{quilt} while you're ahead

19//2012 {{ giveaway }}

Have you ever come across Janet's blog?

No???? Geeshhh.  Run, go there now.  And then come back and keep reading this post, there's a give away at the end.

If you have, then you'll know what I'm talking about when I say that she's a lady of immense talent.  In this huge quilting/craft world we live in it's not often that some one comes up with a distinct and unique creative vision and aesthetic.

Janet has.

Everything she does is 'Janet', do you know what I mean?  She quilts, she knits, she draws, she embroiders, she teaches, she sews... have you seen her gorgeous 'dressing gown'?

AND she has a book out:

It is a wonderful book full of wonderful quilts and other sewing projects, ideas and templates all with Janet's wonderful illustrations.

And because Janet is incredibly nice too (you should meet her) she sent me a couple of copy of her books; one for me (hurray) and one to give away to a lucky lucky reader.

If you'd like a chance to win it, just leave me your name and a way to contact you and I'll draw a name out of a hat early next week.

How's that for a Wednesday post? eh?

18//2012

Seriously?

Oh dear.

17//2012

My little cousin came to stay with us for the weekend.  (She's actually not so little anymore, but comparatively speaking  - her age compared to mine - she will always be 'the little cousin').  She's studying for a degree in  'pure Math and applied Math' at Newcastle University.  

Yeah, I know.  WHAT?  Is there more than one Math?  

Whatever.

Let's talk food instead.

If you've ever visited Italy around this time of year you'll know it's "Carnevale". (Venice is a popular destination this time of the year and totally amazing).  Lots of dressing up, parties, tricks.  

And food.

One my favourite is "Chiacchiere" - 'chats' - a fried pastry covered in icing sugar.  Each county or even town has its own name and shape for them and let me tell you... they are delicious.

Little cousin and I decided to make some in order to recall some taste of home.

We got the machine out of the cupboard (and dustied it off...)

Made the dough.

Cut it into pieces and fried it.

And then we ate them all up.

Down to the last crumb. (Not just us... Mr M and the boys' contribution was noticeable).

 

You can find the recipe here.  (we skipped the liqueur).  It'll take you longer to make them than to eat them!!

 

16//2012

 

If yesterday my post was a tad random... today I'm giving myself permission to ramble on about this that and the other.

- Have you come across this article on the Huffington Post?  If you have/have had children do read it.  It really struck a cord and I'd be interested to hear what you think.  It poses into question the whole 'carpe diem/all diem and every diem' attitude that's out there.  The guilt inducing 'enjoy them now because time flies' type philosophy.  Of course we have all wished days away during hell-trip to the supermarkets with screaming babies and run-away toddlers.  We've all counted the minutes 'tll daddy comes home' on occasions... but does that make us BAD parents?  If we don't live all our days in a state of contemplation for the miracle fruit of our loins... if we don't stare in awe into grubby/muddy faces... are we terrible mothers?  I have recently just reached the stage when I can go to the toilette again and close the door behind me after 10 years... and let me tell you... I still love my children.  In actual fact I probably love them even more now that I don't have to hold a conversation while sitting on the loo!

The writer talks about two different types of 'time'.  The one when we just 'live' everyday, and maybe lose our patience and scream and struggle.  And then the other type, a time within time when all disappears and we stare enchanted at our sleeping children, or we just look at them wondering if anybody has ever loved another being this much.  As long as we have those moments all is well right?  As long as we 'carpe' those moments... the rest of the diem won't matter.

Right?  

Anyway, that's just me.  I just thought it was an honestly written article.  Whaddya think?

End of ramble no 1

- Because I've lived in England for the past 21 years and English people love talking about the weatherI'm entitled to speak about it in two consecutive posts so here I go:

Yesterday evening is snowed.  Generally speaking not amazingly remarkable if it wasn't for the fact that we had all kind of weather (except for hails) in one day.  It started cloudy then went sunny then cloudy and rainy, then sunny and windy and then snow.

Bonkers.

Today when I walked Lilli the grass was covered in crunchy ice.

The sun was out and the sky so blue it almost hurt my eyes.

Pretty.

15//2012

Random post

- A few weeks ago we started getting a weekly vegetable/fruit box from Abel and Cole.  I'm not sure this is the most economical way of buying stuff BUT what it has done is definitively making us eat more seasonal products.  It made me realise how stuck in a rut of buying/cooking the same things over and over again and it's been good for my brain to diversify.

- And what bizarre vegetables are out there.

- It hasn't made a difference in the qty of vegetable nor in the variety of vegetables my kids eat AT ALL.  sigh.

- They did however try the famous 'salsify' (boiled and then sauteed in butter).  It tasted very bland and they were bribed with ten extra minutes of 'staying up time' if they did.  Calling it a success might be stretching it a little...

