tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50734556719882090202024-03-13T03:46:17.622+00:00sew-togetherWomen who came together because of a love of quilting but found that they had much more in common ....Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-80743268712009551452011-11-18T15:27:00.001+00:002011-12-21T15:57:04.355+00:00The Last Post<div style="text-align: justify;">
Over the last couple of years illness, house moves and personal traumas have changed the dynamics of our group, and only firm friendships within it have stood the test of time. During the time we spent together our little group had collectively made a series of small quilts for children, with no firm destination for them in mind.</div>
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Not long after the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12709598" target="_blank">tsunami</a> struck Japan earlier this year <a href="http://www.quiltersguild.org.uk/index.php?page=104&item=341&region=0" target="_blank">Midsomer Quilting</a> responded to an appeal for quilts to help people who had lost everything in this disaster, and Sharon, Angela and Imogen decided to take our finished stash to them at Chilcompton to be shipped (with no charge to us) to Japan. On the morning the three of us took them over there I think the shop was being overwhelmed by the numbers of people donating the most beautiful quilts, we were pleased to have been part of this practical way of showing our sympathy to a beleaguered nation.</div>
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So with this last post we are saying goodbye and thank you to those people who have been interested in our little group. Like all craftspersons we continue to work on but in our separate ways!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HJSQxGkortg/TvIAi8W-mlI/AAAAAAAAAso/vraaO5yQynQ/s1600/Quilts+in+Japan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HJSQxGkortg/TvIAi8W-mlI/AAAAAAAAAso/vraaO5yQynQ/s1600/Quilts+in+Japan.jpg" /></a></div>
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These two photos are taken from an article 'Quilts to Japan' written by Chris Howell from Midsomer Quilting for the December issue 2011 of British Patchwork & Quilting. </div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-82888991353892997562010-07-21T20:07:00.001+01:002010-09-26T08:50:28.353+01:00Secret Pocket Lady<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had lots of fun last week making this "Secret Pocket Lady" skirt! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">My job share Karen borrowed one of these skirts, also called "The Walking Lucky Dip," a few years ago. We took turns wearing it at our school's annual Summer BBQ.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Karen had to return the skirt and I never quite got around to making one, as promised. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">That is until this year! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_d3hTf0OGp1I/TEc7chRshuI/AAAAAAAAAww/2CYRUid5ydw/s1600/SPL+SKIRT+KAREN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_d3hTf0OGp1I/TEc7chRshuI/AAAAAAAAAww/2CYRUid5ydw/s320/SPL+SKIRT+KAREN.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The skirt was made using fabric up-cycled from some classroom drapes and a few new quarter metres of "brights" for pockets with some flowers bonded on top. The finishing touch - lime green ribbon! There was also a bright patchwork bandanna to add to the overall "look."</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_d3hTf0OGp1I/TEc7gauDpKI/AAAAAAAAAw4/Y7SRR3lmDiw/s1600/SPL+SKIRT+SHARON.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_d3hTf0OGp1I/TEc7gauDpKI/AAAAAAAAAw4/Y7SRR3lmDiw/s320/SPL+SKIRT+SHARON.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How it works: </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The skirt has 20 pockets, each containing a prize. For the price of 20p, the child chooses any pocket and receives a surprise!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Karen and I had lots of fun taking turns wearing the skirt, raising a bit of money for our school and seeing the children's faces when they realised that the lady wearing a funny outfit that day was a teacher! </span></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18135526615234725193noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-75070870617434172622010-05-01T15:27:00.003+01:002017-09-11T16:45:51.710+01:00Red and White Yo-Yo Quilt<span id="goog_1287611916"></span><span id="goog_1287611917"></span><span id="goog_1287611918"></span><span id="goog_1287611919"></span><span id="goog_1287611920"></span><span id="goog_1287611921"></span><span id="goog_1287611922"></span><span id="goog_1287611923"></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_d3hTf0OGp1I/S9wU86aAZvI/AAAAAAAAAb0/erM2v07y1xI/s1600/IMG_0456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_d3hTf0OGp1I/S9wU86aAZvI/AAAAAAAAAb0/erM2v07y1xI/s400/IMG_0456.JPG" tt="true" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A couple of years ago I saw a picture of a quilt similar to this at </span><a href="http://www1.gooseberrypatch.com/"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Gooseberry Patch</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and fell in love with it! I simply felt I had to have one and then, typical me, put it to the back of my mind. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_d3hTf0OGp1I/S9wtSOORxJI/AAAAAAAAAcs/dtX1k1bgrh0/s1600/yo-yo+maker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_d3hTf0OGp1I/S9wtSOORxJI/AAAAAAAAAcs/dtX1k1bgrh0/s320/yo-yo+maker.jpg" tt="true" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The </span><a href="http://www.clover-usa.com/products/268066/Yo-Yo_Makers"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Clover</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> yo-yo maker craze was becoming big news here in England and so I gave it a try - it was so much quicker and easier than the "old fashioned" way which I found tedious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I love red and white fabric - I "just" happen to have a huge stash of it that gets replenished at every opportunity. And so began my days of yo-yo making.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I decided my quilt would need 400 of theses round beauties and divided my quilt into quarters - 100 yo-<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: #ffffff;">yo's</span> in each. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It took quit some time and 800 pins to get the balance of colour and pattern right - but I have to say it was such a pleasure to see it spread out on the table!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then came the hours of happily watching Poirot and appliqueing the yo-<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: #eeeeee;">yo's</span> by hand onto the white fabric.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For the backing, I knew I wanted red and white ticking. I was fortunate enough to find the "real thing" at my local fabric shop - and, as luck would have it, it was soft rather than stiff!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next, I tie quilted alternate yo-<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: #f3f3f3;">yo's</span> into place with red pearl cotton, the ties showing on the back. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_d3hTf0OGp1I/S9wZ8T4PvvI/AAAAAAAAAb8/A8JTrGMEL-0/s1600/Hera+Marker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_d3hTf0OGp1I/S9wZ8T4PvvI/AAAAAAAAAb8/A8JTrGMEL-0/s200/Hera+Marker.jpg" tt="true" width="66" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My biggest worry in making the quilt was marking the white fabric ready for quilting! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I used </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">a <a href="http://www.clover-usa.com/product/0/490%2BNV/_/Hera_Marker"><strong>Hera Marker</strong></a>, another fab product from Clover. "Easy to handle tracing spatula allows you to place pressure when marking on fabric. Perfect for quilting and sewing". Truer words have never been written!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, using pearl cotton, I quilted the border in simple straight lines and got the "look" that I wanted! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rather than traditional binding, I used my favourite method of folding in the edges to finish the quilt .</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My labour of love took 400 yo-<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: #eeeeee;">yo's</span> and two years to complete! I enjoyed EVERY minute</span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">of it - it was so much fun that I even made several cushions! </span></span></span></div>
sharonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18135526615234725193noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-35401563931622943692009-09-17T19:43:00.007+01:002009-09-17T19:52:40.045+01:00Tour of Britain Cycle Race<div align="justify"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SrKDesP4LXI/AAAAAAAAAd8/GUPnqgCbwwk/s1600-h/Tour+of+Britain+Bath+Street.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 377px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382509067958234482" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SrKDesP4LXI/AAAAAAAAAd8/GUPnqgCbwwk/s400/Tour+of+Britain+Bath+Street.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Today's leg of the Tour of Britain Cycle Race started in Frome, Somerset. A nice bright morning, the town centre and roads along the route were crowded with spectators. Here are a couple of the photos I took.</span></div><div align="justify"></div><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SrKDY8n3DnI/AAAAAAAAAd0/cnMUlimFGmE/s1600-h/Christchurch+Street.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382508969274576498" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SrKDY8n3DnI/AAAAAAAAAd0/cnMUlimFGmE/s400/Christchurch+Street.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-59330864500207812882009-09-14T14:34:00.009+01:002009-09-14T15:13:42.816+01:00The Throckmorton Coat<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We paid a visit to Coughton, (pronounced Coat-un) Court (owned by the National Trust) , while we were on holiday in Shropshire last week.</span><br /><br /><a style="FONT-FAMILY: trebuchet ms" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Sq5JdGJs8iI/AAAAAAAAAdM/irxB7_D7xMg/s%3Cspan"><br /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Sq5KXLPAVmI/AAAAAAAAAdU/hW9EUmndc3A/s1600-h/Throckmorton+Coat.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 270px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381320366767494754" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Sq5KXLPAVmI/AAAAAAAAAdU/hW9EUmndc3A/s400/Throckmorton+Coat.jpg" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is the home of the Throckmorton Coat, made (as the result of a wager) from wool shorn, spun, dyed, woven and sewn all between sunrise and sunset on 25th June 1811.</span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: trebuchet ms" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Sq5JdGJs8iI/AAAAAAAAAdM/irxB7_D7xMg/s%3Cspan"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></a><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Coughton Court has been in the Throckmorton family since 1409 when John de Throckmorton married into the de Spiney family. Home to one of the UK's oldest Catholic families, this house has witnessed defining moments in British history, from the court of Henry VIII to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.</span></div><div></div><div></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-77522684862277517802009-09-02T18:15:00.015+01:002009-09-02T19:35:21.532+01:00Bank Holiday in the Lake District<div align="left"><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Sp6qKLbC7MI/AAAAAAAAAdE/LFIAdPHlG1Q/s1600-h/Striding+Edge,+Helvellyn.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 341px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376922096968592578" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Sp6qKLbC7MI/AAAAAAAAAdE/LFIAdPHlG1Q/s400/Striding+Edge,+Helvellyn.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family:verdana;">Striding Edge, Helvellyn <span style="font-size:78%;">(photo from Wikipedia)</span></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><div align="justify"><br /><br />We went up to the Lake District over the Bank Holiday weekend because our son and 12 year-old granddaughter were going on a camping and walking trip from Glenridding to the top of Helvellyn. Our granddaughter had never been camping before, nor done a walk longer than a couple of hours or so, so it was all a great adventure.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><div align="left"><br /><br />I am very glad that I did no research into their route, because in the photo above, along the ridge, is the path to the top!!</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><div align="justify"><br /><br />Rather than camping, our daughter-in-law, Chris and I found a comfortable B & B in Keswick, and the three of us spent a pleasant Sunday ambling round the lakes and visiting Windermere while they were walking. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">The day started off quite well weather-wise, but by mid-day the mist was coming in and the rain started to fall again. We all met up in the Inn-by-the-Lake in Glenridding at the end of their walk. Unfortunately there was no hot food available late on a Sunday afternoon, so we made do with lots of hot coffee and sandwiches. Simon was pretty tired, but Kay was quite keen to go for a walk with her Grandad in the evening!! She told me that she didn't know that she was scared of heights until she was doing that path accross the ridge. We think she did amazingly well.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Sp6pzSGNJFI/AAAAAAAAAc8/AnZ6aO8hPc8/s1600-h/Umbrellas.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 340px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376921703623238738" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Sp6pzSGNJFI/AAAAAAAAAc8/AnZ6aO8hPc8/s400/Umbrellas.jpg" /> <p align="justify"></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">On Bank Holiday Monday we had said we would take a Boat Trip around Ullswater. This was the view from the window of the boat. It had been blowing a gale and pouring with rain all night. Kay slept through it, but Simon got soaked packing up the tent and spent the first hour of the boat trip hanging over the heater trying to warm up.</span><br /></p><div align="justify"></div><p align="justify"><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">We were all dressed for the weather and spent an exhilarating time on deck towards the end of the two and a half hour trip with tourists from all over the world.</span><br /></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Sp6o03S7EKI/AAAAAAAAAc0/SDV5ghoM8_c/s1600-h/Striding+Edge,+Helvellyn.jpg"></a><div align="center"><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="center"></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-67223553539290264042009-08-18T15:18:00.019+01:002009-08-23T11:24:19.255+01:00Pilling the Cat<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Soq_O17aCRI/AAAAAAAAAcs/Yce8tdCy8gE/s1600-h/Mitzi.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 387px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371315767308060946" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Soq_O17aCRI/AAAAAAAAAcs/Yce8tdCy8gE/s400/Mitzi.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Mitzi, about seven years ago</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We have just been cat sitting for our daughter-in-law, which as well as feeding the two cats and keeping them company meant pilling the older cat, Mitzi, twice a day.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I have to admit being a trifle nervous about this to start with, and had looked up opinion via Google. Definitely not encouraging, although there were some humourous anecdotes to jolly us along.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">In her youth Mitzi had not been the calmest of cats, and a tickling session could suddenly result in a scratch or nip so she surprised me by taking her pills, for a thyroid problem, in a resigned and laid back manner. I suppose she has become used to it, and knows that to get food this indignity has to be borne, although on the next to last morning she clamped her teeth together like a small child refusing his breakfast and a little more persuasion had to be used, twice, as she spat it out the first time.