Last week I left you with a photo of the first few rows of my mug hug. So here is the finished item. I used uneven berry stitch to create the textured pattern.
Lamb Mug Hug
This was an interim project until my new crochet book arrived. Amigurumi Flower Babies from this book I have made the little flower baby and two hats, one a daffodil and one snowdrop. I am now working on a hydrangea, photo next week hopefully ☺️
We had Valentine’s Day this week and my daughter Georgina and myself had a nice meal of steamed chinese pork buns and stir fried vegetables. For the filling I used a recipe from Riverton Kitchen I actually used pork mince. The dough recipe can be found here
In the garden I have done a little more tidying up and have now bought my potatoes and they are sitting in an egg box chitting. The sweet peas I sowed nearly two weeks ago have now nearly all germinated. Once they have a couple of sets of leaves on I will pinch out to allow them to bush.
I am using my planner to keep a record of how long seeds are taking to germinate and when I planted them. This year I am hoping to make my flower beds into a more potager garden by planting vegetables amongst the flowers. I am finding out which flowers and vegetables work well together. I have not done this before so watch this space.
Keeping track
I am going to get some more seeds sown this coming week, my conservatory will soon look more like a greenhouse!
We have our first Supper Club this coming week which I’m really looking forward to. I will try to take some photos for you to see what we all produced.
Well hello Spring, I know it’s not really Spring yet but there have definitely been a few days that have felt that way.
Last Sunday I started on my first chore of the garden calendar, that being, cleaning the patio and pathways. They are not perfect but I have cleared all the algae and dirt. The slabs that are in the shade the most have black spots which I will have to go over with bicarbonate of soda and vinegar.
Cleaner Patio
I have done a few lovely walks with the dogs this week and can definitely see the beginnings of spring in the hedgerows and verges. Snowdrops and a few daffodils are flowering and I actually saw a crocus out too.
In the kitchen I did my test run of the venison and stout pies and they turned out wonderfully. I initially cooked the filling in the slow cooker for about 6 hours. Once cold I filled my dishes and added the puff pastry tops. Then popped in the oven for 30 mins.
Served with new potatoes and green veg this was a lovely evening meal and I am looking forward to making it again for our Supper Club meal.
Also in the kitchen this week I had the craving for a tasty cake, not a sponge but something a little different and this lemon curd cake recipe did not disappoint. It’s called Edna’s cake but no one knows who Edna is!
I had a jar of my homemade lemon curd from my party but you could make the lemon curd in the recipe or just use a shop bought one. The curd is placed between two layers of a mixture that is cake like but also crumble like. It is super quick to make and tastes so good.
As you know I launched my two books on Amazon and this week the actual paperback books arrived. The first one which is my garden planner looks so pretty and I am enjoying writing in it and starting to plan all the things I want to do in the garden this year.
The other is a children’s write a story book, which has a colouring page and then a wide line page to encourage them to write a story about the picture.
I have just finished a University Student Planner and am waiting for it to be approved and go live also.
I had lost my mojo for crafting this last month although lots of other things were being done but I had not picked up a crochet hoop since before Christmas. This week I went to my lovely evening craft club and found inspiration and motivation as well as lots of chatter and laughter.
I have just ordered a new Amigurumi crochet book of flower babies which I am looking forward to creating a few. Whilst waiting for that to arrive I am having a go at making a sheep mug hug for an Easter present. I saw one on Pinterest and decided I could probably design a pattern for one. Hopefully if all goes well I will be able to show you the finished one next week.
The beginnings of my sheep mug hug
So off to start my Sunday with a dog walk, then a spot of time in the garden and then settle down to crochet. Perfect!
Welcome February, a short month but I consider it the gateway to Spring. Whilst the weather is often a mixed bag, the evenings are starting to lighten and the spring flowers are starting to appear.
