A card a day....

....keeps cancer away!  Really!

OK, let me explain.

My Crafty Friend, who still comes fortnightly to visit, create and share the latest purchases, set herself a challenge!

It was so good I have shamelessly stolen the idea!

She decided to work through her cardmaking stash and make cards sufficient to say she had made one a day for a year, but in batches.

She's tried the card a day thing before, but it never worked (to much permanent mess), but aiming for 365 cards this year and trying to, more or less, keep within a week or so of fulfilling the brief seems to work better.

For example, whilst I was nursing my horrible cold last weekend, I got a bit bored.  Out came some *uncomfortable squirm* (I have far too much!) cardmaking stuff and I created another 20 cards!

That's a further 20 on top of the 50 I've made so far!

So that's 31 for January, 28 for February and 11 so far for March.

That means I am in no rush to get any more done for a week or so. Great! (In fact I've had the crochet out....yes, the new stash of yarn.....more about that another time!)

This is a little taster of my makes....

So what's that got to do with cancer I hear you say....well.....

Of the 360+ cards I make this year I will give half to our local Cancer Research shop to sell.....I'm so excited!

DoCrafts Creativity magazine has been supporting this initiative for years and, for free, provide the little cellophane packets to display your cards.

This means they can only be one size (thankfully a size of card I have LOTS of!) and they sell for £1...not bad for a handmade card!

Here a some of mine packaged up and ready to go......

 

I'm so pleased with how they look.

 

I'm also very pleased with how good my cupboards look!

 

I have had a good tidy, streamlined my supplies and colour co-ordinated papers and embellishments so that I can work in batches.  I have also stuck with a similar design throughout using matting, 1 or 3 embellishments (even numbers look yuk!) and a sentiment.

 

Cancer Research benefit and I feel that I am contributing in a unique way AND into the bargain I get to relax and be creative, keep half the cards I make for friends and family and reduce my stash in a productive way (instead of just binning it which the hoarder/eco-warrior in me was struggling with!!)

 

It's a manageable challenge, not one to get stressed over.

 

And can I tell you, it has done the hoarder in me the world of good!  Somehow I feel quite emotionally detached from most of these cards.  That's a new feeling and may enable me to make and sell other things....who knows!

 

Do you make anything for charity?  Do you struggle with stash?  Do you get emotionally attached to the things you buy or make?

 

It's interesting.

 

Anyhow....got to go....I've done 5 hours of business work today (it always takes longer than you think!) and I'm going to pop the kettle on and retire to bed.....*sigh*.

 

Happy creating,

Nora

xxxx

Naughty Lunch

Tiddly Toes decided that it was swimming today (or smimming as she calls it!).  I had no cash, so on the way there I stopped at our local parade of shops to raid the cashpoint and pop into the chemists to get some migraine tablets for Teenage Daughter.

In the chemists I ran into a pre-school mum whose little man is going through rough times fighting ear infections....she happened to mention that he liked Blueberries so as they were stuffed full of anti-oxidants she was going to let him have free reign with eating them.

Hmmm....Blueberries!  Yum.....haven't had those for a while!

As they are Tiddly Toes favourites I suggested she might like to pop into the Co-op and get some.....that suggestion was met with great enthusiasm, skippy-jumping and a big smile....so that's a yes then!

As there were some reduced Strawberries, we got those too....not a normal purchase as I do like to keep seasonal and British...but once doesn't hurt!

We swam (or smimmed).

And we decided on puffy pancakes for lunch....that's drop scones.

Made with 12 tablespoons of flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, a pinch of salt, 1 egg and about half a pint of milk...we have a great non-stick frying pan so no oil needed.

For the first batch we choose ice cream and honey to accompany our berries......yes! ICE CREAM!  How decadent in the middle of the day...no savoury just this for me.......

 

and this for Tiddly Toes........

 

followed by one still drizzled in honey but with, as Tiddly Toes puts it, squir-ty cream......mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

 

Deeeeeeeeeeee-licious!

 

We really feel like we've had a treat....why not give them a go!

