Catch-up :o)

Blimey it's been a while so there's lots of pictures to show you :o). My brother has wanted to be a tattoo artist for years, so now he's got his equipment I volunteered to be a guinea pig. This is what we managed saturday night. He's having trouble getting the transfer to stay which is why my fairy only has a face and a wing! ;o).

Haven't made a swiss roll for years so I whipped this up quick the other day for tea. Only took 25 mins start to finish. I wasn't particulary impressed though..to rubbery for me :o(.

The wonderful Attic24 had a very simple heart pattern the other day so I did a few. Very easy and very effective I think.

A bowl I'm not particularly happy with.

The scarf all finished with the beads. I'm really pleased with this as it's for my sister's birthday in June.

Some snakes. I'm going to fill these with wheat so they move about rather than laying stiffly.

,And finally, the crochet star bunting. I actually finished these last week but I've been so rubbish with the online blog/shop stuff I really must make more of an effort. Not going to sell anything if I don't put it in the shops I am?!

More blocking and gifts

Here's my wonderful spring season swap gift - just gorgeous. Thank you Claire xx

And here's the crochet scarf that I started way back in February. I've been picking it up every now and then, intermingling with other things I've made to ease the boredom, then finished it a couple of nights ago. I blocked it yesterday, along with another choker I made months ago!, so now I just need to buy some beads to decorate the ends.

Ouch!

Just spent an hour pinning all these stars on a towel for blocking so my fingers are very sore. Note to self: must get more pins with balls on the top. Sprayed with water then I just leave them to dry. I should have done this months ago as they've been sat there far too long but at least I'm doing it now, eh?!

I found this stick months and months ago and saved it so I could do some weaving with the kids that I'd seen on Sarah's blog. I got it out on wednesday but the kids weren't interested so I sat and did it myself. I've not done any weaving since I was at school and I quite enjoyed it...very therapeutic.

Don't forget to take a peek at the new forum.....we're a friendly bunch over there. Hope the sun is shining for you all.

What to do with 5!! mangos and very little time?!

FIL brought a large bag of fruit that he'd bought from a sunday market which included 5 very ripe mangos, so I had to think of something that would use them quickly! I had suggestions from the lovely ladies on The Green Spirit Forum, but in the end I went for mango and coconut ice cream as I'd been delivering my posters, then had to make pizza for tea. I made the recipe up and it's not a 'proper' ice cream, but oh my goodness it was delicious :-

3 mangos (that's about the quantity I ended up with out of the 5 due to bruising and stuff)

1 small can coconut milk (just the white creamy bit, not the clear liquid)

2 desert spoons icing sugar (sweeten to taste)

I blended the mangos with a stick blender, then stirred in the coconut milk carefully, then the sugar. I have an ice-maker, but you can put it tin the freezer, stirring every couple of hours to even out the crystals.

I think I can safely show you my season swap items (fingers crossed but I don't think the recipient reads my blog). One basket with 3 eggs (the lady has 3 children) and one duckling. I made them all up as usual :o).

So excited

I'm trying to get a stitch 'n bitch group together (although I choose a different name so as not to offend ;o) ) so I contacted our local hotel/bar about the idea as it's a lovely place. They loved the idea so I've sat making a simple poster this morning. Fingers crossed I won't be sat there on my own :o).

I've also joined a new forum - The Green Spirit, a green-living, in-the-real-world forum. Go take a look.

On the Wind

I've been wanting some prayer flags for a while, then while drooling my way through Etsy I came across these. Arn't they just gorgeous?! I wanted some that were the traditional prayer flag colours but with a modern twist. So, after saving my pennies I purchased some (Miranda Gray), then waited eagerly for them to arrive from all the way across the atlantic :o). I just love the prayer that they were wrapped in too.

This morning I swept and tidied my utility room where most people come in, cleaned the window on the door (shocking that I am cleaning windows) then hung them up so they can flutter away when the door opens and closes, sending prayers across the threshold, to everyone and everything outside and inside :o).

Hello

Just wanted to say a big hello to all the new followers that suddenly popped up yesterday. Not sure what happened there but I had over 1500!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! visitors, mostly from facebook! If anyone would care to enlighten me I would be most grateful.

:o)

Busy with the crafting

A painting by the lovely Joxy arrived on Friday morning - just wonderful, thank you. She also included this ball of Noro wool which I have never used before, so I set to work on it that evening.....

.....and finished it yesterday evening. It's lovely and stiff so this bowl sits proudly, even without the turned down top.



I also finished the bags that I've been making. My sewing machine was finally fixed...all that time sat in the loft as I thought it would be expensive and it only cost £10!!! A screw had moved so the shuttle wasn't sitting still!!! Anyway, all done now and being used :o).

(Black one is sold already)

(This one was made ages ago, I'd just never put the lining in!!)

Off to put them in the shop now. Hope everyone is having a good weekend and the sun is shining for you (it's still not here).


Edited to add: the bags have been added to the MISI shop as I couldn't upload via my own site!

Happy, happy, happy

My first ever batch of marmalade.

A lovely parcel of fabric, hoops and patterns from the very lovely Jacqui. Thank you so much xxx

And my GP book swap gift from the lovely Dawn...thank you for listening xxx

Shop WIPs

First though, some library books to flick through. Still loving the crochet - its so forgiving if you do something wrong, and its quick.

I haven't made any new bags in far too long so I went with the urge last week. I've got three on the go at the minute - the pink and black are finished on the outside and the red is nearly finished, then they'll all need lining. Really enjoying these too (probably because I haven't done any in a while).

And these moustaches are ready for the shop...just got to put them in.

And I just wanted to thank you for the lovely comments on my last post. I am feeling very positive about the whole thing - it's amazing what accepting things does for you xxxxx