This week I planted my sweet peas, always the first thing that I plant and a must have in my garden. As I told you last week I have designed a garden planner and this week it went live on Amazon and I am waiting for my author’s copy to arrive. I cannot wait to start filling it in and planning the year ahead. Even if no one buys one I will have my own paperback copy ☺️
Last week I told you about the Supper Club I am starting, we have organised who is doing what now and I am doing the main dish which will be Venison and Stout Pies. As the theme was UK seasonal produce I thought I should use seasonal meat too. I will be doing a practice run this week but I’m sure it will be yummy. I will let you know how it turns out and give you the recipe.
Venison is only available at certain times of the year October to February and can be found in stores during those times. It’s a relatively low fat red meat and is suited to being marinated and slow cooked.
I made the Brussel sprout, gnocchi and bacon dish this week and can definitely recommend it. It was quick to make and very tasty. To be honest you would hardly know there were sprouts in the dish as the flavours combined. So maybe a good dish to give to those who are not really fans of sprouts 😄
After my birthday party spread I have been asked to cater my friends afternoon wedding party and as my profiteroles did not turn out that well I decided to make some to see if I could perfect them. I think where I went wrong last time was not having the oven hot enough, well whatever it was, this time it all worked perfectly. They rose and dried out and stayed crispy. I filled them with Bailey’s cream and covered them with dark chocolate.
Apparently you can freeze the unfilled profiteroles for up to three months which would help with the catering. I am going to freeze a filled one to see how that is when defrosted as I have bought frozen eclairs and they have been ok . The choux pastry is a little soft but the taste is good. I will let you know which way is the best.
Bailey’s cream filled profiteroles
Georgina my eldest daughter and I popped into Okehampton on Friday for a wander around and a spot of lunch. I found a gorgeous large bowl ideal for filling with yummy salads in one of the charity shops. I love a bargain!
My bargain salad bowl
I am hoping to get out in the garden and start doing some clearing up after the winter storms and maybe get the pressure washer out to clean down the patio which is looking decidedly dirty at the moment and also the sleeper steps are rather slippery so will also need a clean.
Have a lovely week whatever you are doing and I will catch you up with my life next week.
Well we are nearly into February and the evenings are getting lighter bit by bit. If you are like me the garden is beginning to call. At the moment it is looking very sad but I can see the daffodil shoots pushing their way upwards and snowdrops are close to flowering.
With those thoughts of what will I be doing in the garden this year I decided I needed some sort of planner where I could list what seeds I had, what I needed to buy, when I planted them and how long afterwards did they germinate. Also if it was a vegetable how it did in my garden i.e. yield. Not much point in sowing next year if it didn’t produce much.
I decided to design a planner with all of those things in mind
A few pages from my garden planner
I have been looking at doing some low content books to sell on Amazon so thought as I have already designed the pages, why not put it into a small notebook that is a handy size to pop in your bag on those visits to the garden centers. Not so big that you feel you are writing a novel but just little notes and memory joggers. Therefore I have uploaded it to Amazon and am awaiting notification that it is live. All very exciting!
Advert for the 2023 Garden Planner
I will put the link on my Facebook page as soon as it goes live.
I have a few ideas for other low content books simmering away in my brain.
This week I finished decorating my hallway except a few touches that I will be looking out for over the next few months. I continued the colour scheme that I used in the downstairs cloakroom and used Lick Green 01 & 02 and added hints of pink. I have posted the before and after shots on my Facebook page but below is the before and after of the main view as you enter the house.
Before and After
I am hoping to start a Supper Club soon with some of the women from my Butterflies Ladies group. I think it will be fun to come up with a theme and then see what people produce. Also a fun evening getting together in the kitchen and dining room and eating good food over conversation and laughter.
I was thinking that the first Supper theme should be Seasonal UK Produce as at this time of the year it can be quite difficult to come up with dishes to entertain with just what is growing in the UK in February. Have you got a good recipe? If so let me know what it is.
Today is the official start of the Chinese New Year and it is the year of the rabbit.
Rabbit is the fourth of the 12 Chinese Zodiac parts, in the sequence of Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. As a result, the Year of the Rabbit is the fourth year in a 12-year cycle.
In Chinese culture, rabbit can be used to symbolize the moon. Ancient Chinese believed there was a rabbit living on the moon. They could see it on the shiny full moon on Mid-Autumn Day (the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar). Though the success of the Apollo Program proved the rabbit never lived on the moon, but its lucky image never faded.
