{quilt} while you're ahead

31//2012

Rambling randomly on... on a Friday

- It's sunny.

- It's been unseasonally warm for the past two days.

- I'm not complaining.

- I've been doing some 'free' embroidery and I'll show it to you soon.

- I bought a light pink sweater to celebrate the oncoming of spring.

- I've had my hair done and booked an eyebrows appt.  Spring cleaning has started!

- No 1 has been given a big project to do at school.  He's chosen the history of "Ferrari".  When I did mine I choose the American war of Independence.  It's obvious that school isn't what it used to be.

-  'o tempora o mores'.  My dad used to roll his eyes and say that to me on a weekly basis.  Now it's my turn to unleash it on my offspring.  A bad case of history repeating itself!

- I have got about 4 loads of washing waiting patiently for me (name the song AND the artists)

- I've painted my nails blue.  Just because.

- Tonight Mr M and I are going to the cinema to see "The Artist"

- Tomorrow Mr M will disappear all afternoon on a rugby fuelled afternoon/evening. 

- When you step into No 3's bedroom his robot/money bank speaks to you and its eyes lit up.  Very scary.

Money banks should not to that.

- Do you ever read the last page of the book you're reading to see what will happen?  I do.

- Yes, I agree it's stupid.

 

Have a good weekend.

 

 

30//2012

Do you ever wonder what goes on inside your children's heads?

(No 3, age 6 1/2)

I'm not sure I want to know.

29//2012 {{ scrappy shawl- 2 }}

It's finished.

And it's been 'tested' already, with very positive results.

The crochet border stops the shawl from rolling and adds a whimsical touch.

And it didn't cost a penny.

 

My favourite so far.

 

28//2012

Random Friday

- I've read "The Happiness Project" recently.  I don't normally go for 'self-help' type books, but I have to admit I really enjoyed this one.  Perhaps because it was written as a personal story (a year long experiment by the author at 'increasing' her happiness level) but I didn't feel I was patronised or spoke down to.  AND a few of her 'tips' kind of stuck too.

Following the author's examply I decided to cut down on the clutter.  Easier said that done in my case... the zen-type I ain't.  But having swept through the kitchen like a demented hurricane of tidyness I have to admit it did make me feel better.  Happier? maybe.  Better? definitively.  I'll leave you to decide if it amounts to the same thing.

Now you can see the centre island and if you need a pencil or a pen they're located in the freshly decoupage yogurt pots near the phone base.  (Call me Martha)

If you need the phone... well that's another matter altogether... you're on your own there.  Last time I used it I was getting something out of the deep freezer, so it might still be in the garage!

I sharpened approx 4553 pencils and tried 2332 felt tips.  They're in pots too.

(and yes some of them are still unsharpened but they're late comers, found in corners later on.  Give me a break, ok? I almost got Repetitive Motion Syndrome from doing that!)

- The 'tidyness' weather front fizzled out when it hit the cold air of the hallway and hasn't reached any other room yet.  Although a small cell did briefly re-form in the master bathroom which looks rather spiffy now)

- When I cleaned the fish tank I somehow succeded in throwing away the little insignificant looking piece of plastic that actually held the important task of breaking up the large and violent bubbles coming out of the pump.  For a while I couldn't work out while the fished thrashed about and the water was kind of stormy.  Then it hit me - at 10.30pm, on my way to bed - and I had to spend a good while going through the rubbish bin looking for it.  Nice.  Not.  The fish are grateful for the tiny bubbles and calm water, they told me so.

- Two days ago I listened to a BBC Radio 4 programme on the tallest tree (anyone?) in the world.  Who would have thought that listening for half an hour to a man climbing to the top of a tree could be so riveting.  Radio at its best.

- Do you listen to the Radio?  Local? Digital?  I love my digital country station (currently I'm obsessed with Country 105... but only when Mr M is not around.  He doesn't 'do' country music.  At all.)

- No 3 is going to his first sleep-over on its own at grandad's house.  Without his brothers.  Another step up the 'he's going to leave me one day' ladder.  My baby.  Sigh.

- Mr M and the other two are off to see Star Wars: episode 1, in 3D tonight.

- Yippee I don't have to go!

- Shall I knit or shall I sew?

- My right eye is now framed by two red blobs.  One above, one below.  Not nice.

- The weather has warmed up and there is no-way that rugby training might be cancelled this Friday.

- Plus I bought a sledge which means it'll never snow again in my children's lifetime.

- I've had a really 'fuzzy head' week which of course was the prelude to a migraine.  Bum.

- It might explain how I managed to post Mr M's Valentine card without a stamp.

- Doh.

- My children are demanding to be fed again. 

- Boring.

27//2012

Today I was going to talk about vegetables.  How having a box delivered every week has forced me into trying new recipes and getting to know new vegetables I didn't even know existed before.

