tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12969273442083998962024-03-05T11:35:45.629+00:00angeltreatsAveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-63097667587526032692011-02-17T16:41:00.002+00:002011-02-17T16:43:45.705+00:00A new cookery blogSo, even though I haven't posted in a long time, I have missed blogging. But I'm still suffering from creative block, so I have nothing nice to post.<br /><br />I have, however, been baking obsessively. And that is the title of my new blog. Check it out, say hi if you stop by and visit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKvGRD0uQorIXRJDi4ltpoYPd7ThfCnesS37JIDN6US5_4HmsRW6Wgga1GOsOKCFnLxCN9Me-Zf4xxr2Qln2dtjqWESCOOI1Zoi8mX5dCMYwTGEElHRg1NKAU_UfoSEqtcX6zrEerbQ4/s1600/twomuffins.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKvGRD0uQorIXRJDi4ltpoYPd7ThfCnesS37JIDN6US5_4HmsRW6Wgga1GOsOKCFnLxCN9Me-Zf4xxr2Qln2dtjqWESCOOI1Zoi8mX5dCMYwTGEElHRg1NKAU_UfoSEqtcX6zrEerbQ4/s400/twomuffins.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574700045638746114" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This blog will stay here, and hopefully one day soon I'll pick up a pen/pencil/paintbrush/sewing machine again and post something pretty.Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-85862025414437301322010-09-01T16:51:00.002+01:002010-09-01T16:58:30.986+01:00Madeleines, and how to lose weight while still baking obsessively.<div style="text-align: justify;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGBHkg6Yx1uLT5gthBLB53ieLLCt5bD6ETOe59GuA_u0asrf2keG3s2P5aV_f76zyDkeVIYAB4Ahyphenhyphenr0xF1yb9ISUOY8byEujyLE34ZF1oVAS-Gr4ZeSUZEGHaQ5WbtHIDjJlgws90w2I/s1600/madeleines.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGBHkg6Yx1uLT5gthBLB53ieLLCt5bD6ETOe59GuA_u0asrf2keG3s2P5aV_f76zyDkeVIYAB4Ahyphenhyphenr0xF1yb9ISUOY8byEujyLE34ZF1oVAS-Gr4ZeSUZEGHaQ5WbtHIDjJlgws90w2I/s400/madeleines.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511973548157122914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Since we moved away from London, I have had to drive everywhere, up to three hours a day, and this has made me fat. Now that I'm working locally I am spending a lot less time in the car and all day long on my feet in a hot kitchen, so it's about time I sorted myself out. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have joined Weightwatchers and I have a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Weight-Watchers-Cook-Smart-Baking/dp/1847373917/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283356461&sr=8-1">this book</a>, which is fantastic. I was very sceptical of recipes that use low fat spread instead of butter but I've made tons of stuff, from banana muffins to chocolate brownies (the brownies use applesauce instead of butter, genius!) and everything has turned out yummy and not at all diet-tasting. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The above photo is my latest effort, some lemon madeleines using my lovely new madeleine tin from <a href="http://www.lakeland.co.uk/">Lakeland</a> that I bought the other day while we were in Stratford upon Avon (very pretty place, you must go for a visit). They are much prettier in real life. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Anyway cakes aside, I've really neglected my poor blog again. I really must make more effort.</span><br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-90111362340305882542010-04-22T07:06:00.001+01:002010-04-22T07:08:15.714+01:00I made a quilt!<div style="text-align: justify;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OjU91Uf5axRl55IihW7s0ADI0myQQFQ5aORVQMYLI6BXMrW7ufQEciSn0R1zbIezBKWc8MRj3-RYkttt19qOcNlgVL6MXgCG-5tUFRnjCNU1mUCs40yCjfl60D6e2OJQS7FGZYVDCYA/s1600/quilt.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OjU91Uf5axRl55IihW7s0ADI0myQQFQ5aORVQMYLI6BXMrW7ufQEciSn0R1zbIezBKWc8MRj3-RYkttt19qOcNlgVL6MXgCG-5tUFRnjCNU1mUCs40yCjfl60D6e2OJQS7FGZYVDCYA/s400/quilt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462838885450259826" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Well, it's only five inches square and some of the stitching is in the wrong place, but it's still a quilt. It's got batting in the middle and a binding and everything! I like the little boat pattern. It's supposed to be a mug coaster, but I like it too much to spill coffee on it. My lovely neighbour took me to her patchwork class and taught me the basic techniques, it was great fun and now I want to make more quilty things.</span><br /> <br /> <a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1UYrl2_TLD43oNjZcTEsjDAvZlYeAHfIq50aE6J3RN7v41m_2wLad86NeWbW1fX8PtchCoY96114POxfZg0mjvcAv3Tg6XY-QIk-NcWDJmyMq8EstHa69lno2LW539vhrrVxEL3_Js8/s1600/eggcozy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1UYrl2_TLD43oNjZcTEsjDAvZlYeAHfIq50aE6J3RN7v41m_2wLad86NeWbW1fX8PtchCoY96114POxfZg0mjvcAv3Tg6XY-QIk-NcWDJmyMq8EstHa69lno2LW539vhrrVxEL3_Js8/s400/eggcozy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462838892698470434" border="0" /></a><br /> </div><div style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Oh, I also made a little hat for an egg. Here it is. I saw the pattern <a href="http://isamo.typepad.com/blog/2010/03/designing-easter-2010.html">here</a>, and added a little scallop edging. I don't really eat boiled eggs, but this makes me want to eat them just so I can use the cozy with its bright colours. I made it from embroidery floss!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">It's a busy few months for me. Every day for three months, my little car Jim is driving me forty miles to Gloucester so I can learn to be a chef. Today is only day four and I'm enjoying it so far but I suspect I'll be exhausted by the end of it! Plus I have Portuguese exams in less than a month... So if I fall behind and don't post for a while, you'll know the reason why not.</span><br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-71371319685496516312010-04-16T09:49:00.004+01:002010-04-16T09:51:43.801+01:00Yes, I am eating your bonsai.<a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBvcI5uKCliADysrfDBfvB8Xk2IifOS0ujoNgOOlgoPyRPh7SI9F2DBxLqflVtbBIf1ISmns4T5gE-vmF4jqnCf72u8oIoEMw1UdrDNKS_kduY-cqbjzsVXSnplEWra43y13Hb05_MUnw/s1600/bonsaiscoffing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBvcI5uKCliADysrfDBfvB8Xk2IifOS0ujoNgOOlgoPyRPh7SI9F2DBxLqflVtbBIf1ISmns4T5gE-vmF4jqnCf72u8oIoEMw1UdrDNKS_kduY-cqbjzsVXSnplEWra43y13Hb05_MUnw/s400/bonsaiscoffing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460654998330987986" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Do you want to make something of it?</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(Sorry for the poor photo, it was taken sneakily through a window and heavily cropped so the perpetrator didn't have time to run away.)