Woyww #160 - food

I have abandoned my workdesk today for the kitchen! Tomorrow it is the last day at school for Smallest and the last but one day for Small before they break up for the loooonnnngggggg summer.

I made blueberry scones for their teachers. Huffle and I have also made boxes out of food boxes turned inside out and retaped together. Tomorrow the boys will decorate them and I will load them with scones.


Small also needed something for his class party tomorrow so he made some Maple Syrup flapjack. It just needs cutting up.

So that is on my desk. I wonder what is on everyone elses.

 

WOYWW #159 - flower, hair and a hot day

Wednesday's come round too quick. Each week I think, I'll post lots of entries this week and then suddenly it's Wednesday again and I've hardly done anything. So..... What's on my workdesk outside table and chair Wednesday?

 

My craft table is in the loft and as today has been in the 40's (with humidity), I couldn't even venture up there so decided to craft outside on the front porch. Still hot but nicer!

So on my 'desk' is my craft bag and a pile of Mollie Makes that my Mum brought over from England for me. Also there is my little handmade notebook (from Faded reverie) with a zentangle in. My crochet doll (from following Annaboo's House Crochet a Long) whose hair is not quite finished with a lovely crocheted flower I made using the giveaway on Mollie Makes. It's not quite right but easy enough to do. I need to make some more but concentrate this time! My IPad is also there helping me to follow the pattern for my dolls hair. It seems I've been doing this for ages, hoping to finish it this week (plus her dress - am wondering whether to crochet it or sew it!).

So that's me done. Off to enjoy a bit more outside crafting with a break here and there to look at everyone else's blog and see what they are up to.

Oh, in case you didn't see, I finished Small's sock monkey. He is very pleased and he called it Funky.

....and to celebrate my Mum (Moo) visiting we made American Pancakes for breakfast.

 

 

See you soon xxx

 

Finished on a Friday - funky

Yay - finally - I have finished Small's sock Monkey. He is so pleased.

He has named him already. Funky. He chose the buttons for his eyes (it wouldn't have been my choice but I really like them now!). I actually sewed this up upside down but it gives him some character!

We didn't have two socks the same so we chose similar ones (well Small did).

Now off to start a crochet flower. My mum arrived this week and bought with her four Mollie Makes. the crochet flower was in one of those magazines.

I am also going to try and finish my dolls hair and make her a dress.

You may have noticed I am crafting outside today. Ahhh I do like a bit of outside crafting. Lovely.

 

WOYWW #158 - a wig, stuffed sock and Manga

Hello woyww'ers. It is that time again where we show our desks. I had a bit of a tidy up. Good job you can't see the floor or the chair or the shelves or the boxes!

I know this is supposed to be a short post with one picture of my desk but I got carried away (as usual), so if all you want is a desk picture. Stop after this one, although the other pictures are only close ups of things on the desk (no excuses!).

On my desk today is my Doll, still without hair or dress but I am in the middle of making her wig. (funny, I once had a job as a receptionist in a Hair and Beauty clinic and they made wigs and weaves - never thought I'd making one all these years later!). I am finding it very therapeutic pulling strands of wool through a skull cap!

I made her hair too long but I am thinking I will make long bunches. I am still following Annaboo's CAL tutorial although I am a week behind now. I have finished her main hair and am now crocheting her middle parting.

Small's sock is half done. He has a body although I sewed it upside down so it has a big bottom. I'm sure it will be fine in the end.

 

I have been drawing from my Manga book again. I find drawing very calming. I got the 'how to' books out for one of Small's friends last week and thought I would have a go myself.

 

The middle one's mouth is the wrong angle. The one of the left's eyes are too close together and the girl on the end is too long, but I enjoyed doing them. What can I do with them now?

I have also been 'Zentangling' again. Lots of calming crafts this week.

I liked the BUSY and I like some elements of the Butterfingers but I rushed it a bit. I know the idea is when you start one of these that you don't know what it will look like but I had imagined it might look different. However, it calmed me, I enjoyed doing it and I learnt a few different techniques whilst I was doing it.

This week I was lucky enough to be sent a gift from the lovely Lunch Lady Jan. Some beautiful bunting.

I love it. Thank you LLJ. Am now thinking what I can make and send for you. X

Time to pop on over to see the other desks and what is on them. See you soon.

 

Lovely Gift

I don't normally empty the mailbox until my boys come home. They still find it exciting emptying the box. So I didn't find my gift until mid afternoon.

lunch Lady Jan sent me a beautiful gift.

Isn't it amazing. What a lovely, thoughtful, clever lady. All because I have followed her from almost the beginning of her blog (because I like it, it's fun, she has lovely pictures and I love what she makes).

