tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82485525955257969892024-03-20T09:46:59.440+00:00What Katy Actually DidSimply a record of all my thoughts, crafts, cooking and activities in general.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-32843387292060031172013-04-17T22:07:00.005+01:002013-04-17T22:07:57.556+01:00My new venture<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I am officially a working mum.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The paperwork is all in order and I can now confirm that I am self-employed and I have a home bakery business. I am so excited by this!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have created a new blog for my new business <a href="http://thecinqueportspatisserie.blogspot.co.uk/">The Cinque Ports Patisserie</a>, please check it out.</span><br />
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<a href="http://thecinqueportspatisserie.blogspot.co.uk/"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREHMa8DizGvY-HA3I_qw-BuviuBoVB8OclAbJcnEe9BiGm9Hu4lDRf6oaz4nygiPPOmSv6cR2WeKUOUxgxZ5tE_8jTf0nBg7AmvQxRcEnRdfoq8ylFwvu8f8bG21yWjIYmcv_i-YXN8P3/s320/FB+Cover.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Due to Environmental Health registration rules I can't actually start producing baked treats in my business capacity until June 1st, but as soon as that date is here I shall be cooking up a commercial storm in the kitchen.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-29478357898964685702012-12-10T14:36:00.002+00:002012-12-10T14:39:35.723+00:00Spiral Christmas Hanging<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhatkatyactuallydid.blogspot.co.uk%2F2012%2F12%2Fspiral-christmas-hanging.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-zFHZkTXoAVA%2FUMXxedbMzvI%2FAAAAAAAAAQ0%2FCWvTF3tsg8Y%2Fs320%2FIMG_1605.JPG&description=Spiral%20Christmas%20Hanging%20-%20with%20tutorial!" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rNbd-1sXQ228sIWu6z7AmUbwSRI08E358PcN6LAnMXTVaZnwVwL9Z5j9Dt53fLMxvM22hI6mdyMX_rQWsvjh21DTHdVOFQpQub4RfY8CE6SjcrmEDBgsaeJky-fAyPqBgg_2M62QHHGE/s1600/IMG_1605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rNbd-1sXQ228sIWu6z7AmUbwSRI08E358PcN6LAnMXTVaZnwVwL9Z5j9Dt53fLMxvM22hI6mdyMX_rQWsvjh21DTHdVOFQpQub4RfY8CE6SjcrmEDBgsaeJky-fAyPqBgg_2M62QHHGE/s320/IMG_1605.JPG" width="164" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been away for a while, doing lots including making Christmas gifts and working on the Never Ending Baby Blanket.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, this morning I decided that my dining room needed an extra bit of decoration, and as I had a few spare baubles I decided to make a hanging decoration to go in the centre of the ceiling. I also remembered to take some photos to help you to be able to make your own if you want to!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My was very low cost as I used the lid from a recycled pizza box, a spare scrap of wrapping paper, some fishing wire from my craft box and the spare baubles that wouldn't fit on this year's tree.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gather your supplies</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-NrnA__9mxP_xgXXgwleyf-X1g017M9AcuNGoUiEqdC_IUW1wkisKTbjuMm4oARM4JwcRXklQFQjVeNnEEOa4HwZDhFVOJzI9VHW_Mrud8aSHYs4rSIRfy_9M69mY6JSY7FhPoaoYpEa/s1600/IMG_1600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-NrnA__9mxP_xgXXgwleyf-X1g017M9AcuNGoUiEqdC_IUW1wkisKTbjuMm4oARM4JwcRXklQFQjVeNnEEOa4HwZDhFVOJzI9VHW_Mrud8aSHYs4rSIRfy_9M69mY6JSY7FhPoaoYpEa/s200/IMG_1600.JPG" width="148" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Using a plate as a guide, cut your circle out</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh31I5iz7QAIyccRn4dDd2sCidSV5TKxfS2UZiTGZO134mZP60UBpjMF10cDYVimhQ9S5VC_9TJg_ySBpauNDZLqk0wG6T-vKiBM4gVy3D-5hl0zGaOdwOgj8yZ_g2gara6TRoGSFLPcN5d/s1600/IMG_1601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh31I5iz7QAIyccRn4dDd2sCidSV5TKxfS2UZiTGZO134mZP60UBpjMF10cDYVimhQ9S5VC_9TJg_ySBpauNDZLqk0wG6T-vKiBM4gVy3D-5hl0zGaOdwOgj8yZ_g2gara6TRoGSFLPcN5d/s200/IMG_1601.JPG" width="149" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wrap your circle with paper</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUMMaag4IXGEvE5l3i-TdA9qgeso8c1ka4js9Gg8-Y-DLXOllgqJgCWE3UgGj6eQaww-cuTl1TZDJtJ6JbJIkR06HWnXHwkkvBGMS9WoYE401rTJioDj9QTXLL9xliJL30KVseZRgBfZe/s1600/IMG_1602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUMMaag4IXGEvE5l3i-TdA9qgeso8c1ka4js9Gg8-Y-DLXOllgqJgCWE3UgGj6eQaww-cuTl1TZDJtJ6JbJIkR06HWnXHwkkvBGMS9WoYE401rTJioDj9QTXLL9xliJL30KVseZRgBfZe/s200/IMG_1602.JPG" width="149" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Using a sewing needle, thread your wire through <br />the circle in your desired pattern. <br />I used an inward spiral shape for mine.<br />Secure on the uncovered side with tape.<br />Remember to increase the length of your wire for each bauble!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rNbd-1sXQ228sIWu6z7AmUbwSRI08E358PcN6LAnMXTVaZnwVwL9Z5j9Dt53fLMxvM22hI6mdyMX_rQWsvjh21DTHdVOFQpQub4RfY8CE6SjcrmEDBgsaeJky-fAyPqBgg_2M62QHHGE/s1600/IMG_1605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rNbd-1sXQ228sIWu6z7AmUbwSRI08E358PcN6LAnMXTVaZnwVwL9Z5j9Dt53fLMxvM22hI6mdyMX_rQWsvjh21DTHdVOFQpQub4RfY8CE6SjcrmEDBgsaeJky-fAyPqBgg_2M62QHHGE/s320/IMG_1605.JPG" width="165" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tie your baubles on to the other end of the wire,<br />and hang in location!</span></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-18484165983750427952012-11-28T13:53:00.002+00:002012-11-28T13:54:06.066+00:00Backpack with built in reigns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJ5fMwYi6yH3tFu_N68LO1KkNTYyPA4kJfTK0sNEeqJwolSuztmGMp8MoXHSUeQLl8a3_s3f1P31Bv1ZfnnBqRCVCLMSPfVUIPOAkqsbPBfIQL4RyLiOgXlF-4Y9Wai1gmo5dc2aD0T6Q/s1600/Backpack1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJ5fMwYi6yH3tFu_N68LO1KkNTYyPA4kJfTK0sNEeqJwolSuztmGMp8MoXHSUeQLl8a3_s3f1P31Bv1ZfnnBqRCVCLMSPfVUIPOAkqsbPBfIQL4RyLiOgXlF-4Y9Wai1gmo5dc2aD0T6Q/s200/Backpack1.JPG" width="149" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I haven't had a lot of time lately to finish anything worth showing to you. My free time has been spent working on the Never Ending Baby Blanket and a tea cosy for my mother and father-in-law, which I will do a whole post on when it is finished.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Today, I have decided to share with you a little backpack and reigns combination that I made for my 2.5 year old. I wanted to make him something that he would be willing to wear, as well as solve the problem of him running away now that he is no longer in a pushchair.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">To start with, I drew up a pattern and cut out all the pieces from thin craft foam sheets. I had them handy, I wasn't using them for anything else and they were perfect to give the little backpack a lot of stability. I then used those foam pieces to cut out the fabric, added some webbing straps and a few buckles from an old broken backpack belonging to my husband, and voila! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEhK5x6cp39FIlFccSuSlCz7zAPGU3iwYMP8Upp7-7bu7MsX6dKovDnZxBAuOTHCVJds-Iffvk9phvY2lPn-fptpldoXdv-WgunC0OPfOKfy8v4hlrIGIDvLiJOIVwCDkVWvizknNOYLX/s1600/Backpack3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEhK5x6cp39FIlFccSuSlCz7zAPGU3iwYMP8Upp7-7bu7MsX6dKovDnZxBAuOTHCVJds-Iffvk9phvY2lPn-fptpldoXdv-WgunC0OPfOKfy8v4hlrIGIDvLiJOIVwCDkVWvizknNOYLX/s320/Backpack3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I incorporated a little chest strap and buckle to stop the little so-and-so from being able to slip free of his bag.