Precious time

I've had a lovely few days, spending precious time with family and friends, as well as spending quite a bit of time painting and knitting stuff for the school fair.

I've had some good cooking and some bad cooking this week.

Sweet potato and red pepper soup. I decided to add some chilli flakes. I'll maybe rethink the amount next time though!  I also made a green smoothie with a quick up and down the fridge. Kale, cucumber, spinach and chard. It tasted a bit like wet grass clippings with a bitter aftertaste from the chard. I don't usually mix chard with kale or cabbage. Oh well a lesson learnt.

When John left home the first thing I bought was a step so that I could reach the high shelves without getting the stepladder out. At 5'2"  quite a lot is out of reach. I'm not sure I can blame my direct genes because most of my family are six footers and above, but hey ho. I was having a major clean in the kitchen yesterday and was cursing that I couldn't reach the back of the windowsill over the sink to remove what looks like a primary school display of mini-beasts (curse of the open window). I dragged over the little step and cleaned the offending insects away.  Someone was obviously watching and waiting...

Caught in the act - I'll have to hide the step. He only wanted some juice but the kettle is within reach now.

I usually start a little baking for the quilt class on Wednesday night but didn't get home until nearly eight - it was still very warm and I couldn't face turning the oven on so I just weighed some ingredients out and hoped I would get home early enough on Thursday to bake. Luckily I was home in time to do some swift mixing and assembling.

Blueberry muffins and bourbon biscuits. I think I put too many blueberries in the mix though.

Karen brought a lovely book and some chocolate fudge which was to die for.

Hilary and I snapped a couple of photos of the goodies before we fell on them. Karen very kindly put a few squares of fudge in my cake tin which I enjoyed later on when I got home. We are planning a quilt-along on 2nd August for Quilts for Comfort - more of this soon.

I've sewn a couple of lines on my granny blanket but spent a lot of time yesterday painting some hearts. I chose some soft colours (I didn't use the turquoise in the end)

 I watched/listened to the England v New Zealand rugby whilst painting.

I did four with wisteria, light buttermilk and a green/light buttermilk mix with french mauve roses. Then I picked a soft grey to go with the french mauve and painted the other four.

 I wrote the words and left them to dry overnight.

I'll put the hangers on later - maybe tomorrow. I've got some lovely french ribbon for a little bow and some beads perhaps.

This morning I decided to make some bread - cue the next food disaster- I put too much liquid in and it ended up like ciabatta dough - only runnier. Actually it didn't rise very well either but it tasted ok, if a bit heavy. I think Paul Hollywood would have been scathing about it though.

I gave the bathroom a serious steam clean this morning and then settled down to knit a bit more of the bunny.

The ears were done last night and sewn on this morning. The bit being cast off is the body. I've used the last of the yarn from the little cardigan I knitted recently.

I scooted round Sainsbury's just before it closed and came back to finish the arms and a leg before Will got home from Hamsterley Forest where he was cycling. The bag behind the bunny head is full of goodies from my visit to the hairdresser on Friday. I love this quote by JG Ballard.

Tonight I'll finish the other leg and search out the pattern and wool ready for the little dress.

Finally a little photo that is sure to make you smile:

At the Thomas the Tank Engine Park in Birmingham last week. Apparently it rained all the time but he loved it every minute of his visit.  If it hadn't rained we wouldn't have had this lovely picture of Ben in his poncho, knotted at the back to keep it from dragging through the puddles.

Next week is really busy with either three or four late nights at work. But on Friday I will be leaving on time. I'm going to stay with my lovely friend in Surrey so that we can celebrate joining the old biddyhood together. We may also indulge in a little red wine. Did I ever mention that she lives about twenty minutes drive from Sandown Racecourse and there happens to be a quilt show on next weekend? 

While I'm presenting the governors with the budget, having team meetings and open nights and trying to persuade some local businesses to part with a quarter of a million pounds for our 4g pitch I'll be dreaming of fat quarters.

So this was my precious time this week. I've loved it all - well, maybe not the green smoothie.

Annie Sloan excitement

Yesterday Steph and I went on an official Annie Sloan painting workshop. It was in the most unlikely place in the middle of an industrial estate in Hartlepool, but what a lovely little shop and what a warm welcome! Eco-Chic It is run by a lady who is passionate about what she does, which is upcycling furniture. We painted a board to see the basic techniques and had tea and scones too. We came away with a couple of cans of white/old white paint, some little jars of coloured paint and a rather posh brush.  We learnt how to do a leather look, crackle paint and distressed finishes.

 The paint went straight on to bare wood with no priming.

We did a two-colour (salmon pink underneath and a lovely sage on top) on the left and just plain pure white on top of the bare wood on the right.

