To anonymous or not to annonny-mouse - that is the question*

Dear Anonymous - I took on board and I agree with what you said and you will have seen I was delighted to read your thoughts and have published them .

The reason I have that little phrase 'Sadly anyone signing anonymously will not be published'  is down to a few blog-readers who have written some unkind things and hide behind their anonymity. They don't take responsibility for what they say. Since adding that little phrase, the only 'anonymous' comments have been genuine .Blogger also do not allow you to remove the anonymous option.

I am not looking only for positive comments choosing to ignore anything I disagree with, I was just trying to prevent another vitriolic tirade. You can sign a name if you wish,once you have typed in your comments, by choosing the NAME/URL option (one higher than the anonymous option) it allows you to sign in - but if you still wish to remain anonymous that is your choice and please feel free to remain so :)

Poppy Cottage thank you for your comments - I got my name tags from - Woven Labels UK and they have some nice colour combinations and icons - my little ribbons came from the craft and hobby label option.

I've just collapsed at my desk with a throbbing knee - Youngest was desperate to go trick or treat-ing (or as he calls it trickle treating) and he wanted me to go with him.  Unfortunately I was supposed to be at work, however, thanks to a timely and suitably spooky power cut forcing us to close early - I managed to get home in time to help him into his ghoulish costume, paint his face and hobble off (complete with wig and suitable facial grimace) We went out with friends and saw many familiar families of monsters and mini-witches. Now, home after a suitable haul of sugary treasure, I am limping like a peg legged pirate (oo-argh me 'arties).

Any hoo - thought I would share with you a photo of my littlest darling........ in all his gory........ he's a sweet kid, really, no really!!

Well, two posts in one day - waffled enough now, will end here ..... got a bit of crochet to get on with :) 

Night all and blessings be on this night of all Hallow's Eve and tomorrow is a new day - 

Have a lovely Tuesday xxxxxx

*Apologies to Shakespeare for completely ruining his line (or was it Edward De Vere's?)

verdict and other waffle

I threw out a dilemma to you lovely lot and thanks to your suggestions -  the general consensus was the green has to go - funnily enough my least favourite colour is the yellow! But, I did get the feeling that - like me- you mostly agreed that the colour combination wasn't that brilliant - SO! That has given me the impetus to go ahead and choose 3 more colours. Oh the *hardship* of having to do that hehehehehe :)

Thanks Radish's mum for the link to the stripe maker - I see that Lovely Lady also was rather pleased to see that link too :) I will definitely go and have a play.

Thank you every one!

I'm also kinda excited - I ordered some labels to add to the blankets and crafty-things I am making and they arrived this weekend - it feels all grown up having things like this! ❤❤

The catnip 'meeses' - all catnipped up and suitably scented check out the new labels, they will be added to the hawthorn handmade part of my shop - I'm still coming to grips with my new laptop and apparently my website doesn't recognise it, so I am sorting that out too - oh deep joy at technology (and my apparent lack of knowledge of it- hah!)

Oh and before I forget - the promised pumpkin carving done by Eldest and a heartfelt samhain wish -

May the change into darkness bring you light

may your memories keep you strong

and remember the coming winter is the beginning of the year 

and not the end

Crochet advice please!

The last few days my hook has been red hot and my fingers feel quite burnt!  I've been making a soft soft babe blankie (but am unsure of the colours) As it grows I alternate liking it and loathing it.....

Looking at these pictures, I realise that the rather shocking pink and red background doesn't help either. In it's favour, I love the snuggly softness of it all but the colours....hmmmm what do you think? Be honest!

I tried taking a picture of the blankie on a neutral (sort of bleugh grey) colour to see if that helps but again, I can feel my brow furrowing....

I have to admit that the colours look dreadful on the computer, why is it red never comes out true? I think I might be ripping this back, but I will have to start the replacement one soon as babies don't wait for blankets to be finished!

Hmmmmm....... any way,  I am pleased with my string bags, I've been working away with these and am loving how they have turned out. I've also been tweeking and altering the pattern until I am happy.

In the spirit of the season we have been carving pumpkins and lighting candles and switching on lights.

This is Youngest's first ever effort - he's never really been interested in carving-his-own but this year he has done really well and he's chuffed to bits with his results.

Mine. Not keen on my efforts - not doing very well am I?!?!

Eldest has only just finished his, so the photos are still on the camera, will download them tomorrow, I'm rather tired - spent the entire day moving furniture (not brilliant with only one co-operative leg, two end of half term boys and years of rubbish and dust suddenly appearing as by magic every time a bookcase is moved - my vacuum cleaner is exhausted!)

Final bit of waffle - my old computer (aged and cantankerous) prone to over heating, absent-mindedness and of general grumpacious tendancies has finally been retired and I am now a proud owner of a brand new laptop (which is sooooo clever and quick that I am now the aged and cantankerous one) but it does mean I am able to update my photos and shop without fear of all my work just vanishing or only half appearing - a great relief!


All for now, off to bed,  night night - ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ 

A woolly feast for your eyes!

Yesterday, just before I left for work the door bell rang and there waiting to be signed for, was a box full of yummy wools - ooh I was so-o excited. My heart was all skippity when I opened the box but I had to leave it until this morning to have a really good look and snuggle and oh boy snuggle I did ❤

As soon as I could I took some photos and shortly I will be listing them over in my wool shop -  the hawthorn tree .