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tkAD1oc4GyXCCTrqxsYwxrIUaOTtXWQELCZTyRh27b44FDwIiC9Ry1uJNGcVTuTazj8Hhux-ArsmLYoZM_Y7zm9wNLFPBMnqUDYGCKMd4zMzFUSfj1ABFUqpBZ0Is6eZ3GSdplIzve5n/s1600/Backpack2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tkAD1oc4GyXCCTrqxsYwxrIUaOTtXWQELCZTyRh27b44FDwIiC9Ry1uJNGcVTuTazj8Hhux-ArsmLYoZM_Y7zm9wNLFPBMnqUDYGCKMd4zMzFUSfj1ABFUqpBZ0Is6eZ3GSdplIzve5n/s320/Backpack2.jpeg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I made this a few weeks ago. It fit perfectly and looked so cute when he put it on. The only problem is that the little tyke won't actually wear it outside of the house. Which, of course, defeats the whole point of the design! </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-31088739298087328052012-11-25T12:41:00.001+00:002012-11-25T12:44:36.612+00:00A little help for a 4 year old<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: right; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_Oyr17XF63jekM1TUIxcHBOWmc"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12mrcMuj4pr-C0JKMLR0ywHkJt2eujtYwnOQyKZ8hxYqbo6jq_VlddJEdFJA9J7RLlNUAymqqLu_hjWpfJ4YA1EeqnnrEOtOZ0mVZhhmLiWDP2_PfQEdoSiFK986QXtR4i55zIjzb9tWq/s200/Picture1.png" width="151" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_Oyr17XF63jekM1TUIxcHBOWmc">Alphabet Practice Sheets</a></span></td></tr>
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<a class="pin-it-button" count-layout="none" href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhatkatyactuallydid.blogspot.co.uk%2F2012%2F11%2Fa-little-help-for-4-year-old.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-sep8y7_zhq4%2FULIRLF_uG_I%2FAAAAAAAAAP8%2Fm3X9b1uFBUw%2Fs200%2FPicture1.png&description=Alphabet%20practice%20sheets"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Last week we had our 4 year old son's first ever Parent's Evening. To say that we came away as proud-as-punch would be an understatement. His teacher was brimming with enthusiasm about our firstborn. I'm smiling just thinking about it!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It was such a relief to hear that he was a model pupil - considering he is like a stroppy teenager at home! Don't get me wrong, he is also very loving and considerate - just not all the time. Apparently at school he is quiet and sensible, something which came as a bit of a shock to hear as he tends to tear his way around our home like a runaway steam train.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There was just one area where he is not doing so good; writing legible letters. Mind you neither is he behind, he's simple not as advanced as he is in other areas. I know he can write, we've got examples stuck all over the kitchen wall; he just refuses to play the part of a performing monkey when asked to display his skills.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So, I have decided that I will try and help him to enjoy writing. I have designed some handwriting practice sheets in the hopes that he'll get a kick out of filling the page and getting a sticker as a reward when he finishes. You never know, right?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Feel free to help yourself to the <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_Oyr17XF63jekM1TUIxcHBOWmc">practice sheets</a> too!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The desire to download an App was overwhelming, but there really are some instances where technological advances really do play second fiddle to good ol' pen and paper.</span><br />
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<script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-72520461349699375662012-11-24T11:46:00.003+00:002012-11-24T12:16:41.761+00:00Another design: My iPad case<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I feel like I'm on a bit of a roll at the moment with regards to my sewing machine. In reality it's pure procrastination and avoidance of the Never Ending Baby Blanket, but it's inadvertently and unavoidably productive too!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It was confirmed on Wednesday that my new iPad would be delivered on Friday (yesterday). In anticipation of its arrival I hit my local fabric shop for something cool and funky to house my new toy. I was very pleased when I dug out this fat quarter from amongst hoards of varying fabric designs. It's not my usual style but I felt a need to leave my comfort zone for once and I love the multi-colours.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For another night this week (it's getting to be a habit now) I grabbed the laptop and started designing a pattern from scratch. I have so many ideas in my head but no idea how to transfer them to something that would actually be possible to make. The technical side of design eludes me, I find it difficult to deconstruct my idea into its rawest form. It's a little bit like taking a fully cooked meal and trying to turn it back into its original, separate ingredients -not possible! I am in awe of people that can design things, anything, and make it possible for other people to be able to follow their pattern to produce the desired item.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Anyway, as I was saying - I can't do it! I spent the entire evening drafting out ideas and yet I couldn't get it to pull together into what I wanted. Perhaps I over-think things. I haven't quite managed to make a pattern that would be usable to anybody else, but as soon as I do then I will make it available on this blog.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well... here is what I ended up with. What do you think?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have incorporated a PVC pocket within the case so that I can simply unfold and use, without removing the iPad. As you can see from the centre picture, there is also a gap in the side seam so that I can charge my iPad whilst keeping it safely stored in it's case. The PVC hardly effects the sensitivity of the screen and protects it from little fingers and nasty scratches.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm very pleased with it, even if the sewing does leave a bit to be desired.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Next on my agenda is a knitted carry bag, but that will have to wait a while as I have a lot of Christmas gifts to make!</span><br />