- When you next peel salsify wear rubber gloves.  STICKY.  Like tree sap.  You think the soap washed it off and then you find the tea-towel you're using to dry your hands has stuck to your finger like glue. Weird.

- I've got a huge bunch of 'chinese lettuce' to use.

- I should buy myself a copy of Nigel's book on vegetables.

- The latest 'leeks and potatoes' soup was delicious.

- Isn't it weird to have daffodils out already? And crocuses and snowdrops?

- I guess in the same way we have very cold winters we can have very warm ones but I can't remember a winter without going below zero at all (Celsius that is).  Feels almost ominous.

- I'm not complaining.  I don't particularly like minus zero temperature.

- Especially when I have boys who constantly play matches that require adult support. Urgh.  

- If I had girls it might have been indoor ballet performances.... sigh.

- Should have encouraged swimming more.

- You can sit and knit during swimming lessons.

- You can't knit standing on the sideline of a football/rugby match.

- You'll damage your children.

- Or will you?

- Today the weather is quite glorious.  The only rain cloud appeared (and unloaded itself) during the 30 minutes I was out walking Lilli.  Honestly.

- Must do laundry. 

- Now

-  Bye bye.

 

14//2012 {{granny cushion}}

I can hardly believe it myself, but I had never crochet a 'granny square' type cushion before.  

Ever.

And I guess if I'm honest the thought of weaving in all those ends was the only reason I didn't.  So many changes of colour... so many ends.  Scary.  

Then one night Mr M was out on a business dinner I sat at my desk to watch an episode of 'Sherlock' on the BBC iplayer (incindentally... what a great great show; great story lines, great acting, beautifully shot) and found myself with a crochet hook in my hand and a bag of left over cotton yarn.

The granny circles were made really quickly and weaving the ends as I went turned a potentially boring job into a nothing.  (note to self: doh. Will I ever learn?  It's nice to hold on to the thought that one day I will though.)

By the time Sherlock solved the case I was done.

The white joining part took a bit longer, I just did a bit then and there... but all in all it was surprisingly fast.

I don't exclude the possibility of making more - regardless of the zero level of appreciation from the nearest and dearest - but next time I'll choose a pattern less 'holey', and go down a size in crochet hook.  I like my crochet fabric to be firm, and this is a tad too soft for me.

In the meantime... my sewing chair has got a whole lot more comfortable.

Toodles ya'll.

 

13//2011 {{denim quilt, part 2}}

Just a quick hello today.

My sister left today and I miss her already.... I've tried to convince her to move back to England, wouldn't that be just perfect?

And it's the greyest of days today too, which really doesn't help my mood.

Still pottering away at this.

What about you?

12//2012 {{kitchen cushions}}

So... it looks like you're all very knowledgeable about obscure and quite frankly not very edible looking vegetables... I still haven't tried to eat 'salsify' though.  As No 2 put it "I don't think you should eat this, it looks like a stick".  (Notice he said "you" not "we")

Anyway, whilst I think about eating weird looking sticky vegetables I can admire my new kitchen cushions:

I have to say... I might be the only one around here though.

The boys don't think meadows and happy daisies.

Not at all.  In fact... they got the same welcome and the 'salsify' in my previous post.

Sigh.

But what do boys know about cushions, eh?

11//2012

Does anybody have any idea of what these are and how am I supposed to prepare/cook them?

They're thin and long and kind look a bit like parsnips but they're straight... not shaped like carrots if you know what I mean.

Weird.

Any idea?

10//2012 {{lilli's cushion}}

When I first set eye on this retro number I didn't immediately thought "oh great cushion for the dog", but as soon as I took it home she claimed it... and what can I say, the girl has taste.

Fast forward two years and the psychedelic pillow was in serious need of some tlc.

I coverd holes and tears with this cute 'doggie' fabric from who knows where or when,

I'm sure she missed the irony of the imagery... but the boys haven't.  They think it's brilliant...

and who am I to argue with that?

I hope you're not bored of cushions... two more posts to go!

9//2012 {{cushion}}

There was once a silk sofa cushion.

It was old and ripped.

The inside was still lovely and soft and the perfect big size for the sofa.

And the big embroidery flower was too good to throw away...

So I kept it

and attached it to some gorgoeus pink upholstery remnant fabric from Designers Guild.

Voila'.

New old cushion.

 

8//2012 {{ calm cowl }}

The boys have gone - reluctantly - to school.

Lilli and I took a walk up the hill and I'm having a peacefull cup of coffee whilst she's resting on her cushion.

Radio 4 is mumbling something in the background, but all is calm.

The perfect time to show you my latest crochet project:  "Calm Cowl".

(Pattern here).

I actually finished this in the run up to Christmas when life was everything but calm and the weather has been so warm this winter I've only attempted wearing it once and ended up leaving it in the car.  This baby it's warm.

