Happy Halloween

My son James, as you've never seen him before lol...Halloween party on Saturday night at his friends

Some of them can't remember what they did....x-rated pictures l can't show you, not James though

thank goodness

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE

BOO!

COOKING AND 5 'TO DO' JOBS OFF THE LIST

Piped mash and home baked Apple pies...for a non-cook l'm quite enjoying the new me....and taste?...not 'arf bad, if l say it myself lol
Put it this way there isn't a lot left hehehe

We were given a huge bag of cooking apples, free food always tastes good hey? So we chopped and cooked 8 apples yesterday.....
Jars of Apple sauce to go with pork and chicken this coming week, apples pies to go with cream/custard and 2 containers of apple for the freezer. 

Another 12 apples to go...going to make a great stock of apple for the winter months..this is fun!


Even the 'TO DO' SNAGGING LIST isn't a chore when you do

 just one or two a day until they are all done

Yesterday we managed 5 before lunchtime....

French door trims, 

front door trim, 

shelf and mirror back up 

and the work top edge strips glued on

Still seems like a long list of snagging to do but a couple a day will see them finished in no time at all and we still have time to sit and chill

Sunday's 'to do'

Phil gets a day on Bertie today and l'm using the  mantra below to get me through the dumping ground of a mess in my work room..lol

REPEAT AFTER ME...

If you can envision something as beautiful and wonderful, so it will be.

 To turn an ugly situation into something good, focus on the positives. 

Refuse to dwell on what you don't like or wish you could change. 

After all, when your perspective changes, the object can too.

Have a super Sunday

hugs to all xx

sorry about the comments problems, doing my best to get it fixed

Love this light and it's in the Dunelm Lighting Sale too

They do a globe one too but not so keen on this one, typical me l've gone for the most expensive lol

Pity this mirror isn't in the sale, goes well with the light don't you think?

Still need a couple more metres of fabric to cover both sofas, but think l am making progress with how they will look

watch this space!

Hugs to all

Have a wonderful weekend everyone xx

Dunelm Patchwork sofas...

Decided l needed to make a start, at least decide on which fabrics l was going to use and how l was going to put them together...blocks of or do a really patchwork. Still not sure on the how but made decision on which fabrics....1 STRIPE (main fabric) 2 SPOTS and a BROCADE

But do l go mad add more fabrics and patchwork all the fabrics together in random shapes?

or 

use the main stripe as the big areas and the spots as edges? 

or 

one side of stripes and the one in spots with the brocade and second stripe as the edges?

or

cut all the pieces (for one sofa)...one fabric for each piece then decide on making it more patchwork or keep the panels in a single fabric?

At least l've actually made a start

Have a thoughtful Thursday

hugs to all x

lovely having carpets again lol

New Lay out has given us more comfy sitting and just the sofa to recover asap

still deciding on what to put back in the room for now but it was certainly a comfy space to sit in last night

Now i can get in my craft room l can give it a tidy up and get started on the new covers asap

how it looked before....better photographs but not enough places to sit and l hated the TV stuck in the corner. 

The room looks more balanced now, everyone thought the new layout works a lot better than before.

Coffee table is now usable, we can reach all the sockets easily and 

there is a place for the Stranne light l converted months ago, need to get the second one finished now

how to make the light

Have a wonderful Wednesday

hugs to all x

Carpets tomorrow and back to normal again..

One of the first things l'm going to make are the new sofa covers.. 

My Dunelm selection of fabrics are waiting to be turned into 2 comfy sofas destined for the newly painter lounge for the winter

a few favourite patchwork works of art...

great tray..

two great chairs

and some very subtle combinations too..

love this linen version

really can't wait to get at my old sofas and make them pretty for Christmas

link to first post about patchwork project

love this patchwork wood too...

all of the pictures are from PINTEREST

LINK TO MY PINTEREST Boards for more inspiration and pretty pictures lol

great way of collecting together all your inspirational pictures with a direct link to where they came from

PINTEREST is well worth joining 

Have a terrific Tuesday everyone

hugs xx

2nd Effort: Chocolate Cup Cake

They won't win any competitions but l'm having fun making them, have l found a new hobby?

came across a wonderful little Cup Cake book too by Lindy Smith...some stencilled ones l want to have a go at for Christmas with silver or gold powder

Still a wip for the butter cream....and l didn't know which piping nozzle to use either

lots more practise needed l think

A WINNER.....

