Tuesday 27 September 2011

My First Sugarcraft Class

I've just come back from my first Sugarcraft Class and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I think I shall quite get into this craft. We are making Fuschia's. Twenty one of them. So far I have put the stamens on to the stalks and dusted some of them with scarlet dust. I've had to do this as the shop only had white stamens. I think it will add to the originality of them. We have been shown how to do the inner petals. I didn't have time to do them this evening, plus I didn't have the cell foam, even the lady next to me kindly lent me a spare one of hers.
I'll try and take photo's as I go along. Sugarcraft is not a thing you can do quickly or in a rush. I'm quite excited. The tools are not cheap either, but not off the scale. Hmph, nothing is cheap at the moment for me, but am rich in many ways!
So any sugarcraft hints and tips - send them my way! I'm doing the course via Workington Adult Education at the St Josephs site.

Saturday 24 September 2011

Mary-Jane, Raa-Raa & Hufty

One of the TV programmes Mary-Jane likes to watch of a morning is 'Raa-Raa, the noisy lion'. She likes the music and dances to it. I sing her the song and she says Raa-raa-raa to me. It's lots of fun! On a recent shopping trip, we came upon this bean bag, very similar to Raa-Raa and his friends. It was a must have!
Mary-Jane also liked Batman and will sit with HK and watch it. Again, she loves the music and dances to it!
So, with MJ liking Raa-Raa (amongst other things), I have spent this evening making hand puppets for her. I think they may be a little old for her, but you never know. They are a little too small for me to put my hand in. I think they are quite adorable. I have the templates, so I can tweek them, or even try some more Jingly Jangly Jungle Friends! Introducing Raa-Raa and Hufty!
Hufty the elephant (heffalump!)
And the noisy little lion himself - Raa-Raa! I am so looking forward to Mary-Jane seeing them and playing with them tomorrow.
Talking of tomorrow, I am so tired and wanted to go to have an early night, never mind, there is always tomorrow - and no chance of a lie in!

Mary-Jane's Fishy Dinner

Mary-Jane has got a good, healthy appetite. We recently introduced her to fish and she seems to like it alot. HK prepared lunch for her (her main meal of the day). Fish in butter sauce, mixed veg and boiled potatoes, from the garden. Quite a lot there, we didn't think she would get through it all.
Amazingly, this is all that was left!!!

Sunday 18 September 2011

A Rare Warm Day Spent In The Garden

We had a rare warm day, a week or two ago, so we took the opportunity for some family time and went into the field in the garden. Mary-Jane enjoyed herself crawling around on the grass. MJ discovered the veg patch and wanted to have a good look.
After meeting the veggies, Mary-Jane starts making her way happily back to Momma
Close up and happy, happy, happy!
Mary-Jane and Momma, taken by Momma!
Mary-Jane having a longer look at something that has takne her interest!

Saturday 17 September 2011

August Itsy Bitsy II

In the August Swap, I sent to Dulcy, Saree from Germany sent to me. Saree, is new to Itsy Bitsy, but not to Ravelry Swaps. Saree did me proud, she made me a gorgeous felted market bag and made Mary-Jane a cuter than cute felted hat - roll on the winter! The hat has a small flower on the side of it.
This is my bag, it is very, very me! Saree (Petra) also made me a mini sock. Saree sent me some apple sugar for tea, some delicious dark chocolate and chilli (highly recommended), and some mixed tea bags.
I do like doing the swaps - especially the Itsy Bitsy ones. I've been swapping for well over three years now. I've fell very lucky with all my swaps (apart from one, which was resolved).
Big Thanks to Petra for being a good swapper and for making something for Mary-Jane as well!

August Itsy Bitsy Swap

For the August Itsy Bitsy Swap, I was sending to Dulcymh. Dulcy had requested that I made her some fingerless gloves of any colour as her winter coats are quite dark. I haven't made gloves for a couple of years. I fell on the pattern for these on Ravelry. There were a few that caught my eye, but these won over. I may have to add a pair or two of gloves to my 'I wouldn't mind making....' list. Anyhow, I've not done any cabling for a while either.
The yarn I used was a Regia 4-fadig. The colours are bright and the yarn is lovely to knit with. The pattern is straight forward. Cabling is another thing I'd not recommend to do when tired. I had to tink a fair few times. I was pleased with the finished items.

I couldn't resist trying the gloves on before I sent them - they fit me well hahaha! I'd like a pair myself! Dulcy has now got them and she likes them!