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<script src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-19364799411026176882012-11-23T14:04:00.001+00:002012-11-24T12:20:23.133+00:00And the Christmas gifts keep on coming<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is a really simple but nice idea to make for a couple. It's definitely something that could be churned out in a free hour. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I found the frame in Poundland, the felt was in my stash, as was the yarn. The idea was actually my husband's, so I had best give him the credit for it! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">To my surprise when I took the frame apart to trace the shapes I found that the glass was real glass. I had expected plastic in such a cheap frame. It's definitely a bonus having real glass though as it makes it seem like a more expensive frame.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Using my trusty new laptop-lightbox method, I selected the font I wanted to use and enlarged it on the screen to just the right size before then placing my felt over it and tracing with a pencil. The sewing itself is done using stem stitch - which, by the way, I am loving. Apologies for the poor picture, but you should be able to get the idea!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have added embroidery hoops to my own Christmas list as I have caught the embroidery bug.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">On a slightly different note, the iPad case that I promised won't quite be ready for its first public appearance until tomorrow as I haven't had time to cut the fabric yet. I promise though that tomorrow's post will be about it, one way or another. That is to say that it'll either be a "wow, look what I made" post or a "oh no, it didn't quite work out" post. Either way, I will stick up some pictures for you to admire or laugh at.</span><br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-58334119797133222692012-11-22T18:32:00.001+00:002012-11-22T19:29:02.694+00:00Chelsey's Bag; the unveiling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my very first sewing pattern Chelsey's Bag. Do with it what you wish, but please do not sell the pattern itself!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Chelsey's Bag consists of a hand and machine stitched felt exterior shell teamed with a machine stitched (although you could hand stitch) cotton interior lining. It is adorned with a pretty little bow and some minor embroidery work. In fact it is my very first attempt at embroidery ever! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The intended recipient of this particular bag is a very girly little 5 year old but I am sure you could embellish your bag in a more adult fashion if you so wished, perhaps even using alternative fabrics as well.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I am also proud to be able to offer the <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_Oyr17XF63jRmRteVhIZXpuVFk">pattern</a>, completely free of charge for anybody that would like to give this a go. Please let me know how you get on as so far I am the only person to test the pattern, and I would appreciate any feedback that you have.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Might I add that I am so insanely proud of my first attempt at embroidery. I used stem stitch in order to create a lovely "C". I also found a really simple way to trace the letter on to the felt. I simply enlarged it on my laptop screen until it was the actual size that I need, then I positioned the felt directly onto the screen and traced with a pencil as though I were using a lightbox!!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After having such success with the initial, I decided to embellish the handle with a couple of stem stitch parallel lines, and then edged around the flap with the same stitch.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I plan to stuff the bag with some hair accessories and give it to my niece as a Christmas gift.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-51005841656245178462012-11-22T08:39:00.000+00:002012-11-22T08:39:59.933+00:00Yummy scones, thank you James Martin.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Yesterday I made these irresistible scones. My husband knows that if he wants baked treats then he has to work for them. In this case, I was short on eggs for the recipe so off to Tesco he did go!</span></h2>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Thanks to <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/scones_with_strawberry_81786">James Martin's scrummy recipe</a>, we have these tasty little numbers to eat our way through over the next couple of days (if they last that long, they really are good!).</span></h2>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I've taken the liberty of including my own pictures as a guide to what the dough should look like after each stage of the recipe, although James' instructions are perfectly fine on their own.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFtcALsg40ByATLKGk0dOHquhd9UWho82z7DB3WdRsZ8jKu4BU38jHz4BKVloJSNsMo7wrijlgoCKpixBwmm5M0HEKCDKLdUB7Qo_bEAer0CeBCMHzSax0QoZfuml4cy-oCtu95y9_Hsi/s1600/Scones1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFtcALsg40ByATLKGk0dOHquhd9UWho82z7DB3WdRsZ8jKu4BU38jHz4BKVloJSNsMo7wrijlgoCKpixBwmm5M0HEKCDKLdUB7Qo_bEAer0CeBCMHzSax0QoZfuml4cy-oCtu95y9_Hsi/s200/Scones1.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sieve the bread flour and baking powder into a bowl</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Stir in the sugar and beaten eggs</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Use a wooden spoon to mix in the milk and bring the dough together</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Roll, cut, turn and place on a baking sheet, brush with egg yolk</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Bake for 10-12 minutes and then place on a rack to cool for a couple of minutes before serving warm with whatever you fancy adding to them!</span></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-82639616085960947212012-11-21T11:25:00.002+00:002012-11-21T11:25:10.445+00:00Chelsey's Bag; my first fairy step into pattern design<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oPtvr3yxdqzZ7H3DqXOBz5DSY1vOExDUb0XpUSDQkhS4KXL1F_1RFis6HteCEZcaUILNdD1MZ_nQXh0SzTrfqwAS4lAvjlPUMObG2L5YVMJT0r7SfFag_eI7K-zc98LarMPE7ldYZcs7/s1600/chelsbag1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oPtvr3yxdqzZ7H3DqXOBz5DSY1vOExDUb0XpUSDQkhS4KXL1F_1RFis6HteCEZcaUILNdD1MZ_nQXh0SzTrfqwAS4lAvjlPUMObG2L5YVMJT0r7SfFag_eI7K-zc98LarMPE7ldYZcs7/s320/chelsbag1.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I've started my venture into the world of pattern design with more of a half hop than a leap, but here it is - Chelsey's Bag. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'll admit that I have played it rather safe; felt with a cotton lining and a little bead work. I'm quite proud of it though!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I drew up the design and turned it into a PDF last night, perhaps a little presumptious since at that point I had no real clue as to whether or not the design would work in reality. So far today I have stitched the lining together and already I have found my first error. The side panels were too long, but after a quick trip back to the drawing board - well, the laptop - they have been amended and now fit perfectly.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This morning, in between children and housework, the felt and cotton have all been cut to size. Thanks to the unusually compliant little people, I have also managed to sew together the lining for the bag. As an added bonus I even remembered to take some pictures of the process so that I can publish the pattern and some sort of tutorial when I've finished.