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><a href="http://www.simonscat.com/">http://www.simonscat.com/</a> has some lovely little clips about life with a cat.</span></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-30356321125401368282009-06-19T14:04:00.003+01:002009-06-19T14:13:32.598+01:00Gravity!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SjuNbu87ZMI/AAAAAAAAAC8/LTskG_D4cos/s1600-h/Blog+June09+059.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SjuNbu87ZMI/AAAAAAAAAC8/LTskG_D4cos/s400/Blog+June09+059.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349024490032161986" border="0" /></a>Every spring I struggle to tie up the hyacinths and it always spoils how they look. In fact it makes them look ugly. Then this spring I thought.... why fight nature? Let gravity do it's worst and hey presto! The hyacinths looked like this - elegant and ravishing! So listen up all you female senoir citizens! Gravity is nature's way of saying... that's how you're meant to be and you are GORGEOUS!Imogenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05382812689169565261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-89541946404105419662009-06-19T13:27:00.006+01:002009-06-19T14:02:51.450+01:00All Things White and Beautiful<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SjuIrF_mz8I/AAAAAAAAAC0/pQ7wu57BLbs/s1600-h/Blog+June09+052.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SjuIrF_mz8I/AAAAAAAAAC0/pQ7wu57BLbs/s400/Blog+June09+052.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349019256357310402" border="0" /></a>My garden at night under a blanket of freshly falling snow. I couldn't go to bed for gazing at it's beauty - every twig and tiny ledge accentuating the garden's architecture.<br /><br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SjuHR_xss6I/AAAAAAAAACs/HW53Ex8TpgU/s1600-h/Blog+June09+060.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SjuHR_xss6I/AAAAAAAAACs/HW53Ex8TpgU/s400/Blog+June09+060.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349017725680006050" border="0" /></a>Snowdrops in my garden early in the year - exquisite! A surge of life and hope from the death of winter; the Master Gardener at work.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SjuGa7YiZ3I/AAAAAAAAACk/Bt59t3xrFbM/s1600-h/Blog+June09+058.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SjuGa7YiZ3I/AAAAAAAAACk/Bt59t3xrFbM/s400/Blog+June09+058.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349016779607926642" border="0" /></a>Roses from my husband for St. Valentine's Day - ever the romantic at 71!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SjuFBohfUMI/AAAAAAAAACc/f12kzcxABOI/s1600-h/Blog+June09+044.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SjuFBohfUMI/AAAAAAAAACc/f12kzcxABOI/s400/Blog+June09+044.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349015245536841922" border="0" /></a>These are no ordinary cupcakes! These are ANGELA'S cupcakes - mixed and baked by Angela, in Angela's kitchen. ( read in sexy voice!) Thankyou Angela for an idyllic morning.<br /><br /><br />I should have published this blog in February but my life was taken up with the difficult journey of a very special human being and dear friend Jan. I dedicate it to her memory - she had SUCH a ZEST for life in all it's richness, it's joys and sorrows, it's beauty, humour and ultimate mystery.Imogenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05382812689169565261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-53274175575455866452009-03-15T15:50:00.009+00:002009-03-15T16:03:50.133+00:00Domino Knitting<div align="justify"><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is my first attempt at Domino Knitting, very simple to do, but doesn't look it! My friend Joan heard about it first, and showed me how it was done, then lent me a little book by Vivian Hoxbro. My sample piece would look a lot better if I had pressed it, but I think I might felt it before possibly making it into a cushion cover.</span></div><div align="justify"><br /><br /><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Sb0kEFZPHcI/AAAAAAAAAbs/rHkSca9nNpY/s1600-h/Domino+Knitting.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313442787953155522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 336px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 339px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Sb0kEFZPHcI/AAAAAAAAAbs/rHkSca9nNpY/s400/Domino+Knitting.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />I had to get my own copy of the book of course, it is very well written, and contains instructions for several projects.<br /><br /><br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Sb0j5v3SECI/AAAAAAAAAbk/MXkCfXEzM9M/s1600-h/Book.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313442610374905890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 327px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/Sb0j5v3SECI/AAAAAAAAAbk/MXkCfXEzM9M/s400/Book.jpg" border="0" /></a>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-27882192672161893992009-03-12T16:01:00.010+00:002009-03-12T16:24:18.689+00:00Clever Girl<p align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SbkyjncHkDI/AAAAAAAAAbU/CA0EPTFv2Y0/s1600-h/Sharon+with+knitted+friend.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312332822923939890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 280px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 366px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SbkyjncHkDI/AAAAAAAAAbU/CA0EPTFv2Y0/s400/Sharon+with+knitted+friend.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I was doing a bit of half-hearted tidying up a couple of days ago and came across a scrapbook of photos of past projects.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This one of a rather reluctant Sharon was taken by me in 1994, because she had just finished knitting this doll for her young son, who desperately wanted one. They were all the rage at the time and I think there were several different characters. </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">But what was truly amazing was that Sharon had never knitted before, and still says she can't knit. All for love, says Sharon, her child wanted one and that was the only way of getting it for him.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span> </p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Below are a couple of cupcake pins, which I am lucky enough to have, one for me and one for my granddaughter, also made by Sharon. Utterly delicious. If you want one for yourself she has a contact e-mail address on her embryonic web site <a href="http://www.faeriegodmothers.co.uk/">www.faeriegodmothers.co.uk</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span> </p><p> </p><p align="justify"><br /></p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SbkybM7Sp2I/AAAAAAAAAbM/8ECd-cY3XSU/s1600-h/cupcake+heaven.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312332678367979362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SbkybM7Sp2I/AAAAAAAAAbM/8ECd-cY3XSU/s400/cupcake+heaven.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SbkyIU9nugI/AAAAAAAAAbE/GwViF5BbeZc/s1600-h/Sharon+with+knitted+friend.jpg"></a>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-21528151309457790242009-02-18T10:34:00.018+00:002009-02-18T11:14:48.168+00:00Dementia and Snowdrops<p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SZvo1f_x4HI/AAAAAAAAAas/t7wIZs20p-Q/s1600-h/snowdrop+section+(437+x+655).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304088991978610802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SZvo1f_x4HI/AAAAAAAAAas/t7wIZs20p-Q/s400/snowdrop+section+(437+x+655).jpg" border="0" /></a> </p><p></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />When the snow had melted we found that the snowdrops had come into flower. Florrie, an elderly friend, a true country woman, now long dead, called these 'God's Innocent Children' which is a bit tear-jerking but somehow so very apt.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />The photo has absolutely nothing to do with the article which follows, from today's Telegraph, which, as I keep thinking my memory is failing, cheered me up.