I love all the fabrics she has used, the colours, everything. Even Huffle loves it.

THANKS LLJ. x

Woyww #157 - two socks and a nudey doll

It's Wednesday (well it is in the UK - not here yet). On my desk this week............

A pack of hot pink wool which I picked up at the Thrifty Store (I am planning to make a crochet monkey with some of it for my niece). A finished "Inky Monkey" and a nearly finished "doll" - I can't give her a name until she has hair and a dress - it wouldn't be right!

A pile of buttons which Small was searching through for eyes for his sock monkey (no I haven't done it yet but I am starting it tonight!). A crochet magazine (as I can now read a pattern thanks to the lovely Annaboo! Or so I thought (that I could read a pattern, not that she wasn't lovely, she is!). I got a bit too confident after making Monkey and Doll and thought I would try one of Annaboo's Christmas Trees (I won some from her in a giveaway and they are amazing). I tried two, one of them is on my desk, not at all Christmas tree looking , more like toadstool looking! However, I will try again.

Anyway, back to the magazine, there is a pattern in there for a Turkish Bracelet with beads on. I love bracelets and I love beads and I love crochet - simple. Let's hope so. I love looking at it but that is all I have done so far!

I have just stamped on a heart stone that I got for Huffle for valentines day at the beach, and then whilst small was rifling through the buttons, his sleeve smudged the ink. AGHH!

Last but not least is the sock monkey to do, with his lovely yellow buttons for eyes. Oh there is a start of a Zentangle too, a leg of Huffle's sock monkey, my sewing box and various books.

Now, I suggest you go and grab a handful of biscuits and a cup, no make it a pot, of tea and have a look at all the other desks that take part in What's on your workdesk Wednesday.

There are so many people that take part in this that I cannot possibly get around all the desks, so my tip is, whatever number I happen to be on the Linky list i.e. #123, I visit all the people ending in the same number ie 3, 13, 23 etc, I'm sure you understand. That way I get to see different people each week. I always pop in to my favourites as well and the people that comment on mine of course. Then if I find I have more time, I go back and do some in between. I know that some people look at every single desk, I even had someone comment on last weeks, today! mad, crazy people!

 

Finished Cakes and Scones

Yesterday we went to a Jubilee Party held by our lovely neighbours, The Royals.

I made a Victoria Sponge based on a recipe found at http://mennonitegirlscancook.ca

1 cup all purpose flour

1.5 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter (I used salted but didn't add extra salt)

2 large eggs

1/4 cup milk (plus extra if needed)

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Bake at 350*F for 15 minutes or until cake tester is clear




The butter icing is just icing sugar sifted and soft butter with a few drops of vanilla. No weighing for this, I just add until I am happy.

With a generous layer of Strawberry Jam.

The sugarcraft queen was made using fondant, sugarcraft or rollable icing (whatever it is called where you are from). I have actually been asked to do a "how-to" so I will do this soon I promise.




The boys cake.......

....was made using half the ingredients above but a couple of spoons of cocoa powder. The butter icing on top was same as above but with a big chunk of chocolate melted in (it makes it fudge-like). Again the decorations they made were from sugarcraft/fondant etc.

The scones were English Scones, Blueberry Canadian Scones and Cranberry and Orange Canadian Scones.

Canadian Scones Recipe for the Blueberry ones. For the Cranberry and Orange, I used 1 cup dried cranberries (fresh would be better) and the grated rind of one orange plus a generous squeeze of half an orange.

The English ones were actually made by my Huffle but the Recipe we kind of made up, of our old English Recipe with a bit of Canadian. This is it.



450g all purposes flour

100 g salted butter

1/2 pint milk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

400*F 8-10 mins.




I would love to know if you use these recipes and how you got on.

Finished on a Friday

Last night I finished all the appendages for my monkey.

Then I stitched him all together..................

...........And named him Inky Monkey. One of legs is inside out and I have no idea how this happened. For those of you that don't know, I have been following Annaboo's Crochet-A-Long which has been great because I now feel confident enough to tackle a grown up pattern. Yay.

I still have to crochet some arms, make a dress and grow some hair on my doll.

Also today I have been busy with the sugarcraft and made The Queen and her little doggies for the Jubilee party we are going to. I am also making a cake but not sure where the Queen will go as I was asked to make a simple Victoria Sponge. I'm sure I'll work it out. I also have some Cranberry and Oragne scones and Blueberry scones to make - all for Sunday. I will post the recipes soon.

"Oh come along doggie, get out from under my cloak"