ITS CHRISTMAS

IT'S CHRISTMAS and I did manage to be ready - I had doubts if I would be especially as I was lent seven Game of Thrones books at the end of november.  First two lots of presents are now opened, the cat is curled up at home and we are waiting for dinner.  Then later today we will be at my sisters for the evening and more presents.
I am hoping that people like the mug cosies I have made and the Owl fingerless gloves (from Mollie Makes) which to be honest were a bit of a nightmare (must improve knitting skills I kept dropping needles - in my defence sometimes there were five).  Looking foreward to crafting my little heart out in the new year and hopefully improving my online store so things really take off.
I brought my knitting with me today but I am sharing the chair with a dog so that will be for later.

MUG COSY CRAZY

When I saw the cover of issue 21 of MOLLIE MAKES I really liked the owl wrist warmers.  They looked so cosy and the owls design was very eye catching.

I didn't have the right size double ended needles to make the wrist warmers right away so I decided to start with the mug cosy by the same designer,  TANYA ANTONOVA.

 I didn't have the right wools or needles for that either but I thought I would give it a go.
 I have made a couple of mug warmers prior to this that I had designed myself using a cross stitch design of a reindeer to make them Christmassy.

 I am not a very fast knitter and I would never call myself an expert.  This is a very easy pattern to knit - if anyone has been wanting to try cable and thinks it is complicated then this is the item to make a start with.  

I had it completed in under 45 minutes (as I said I am not a fast knitter).  And it was such a fun design as well.  

Beginning to cast off.

To the right it is almost finished and below is the completed piece before sewing it up and attaching beads for eyes.

 The owl would have had better definition if I had used a thicker wool  but I am quite pleased with how this has turned out.
Today I am going to buy the right size needles and some chunky wool and have another go.

New tales and crafting adventures

Thank you all for your patience concerning the lack of new blogs.  I will be writting again soon.  I have been busy crafting away making various items for my shelf at ROUGH TRADE, my on-line shops and as presents.  I also seem to be in complete denial about Christmas.  I only baked the cakes on tuesday, I have not made any cards yet and have a multitude of other things that I usually bake cook or craft yet to do.  I think the only way I am keeping sane is by not counting days.  On top of this I have just been lent seven books of the GAME OF THRONES series.  Enjoyable reading but really not helping me get on with the pre-Christmas tasks.

WISH ME LUCK
and I will let you know how I am getting along

BUSY BUSY BUSY

I HAVE HAD A BUSY few weeks as I had committed myself to delivering some Christmas themed brooches to Jemima's Locket, Minster-in-Thanet 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jemimas-Locket/173724836012474

The shop closes at one o clock on a saturday so I had to make sure I made my deadline.  I wanted to make a dozen brooches.  I also had some hair clips part finished and thought that they would be good to try as well.

I have also been needle felting little gingerbread men for brooches. Some of these have already made their way to ROUGH TRADE in Margate. I want to get some made for Jemimas Locket before Minster's late night shopping night.

Today I weighed out the ten kilo bag of sugar nibs that I brought earlier this week.  I feel happier now it is out of a paper sack and into plastic boxes.  Much easier to store in my cupboards and lots of glorious baking to look forward to.

It was very important that I made some jam as we had run out  completely.  That was squeezed in as well and there are now five jars of Strawberry/Raspberry jam and five jars of mixed fruit jam.  I think I see scones in the very near future.

 

Pincushions

I found while making my needle felt creations that I needed a pincushion.  This made me look at the collection of little tins that I had been saving in a new light, it seemed like the perfect combination.

When I had made four I decided to look on Etsy and Folksy to see what sort of things were available.  It has been a while since I last looked at Etsy as I have been very busy making things for my shelf at ROUGH TRADE http://www.roughtrademargate.co.uk/#!  and for the shop I have at CREATIVE STORES http://www.creativestores.co.uk/DREAMTIMEMAKES/Accessories-Category/  It came as a bit of shock to find pop-up adverts on the pages of Etsy as I was trying to look at things.  I found it so very annoying and off putting. I found out what I wanted to know and the adverts made me realise that I have made the right decision to leave Etsy on the back burner and concentrate on other outlets.