July Itsy Bitsy Swap

My July Itsy Bitsy Swap Sender was Lizavietta. She had been very busy crafting and crocheting for me, Mary-Jane and HK. Liz made me a beautiful kerchief in heather colours. HK had a crocheted skull, with zips in the mouth and the top of the skull. He now has it on his side of the bed, with sweeties in. Mary-Jane had a pretty dress with skulls in the skirt. Liz also sent me some skull pins, some cork skulls and an iron on transfer of a candy skull. As well as some rather gorgeous Peaches & Creme cotton. I was spoiled!
So here I am, with my kerchief - I've wanted one of these for a few years, it was one of those things that I have never got to making, so I was thrilled when I recieved it.
HK's new skull! I saw a picture that Liz had previously made and Liz was good and kind enough to make me one. I think it's as cute as anything!
Here is MJ in her posh new dress. Liz has made this and I think it is, to coin an american phrase - awesome! It fits MJ really well and I think it's fab. It suits MJ!
Mommy and MJ. It's the only picture we could get of her from the front. The top of the dress has a flower and a skull in the middle of it. Wowsers.
I was very lucky with this swap - massive thanks to Lizavietta! xxx

Thursday 15 September 2011

Mary-Jane's First Birthday

Mary -Jane had her First Birthday on the 22nd August. It was quite a special day for us. I must admit that I spent quite some time reflecting and remembering my time in hospital when MJ was born.
MJ had a birthday cake, that Grandma had bought her, unfortunatley only the tiniest corner of it can be seen in the photo.

Mary-Jane had lots of toys for her birthday. We discovered a wonderful toy shop in Whitehaven that sells traditional toys. Most are wooden and not one thing in the shop (that I can see) needs a battery! Mary-Jane's main present from us was an activity cube. She does like playing with this. The top part of it can be turned upside down and makes a flat surface, which she puts her bricks on.
Some weeks earlier, I had spotted the dragon - it was a must have.
MJ is good at drinking her juice from her beaker. We put the juice on her toy chest, which we call her bar, then tell her that the bar is open......

Another shot of Mary-Jane playing with her cube, the smile on her face says it all!

Yes, it's been two months since I last blogged

Yes, it's been a long time, apologies. Time is crammed full and lots has happened (nothing drastic, mind!), plus to be honest, I've not always been in the right frame of mind to blog. I can't download any photo's at the moment as I'm sat in the kitchen, so the laptop is running off battery and it's not powerful enough to download photos onto the blog.
We've actually got some sunshine today, although it is a proper autumn day, crisp, sunny and fresh. HK has just gone out into the garden and Mary-Jane is having forty winks on her crate (cot). We haven't had a summer here at all. Just the odd day where the sun has shined. We've had lots and lots of rain and recently, wind up to gale force over the last few days.
Mary-Jane is doing really well. She had her first birthday on the 22nd August. She still chatters away, her words are forming better and she is learning lots of real words. She is very inquisitive and watches you like a hawk, then copies what you have done. Her problem solving is quite amazing. She has crawling off to a fine art and can get up quite a speed. Her walking is getting smoother. She can walk round furniture and is starting to learn to balance on her feet without touching anything.
The garden has been rather hit and miss over the summer - all due to the beeping weather! HK has been more than frustrated as he couldn't get out anywhere near as much as what he wanted to. However, we have had a good crop of potatoes, cabbages, green beans, lettuce and radishes. The soft fruit have been nothing short of a disaster. We've not been able to get into weed them and have been unable to prune them, so no soft fruit. The apples have some rust, the full extent I'm not sure of at the moment. The trees needed a really good prune back in the early spring but we were told not to do that. Now they will need more than a good prune when it's time to keep them healthy.
The tomatoes didn't do well either, although we did get some fruit off them. I think it was because as young plants we kept them the freezer room (a home made conservatory, where the deep freezer is kept) and we think the cats may have got to them, due to the spotting on the leaves. Never mind. This year is a learning curve. The courgettes didn't fare as well as what they normally do. I did stumble on an absolutely gorgeous recipe for courgette soup, which even surprised me - recipe to follow at another time!
I have been baking, not much recently. My baking mojo has upped and left me at the moment and I'm awaiting it's return. I'm getting ready to start baking again, but am not quite there yet. I have signed up for a 10 week sugarcraft course, which starts in two weeks. I'm looking forward to that.
I'm still knitting (it will be a dark day when I don't feel like knitting, other than through tiredness!). I've made quite a few things and I've 'shown' at Gosforth Show - all that in another post!
And yes, I will try my best to be around a bit more often, so call back soon!