Floral Bouquet

Just another wee crochet show-off. I felt that my smaller 3 cup tea pot was feeling a little neglected so a little Spring Floral attention was in order, plus I needed a cheerful pick-me-up!

I've used a pattern from Tales from Cuckoo Land, it's such a lovely quick and easy project. The roses come from here. It all looks so perfect when teamed with pretty vintage china. Now I just need a Sponge Cake to go with it.

Doesn't it make you feel great!

I've had a few requests lately for hats (specifically little newborn ones) so I've been making a few and they have sold like hot cakes. Such a lovely feeling knowing that people actually *like* what I make.

We've cracked into the first bottle of cider (you may remember the cider making process) and it's actually not bad. Bit sweet yet, but as it ferments more the alcohol with increase and the sugar decrease. Will be lovely come late Spring/early Summer.

I've started a new job 3 days a week. It's a foreign environment for me as it's just about all men working there (and very *blokey* types they are). The only thing I struggle with is the man sized coffee mugs. It takes me about an hour and a half to drink a cup of tea out of one of them. So I've got myself a nice dainty teacup to take along tomorrow. I'm sure it's too pretty to be used by any of the boys.

I have done very little in the way of baking recently, I've had a nasty virus the last few days and have tried to keep my germies to myself, but I did manage to whip up the girls favourite meringues before I went all cough, cough, cough-y.

I'm dreaming of warmer days, poor Towbe is waiting patiently in the barn for us.....

Good things

I thought I'd share a few of my vintage china pieces, just because I like them. I was dusting around them today and thought what a great chance to get them down and appreciate them for a few minutes. 

I've never discovered Quinces until a trip down the Island to my parents. They have a laden tree, and I had some yummy Quince Jelly and Quince paste that Mum made so I squirreled a few away and got preserving once we got home again. I chose to make mine in the slow cooker, mainly as with two smaller children around I can't spend all day stirring a pot on the stove and also because I can't stand the sugar splatter mess. This was was just so easy... Cook the quinces skin and all for about two hours, cool slightly then peel the skin off and cut out the cores (pretty mushy so it's more like extract the cores). Then measure the amount of fruit pulp and add an equal amount of sugar. Cook away in the slow cooker again until a deep change in colour (about 3-4 hours later). I then spooned into muffin tins and left to set. Serve with cheese and crackers. Amazing!!! I've frozen most of the portions. So so divine.

I've also been busy hooking a few more hats for my girls and one for a gift. Using the McKinleys Springtime Hat as I have used before, with a few tweaks to make it suit my style. http://mckinleyscloset.blogspot.com

Caramello Brownie

Easy to make, and awfully good, lovers of the chocolate caramel combo will go weak at the knees. Serve cold as a sweet treat or warmed with ice cream as an after dinner delight.


150 g butter
3 eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
150 g dark chocolate
¼ cup cocoa
¾ cup flour
1 tsp vanilla essence

For the caramel
55 g butter
3/4 cup condensed milk
1 tbsp golden syrup

Preheat oven to 180°
Line a sponge roll tin with non stick baking paper.
In a medium saucepan melt 150 g butter. Stir in the sugar then remove from the heat and add the chocolate and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time then sift in the flour and cocoa mixing well after each addition.
In a small saucepan melt the 55 g butter with the condensed milk and syrup. When melted and combined remove from the heat and pour into a jug.
Pour some of the chocolate mixture into a greased sponge roll tin then alternately pour in some of the caramel mixture, so the two are randomly spread about the tin. Use a meat skewer to swirl the caramel into the chocolate mix.
Bake at 180° for around 30 minutes. A knife inserted into the cake should come out clean but the texture should still be slightly fudgey. Allow to cool before cutting.

My girls have little colds at the moment, and my throat started to scratch a bit today so I made a hot herbal tea of Basil, Sage and Lemon Balm. All those Anti bacterial/Antiseptic properties in those herbs should knock any germs out, plus it tasted yum too.

 Have a lovely evening xxxx

Hooks, books, some jars and a cup of tea

Ahhh. The kids are in bed, time now for a sit down with my favourite Tea.  Working lots currently so not much time to crochet but I did make this Cowl (Simple speedy cowl by Melissa Mall pattern here ) the other day for someone special. This one is smaller than I think would be ideal though - oh well, good excuse to get the hook out again.

My favourite thing at the moment has to be Feijoas. Mmmmmm the aroma is divine, we are lucky as our wonderful neighbours tree ripens before ours so we get tons from them and then our ripen once theirs are gone. I spent the weekend bottling and baking them. Feijoa Loaf, Feijoa Ice-Cream. Delicious!!!

We got a good second hand score as well, a collection of little classics for $10. All my old favourites like Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice and a few to keep The Chief happy like Treasure Island. They look great all on top of the bookcase in the study.

Crochet hook calling - bye for now x

The weekends efforts

The weekends efforts - preserving, baking Plum cake, picking Blueberries, High Tea for my little girls, slow roasting a pasta sauce.