</span><br /><br /></p><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Quilting</span>, pottery and computer games 'may cut risk of dementia'<br /></span></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Taking up hobbies such as quilting, pottery and even playing computer games in later life may substantially cut the risk of dementia, a new study suggests.<br /><br /><br />Crafts and other activities which exercise the brain, including reading novels and computer games, can all have a protective effect on the mind and help prevent memory loss, the study shows.<br />By contrast, watching television for hours on end significantly increased the chance of suffering problems, the research found.<br />Previous studies have shown that those with mentally demanding jobs and high levels of education were less likely to suffer the memory problems associated with the condition.<br />Researchers found that those with stimulating occupations were less at risk, even when they had physical damage to their brain cells.<br />The latest research will be seen as further proof that so-called "brain training" machines, such as the Nintendo DS advertised by Nicole Kidman, can help to delay brain decline.<br />Those who kept mentally active in their middle age, through reading, arts and crafts and other pursuits, were about 40 percent less likely to develop memory loss than those who did not.<br />The scientists found that those who kept mentally active in later years cut their chance of developing memory loss by between 30 and 50 per cent.<br />But volunteers who watched television programmes for more than seven hours a day in later years were also 50 per cent more likely to have memory problems than those who spent less than seven hours a day in front of the box. </span></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-60015559428398555912009-02-16T15:07:00.006+00:002009-02-16T15:22:35.461+00:00Chasing Rainbows<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SZmBZkEevrI/AAAAAAAAAak/O1cxcf6GuXI/s1600-h/Rainbow+(621+x+576).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303412312384650930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 371px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SZmBZkEevrI/AAAAAAAAAak/O1cxcf6GuXI/s400/Rainbow+(621+x+576).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />When I decided to post this picture I thought I would accompany it with a line or two about rainbows from some romantic poem or other. For a country that has a lot of rain there seems to be a singular dearth of positive thoughts about rainbows. It's all about chasing rainbows, rainbow's end, somewhere over the rainbow!</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />This was the most distinct rainbow photo I have ever taken, and it seemed to end in the field below us. I didn't rush out to look for the pot of gold, maybe I should have done, but the sheer delight of it appearing to be so close was it's own reward.</span></div><div></div><div></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-978493253835757672009-02-06T10:30:00.005+00:002009-02-06T10:39:18.298+00:00The Sling Bag<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SYwRcDz6F8I/AAAAAAAAAaU/3pojcBIAt-g/s1600-h/sling+bag+1+(735+x+1286).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299630035265263554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 229px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SYwRcDz6F8I/AAAAAAAAAaU/3pojcBIAt-g/s400/sling+bag+1+(735+x+1286).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Browsing around on the web a few days ago I found a picture of a sling bag, made from an Amy Butler pattern. I couldn't find a local stockist of this particular pattern, ( not even at Get Knitted, who stock a range of Amy Butler products) evidently it has been out for a while, so I made a sort of look-alike for myself. Not quite the same, I may have another attempt, but I am still pleased with it.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /><br /><br />Because of the regular snowfalls we are getting I have spent a lot of time sewing, as well as baking and eating!! A couple of UFOs have even been completed.</span></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-76710244426709945212009-01-22T18:00:00.009+00:002009-01-26T16:14:55.341+00:00Diddy's Quilt<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SX3hHXXffTI/AAAAAAAAAB8/eTNLEhCz1Ow/s1600-h/Quilts+038.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SX3hHXXffTI/AAAAAAAAAB8/eTNLEhCz1Ow/s400/Quilts+038.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295636253505453362" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SX3gVb0V13I/AAAAAAAAAB0/ZEdXBUpZMfY/s1600-h/Quilts+037.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SX3gVb0V13I/AAAAAAAAAB0/ZEdXBUpZMfY/s400/Quilts+037.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295635395706738546" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SX3ffSBuVzI/AAAAAAAAABs/CeKcLZTag_4/s1600-h/Quilts+009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SX3ffSBuVzI/AAAAAAAAABs/CeKcLZTag_4/s400/Quilts+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295634465365579570" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Some quilters give their quilts /work of art a name. I don't but this quilt is an exception- it should be called 'Lucky' - third time lucky! The piecing has been completed and redesigned three times and has been a real learning curve for me. Why? THE COLOUR PURPLE!! After finishing my third quilt I felt I could call myself a quilter and decided that I would do one for my schoolfriend of fifty years. I forgot momentarily after announcing this to her, that she taught A level textiles among other things! However she was delighted but had to wait a few years! She said she wanted pinks and purples in Ohio star (which she seen on one I had done). In excited anticipation we chose some gorgeous fabrics together which I added to over time,and meanwhile busied myself making a cream quilt for my daughter and her husband.<br /> Then three years ago I started - with the Ohio star and fabrics as planned. When the blocks were assembled, it was alright, in fact quite nice -- but that is all. It did not have the WOW factor that I wanted. Remember this was going to be a gift for my dear school friend. SO - I took it all to pieces and started again. I tried larger blocks using pinwheel and abandoned some of the pinks, thinking that that was the problem but as I worked I had my doubts and wondered why. When it was finished I looked at it with utter depression because that was the effect of the fabrics. I would not have liked either to sleep under it or see it in the morning. How was I going to make a pink and purple quilt for Diddy that I actually liked? Answer - call a quilting friend! My mistake was to choose very beautiful COLD tones instead of warm. The fabrics were re-sorted and many abandoned. Then taking one warm purple fabric, I went back to the fabric shop and started again.<br /> This time the fabrics felt right but I didn't know what design to sew. I decided on two blocks of all the ones I'd never tried - eighteen pairs altogether. My friend likes symmetry and I like random so I went for a compromise - several different blocks and an a-symmetrical design.The overall link was one particular fabric in every block. My family were very interested, supportive and encouraging - it became a family enterprise! I loved sewing new blocks and when all thirty-six were completed I laid them out on the dining room floor and started to arrange them. They were swapped around many times over the next week until I had created the design. It was amazing how this came about really. My husband said the quilt was exotic and I knew I thought so too. This was what I had had in my mind's eye in the first place - a quilt that looked jewelled. I sashed them together with a mauve batik looking fabric. I added a half inch dark purple border inside the outside sashing, which framed it and finished off with an inch of the dark purple for the edge.The giving of this quilt just before Christmas was very special for me. To create and make something entirely original , that you really love,and then give it away to someone special---that makes it all worth the effort! My school friend loves it. In fact I can hear her saying ''Imie! I LOVE it!''