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQi8GbTMwU0iq1KegXxeXvXOEtCwrRcsxpTEqIPad61ImyBqKVwbCQs5tIjvXfEnClCemsQBHraY0ukS9aU-aDEh4mOcz_yA-UD5-VNeOqe1SmA_vN1fqIgPSELYAuN-hE063PPT1wmYh/s1600/chelsbag2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQi8GbTMwU0iq1KegXxeXvXOEtCwrRcsxpTEqIPad61ImyBqKVwbCQs5tIjvXfEnClCemsQBHraY0ukS9aU-aDEh4mOcz_yA-UD5-VNeOqe1SmA_vN1fqIgPSELYAuN-hE063PPT1wmYh/s320/chelsbag2.jpeg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Look! I'm sewing and it's going to plan. :-)</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Tilly didn't approve of today's activities though and did her best to try to sabotage my work with her wet paws! I managed to flick my precious bag liner out of her way just as she was about to position her rather soggy behind on it. What it is about cats and their need to sit on your work-in-progress?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here's hoping that I will be able to return to you tomorrow with pictures of a completed bag, and perhaps even a pattern ready and waiting for you to try out.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-89147493708296343412012-11-20T13:43:00.001+00:002012-11-20T13:45:15.979+00:00A little sew (and sew)...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkhma20-524-qEzOnDGsGzs1nxRRj18H1Oe4pGxKIyxpd73Pb5qzFfyut6QaEsPyAY019MqpIU9u8D9b_t7S9x6PVr8-MYRcG1GfF0KzHXZdRTydSXOWygW3Uyz0ozX19Uz8decuM-2r7G/s1600/phone7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkhma20-524-qEzOnDGsGzs1nxRRj18H1Oe4pGxKIyxpd73Pb5qzFfyut6QaEsPyAY019MqpIU9u8D9b_t7S9x6PVr8-MYRcG1GfF0KzHXZdRTydSXOWygW3Uyz0ozX19Uz8decuM-2r7G/s320/phone7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is definitely one of the quickest things I have endeavoured to make lately. Now, I am the first to admit that I am no master seamstress. In fact, truth be told, I barely know my way around a sewing machine despite my best efforts. I certainly couldn't tell you what the drawfull of sewing feet are used for, and it took me a good hour to figure out how to thread the bobbin! In my defence, it is an old hand-me-down machine with no manual.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So, while hubby had snatched all three children from under my nose to allow me some peace (a rare thing in a house with three children under five), I decided that I would make myself a new phone case. Ooh, and meet Tilly. I think she has sights on being a better seamstress than me. Let's be fair though, it wouldn't take much!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I found this <a href="http://erinerickson.com/2010/10/easy-iphone-sleeve-tutorial/">lovely pattern</a> and tutorial via a nice little <a href="http://crazylittleprojects.com/2012/10/25-things-to-do-with-fat-quarters.html">collection of things</a> to make with fat quarters, grabbed my bits and pieces and headed to the machine.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Me being me, I was lacking in the necessary parts to actually complete the task, but was satisfied with the alternative that I found in my craft box. As you can see, I was missing the batting and fusible interfacing, however it was nothing that a thin piece of felt couldn't fix!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqaPHS1BIhg2Xbt5FIXPLxvkZQm9fs0nI3ec-nCVyVEXEFRKM-6a_NTRh6LsAgvAAR55PqGuU2Gm4AmNya6k0YWksTS5w3_IrnEtiJOG73YmQrZbuKGeBgUn8xhsgv92bYp7drZXeTulI/s1600/PhoneCase.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqaPHS1BIhg2Xbt5FIXPLxvkZQm9fs0nI3ec-nCVyVEXEFRKM-6a_NTRh6LsAgvAAR55PqGuU2Gm4AmNya6k0YWksTS5w3_IrnEtiJOG73YmQrZbuKGeBgUn8xhsgv92bYp7drZXeTulI/s320/PhoneCase.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It doesn't look too bad from those pictures. There is only one problem... my iPhone doesn't actually fit inside it. I am 100% certain that the pattern is accurate; it seems from comments on the page that other people have had no difficulty with it. What is at play here is the evil of "lack of skills". </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One day soon I will make something that turns out as planned!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUdgTcon73ZY5zhzZNnhCw9QB8ccl64RUTza3p2vqyGkMd41lbfShMWv12oRXsz4p9NRfedtY-Bu6PQPkY5hay3Tp9jutRwTOkJUiKe6CbCvPq7ONX789VjK7Nxbobl7ex4uYoyvtItWE/s1600/phone5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUdgTcon73ZY5zhzZNnhCw9QB8ccl64RUTza3p2vqyGkMd41lbfShMWv12oRXsz4p9NRfedtY-Bu6PQPkY5hay3Tp9jutRwTOkJUiKe6CbCvPq7ONX789VjK7Nxbobl7ex4uYoyvtItWE/s320/phone5.jpeg" width="230" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">On a more positive note, my mum popped over for a coffee and a slice of <a href="http://whatkatyactuallydid.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/another-day-another-recipe.html">the brownie</a> that I made yesterday. While she was here, I borrowed her phone to measure it up against the case. Guess what? It fits perfectly. One more Christmas gift sorted!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-89270135093458774112012-11-19T12:12:00.001+00:002012-11-19T12:12:31.420+00:00Another day, another recipe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxcI4z3KfOQ9_GFCJvI2KV6GBQT-c6OaeKg5KOOJtKl1i2OFJNvB_Lh5vJzEM6bbl7bpXKYhB2QPOyhsrhs21VjnmRgqqFlozOZuPYZMIgkX2f1tepAEV4HISHn_wJouT-4qreZi2z37g/s1600/BrownieTucky.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxcI4z3KfOQ9_GFCJvI2KV6GBQT-c6OaeKg5KOOJtKl1i2OFJNvB_Lh5vJzEM6bbl7bpXKYhB2QPOyhsrhs21VjnmRgqqFlozOZuPYZMIgkX2f1tepAEV4HISHn_wJouT-4qreZi2z37g/s320/BrownieTucky.jpeg" width="124" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is my husband's favourite recipe, but unfortunately I have been having an ongoing argument with our new oven and I am yet to win. The problem is that we switched from electric to gas, and I have learnt the hard way that good chocolate brownie needs a nice dry, electric oven. Something I no longer possess.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have tried again today, but alas, it's still not "right". It is perfectly acceptable, in fact it's downright scrumptious but it's not how it used to be.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm beginning to come to the conclusion that we either need a new oven, or I need to accept this change to my beloved brownie. The new oven I fear, is a little too drastic even for me.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So, for those of you who are lucky enough to own the coveted electric oven, preset it now to 180c and grab a mixing bowl...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Xd92h9IWQU-5JdxozATU2ejYms5YAypCDP23Z9dkkjjZONwyZQdn6pCTVPc8rWFGfb-LR4SNDFexdrh4eR5iDhbFlCSlwOortgmeGb0xjTJ60nosTskH3qEmMTn-BWbvhbe_GBClHyuX/s1600/Brownie.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Xd92h9IWQU-5JdxozATU2ejYms5YAypCDP23Z9dkkjjZONwyZQdn6pCTVPc8rWFGfb-LR4SNDFexdrh4eR5iDhbFlCSlwOortgmeGb0xjTJ60nosTskH3qEmMTn-BWbvhbe_GBClHyuX/s320/Brownie.png" width="291" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>Chocolate Fudge Brownie:</u></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">100g dark chocolate chips</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3 eggs</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3 tbs low-fat cocoa powder</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">275g caster sugar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">125g salted butter (at room temperature)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">25g plain flour</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">50g self raising flour</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">0.5tsp vanilla extract</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>The method:</u></span><br />