</span></span><br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-63627568569842280622010-04-14T16:11:00.005+01:002010-04-14T16:25:58.074+01:00Lucky duck<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I was a kid, if you got something good like a present or a new toy, my neighbour Jonathan used to say you were a "lucky duck". I always liked that expression :-) Well today I was a lucky duck. I won a contest on Hilary's blog, </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://letherbakecake.blogspot.com/">Let Her Bake Cake</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">, which is gorgeous and which always makes me feel hungry after reading her latest post. Go and visit her and try out some of her recipes - the latest one for </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://letherbakecake.blogspot.com/2010/04/for-kids-healthier-rice-krispie-squares.html">rice crispie squares</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> looks fab.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Anyway my package from Hilary arrived this morning and I was pleased as punch with my little haul! She sent me the most gorgeous book about bread, </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Family-Bread-Book/dp/1845332385">The New Family Bread Book</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> by Ursula Ferrigno, as well as two bags of Allinson flour and a tub of yeast. She also included a gorgeous tea towel which hopefully you can see in the photo, but it's too nice to use for drying dishes so I think I'll turn it into something lovely. Maybe an apron, but if you have any better ideas please let me know!</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpm3GetFRKIUqkdXhKbbEOInK4Ibzl0hbeHEKOIhnArXqbSzy61eOjwfH1i3fxp8URdAgS901ln6AN7UPrIPKKAlIvHJT0Pl9ZhZsHtSubaqeuPesNDGLJRBY8ci13LC1DcDdYj-nbAp0/s1600/haul.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpm3GetFRKIUqkdXhKbbEOInK4Ibzl0hbeHEKOIhnArXqbSzy61eOjwfH1i3fxp8URdAgS901ln6AN7UPrIPKKAlIvHJT0Pl9ZhZsHtSubaqeuPesNDGLJRBY8ci13LC1DcDdYj-nbAp0/s400/haul.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460013839604876258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Naturally I wanted to get stuck in and make something from the book immediately if not sooner, and I was tempted to try a fougasse, but then I was distracted by a recipe for Irish brown soda bread and had to make that instead for a little taste of home. Here it is in progress (look at my kitchen tiles, aren't they hideous?!):</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxvvxq9t14ZDx6JqXiTVRPBMV_RronYiINZjUw_qj4bUg1c65fvWrd-Oi6eV_p_ohT6AQbezXsozk9r2qlGw0dyBrogIjQ46JMXVL02VBZTI7N4tofi-nKpHUoK4_3Kor2J2KGg-qeZ0/s1600/silicone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxvvxq9t14ZDx6JqXiTVRPBMV_RronYiINZjUw_qj4bUg1c65fvWrd-Oi6eV_p_ohT6AQbezXsozk9r2qlGw0dyBrogIjQ46JMXVL02VBZTI7N4tofi-nKpHUoK4_3Kor2J2KGg-qeZ0/s400/silicone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460013841472993458" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The recipe wanted you to shape it into a round on a baking tray, in the traditional manner, but I thought I'd be clever and stick it in a silicone loaf tin so it'd be sliceable. <br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbsAc1GJg6YR072E9-k5Sww1hMBFWsnVjtlCvJFnoENGL2EDvemMcAi2N0qVDqDGme0PtbgOm_R09mvxas8jr8azcVuaa4DP_5nwTQPNKCMtgSsm3kO-h-gOeMdg-cEpt-LOZg96s1AY/s1600/wheaten.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbsAc1GJg6YR072E9-k5Sww1hMBFWsnVjtlCvJFnoENGL2EDvemMcAi2N0qVDqDGme0PtbgOm_R09mvxas8jr8azcVuaa4DP_5nwTQPNKCMtgSsm3kO-h-gOeMdg-cEpt-LOZg96s1AY/s400/wheaten.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460013855365128882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unfortunately the silicone is so flimsy that the dough forced the sides of the tin to splay out and the loaf kind of rose outwards instead of just upwards, but at least I know for the next time to do it in a proper metal tin. And I'm going to scoff some of it right now with some lentil soup I made the other day, and a lump of Bowland cheese!</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOmAl1v96U6XFSKh0_X_wztxcaEYARb26JrMtN_qVXFF34TuC-94ZzccYaBt03uM6ixAec2MAAh0Moq6LlO7JAGRAOZoHU59WM7ePRbc3EfWu4hbiqrCDGtS6EMtQ-LrZnYqXv5hwNo4I/s1600/splayedloaf.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 365px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOmAl1v96U6XFSKh0_X_wztxcaEYARb26JrMtN_qVXFF34TuC-94ZzccYaBt03uM6ixAec2MAAh0Moq6LlO7JAGRAOZoHU59WM7ePRbc3EfWu4hbiqrCDGtS6EMtQ-LrZnYqXv5hwNo4I/s400/splayedloaf.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460013848665834834" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Oh and I did put the yeast to work straight away too, here's a sneak peak of a milk loaf rising away happily.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzcqiqtu6X6iPpZ8VNzbi5jjOAc_yegJkMbPxN80V3AfX5MFQmDnWY5tAHLfrlcVvcjLliave0DdYyZEidjPeaOGdkHYORgWu-SZww9ew10juiAXrvWL1xlrS-V4hAHyqdMt7DChtQ_E/s1600/rising.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzcqiqtu6X6iPpZ8VNzbi5jjOAc_yegJkMbPxN80V3AfX5MFQmDnWY5tAHLfrlcVvcjLliave0DdYyZEidjPeaOGdkHYORgWu-SZww9ew10juiAXrvWL1xlrS-V4hAHyqdMt7DChtQ_E/s400/rising.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460013859386475218" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks again Hilary, I'm so happy with my new book and can't wait to work my way through all those pizza recipes next!</span><br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-11706635096380794862010-04-12T10:40:00.011+01:002010-04-12T14:52:18.982+01:00Late to the granny square party (and other crochet bits)<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmu69FMNLAKou1Sf4MHVglR0LwoL3qPz6d28hH3DWYC939o2cLczIa-2c4Ukb3ptB2khLMjkF3SMfzmzJW4ik42jLT8XURMsNlO4xcaXUN1Rewe3u-9LdZKB2fymbIezZnoAEXjSHz4a0/s1600/emmalamb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmu69FMNLAKou1Sf4MHVglR0LwoL3qPz6d28hH3DWYC939o2cLczIa-2c4Ukb3ptB2khLMjkF3SMfzmzJW4ik42jLT8XURMsNlO4xcaXUN1Rewe3u-9LdZKB2fymbIezZnoAEXjSHz4a0/s400/emmalamb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459192202761797954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Image above from Emma Lamb's blog, <a href="http://emmallamb.blogspot.com/2010/03/refreshed.html">here</a>.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><br />In the last few years, crochet seems to have really taken off again, and in particular granny squares. I've seen some gorgeous things on various blogs, Etsy and in the Cath Kidston catalogue, but the person whose work I have really fallen in love with is <a href="http://emmallamb.blogspot.com/">Emma Lamb</a>. There is nothing in her <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/emmalamb">Etsy shop</a> that I wouldn't like to own, and it's traditional and contemporary at the same time which really appeals to me.