose to have a custom made gift !

I just loved the beautiful stone dolls that Maya had painted. You can find them here and here.

This little doll made it's way to live in Ireland.

I am so grateful for this gift for so many reasons.

I love the fact that this stone is part of another continent.

I enjoy thinking of the history that surrounds stone dolls and like to think about the children who might have played with them in the past and the mothers who made them for their children.

I delight in the fact that someone so gifted took time to find, select, design and paint her for me !

I think the pattern on her dress is beautiful and I have just the place to keep her so that I can catch a glimpse of her everyday.

To me this doll is a symbol of kindness and generosity and the goodness that exists with in the blogging community.

Thank you Maya she will be loved.

Stepping stones

2008-10-29T20:55:00.026Z

During the last few months we have been trying to go walking as a family. However because I work shifts its not always possible for me to go. Luckily D is always keen to lead an "expedition". This weeks involved stepping stones.

Scary and very slippery!

O has been collecting his walking equipment for some time. His compass, walking pole, rucksack together with First Aid kit and emergency chocolate!

His lately acquired Buff is definitely his favourite piece of kit.

The "Buff" was kindly given to him by a work college of mine who had heard that O enjoyed hiking.

It has been worn everyday in every combination that is shown in this clip!

Thanks Claire he really loves it.

Now I just need to workout how to get it off him for washing !

Apple inspiration

2008-10-24T10:38:00.010+01:00

Every where I look at the moment there is an abundance of Apples. We visited a local Apple fair recently and picked up these beauties. They are Armagh Bramley's and taste delicious especially when picked fresh.

Every year when the Bramley's are in season and reasonably priced I make enough Apple chutney to keep us going through out the following year and a few extra pots for friends. The children love the spicy chutney with bread and cheese and prefer it to the shop bought pickles that can be very sharp in taste.

The recipe I use is one that was given to me by an old friend that I shared a house with when a student in Staffordshire. It's the recipe his Mum used and tastes delicious. It has the advantage of using dried spices so it is easy to make.

Apple Chutney Recipe

3 lbs cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped

3 lbs onions, chopped

1 lb sultanas

2 lemons, zest and juice

1 1/2 lbs demerara sugar

1 pint malt vinegar

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp garlic granules

- place all ingredients into a preserving pan and bring to the boil.

- reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally until thickened and no liquid remains.

- decant into warm sterile jars and seal.

- leave for 4 weeks for full flavour to mature.

This chutney will store for a year. Once open I tend to store the chutney in the fridge.

Apples have also been on my mind when crafting this week.

I found this pattern for an Apple Cozy by Casey at I think I'm gonna purl. You can find it here.

It's quick and easy to knit, although a little fiddly at the start with four needles to manage. I'm planning to knit a few more and vary the colours. I opted for a small wooden bead instead of the knitted bobble in the pattern. I've also seen other versions that have used buttons.

The Laziest Girl in Town

2008-10-21T10:28:00.004+01:00

The past few weeks I've been procrastinating. In fact I think I'm turning it into an Art.

My to do list is growing by the hour and my enthusiasm for completing stuff is dwindling. I've been finding too many excuses to tackle the mountain of ironing which has grown in my kitchen . So that now the pile has reached such a dangerous level I'm worried that if it topples over it may injure a child.

So in true fashion, a few Sunday's ago when I really should have been sorting my house to make it pass Health and Safety standards, I was easily convinced by the girls to go see Mary Coughlan.

By coincidence her opening song was "The laziest girl in town" !

I've been trying to find Mary's version on line to share, but it's not there, I've looked. So I've linked is to Nina Simone's great version.

Mary Coughlan has been described in the Guardian as

"a red-haired warrior Queen with a voice like bleeding cherries".

It would be difficult to find a more accurate or fitting description. Mary sings it how it is, with no affectation or frills. Her new album "The House of Ill Repute" has just been released and is available here.

Gift for a Hen

2008-10-20T17:24:00.012+01:00

My little cousin is getting married.

So last weekend we took her out to celebrate.

Everyone brought a small gift for the Hen.

This is what I brought.

