Easter Bunny!

I have just finished making this bunny egg cosy from a "little cotton rabbits"pattern after much gnashing of teeth and tearing of hair! It looks so easy but in fact it is quite difficult to get it to look exactly like the adorable rabbit on the photo on the front of the pattern. I made him in cotton so he is easy to wash - am now making another one to hopefully get a better finish. I did enjoy making him despite the problems - there are a few rejected heads, ears etc lying round the room now!!

custard cupcakes!

Made these delicious cupcakes today and wanted to share the recipe as they are really easy to make and also made with stuff that you usually have in the cupboard which is always a good idea. There is nothing worse than finding a recipe you like and then you do not have all the ingredients to hand! I found it in the BBC good food magazine and it is:

100g custard powder

200g butter

2 eggs

4 tablespoons milk

140g caster sugar

100g self raising

Heat oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4

Beat custard powder,butter, milk and eggs together and stir in sugar, then fold in flour. Spoon into 12 muffin cases.

Bake for 20 minutes and leave to cool

Make up some glace icing with 200g icing sugar, few drops of vanilla extract and enough water to make a thickish paste. Spread on the cupcakes and then add some sprinkles and enjoy!

"Heather Bailey" magic !

my mother's day gift from my daughter was this "Heather Bailey" pattern for "freshpicked pincushions" - a pear,apple tomato and two strawberries- it is so delicious and I can't wait to make them - I think great things are expected so I will have to take my time and do them properly!! I always get really impatient to get new projects finished so tend to rush them and then make mistakes.... need to calm down and take my time- can patience be learned?-it has never been one of my strong points. The pattern for the pear looks particularly gorgeous and might be too nice to stick pins in- perhaps it will just be a little sculpture or I might fill it with dried lavender...

The fabrics were included and they are really beautiful- they seem to "sing" together- don't you think? and are really vibrant colours...

little pink Birdie!!

This is my third attempt to make a little bird!! And he is far from perfect so will have to keep trying ... the legs are really difficult to attach but think I will try superglue next time just to stop them from twisting...

Mother's Day Memories!

To my beautiful daughter on your first Mother's day with little m - we were talking about childhood memories the other day and I remembered that I had carefully saved these cards which were handmade by you many many years ago and I thought that you would like to see them again... do you remember making them for me? They were very special to me which is why I have kept them. You were very creative and artistic when you were a small child and also very loving ...

I am so proud and happy that you are being such a wonderful mother to little m and you inspire and amaze me with whatever you do- love you very much xx

First warm Day!!!

Yesterday was the most perfect spring day and the temperature rose to a unbelievable 17degrees so spent an afternoon pottering in the garden and admiring my favourite plant - the Lenten Rose- which has just come into flower....

My Pieris is fantastic at this time of the year and is just a mass of creamy white blossom- no wonder it is called the" lily of the valley" plant! It is in bloom quite early this year and is a joy to look at...

And my bucket of hyacinths are in full bloom and smell divine - it is good for the soul to spend time in the garden with time to think ..and watch my favourite bird- the blackbird - collecting nesting material - hope they succeed this year as they usually get chased away from their patch by the bossy magpies!!

Easter Dollies!!

I had fun making these two - and they will be easter gifts for two special little girls! Think that I will make a little chicken to put in the pocket of the bigger doll .... and now it's on to the next project and I have a long list ...

Vintage greetings cards!

This weekend my sister and I were looking through a memory box that belonged to our late parents and discovered this really cute greetings card from the 1950's possibly early 1960's ? It looks so kitsch with the poodle holding a basket and the random birdcage and umbrella- what's all that about? The birdcage is made of a silky fabric and padded and inside the card is another picture of a poodle holding somes roses- I really love it!! I seem to remember that poodles were really fashionable in the 50;s in designs and ofcourse as pets!

Red Velvet and Tea....

Here is a lovely recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes allegedly made famous from featuring in the 1989 film Steel Magnolias!! They are totally moreish and delicious:

125g butter

165g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

185 g self raising flour

25g cocoa powder

125ml buttermilk

2 teaspoons red food colouring

Preheat oven to 160 c. Beat butter and sugar until really light and fluffy and then add eggs and beat well. Add flour cocoa powder, buttermilk and food colouring and beat until just combined. Spoon into 12 muffin cases and bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack...

Cream cheese frosting :-

250g cream cheese ( philadelphia is good)

50g softened butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

80g icing sugar mix

Beat cream cheese, vanilla and butter until pale and creamy then add icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Spread on cupcakes with a palette knife ....

and enjoy with a nice cup of tea - preferably Assam tea and especially when drunk out of a beautiful vintage cup and saucer like this one - so pretty and lady-like... I always think tea tastes so much better when served from a china cup and even for every day it tastes good from a china mug. What better way to enjoy and hour or so ...

It is no wonder that tea ia a national institution in Britain - everything seems right with the world after a brew and it is a cure for many troubled minds - giving one time to contemplate while sipping the delicate golden nectar!!

ENJOY!!

ORANGE!!

Just finished this little

"Stash and Dash" bag from an Amy Butler pattern. And have used Orange fabric for a change... not completely satisfied with it so will have to make another but perhaps in cool greens....

Spring has Sprung!!

Had a lovely walk in our "local" countryside on sunday and it was good to be out in the

fresh air and have the sun on your back for a change. Good to see crocus and daffodils which are my favourite spring flowers and catkins and pussy willow all in bloom.