Phil entered Noo Noo is a 'Love My Bus' competition at the weekend and won!!!!

£220 to be spent at the show on something for your camper

he was chuffed to bits...we both were

Hugs x
HOW TOO TUTORIAL FOR PIPING HERE

64 days until Christmas!!!!!!!

So l've joined a 'Get Organised for Christmas' site 

Daily reminders of what needs to be done...hope it works!

CUP CAKE LOVE
Just got to try these too..
LEMON DROP CUP CAKES..USA recipe for friends across the pond lol
UK recipe for the Lemon butter cream..going to try some Chocolate Cup cakes today too
Link to lots of flavoured butter cream recipes 

Found a few Christmas tips on PINTEREST click to see my boards....GREAT PICTURE SITE

A SMELLY TIP..found on PINTEREST

Boil a pan of yummy goodies and fill the house with the smell of Christmas

Not a Christmas tip but a great Idea all the same..

from the Storage Glee

l always struggle to store Christmas decorations..this is so simple but brilliant, i'll definitely be giving this one a go

from RE-NEST

 l've added all of these to one of my picture boards

worth joining if you love picture inspiration and tips on all sorts

Painting door frames and skirting today so we are completely ready for Wednesday and normality at last

Have a Special Sunday

hugs to all x

A week of painters, plumbers, carpenters and electricians.....now they have all finished

We are living in the dining room for now...quite cosy, but the light is shining at the end of the tunnel,
finally the carpets will be down next Wednesday and we will be 

back to pre flood..hurrrraaaaay!

I'm no cook, but l tried a new cup cake recipe to celebrate 3.5 minutes in the mixer how easy is that?

and it worked...

Dan Lepard's vanilla cupcakes

What makes these new-look cupcakes magnificent is their size. They're baked in large muffin cases and topped with a jaunty swirl of butter frosting to give them a Dior glamour. But underneath beats the heart of an old-fashioned pound-cake, albeit one with a touch more flour to give a soft volcano peak.

For the cakes:

125g caster sugar
125g unsalted butter, very soft
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence
150g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder

For the frosting:

75g unsalted butter, very soft
250g icing sugar
75g sweetened condensed milk
75ml double cream

NB...I didn't use the butter cream icing for mine but l will NEXT TIME

the cupcakes without decoration tasted yummy and looked great so unfortunately there was only 4 left to decorate lol

In the bowl of an upright electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla for three minutes on the highest speed until light and fluffy. Sift the flour and baking powder two or three times (this stops tunnels forming in the crumb), then add to the butter mix and beat for 30 seconds. Spoon into eight muffin cups placed in the pockets of a muffin tray, and set aside to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and firm. Leave to cool.

For the frosting, get the butter as soft as possible without melting, then put in a bowl with the other ingredients. Whisk until smooth and fluffy, then top each cupcake with a thick swirl. The sugar in the frosting means it will keep at cool room temperature.

Dan Lepard recipes link.....think l'll try the chocolate mousse next

Have a WONDERFUL WEEKEND everyone

hugs x

Crochet Jewels..

About 12 star to do to finish the scarf

close up of the tiny squares..

A few fill-ins for the Daisy Granny Square

Has made a lovely Christmas pressie and not taken too long to make, a few of these for Santa may be

Never though l would enjoy making something so fiddly and tiny either

Thanks Sophie Digard for the inspiration

Hows this for a back yard?

Netley Interiors...where l went to get the paint...they live there as well as it being their business

stunning place

Hugs to all x

My Crochet Daisy Pattern as a teeny tiny....