The rabbit, called in Chinese the Jade Rabbit or the Moon Rabbit, is a companion of the Moon Goddess who never grows old. It makes medicine by grinding herb with a mortar and pestle.
According to Beijing folklore, the rabbit came down to earth as a girl, riding on a horse, a tiger or a lion, traveled in the city, and saved many from a serious epidemic, thus Beijingers make statuettes of a rabbit wearing armor and riding a tiger in tribute.
Rabbits, especially ones with white hair, are also a symbol of longevity in traditional Chinese culture. The ancient Chinese believed it was the incarnation of Alioth, the brightest star of the Triones.
As promised here is the recipe for the Tomato Soup I had during the week.
1 tablespoon (14g) butter ½ cup diced onion 2 cloves garlic minced 1 14-ounce can tomatoes whole, cubed, or crushed ¾ cup chicken broth or water 3 tablespoons double/heavy cream Salt and pepper
Cook the onions and garlic in the butter until translucent then add the tomatoes and broth and heat until bubbling. Remove from heat and blend either in liquidiser or with a stick blender. Add the cream and season. This make 2 good bowlfuls.
Homemade Tomato Soup
This last week I have been busy starting my hall decorating project. Whilst it was light, it was rather boring and not particularly welcoming. I have decided to continue to use the colours I used in the downstairs cloakroom. These are Lick 01 and 02 and I will add hints of pink just as I did in the cloakroom. Here is what I started with
I cannot afford to replace all of the carpet. Who thought it a good idea to put carpet into an entry hallway? Anyway I just have to work with what I have. Therefore I have bought a washable hall runner that will tie in all the colours and is practical.
I cannot decide whether to just paint the radiator or buy a cover and paint it. I do want a shelf above it so the cover would actually work well, so I am leaning towards that option.
I now have chosen a colour for the front door which will definitely stand out in our little cul de sac and will paint it a gorgeous teal colour outside and in.
Teal
I have finished the entryway other than the front door and have started on the main hallway and stairway.
Entry way
Hopefully by next week I will have finished or at least be very close to completion.
I have also started to write and put together some more of my mystery workshops for my dog training classes. These would actually work well as stand alone mystery party ideas so might try creating mini packages for people to use. My first one is called ‘Cooking up a Mystery’ and includes ciphers, mazes, riddles and a whole lot more to work those brains. They definitely work my brain putting them together 😂
On Wednesday it will be Burns Night and I have bought my haggis to make some yummy little canapes to take to my Butterflies Ladies evening. These will be mini potato cakes topped with a swede puree and hagiss. I made these a few years ago for my Women’s Institute evening get together that fell on Burn’s Night.
Hagiss canapés
I must get on with the decorating now otherwise I will have nothing to show you next week 😉
This windy, wet and really dismal weather is putting me off doing any long walks with the dogs and when we do our walks it normally ends with muddy dogs and boots!
Wet and muddy again!
At least with this weather I don’t feel so bad spending my time crocheting in the warm and dry. This week I have been trying to perfect a heart plant in a pot. I have tried various pots, hearts and even leaves.
A trio of hearts
I used a mixture of different patterns and adapted to create the pattern below.
Flower Pot
Round 1: mr 6 [6]
Round 2: inc x6 [12]
Round 3: (sc 1, inc)x6 [18]
Round 4: sc 1, inc, (sc 2, inc)x5, sc 1 [24]
Round 5: (sc 3, inc)x6 [30]
Round 6: BLO sc around [30]
Round 7: sc around [30]
Round 8: (sc 9, inc)x3 [33]
Rounds 9-10: sc around [33]
Round 11: sc 5, inc, (sc 10, inc)x2, sc 5 [36]
Rounds 12-14: sc around [36]
Round 15: FLO (sc 11, inc)x3 [39]
Round 16: BLO sc around [39]
Round 17: sc around through back loops of round 15
Round 18 SC in each
Soil:
Round 1: mr 6 [6]
Round 2: inc x6 [12]
Round 3: (sc 1, inc)x6 [18]
Round 4: sc 1, inc, (sc 2, inc)x5, sc 1 [24]
Round 5: (sc 3, inc)x5, sc 2 [30]
Round 6: sc 2, inc, (sc 4, inc)x6 [36]
FO, leaving a long tail for sewing
The Heart
Beginning at the top of the heart, with magic ring:
Rd 1: Work 6 sc into the center of ring (6) Rd 2: Work 2 sc in each st around (12) Rd 3: (Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) around (18) Rd 4: Work Sc in 18 st
Sl st in next st, cut yarn leaving 10” long tail and pull through last loop. You’ve just finished the first top half of the heart (Top A).