<br /><br />Anyway, back in September when we first moved to this house, I bought some cushion pads with the intention of knitting some covers for them. Of course that never happened and they've been languishing in the spare bedroom ever since. So the other day when I came across some sparkly wine and gold yarn that I'd bought in Lidl, I thought I'd add some cream yarn and turn it into some granny square cushions for a previously cushion-less chair in our living room.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFloPhWdr-4WsHFUK27pV32IlCNSsceCQWfOKtG2crWdgwXTAQ-gGTbIUeOKN8vZXMH7spe0IHHXtNDvuZbJ5PY5chCO72SX4EqGvywCWkImad07BIbbJyG8k8EDHZvKy3foHBifFWHE/s1600/grannysquares.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFloPhWdr-4WsHFUK27pV32IlCNSsceCQWfOKtG2crWdgwXTAQ-gGTbIUeOKN8vZXMH7spe0IHHXtNDvuZbJ5PY5chCO72SX4EqGvywCWkImad07BIbbJyG8k8EDHZvKy3foHBifFWHE/s400/grannysquares.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459189374237001746" border="0" /></a><br />One is just a giant granny square, and the other is four squares joined with double crochet. They're lined and backed with beige linen because I couldn't be bothered to crochet the backs - yes I know I'm lazy. And I hadn't used my sewing machine for so long that it took me a while to remember how to sew in a zip, which is shameful. You can't see in the photo (and my camera battery died right after I snapped this so I couldn't take another shot) but the wine and gold yarns are actually sparkly.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Woh_rmM0EdZguCVstW6TKBiegKNsoJYO3I0IjG_x4BQvkuefVqVRxJgxVjwYyWIlfWh3jeQliVGo4-4Gz2Uy6fk6mrtjYn5NP65gq2KB9fJZ-cIkAYDxlRlCmCXMIz0K5m-ZQbvtetc/s1600/chevron.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Woh_rmM0EdZguCVstW6TKBiegKNsoJYO3I0IjG_x4BQvkuefVqVRxJgxVjwYyWIlfWh3jeQliVGo4-4Gz2Uy6fk6mrtjYn5NP65gq2KB9fJZ-cIkAYDxlRlCmCXMIz0K5m-ZQbvtetc/s400/chevron.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459247462223216466" border="0" /></a><br />Next I have to replace the cushion on my computer chair, which I've had to throw away because Elvis threw up the world's biggest hairball all over my Chinese satin cushion. I discovered this when, having just woken up and being not quite awake, I stumbled into my computer room and sat on the chair and got a big streak of wet hairball right across my backside. I was not pleased, I can tell you. I've started a purple and cream chevron pattern cushion, inspired by one in <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Simple-Crochet-Erika-Knight/dp/184400015X">Erika Knight's Simple Crochet</a>. If you're in London and fancy learning to do something similar, my fabulous crochet teacher Bee is running a <a href="http://makedomenders.blogspot.com/2010/04/project-crochet-chevron-cushion.html">chevron cushion workshop</a> as part of her new venture Make Do Mend. Sigh... I do miss the vast array of classes in London.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEWLFjOawVP4d466iSrLtE_fGXQN0hhbCtyEtlYsKMgdvEJaWoFg7v59OODERkWoA4SvZja8cGBItxmDs0sIaIcgOG5fIiqVAloE-GbxDUmH8oj5pdpOnFI7g12Pr4PWRR7yaLGMbr9w/s1600/Bee+cushion.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEWLFjOawVP4d466iSrLtE_fGXQN0hhbCtyEtlYsKMgdvEJaWoFg7v59OODERkWoA4SvZja8cGBItxmDs0sIaIcgOG5fIiqVAloE-GbxDUmH8oj5pdpOnFI7g12Pr4PWRR7yaLGMbr9w/s400/Bee+cushion.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459194289526788402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Image above from makedomend <a href="http://makedomenders.blogspot.com/2010/04/project-crochet-chevron-cushion.html">here</a>.<br /></span></div><br />Finally here are some flowers from <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flowers-Knit-Crochet-Lesley-Stanfield/dp/1844484033/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271080257&sr=1-1">100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet</a>, which my mum in law bought me for Christmas. The pattern for the pansy didn't seem to work out, as the back petals came out with big gaps between the stitches, so I just sort of made them up as I went along rather than sticking to the pattern. The one with the pom pom wasn't supposed to have a pom pom (I think it was a dahlia) but I was in a pom pom kind of mood.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8_s_YCOUlWWwNz8yYeD96SIIhwEbOWBtU1U-ONkqZpWrsNOmFnKyc_mpEFjUy-PCTxV-8DkBCs6FHpmTSvDA53pubIL2cxq2AIf09F7QdJp-bNbhGWAXK92dfn9mrlpp2L0feSYZWoY/s1600/pansyetc.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8_s_YCOUlWWwNz8yYeD96SIIhwEbOWBtU1U-ONkqZpWrsNOmFnKyc_mpEFjUy-PCTxV-8DkBCs6FHpmTSvDA53pubIL2cxq2AIf09F7QdJp-bNbhGWAXK92dfn9mrlpp2L0feSYZWoY/s400/pansyetc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459247457371647330" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-78147478207992950862010-03-16T08:46:00.004+00:002010-03-16T08:58:29.621+00:00Bread, and the awesomeness thereof.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCoCpeNL8EhKlNcAh1-u6Fe_MXQOoef5hR7oxB8bT5V8t9FSTgN-Dj8vQQkb50fk_0k-c8e5oN3d1aPYu8gXqGP5eo4lOi7FQd-IQ8yKFusNc33XhZcb-U-3iVvCL2Iz7IBsCf9zXZhU/s1600-h/bread1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCoCpeNL8EhKlNcAh1-u6Fe_MXQOoef5hR7oxB8bT5V8t9FSTgN-Dj8vQQkb50fk_0k-c8e5oN3d1aPYu8gXqGP5eo4lOi7FQd-IQ8yKFusNc33XhZcb-U-3iVvCL2Iz7IBsCf9zXZhU/s400/bread1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449152921273910914" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Well I fell off the Thing A Day bandwagon - surprise surprise - but only because my last couple of weeks at work were just too busy and exhausting and I was getting home, having a bite to eat and going straight to bed. But now I'm a happy housewife, for a little while anyway, and am filling my days with domestic things like cooking and sorting out our wilderness of a garden until my course starts. (Incidentally, there's a chance they might not get the numbers to run the course I really want to do, so if anyone is near Gloucester and wants to train to be a chef in three months, you should </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.gloscol.ac.uk/nqcontent.aspx?a_name=CourseInfo&CourseID=9793">come along</a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> and make up the numbers!)</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />Anyway, I'd like to share with you one of the newest obsessions in my life. Since I've had a bit more time on my hands, I've discovered the joys of baking bread by hand. People always say it's therapeutic and they are completely right - kneading dough is like squidging the world's best stress ball, and the results are far nicer than anything you buy in Tesco (those awful plastic white sliced loaves... yeeeuch). We bought a bread machine last year and used it constantly, but it's now confined to the cupboard while I get my hands messy.