<br /></span></div>Imogenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05382812689169565261noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-70874974471366512032008-12-23T11:26:00.014+00:002008-12-23T11:56:13.755+00:00Celebrating the Season<span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Our niece Jo calls this her credit crunch Christmas tree. She spotted it on the shoreline of her local beach a few weeks ago, part of a tree that had been tossed about by the sea. Although interested in its possibilities she was on foot and left it on the beach. Days later she drove to the beach, not expecting to find it again, but it had been tossed far enough by the waves to keep it dry and shore bound. Here it is, dressed for Christmas in her sitting room. Fantastic!</span></div><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SVDLzLgWo2I/AAAAAAAAAZk/POxT1N9CZAY/s1600-h/PC070307.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282946443027850082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SVDLzLgWo2I/AAAAAAAAAZk/POxT1N9CZAY/s400/PC070307.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SVDLqHvp6CI/AAAAAAAAAZc/W0eVJHOH0iY/s1600-h/PC070298.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282946287399462946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SVDLqHvp6CI/AAAAAAAAAZc/W0eVJHOH0iY/s400/PC070298.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SVDLgFb4BjI/AAAAAAAAAZU/6z1OXYLX6AI/s1600-h/PC070306.jpg"></a><br /> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SVDLWjUAI0I/AAAAAAAAAZM/_TupZ5aaSCg/s1600-h/First+Card.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282945951202288450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 272px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SVDLWjUAI0I/AAAAAAAAAZM/_TupZ5aaSCg/s400/First+Card.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Our granddaughter has been designing her own Christmas cards since a few months before her fifth birthday. The one above was her first and below is this years card. She creates them while staying over the October half-term holiday, and it is my great pleasure to print them.</span><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SVDLPwfAyQI/AAAAAAAAAZE/R27vUDv7s3w/s1600-h/This+year.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282945834479044866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 381px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SVDLPwfAyQI/AAAAAAAAAZE/R27vUDv7s3w/s400/This+year.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div> </div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SVDLCWgpFRI/AAAAAAAAAY8/x6fqGj3JcZM/s1600-h/xmas+sequins+and+beads.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282945604168258834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 383px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SVDLCWgpFRI/AAAAAAAAAY8/x6fqGj3JcZM/s400/xmas+sequins+and+beads.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And here is one of several quilted Christmas hangings I have made over the years. Each of the trees is decorated with beads and sequins. <span style="color:#cc0000;">Happy Christmas, everyone.</span></span></div></div></div></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-83132639804429426172008-11-19T15:20:00.016+00:002008-11-19T16:08:18.539+00:00Getting Knitted Now<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I first caught the sock bug because of Jennifer who attends the same Healthy Back Class that</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">Imogen and I go to. She was wearing a great pair of socks, and after I had admired them she told me she had knitted them herself.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Chris, my husband, is a great fan of hand-knitted woollen socks, having had innumerable pairs knitted for him in the past by his step-mother. Although she died at least five years ago, the socks live on!</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I found an amazing shop called <a href="http://www.getknitted.com/">Get Knitted</a> near Bristol, and came home with a selection of yarns and a set of 5 needles.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I didn't realise that you could get yarn that would 'self-stripe' so my first socks were, as in the picture below, knitted using seperate colours. This was my third pair from these three balls of yarn, and there is probably enough left for another two pairs.</span></div><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SSQvtS1aCgI/AAAAAAAAAXM/hpWkw1uXUHo/s1600-h/untitled1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270389919126784514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 306px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SSQvtS1aCgI/AAAAAAAAAXM/hpWkw1uXUHo/s400/untitled1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">'Self Striping' yarns make life a lot easier, so I started to make some for Chris, as he wears a size 12 shoe I discovered that one ball was not quite enough to make a complete pair, so I knit the top of the cuffs in a matching plain colour. I've thoroughly enjoyed knitting them, the work is so portable and can be quickly finished.</span></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SSQvkehuZ3I/AAAAAAAAAXE/xRs93unTfV0/s1600-h/socks+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270389767646635890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SSQvkehuZ3I/AAAAAAAAAXE/xRs93unTfV0/s400/socks+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Also in this photo is my first felted bag, I've now knitted and felted three bags in different patterns, and am always on the lookout for more. This pattern, found on a web site is entitled French Market Bag.</span><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SSQvcaAbzMI/AAAAAAAAAW8/Tkzk-Sl9zf8/s1600-h/untitled1.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /></span>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-10143027886861758472008-11-01T14:12:00.043+00:002008-11-01T15:42:21.307+00:00A Trip to the Baltic<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Chris and I took our first ever cruise this summer. We absolutely loved the ports we called at but found the actual cruising experience rather limiting. If we do it again, perhaps when we are less fit and energetic, we would choose a larger ship with more opportunities for exercise.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxloyDAaLI/AAAAAAAAAW0/2U1RXKcdTpk/s1600-h/copenhagen+little+mermaid.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263693815792822450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 255px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 384px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxloyDAaLI/AAAAAAAAAW0/2U1RXKcdTpk/s400/copenhagen+little+mermaid.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I nearly didn't include this photo on the blog, as every one knows The Little Mermaid. The one below is Nyhavn, also in Copenhagen.</span></div><p><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></p><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxlkNAWwSI/AAAAAAAAAWs/8j3SzzrSAJ0/s1600-h/copenhagen+nyhavn.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263693737130115362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 384px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 289px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxlkNAWwSI/AAAAAAAAAWs/8j3SzzrSAJ0/s400/copenhagen+nyhavn.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">These next two photos are details of images from the Viegland Sculpture Park in Oslo. We took scores of photographs here. There are over 130 sculptures in a large park dedicated to Viegland, who we understood from our tour guide was not a particularly pleasant man. However, his work is exquisite, and the sculptures progress through from childhood to old age.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">The site walks you round the park and museum, and Viegland's biography mirrors the conception of the park as 'Man's journey from cradle to grave, through happiness and grief, through fantasy, hope and wishes of eternity'. Viegland made a Mephistophelean pact with the city of Oslo in 1921. He traded all his sculptures, drawings, woodcuts and models for a studio to be converted into a museum after his death. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxlYkJLBRI/AAAAAAAAAWk/1fPbjJdwvVg/s1600-h/oslo+viegland+19.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263693537182680338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 384px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxlYkJLBRI/AAAAAAAAAWk/1fPbjJdwvVg/s400/oslo+viegland+19.