The needle book is made from a scrap of Cath Kidston fabric and lined with red polka dots.

The basket contained pins, tailors chalk, thread and needles and a wooden darning mushroom.

The pin cushion is made of paper pieced hand sewn hexagons and topped with a vintage button.

The fabric on the bottom of the pin cushion matches the needle book.

I hope she will find it useful in her new home.

Blossom throw

2008-10-15T17:13:00.008+01:00

I've been steadily working on the project that I started while staying in Wales and I think I have done enough to post a few pics of how its progressing.

Is that a stray marble and a dirty floor !

It's amazing the grime that shows up in a photo. Perhaps I should adopt photography as way to highlight the areas of my home that need some attention, I wonder if it would make me tidy?

Back to the blossoms. I had the idea of making a throw that would look like a carpet of flowers.

Here's a close up of the some of the squares,

The pattern is from this book -

Its by Jean Lienhausen and available here.

If you have a few minutes check out the funky crochet sweaters designed by Jean Lienhausen featured in this interview with her.

You can see the flower pattern I'm using on the bottom right corner of the book cover. I'm really pleased with this aspect of the throw. However after searching I am finding it difficult to turn up a suitable pattern for the "in between" squares. I have something in mind but can't find a pattern that is along the same lines. Unfortunately my crochet skills aren't developed enough to be able to make my own pattern just yet.

I suppose I'm searching for a granny square with leaves or a leaf on it. Any of the squares I have looked at so far have been to lacy and as the blossom squares are heavy it doesn't make a good match.

I would love to hear any suggestions, or of any books that might be of help.

Although I like the effect of the colour around the edge of the square. For example :-

I decided against edging every square with colour. Deciding instead to go with green "leaf"squares in between the flowers. Hopefully making it look less blocky when put together.

I've also been playing around with ideas for the edging, more on that later.........

Enchantment in the evening

2008-10-11T10:08:00.030+01:00

For a few nights a year a local park is turned into a theatre of enchantment. Children and adults walk with fairies and magical creatures in the Celtic Twilight.

The trees and plants a lit with beautiful colours and the fairies play music in the Palm houses .....

and dance for our entertainment.

This year the children dressed up and we took some friends to talk to the smoke breathing Dragon, the Wish Fairy and an enormous and very cheeky Troll.

Our Enchanted evening walk through the trees was lit in spectacular colours.

We brought candle lanterns to light the way and ate warm honeyed cashews.

You had to be quick and alert to catch a glimpse of some of the Fairie Folk.

The tree pixies were our favourites.
Such amazing puppets which were so expressive and beautifully made.

The tree lady towered over us at nearly ten foot tall but was so elegant and graceful.
We definately plan be visiting the Fairies again next year to celebrate Autumn.

Romany hideaway

2008-10-04T17:02:00.020+01:00

At the end of September we were 12 years married !

The question was where to celebrate.

We thought this was the perfect place.

The Romany vardo was in the most perfect and tranquil location. Hidden away in the Black Mountains in the Brecon Beacons, Wales.

A few days away from everything. Time to recharge and spend some time alone. The weather stayed fair, if a little overcast, but no rain.

The Vardo was so cozy and comfortable and the pretty fairy lights that greeted us on our arrival made it all feel magical.

I loved the painted decoration that covered both the inside and outside. The tiny stove was beautiful. And as for that gorgeous rose chintz fabric !

It was as if the Vardo had been built specially for me. Totally delightful. I honestly don't think I have ever stayed anywhere prettier.

We spent the weekend relaxing and watching the squirrels in the trees by day and the bats swooping around us by night.

The sky was so clear at night that due to the lack of city light pollution we could see the whole display of stars. It's amazing when you take the time to watch the night sky just how many shooting stars you can see in one night.

The little time away from the demands of working and running a family gave me time to work on a project I have been planning for a while now. I have had the idea of making a throw and in the process using up some of my stash of Rowan hand knit cotton. I must admit that I love this yarn, the texture, workability along with fabulous colours make it my favourite.