I was going to tell you about my last night adventure with celeriac... how I found a recipe in Delia's "Vegetables" book I had all the ingredients for (a miracle in itself); how I had to google "peeling a celeriac" because I had no clue.  How my hand turned brown from handling aforementioned peeled vegetable.

How I religiously slow-cooked the soup for three hours.

BUT NO.

TODAY IS NOT GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN.

At all.

Allow me to moaningly elucidate my point:

- I slept badly.

- 7.45am finds me washing the bathroom floor after No 3 couldn't take off his hockey gear in time to go... with not very pretty consequences.  He's very embarassed, please don't mention it to him. (He did get dressed all by himself without me telling him 250 times so I couldn't knock that)

- 7.55am the washing machine is on with dirty hockey gear

- 8.30am the now-clean hockey gear is now in the dryer.  Thank god for the dryer.

- No 2 is not feeling well and decides not to go to the already paid/non-refundable expensive hockey camp.

- Take No 3 to camp with detour via Mr M's office to drop off things he'd forgot to take this morning. 

- Clean the rest of the bathroom.  Might as well.

- No 2 miraculously recoveres and decides he does want to go to hockey camp after all.

- Take No 2 to camp.

- Stop at the park on the way back home to walk Lilli who then attacks this little puppy who dared jumping up at her to play.  She's an old maid.  Doesn't do playing.  Normally doesn't attack other dogs either so I cut the walk short and run to the car with the tail between my legs.  

- Decide to warm my fragrant 'Slow-cooked celeriac soup' and whilst pondering on which bowl is more photogenic... SPIT/SPLAT... a large blob of scalding soups lands on my face right above my eye.

 

* * *

 

So here we are.  My eyelid hurts.  

Not very pretty language was used at the time: I don't remember exactly but it involved a lot of expletive. A LOT.

An ice pack was applied and I'm sure a red mark will appear soon.

It's still painful an hour later, I have no photos, the soup was, after all that, just ok and I have no photo of it either.  It doesn't deserve them.

I'll give you Hyacinths instead:

I am not in a good mood.

It's only 1.30pm.

26//2012 {{scrappy shawl}}

Happy Valentine's day to you all.  Be nice and loving today, ok?

The sun is shining palely but surely so I can show you the 'scrappy shawl I'm quite obsessively knitting at the moment

Lots of tiny left-over balls of yarn

randomly chosen

as yet unfinished

and a little crazy.

I'm thinking a thick crochet lace edging.

But first my children are demanding food.  As always.

Locusts.

25//2012

 

Random Friday is back.  For this week at least.

- I tidied up my handbag and wallet:

There were months worth of leaflets and receipts and other bits of paper... why does it always happen? why do I find it so difficult to throw thing away?  Seriously.

- Last night I went to the theatre with a friend.  We saw Caryl Churchill "Top Girls".  And I don't wish to be rude or anything.... but what was that all about?  Have you seen it?  Can you explain the connection between the first act and the other two? Why on earth did it end like it did?

I love the theatre and was looking forward to see this play; it had had great reviews, it had run in London for quite a long time... I just didn't get it.  I was left befuddled and confused.

And I had to drive home through this:

Snow.  Why is it that everytime I go out with friends it then snows?  Are the heavens trying to tell me something?

- Cooked my first meatload the other night.  Tasted great.  Looked... scary.   More like the 'by-product' of a meatloaf than a meatloaf itself.  I need a better recipe I think.  Please help.

- This might make me sound like a terrible mother but I'm inordinately happy that hockey training has been cancelled for the second Friday in a row.  I'm now doing a snow dance so that the rugby training will get cancelled too.

- I bought a replacement nib for my Lamy fountain pen and now it writes like a dream.  It's all in the little things folks, I tell ya.

- No 1 has been accepted in the school he wanted to go but he doesn't know yet, I'm waiting for Mr M to come home to show him the letter so we can all celebrate together.  I can barely contain myself.  If I and hug him one more time he'll run away from home so it's better if I sit here and 'chat' with you.  Distract me please!

- No 3 dressed as a pirate this morning for 'Charity Day' (or let's see how many sweets we can eat in one morning day) at school.

I love the fact that he came out with the outfit idea by himself, that he wanted to make a costume and not buy it.  He painted the t-shirt with red striped, I painted his face.  He thought of the monkey too.  so cute.  Actually he's much cuter without a black eyeliner patch and a dodgy (very non-pirate like) beard.

- Thank you for liking my happy socks and granting me permission to start another project.  I have.  And the moment I get a minute of light I'll show you... It's very gratifying and it's all Nancy's fault  Hers is much better than mine though.

- Have a good weekend out there.  Keep warm.

 

23//2012

and the winner of the Freya and Fred give-away is:

CAROLINE!!

(she's just started a sweet blog called Homespun Henry,  go and say hi!)