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxlRo4keLI/AAAAAAAAAWc/WauEH_pWrYU/s1600-h/oslo+viegland+23.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263693418196138162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 254px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 384px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxlRo4keLI/AAAAAAAAAWc/WauEH_pWrYU/s400/oslo+viegland+23.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">We took several hundred photographs altogether on this trip, and had to spend ages when we got home sorting through to find the best ones.</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxlJNhJ9PI/AAAAAAAAAWU/zQOFk3ujmJw/s1600-h/i3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263693273411220722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 384px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 288px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxlJNhJ9PI/AAAAAAAAAWU/zQOFk3ujmJw/s400/i3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">St. Petersburg was the high spot of the trip. On the left of the image above is The Church of the Spilled Blood, so called because of the murder of Alexander II, whose blood was spilled here at the time of his assassination. We did not have time to go inside, but are told it is full of mosaics. St Petersburg is one of the places on our list to return to, we were totally surprised by it.</span><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxlD-sxhuI/AAAAAAAAAWM/lQUAaqpyoU8/s1600-h/St.+Petersburg+winter+palace+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263693183534073570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 384px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxlD-sxhuI/AAAAAAAAAWM/lQUAaqpyoU8/s400/St.+Petersburg+winter+palace+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The Winter Palace was the home of the Russian Emperors until 1917, and today is part of the world famous Hermitage Museum. The museum has fascinating and extensive collections of works of art and was still collecting them in the 1950's, much to the incomprehension of Ray, the egalitarian Australian on our tour.</span></div><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /><br />On the second day of our stay in St. Petersburg we visited Peterhof. We understood this to be the Summer Palace of the Imperial Family, a favourite residence of Peter I, after whom it was named. The parkland covers over 1000 hectares, and as well as being splendid inside, has numerous fountains in its grounds. Chris and I got thoroughly soaked by one!</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxk53PsH0I/AAAAAAAAAWE/eixEuDZ0OmQ/s1600-h/peterhof+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263693009734344514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 384px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxk53PsH0I/AAAAAAAAAWE/eixEuDZ0OmQ/s400/peterhof+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxkwg8le2I/AAAAAAAAAV8/drIn4SqDUfU/s1600-h/Peterhof+Fountain.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263692849129814882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 251px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 374px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxkwg8le2I/AAAAAAAAAV8/drIn4SqDUfU/s400/Peterhof+Fountain.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxkogwxD7I/AAAAAAAAAV0/HKnxD0xRF9k/s1600-h/peterhof+19.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263692711641288626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 384px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxkogwxD7I/AAAAAAAAAV0/HKnxD0xRF9k/s400/peterhof+19.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxkfbxU2nI/AAAAAAAAAVs/Bqn81_Ieiao/s1600-h/stockholm+gamla+stan+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263692555682634354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 384px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxkfbxU2nI/AAAAAAAAAVs/Bqn81_Ieiao/s400/stockholm+gamla+stan+1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Stockholm's Gramla Stan,(<span style="font-size:85%;">above</span>) in the Medieval part of the city was beautiful, we encountered our only rain of the two weeks away while we were here. We also had a bit of a panic while in Stockholm, as we had set off on our own and got a bit lost trying to find our way back to the ship. Being built on several islands we crossed the wrong bridge and found ourselves on the wrong side of the city, we did make it however with half an hour to spare before sailing time. Chris' usually unerring sense of direction had let us down, and as we were in Sweden we had left our passports on board. Until we realised that we were consoling ourselves that we could fly to the next port if need be.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxkRU2phmI/AAAAAAAAAVk/lJbdfE8SHIg/s1600-h/tallin+roofs.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263692313307743842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 384px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxkRU2phmI/AAAAAAAAAVk/lJbdfE8SHIg/s400/tallin+roofs.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The photos above and below are Tallin, Estonia</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxkLnh0foI/AAAAAAAAAVc/aYGxSdDeRYs/s1600-h/Tallin.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263692215241440898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 256px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 384px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxkLnh0foI/AAAAAAAAAVc/aYGxSdDeRYs/s400/Tallin.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxkC_JitmI/AAAAAAAAAVU/MjYR5j-I_Os/s1600-h/wernemunde+molli+train.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263692066963240546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 288px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 384px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQxkC_JitmI/AAAAAAAAAVU/MjYR5j-I_Os/s400/wernemunde+molli+train.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Before we came back to the UK via the Kiel Canal we stopped at Wernemunde, where among other things we took a trip on the Molli train to the site of the last but one (I think, when Blair was still in control) of the G8 summits. We were in the former DDR and were reminded frequently of the restrictions that these people were living under not so very long ago at all.</span></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><div align="justify"><br /></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">The Molli being a steam train, virtually every man was wielding his camera!! And it was a 4 am rising to see our entrance into the Kiel Canal the next morning, although I have to admit that when it got light enough to see, it was extremely interesting.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="justify"></div></div></div><br /></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-27421935427378446252008-10-30T16:49:00.024+00:002008-10-31T12:21:30.000+00:00Halloween Cupcakes<span style="font-family:verdana;">One of our half-term projects was to make a batch of Spider cupcakes for Kay's Halloween Party.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnnIPXo5wI/AAAAAAAAAVI/Uq3HixKROdk/s1600-h/Starting+the+cupcakes+(200+x+236).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262991768309786370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 236px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnnIPXo5wI/AAAAAAAAAVI/Uq3HixKROdk/s400/Starting+the+cupcakes+(200+x+236).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnnBvgPVhI/AAAAAAAAAVA/H_Cq_9Y3Xmw/s1600-h/sugar+(200+x+217).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262991656676709906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 217px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnnBvgPVhI/AAAAAAAAAVA/H_Cq_9Y3Xmw/s400/sugar+(200+x+217).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnm6WblsII/AAAAAAAAAU4/-LVZquqgYoY/s1600-h/Eggs+(200+x+212).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262991529687232642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 212px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnm6WblsII/AAAAAAAAAU4/-LVZquqgYoY/s400/Eggs+(200+x+212).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnm1Vff96I/AAAAAAAAAUw/mb5kvGThvbg/s1600-h/Mixing+(300+x+200).