Printing With Fabric Paints

I've been searching for a 'big old' table cloth for a while now, something fresh and light that I can throw over our kitchen table to brighten my mood or to use out in the garden on our big outdoor table on a summers day. A month or so back I bought a couple of wood block stamps (fairtrade) from Newton Dee's gift shop and thought that the pattern would look lovely on a plain white piece of fabric as a table cloth.

Dylon do a fantastic range of fabric paints, where all you need to do to 'fix' the paint is to iron it. So, this morning, on my hands and knees on the kitchen floor I stamped out a central pattern on a white sheet I had aquired from a local charity shop, left it to dry and then ironed and washed the sheet. My new table cloth certainly freshens up the kitchen, but it was whisked away immediatly at the mention of 2 small children sitting down to eat their pasta for tea....

boys and cakes

OOOhhhh I really enjoyed going wild with Fiona's icing squirter. I let the boys choose some hideous colours which terrified us all this morning when they made a return appearance in H's nappy this morning.... urghhhh! I'm loving my ebay cake stand and my Newton Dee candle holder.

Simple Images

I'm so chuffed with these photos from a
recent long weekend away at my in-law's house.

I'm going to have them printed by Moo Cards
or Photobox in business card format and then
stick them with foam cushion pads to blank
greetings cards.

I was inspired to take these pics by some cards
made by creative people on the beautiful Scottish
Isle of Canna. 'Canna Folk' have produced a variety
of image based art and craft work that highlights
the simple beauty in their local environment.
Click here to visit the Canna Folk's website.

Dresser Love

I never thought I was a dresser type of person, too twee for my taste - that was until I was awe struck at the sight of a friends dresser, bought for a bargain at a thrift shop, and painted with lovely 'Farrow and ball' egg shell paint - I had to have one!! So the quest began - checking our local furniture charity shop on a regular basis - nothing for weeks, months...until one Thursday afternoon I hit the jackpot.....

Horribly dated, with that orangy pine look, but after a bit of a sand down, 2 coats of undercoat and 2 coats of paint, I couldn't be more pleased.

Baby Boy Hat

Recently, a friend gave birth to a little boy, a perfect excuse to use my crochet skills to make a present, although I have to say I always find it harder to find a nice pattern for a boy that doesn't end up looking a bit lacy and girly. So I thought I'd try my hand at a bear hat. This pattern is available for free at the blog of a very talented hooker - owlishly
and lets face it, what newborn doesn't look cute with teddy bear ears?

Daily Bread

If I had more time in the day or/and was better organised, one thing I truely wish I could achieve would be to bake a nice fresh crusty loaf of bread everyday, but for now I have to settle with it being either a weekend treat or a packed lunch emergency at 8pm the night before.

The loaves above were made using 2 part strong white to 1 part wholegrain with the added loveliness of date syrup and pumpkin seeds - they didn't last long, but long enough to give me that smug glow of feeling like a domestic goddess, for half an hour at least...

Lisa Hannigan

Colour, music, craft........... If someone adds cake this website will become my personal web heaven.

Packing Heat

I wonder if I can claim my recent little creations are part of our Renewal theme? A pair of husband's old jeans, some remnants from curtains and the legs from daughter's old bootcut trousers have been most helpful in offering themselves to be reborn as heat packs filled with grains of cheapo rice doused in Lavender oil. The packs are now ready to begin their new lives; they'll be gifted away - according to my diary it's officially birthday season now - and then occasionally stuck in the microwave for 2 minutes before lying on an aching muscle or warming chilly sheets. Perfect on the lower back after a bit of springtime weed pulling?

Paper Weaving

Click here for the link to the paper weaving we tried at today's session.

Shortbread Biscuit Recipe

Makes approx. 12 biscuits

• 115g butter
• 175g plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 55g caster sugar
  

This recipe isn't a do or die - I use Lurpak spreadable instead of butter and quite often use golden granulated sugar instead of caster sugar, just depends what's in the cupboard. Whatever variation, these little biscuits always seem to work out beautifully.

Oven to 180

Mix together the flour, salt and sugar. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients. Continue to work until a soft dough is formed.

Roll the dough into a sausage with a diameter of about 5cm. Cut discs of just less than 1cm thick from the dough and place onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Dip in melted chocolate, sprinkle with sugar or drizzle with lemon icing when cooled.

Eat. Yum.