</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />And like any baking, it's a bit like alchemy. Take random ingredients, mix them together, throw them in an oven, and they turn into something completely different. It's fantastic. You don't even need a recipe once you get the hang of baker's percentages.</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3NHy80jmVSRO9N9O1Xr3YMWSgiowuF9ihTwUbUJISI5fDgWvt22ia-34rDCQ51fJzaFpf7aGw9dPq-eu22Bsbb8n8i-Um63uEd-fQND2rrUP-_c4tbe9KCJulsBYJeYYscRSZxUwL50/s1600-h/bread2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3NHy80jmVSRO9N9O1Xr3YMWSgiowuF9ihTwUbUJISI5fDgWvt22ia-34rDCQ51fJzaFpf7aGw9dPq-eu22Bsbb8n8i-Um63uEd-fQND2rrUP-_c4tbe9KCJulsBYJeYYscRSZxUwL50/s400/bread2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449152927835717762" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">This is my latest loaf. The top is a little darker than it would be normally, due to me forgetting to move the oven shelf down a bit, but it doesn't taste burnt and it made for very yummy toast once I'd spread cherry jam on it :)</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />Go on, give it a try, I promise it's easier than you think. If you're tempted, pick up a copy of the </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bread-River-Cottage-Handbook-No/dp/074759533X">River Cottage Bread Handbook</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">, which is gorgeous and I've taken to carrying it around in my handbag. Is that a bit weird?</span> </div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-16077576365355271972010-02-10T21:04:00.002+00:002010-02-10T21:10:40.170+00:00Thing #10 - blueberry muffins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizONos-w3pxIz48L7_BLAarOAuRLVLqSjIvA_Cy1YPm49GX-I-gGmkQ28PE8hjkOgQ9g0dGL4YHj5cigVqbAW3YoBrYHGBdE0FDcU4Rx5_woK_g5yOfot-I4nVnSzTqtB8juN9ZOq7ErM/s1600-h/blueberry-muffins.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizONos-w3pxIz48L7_BLAarOAuRLVLqSjIvA_Cy1YPm49GX-I-gGmkQ28PE8hjkOgQ9g0dGL4YHj5cigVqbAW3YoBrYHGBdE0FDcU4Rx5_woK_g5yOfot-I4nVnSzTqtB8juN9ZOq7ErM/s400/blueberry-muffins.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436724987072394754" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I haven't actually fallen by the wayside, I just haven't posted for a few reasons. One is that the internet connection seems to be up and down, which is very annoying. Another is that it's been a weird few days and my head is a bit all over the place. I finally got to the point where I couldn't cope with my commute to and from work any longer, so I've resigned. I'm leaving at the end of the month, and while I'm very sad to leave because my workmates are so lovely, I won't miss the travelling, constant exhaustion, lack of a social life because I'm always tired, forking out £160 a month for petrol and the awful, awful traffic. I'm also thinking about a complete career change and retraining to become some sort of baker or chef (the former being my dream job), but it's a big decision that needs a lot of thought so I'm not rushing into it.</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />Aaaaanyway. Sorry for rambling. I have made something, or part of something, every day in February and some of it wasn't edible so I'll try and catch up over the weekend, but the photo above is what I made today. Blueberry muffins, and the recipe is </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.easylivingmagazine.com/Food/Recipes/BlueberryMuffins/">here</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">. </span> </div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-20501848790449368302010-02-03T20:47:00.004+00:002010-02-03T20:51:11.720+00:00Thing #3 - mutant muffin<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacAH6VqOtN_HzD7kzYHyRB5PPz0TZl6KdmgdL29LXIGuaaQZOrQ0Qn-7Ebffq6o0ePvgJHNCtGjwmGDLdpJEJU-AbhAeJgStgAO8bwsRfdNvKrWyeUUo9z2VnIkpYnWB3xaiAPnQX5Og/s1600-h/mutant.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacAH6VqOtN_HzD7kzYHyRB5PPz0TZl6KdmgdL29LXIGuaaQZOrQ0Qn-7Ebffq6o0ePvgJHNCtGjwmGDLdpJEJU-AbhAeJgStgAO8bwsRfdNvKrWyeUUo9z2VnIkpYnWB3xaiAPnQX5Og/s400/mutant.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434122123929218082" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I promise I'm not turning this into a food blog. But the fact is, I like food and I like cooking.</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I fancied some lemon and poppy seed muffins like the ones I used to get in Starbucks when I worked in London, so I made a batch of these. The recipe is from <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Big-Book-of-Baking/dp/1407539663/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265228951&sr=8-1">this book</a> (which is excellent, by the way). This one got dislodged from its place in the tin in the oven and turned out a bit... odd. Almost as if it had a nose. </span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It was still yummy though!</span></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-6477671489555204972010-02-02T21:38:00.005+00:002010-02-02T21:56:36.424+00:00Thing #2 - a fabric flower<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhw9WImaippJFJUds_nOBXIeCrOXi_n0uBcs_YkoJkUJt-_IX8Km_DpPkfA8qCbQRU70MKhbz7vTfLqmpXzT98DVFILcQspqO-IQ-XCqAJ1GPXraCVrvmIkLX50zXDdPyxwPENcA6wF8/s1600-h/rose.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhw9WImaippJFJUds_nOBXIeCrOXi_n0uBcs_YkoJkUJt-_IX8Km_DpPkfA8qCbQRU70MKhbz7vTfLqmpXzT98DVFILcQspqO-IQ-XCqAJ1GPXraCVrvmIkLX50zXDdPyxwPENcA6wF8/s400/rose.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433765577667621346" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Yesterday on Thing A Day, <a href="http://thing-a-day.com/day-1-pretty-fabric-flowers-0">bittyandbunny</a> posted some gorgeous fabric flowers. When I saw them I immediately wanted one for myself, so tonight I set about making one. Here it is. I want to make another one, a huge oversized black one.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The fabric was some nasty polyester lining that I was never going to find a use for - nice to figure out a way to make it into something I like.</span><br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-83557488530852394352010-02-01T20:46:00.005+00:002010-02-01T21:00:45.195+00:00Thing 1 - Oatmeal biscuits (or cookies if you're American)<div style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2jmdC4w0YSLwQdegf3jvV4J5662vmqZoWoFSrLGMpw6fCFVhPRs92iqFcQ4LKyaoMGCBuN5kCDzaIaOJ178R1RYBXTLnE_0OAHDJLb2MZJkJvb29wAEdFyod-SlgKHvVI59W-G12Qqw/s1600-h/scales-old.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2jmdC4w0YSLwQdegf3jvV4J5662vmqZoWoFSrLGMpw6fCFVhPRs92iqFcQ4LKyaoMGCBuN5kCDzaIaOJ178R1RYBXTLnE_0OAHDJLb2MZJkJvb29wAEdFyod-SlgKHvVI59W-G12Qqw/s400/scales-old.