I am loving❤ making my shopping bags, especially I now have some more carpet wool to play with in the most gorgeous rich berry colours.

Right, now to dash off a few more rows before I have to go to work. **humph**


Just one last look at a most delish colour - Nymph in Wisteria - ooh I love❤ the variations yum yum

Oh well, better stop otherwise I will have no time at all for any crochet!

Yours in woolly madness! - hawthorn xxxxxxxxxxx

Yum-yum-Plum pudding and not a Jack Horner in sight!

A quick share - and a promise that photographed calories are not fattening - it is the eating of them that is totally disastrous but totally yum :)

I present to you my Plum Pudding Cake ala Nigel Slater - follow this link for the recipe Yum yum yum.

Top left - melting the butter, the honey, the syrup and the sugar (there wasn't much else apart from flour and spices and oh yes plums)
bottom left - the raw cake with the plums just prior to popping into the oven.
Main photo - the cooked cake with added plum sauce.

Delish.

Hope you all had a lovely Saturday day :)xxxxxxxxxxxx ❤ 

My kinda maths!

I have been fulfilling an order for some catmint mice and thought I'd share progress. Once I've finished these little cuties, they will be added to my shop :)

Wishing you all a lovely weekend!❤

Baking by us (3), Himself goes up in the world and finally some precious crochet time❤

Do you ever get those moments, when having idly looked at a rather yummy recipe feel really inspired to do it?
Yes?
Do you ever, having been inspired, print the recipe out in a dash at work, stuff it in a convenient bag/pocket/drawer to retrieve at a more kitchen appropriate moment?
Yes?
Do you, then having been inspired, stuffed recipe away safely, got home and cast your eye over the baking the cupboard and decided that you have enough or nearly enough or similar or alternative items to do said baking?
Yes??
Do you then, having been inspired, printed the recipe, sort of confirmed ingredients then have to wait several days to the weekend to actually make said recipe
Yes? Yes??
Do you then find when the weekend actually arrives you have lost your cooking mojo but in a slip of concentration actually mention the words baking/weekend/new recipe to your children who  yell back at you...
YES!!

Oh... only me then - *sigh*

May I present to you............Baking by us (three) while Himself goes up in the world.

1. Windfalls, lightly cooked, chopped then tossed in cinnamon and sugar (thank you Eldest)

2. Pastry rolled and 30 mini pie bases cut ( Eldest)

3. Mini bases after chilling (Photo thanks to Youngest)

4. Pie base, with added apple and now topped with another disc and crimped (Youngest)

5. Pies - glazed with milk and sprinkled with sugar, ready for the oven (Photo thanks to Eldest)

6. Ready little pies, still steaming  from the oven (I'd tried holding one to photograph and burnt my fingers)

7. & 8. Cool enough (just) to eat and the last time you'll ever see them!!

Follow the link for the proper grown up recipe that - if I had read properly - I may not have done. Above  is our simplified-boys-and-mum-on-a-Saturday-afternoon-cooking version. The original look soo elegant and were probably made under ideal conditions - either way - ours tasted yummy❤❤, kept the boys very entertained and fed Himself - a win win situation :)

We've had a bit of a long standing niggling problem with our bathroom leaking when it rains - not every time it rains, just occasionally and when the east wind blows. Himself has been up several times and with this type of DIY, it can only be tested - when it rains.....

The repair some times lasts for months even years before it starts again.

Well, while we were away in Galloway - it rained and rained and RAINED at home - both outside the house and ..... inside the bathroom. Himself once again gritted his teeth but this time he decided to DO SOMETHING MAJOR..... no patching or re-tarring but A RE-ROOFING type mission was planned.

This entailed the purchase thereof HUGE ladders (something he's hankered after anyway so not a difficult task) it involved ripping off ENORMOUS chunks of roofing felt, TONNES of gravel (why on EARTH do you put gravel on a roof???) Years of layers of old tar and pitch which, despite being up there for ages, some of the tar was still sticky.....his trousers and hands are visual proof of the stickiness. Urgh.

With offers of many reviving cups of workman like tea, little apple pies and support from 2 boys and me, he ripped off the roof, re-pitched with thick stinky gloopy black tar from a bucket then lay down layer after layer of roofing felt.

And  did it pass the Rain-Test? On Sunday night - it hammered it down....but was it the right kind of rain? Well..... the bathroom didn't leak! So hopefully his hard weekend paid off - any way he's gone back to work for a rest!


Still surprised by the fact we all like ❤love❤ my blooming flower cushion, I wanted to try something else. Not as 'girly' a bit more edgy but still with ruffles and sporting different colours. I found my inspiration from Made in K-town. So, casting my mini-bunting aside (it is still in progress, I have just run out of cotton yarn) I have started this......

Not finished yet and still an experiment, I do *L*O*V*E the way it is going. I started with straight ruffly-wiggly diagonal lines then got bored and allowed my hook to take me where ever 'it' wanted and now I have a wonderful fracture line running right through it - causing all sorts of interesting movement.

I have a long way to go and it doesn't look anything as neat and as pretty as the original inspiration but I am still loving❤❤ the way it is developing. I will keep adding the stripes and accentuating the fracture line - watch this space!❤❤

Well, that is a small snippet of our weekend and as usual it has flown by and we are back to the beginning of a brand new week full on things to happen - bring it on!

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤Hope you all have a wonderful Monday :)❤❤❤❤❤❤❤