To make another top half repeat the rounds 1-4
The second top half of the heart is finished (Top B). Do not cut yarn.
Rd 5: Sc in next 9 sts of the Top B.
Merge the halves together: Insert hook into first stitch after sl st made on Top A and continue to make 1 sc in all 18 stitches. Insert hook back into the Top B and work 1 sc in next 9 sc. (One round completed with 36 sc)
With the tail from Top A close the gap between the two top halves.
Rd 6 : Sc around (36)
Rd 7 : (Sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog) around (30) Rd 8 : (Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog) around (24)
Rd 9 : (Sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog) around (18)
Rd 10 : (Sc in next st, sc2tog) around (12)
Stuff! While stuffing make sure the tail you used to close the gap is not stuck inside, you’ll need it later to pull tight and shape the heart.
Continue with “sc in next st, sc2tog” until you heave 5 sts left.
Cut yarn and pull it through thelast loop. Now pull the Top A tail tight to shape the heart and hide the tail inside with tapestry needle.
With a tapestry needle, weave the tail through the front loops of the remaining 5 stitches, and place top of stem inside before pulling it tight to close. Weave in yarn end!
Leaf Pattern: Chain 6, SC in 2nd chain from hook, HDC in next, DC in next two, make 6 DC in last chain. Now working on the other side of the chain, DC in next two, HDC in next, SC in last (do not join yet), chain 2 and make a SC in second chain from hook, join to first SC.
Stem
Use a cocktail stick or cake pop stick and wrap green yarn around it, stick at both end with glue.
Assembly
Attach the two leaves to the stem and feed the tails through the centre of the soil, put the stem through the hole too. I used the tails to secure to the stem under the soil and added a spot of glue.
Then stuff the pot and add the soil, stem, etc to the pot and attached the soil to the pot.
I have another heart project I am working on and will show you on my Facebook page and post on my blog next time.
If you are not into crocheting but would like a heart plant then check my Etsy Shop as I will have them on there. Ideal for Valentine’s and Mother’s Day or just to give to special people in your life.
I like to start the new year by clearing out my freezer’s of all the meals so I can start afresh. So this week our meals have been very much odds and ends of things that were leftover.
Next week I will go back into planning and exploring new dishes mode.
I had some double (heavy) cream leftover from the weekend, so I decided to make some butter. I used my kitchen aid and just kept whisking until the butter collected on the whisk and the buttermilk was left. I used some muslin to give it a squeeze to ensure I got as much of the buttermilk out and then just added in some salt and a little olive oil as I want it to be spreadable.
I popped it into a mould and chilled and here it is, ta da!
Butter at a fraction of the price in the shop and nothing has gone to waste as I used the buttermilk to make pancakes.
Homemade Butter
I am hoping to start decorating my hallway this week. It is not that big and has the stairs leading off as well as 3 doorways. I want it to feel welcoming and an area that has a purpose not just a corridor to pass through on your way to the other parts of the house.
That’s it another year older as I had my Birthday last week and this year I was able to have a party.
I designed not so much an escape room but a break in room. My guests had to solve clues to find the misplaced key to the dining room and all the food. It was great fun, which everyone enjoyed and then we got to eat.
I decided to do lots of finger food and platters and catered for vegetarian, pescatarian and gluten free diets. Mia even made my Birthday Cake in ordinary and gluten free versions.