Caroline email me your postal address and the book is yours...

 

22//2012 {{happy socks}}

Or you can call them "Flagstaff socks" because the yarn was bought on a hot and rainy summer's day in Flagstaff AZ during our last summer holiday.

OR you can call them "the waiting socks" as they've been mainly knitted whilst, you got it, 'waiting'.

Waiting during swimming lessons, waiting during karate lessons, waiting for the boys to come out of school, to finish their homework etc. etc. etc.

The pattern is the usual.  Well the usual for me: from the cuff down, short row heel, grafted toes.

2.5mm needles

Patons Kroy Socks Jacquards (colour 1004 I think, the band is very faded...)

The socks are pretty symmetrical a part from where a mysterious blip in the second ball created a 'lilac' stripe instead of a blue one.  Very strange.

Another UFO bites the dust.

Which means I can start something else, right?  

 

 

 

21//2012

The day started like this

and finished like this

but in the middle we had:

- a 'gaggle' of bloggers: Tracey (great host, thank you!), Ali, Julie, Emma, Val, Nancy, Alice. (We missed you Kristina!)

- a smidgen of crafting

- an obscene amount of eating

(there was more too: Nancy's viking bread, Ali' 'salty/chocolatey' biscuits, Val's truffles, Tracey's cake...)

- a generouse sprinkle of presents:

- and the best day ever.

Thank you girls, you literally made my day.

20//2012

Shhhhhh

it's a secret!

19//2012 {{ giveaway }}

Have you ever come across Janet's blog?

No???? Geeshhh.  Run, go there now.  And then come back and keep reading this post, there's a give away at the end.

If you have, then you'll know what I'm talking about when I say that she's a lady of immense talent.  In this huge quilting/craft world we live in it's not often that some one comes up with a distinct and unique creative vision and aesthetic.

Janet has.

Everything she does is 'Janet', do you know what I mean?  She quilts, she knits, she draws, she embroiders, she teaches, she sews... have you seen her gorgeous 'dressing gown'?

AND she has a book out:

It is a wonderful book full of wonderful quilts and other sewing projects, ideas and templates all with Janet's wonderful illustrations.

And because Janet is incredibly nice too (you should meet her) she sent me a couple of copy of her books; one for me (hurray) and one to give away to a lucky lucky reader.

If you'd like a chance to win it, just leave me your name and a way to contact you and I'll draw a name out of a hat early next week.

How's that for a Wednesday post? eh?

18//2012

Seriously?

Oh dear.

17//2012

My little cousin came to stay with us for the weekend.  (She's actually not so little anymore, but comparatively speaking  - her age compared to mine - she will always be 'the little cousin').  She's studying for a degree in  'pure Math and applied Math' at Newcastle University.  

Yeah, I know.  WHAT?  Is there more than one Math?  

Whatever.

Let's talk food instead.

If you've ever visited Italy around this time of year you'll know it's "Carnevale". (Venice is a popular destination this time of the year and totally amazing).  Lots of dressing up, parties, tricks.  

And food.

One my favourite is "Chiacchiere" - 'chats' - a fried pastry covered in icing sugar.  Each county or even town has its own name and shape for them and let me tell you... they are delicious.

Little cousin and I decided to make some in order to recall some taste of home.

We got the machine out of the cupboard (and dustied it off...)

Made the dough.

Cut it into pieces and fried it.

And then we ate them all up.

Down to the last crumb. (Not just us... Mr M and the boys' contribution was noticeable).

 

You can find the recipe here.  (we skipped the liqueur).  It'll take you longer to make them than to eat them!!

 

16//2012

 

If yesterday my post was a tad random... today I'm giving myself permission to ramble on about this that and the other.

- Have you come across this article on the Huffington Post?  If you have/have had children do read it.  It really struck a cord and I'd be interested to hear what you think.  It poses into question the whole 'carpe diem/all diem and every diem' attitude that's out there.  The guilt inducing 'enjoy them now because time flies' type philosophy.  Of course we have all wished days away during hell-trip to the supermarkets with screaming babies and run-away toddlers.  We've all counted the minutes 'tll daddy comes home' on occasions... but does that make us BAD parents?  If we don't live all our days in a state of contemplation for the miracle fruit of our loins... if we don't stare in awe into grubby/muddy faces... are we terrible mothers?  I have recently just reached the stage when I can go to the toilette again and close the door behind me after 10 years... and let me tell you... I still love my children.  In actual fact I probably love them even more now that I don't have to hold a conversation while sitting on the loo!

The writer talks about two different types of 'time'.  The one when we just 'live' everyday, and maybe lose our patience and scream and struggle.  And then the other type, a time within time when all disappears and we stare enchanted at our sleeping children, or we just look at them wondering if anybody has ever loved another being this much.  As long as we have those moments all is well right?  As long as we 'carpe' those moments... the rest of the diem won't matter.