Daisy Granny Square Pattern here

This time made with the Merino and Hot sock yarns and a 3mm hook

This picture will give you a good idea of how small they are

Looks totally different from the original Daisy Granny Square from way back in 2009

and the set of cushions l made earlier this summer

A very useful pattern
Not sure where this teeny Daisy is going yet, but l just wanted to see if it worked ok

FIRED EARTH PAINTS
9 mile trip today to collect the Kevin McCloud paint we need for all the new doors.
They are starting to mount up so l need to get painting, we wanted to keep them the colour they are a very very pale, grey, green, off-white.
Kevin's colour bone white, was exactly the same colour but not easy to track down

Have a Terrific Tuesday
hugs to all x

Crochet Star Scarf progress

Just over half way with l think 19 stars left to make

I've added brighter 100% Merino centres to some of the stars to lift the darker colouring of the sock yarn

l blocked the first few l made to see how soft it was going to be

so you can see how they open up a bit when blocked (right hand side)

Not sure l've got the patience but it might make a pretty jacket

Star pattern here

for the Star Scarf l'm using Gruendl Hot sock yarn, 100% merino in a plain colour for the centres and a slightly bigger 4mm hook than recommended but l tried the 3mm hook and it made the stars a bit firmer than l wanted

some might prefer the firmer feel though

Have a Marvellous Monday everyone

hugs to all x

ANOTHER TEENY TINY SOPHIE DIGARD PLAY TIME

Still experimenting...this one is mixing textures together..chunky 2 strands DK 6mm hook in the centre and Hot sock yarn and 4mm hook on the edges

a few more squares...again a mix of texture acrylic centre and sock yarn on the out side

and stars too...

Just not happy with the very subtle and to me, dark sock yarn, l feel the need to add splashes of bright colours

Do you remember the March Holiday project again influenced by Sophie Digard but l used 

100% Merino and a tiny hook but slightly brighter colours

more me l feel but l will persevere with the sock yarn and keep mixing it with a few brights see if it appeals more

These too are more me for colour...

the lime green a big favourite of mine is silk......search party needed to find this project hiding some where in my craft room....wish me luck it could be any where lol

Thanks for the house repairs good wishes the plaster has almost completely dried over the weekend

so painting and wallpaper next but not sure when Midlands Restoration will be back to finish the repairs...the bit l hate the waiting

Have a Soothing Sunday everyone

hugs x

SOPHIE DIGARD STYLE CROCHET

Crochet playtime with variegated sock wool in a Sophie Digard style

Still experimenting but heading in the right direction...

The 1st teeny tiny square one l tried has velvet centre's so l've used an acrylic to give a more solid look and then used the sock yarn to do the square edge and joining, bit darker than l wanted but a WIP

Recognise the florally looking one?...it's the Star Pattern from last week

l'm using a 4mm hook (slightly bigger than l should be using..a 2.5 experiment still to come) and a single strand of Grundl Hot Socks Pastello

Shock horror very fine work for me hehe...the chunky lover that l am, but l have to say l'm quite enjoying the teeny's again, the Star pattern makes up quite quickly..going to make some lovely Christmas presents l hope

Have a wonderful weekend everyone

Hugs to all xx

SOPHIE DIGARD...A FRENCH CROCHET ARTIST

well plastered yesterday..all done and dusted by 4ish but just look at it this morning....

already drying out even though it's really cold this morning

Autumn has booked in for sure

THINKING SCARVES right now and who else would you take a peek at but

SOPHIE DIGARD

The French crochet artist and her beautiful scarves..right out of my price range l;m afraid but l might try and make something similar may be something like this..

or this one....

or this one..

not a copy but use them as inspiration

Sophie uses multiple strands of sewing cotton thickness yarns (up to 60 sometimes) worked together to make stunning muted works of art to wear

take a peek at her work here at SELVEDGE DRYGOODS

have a fabulous Friday everyone

hugs to all xx