I'm hoping to post in more detail about this project soon as it is rapidly growing and I'm pleased with the colours. I might need a little help deciding on the boarders and I'm hoping for some suggestions.

Kindness from the other side of the World

2008-09-25T12:49:00.011+01:00

Being such a novice blogger there are new aspects and activities of the blogging world that I have yet to discover.

This week I have discovered the generosity and excitement of "The Swap".

Last week an amazing surprise arrived from the other side of the world! I really can't tell you the excitement and gratitude that was felt in our house.

These beautiful notebooks and pencil covers were hand made by the lovely Mel from One Crafty Mumma blog.

The children have been using these all week and were delighted to bring them to school and show their teacher the wonderful surprise they received from Tasmania. Mel has such a lovely blog and writes about her creativity and family life. She amazes me with her energy and obviously has a mind just bursting with ideas and creativity.

I had sent Mel some cotton crocheted dishcloths as she had mentioned that she would like to have some.

Knitted I am.

2008-09-14T14:45:00.011+01:00

What do you think of this little Yoda !

My little Jedi was thrilled with him. I loved making him, especially as it only took a few hours and takes up very little yarn. This great pattern is by Raynour at Jellybum on Etsy and is available here for anyone who wants one.

Yesterday we actually had a sunny day here! So we made sure it was spent outside. We took a trip to Castle Espie a Wetland centre on the shores of Strangford Lough. This weekend was their Lifestyle Green show. We had such a great day watching and feeding the birds.

We took part in a tree naming competition and bought a book on identifying trees.

Which came in helpful on Dad an O 's walk in Donard Forest this morning.

Yesterday we also tried wood turning and willow sculpture.

I loved the willow sculpture and the the kids got so involved that they didn't want to leave. I think they enjoyed it so much because it involved a certain amount of engineering as well as dexterity and design. Skills that I would love to encourage my children to develop. So I'm planning to try making some for our garden with the help of the children.

All in all a lovely day walking and playing in the trees and watching the birds.

Crochet cactus

2008-09-12T16:59:00.013+01:00

It's been a busy week. I passed the exam I was sitting at the weekend Phew ! Thanks for the Good Luck wishes. On Monday I started a new job. I'm really enjoying it and the extra responsibility but I think first weeks are always tiring. So much new admin to learn etc. Working as a Team Midwife has been a goal since training and sometimes it's hard to believe that I'm actually here doing it !

Because of the exam and the new job the crafting has been a little sparse but I have managed to fit in a few little projects. I'm mostly crocheting at the moment as it is easier to fit in around other stuff. It also "grows" quickly if you know what I mean. Usually I can complete a little crochet project in a short period of time. I've just finished this -

The pattern for the cactus and pot are available here at Nadia's Flickr. She has posted a fabulous picture tutorial and pattern. I'm not the best at crochet but I found it easy to follow and the pictures helped a lot. The kids thought it was hilarious. I'm thinking of putting it on our office window as we never have time to look after real plants. I also managed to crochet some new cotton wash cloths.

I thought some bright colours were called for after receiving my order of 3 balls of "Fiesta" by Peaches and Cream. Cotton yarn is difficult to find here and expensive even when you can find it, so I usually order from ebay. The star in Fiesta is made using this lovely free pattern from Janelle Schlossman. There are some other great patterns on her site.

The flower cloth with the yellow centre is from this free pattern at Marlo's Crochet corner.
The flower cloth with the orange centre is a mistake ! (remember when I said I could sometimes be easily distracted), well I did a little to many stitches on the last few rows. I kind of like how it turned out though.

The garden is looking rather bare already but we still have some carrots left to harvest and boy are they sweet and delicious. There really is no comparison between the fresh from your garden kind and shop bought. I'm planning to make carrot and coriander soup tomorrow for lunch.

Beans ?

2008-09-05T23:50:00.019+01:00

I posted last month about how the wet and humid weather had been good for the Beans that we had planted. OOPS!

The beans actually turned out to be Peas !!

I was beginning to wonder as the pods formed that perhaps they wouldn't be the biggest of broad beans. The colour also seemed to be too " Pea green "shall we say.