Party Food
I have made a couple of things from my Christmas crochet book which are super cute. First a little aphid which has already been adopted by Mia
Aphid
Also I have done a caterpillar which I will be turning into a butterfly.
Caterpillar
Thinking ahead to Valentine’s I have made a ‘Grow your own Love’ plant
Potted Plant
I created a pot and added filling and topped with soil. Then I made a heart, leaves and a stem which I made by wrapping yarn around a cocktail stick and glueing at each end. I think I need to make a few adjustments but then will be adding them to my Etsy Shop for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.
Mia is now back at Uni and I will be starting my training classes this week so the holidays are over and normality is returning.
I am glad to report Faith got signed off by the vet and is back to her normal self and is able to be walked off lead again, which she is very happy about.
Projects going forward for this year are to redecorate my hallway and kitchen. So watch this space 😉
I hope to continue my blog during this year as it is really nice to look back on last year and see what I achieved.
Sorry I have been missing in action and not posted in a few weeks but the Christmas period was rather busy as it is for most of you I’m sure!
I cannot believe I have been blogging for a year and tomorrow I turn 61 😱
I made the trip back to Oxfordshire just before Christmas to see family and friends which was lovely and had a really good journey both there and back. The weather driving back was pretty dismal until I hit the Devonshire border and the sun came out to welcome me home. I really do love living here and although I miss my brother’s family and friends, my girls and I have a good and happy life here and I do not regret making the decision to move here 2.5 years ago.
Christmas day was lovely, just myself and my girls eating, drinking, playing games and lots of laughter (perfect).
My family ❤️
Boxing Day I took all of the dog’s for a lovely if muddy walk as definitely needed to walk off all the food from the previous day. On Wednesday I woke up to Faith (GSD) panting and generally not herself and then she did not eat and my worst fears were realised when I got her to the vets early that morning. She had Pyometra, which is where the womb gets infected and develops pus around it. It is really serious and only occurs in older entire bitches. Luckily I caught it really early and the infection was small but the risk with an operation is always risky.
I therefore had a really stressful day waiting for the vet to ring. To take my mind off the situation a bit I resorted to crochet and made an Amigurumi Puppy which was very apt considering the situation.
Puppy Love
I received the call from the vets late afternoon to say she had made it through the operation and was doing very well and they were happy to send her home. She was obviously a little wobbly and sleepy but very happy to see me as I was her. She has a very smart pet vest to stop her licking and chewing her wound and we are 5 days post op and I’m happy to say back to her normal self.
Faith home from vets
I received a beautiful book which I had wanted for a while, from my brother and sister in law for Christmas. I ordered the yarns I would need to do all the things I want to make from it. The book is not only the patterns but a delightful story too. It is from Lalylala and the yarn is from Scheepjes
Bug crochet patterns and cotton yarn
Whilst waiting for the yarn to arrive I needed a little project to keep my hands busy so made a Amigurumi Bunny to go with my puppy.
Bunny Love
Both these little animals are super cute and easy to make and I will be popping them onto my Etsy shop as will be lovely Valentine’s Day gifts.
New Year’s Eve I got to use my Christmas present from my girls which was an electric fondue set. Mia had a friend to stay, which was great for the girls to have another young person around. As Mia is vegetarian we decided to go with a cheese fondue and then just put some of the cheese sauce into individual bowls for the meat eaters.
The cheese sauce was really nice and you can use whatever cheese you prefer, we used a mixture of Edam and cheddar as we had lots leftover from our Christmas cheeseboard.
I then made a delightful black forest trifle for dessert which was a combination of chocolate, cherries, custard and cream and I have to say it was extremely yummy and actually tasted better the day after. If I make it again I will make 24 hours before I need it.
New Year’s Eve Meal
We played games right up to the Midnight hour and watched the fireworks on TV. I headed to bed around 1 in the morning but the youngsters hit their beds around 4! Those were the days 🤣
I will sign off now but would like to wish you all a very happy, healthy and brave New Year 😘
It’s definitely been wintery but as I write this the rain has returned 🌧️ so back to waterproof trousers and welly’s for dog walks and no worries about slipping over on the ice.