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Preheat your electric oven to 180c and line/grease an 8 inch square cake tin.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Cream the sugar and butter together in a bowl until they are smooth and resemble creamy mashed potato.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Add the vanilla to the mixture.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Beat the eggs together in a cup/jug and add to the sugar/butter mixture, a little at a time.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sieve the two flours and the cocoa into the bowl and mix together well.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Melt the chocolate chips and stir into the mixture until fully incorporated.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Pour into your tin and smooth over the top with the back of your spoon.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Bake for 35 minutes. The top with form a crust.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Allow to cool for 30 minutes before removing from the tin and placing on a rack to cool fully.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Slice and serve!</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Obviously, feel free to give it a try in a gas oven. Every attempt I have made so far has resulted in a liquid, non-set centre, a burnt edge around the crust or a combination of the two. I have tried baking for longer at the same heat, baking for the same time at a higher temperature, baking for longer at a higher temperature. I am now running out of options!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I feel that what I need would require more brain cells than are resident in my skull. I need an inventor to create something to pop into my oven to take the moisture out of it. You counteract a dry elecrtic oven with a small dish of water in the bottom to add moisture, but how on earth do you remove that same moisture from a gas oven?</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-5304707174220853092012-11-18T19:12:00.000+00:002012-11-18T20:22:17.126+00:00Playground etiquette <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6bgXknL0h2dpwswe_ImWiJ_bFBfgK6CINuwAqCCs3bvLh9TAtyYmfe5tnoadZs4igYloiMLSGERCdxZVy8jlYMwxgZthHBosRGxkjsbWODcegcfa5reP6ZEMh3fZ9ebNGKCr_2TLn42y/s1600/rules.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6bgXknL0h2dpwswe_ImWiJ_bFBfgK6CINuwAqCCs3bvLh9TAtyYmfe5tnoadZs4igYloiMLSGERCdxZVy8jlYMwxgZthHBosRGxkjsbWODcegcfa5reP6ZEMh3fZ9ebNGKCr_2TLn42y/s200/rules.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It has been a lovely sunny Sunday here on the south coast, and as such we decided that a trip to the local playground would be a good idea. Now, ordinarily we would have walked the mile or so, but as A had sustained a near-broken toe at the hands of his elder brother and a tent doorway (don't even ask!), we all piled into the car and headed park-ward.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It's not a big playground; a few swings, a climbing frame with slide and a rather ominous contraption of three hanging tires interlaced with a lot of rope and chain, all surrounded (or perhaps "embedded" would be more appropriate) with damp sand.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We pulled up to the park and spotted one other family, keeping themselves to themselves. Within minutes of the children leaping from the car, the park had been invaded by a waist-height army. Ok, I thought, we can deal with this. The boys tend to behave themselves very well in public (small mercies and all that!), the playground is flat and you can see the whole thing from any single point, there is a fence all around the parameter and an extra internal fence surrounding the swings. So, with the safety issues covered surely I could relax and enjoy our afternoon in the park.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Within seconds, or so it seemed, there was a child stuck at the top of the slide too fearful to commence his descent, another child had decided he <i>must</i> play in the sand barefoot but had come unstuck when his second sock would <i>not</i> come unstuck from his foot and a small fearless toddler of less than 2 years had made a break for it across the car park. Cries of "Mummy" reverberated around the playground from the two children in need of motherly assistance, as a shot a "they're not mine, whose are they?" look to another mother, who instinctively passed it onto a third. Luckily, from nowhere the tearaway toddler had been intercepted by his own mother.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now comes the dilemma. Myself and my two fellow mother comrades have ascertained that the needy children do not belong to us, nor do they seem to be with the runaway child who is being loaded noisily into his car seat. I can easily reach down and help the child entangled in his own sock, but something akin to fear is stopping me. Fear that this child belongs to another woman, a woman I do not know, in fact at this point I am beginning to doubt her existence. If I were to help this child, I would have to make physical contact and society has now deemed that we cannot do that, as a stranger. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As I am fighting with my inner need as a mother to help a child, I see the faintest movement across the park as one of my comrades does the same with hers. She is slowly, inch by inch, making her way towards the child on the slide whilst simultaneously scanning the surrounding area in hope that somebody would pop up like a Jack-in-the-box out of the sand and end her turmoil.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I managed to avoid the need for adult/child contact, as I had a light bulb moment and summoned F over to assist the poor child at my feet. The other poor mum however was left to gently manhandle a screaming child from shoulder height to the sandy floor, before quickly backing off and tending to her own child - perhaps in an attempt to demonstrate her mother credentials and her right to be in the play park.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Needless to say, our afternoon outing to the play park has left me more than a little confused. When did it become unacceptable to assist a fellow human being, regardless of age? Why is it now always a case of guilty until proved otherwise when one is stood within the confines of a children's play area? Think about it, and be honest with yourself, it's only when a child runs up to the lone man on the park bench yelling "Daddy" or "Grandad" that you breathe a sigh of relief that nothing sinister is going on under your very nose.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Obviously I want my children, and your children, to be safe. But every now and again you have to question how the world ever manages to evolve with so many constraints.</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-65454702940228823692012-11-17T10:27:00.004+00:002012-11-17T10:27:51.041+00:00The Christmas crafting has begun<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I know, I know, I'm a bit slow off the mark this year. I seem to have spent more time "pinning" ideas and not a single minute actually translating those ideas into actual, presentable articles.</span><br />