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262991443535853474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnm1Vff96I/AAAAAAAAAUw/mb5kvGThvbg/s400/Mixing+(300+x+200).jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:verdana;">We found the idea in a copy of Good Food Magazine<br /></span><br /><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnmsnUShDI/AAAAAAAAAUo/FtZ4VIrzsnQ/s1600-h/Filling+cake+cases+(200+x+300).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262991293701850162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnmsnUShDI/AAAAAAAAAUo/FtZ4VIrzsnQ/s400/Filling+cake+cases+(200+x+300).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnmjAbCY1I/AAAAAAAAAUg/DDuraVpdt8I/s1600-h/Licking+the+spoon+(200+x+265).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262991128642347858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 265px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnmjAbCY1I/AAAAAAAAAUg/DDuraVpdt8I/s400/Licking+the+spoon+(200+x+265).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnmdRmShzI/AAAAAAAAAUY/GNUrmAsZ_fQ/s1600-h/putting+on+the+eyeballs+(300+x+200).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262991030173730610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnmdRmShzI/AAAAAAAAAUY/GNUrmAsZ_fQ/s400/putting+on+the+eyeballs+(300+x+200).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The eyes are made from black and white liquorice allsorts, we had to buy quite a big pack to get enough of these. A dot of black icing turns them into eyes.<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnmXiKS26I/AAAAAAAAAUQ/j36hN6qFI20/s1600-h/Boxed+spiders+(300+x+200).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262990931540499362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnmXiKS26I/AAAAAAAAAUQ/j36hN6qFI20/s400/Boxed+spiders+(300+x+200).jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div></div><div><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Boxed and ready to go, they look rather cute and friendly. We only had enough liquorice strands for 12 sets of legs.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnmOjSiUDI/AAAAAAAAAUI/mneF62zoWqQ/s1600-h/Finished+spiders+(300+x+200).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262990777224679474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnmOjSiUDI/AAAAAAAAAUI/mneF62zoWqQ/s400/Finished+spiders+(300+x+200).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">A happy cook.<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SQnl7GkafVI/AAAAAAAAAUA/LL0hbyAXnJE/s1600-h/Finished+spiders+(300+x+200).jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-68946485316341065422008-10-22T10:37:00.016+01:002008-10-22T11:03:21.201+01:00The Case of the Missing Chutney!<div align="justify"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jPHd2tKpFHw/SP73cNFqEgI/AAAAAAAAAA8/RBazA_CQdgU/s1600-h/apple.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259913478737105410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jPHd2tKpFHw/SP73cNFqEgI/AAAAAAAAAA8/RBazA_CQdgU/s400/apple.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I have this fascination of making chutney! Everytime I finish making one batch I have the offer of "Do you want any apples?" Looking for a recipe for Apple Chutney I found a cut out one from Prima among my many ripped out papers.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">'Spicy Apple Chutney', sounded great! It's the onion seeds and chilli flakes that make it spicy.</span><br /><br /></div><div align="justify"><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here is the recipe:-</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>In a pan, slowly cook 3 sliced onions with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon black onion seed, black pepper and a pinch of salt for about 40 minutes.</em></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>Add a pinch of chilli flakes, 3 large peeled Bramleys, plus one peeled Cox apple, all cut into chunks, 400mls/14fl.oz cider vinegar and 250g/9 oz. demerara sugar.</em></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for an hour until thick. Spoon into sterilised jars.</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Bless Husband No. 2. Off he goes each time to track down onion seed spice and yet more cider vinegar and demerera sugar!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Wow! says he, that's not bad at all!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Yet again, from Daughter No 1. Do I want some more Apples? Mother-in-law has some more going.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Husband No. 2 says "I wouldn't mind, but she keeps giving it all away" Oh! What Joy!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-88616683145412263362008-10-07T13:52:00.010+01:002008-10-31T12:23:49.184+00:00More Spider Rhymes<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness! This is the song I told Angela about, which I used to sing with my seven year olds when we were doing a topic on Mini-Beasts in my teaching hay-days. I love her photograhs of the orb webs ( go to her food website for another) and just recently my garden was bejewelled with them after the early morning autumnal mists. My little grandson looked carefuly at them and I showed him the fat Garden spiders too.</span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="center">Try Again </div><div align="center">from 'Tinder-box' published by A & C Black</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Have you seen the little spider in the corner?</div><div align="center">She will spin and she will weave and she will fall;</div><div align="center">The thread is thin and breaks , but however long it takes, </div><div align="center">She will hang her shiny web upon the wall.</div><div align="center">So I'll imitate the spider in the corner,</div><div align="center">If at first I don't succeed I'll try again. </div><div align="center">Though the way is very long, I will say, when things go wrong,</div><div align="center">If I try I'm bound to get there in the end.</div>Imogenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05382812689169565261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-85270888991480149712008-10-07T11:54:00.026+01:002009-01-26T15:00:19.976+00:00Harvest Time<div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SOtD5UC1aRI/AAAAAAAAABQ/DXAipChJjZI/s1600-h/summer+2008+017.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254368042170018066" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SOtD5UC1aRI/AAAAAAAAABQ/DXAipChJjZI/s400/summer+2008+017.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My home town is full of hidden gardens. They thrive and bloom behind high walls and street buildings in the ancient parts of the centre, tucked away out of site, mostly unbeknown to the passer by. Over the years I have become aware of some of these secret places but one gorgeous summer morning in August, Sharon (otherwise known as Kindred Spirit) and I spent a few hours not in a hidden garden but on an allotment out of sight to the motorist or walker, behind a row of unassuming Victorian houses on the edge of town. Wow! What a little paradise!! Angela (Genuine Friend, Quilter Extraordinaire and doer all things creative) and her green fingered husband Chris were off on their first (and ONLY HA! HA! HA!!!) cruise, leaving their allotment laden with goodies. Sharon and I were warmly and generously invited to harvest as much as we liked of Chris’s hard graft.</span></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The agreed morning was one of the few perfect days of this summer – hot but not too hot, and still, with all the scents and sounds of an idyllic summer’s day. Clad in wellies and old clothes we walked along the rough path to find the small group of allotments, all loving tended, all different and all hidden away. A field with pigs, sheep and a cow added to the feeling of green space and peace. No one was about. We started with our little buckets and picked dozens of perfectly shaped, mouth-watering, ripened raspberries, eating several as we picked, marvelling at the quality, quantity and taste of the fruit. We could not believe our luck!! Chris’s polythene bags and our presence did not stop the blackbird from grabbing his fill of the raspberries too.<br /></span><div align="justify"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SOtDRKztVKI/AAAAAAAAABI/XNOeahqbOzo/s1600-h/summer+2008+016.