Crochet hook: 5.5mm

Yarn: Viking Eco-Alpaca, bought in Stockholm in October.  It sheds a little but it's so very soft and chunky.  The tapestry stich is new to me and I totally love it.  I think it looks very different from your normal crochet stitches.

I wish I had another skein or two (I only had three) to make it deeper, but even like this it's a very substantial scarf.

 

And now I really must go and make my bed!  Have a good day.

7//2012

Are you familiar with Dante and the circles of hell? 

Well today I descended another step, a deeper circle in the 'mud hell' which is winter with boys. Dirty rugby boots?  They are baby's toys compared to what went on this afternoon.

It started up innocently enough, bikes in the boot of the car and an outdoor bike park...

the dog, a pale sun and three happy boys...

and MUD

and MUD

and MUD

and MUD

and MUD

That's all I can think of.

Sigh.

Hope your weekend was cleaner than mine.

6//2011

So the king made it to baby Jesus.

It was a very short visit indeed.  They soon left again heading towards the blue box and a long trip in the garage. About 363 days long.

The tree is lying naked outside.

And all the decorations are safely tucked away.

The house doesn't feel naked though.  It feels lighter.  It can breath again.

This afternoon I'll be finalling visiting the chiropractor and have my neck sorted, which in turn should give me a full night sleep and a pain-free morning.

Very interesting article 'here'.  (found via)

5//2012 {{ up-cycled log cabin }}

I have three - maybe four of these:

I love them.

Mr M loves them. (It doesn't always happens)

I don't know what to do with them.

Any suggestions?

The blocks are 14" squares, made of sturdy 'up-cycled' (sounds much better than re-cycled) jeans.

Too stiff for a quilt?

Maybe something for the wall?

I'm waiting to hear from you, very clever people.

4//2012

Still tidying up.  

Today it took me 1 1/2 hours to sort out through three drawers in my bedroom.  I am sure that the stuff I ended up throwing away amounts to more than what the drawers can actually contain.  And they're still pretty full.

It's a mistery. 

What I did find and will most definitively keep are these:

No 3's shopping list

I especially love the 'soarcream' and the 'springkles'.  So sweet.

And then there is No 2's letter to Santa

Another example of horrid spelling I know... but also of charming childhood faith in the power of Father Christmas.  Bless.  Needless to say he did not get the tv or the computer in his room (ha ha ha) nor the 'helly copter' and only a little chocolate!

These two I'll keep.  

What I'm keen to get rid of are the three huge rubbish bags plus two charity bags that came out of No 3's room.  It's the smallest in the house and yet... the amount of 'stuff' it contains it's staggering.  It defies the definition of Impenetrability.  In there I'm sure two bodies can and do occupy the same space...

Anyway both me and No 3 survived the ordeal and won't have to be repeated for a few months.

Onwards and upwards.

3//2012

The back to school clock is ticking... and my hands are itching to re-claim the house, to take down decorations that don't seem to have purpose anymore, to tidy, to de-clutter, to re-fresh.

The tree will stay untill the 6th and that's an unmoveable date but the rest of the stuff can slowly go whilst the Kings make their way to baby Jesus.  I don't know what kind of genetically modified tree it is but it's not shedding any needles...it's dry as a bone and it has simply gone all droopy and sad...  baubles slid off it.  Weird.  And a little bit scary.

Today I gathered all the Christmas cards and chopped them up for tags for next year. (I've also done two hours of ironing and 4 loads of washing.  Urgh)

I feel very virtuous about this even if it's not the first time, it feels more like another new year's routine like eating an odd number of grapes and humming Auld Lang Syne (because seriously... who knows the words?) at midnight.

I've had my grapes, hummed the tune, cut the tags.  I'm ready for the next 360 days or so.

Ish.

2//2012 {table runner}

For the past few years at the beginning of January I made new placemats for everybody in the family.  

We have lots of placemats now.  We don't need anymore.  Really.

I felt a bit sad about breaking the tradition so instead of placemats this year I made a new patchwork table runner.  Call it a sideway step.

The sentiment is the same... something new for us, for our home, in this bright new year.

The boys are out with their grandad, Mr M and I are alone in the house and it feels a little bit strange, a little bit wrong.  It's too quiet... it's too... different... and yet the new year reminds us that time is indeed passing and that these moment 'without them' will become more and more frequent and that we must learn to enjoy the time of noise and a full house as much as right now we're savouring the peace and quiet.

I'm going to turn on my sewing machine people...in the middle of the afternoon!! 

1/2012

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BEGINNING!

a late night with friends 

a lazy day with the boys

{yes I lost.  Miserably. Utterly.  Completely. It can only go up from here!}

 

167/2011

 

Have fun!