Frank and Josie's House

Before I begin I need to tell you that none of these photos have been edited. I wanted to show you the true green of the wild garlic. I also want to thank Lucy of  Attic 24  for her post on wild garlic pesto  which inspired me to try making some of my own. I started with intentions and a recipe but it turned into a bit of a different story about how Frank and I communicate with our kids.  I love gathering food, whether that's blackberries in Autumn or runner beans from the garden. It gives me a wonderful sense of fulfilment. Merida and I were on a lovely dog walk through one of my favourite woods which at this time of year is starting to bloom with rhododendrons. We were enjoying a lovely chat and some one-to-one time and when you have three kids this doesn't happen often. She was asking me about my dream house and was telling me about hers (She wants to live in a massive house in Cornwall by the sea when she's a popstar). Suddenly we came across a massive patch of w...

I am so pleased to finally be able to write this post. I have absolutely love making this Weeping Angel and it is an appropriate grand finale to my gift series.  This was my dad's birthday present and he had to wait an extra month for it due to illnesses and distractions but he loved it so it was worth the delay. I found the pattern on  Ravelry  after quite a long search. I had wanted a Dr Who baddy to accompany the Dalek I made my dad last year. There were other patterns but this one immediately caught my eye as being the most detailed and accurate. Normally I'm a sucker for a free pattern but this one is well worth the money.  This is the pattern.  It is amazing. It is clear and precise and very detailed which is why it actually looks good. It is made in several different stages. Firstly the body top, then the body base which get sewn together and then the dress which covers a lot of the top and all the base. One quirk I love, which makes it hugely accurate, is the fact she ...

My next gift instalment is: The Avengers Merida and Finn love the Avengers, in fact we all do. Frank and I are big fans of the films. Now whilst the kids are still too young to see the films (in my opinion) we've shown them appropriate snippets. For Christmas (yes, it's taken a while to write this blog) I created an Iron Man (for Finn to add to his Hulk, Captain America and Thor he got for his birthday) and Black Widow which they'd both asked for. Their obsession has since grown due to other Christmas gifts of the Avengers comics and a cartoon TV series. You can see this from Finn's artwork below. Finn's artistic interpretation of Iron Man I got the pattern on Ravelry from the site Over the Bifrost.  I adapted them from this pattern . I chose this pattern because I like the different proportions to a lot of other amigurumi I've seen. The only difference I made was the hair. I wasn't very good at the hair in the pattern (Thor has bald patches) so I looked up ...

On my Lordy I'm pooped. After weeks of crazy, crochet present making, fulfilling orders and looking after two sick children I am done in. Both my girls have been poorly in the last couple of weeks and that's been tough. The needs of an 8 year old and a 6 month old are usually very different but when it comes to being ill they're strangely similar! So I've been running round seeing to the usual infant needs plus cleaning up sick (the joys), remembering the next dose of antibiotics or paracetamol, cooking comfort foods for Merida whilst comfort feeding Rose and all the while not managing a hot drink all day. By the evening I've been so tired I've just flopped on the sofa. Poor Finn and Frank and the dogs have all pretty uch fended for themselves, though the boys in particular are very capable so I'm not too worried. And Spring has helped. We may have been confined to the sofa but the sunshine streaming in the window has cheered us all and even helped getting s...

So to the next instalment in my gifts series. A Love Knot Scarf Now I have Pinterest to thank for this one. I knew I wanted to make a nice scarf for a friend of the family but I was unsure as to what. I scoured the wonders of Pinterest and found  this link to Amelia is Rabbit's site  and the pattern I used for this scarf. I really enjoyed making it and will do so again and again and again form now on. I've since discovered, whilst merrily crocheting away thinking to myself "I recognise this stitch" that it is in  Sue Whiting's Crochet Bible  only she refers to it as a Solomon's knot. Whatever it's called it's basically an elongated double crochet stitch (uk terminology) and the loop which you bring through and is normally short is kept long and produces this open stitch as pictured below. I love this stitch, whatever you choose to call it. I found it really therapeutic once I'd gotten going and easy to get lost in the hooking process. Now the main ...

Jam jam jam jam jam jam jam jam jam (to the tune of Monty Python's spam song) I love making jam! I do it whenever I have a couple of days free (it always takes a couple of days!) My mum bought me a book a couple of years ago called  Traditional Jams and Preserves by Eve Parker . Whenever I have an excess of fruit or see one in our local grocers I can't resist making jam, conserve or jelly. Last year I bought a tray of apricots for less than £3 and made lots of jam. Now you'd think that after making jams and jellies for a few years that I wouldn't need the book but not only is it a great reference tool, it also has great ideas that are on my 'to try' list such as Sweet Chilli Jam, Spicy Indian Chutney and Peach and Orange Marmalade plus there are recipes for relishes and ketchups which I've yet to venture in to. Also, because each fruit has a different level of pectin (which is what makes the jam set) they need different combinations of fruit and treating sli...

I love making things for my family. It brings a joy that nothing else quite matches. I mean, it's nice to get a present right but for that to also be something you created is great. I never leave myself enough time to make the presents I want to. Somehow I can buy in time but not plan my makes well enough. This year I had the added distraction of Rose being born. Now whilst I have learnt how to feed her and crochet it can get a little tangled at times. So this Christmas just gone I decided to prioritise the children I'd be spending Christmas Day with, which were my three and two of our nieces. I made five crochet gifts in December and have already started this year as I mean to go on and made some little things for my youngest and a birthday present for my eldest (see 1wig). I'm determined that 3 projects I've yet to complete will also happen, this includes a rare one for me! I thought I would tell you of my creative process (sometimes very creative) over my next few po...