 

Toodle-pip,

Nora

xxxx

Review : Pretty Things

I don't think my opinion is that valuable that I would ever recommend something.  I might say that it was interesting and worthy of reading, seeing, trying etc.  So for me to review anything is a break from the norm for me (not that I'm sure many people who know me would ever associate me with 'norm'...whoever he is....haaha!)

BUT, this little place I found whilst on walkabout in my local town has stolen my heart and completely knocked me off my feet!

If I said there's ALOT of pink...and different wallpaper on every wall...painted furniture.....bunting...bit's and bobs around........you might think...eurgh!  Too busy, too overwhelming, well........

wait 'til you see...I'm sure you'll agree with me that it is pure delight.....look.....

 

doesn't that just say...come inside?

 

doesn't that say...eat me!

 

 

doesn't this say....... party room!

Or is that Girlie-Shopping-Afternoon-Tea-Room?

OR let's get together and learn to crochet, stitch, knit....knit and natter......or stitch 'n' bitch!

 

 

doesn't this say...browse..!

 

 

doesn't this say, sit down......*sigh*

 

 

doesn't this say...anyone for tea?

 

Oh!  Go on then... mine's a pot of Earl Grey and a Toasted Teacake..........

 

 

 

....and it was delicious, relaxing and a perfect place to sit and crochet!  Proper loose tea, proper tea strainer, proper tea cosy....proper china!  What else can I say...what else do I need to say!

 

This was the perfect, cosy oasis for a break and a create..lovely!

 

Thanks Pink Ladies for a divine morning tea xxxx

 

If you'd like to take a peek yourself they're at No.4 Park Place, Horsham, West Sussex, England.... Bronwyn!  One for you on your next visit xxx

 

Back soon with some paper makes, until then...toodle-ooo!

 

Nora

xxxx

 

 

 



Stuffed Puffs

Doesn't sound very inspiring does it?  But look........

 

 

Suffolk puffs stuffed, over-threaded with embroidery floss, topped with a button and popped on a hairband!

 

Wondered about leaves.....or maybe one big flanked by 2 small (one either side)...what do you think?

 

Stashbusting share soon....for a hobby I haven't done for a while!

See you soon
Nora
xxx

'Melman' update!

I sat the other evening and managed to cut 250 4 " squares in preparation for Tiddly Toes 'Melman' giraffe quilt.....phew!

 

 

This is now officially a Work In Progress.....yes, yet another one!

 

 

Cheerio for now.....

Nora

xxxx

Lemon-y, lovely and LOW FAT!

Too good to be true I hear you cry....NOT SO says I!

Seriously, the fat is 4 eggs which at 6 grams each totals 24g in the whole cake!  YAY!

I'm not some mad yo-yo dieter, I have a problem with my gallbladder called Biliary Dyskenesia, I find that if I stick to a low fat diet it limits the episodes of gallstone like pain I suffer.....and believe me that's good!  Having been through childbirth...I'd rather do that again than have gallbladder pain (I've heard kidney stones are equally excruciating!)

My lovely Hub is a true masterchef and produces THE most wonderful low fat meals, but he doesn't bake.  Nor did I for years because I thought I couldn't, until that is we had to care for a young man with a gluten allergy.  So that he could join in the birthday celebrations without feeling like the odd one out, I started homebaking gluten free cakes...and believe me (because I have been told by brutally honest 4-12 year olds!!!) they are GOOD!

My traybake recipe here can be made using Doves Gluten free self raising flour...if you don't want a big one then halve the recipe and make in an 8 inch deep tin to produce a deep sponge that you can cut in half for a lovely Victoria Sponge....mmmmm!

Anyhow...I digress...on with the cake!

4 eggs, separated into 2 bowls and line your 8 inch deep tin with baking paper.

Next, whisk  your yolks and 100g (4oz) of sugar until pale and fluffy (left) and whisk your whites until stiff (right), you'll know when they're done when you can turn the bowl upside-down and they don't flop out!  My 3 year old thinks this is an hilarious trick when performed over her head!  (if they do hit the deck, they're great for shining shoes!)

 

 

Scrape the yolk mixture into the whites and whisk together..........