First few tins  to make into pin cushions.

Making a start. 

First pincushions compleated.

 TODAY I WENT to Margate to give my shelf at ROUGH TRADE a bit of a Christmas makeover.  

While I was waiting for my lift I noticed what a lovely place this area of Margate is.  Known locally as Margate Old Town it is full of beautiful

buildings, charming squares,tiny streets and alleyways.  Situated close to Margate Harbour and the Turner Contemporary every corner hids a new treasure.  And it is here slightly off the 

 beaten track that ROUGH TRADE can be discovered - a collaborative trading area. http://www.roughtrademargate.co.uk/#!

Stalls include  MODS AND ROCKERS (a hairdressers, bespoke silver designs, vintage items, upcycled curios,and various other interesting stalls and items.  A "pop up shop"  way before Mary Portus came to Margate.

 CIGAR BOX BAGS - THREE DIFFERENT DESIGNS, an ALICE BAND with a needle felted flower and some of my LEOPARD PRINT FLUFFY PENS.

 There are a lot of needle felted items here.  SEAHORSES, HEARTS, A BLACK COIN PURSE WITH CHERRIES and my new line of CAT CHARMS. A CAT FOR COMPANY for all of us cat lovers.

A UNION JACK paper mache bag with a London Transport theme, a JAR OF SEAGLASS, SNAIL FRIDGE MAGNETS, and a notebook showing my wonderful cat Bruce sleeping.  

All manner of goodies fridge magnets, Christmas brooches, purses and seahorses.

 A CAT FOR COMPANY currently three designs on sale here at ROUGH TRADE. Marmalade, Perfect Grey and Lucky Black.  There will be more designs to follow.

Just behind the notebook with Bruce is a box of needle felt Christmas brooches. Comets, holly leaves and Christmas Trees.  I keep trying to choose a favourite but haven't managed it yet.  Each brooch is different. 

 AN OVER VIEW OF MY SHELF.  JUST ABOVE IT IS THE ONE SHARED BY MY NIECE AND HER FRIEND.  I think their items are lovely.

LUCKY BLACK CAT

The WHAT'S YOUR POISON BAG has a glittery sheen giving it an unearthly appeal.

The two hearts here were needle felted, then had needle felt flowers and leaves attached to them.  Both have a ribbon loop for hanging. 

One of the Christmas Trees.  This one has bead garlands.  
 

And all manner of unseen things shall walk among us

An early morning walk in a graveyard with my camera was the opportunity to get some photos to alter. My friends and I spent a lot of time in this graveyard as children.  As long as we were respectful we were allowed to play there.  This was useful because the best conkers could be found in the school next door and over the churchyard wall was the quickest way to get there. 

Until recently visiting the graveyard was upsetting because it had been neglected and owergrown,  in some cases shrubs and small trees were growing out of the graves.  So it was nice to discover that a lot of work clearing and restoring the graveyard has been undertaken. 

With a little bit of alteration these pictures are beginning to have a very ghostly feel to them. 

I am sure that with a few more tweaks things that are usually unseen might be glimpsed 

 

A VINTAGE GEM IN MARGATE

TODAY I WENT TO MARGATE OLD TOWN to check on my shelf at ROUGH TRADE sadly not much has changed since I last checked it but lets face it the weather has been awful.  http://www.roughtrademargate.co.uk/#!

I GOT THERE A LITTLE TOO EARLY as it doesn't open until eleven (I think it might help if this was listed somewhere on the website) so decided to have a look around the other shops.  The bad press Margate has been getting lately does not seem justified in the Old Town area.  Moments from the sea is a bustling place filled with gift shops, cafes, tearooms, vintage shops for clothes and household items, art galleries, museums, and of course ROUGH TRADE.
 There is a feel of the world famous Lanes in Brighton as you wind your way though the streets and squares.  

 BETTY B's in King Street just moments from the Turner Contemporary and the sea.
Bags,scarves, gloves and shoes.