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433382243009548738" border="0" /></a><br />This is my old weighing scale. I've had it for about six years, and prior to that, when I lived in Ireland, I had a very similar but less pink one. It's always served me well. I dump a few ounces of flour and sugar and so on into the bowl, mix it up by hand or with the aid of an electronic implement, throw it in the oven and it turns into scones, biscuits, cakes, pastry or whatever.<br /><br />Unfortunately, pounds and ounces have recently become extinct and all my newer cookery books give the measurements in metric only. My mind doesn't think in metric, and apparently my eyes don't see in metric either because the metric measurements on my old pink scale are impossible to see. I made some blueberry muffins yesterday from a Nigella cookbook and they turned out lovely but I ended up with terrible eyestrain from trying to see where 125g was on the dial.<br /><br />There were two solutions to this problem - either I sat down with a calculator and a pencil and converted all the recipes back to imperial, or I bought a new scale with a big, easy to see display designed for the (nearly) blind. I went for option two. Here's my new scale which I bought yesterday.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiov6f28iguY7wYQvs1EQegt4sj1iJmmOF9WFBWha0NEOUZ3Z1kWXOF6ZdZjZQgjb9bQB1KNy5gH4pDAL4vMGj4h5tWYMue54TYkVQ8azRZscgehuhPfJdzZgpr015JADC8blfnJcDvkzU/s1600-h/scales-new.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiov6f28iguY7wYQvs1EQegt4sj1iJmmOF9WFBWha0NEOUZ3Z1kWXOF6ZdZjZQgjb9bQB1KNy5gH4pDAL4vMGj4h5tWYMue54TYkVQ8azRZscgehuhPfJdzZgpr015JADC8blfnJcDvkzU/s400/scales-new.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433382235225113010" border="0" /></a><br />Obviously I had to try it out, so I made some oatmeal biscuits tonight. Yum yum. They're from the Be-Ro cookbook, and if you'd like to try them (and I strongly recommend you do) the recipe is <a href="http://www.be-ro.com/f_insp.htm">here</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bABXjxtOUf8bH6U8rfC4EXa_fjUZv_UHwpSC_FIIGQv8jfmQv1aJVrXkGHrKkZxmPcupxlsadIA5tBbGtHWAnG8vDirWUseCLcw2r5xgJDfciMfE4utCggL1n2lNZWA5NN-2BT2fDEg/s1600-h/cookies.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bABXjxtOUf8bH6U8rfC4EXa_fjUZv_UHwpSC_FIIGQv8jfmQv1aJVrXkGHrKkZxmPcupxlsadIA5tBbGtHWAnG8vDirWUseCLcw2r5xgJDfciMfE4utCggL1n2lNZWA5NN-2BT2fDEg/s400/cookies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433382245551507426" border="0" /></a>So here's my first Thing for February. Oatmeal biscuits. And now I'm off to make a cuppa.<br /><br /><br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-56560494003668374592010-01-14T21:44:00.005+00:002010-01-14T21:51:38.427+00:00How I will get my mojo back.<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.thing-a-day.com/">Thing a day</a> is starting again! Registration opens on 24 January and I will be signing up. Last year I managed to post something every single day in February apart from one and it really kept me motivated so this year I hope it'll help me get my inspiration back. Are you signing up this year?<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJrPQs4B9LpdrgNs_wouJMwLjhdMd0s_Zegp7InH4kSJr00W-IcaTr4KNx9blm2c1Zhz7xuo8Cw3eVukBv1jzqanuukFTNkUpwRgBDIMw2NCdVELAmfWG2P8Y_6j-G8EubMZZyg20RRs/s1600-h/garland.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJrPQs4B9LpdrgNs_wouJMwLjhdMd0s_Zegp7InH4kSJr00W-IcaTr4KNx9blm2c1Zhz7xuo8Cw3eVukBv1jzqanuukFTNkUpwRgBDIMw2NCdVELAmfWG2P8Y_6j-G8EubMZZyg20RRs/s400/garland.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426716276150828034" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I thought I'd show you a Thing I made recently - a crochet garland. It was really for Christmas, and I made it with sparkly yarn from Lidl in gold and dark red, but I liked it so much that it's staying up all year! Also see the snow? It was much worse than this. I had five (!) days off work when I couldn't get out because of snow or ice.<br /><br />And see my little bonsai on the windowsill? It doesn't have a lot of growth yet, but it's developed some new leaves since I got it. I've always been fascinated by bonsai and I just signed up for a day-long beginner class next month and I can't wait. Watch this space, I'm sure it'll be one of my Things next month because bonsai are definitely creative.<br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-61434203911450170572010-01-13T15:53:00.002+00:002010-01-13T16:00:56.535+00:00I'm still alive and here's what I've been doing.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx20u9K-shV8mGShDjrAqGSSi6Wur8OiM16cdBz0zVbWxdRnsWqelxL-Lw0-1QJvrA6lbvgMmE3hMQLNJ7gbxHe9wElyuOc4TRMeQ9YFt9tSLQOqG-OE7BJTREIGS9BfW4SN1sa0Tenz0/s1600-h/muffins.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx20u9K-shV8mGShDjrAqGSSi6Wur8OiM16cdBz0zVbWxdRnsWqelxL-Lw0-1QJvrA6lbvgMmE3hMQLNJ7gbxHe9wElyuOc4TRMeQ9YFt9tSLQOqG-OE7BJTREIGS9BfW4SN1sa0Tenz0/s400/muffins.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426253203997050946" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Oh dear, it has been a long time, hasn't it? Every week I keep thinking "this week I'll definitely post something" but it just hasn't happened. It's been a busy and strange few months. We've moved from London to Wiltshire in search of a new life away from city stresses... except it hasn't really worked out like that. First I struggled to find a job, and got rejection after rejection for jobs I was qualified for and had relevant experience in, and to be honest receiving so many rejections is absolutely soul-destroying after a while so I felt really rather poo. Then I did find a job, but it was in Oxford, which is about an hour's drive away through the most horrible traffic imaginable. Most days it's absolute gridlock. And I don't get home till around 7pm by which time I'm too exhausted to do very much. <br /><br />So basically I sit in front of the TV knitting socks (which I'm churning out like a one-woman production line, by the way). About the only thing I seem to have any energy for is cooking, which I've been doing in copious and unhealthy amounts, hence my expanding waistline, but the recipe for the muffins in the photo above actually came from a Weightwatchers recipe book and I'll have to make sure I make more recipes like that if I don't want to end up the size of the house.<br /><br />I seem to have lost my mojo for drawing and painting. Has anyone seen it anywhere? Please send it back if you do find it because I really miss it. I'm determined that one of these days I'll pick up a pencil again. <br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-59272097796609640262009-09-11T16:37:00.004+01:002009-09-11T16:43:54.472+01:00Why is that all baby shoes are cute?