A taster last week revealed my suspicions. Yep ! They are definitely peas.

Oh well I suppose life is full of surprises. I'm not sure what happened. I must admit to being easily distracted at times and I was very busy the week of planting. Perhaps we planted different seeds than we thought! Anyway, nice surprise and delicious.

We also harvested the last of our spring onions this week. Otherwise known as "scallions" here and one of the main ingredients for a traditional Irish potato dish called "Champ." So guess what we had for tea last night ?

The recipe can be found here. I was attempting to write the recipe myself and then realised that I don't use one. Instructions like a colander of potatoes and chunk of butter may not be that useful for anyone making Champ for the first time. So I played it safe with the recipe on the link.

This dish is warming, filling and tasty, perfect for when the weather starts to turn colder and best of all ,virtually no culinary skill required.

I'm off to finish some revision as I have an important course and exam this weekend in Fermanagh.

Wish me Luck !

Grandpa's railway

2008-09-02T18:16:00.001+01:00

Recently we had a mini holiday to the seaside at Llandudno with Granny and Grandpa. The highlight of the weekend were Grandpa's trains.

This amazing garden railway has been made totally by Grandpa !
Including the signal box and suspension bridge.

Grandpa spent time training his new apprentice controller in the signal box.

The weather was good so we were able to be out about. While Grandpa went to teach sailing we went to a Country Fair were we saw sheepdogs herding geese, birds of prey and dog agility demonstrations. I loved watching the skill of the chainsaw sculpture.

I can't believe we fitted so much into one weekend. Even after the tabogan run on the Great Orme there was still time for swimming , shopping and lots of crocheting with Granny in the evening. A lovely way to end the Summer holidays before the return to School and work.

Pinky toasting marshmallows

2008-08-30T18:37:00.005+01:00

The weather was nice enough last night for us to spend the evening in the garden. M had been at circus school all day and has the new nick name of "Pinky". I think it suits her. We decided to go with the hair bun inspiration of the last post, but with a little pinch of pink.

Nothing like a relaxing swing in the hammock after a feast of toasted marshmallows.

Woodland living

2008-08-25T20:28:00.040+01:00

Last week I took the children to see The Fox and The Child. What a treat it turned out to be. The kids loved the combination of story telling and wildlife documentary. Perfect for a little boy who loves to find out facts and information but still hasn't lost the childhood enjoyment of a good story. It was a mix between reality and fairytale. The film opened up a world were children can be free to have true adventures and the freedom to explore nature. A rare luxury compared with today's cautious and the risk assessed life of the regular city kid.

Although some reviewers haven't been that enthusiastic about this film, criticizing the dubbing and Kate Winslet's narration. I found the over all composition of the story beautiful . The scenery spectacular, the cinematography just perfect. Were some have described the film as twee I felt it was delightful, nostalgic and refreshing. It is rare that a visit to the cinema leaves my children wanting to find out more about the subject of the film . We certainly found it a welcome change from the usual animated and over hyped riot of images that are assumed to be the appropriate for children and their families. You can see an interview with the director and creator Luc Jaquet here.

The actress playing the child is Bertille Noel Bruneau ,

Isn't she pretty ? I love this still from the film. It illustrates the natural colour palette that is used throughout the film. Her hair style reminded me of something and at first I thought it was Princess Leia but then I remembered these.

From Hilary Lang of Wee Wonderfuls. Hilary posted the dolls on the left sometime ago and felt that they were not quite right. I personally love the hair on these dolls. Her creations are always so cute and her creativity seems unending. I've been a fan of Hilary's work some time and am feeling inspired by her to try my hand at some doll making. So far I have only attempted to make her Elf Stitchettes. I was delighted with the free pattern and the results.

Thinking ahead to Christmas I think I might try to make a few dolls myself, using the bun hair as inspiration.

My Autumn copy of Marie Claire Idees arrived at the beginning of this week and to my surprise continued on the theme of nature and had a similar colour palette to the film.

Clouds, Rain and Trees

2008-08-18T11:17:00.014+01:00

I thought it was about time that I stopped complaining about the amount of rain we have been having this Summer and decided to celebrate it.