A Halloween window display .winds through vintage vanity cases and other treats

Fab accessories

Shop is open from11am Thursday to Saturday

 
So ignore all the bad press and visit Margate once more.  With an offer on rail tickets (on line bookings PORTAS PILOT TICKET0 starting in November - £10.00 London to Margate - it is worth braving the winter weather and travelling to see what Margate has to offer.
  AND WHILE YOU ARE HERE POP INTO ROUGH TRADE

DREAMTIMEMAKES AT ROUGH TRADE

Still needle felting like mad

 I AM STILL really really enjoying needle felting.  I love the idea that a few wispy bits of fleece can be transformed into so many different things.  At the moment I am making hair clips and brooches from simple shape like these flowers.

I think it is partly because the idea of creating from scratch appeals greatly to me.  
 

  So making the fabric for my creations, then embellishing them before attaching them to hair clips in this case gives me a lot of satisfaction

I also am very proud that because of how they are created each item is completely unique.





Soon to be listed at DREAMTIMEMAKES my Creative Stores shop http://www.creativestores.co.uk/DREAMTIMEMAKES/home.php?cat=0&WhatsNew=Y

BREAD PUDDING and APPLE CAKE

OVER THE WEEKEND among many other things we went to the Food Festival at Broadstairs, Kent.  Now I am not the best person to go to these events (I have the same problem at craft fairs) because instead of buying everything in sight I go away inspired to bake, preserve and create.  So Sunday was baking day ........ with me making a DORSET APPLE CAKE, some LEMON CURD (I have seen this in the supermarkets priced at 29p it cannot even have seen a lemon if it can be sold at that price), LEMONADE and a BREAD PUDDING for a couple of addicts that I know.

from the GOOD HOUSEKEEPING BOOK OF HOME PRESERVING

FOR LEMON CURD YOU WILL NEED
grated rind and juice of 4 lemons
4 eggs
4 ounces butter
12 ounces Castor sugar

Place all ingredients in a bowl standing over a pan of simmering water.
Stir until the sugar disolves and continue heating gently for about 20 minutes until the curd thickens.
Pour into jars and cover in the usual way. 

MEASURED, WEIGHED AND READY TO COOK

 SIMMER GENTLY OVER A BAIN MARIE, BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET THE BOTTOM OF THE BOWL TOUCH THE WATER OR THE EGG COOKS IN LUMPS.

THICKENED  AND READY TO JAR

home made lemon curd should be made in small quantities as it only keeps for about one month 

Bread Pudding is such a good way to use up left over bread, I don't like it but my Mother loves it.  This is a DELIA SMITH RECIPE FROM 1978 you cannot go wrong with DELIA.

bread soaking in milk

8 ounces bread (doesnt matter if this is white or brown but cut off crusts)
1/2 pint milk
2 ounces melted butter
3 ounces soft brown sugar
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 egg beaten
6 ounces mixed dried fruit
grated rind of half an orange
freshly grated nutmeg

BEGIN BY breaking the bread into suitable size pieces.  Pour over the milk, stir well and leave to soak for 30 minutes.

NOW ADD THE melted butter,sugar,mixed spice and egg.  Using a fork beat the mixture well to make sure there are no lumps.  Then stir in the mixed fruit and orange rind.  Spead the mixture into prepared 2pint dish and sprinkle with grated nutmeg.

BAKE IN preheated oven gas mark 4 for 11/4 hours

ALL MIXED UP

PUT INTO PERPARED TIN AND BAKE

I usually sprinkle a little sugar on top

DORSET APPLE CAKE
RUBBING THE BUTTER INTO THE FLOUR 

SOME OF THIS YEARS APPLES  JUST PICKED FROM THE GARDEN

ROUGHLY CHOP APPLES

DORSET APPLE CAKE
8 ounces self raising flour
pinch cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
3-4 ounces caster sugar
8 ounces butter
8 ounces apples - roughly chopped
2 beaten eggs
2 tablespoons soft brown sugar

SIEVE flour and cinnemon into a bowl and rub in butter.  Add castor sugar,eggs and apples.
Stir into stiff dough.  Spread into prepared 9inch tin.  Mix brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnemon together and sprinkle on top of cake.  Bake at gas reg 5 for 30 minutes cover with foil and bake for a further 30 minutes.
test that cake is cooked right through.