All the surfaces were then given a coat of clear wax.  The two above then had another coat of wax - this time dark brown.  We rubbed them back to give the effect we wanted.  The bottom half of the white sample was rubbed right back and the top half left with quite a layer of dark wax on.  I can't wait to get at the couple of cabinets I bought from charity shops for less than the price of the brush. I'll have to be patient though because my time is fully scheduled for some weeks to come yet.  I think it will have to be a summer holiday project - if I can wait that long!

One of my little silkie hens was a bit poorly during the week.  She went all subdued and wouldn't eat or drink.  I thought she was a gonner but she laid two eggs during Friday night and has perked up considerably thank goodness. They are busy eating off some of the weeds in one of the veggie beds at the moment.

I cut some bunting and got out the fabric for the cushions we are making for the summer fair but didn't get much further with them today. The house is clean though - I should make a note in the diary!

The 100th granny square came off the hook this week. This will be the last pic until the blanket has been finished because, with the best will in the world a granny square is not that interesting! I've already sewn two lines together but will have to be strong willed and not let myself get side tracked.

In the kitchen today I have been using leftovers.

 Eggs, sugar flour and cocoa powder from the store-cupboard,

A swiss roll in the making,

You have to be careful that you get it rolled fairly tight but don't squash the delicate sponge

Raspberries from the freezer and yoghurt from the fridge

The last of the hazelnut milk, half an apple and some peaches to make this lush smoothie.  A couple of spoons of milled flaxseeds make it really filling for a light lunch.  There is enough left to take to school tomorrow to stop the late afternoon energy drop,

Some chopped chorizo left over from chicken and chorizo wraps during the week, some lemon, thyme, eggs, parmesan and the last of the yoghurt for carbonara which I'll make just in time to eat it on our laps in front of the Canadian F1 tonight.  We'll finish off with the last three peaches and some raspberry puree for a peach melba. I think there may be some vanilla ice cream in the freezer unless Will has finished it.

I've just seen the time so need to get the pan on ready for the start of the race. I'm looking forward to this week - there are some good things going on.

Have a good week everyone.

Heroes and Heroines

I'm glad this isn't a live feed. Will has just walked past and stubbed his toe. I know it really hurts because he didn't swear, he just gasped - a number of times. There is a time when you say are you okay and a time when you don't. I'm in no doubt I did the right thing by letting him go upstairs in his own little bubble of pain. Don't you just hate stubbing your toe?

He has just put the little chooks to 'bed' for the night - but look what was waiting for us yesterday:

A double yolked egg. Added to another delicious egg and we had this for lunch:

A little grind of black pepper, a pinch of salt and voila! Fast food that tastes amazing.

I have been madly crocheting this week - I just can't stop, it's addictive and relaxing all at the same time.

 This pile became this,

and this.

There are 97 full squares - the three that are left will be finished tonight and ready to sew together.  I will then add some borders to make the blanket large enough to put over laps on a chilly day. I started off with the intention of making a blanket inspired by a waistcoat my mother made for me when I was about fourteen. Every square was edged in black.  I decided to do mine in a dark royal blue but when I added some edges it suddenly changed the nature of this bright and colourful thing that has been developing.  It became enclosed, almost imprisoned in the dark edging. I pulled out the stitches and will be sewing the squares together as they are. I know some stitches will inevitably show but I think this will be a small sacrifice to preserve the rainbow of colours that this will become.

Couldn't resist this girly bunch of flowers.

The garland above is part of a birthday present for my best friend who has today become a diamond. I just can't get my head round the sixty word - I am only three weeks behind her but in my head I am in my thirties and I know she feels the same. Where does that time go? Where are the giggling schoolgirls that smoked a mint flavoured ciggie behind the bike sheds and thought we were so grown up? Sharing a coffee in the Wimpy Bar in Woking and making it last all afternoon because it represented the pooling of our pocket money that week. Loving and losing boyfriends (never shared one though - she liked blonde hair and blue eyes and I liked dark hair and brown eyes). We had sons within a couple of weeks of each other and have bickered and laughed our way through 53 years. The only difference now is I have to cross my legs when we laugh.

In my workspace this week I have plenty started but nothing finished:

Soaps coated with different media and waiting to be decorated. I think the Liquitex is the winner.

 90 squares cut ready for the turquoise 'Cute as a Button' Quilt

 6" 'buttons' ready to be stitched,

Wooden hearts, undercoated and ready to be decorated for the Summer Fair at school.

Today has been gorgeous - sunniest as so often happens,  early in the morning. A sunbeam is my alarm during the summer months. I love living with the seasons, up with the lark in the summer and cosy indoors during the winter. It was so warm this morning I worked up a sweat cleaning out the hens. I also smacked my head on the hen house because I left one of the little doors open. No blood just a bump! Unlike Will my wound did not leave me speechless.