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhYbF19rUOtyaC3i22yYkjFSn8NaXQjN9LuP9dd-xIyL_cEStejv4SIPkpOKw7Oe9BmuN5bc5BXWkr9BGuK4xkyqEilh1C7H2UQdx0XIKyPFijiuYPzM0pWBJ_3msUzRpQBBbuc9kRFY/s1600-h/booties2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhYbF19rUOtyaC3i22yYkjFSn8NaXQjN9LuP9dd-xIyL_cEStejv4SIPkpOKw7Oe9BmuN5bc5BXWkr9BGuK4xkyqEilh1C7H2UQdx0XIKyPFijiuYPzM0pWBJ_3msUzRpQBBbuc9kRFY/s400/booties2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380235496736453922" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I don't tend to coo over babies the way lots of women do. I'm just not that terribly interested in them. Cats are far more entertaining.<br /><br />However, what I <i>am</i> interested in is that my lovely friend and former workmate is pregnant with a healthy baby after many complications and several miscarriages and I am very very happy about that. So happy, in fact, that I knitted him or her some booties from leftover sock yarn.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4db2D_Qxi7PxKrVA4MvgAEWTSFMxY6QX__wduQH_mfZ5CUFPbXyQduaH4kl9AaVbIVPTU_J9_sbXYa1T4HBl1Mj_xKA4UeTePR6Gapyrf4SQZcHm4lCYZPoX2rPL8t9BJ-QGqriDMUR0/s1600-h/booties1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4db2D_Qxi7PxKrVA4MvgAEWTSFMxY6QX__wduQH_mfZ5CUFPbXyQduaH4kl9AaVbIVPTU_J9_sbXYa1T4HBl1Mj_xKA4UeTePR6Gapyrf4SQZcHm4lCYZPoX2rPL8t9BJ-QGqriDMUR0/s400/booties1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380235501468733698" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sorry for the bad photos, I snapped them quickly as I was leaving the house, before giving them away.<br /><br />I don't know what it is about baby booties and shoes (especially those tiny little Nike trainers) but they are all incredibly cute. I can't resist them.<br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-52306401617679280472009-09-02T08:38:00.005+01:002009-09-02T08:46:38.572+01:00Odosketch, and how not to do perspective<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift4-ybSxyQhHX6aY6exdWlWyVsu-ReEVklc6aoMtOaVojnWDURpIRqSfpPcls3gX2vxFsxIyt67Gb066Yz0-ywxPihJGA9GMCKFGvb0bYSFbYwqrmxnLmqgwgFuBjQlAztZc-42IRdoI/s1600-h/punto.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift4-ybSxyQhHX6aY6exdWlWyVsu-ReEVklc6aoMtOaVojnWDURpIRqSfpPcls3gX2vxFsxIyt67Gb066Yz0-ywxPihJGA9GMCKFGvb0bYSFbYwqrmxnLmqgwgFuBjQlAztZc-42IRdoI/s400/punto.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376772840370493890" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://sketch.odopod.com/">Odosketch</a> is a very fun little online sketching program. You have to sign up (which takes about fifteen seconds) and then you can save your sketches and publish them on your blog or wherever. (It embeds it as a Flash thingy though so I've just taken a screenshot instead.)<br /><br />I can't find the pen for my graphics tablet so I had a little doodle with my mouse. Have you ever tried drawing with a mouse? It's VERY difficult! Here's our beloved car, a 14 year old Fiat Punto. It's covered in scratches, but I think it gives it character :) In real life it's bright green.<br /><br />Now I want to go out and draw it properly, with a pen/pencil/crayon/whatever that I can actually control! And when I find the pen for my Bamboo tablet I'll have another go at Odosketch and see what I can come up with.<br /><br /><br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-73945949531568171582009-09-01T16:03:00.003+01:002009-09-01T16:09:00.304+01:00The first thing I ever felted.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagihn64fqO92Trcx9bKAhQcYeeAGJrbrzp_vES2AE74XFThu0vGaMc9AiqiyZUKfq3Et1WFyRnLniLApOA1e6C1ZDs662eV9k27Woh_By-eYF_G-w1j5s2YRBSpd8Z7ObBzi-sZ4YfBo/s1600-h/felted-corsage1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagihn64fqO92Trcx9bKAhQcYeeAGJrbrzp_vES2AE74XFThu0vGaMc9AiqiyZUKfq3Et1WFyRnLniLApOA1e6C1ZDs662eV9k27Woh_By-eYF_G-w1j5s2YRBSpd8Z7ObBzi-sZ4YfBo/s400/felted-corsage1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376515818136061890" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">While hunting in some drawers for a necklace today, I found the first felted object I ever made a few years ago. It's a little corsage made from some mohair I bought in Paris, with a pretty vintage button. I had no idea how to felt, so I threw it in the washing machine with the rest of the laundry and hoped for the best! I loved how it turned out.<br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Nfv-09yyyRhMm_KzdG-RBe51yNefwWnttQj9B8MLkFtM7HmFO7pIinxFnDgQPDQka4vAaBBGzkooIopBRVPZmpCrspk2ff2lhGw_SY05FB-39qQkOmEXoft32sUbFp6qoG-pnX3KA1Q/s1600-h/felted-corsage2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Nfv-09yyyRhMm_KzdG-RBe51yNefwWnttQj9B8MLkFtM7HmFO7pIinxFnDgQPDQka4vAaBBGzkooIopBRVPZmpCrspk2ff2lhGw_SY05FB-39qQkOmEXoft32sUbFp6qoG-pnX3KA1Q/s400/felted-corsage2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376515824289080578" border="0" /></a>The necklace in the photo is the one I was searching for in the drawers. Do you like it? I do, but I've never worn it because I just can't figure out what to wear it with. It's rose quartz and lavender jade. If you have any ideas what it would match, let me know!<br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-90120791822770323132009-08-29T08:27:00.006+01:002009-08-29T08:39:10.022+01:00Bee's Brilliant Beads<div style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">Last Sunday I went to a workshop with the fabulous Bee of <a href="http://chaincreative.blogspot.com/">Chain Creative</a>. The topic of the day was bead crochet and we learned how to thread the beads into a pattern and crochet them up into a rope-type affair that we could then turn into a bracelet. I have to admit it took me a while to get the hang of it. Then when I did, I realised I'd threaded the beads wrong, and I hadn't time to finish my bracelet. Oh and when I got home I realised I'd left my only 1.5mm hook at Bee's so I had to order another one (good excuse to buy some nice new Clover hooks!). But last night I finally got time to sit down and finish it, and here it is.<br /></div><div style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Hs3r42ow-FHaIywRuwGZu7vNevumhvRzRGrmUgbhFIO6SsLZZAKz5PkwKgN70MqoIxgKjpmyvIK8Mcx9trAwJoi3n5hBVetI2VFi535IlEQX5Kpr50QiilPM9elmUoR51VfAWvwrBF8/s1600-h/bracelet1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Hs3r42ow-FHaIywRuwGZu7vNevumhvRzRGrmUgbhFIO6SsLZZAKz5PkwKgN70MqoIxgKjpmyvIK8Mcx9trAwJoi3n5hBVetI2VFi535IlEQX5Kpr50QiilPM9elmUoR51VfAWvwrBF8/s400/bracelet1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375286909768174674" border="0" /></a><br />Here it is on my arm.