I love anything cheesy and this week made some cheese biscuit dough. I made up some biscuits to test obviously but the larger portion has gone into the freezer. These biscuits are great freshly made but do need eating the same day as even stored in an air tight container go a little soggy although still taste good. This is not too much of a problem as they are exceedingly moreish.
Cheesy Biscuits
250g grated Cheddar cheese 110g softened butter Pinch cayenne Pinch black pepper ½ Teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 Teaspoon fresh chopped chives 1 ½ Cups flour (sift then measure) Beat butter, cheese, salt, pepper, cayenne, chives and Worcestershire until creamy.
Add flour and mix well with hands; make into a long roll (size of quarter or a little larger)
Wrap roll in wax paper and refrigerate until cold.
Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
Slice roll about ¼ inch thick and place on ungreased baking sheet; bake until very light brown.
The Worcester sauce really adds that little pop to these biscuits.
Cheese Biscuits
I wanted to find some little crocheting projects to do whilst watching TV and decided upon bookmarks. I made a cute little chain of hearts one, which has given me an idea for gifts for Valentines Day to put on my Etsy shop. I also made a bookworm which was again easy to make and will make a good gift to give to any little bookworms young or old.
Bookmarks
I have also been making some material storage boxes to fill with toiletries. This one was for a secret santa which was given last night at our Social Butterflies Christmas party. It included a couple of facecloths, a wrapped soap and a jar of homemade Sleepytime shower steamers. I will give you the instructions on how to make these in an up and coming blog post.
Secret Santa gift
I am going back to Oxfordshire this week to visit friends and family before Christmas so busily wrapping and getting everything ready for the big day ahead of time as not back till late Thursday and will be running out of days to get things done.
Whatever you are up to this week I hope you take time for you as I know this time of the year everyone is rushing around.
I feel like I have been extremely busy this week but not sure what I have been doing!
The house is slowly being decorated for Christmas. The front was the first area and I was finally able to hang my rag wreath. I did not want to do too much but I wanted impact so I went big. I found some giant blow up baubles to hang from my hanging basket hooks and tied them on with candy-striped ribbon which I also wound around the two struts of my porch.
I also cleared away my pots from the Autumn display and replaced them with my blueberry pots as they have been pruned back so I used long branches from my hedge cuttings and stuck them into the soil and then wrapped tinsel around them and hung bauble decorations. It definitely looks festive 😍
Front of the house
I have also decorated the conservatory, making it into a sparkling grotto by placing a couple of long bamboo poles wrapped with tinsel through the roof window opening hooks I was then able to drape 30 meters of lights from one end to the other creating a canopy. I then hung icicle decorations from the wires, but I need to get some more to create a better effect.
Photo does not do it justice!
The conservatory needs some greenery but will leave that until nearer Christmas.
I also finished crocheting my Christmas Tree Bunting. I used the sparkly yarn I had from Hobbycraft to make the trees using this pattern from Loopteeloops
Christmas Tree Bunting
The snowflake buttons are the same I used on my little gnomes from The Kawaii Squirrel they finish them off perfectly.
It was a friend’s birthday this week and I promised to make cake and what better cake at this time of the year than gingerbread. I used a recipe from Jane Patisserie but rather than one large loaf cake I made little individual loaves. They went down rather well 😋
Gingerbread Loaves
Georgina my eldest daughter and I went to the Exeter Christmas Market this week and made a number of purchases but we also decided to pop into the cathedral itself. The roof is truly amazing, a sculptural work of art!
Exeter Cathedral
Now the temperature has been dropping as the week progressed but when I opened the curtain at 6.00am on Saturday morning I was not expecting to see snow but there it was!
Snow!
Unfortunately it put paid to my last Saturday training sessions of this year as the roads were a little slippy and I knew by mid afternoon everything would be getting very icy, so I had to make the decision to cancel.
I put my enforced day off to use by making a few more material purses and another material storage box. I had made one in the week for my sewing bits and bobs using this video . I found the flamingo buttons to add extra detail from happy haberdashery crafts
Stepping Into Sixty and Out Of The Comfort Zone 