Last week was a full-on half term for me and little one!  I didn’t realise quite how much I’d got used to the peace and quiet of term time.  Anyway, we had lots planned as well as a few free days to wind down, do homework and generally mooch about together.

I tried to do something constructive or crafty every day.  This would range from me crafting for myself or doing some kids craft.  I managed to fit n quite a lot really.  Mainly because I’ve been crocheting granny squares – to practice my treble crochet a bit more – and I can do that more-or-less anywhere.  Crochet really is the most portable of crafts.  Great to do in the car (as long as you’re the passenger that is).

Our kids craft was predominantly drawing dinosaurs (her not me) and practicing writing.  But I did manage to get the Hama beads and some shrink plastic out.

We both had great fun sorting through the huge jar of beads.  Dinosaurs are the main focus of everything in our house at the moment, so it was no surprise that she made a dinosaur.  But we managed to have a go at a skating Poppet and a blue seahorse too.  It’s great to see her following patterns, but even better when she decides to have a go at making it up herself (dinosaur).  I made the heart and I think I might use it on a card for Mother’s Day!

The shrink plastic was a brilliant idea.  She spent ages making sure she had coloured in all the fairies and toadstools etc and then we watched them all shrink in the oven.  This is a fabulous craft with kids.  It’s so exciting and satisfying watching the pieces curl up and shrink through the oven door.  The next plan is to use them to make some jewellery.  So watch this space for that.

Our only other day of crafting was to make some buns using some over-ripe banana and a few left-over blueberries.  I used an all-in-one sponge recipe from Delia Smith and my daughter added the bits of banana and blueberries.  She loves this and the best bit, they only take 15 minutes in the oven so we were able to sample our baking just as we’d finished the washing up!!

We had a lovely time baking and making over the holidays, but it’s back to school now and time for me to get back to some grown-up crafting!

Happy crafting holidays
x

I decided to have 2 winners of the knitted hearts, and I am delighted to announce that

Gary Brunt and Kerry Seymour are the winners.

Please get in touch with the details of which colour hearts you would like.

Happy Valentine’s Day
x

Over the last few days I’ve been putting the finishing touches to my knitted hearts. I’ve raided my button stash and found some little flower ones to add to a heart for my Daughter. She loves it and is putting it on her dancing backpack!

The other I’ve done for my Mum as it’s her birthday on Friday and I wanted to give her something different along with the creams she bought for herself for me to wrap up!! I hope she likes it.

I’ve really enjoyed making these hearts. They’ve given me a lovely focus while I’ve been off my feet. I’m going to work on some for Christmas, maybe try some smaller ones as well as these larger hearts. But I think I shall park that idea in my file for later in the year, as I feel more like working on some Spring-like items now.

Happy crafting
x

While I’ve been recovering from my foot operation, I’ve had some time to look through my yarn stash and I’ve used my newly arrived Clover pom-pom maker.

Wondering what on earth I could make to use my new equipment, I decided that a cover for my new phone would be an ideal project. I can never find the phone in my handbag so a nice brightly coloured knitted cover would be perfect. It’s a simple double rib knit design and is greatly improved by the added pom-poms don’t you agree?!

My husband also asked for a cover for his phone to stop it being damaged when it’s in his bicycle bag when hes riding to work and back. I restrained myself from making it bright pink and he didn’t want pom-poms either!

I think they’ve worked well and I’ve decided that I will take orders for anyone, just message me the dimensions of your phone (or other device) and any colour preference/ design and I can give you a price. Starting at £3 for a mobile phone.

Happy crafting
x

Look what arrived in the post this morning!

My copy of the new issue of Craftseller magazine.

And I’m in on page 99. Woo hoo.

It’s in the shops on Thursday 13th February. Don’t forget to grab yourself a copy. There are some fabulous copyright free makes in there for Mother’s Day too.

Happy crafting
x

As I’m currently pretty much confined to home recovering from my foot operation, I’ve decided to hold a small craft sale here at home.

I’ll be selling all my cards and gifts and taking orders.  There will also be plenty of homemade cakes available with donations going to Hillside Animal Sanctuary.

So pop along to our house on Sunday (February 9^th) 11am – 1pm and say hello.