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcp9rLeIWoiIts2vrqbvi3vPjAqpOMouD178nEJN2lif641zAZim3_4-T3w7qTOpotUCkt0qRgd-4X-tabzPmdin05hV0GYL4VHylZNhi55YMxh5G3AeRwRFHxvZ7Ddnf6g8WuAQlW4lw/s1600-h/bracelet2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcp9rLeIWoiIts2vrqbvi3vPjAqpOMouD178nEJN2lif641zAZim3_4-T3w7qTOpotUCkt0qRgd-4X-tabzPmdin05hV0GYL4VHylZNhi55YMxh5G3AeRwRFHxvZ7Ddnf6g8WuAQlW4lw/s400/bracelet2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375285625821793858" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I love it! I have lots of spare beads from when I ordered the wrong size and they're just lying around, so now I have a good use for them. I think everyone will be getting one of these for Christmas :-)<br /><br />Agnes from <a href="http://mrsgknits.blogspot.com/2009/08/bracelet-extraordinaire.html">MrsG Knits</a> was at the workshop too and she's posted her finished bracelet on her blog, go and have a look. Hers is very professional-looking!<br /><br />Oh and here's a little toadstool brooch I needle felted, just because I felt like it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSqPh2q9k9cSY4Ti_OEsIRYZNnuRPy9966_IZ7GWbk-UYLCKOyN08yQeJSFkiY69SsJCkeMW9-skODcg0kOjiR5OHqof2dYdz7HnIHYiLO5G0BO5wLiFnnqXvF4Y6TA-XS9x9pfb6Ewo/s1600-h/mushroom.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSqPh2q9k9cSY4Ti_OEsIRYZNnuRPy9966_IZ7GWbk-UYLCKOyN08yQeJSFkiY69SsJCkeMW9-skODcg0kOjiR5OHqof2dYdz7HnIHYiLO5G0BO5wLiFnnqXvF4Y6TA-XS9x9pfb6Ewo/s400/mushroom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375285637478481090" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-30409939193702437832009-08-14T08:29:00.003+01:002009-08-14T08:34:17.176+01:00A digital drawing (abandoned)<div style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IgTDahsUYBpXFyF4sRgDTT2HaFBDJmdSguzvlbC7tU-qGLFXkOpPZjGD9dpLN4fCShNQYZW0U6usqWtA1wkANMn0PQhEk5G3XpTtY3i1qm9_1of1kICapqAuQM4o4Ul0Ym0YT82moM0/s1600-h/bridge1"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IgTDahsUYBpXFyF4sRgDTT2HaFBDJmdSguzvlbC7tU-qGLFXkOpPZjGD9dpLN4fCShNQYZW0U6usqWtA1wkANMn0PQhEk5G3XpTtY3i1qm9_1of1kICapqAuQM4o4Ul0Ym0YT82moM0/s400/bridge1" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369719139971857730" border="0" /></a><br />I have been dabbling with this for ages. It's a tutorial from Corel Painter magazine. It looks nothing like the version in the magazine. And now I'm bored of it. It's not exactly the most interesting subject matter. So now I'm posting it here, and that means I don't have to work on it anymore and can do something else instead.<br /><br />(If only I had time to sit down and learn it properly... I have such a long list of arty stuff to do when our house move is finally over.)<br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-41619062785701834712009-08-02T12:01:00.004+01:002009-08-02T12:15:58.472+01:00A very nice Saturday!<div style="text-align: justify;">Yesterday I took a break from ebaying and headed out to the Kent countryside, home of Bee from <a href="http://chaincreative.blogspot.com">Chain Creative</a>, who taught me to crochet a few years ago. Bee has a lovely house with a fabulous garden, and in the summer she holds workshops there. Yesterday was a felting day, and five us (plus Bee) got stuck in and did some messy wet felting, crocheted a pear doorstop to felt in the washing machine, and best of all, we learned needle felting. I've been wanting do learn this for ages and ages and I wasn't disappointed!<br /><br />Unfortunately most of the things I made aren't finished yet (I have to finish crocheting the pear, and the felted fabric I made is still drying) but I'll post some photos when it's all done. However I did manage to make two little brooches with the needle felting, and here they are!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZ0cJdLqgwn7ds8CaKjgX-4WhehCztkQehVsg2BaIUyJusqepzOFlv7KYT0-t5iR50LzDdICYdYSOnu_7ZnNlp0P55FxsD7yjW3dU1b1wzWoxHX81N1T7rPkO8xo03E82Yxdl1CGzNm4/s1600-h/brooches.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 297px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZ0cJdLqgwn7ds8CaKjgX-4WhehCztkQehVsg2BaIUyJusqepzOFlv7KYT0-t5iR50LzDdICYdYSOnu_7ZnNlp0P55FxsD7yjW3dU1b1wzWoxHX81N1T7rPkO8xo03E82Yxdl1CGzNm4/s400/brooches.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365322418504276034" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'm so addicted to this, it appeals to my love of all things cute and quick to make! It's so cool that by taking bits of unspun wool, like in the photo, and stabbing them repeatedly with a sharp needle you can turn them into 3D objects. I think I'll do a Moomin next...<br /><br />Thanks Bee for a fab day, a yummy lunch and for introducing me to yet another crafty hobby!<br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-26525490579207969342009-07-27T10:18:00.003+01:002009-07-27T10:25:07.341+01:00Do I really have to get rid of these?<a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ho8UXlkbIIAeYtkEO2_AzIi2tNu0sXrw36Bmj8WJuB2UnR_6sRXR75zSNQ0D7ri7n4rp8gsYAemSN8HNiuDLNljb_HaVoS7_VnHzSAWwveKf9K8aD9YOnhHQ-6a9EwTxP0K8Hl8rwZU/s1600-h/hawkeye.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ho8UXlkbIIAeYtkEO2_AzIi2tNu0sXrw36Bmj8WJuB2UnR_6sRXR75zSNQ0D7ri7n4rp8gsYAemSN8HNiuDLNljb_HaVoS7_VnHzSAWwveKf9K8aD9YOnhHQ-6a9EwTxP0K8Hl8rwZU/s400/hawkeye.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363068054428034370" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">We are moving house soon. It's a BIG move, as we are leaving the big smoke and heading out to the countryside, and we are leaving our jobs in the hope that we'll be able to find new jobs when we get there. So partly because we need the money and partly because we desperately need to get rid of lots of stuff to make moving easier, we're having a massive ebay clearout and listing all the stuff we don't want in batches. So far we've sold lots of books, and I have about ten million handbags listed which will end this afternoon. So far so good.<br /><br />Except now it's time to ebay the cameras.<br /><br />Not all of them, obviously, some will never ever be sold. Like my Trip and Holga and Richard's Werra.<br /><br />But some. Like these.<br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWt-o3JjKzIEQ0-nw40lYihexPskn_CA0lJyXW_cqJK-wKzfPqUjmi6KLFBk3sNgqEw1WXsQhgQvIIgStY2w-0Ud4Lek4oL8tCjl49hjEapm4P3PJddX0qhgwyH1QCUJytS21wLCqXpHQ/s1600-h/DSC_0008-pola.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 329px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWt-o3JjKzIEQ0-nw40lYihexPskn_CA0lJyXW_cqJK-wKzfPqUjmi6KLFBk3sNgqEw1WXsQhgQvIIgStY2w-0Ud4Lek4oL8tCjl49hjEapm4P3PJddX0qhgwyH1QCUJytS21wLCqXpHQ/s400/DSC_0008-pola.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363068067378145298" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkQ9Wbz-ZUhjYXmNBmEyVOrs-Liv-Y6B4L9zHS6L0neJLOCxIADyry5th-qED_6IRzCxCsZCD_iFM5Hcwr7Lz7NamAWq2ew8qFWaCa02uMx0G8zjI7bLlBSKQRdWDEc0_LJHk2Nj3McM/s1600-h/DSC_0001-pola.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 329px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkQ9Wbz-ZUhjYXmNBmEyVOrs-Liv-Y6B4L9zHS6L0neJLOCxIADyry5th-qED_6IRzCxCsZCD_iFM5Hcwr7Lz7NamAWq2ew8qFWaCa02uMx0G8zjI7bLlBSKQRdWDEc0_LJHk2Nj3McM/s400/DSC_0001-pola.