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We're on an economy drive this year and have vowed not to spend more than absolutely necessary, and yet still have a monumental Christmas. My first money saving gift idea comes in the form of homemade, personalised ceramic coasters. I struck lucky one day in B&Q and found a box of <a href="http://www.diy.com/nav/decor/tiles/wall-tiles/ceramic_tiles/-specificproducttype-orange___yellow/Colours-Barley-Utopia-Wall-Tile-100-100mm-12257631?skuId=12788337">these</a> 4" tiles reduced to £1 for 25 tiles! Combined with a 10 pack of coloured permanent markers from a pound shop, some <a href="http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/kids-crafts/wilko-felt-sheets-assorted-colours-297mm-x-210mm-x-10/invt/0316725/">felt</a> to back the tiles with and 30 minutes in a super hot oven to seal them, I now have enough coasters for every adult in the family for the grand total of £3.50. Now that is penny pinching!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjHTn1griCTOYCXXawKNN84gHMVJgoghNLxs2u30gmfWjryUm1eotXLaFh5o03FvrgzFhYE9UX2mZSz7SNi_RN8m_l4sG3BzN4JPSikqX_Kt_yWYy4fRxCz1zy4wzXeGHWAzHL0Z9KMig/s1600/photo-22.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjHTn1griCTOYCXXawKNN84gHMVJgoghNLxs2u30gmfWjryUm1eotXLaFh5o03FvrgzFhYE9UX2mZSz7SNi_RN8m_l4sG3BzN4JPSikqX_Kt_yWYy4fRxCz1zy4wzXeGHWAzHL0Z9KMig/s320/photo-22.JPG" width="165" /></span></a></div>
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And considering I'm not known for my drawing abilities, I'd say they turned out just about ok...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXG0C7ds4JpT9X4VCX75AeZJZooXm5_tOxc9KhsOQverzRxzCcU_zjZmKu7Dxjqe0_eZpND1cXhEIgrG5G-x_1RTpciIHvmGQyXI2hYCH3CxqklKDURtJuDNKtFz8mLrXEXXUejRm33kCC/s1600/image-6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXG0C7ds4JpT9X4VCX75AeZJZooXm5_tOxc9KhsOQverzRxzCcU_zjZmKu7Dxjqe0_eZpND1cXhEIgrG5G-x_1RTpciIHvmGQyXI2hYCH3CxqklKDURtJuDNKtFz8mLrXEXXUejRm33kCC/s200/image-6.jpeg" width="196" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">However, I have since found a much better <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/151152131214659962/">method on Pinterest</a>. Unfortunately the original blog post seems to have gone astray but all the instructions are right there on the Pin, so I'll keep my fingers crossed someday soon as I give it a go! If it turns out better, then I could always reuse the tiles that I have already decorated.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-18559408643584572952012-11-16T19:14:00.000+00:002012-11-16T19:14:00.562+00:00Cow Appreciation Week and a little flapjack<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ever since an unfortunate close encounter between my 2 year old son and a rather hungry, rather vocal cow at a local animal centre, said son has been absolutely petrified of all things cow. So this week has been Cow Appreciation Week! I unfortunately do not have pictorial proof of the offending cow, but I will divulge that she is a resident of one of our much loved family attractions, <a href="http://www.rarebreeds.org.uk/meet-even-more-animals">The Rare Breed Centre.</a> (In searching out that link, I have discovered not only a picture of the cow in question, but also a name - Luna.)</span><br />
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So, as part of CAW we have utilised YouTube and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJzjcsYwL4Y">found a clip</a> that A thinks is hilarious. It was the first thing cow related which didn't invoke an immediate response of "Don't crike it, Mummy." We've viewed more pictures via Google than I care to recall, poking the screen and "tickling" the cows to show that they couldn't hurt us. I've mooed at A, and in turn he has done his loudest moo at me. We've progressed from tears and cries of "Don't crike it, Mummy" at the mere mention of a cow to him asking to see pictures and videos, as well as randomly role playing as a cow. We have yet to revisit Luna, but give him time and I'm sure he'll come around to the idea!</span><br />
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To round off the week I used a <a href="http://imagixs.com/cow-coloring-pages-for-kids/">line drawing of a cow</a> which I printed and cut out. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaq1hhqthnO_xrJWgFVnnYSI6dLlTZGlWE0aLq2g52hWqEzgjJBYKiKBBd5YcMqOSN6IsCGo3GHunMr-2r2KnBvrXhf6tb0q7_M-vN9PW0xmyZEjWmePHVy-loZfB2Gsi9hheHl612RNfI/s1600/photo-19.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaq1hhqthnO_xrJWgFVnnYSI6dLlTZGlWE0aLq2g52hWqEzgjJBYKiKBBd5YcMqOSN6IsCGo3GHunMr-2r2KnBvrXhf6tb0q7_M-vN9PW0xmyZEjWmePHVy-loZfB2Gsi9hheHl612RNfI/s320/photo-19.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We had a good old delve through the craft boxes and came out with some fabric scraps that had been acquired some time ago from a pound shop. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Out came the glue, and then A set to work making his patchwork cow. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I know I'm his mummy, but considering he is only 2 years old, I think he did a fab job!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It would seem of late that my Fridays are not complete without baking up a little treat for the weekend; this week is flapjack.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>To make my yummy flapjacks you need:</u></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">150g salted butter</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">75g soft brown sugar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4 tbs golden syrup</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">250g rolled oats</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">100g milk chocolate</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>The method:</u></span><br />
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Pre-heat your oven to gas mark 4. Line and grease an 8 inch cake tin.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Very gently heat the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a pan, stirring often until all of the butter has melted. Then remove from the heat.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Pour in the oats and coat completely with the lovely yummy runny mixture.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Press the mixture into the cake tin, right to the edges and use a silicon spatula to level the top.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Cook on gas mark 4 for 25 minutes. If you prefer it chewier then cook for an extra 3-4 minutes. Allow to cool on a rack (still in the lining paper).</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Once the flapjack has cooled, melt your chocolate and coat as desired. My hubby likes the random, uneven coating so that's the way I have gone.</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I specifically recommend mixing and pressing this mixture with a silicon spatula as I have found that less of the mixture sticks to it. A wooden spoon tends to cling to some of the mixture and you end up picking up more than you press down!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Admiring his work!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Pressed into the pan and ready to go into the oven.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgXyQA8-Va_6k1Vhxqn-lRBGMEjCS6S8TgeV_ZW1AueCpKMNhIvs-kEpuOaPU_5OrnDIAZL8-mPPYrE0agXvjwx7R-NyR2LTMxhnVk0aEeLL-hnISmEN743djcbzIweUPmAiu0MakIBmo/s1600/image-4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgXyQA8-Va_6k1Vhxqn-lRBGMEjCS6S8TgeV_ZW1AueCpKMNhIvs-kEpuOaPU_5OrnDIAZL8-mPPYrE0agXvjwx7R-NyR2LTMxhnVk0aEeLL-hnISmEN743djcbzIweUPmAiu0MakIBmo/s320/image-4.