So I bought this necklace -

Made by the talented Jen of Fable Handmade goods on Etsy. Its called April Showers but I've renamed it Irish Summer 2008 ! Thanks Jen, its even more delightful than I thought it would be.

Jen's blog The Fabled Needle is so pretty. Her crochet patterns are delicate and have a antique feel to them. I have already ordered her pattern for The Mighty Oak Scarflette.

I have a passion for Acorns and couldn't resist this when I saw it. I have the yarn gathered and my crochet hook at the ready. Hopefully will have it finished in time for Autumn.

Whilst on the topic of weather and trees check out our new Weather Tree.

My pal and sister-in-law Gentlytiptoe and I saw this poster 5 years ago in a National Trust shop. But at the time they were out of stock. I remembered that they were designed by Dorothy Thelwall . Occasionally over the last while I have been looking out for one and I suppose with the weather being on my mind I found them for sale here. I was so excited I ordered 3 to send to my nieces and nephews.

The idea is that you choose a colour for each type of weather and colour one leaf a day to represent the weather. Each branch of the tree represents one month. The kids and I decided on our colours today and coloured in our first leaf !

A Special Day

2008-08-17T11:45:00.013+01:00

Yesterday was a Special day in our house. My birthday started with breakfast in bed made by O. Another surprise was that Duke Special was appearing on Sesame Tree !

Sesame tree is a project developed to encourage respect,understanding and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and is partly funded by The American Fund for Ireland and The Northern Ireland Fund for Reconciliation. It is our very own version of Sesame street and can be seen on BBC 2 at 07.45 am or viewed here.

My Kids and I enjoy both so it made for a nice start to the day. Here's a little taster of Duke Special live.

If that leaves you craving some more Duke Special tunes, his album "Songs from the Deep Forest" is highly recommended and is available here.

Thought I'd also add a link to the wonderfully talented Paul a friend and colleague of Dave and the puppeteer for Potto the purple fluffy monster. Paul can be found at Sirkus on foot.

After a great start to the day we had the treat of seeing our little budding ballerina M in the 27th Northern Ireland Ballet School performance.

The day finished well with homemade veggie chilli men using Wagamama sauce. We have'nt got a Wagamama restrant in N.Ireland but home made is the next best thing. Friends and family sent lots of lovely presents and cards. More about the those later as I think there is a small break in the clouds and posssibly a glimse of some Sun !!!
Oh ! forgot to say about the cupcakes, Chocolate with peanut butter chips (own recipe) and magnolia bakery chocolate buttercream topping from this book.

Rainbow Cookies

2008-08-06T16:42:00.007+01:00

More baking !

Hope it stops raining before we eat our own weight in baked goods !!

Anyway, another little recipe to cheer up a dull day.

Aptly named Rainbow cookies by myself. They are my own adaptation of an old recipe with a few ingredients omitted and these put in their place.

Vanilla extract and mini Smarties or M&M's !

RECIPE

110g (4oz) butter softened

110g (4oz) caster sugar

200g (7oz) plain flour

1 egg yolk

1 dessertspoon of golden syrup

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

approx 3 tbsp mini M&M or Smarties.

-Cream butter and sugar

-Add egg yolk and syrup and combine well.

- Add sieved flour and baking powder, salt and combine with clean -hands (its really the best way!)

-When mixture resembles playdoh, roll into small balls and flatten with fingers. Space well on baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper, as they will spread a little during cooking.

- Bake for 10-15 mins at 170 C , 325 F 0r gas mark 3, until golden brown and they should end up like these.

Other versions Ive made have been, chocolate chip, raisin and spice. They are delicious when still warm from the oven. ENJOY !

Rain and Knot Quilting

2008-08-03T18:07:00.009+01:00

Rain, Rain and then some more rain has left us looking for indoor activities to keep me and the children occupied. It has rained so much over the last month that I have to remind my self that actually is Summer.

An unplanned trip to a local toyshop however has introduced us to a new Craft !

Knot Quilting is the perfect activity to keep a child occupied and busy for a good few hours at a time.