We had cheese scones and the 'Inner City' Block at class on Thursday.

Actually we also had raspberry jam swiss roll too but I didn't take a photo before it was all gone.  I did however take photos of the fat quarters I bought from the Tim Holtz range that Hilary has just got in. (Oh no!)

John was over this morning and we made pork in cider for tea whilst Ben had his morning sleep.

It is speckled with lemon thyme and rosemary and will be finished with some sharp apple puree. For my weird drink this week we made pear smoothie with hazelnut milk.  John decided it needed something extra and we put in a Reece's peanut butter cup. Weird but lush - maybe not that healthy though.

Last night I watched some really good rugby. Jonny Wilkinson was playing his last game before he retired at the grand old age of 35. He is a bit of a hero of mine because he is leaving such an amazing legacy. His work ethic, his honesty loyalty and modesty, not to mention his talent are so inspiring. The affection that was shown to him was so obviously heartfelt. 

Sadly this week Maya Angelou died. An amazing person who lived her life with such dignity and hope despite the hardship and suffering she went through. She fought long and hard to make other people's lives better. Two people with such different lives but heroes and heroines for their own things. 

I spent this afternoon with another such person (you know who you are). Knowing I have shared some time on earth with such wonderful, generous, talented and beautiful people makes me feel both honoured and humbled. 

"Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud" 
Maya Angelou

"Playing the game, representing the team, giving my all and never letting go has meant everything to me."

Jonny Wilkinson

How long is a piece of string?

In this case it was about three hours (groan):

This is a 50g hank of linen yarn which came on a skein and wouldn't separate out properly. Yes it took three hours on and off to get it wound into a ball. It is undyed and much softer than the other linen yarns I have - maybe the dye makes it smoother. When it was wound I crocheted another flower ( I do love crocheting flowers).

Some of them are going to be made into a garland - probably not the bright rust coloured one at the moment though, I might save that for something more autumnal.  Steph and I have taken a stall at the school's Summer Fair.  We are busy making lists and samples of bits and pieces we want to make.  I'll have to be super organised - not to get everything ready in time, but to make sure I do the housework! We are going for a fresh theme because it's summer. The fabric, yarn and paint will direct us to what we actually make but we have quite a few ideas.

Some shirtings I got from America (Primitive Gatherings), some ribbon and lavender and buttons from Naturaleigh:

A little bit of hemp rope to go on gift tags,

We (the PTA) decided that each stall at the fair should offer a raffle prize for their chosen charity. We will be opening an ASD unit in September for 9 pupils (ASD = Autistic Spectrum Disorder). I decided to knit a rabbit to raffle to raise funds for extra equipment.  I contacted Julie from Little Cotton Rabbits (her son is autistic) to ask permission to use her pattern. She readily agreed so I have started:

This is the beginning of the head and is knitted with the bamboo yarn that was left over from the little cardigan I knitted recently. By the way the baby was born last week - Ellie Rose - 9lbs 11oz. Wow I bet that stung! Mother and baby doing well.

We have had a few eggs from the Silkie hens this week but weren't sure which one was laying.  Today one was laid in the hen house and one in the pen. Hens can lay more than one egg per day but it is very unusual and often suggests a bit of a log jam rather than a prolific layer. Since the ladies are fit and well I am hopeful that they are both girls.

Will cooked some for our breakfast this morning - they are lush! Three little silkie eggs and one from the Cream Legbar. Free range eggs are much heavier than commercially produced eggs and they are very filling.

I had a lovely lunch today too:

Papaya and medjool dates all wooshed up in the liquidiser. I also added some of this:

Normally this is quite expensive but I picked this packet up at Aldi for £1.99 and it added a lovely nutty taste to the smoothie.  There was enough for two and, although I normally like to drink them as I make them, I have saved some to take to work tomorrow. Dates are high in iron and the medjool dates are lovely and sticky - like fudge. The seeds are good for the digestive system and the papaya has superfood enzymes. I'm not an avid follower of superfoods though. I just think you should get a good balance of things. I just wish I didn't like chocolate and cheese so much, it undoes all my good work.

I'm in the pink this week

Raspberry and yogurt cupcakes for the quilt class,

 and pink gerberas to brighten the sitting room.

How beautiful are they? Look at the lovely inner petals and the deep deep chocolate brown centre. 

This evening I am planning to do some more squares,

When I have completed the unfinished ones shown here I will have more than sixty.  I'll do these whilst watching Vera and nibbling on a couple of choc chip cookies, fresh from the oven - and yes there is a half one on the top row - a cook should always check for taste!

Let's hope the weather stays as lovely this week as it has been for the last few days.