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Good enough to eat!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-58148898852628320452012-11-16T08:32:00.003+00:002012-11-16T08:44:33.425+00:00Almost showed myself up as "that" mum<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You know the one I mean... The one that forgets everything, lives in a world of her own and never seems to quite know what is going on. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Don't get me wrong, I AM that mum - I just can't have my children or the other mums being aware of that fact!! I came this >< close to sending my poor firstborn off to school in his uniform on a Mufti Day (for those who aren't familiar with the term, it's a non-uniform day). If it hadn't been for a chance glance at my vast notice board, and my eye being drawn to a school notice that looked out of date and in need of filing in the bin, then F would have been the only child not adorned with colourful spots today. As it was, I ripped down the offending expired school letter only to find that there was further information printed on the reverse - not least of all about today. Cue a mad dash through F's drawers to find a plain white t-shirt, a crazy rummage through my craft stash for my coloured markers, then followed by some super speedy dot drawing as hubby and I set to work in time for school. I am under no illusion that my poor 4 year old is going to return home covered, front and back, in faded coloured spots that are certain to bleed out of the fabric throughout the day; there was no time to seal them!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I must admit, it wasn't quite the crafting I had in mind for today, but at least it was a free Mufti Day. Plus, the children get a free disco after school. F's first after school event.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It certainly makes a difference to have things provided for free though. I never fully appreciated just how much my child's state provided education would cost me. Take today for example; F's school bag is crammed full with forms to be returned for this order and that order. We're getting his fine artwork printed onto a set of Christmas cards, and his individual school photo order is due in today, to name but two. Those two alone have set us back £25.95, and we selected the cheapest option on both forms! Last week we handed over £24 for a photo of the whole class and and £1.30 for a cake sale, not to mention baking and donating those self same cakes that we then bought back.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A rethink of the family budget is definitely in need, I think!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-15439830487799566152012-11-15T20:38:00.001+00:002012-11-15T20:50:53.813+00:00Confessions of a neglectful blogger!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have to confess that I have never, ever given my blog a chance. Short of using it as a hosting platform for what are essentially two poop crochet patterns, I have not really posted much at all. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">All that is about to change.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As of this very minute, I promise with all my heart to pay this blog some much needed attention and give it the love that it deserves. Primarily its use will be to document my crafting and baking, along with the odd spattering of the other oddities that fill my life. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Please feel free to join me as I venture into the unknown and officially become a blogger.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I guess the first thing I should do is introduce my current project; please say a big hello to what I have affectionately started calling "The Never Ending Baby Blanket". It's a commission (a free one) for a friend. Stupidly I agreed that I could easily produce what the pattern called for. Well, yes I can. Only I had not properly accounted for how long this "little blanket" was going to take me. Each motif is taking about 20 minutes, you count them yourself and feel free to gasp in the same way I just did when I realised how many hours I have already spent on this, and how many more I have left to dedicate to it. I must say, I am really struggling to retain a positive attitude while hook is in hand. I'm just managing it though as I really want the blanket to signify love and warmth, and not desperation and despair!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I promise to return tomorrow, I really, really do!!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-24281690387418892772011-07-31T21:02:00.000+01:002011-07-31T21:02:03.265+01:00PaintingWe (me and the hubby) have spent the last two days elbow deep in paint. My mum has "employed" us as her own personal painters and decorators. We're heading back there tomorrow to do some touching up with the painting, fit the new coving and sand down all the woodwork. After that it will be another day painting the woodwork.<br />
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I've got to take my sewing machine along tomorrow too, because she wants her curtain pole moving and as a result her curtains will be the wrong size. She hadn't even considered this until I pointed it out to her!!<br />
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She's already got us lined up for the next task - the hall, stairs and landing!<br />
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So, another "craft" under my belt. :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-81495667323816083262011-07-28T12:40:00.000+01:002011-07-28T12:40:56.460+01:00Battle Christmas Craft FairThe stalls have gone live! They are for sale on my sister blog <a href="http://battlechristmascraftfair.blogspot.com/">http://battlechristmascraftfair.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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I think I might have to make some pom-pom rugs for this fair!!! lolUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-30349898043320195452011-07-27T11:06:00.000+01:002011-07-27T11:06:06.540+01:00Making pom-pomsI thought I'd share this little thing with you. I couldn't find my actual pom-pom maker, so I knocked this up.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTQOyxurC43qTrtDEiSJtMMTrsJKxTqD4pCPXMGOoAGKKcvDTV3GzNGPG1F89VVDOr5UukHB3aqYoEr_w6iGk26KAB7Pt8Gqb7_YqYL_6Qmqa3SxK00sCRbpARwyJwqb0DYLx5d9QXlQf/s1600/27072011965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTQOyxurC43qTrtDEiSJtMMTrsJKxTqD4pCPXMGOoAGKKcvDTV3GzNGPG1F89VVDOr5UukHB3aqYoEr_w6iGk26KAB7Pt8Gqb7_YqYL_6Qmqa3SxK00sCRbpARwyJwqb0DYLx5d9QXlQf/s320/27072011965.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4E3px1tW3U6zVEpIgfYgGR_x_HoDaGUedtbcrl6TcrFyz6lZDv5ETbBfVw0eSGDhvyFhm2hWka0B2TvHzMH8Ab3lY618zEsGuunjUTDqZq42vViWCQILy3P0xe3VxnsY4hFzJc1FiO21/s1600/27072011966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4E3px1tW3U6zVEpIgfYgGR_x_HoDaGUedtbcrl6TcrFyz6lZDv5ETbBfVw0eSGDhvyFhm2hWka0B2TvHzMH8Ab3lY618zEsGuunjUTDqZq42vViWCQILy3P0xe3VxnsY4hFzJc1FiO21/s320/27072011966.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-78597540373362640952011-07-27T09:35:00.000+01:002011-07-27T09:35:33.556+01:00Next event...You guessed it! It's that time of year... the time when we start planning for Christmas :)<br />