We bought a Knot a Quilt pack also available online here.

Since M finished her quilt within a few days we have decided to try making another Knot Quilt using the brilliant instructions from Joyce Briggs which we found here.
The blankets can be made using fleece or flannel fabric. Youtube also has a great tutorial for Knot Quilting here. If you have a go I would love to see the results.

Another rainy weather pastime that we have taken up is no cook baking. Not as good for the waistline, but there has to be something to cheer us up when the weather is so bad. Over the past few days we have been eating these.

They're called "Fifteens" and are so quick and easy to make. No hot ingredients or stove so perfect for children who want to help. Here's the recipe :-

15 digestive biscuits crushed

15 glace cherries chopped

15 marshmallows chopped

15 walnut halves chopped

2 tbsp dessicated coconut and extra for rolling

1 tin of condensed milk.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, feel free to add extra crushed digestives if mix very sticky. When mixture holds together when squeezed, roll into long sausage shape. Coat in extra coconut and roll tightly in greaseproof paper . Allow to rest in fridge for a few hours. Slice into pieces 1-1 1/2 inches thick and they are ready to eat.

One good aspect of all this wet and humid weather are these,

Our beans are growing nicely and are looking pretty at the moment with their flowers. Hopefully they will be ready for harvest at the same time as our carrots. I'm off to ebay now to look for some suitable flannel fabric for the new Knot Quilt.

Flower pin cushions and Teeny Tiny patchwork

2008-07-30T14:15:00.011+01:00

Recently I have been enjoying the flower pin cushion pattern by the wonderful Anna Maria Horner.

I've now discovered via her blog that its available FREE ! at Better Homes and Gardens.

How Great !
Now everyone can make one.

I made the purple polkadot version for my lovely sister in law and kept the red dotty one for myself to match the needlebook I made.

The tiny patchwork is all paper pieced and sewn by hand. The inspiration came from this book .

Which is available here.

Believe me its really adictive and grows more quickly than you would imagine. I used a free online Graphpaper Generator to create my small paper peicing and found it really handy.

Because I enjoyed the tiny piecing so much I set up a Flickr group Teeny Tiny Patchwork to see the minature patchwork that other crafters had been doing.

Please take a look there are some beautiful pieces and feel free to join and add your own I'd love to see it.

Jane has made a beautiful version of the flower pin cushion and just look at the delicate tiny patchwork from Prairie Mouse and Red Thimble.

Family get together

2008-07-24T09:21:00.012+01:00

Last weekend we spent a relaxing time with family in the Peak District. As you can see by the photo the weather was unpredictable. However this didn't hinder the more hardy hill walkers of the group.

We stayed in the most beautiful Youth Hostel Hartington Hall. I would highly recommend it. The setting and the accommodation were beautiful.

The food was excellent. The children especially loved the breakfast ! The added touch of fresh wild flowers in handmade pottery made the experience delightful.
Most importantly the company of the wonderful Anamama and Gentlytiptoe was the highlight. We got to meet our new niece and spend time with each other. One branch of the family tree came all the way from Saudi to be with us.

The staff at Hartington were very pleasant and helpful even when we took over the foyer on the last night for a birthday party with impromptu entertainment. We had music, singing in Spanish, Welsh and English, juggling, game playing and reminiscing. We even had a few non family members join us !

Our last day was the icing on the cake with Morris Dancers in the village and a craft fair.

And of course the opportunity to Thrift. I found these old gypsy pegs and the tea and sugar tin.

I was sure that I had seen a tin like this before but wasn't sure where. When she saw it Mum said that my Grandpa had one exactly the same to bring his tea to work. I love these everyday items as it gives me a link to how life was before mass production and cellophane wrapping.

The pegs are so much nicer to hold and are stronger and prettier than the plastic pegs we have today. I enjoy imagining the person who made them and how they were sold and who used them before me. The tea tin is so practical and also pretty to look at. Much nicer than a sachet of instant coffee or a tea bag carried in a plastic lunch box don't you think ?

