Ticking Off

Miss Belle ticked off her first recipe from the Primrose Bakery Cup Cake Book, malted and oh so sweet, my teeth are still on edge.

The boys have finished the k-nex rollercoaster and baby slept all through.

I have had it in mind for a while to make some new cushion covers and these are from a few old coats, backed by a bright orange Alexon pure wool cape from the seventies, another job ticked off the list.

My assistant produced the New Years eve dinner, yet another ticked off.

The Big Day

Father Christmas delivered a sewing machine and a sewing box full of goodies...

a rocket...

and a snooze in front of 'The Great Escape'.

Waiting

No snow just frost but they were determined to get out and make something, after much discussion M+D=Smiley face, translates into Mummy plus Daddy equals Happy!

Nigella's Yule Log made by Louis - cut into before I remembered a photo - way way too sweet but they both love it, couldn't find a robin so had to make do with a set of penguins!

Mrs Gaugain's Spider Pattern

At last, Mrs Gaugain's Spider Pattern Large Rectangle from Victorian Lace Today.

Geen merino/silk Mayfly Cobweb Lace in colourway Grass from KraftyKoala, the grey is also a merino/silk - label lost for the moment - both bought from Woolfest this year to satisfy my lace addiction. Worn for the first time today, don't think I have ever taken so much time over a project of any kind. The mathematics stumped me for a while, I made it wider than the pattern and I didn't have enough grey to work all of the repeats which wasn't a problem until I came to do the edging which needed not only to turn the corner with a point but also have a symetrical sides. After a short stay in the bottom of my knitting basket - the shawl not me - a clear head and a lot of pattern mapping sorted it out, it's not perfect but then what is!

The Biggest Snowflake in the World

A week into our christmas holidays and the only snowflakes so far are of the biscuit variety. The preparations are done, we are just waiting for him to arrive!

The Wisewoman went to the nativity.

The photoshopped class christmas presents have been despatched.

.

Nigella's Cranberry jam has been made.

Victorian lace is at last off the needles, cast-on in August it was abandoned due to a mathematical disagreement which has since been resolved.

Christmas is coming...

The christmas fair has come and gone, Miss Belle and I managed to knock up 'Pin the nose on the Reindeer' from a bit of old blanket.

A sick day from school gave us the chance to do lots of cutting, colouring and sticking...

a new advent calendar...

The boy has been in the kitchen making some very chocolate heavy brownies from Ottolenghi.

The veg box gave us one of those fruits that we have to google, the very beautiful Persimmon...

A quick christmas present from a cut up old suede skirt and a bit of my embroidery from years and years ago...

Christmas Photoshopping

We are hurtling into December, getting ready for christmas and thinking about making cards and wrapping paper, this is what we have come up with so far...

Santa's little helper was unimpressed.

Bottom Drawing

A full set of clothes for Dolly and things for the dolls house.

I love to get a tin of old buttons carefully salvaged from garments over many years, I am always intrigued by the other bits and pieces, bra fastens, random bits of metal with fabric still attached and so many belt buckles which I thought I would never have the need for. However when I needed a little black belt it took about two minutes to make this with a bit of black velvet ribbon, I am chuffed with my re-cycling self.

A bit more bottom drawing, beautifully done but with a full strand of silk, this always makes me wonder was this embroiderer inexperienced, never put right, or making a statement with bold thread to go with the bright and bold design?

More hand painted sandwich plates for our collection, £2 for 6!

Popped in to the local garden centre and look what we found, Christmas is on it's way.

Darling Book of Embroidery

I found this in a charity shop trawl this morning, what a treasure...

jolly language and heaps of just darling illustrations.

My big darling made a Victoria Sandwich at the weekend all on his own, I lined the tins, and my little darling assisted in the licking of utensils.

I managed to make these Ottolenghi Muffins today all on my own, although they were very complicated with a main part of the muffin and a separate top.

The Big Smoke

We had a half term trip to London, drove for a change, stayed in Islington...

breakfasted at Ottolenghi...

lunched at Corrigans...

and looked at some textiles in the V&A.

Growing Up

This is what you wear to build a base on a chilly autumn day if you are three and dress yourself.

The shocking pink Blue Faced Leicester sock is coming on, we had a quick measure of Miss Belle's foot, 6 3/4" round 6 3/4" long. Flicking through my sock knitting note book I was transported back to an early pair of Louisa Harding socks when her feet were 5" round and 5"long. I hadn't realised but I have been recording both of them growing up in sock inches, this little notebook also has lots of little scribbles from them, I will have to treasure it.

Todays making has been scones for the WI and a couple of Shepherds pies from Saturdays roast beef, the freezer is groaning.

Base

Todays making has been a base, no idea what part the pipe plays?

I obviously need to get my eye in with the sock knitting, these should have fit me but are perfect on my assistant, maybe I'm to relaxed and this has come out in my knitting.

Art

Today we had a trip to Birmingham for a bit of culture? I bought the heaviest book on Photoshop that I could find and a desk top sharpener I have always wanted, every pencil in our house has a perfect point tonight.

We went to see an Argentium exhibition and Taking Time, Craft and the Slow Revolution which sparked a lot of ideas. I particularly liked the stop frame installation, "Cardigan Study", by Amy Haughton, a cardigan unravelled.

In Training

Three years old and threading a needle with such concentration. The youngest crafter spotted this brand new Disney Princess kit in a charity shop and grabbed it before the other children spotted it, she was so pleased.

My socks are off the needles and ready to wear, took just over a week. The shocking pink is Blue Faced Leicester from Woolfest, I could not walk past it. Might have a look for a patterned/lace girls sock in my vintage patterns. Already wound in to two 26g balls, I love my electronic scales, they have only just moved out of the studio and into the kitchen, only ever associated them with the weighing of yarn!

As Good As The Beverly Hills Hotel

Whenever we are on holiday I have Eggs Benedict and the Beverly Hills Hotel was the first place that I had them, they have never ever been beaten. As he knows that this is probably my most favourite meal my assistant has mastered the art of the perfect poached egg. Hollandaise has always been a problem, shop bought is never just right and so I have eventually turned to Delia, don't know why I never tried before but it is fabulous and with the egg whites added it won't split, can be re-heated and frozen. What more could I ask for.

This is a Cauliflower, although I wouldn't have known had by veg box not told me so, how amazing is mother nature?

Having a nine year old book worm in the house I always look at the childrens book section in the charity shops and am particularly drawn to the older more interesting books. Emile and the Detectives was on Radio 4 at the weekend, we haven't listened yet, and Louis does have a smaller version of this that he has already read so I couldn't pass this one by for 99p. As soon as a child can read the illustrations disappear which isn't really fair, we love the Artemis Fowl graphic novel and Bones so having any sort of illustrations is a real treat let alone ones as inviting as these.