Katherine
x

I spent most of yesterday in the day care unit of Bolton Royal Infirmary having some nerves removed from my foot.  Ouch!  A planned operation that seems to have gone well as I’m not in too much pain………… yet!  Anyhow, it means I’m not particularly mobile and I’m stuck in the house keeping warm.

So I have plenty of time to finish off some knitted hearts ready for Valentine’s Day and I thought they would make nice little presents for Mother’s Day too.  It’s my Mum’s birthday on Valentine’s Day so I’m going to make one for her to go with her pots of creams that she asked for this year.

I’ve really enjoyed making these little hearts. I’ve raided my stash of buttons and ribbons too which has of course, meant that the kitchen table was covered in bits and bobs. It’s been great to actually see what I’ve got and to be able to use up so many small pieces of ribbon and twine that was too nice to throw away but I thought I’d never get to use. I found a set of badges too and have added them onto a couple of the hearts. They make a pretty way to store badges or dangly earrings!

I’m now knitting some white hearts for my Mum and Daughter and I’m going to add their names on.

Well it’s time for my next set of painkillers and to get my foot up.

Happy crafting
x

In spite of the cold, I thought I’d rest my knitting needles and make some cards this week.

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it was time to delve into my punch and die stocks and see what I could come up with for some simple motifs. I love this as It means I can really show off the papers in my stock.

I started making some flowers using some small punched hearts as petals.  The red card is lovely to work with and I raided my button box for a little white button to add to the centre.  I think this would work well for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day.  I made two of these and am going to offer them for sale at £1.50 each with a sentiment or name of choice to be added to the front.  What do you think?

I’ve also gone a bit made cutting out hearts from gorgeous papers and have added them as is to card blanks.  They work so well on their own that I just couldn’t add anything else to them.  Again I’m offering them with a sentiment or name of choice, this time at £1 each.

I’m sure there will be more added soon.  So keep an eye on my facebook page for more previews!

I love this time of year for making things, it’s so romantic and pretty.  Trawling through all my papers and trying out dies and punches is great fun too.  I’d love to know what you think of the cards and any ideas you might have for others.

And don’t forget to leave a reply on my other Valentine post and you could win one of my knitted hearts!

Happy Crafting
x

Having spent all of December baking, I made a decision to help my waistline and not bake at all in January.  I’ve done quite well up to now, but then my husband brought home a pile of over-ripe bananas on Friday.  So today I had to get out the baking things and make a banana loaf.

It’s a lovely recipe that I’ve had for years that was on the side of a packet of bran cereal over 20 years ago!  As many friends and relatives have enjoyed this over the last few years I thought I’d put the recipe on here for everyone to see.

Ingredients:
8oz self raising flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp mixed spice
4oz butter
6oz brown sugar
6oz dried fruit
3oz bran
2 eggs
1/4 pt milk
12oz bananas (mashed)

Method
Butter a loaf tin and pre-heat the oven to 180 C
Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl and rub in butter to make breadcrumbs
Add in dried fruit and bran and mix thoroughly
Add in eggs and milk gradually until all combined
Finally fold in the mashed bananas

This generally takes around 1 hour and 45 minutes in the oven, but you know your oven, so keep checking it.

It makes a lovely tea loaf or is great with a little butter and a cuppa as a snack. And it’s not a really naughty cake either as it has plenty of fruit and bran.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do here. We’ll be tucking into a slice or two with a cuppa shortly.

Happy baking
x

I think the cooler weather in Winter appeals to my knitting more. So as I’ve had the knitting needles out a lot recently I decided to have a go at making some hearts.

They look a bit strange as a work in progress, as they roll up all the time due to being stocking stitch. I might have a go at knitting the first and last stitches on every row to see if that helps. However, once sewn together with another they make rather pretty little hearts.

I’ve made up five now in various sizes and colours. My next plan is to stuff them lightly and add some embellishments, maybe a button and some ribbon to hang them from. I shall have to raid my ribbon stash and see what I can find. I think they would also look nice with initials added – particularly for a gift for a loved one.

I’d love some feedback on these and any ideas you have for decorations or colours to try.

Leave a comment below and I’ll put all names in a hat and pick a winner of a knitted heart on Feb 14th.

Happy crafting
x