Berries and Sugar

2008-07-10T11:16:00.011+01:00

M & O , Grannie Annie and myself went strawberry picking. The kids were really excited. My camera batteries ran out while we were there so no pics . This year the the strawberries were on raised frames and under poly tunnels so the rain didn't matter.

After the disappointment of the poor yeild from our own strawberry plants this year ( 6 strawberries !) I must read more about fruit growing and see if we can improve on the crop for next year.

We decide to go to the professionals at Oatlands Farm for some serious berry volumes.

This was the result :-

This basket gave us 6 jars of delicious jam.

I used 1lb of fruit to 1lb of jam sugar with added pectin. The jam set very well , I will definately use this recipe again. This is the first year we have paid for our jam fruit previously we have embraced freeganism for our jam making. Last year we gleened green plums from my aunts garden .

The year before we foraged for blackberries by the coast.

Daisy dishcloth

2008-07-08T20:52:00.008+01:00

Over the weekend its has Rained alot ! Ive been in around the house a bit and have decided that it really is about time I used up some of my cotton yarn stash. I had ordered this Daisy pattern from Maggie's Crochet a while ago.

I'd been putting off giving it ago as I'm not the most experienced at crochet. I'm really glad I did now and I'm pleased with how it turned out. So pleased, that I crocheted 6 of them!
Although technically a dishcloth M is using one as a washcloth because they are so pretty. I think I might try the Sunflower one next.

The rain has also helped the garden alot and as a result my lettuce now look like this -

Lettuce with everything for the next few weeks I reckon.

This made me laugh Then and Now !!

2008-07-03T08:34:00.001+01:00

Little birds

2008-06-29T20:15:00.005+01:00

This little bird was made using a lovely wee pattern I found on Spool Sewing. I had so much fun sewing this that I cut a few extra to let my kids have a go.They are simple having only two pattern pieces and can be hand sewn, even by a child in an hour or two. The the little bird below is the first result.

M & O chose their own fabrics and only needed a little help with turning the sharp corners of the beak. I think M picked cute colours and fabrics and her tiny stitches are a wonder for any 10 year old. Spool Sewing used their birds to make an amazing mobile.

Knitting in progress

2008-06-25T19:00:00.008+01:00

I've decided its time I did some more knitting. The arrival of my new niece has given me the excuse to try a pattern I've liked for ages but havent had anyone small enough to knit it for.

The pattern is Anouk by Kate Gilbert.

Found in the Archives of Knitty. The yarn is a mix of brands of double knit cotton from my stash. Ive been looking about on flickr this afternoon while the wee ones were at school and found this lovely colour combination of the same pattern by ikolett and this version by PetitBeurre. I hope to get it finished over the weekend and ready for posting to Baby Isla early next week. (I'm knitting it in age 6-12 months size just in case it takes me longer than I think !!!!)

In good company

2008-06-20T21:07:00.010+01:00

An evening in Derry in the company of the wonderful Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably

Such a treat ! Kaffes energy and passion for colour is amazing. I left totally inspired and energised.

Kaffe showed a quilt designed by Kim McLean called

" Lollipop trees"

Her quilt was made using small pieces of Kaffes fabric and spectacular applique. Ideas for a future project I think.

Just to make a good week even better these arrived in the post Friday morning. New Birki's.

Purple & Green

2008-06-09T21:06:00.008+01:00

The past 3 weeks have consisted of night shifts and sewing during my breaks. During my rota of night shift I tend to feel that all I do is work and sleep. Ive found the antidote.

Having a nice project to work on helps me to feel less sorry for myself. This flower pincushion from the brilliant Anna Maria Horner http://annamariahorner.blogspot.com/ did the trick over the last week. It was small enough to hand sew and carry with me.

As purple and green are my favourite colours I thought Id try them together. The retro fabric used for the petals was thrifted, and works well with the green "roman glass" Kaffe Fassett fabric http://www.kaffefassett.com/patchwork.htm. I've another few projects in mind with this colour combo. By the way the pincushion pattern is from the Spring 2008 edition of Better Homes and Gardens "Quilts and more" mag.

test

2008-05-26T19:59:00.000+01:00