Next add 100g (4oz) of self raising flour (or plain flour with 2 teaspoons of baking powder) just a tablespoon at a time if you're nervous, but I've gently plopped the whole lot in and quickly but gently stirred it through, speed keeps it airy (a bit like souffle).  Transfer to your prepared tin and pop in your 180 degree preheated oven for around 35 minutes.

 

When it comes out let it cool then lemonate decorate.......

 

For the water icing on the top I use icing sugar, I'm guessing around four tablespoons and a dessertspoon of lemon curd and a teaspoon or 2 of water (depends on the consistency of your lemon curd!), mix until it is firm but runny enough to travel across your cake!

 

For the centre I make a small buttercream with about 20 grams of margarine (at 60% fat this is a total of another 12 grams of fat in your cake), mix with about 60 grams of icing sugar with the back of a fork....at the point you think of giving up because it too stiff, pop in a dessert spoon of lemon curd!  It will now make a nice pliable buttercream....yummy and VERY lemon-y.

 

Here it is with the rest of our naughty tea last Sunday....after a huge lunch, this was all we could manage come tea time!  With a nice pot of tea of course!

So if you were keeping count, that was a total of 36 grams of fat in the whole cake!  I like a nice generous slice so that I feel like I'm spoiling myself....but its still only 4 grams or so!

You could try this with Lime or Orange Curd or why not plain buttercream (add about 10ml of milk instead of the curd to make the buttercream pliable), some jam and just sift the top with icing sugar.  My next experiment will be adding about 40 grams of cocoa powder (this will change the fat content) and Morello Cherry jam with Vanilla buttercream....mmmmm!

If you do try it or have any comments or queries, please let me know.  I hope you enjoy making this and above all eating a gorgeous slice of Guilt-Free cake!

Back soon with a 'Melman' progress shot!

Byeeeeeee!
Nora
xxxx

Blanket Edging

I have an uncanny knack of aquiring other peoples projects to finish.

Sewing on buttons, quilting things, crocheting loops for buttons...you get the picture!

The latest request was BIG!

I have to admit that I wasn't keen.....but as it was my lovely Mother-in-Law.....and she begged asked soooooo nicely....how could I say no!

She had been asked by her sister to knit a cat blanket! (To keep her amused!)

In a lovely, practical (hur-herm!) colour for cats.....pale yellow!

She beavered...and when she came to stay the other week, brought it with her and beavered some more.

Because of her failing eyesight she knits in squares and then sews them together.  For her squares she chose plain stocking stitch, rice stitch, a rib and a basketweave, like this....

 

She managed to get all the squares done and sewed together the night before she left to go home....phew!

 

Now, normally, I'm one to put things off *embarrased squirming*, I have a quilt that's been here for......oh gosh...too ashamed to tell you how long!

 

Don't know what it was about this one...but I WANTED to get on with it.

 

I started by going all around the edge in DCs (Double Crochet), making 2 DCs into each corner to try and make it more corner like...not sure if I needed to or not!  But it gave the blanket a nice base for the next step, like this.....

 

 

 

I then went 4 chains along from a corner, made 3 chains (to represent my first treble) and made four trebles into the same stitch.

 

Then miss a chain and slip stitch into the next chain, miss a stitch and 5 treble into the next chain, miss a chain, and slip stitch into the next, miss a chain and 5 trebles into the next and so on, like this...........

 

 

 

At the corner because I needed to make a whole 'fan' and a half I made 8 trebles into each corner, missed a chain, slip stitched into the next and carried on with my 5 trebles etc, like this..........

 

 

It's not fancy, and to be honest it wasn't even time consuming (funny isn't it, how the things you dread will take A-G-E-S actually take less time than you thought......you probably waste more time putting it off!)

 

So without further ado, I present my first joint Ta-dah and Mother-in-Laws first ever Ta-Dah.........TA-DAHHHHH!..........

 

 

She asked me not to press it (she's obviously heard about my skills with an ironing board!) so sorry about the wrinkles!  Quickly took this shot outside in the freezing cold as the light is too poor for indoor shots...does show the colour quite well....as you can see NOT cat friendly!

 

I'll be returning soon with more Lemon.....this time edible...mmmm!

 

Until then Happy Hooking  xxxx

 

Nora