Busy Life!

I have been busy busy as usual. Trying hard to finish my Mums Christmas present as I’m itching to start another gift! I’m always on “what next” mode, a great planner but not a great finisher. However,knowing this very fact about myself does give me the impetus to try to finish stuff eventually.

I have also been busy adding stuff to my Etsy shop noddfacrafts. I have added these gorgeous creamy, leather gloves. They belonged to my Grandmother but have never been worn. The gloves come in their original packaging and with the swing tag still attatched. They are truly vintage and I hope that someone will like to buy them.

I have included a cosy Mohair wrap or shawl that I found in Yorkshire earlier this year. The pictures are slightly off colour as the shawl is a delightful blend of light green hues rather than tans but it is lovely.

Cafe, Cake and Coffee

Cakes are cooked ( well almost!) and all is ready for the Cilcain Community Coffee morning this coming Saturday. I’ve just got to make a batch of cup cakes and we are ready. The charity is ” Breakthrough For Breast Cancer” This is the research arm in the battle to find more out about this disease.

I have raised money for this and other Breast Cancer charities during much of my career as a Radiographer and Mammographer. When I worked full time I used to arrange for all the staff in our small XRay department to ditch their uniform tops and wear pink, breast cancer support Tee Shirts with black trousers. We ditched the uniform every October for many years. This served two objectives

1) patients sponsored us and

2) The staff enjoyed a change from formal white uniforms and raised the cheerfulness level in the department!

We all enjoyed tracking down new sponsored tee shirts and wearing pink to support the charity. I do have a fine collection of Breast Cancer Tee shirts!

One year a friend and I walked “The Moon Walk” marathon through London wearing bras decorated with tassels, fringing, bobbles and anything we could sew on. 26 miles is one heck of a walk! This was in aid of Breast Cancer research. The very best part was walking past a London Fire Station whilst being cheered on by the Firemen. Don’t you just love a man in uniform?

I will post about the cafe next week.

Cheese scones and Gooseberry Jam

Today I have been so busy playing at being a “good housewife”! I have made Gooseberry jam I’m really getting into jam making. It is so easy. I used gooseberries that were in my freezer which my neighbours girls were selling at their gate this summer. I looked online for the recipe and was amazed when the jam turned a yummy pink colour. The recipe did say that it would but I didn’t believe it! We used to call gooseberries “goose gogs” when I was a child. I think that one of the jars will go back to my neighbour who supplied the berries. I do love giving home made food as gifts.

Whilst the jam was cooking I made a cheese scone ring. How about that for multi tasking? This was a Mary Berry recipe, again found on line ( she’s my current heroine). This scone is destined to be given away as well. This makes it all low calorie I suppose. I’m off to daughters tomorrow, who has guests staying. I am joining them for afternoon tea and thought this scone ring would make a good contribution with some lovely butter. I’ve not tasted it yet so I hope it’s OK.

This is a real baking week as I am organising a Community Cafe in my village on Saturday in aid off Breakthrough For Breast Cancer. This cafe will be from 2pm till 5 pm and we hope to sell lots of cake/tea/coffee for this good cause. Various friends have offered to come to help and most importantly, contribute cake. I currently have Chocolate cake,Victoria sandwich, a variety of sponge buns, and Bara Brith in my freezer. I just need to bake a little more. Maybe another cheese scone ring would be good mmmmm.

I will report back next week after the cafe and let you know how much we make.

Blacksheepwools.com

When I recently won this Blogger award I decided to pay Black Sheep Wools craft barn a visit as it is not too far from my Mothers home. What a treat! It is a haven of yarns, threads, fabrics and patterns. The staff were so nice and incredibly helpfull. I bought some fabulous Mohair yarn by Rowan which I will show you at a later date. My winning voucher contributed to this. Because I had chosen a pattern from 1952 to knit the staff patiently converted the yarn to the Rowan mohair. I WILL NOT start to knit this yarn until I have finished my current project. There I’ve put it into words so now I must complete project in hand!!

I thought that the crocheted throw was lovely I think that it is colour that attracts me. I was also attracted to the coffee shop in Black Sheep Wools. They make wonderful scones and what better excuse to visit such a fantastic craft shop!

If you wish to see my blog take a look at http://www.blacksheepwools.com and hit the blog button. What a great day out I had!

Forgiven but not Forgotten!

After the recent trauma of Benji dog destroying my vintage blanket I have decided to forgive him how could I not? He has obviously forgotten that he ever did anything wrong! The blanket has taken up temporary residence hung over the stairs with some other favourite textiles. Actually it looks quite good if you ignore the shredded bits.

I will have to decide what to do with the blanket in the longer term. Because of its special history I would like to keep it, but I can only think of cushions. The hole in the middle means it won’t make a lap blanket. Has anyone any good ideas?