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Here is the poster that will be used for Christmas Craft Fair. The stalls will go on sale shortly at <a href="http://www.kmnash.co.uk/">www.kmnash.co.uk </a> We're having a few minor alterations made to the website, so if it's currently not available - it will be soon!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnOU3thYcMcz9GF7lIbJIJ-wXlO1gClxJNZuv2H0RhrnkvGjsNM5DmvQ2XGpH9cYBWx2YungIbuWNUKwVEZqdOgK4y9GiHi2LNgXi__s-spqZP6r3DLo_8_luUwjfX6A6vmbazs-yWZzd/s1600/Battle+Xmas+Poster.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnOU3thYcMcz9GF7lIbJIJ-wXlO1gClxJNZuv2H0RhrnkvGjsNM5DmvQ2XGpH9cYBWx2YungIbuWNUKwVEZqdOgK4y9GiHi2LNgXi__s-spqZP6r3DLo_8_luUwjfX6A6vmbazs-yWZzd/s320/Battle+Xmas+Poster.png" width="255" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-53120293670790358352011-07-26T17:45:00.000+01:002011-07-26T17:45:24.637+01:00A New LogoSo, following our first craft fair I have designed a new logo for myself. I want something visual that people will recognise. I had a few spare moments after I had submitted my latest uni essay and this is what I came up with...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmc-aPjwOzbcfhDCAxCkRQh5o_TNp9bgacJyK7rcKhx4GsHknIyCG8G7Du6ZyyLkzmDkNXXTdELgtwr9HvMvon0X8NyLO9b3rtySjodb2EC1zqJsy1oi-YmeSdxJo_2AyO3L7giDeKQZlD/s1600/Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmc-aPjwOzbcfhDCAxCkRQh5o_TNp9bgacJyK7rcKhx4GsHknIyCG8G7Du6ZyyLkzmDkNXXTdELgtwr9HvMvon0X8NyLO9b3rtySjodb2EC1zqJsy1oi-YmeSdxJo_2AyO3L7giDeKQZlD/s320/Logo.png" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-42614886460426970972011-07-25T20:34:00.000+01:002011-07-25T20:34:40.932+01:00Its been a LONG, LONG time...I have decided to turn my hand to another craft and I am attempting some simple line drawings. They are certainly a lot quicker to complete than any knit or crochet items that I attempt!<br />
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Meet Sarah...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bsKdUCI6jIRSUAhms05dUhyphenhyphenoeuD9yJs8jFiz19fgLc2pmYqeuFA6bw4BHBN2o7PY4HDBhEpGsgGy7tn1QNOsNcU81u9L7OaC9Cx6JBOWXx0CP8wEm9EkIgSFT7IRWnhEUBDkrKyEWxb0/s1600/Coloured+Elephant+Copyright.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bsKdUCI6jIRSUAhms05dUhyphenhyphenoeuD9yJs8jFiz19fgLc2pmYqeuFA6bw4BHBN2o7PY4HDBhEpGsgGy7tn1QNOsNcU81u9L7OaC9Cx6JBOWXx0CP8wEm9EkIgSFT7IRWnhEUBDkrKyEWxb0/s320/Coloured+Elephant+Copyright.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgm8hReB4LgjH-18-N6AyTJ96QQkn1-DzGvOEuIFVfvKDC6xX0o9SYvphxnG3ioE8bu2s00Z50B19yHKKgFE6XV7WFaLCt8U7Zk1Aq3lkOOG5Xt4A-aox1YAKZr4WKIwLQ8z5_bZErmOxJ/s1600/White+Elephant+Copyright.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgm8hReB4LgjH-18-N6AyTJ96QQkn1-DzGvOEuIFVfvKDC6xX0o9SYvphxnG3ioE8bu2s00Z50B19yHKKgFE6XV7WFaLCt8U7Zk1Aq3lkOOG5Xt4A-aox1YAKZr4WKIwLQ8z5_bZErmOxJ/s320/White+Elephant+Copyright.png" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-54767614546673450522010-08-04T19:01:00.000+01:002010-08-04T19:01:03.283+01:00Sunshine On A Rainy Day***Photos to follow*** <br />
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I have definitely caught the "designing" bug, this is my second necklace today!! This one is slightly more work than Purple Haze, but only just. :)<br />
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Materials:<br />
Yarn of your choice and matching hook - I've used DK cotton and a 3mm hook. I've also used a metal ring as the basis for my centre circle, but the "magic circle" technique would work just as well.<br />
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<b>Flower Pendant-</b><br />
<b>Round One:</b> 24sc around your metal (magic) ring<br />
<b>Round Two:</b> Chain 7 (treat as first dc), then *dc, ch3* 7 times. sl st to 3rd chain at beginning. This gives you eight chain spaces.<br />
<b>Round Three:</b> *sc, hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc, sc* into each of the 8 chain spaces, sl st to first sc and fasten off.<br />
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<b>Necklace-</b><br />
<b>Hole Side:</b> Chain 70, turn and sl st into 8th chain from hook, sl st into following 2 st, fasten off.<br />
<b>Button Side:</b> Chain 70, turn and sc into next 4 stitches, sl st into next st and fasten off. This will give you a wider band to attach your button to. Sew on button, making sure its the right size for the hole on the other band!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-84791587401774088422010-08-04T14:35:00.001+01:002010-08-04T14:36:19.708+01:00Purple Haze Necklace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Well, here is my first published "pattern". Apologies for the poor quality pictures.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNfRMqD6vXXZRWIDog8kXLqsiWEP2UM-DWglOhy9HDI1M3IlxuMwsacYMuezXXDSs48ESeFBBxAflj53_iRXHR7FdoTNyWlMVvhIWseW3wndRBwZZV-PU8fYIwG2rkDn9SmU2Yv4nLXqU/s320/04082010399.jpg" /></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1TjCTZIAbAnX5AJWG8NXvB6iWfZtJeQHidIrEb9wPVRvQgTqEAJXoLrA0ZaAFE4X7VRP32Ah5PfxPGQOLmESMUhVe6emBikTS-ZT7z90IXhJsDtluuuc3bXUYgiukolyDJYl6t51mMXMY/s1600/04082010400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1TjCTZIAbAnX5AJWG8NXvB6iWfZtJeQHidIrEb9wPVRvQgTqEAJXoLrA0ZaAFE4X7VRP32Ah5PfxPGQOLmESMUhVe6emBikTS-ZT7z90IXhJsDtluuuc3bXUYgiukolyDJYl6t51mMXMY/s320/04082010400.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The necklace is made of 5 interlocking rings, crocheted over in Single Crochet - so simple! Great for using up some of those odds and ends. On that note... Stash Busting Tally = 1 item :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8248552595525796989.post-31600530243580974442010-04-27T15:43:00.004+01:002010-04-27T19:40:16.724+01:00Busy, busy, baby!Apologies for the delay in transmission, life suddenly got very full!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Family:</span><br />Little man arrived safe and sound on the 8th April 2010, leaving me needing quite a lot of after care but now pretty much mended. He has slotted into our little family nicely and we are bouncing along as a happy foursome now. His big brother loves him to death and is very generous with his "duddles". My little bundle is thriving and his mummy-milk is making him gain weight at a fantastic rate. He is now two and a half weeks old and at 2 weeks he weighed 8lb 6oz. I am very proud! lol<br />My parents are due to return from a mammoth holiday in Asia/Australia on Saturday, so I am very excited about that. They should have been home 3 weeks previous to this but the "Ash Cloud Incident" has delayed their return. I can't wait to introduce them to their latest grandchild!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Previous Post Update:</span><br />The lost project from Alabama has now been reunited with its original owner, thanks to the brilliant members of Ravelry and there undying quest. How many times was that thread "bumped" to keep it going? Its amazing to think that a random piece of lost knitting has actually found its way home!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Crafting:</span><br />My breastfeeding shawl is still being worked on. I haven't managed to find a lot of time for my crafting in recent weeks (wonder why?!?!), but its still coming along just slower than planned.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0