A giveaway very soon!

As Autumn is very nearly upon us I am thinking of doing a little giveaway to celebrate the changing of the season.

Although I love the Summer, I do like to look forward to Autumn with it's chilly mornings and darker nights (not to mention that it means my birthday is nearer too!)

I am not sure quite what it will be yet, but keep dropping by and you will find out really soon :o)

Some more goodies!

At the weekend we popped into town to get some jeans for Richard, and as we were passing I had to look in the local wool shop.

I spied this at a reduced price, so whipped some up to make a Christmas scarf for my Mum. I didn't really have a pattern in mine, but after searching Ravelry, I came across this So Called Scarf.

The pattern is really easy to memorise and the effect isn't too bad, although I think it would look better in a smoother yarn.

Here is my WIP,

and a close up of the pattern from the side view. Not too bad I think?

What a lovely package !?!

My lovely package of yarn arrived yesterday destined to be turned into some little rabbits for Christmas. My favourite is the Sublime Merino Angora DK, it is just so soft and will make lovely fluffy bunnies.

I have also been thinking about Christmas gifts (I know it's early, but if I don't start thinking about it I will never ger around to making anything.)


I bought this beautiful soft yarn to make my sister Cecile, which I made for myself last winter. She finds wool itchy like me, so this Merino wool shouldn't bother her at all as it is so soft and I don't find it irritating at all (I can't wear normal wool either for the same reason).

I think she will like the colour and she is always on at me to make her a beanie!


I also have plenty of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in my stash, so I'm planning to make Mum (and myself) a pair of Fetching wrist warmers. The pattern says that it only takes one ball, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed as I only have one in the dusty pink I want to use. I do have 5 balls of purple, so I know I can get some more from that!

A jumper for baby 'B'

With the thought of a new arrival on the horizon and an ever growing stash, I thought I would put it to good use and make somethings with all the yarn I have.

The first is this Fred sweater which I think is beautiful. I'm using a really soft yarn so I hope baby will apppreciate it once he/she is born (we decided not to find out!)

What a busy weekend!

We had a busy but enjoyable weekend this week. First we went to the Essex Country Show at Barleylands Farm in Billericay.

It turned out really warm and we had a great day. It was just a shame we didn't get to see it all in one day.

Sunday Richard and I did a boot sale to raise some much needed holiday funds and to make a bit of room for our new arrival who is due early February next year. We made a good profit and I actually enjoyed myself.

This year I gave myself a treat and held an owl. She was a European Eagle owl and weighs about 9lb (without feathers) so I was told. She had the most beautiful orange eyes and I even stroked her chest - but very carefully!

Here are a few pics from Saturday.

Leah and I enjoyed a ride on the carousel and she smiled the whole time!

There were lots of draught horses pulling traditional ploughs in the field, so here are a few of my favourites.

This one was called Ben and he even turned to the camera when I called him!

Cornwall part four - Lanhydrock

While we are away we always try to visit some National Trust houses and gardens, so this year we weny to Lanhydrock near Bodmin.

It really was a great house to visit and you could look in almost 50 rooms! That is a lot to see.

I'll leave you with some pictures.

Cornwall 2009 - Part three, St. Ives

Here we are are in St. Ives, one of our favourite places. We always visit at least once! If you can see the board in the photo advertising Ghost Walks, well we took part on one of those quite a few years ago and it was really good, but not very scary! More a tour around the back streets in the dark.

We had a nice lunch in the Seafood cafe and it was yummy! I had a really tasty fish stew with some delicious bread.

There were rib rides taking place from the harbour, so we took a photo of the people on their way out. rather them than me, I'm sure they got wet!

We took a walk along the harbour wall - I wonder what they can see? (see later pictures)

This is the view across the water to the other side of the harbour......

......and this is the other view where you can see Porthminster beach. it looks beautiful.

This is what they spied, a cheeky seal. I wonder if it is the same one I blogged about last year??

Cornwall part two - the cider farm and the beach

We visited the local cider farm to taste all the jams and chutneys and to see the animals.

There is 'Stumpy' the highland cow,

some cute pigmy goats,

and some pigglies!

In the afternoon we went to Porthtowan beach as Leah was dying to get into the sea. She just loved it!

What a shame the tide was coming in - as the beach is much more beautiful when you can see the glorious sands. This isn't too bad a view anyway.

Hello Pip Pip!

I finished a little seaside bunny today and Leah has adopted her already. I liked the way she turned out, I just found it a little difficult to attach the head as you have ot do it on top of the sailor collar rather than direct on the body.

Due to this her head is a little wobbly but still firmly attached :o)

Leah has called her 'Pip Pip'


I think she makes a wonderful model!

Cornwall 2009 - part one - Pendennis Castle, Falmouth

We decided to take a trip into Falmouth on the first Sunday, to do a bit of shopping and to have a look around.

We picked up some pasties and sausage rolls to have for a picnic later that day. As we were going to visit Pendennis Castle we thought we'd have the picnic there (or 'picpic'as Leah calls it).

There wasn't much eating going on really.....

.....more messing about!

Here is a lovely photo of the Castle....

We carefully climbed up the spiral staircases to reach the battlements at the top. The views are fantastic from up there.

You can see across the Fal estuary to see St Mawes castle.....

.....what a stunning view of the sea- and lots of big boats moored up.

Leah and I didn't make it right to the top, mainly because I am the one who has to carry her up there! Instead we went back down and Rich took a picture of us from the top (zoomed in to the max!)

Baking some yummy cookies!

For some very strange reason I decided to bake some cookies with Leah this morning at 9am!

I was pleased with them and they are very tasty :o) They contain almonds, so I made sure the praline was in small pieces so Leah doesn't choke on them, unfortunately I like them more than her.

Here is the recipe anyway, in case you'd like to bake them.

For the praline

3oz sugar

1 oz of flaked almonds

for the cookies

60z plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

4oz butter or cooking margarine, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp water

first you have to make the praline. Put the sugar and almonds in a heavy based saucepan and put on a medium heat until sugar has melted and turned a golden colour.

Pour onto a greased and lined baking tray and leave until cold. Once cols break into small pieces and put in a polythene bag. Bang with a rolling pin until the consistency you want to be in your cookies.

Pre heat your oven to gas mark 3, 165 degrees.

Sieve the flour and baking powder together and put aside for later. Cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract.

Add the flour and water alternately and mix until smooth. Once to this stage stir in the praline.

Put rounded teaspoons of the mix at 5cm/2inch intervals onto a well greased baking sheet.

bake for 16-20 mins or until brown at the edges.

remove from oven and leave on the baking tray for two minutes, then remove fully onto a wire rack for cooling.

The recipe should make about 36 depending on the size cookies you make.

Enjoy!

Back from our hols....

Sorry for not being about for the last two weeks or so, luckily we have been enjoying ourselves in sunny Cornwall!

Funnily enough we stayed in exactly the same place as Lissy Lou and the Two Little Boys so it is well worth popping by her blog to see what she was up to.

We have a new camera, so I have to get to grips with that before being able to post on some of our photos. Please be patient, as Richard is also planning a quiz this Saturday night, so he's been hogging the laptop in the evenings!