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363068059934476642" border="0" /></a><br />It's hard to get rid of cameras! I don't know why I get so attached to them, when most of them I don't even use. But they have to go. Sigh.<br /><br />However the little blue Instamatic in the main photo is not going anywhere. Richard bought it years ago, I think from a charity shop, but it's too pretty to ebay. Look at it. It's blue! And it has some brand new flash cubes!<br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-zJFcnPK2EIk2bHZDgEK-vwxMPvd6SFwJ6BQxQqjG-5rSd6gy4YU_hnpB9LcbgyaE1YwS1wrlCVkz4VJWBRM_pP0V4jZXtb4aacbnpFNtbmfDy54yZT93oG8XBtXD1AZoMxIuX2iG_g/s1600-h/DSC_0013-pola.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 329px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-zJFcnPK2EIk2bHZDgEK-vwxMPvd6SFwJ6BQxQqjG-5rSd6gy4YU_hnpB9LcbgyaE1YwS1wrlCVkz4VJWBRM_pP0V4jZXtb4aacbnpFNtbmfDy54yZT93oG8XBtXD1AZoMxIuX2iG_g/s400/DSC_0013-pola.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363068074234757698" border="0" /></a><br />So I'm keeping it - who can blame me?<br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-81799544366423788792009-07-11T14:27:00.003+01:002009-07-11T14:30:30.603+01:00Little crochet friends<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZPX-eRhb3m6KCWU2DQ_jo19BE3NuQ-cqrycPsK__EXuv-9vrHYDBrpnwnyPZp5eGTvfLvbh3PBRM6no3j6Awa79bBAmcyg_mrKta7GFPKXhRxE69EAjTuraVZMCsBDVcaS7_MI7c_-Y/s1600-h/william+and+margaret.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 367px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZPX-eRhb3m6KCWU2DQ_jo19BE3NuQ-cqrycPsK__EXuv-9vrHYDBrpnwnyPZp5eGTvfLvbh3PBRM6no3j6Awa79bBAmcyg_mrKta7GFPKXhRxE69EAjTuraVZMCsBDVcaS7_MI7c_-Y/s400/william+and+margaret.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357194038435357666" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Here's some little crochet friends I made for a Craftster swap recently. My partner received today so I can post a photo without worrying about ruining the surprise :) This is William the pig and his friend Margaret the bear. William is made from some Phildar mohair yarn I got in Paris, and Margaret is made from something fluffy and nice by Sirdar that I can't remember the name of. The little things in front are bottlecap pincushions I popped in the package. <br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-1714786274373448832009-07-03T12:15:00.002+01:002009-07-03T12:17:24.708+01:00Another one!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8eFPdiokq8sGvMzp9ZzoSzR2QfNrFZZ5ZGNzVmfSC-uaeRouY5n2Pf9vo9WO7Gu06fMZ7ng6eDLGrMLGdEQairFbabTXxJOxtta60nRou4hkyHJN3YBgcAjVjT2J3FEVW9Uozon2JDFY/s1600-h/postcard004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8eFPdiokq8sGvMzp9ZzoSzR2QfNrFZZ5ZGNzVmfSC-uaeRouY5n2Pf9vo9WO7Gu06fMZ7ng6eDLGrMLGdEQairFbabTXxJOxtta60nRou4hkyHJN3YBgcAjVjT2J3FEVW9Uozon2JDFY/s400/postcard004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354191373270584994" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Two postcards in one day, lucky me :) This one is from Juan in Cordoba. I wish I was in Cordoba and this was my little courtyard (and the library below with the staircase would be inside this pretty little house of course).<br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-57749997952252785552009-07-03T11:21:00.003+01:002009-07-03T11:26:38.141+01:00I want a room like this in my house.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZXoVveqwoPtLqYG0EmQsIwCsiWMyotnWsiWKVumm9VLOeiJOl6OuDLUVo10Nen525fRUN-jeo6ZwWSjHB8NfDzWhkm7rtYIAD5cRlEUizW9iYmuy2-0RMDlm0ZWedjY-r_jbqCCcAv3Q/s1600-h/postcard003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZXoVveqwoPtLqYG0EmQsIwCsiWMyotnWsiWKVumm9VLOeiJOl6OuDLUVo10Nen525fRUN-jeo6ZwWSjHB8NfDzWhkm7rtYIAD5cRlEUizW9iYmuy2-0RMDlm0ZWedjY-r_jbqCCcAv3Q/s400/postcard003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354178159406255714" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a postcard I received from the US. I would kill for a library like this in my house. The staircase reminds me of Harry Potter.<br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-9206488192584055172009-06-25T19:37:00.003+01:002009-06-25T19:43:56.110+01:00Me, age 29<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3547/3660791852_020357b40f.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 455px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3547/3660791852_020357b40f.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>Here's the little doodle I did yesterday. I don't really look like this, but some days (particularly on birthdays and after a rotten day at work) this is definitely how I feel.<br /><br />I'm not quite sure what I was doing with the arms, I've just realised they make absolutely no sense and the poor old lady would have to be some sort of contortionist or have fingers growing out of her forearm or something. <br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1296927344208399896.post-71164515836630387032009-06-24T18:44:00.003+01:002009-06-24T18:55:34.209+01:00A postcard from China<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwp8z_IUbvFyNkTBe60TggWIClWRF741eLPa-fbTfjaM9QOJgCzhZO1n8NBdUTPrraKMnLrZruOkARQSgw7chm1R5DVztOqMsYBt0GTm2t4ENLXF3yR21k376BPZhLZTxRH4_LOpZWWRs/s1600-h/chinapostcard.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwp8z_IUbvFyNkTBe60TggWIClWRF741eLPa-fbTfjaM9QOJgCzhZO1n8NBdUTPrraKMnLrZruOkARQSgw7chm1R5DVztOqMsYBt0GTm2t4ENLXF3yR21k376BPZhLZTxRH4_LOpZWWRs/s400/chinapostcard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350953515420019618" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This arrived today, all the way from China via <a href="http://www.postcrossing.com/">Postcrossing</a>. The sender says it's traditional folk line drawings, and in olden days, girls had to learn to copy established designs before they started needlework. I think this is so interesting - think I will have to do a bit of googling to find out more! And I think the card is really pretty. If you haven't signed up to Postcrossing yet, you should. It's fun to get postcards from strangers!<br /><br />Oh and today is my birthday. I'm 29, which is ridiculously close to 30 and very scary. I drew a little doodle of how old I really feel, but left it at work - I'll try and remember to post it tomorrow. But I did get some nice presents, including some Maimeri Blu watercolour paints, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Penman-Picture-Archives/dp/0486206165">this book</a> which is full of gorgeous examples of calligraphy (mostly copperplate) from the 18th century. That should keep me busy for a while. I'll be trying out the new paints tomorrow, but tonight I'm having a slap up birthday meal cooked by my lovely husband :)<br /></div>Aveenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00425772106422581017noreply@blogger.com2