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254367352495887522" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SOtDRKztVKI/AAAAAAAAABI/XNOeahqbOzo/s400/summer+2008+016.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We dug up tender little potatoes, identified male and female courgettes, picked sweet peas, and harvested broad beans enjoying the scent, sight and touch of them all. We felt torn between taking too much and leaving Chris’s hard work to rot, so we opted for the former.<br />Sharon and I sat on the bench by the shed and decided it was a little bit of heaven – a place to come, to sit, to contemplate, to close our eyes, to soak up the sun and dream – a place to take time out with a flask and a good book. The whole morning gave us great pleasure and took Sharon’s mind off her hyster-sisters ( </span><a href="http://www.hystersisters.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">http://www.hystersisters.com/</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">) !!!<br /><br /></span><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SOtCNXMYAPI/AAAAAAAAABA/_6Dpcks1vxY/s1600-h/summer+2008+019.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254366187589468402" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SOtCNXMYAPI/AAAAAAAAABA/_6Dpcks1vxY/s400/summer+2008+019.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Clap hands,</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Granny comes,</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">With her basket full of plums,</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">All for Louis!</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Victoria plums have to be the most delicious of fruit especially when they're your own straight off the branch. They are also so beautiful.<br /><br /></span><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SOtA_Wj0QYI/AAAAAAAAAA4/Nl3HlgssmQs/s1600-h/Louis+Sept+%2708+021.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254364847389557122" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__UmqbBloJ2s/SOtA_Wj0QYI/AAAAAAAAAA4/Nl3HlgssmQs/s400/Louis+Sept+%2708+021.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I went to gather beans for supper and Louis being an outdoor child was already in the garden. He followed me into the fruit cage and I gave him the basket and asked him to fill it with the beans. He was not saying real words at this stage but he understood every word, had only be walking for a short time and so was was still wobbly. Then I told him to take them to Mummy. Well! His little body flew into action and he carried the basket forty yards, manoeuvred it onto the patio, up two steps and into the snug. His face shows how much he wanted to give the beans to his Mum and for that reason I just love this photograph.<br /><br /></span><br /><br /></div></div>Imogenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05382812689169565261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-10955983498474192952008-09-27T14:29:00.008+01:002008-10-14T17:45:48.562+01:00PotFest<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SN41fAZ8FnI/AAAAAAAAAOw/oWpsmpBbe4k/s1600-h/cupcake.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250693022361589362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SN41fAZ8FnI/AAAAAAAAAOw/oWpsmpBbe4k/s400/cupcake.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Chris and I went to the PotFest for the South West yesterday, on a bright but very breezy day.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Following my enthusiasm for all things cup-cakey at the moment I bought this little cup cake pot. Made by Jenni Ellman of <a href="http://www.tattonpottery.com/">Tatton Pottery</a> , Knutsford, Cheshire, I could not help but fall in love with it.</span></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-17333746960002031452008-09-25T14:49:00.042+01:002008-09-25T16:44:29.431+01:00Spiders<span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SNuXxzCzSeI/AAAAAAAAAOo/oXVH3fLIH7I/s1600-h/spider+web.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249956672401787362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SNuXxzCzSeI/AAAAAAAAAOo/oXVH3fLIH7I/s400/spider+web.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I took this photo in our garden one morning last week, and was telling Imogen about it. It reminded her of a poem she used to tell her infant pupils. She e-mailed it to me, and here it is with her comment.</span></div><div></div><div></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><<>></div><div></div><div></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A spider sat a-sleeping<br />One dark and stormy night<br />The raindrops fell upon her web,<br />And shone like diamonds bright.<br />But when she woke at daybreak,<br />And saw her web a-shine,<br />She said 'I'm sure no other house<br />Is lovelier than mine!'</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><em>'Here is the poem which I taught every class I ever had, after an autumnal walk in the school grounds to instill a sense of wonder at the created world and the beauty of orb webs covered in morning dew!'</em></span></div><div align="justify"><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><><><><><><><><><><><><><><></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></em></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Imogen is going to send on a spider song also used in class, which I will publish.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Last Saturday afternoon I was sitting in the garden having my cup of tea and was captivated watching a spider make it's web. There are hundreds of them about at the moment, and if you accidentally walk through one they are re-strung in a couple of hours. As I am pretty horrified about the idea of a spider landing on me, I try to avoid all webs, rehanging them on different bushes to clear a path.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Just had a look at Sharon's wonderful teacher's resource page <a href="http://www.therainbowandsunshineplace.blogspot.com/">Rainbow and Sunshine</a> to see if there were any spider rhymes there. I found Incey Wincey Spider, but not Imogen's rhyme.</span></div><div></div><div></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073455671988209020.post-28032430632717375822008-09-18T14:52:00.029+01:002008-10-22T11:15:16.708+01:00Flowery Scissors and Dotty Cards<div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SNJdpLu71GI/AAAAAAAAAN4/tBluklDQ3cE/s1600-h/Dots+and+spots.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247359477945717858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SNJdpLu71GI/AAAAAAAAAN4/tBluklDQ3cE/s400/Dots+and+spots.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I bought these dotty cards last December at a Private View that Sharon generously gave for our friend Caroline. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Becky, another of Sharon's friends had a selection of cards for sale, and they really appealed to me. Now I find she has some absolutely delightful designs on her new website <a href="http://www.dotsandspots.biz/">dots and spots</a>.</span> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">As well as Caroline's Christmas Goodies, (I can never resist the small, decorated bags she makes, which I use for gift bags) Sharon had made some little gingerbread men tree ornaments, made of cloth, not gingerbread. I am glad I quickly bagged one as they sold out so quickly. </span></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SNJda4DhqCI/AAAAAAAAANw/q1G5lECfC9k/s1600-h/spring+flower+scissors.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247359232145205282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SzZT72dCpL0/SNJda4DhqCI/AAAAAAAAANw/q1G5lECfC9k/s400/spring+flower+scissors.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sharon brought these flowery scissors and rotary cutter back from her recent trip to the USA to see her family, aren't they fantastic, as well as the muffin cases which I wrote about in <a href="http://www.angelasrecipeblog.blogspot.com/">the recipe blog</a>. I've not seen anything like them over here, but have to admit that I am trying to be fairly blinkered when I go shopping these days, being now a 'retired person'.</span></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852056137292084310noreply@blogger.com1