Right?  

Anyway, that's just me.  I just thought it was an honestly written article.  Whaddya think?

End of ramble no 1

- Because I've lived in England for the past 21 years and English people love talking about the weatherI'm entitled to speak about it in two consecutive posts so here I go:

Yesterday evening is snowed.  Generally speaking not amazingly remarkable if it wasn't for the fact that we had all kind of weather (except for hails) in one day.  It started cloudy then went sunny then cloudy and rainy, then sunny and windy and then snow.

Bonkers.

Today when I walked Lilli the grass was covered in crunchy ice.

The sun was out and the sky so blue it almost hurt my eyes.

Pretty.

15//2012

Random post

- A few weeks ago we started getting a weekly vegetable/fruit box from Abel and Cole.  I'm not sure this is the most economical way of buying stuff BUT what it has done is definitively making us eat more seasonal products.  It made me realise how stuck in a rut of buying/cooking the same things over and over again and it's been good for my brain to diversify.

- And what bizarre vegetables are out there.

- It hasn't made a difference in the qty of vegetable nor in the variety of vegetables my kids eat AT ALL.  sigh.

- They did however try the famous 'salsify' (boiled and then sauteed in butter).  It tasted very bland and they were bribed with ten extra minutes of 'staying up time' if they did.  Calling it a success might be stretching it a little...

- When you next peel salsify wear rubber gloves.  STICKY.  Like tree sap.  You think the soap washed it off and then you find the tea-towel you're using to dry your hands has stuck to your finger like glue. Weird.

- I've got a huge bunch of 'chinese lettuce' to use.

- I should buy myself a copy of Nigel's book on vegetables.

- The latest 'leeks and potatoes' soup was delicious.

- Isn't it weird to have daffodils out already? And crocuses and snowdrops?

- I guess in the same way we have very cold winters we can have very warm ones but I can't remember a winter without going below zero at all (Celsius that is).  Feels almost ominous.

- I'm not complaining.  I don't particularly like minus zero temperature.

- Especially when I have boys who constantly play matches that require adult support. Urgh.  

- If I had girls it might have been indoor ballet performances.... sigh.

- Should have encouraged swimming more.

- You can sit and knit during swimming lessons.

- You can't knit standing on the sideline of a football/rugby match.

- You'll damage your children.

- Or will you?

- Today the weather is quite glorious.  The only rain cloud appeared (and unloaded itself) during the 30 minutes I was out walking Lilli.  Honestly.

- Must do laundry. 

- Now

-  Bye bye.

 

14//2012 {{granny cushion}}

I can hardly believe it myself, but I had never crochet a 'granny square' type cushion before.  

Ever.

And I guess if I'm honest the thought of weaving in all those ends was the only reason I didn't.  So many changes of colour... so many ends.  Scary.  

Then one night Mr M was out on a business dinner I sat at my desk to watch an episode of 'Sherlock' on the BBC iplayer (incindentally... what a great great show; great story lines, great acting, beautifully shot) and found myself with a crochet hook in my hand and a bag of left over cotton yarn.

The granny circles were made really quickly and weaving the ends as I went turned a potentially boring job into a nothing.  (note to self: doh. Will I ever learn?  It's nice to hold on to the thought that one day I will though.)

By the time Sherlock solved the case I was done.

The white joining part took a bit longer, I just did a bit then and there... but all in all it was surprisingly fast.

I don't exclude the possibility of making more - regardless of the zero level of appreciation from the nearest and dearest - but next time I'll choose a pattern less 'holey', and go down a size in crochet hook.  I like my crochet fabric to be firm, and this is a tad too soft for me.

In the meantime... my sewing chair has got a whole lot more comfortable.

Toodles ya'll.

 

13//2011 {{denim quilt, part 2}}

Just a quick hello today.

My sister left today and I miss her already.... I've tried to convince her to move back to England, wouldn't that be just perfect?

And it's the greyest of days today too, which really doesn't help my mood.

Still pottering away at this.

What about you?

12//2012 {{kitchen cushions}}

So... it looks like you're all very knowledgeable about obscure and quite frankly not very edible looking vegetables... I still haven't tried to eat 'salsify' though.  As No 2 put it "I don't think you should eat this, it looks like a stick".  (Notice he said "you" not "we")

Anyway, whilst I think about eating weird looking sticky vegetables I can admire my new kitchen cushions:

I have to say... I might be the only one around here though.

The boys don't think meadows and happy daisies.

Not at all.  In fact... they got the same welcome and the 'salsify' in my previous post.

Sigh.

But what do boys know about cushions, eh?

11//2012

Does anybody have any idea of what these are and how am I supposed to prepare/cook them?

They're thin and long and kind look a bit like parsnips but they're straight... not shaped like carrots if you know what I mean.

Weird.

Any idea?