Grandchildren have just invaded our house for a week. Guess what? They have brought Benji dog a present. It is a plushy toy that he is currently enjoying trying to destroy!

Vintage Blanket Destroyed!

Some of you may (or may not!) remember that in August I blogged about my much loved vintage blanket. Well I have to report that it has befell a tragic incident. Benji the dog seems to have taken an interest in it and virtually destroyed it. This is the only item that he has wrecked since he moved in with us twelve months ago and I’m still in a state of shock. He seems to enjoy pulling at loose threads and I think he took a fancy to the blanket’s fringe.

I remember Reminiscing about my childhood illnesses virtually being cured when I was wrapped in it as a child and my Mum attempting a vintage repair. Ah well! Nothing lasts forever as they say! I cannot bring myself to throw it out so maybe I will come up with a recycling project for it. I will report on this when I am over the shock.

A Walk Around Derwntwater

 We are camped on the edge of beautiful Derwentwater, Cumbria. Itis a beautiful location looking over the lake towards the Fells. The weather is cool and crisp with gorgeous Autumnal colours. We have dodged heavy rain at night when we are cosy in Damnvan1.

This is the time when I indulge my need to craft, knit, read  and play on line scrabble! I am still working on Mum’s Christmas present of a shawl.( I’m OK to go public as she will definately NOT read this blog!) The shawl,or wrap, feels like something of a monster at the moment and has taken on a life of its own. I think that this is because I’m on the last leg and the last few inches always seem to take the longest. Anyway if everything else fails I know that it has been knit with great love.

Benji dog really enjoys the outdoor life. Actually he is really frightened of the visiting geese who arrive  every morning. They are enjoying the fallen apples for breakfast each day.

Coniston Old Man

Photo by Ann Bowker

“Coniston Old Man” is the name of the Fell situated by Coniston Lake in The Lake District, England. This fell is 2634 feet (803m) high and is popular with hikers, walkers and climbers. In fact Hubs remarked that is the only reason to visit Coniston Village! Not so! There are pubs, cafés shops and a beautiful lake.

Between foodie places and the few shops we came across one particular shop with the intriguing name of “Honest Shop”. Of course I had to pop inside to research it. It was a small craft shop filled with home made cards, small knitted goods, books, plants, cakes and treats. All this with just an honesty box for payment! There was a notice stating that they had sold just under £2000 goods in the last year. How good is that? It goes a long way to restore my faith in honest folk.

Coniston Hall, Cumbria

We are away in Damnvan1 for a few days. We decided to head to the Lake District, Cumbria as it is beautiful any time of the year but particularly in the Autumn. We have not been disappointed! The colours are gorgeous and the weather is cold and crisp. We stayed in Windermere for the first night which wasn’t long enough. This gives us the perfect excuse to return at some time! We have spent two nights in Coniston and tomorrow we move on to Keswick. Life is good and I am fulfilling my mantra “adventure before dementia!”

In Coniston we had a walk down into the village and back along the lake to our campsite. En route we passed Coniston Hall. This is in the ownership of the National Trust but it isn’t open to visitors. It is a Medieval Hall built in or before the late 16th Century. A looooong time ago so remarkable that it still stands. It is currently part farm house, part sailing club and part ruin. I particularly like the grassed ramp leading up to the hall entrance. I suspect that this was for the animals to enter the property in Medieval times. I do know that it was common practice for the animals to live on the ground floor whilst the family and workers lived above them. The animals provided warmth for the people in the cold winter months and believe me it can get cold around here! An impressive building standing on Coniston Lake shore.

Watch this space for more information on my Blogger of the Month award!

Birth Place of Robbie Burns

 On our recent trip to Scotland we visited the house where Robbie Burns was born. This beautiful, low cottage has been restored to demonstrate life in the1760s. There was a lovely rag rug in front of the fire which I suspect wasn’t the rug that Robbie learned to crawl on!

I saw the box bed where Robbie was born, the first of seven children. Interestingly they have hung old linen babies night gowns, each had the name of a child embroidered on them, born in the box bed. Strangely there was a light inside each gown which appeared rather spooky. In fact I couldn’t get out of the room fast enough.

I am fairly certain that the phrases and slogans were not painted on the walls in Robbie’s day. This is a rather odd, modern idea designed to illustrate the times I suppose.

Robbie Burns lived in this cottage until he was seven years old in1766. He went on to become the best known Scottish poet and lyricist that Scotland has ever produced. He was also known as “Rabbie Burns” and was born in Alloway, Ayrshire, Scotland.

Tomorrow I am off to The Black Sheep Wools which is very exciting. I can browse, plan and choose another project to start. I will report back and let you know what comes next! Watch this space.