A Shot of Culture

After a morning of dashing around changing shoes and buying birthday presents ,I dropped into the art gallery for a shot of culture. What a fantastic exhibition of Ron Mueck sculptures. Get yourself down there ladies and check these out.

On the Round....Stool Cosy

In-keeping with the round theme, whilst watching 'The Tudors' last Friday night I knocked out, using lovely thick cotton yarn a 'stool cosy' to brighten up my rather drab bathroom and to keep my little ones bottoms warm during teeth cleaning duty.

Using only single crochet, I gradually increased each round until I had reached the desired size of my stool (around 130 stitches.) I then decreased quickly to create a smalled diameter. The finished item was then stretched over the stool, and tied with extra yarn underneath to prevent any small fingers pulling it off.

I have to admit I am enjoying the simplicity of the dense single crochet stitch and have been mesmerised by the 'pinwheel' pattern I am finding in the rounds.

simple crochet

Finally managed to finish some simple crochet projects and post them, inspired by the book by Erika Knight, 'simple crochet', I have used cotton and hessian string, and am now inspired to try some more. I'll have to look in some junk shops to find some different sized bottles for crocheting, or perhaps try and create some sculptutral shapes out of wire to crochet. I feel the need to try some crochet bottles on a larger scale so watch this space....giant crocheting here I come...

Happy Birthday Heather!!

If I actually sit and think about it, crocheting a cake is probably right up there with the crazy ladies who make poodle toilet roll holders, but I have to say I had so much fun making this (pattern in 'Amigurumi Two by Ana Paula Rimoli) two tier majestic cake I can hardly bear to part with it! I know it's going to a good home though - Happy Birthday Heather!!!

Subtle hints are so 2008....

I'm hoping for a year's subscription to Aesthetica Magazine for my birthday. The Aesthetica website is currently a favourite of mine as it's content seamlessly fuses two of my favourite topics - creativity and culture. Aesthetica's features and image are delivered with a confidence that whets the appetite and leaves me wanting to know what they'll say next. Enjoy.

Relaxing on the porch...

New Buffalo - how I miss you, as the rain sprays its fine drizzle on my Scottish world, I daydream of sitting on the porch, relaxing with a glass of red wine and my crochet hook, after a day playing in the water with my little ones. living the summer dream....for one week at least....

Julius and Friends

I LOVE Paul Frank, in particular the Julius and friends range of goods. I was so excited to actually visit one of their shops whilst in Chicago, and luck was shining down that day - 40% off everything day!!!So, what did we buy? We were quite restrained, buying only items for the kids, which included these georgous flash cards -

Check out the Paul Frank website for other cool items, and please, please, please watch the cartoons, your kids (and you) will love them!!!

Inspiration

There's nothing like a bit of travel to whet the creative juices, and fresh back from our holidays to the USA, I thought i'd share with youa few shops which took my eye:- (click store name for link to their website)

RENEGADE HANDMADE 1924 West Division Street, Chicago
Loved this shop!!! bursting with fresh ideas and talent, some of the prints were amazing! they have an online shop and a blog too!

Paper Doll W.Division Street, Wicker Park, Chicago

what a treat!! I wanted everything!! Unfortunatly for us Scots, no online shop but they have a blog!

Nina -1655 west division street chicago, illinois 60622

Like no yarn shop I have ever been into before, lovely space, georgous wool, inspiring projects on display, I could have stayed all day!! how I wish it was just down the road in our local town...sigh..

Proper Peppermint Creams

When the sun doesn't come out in summer I get a strong urge to bake. I also get a strong urge to eat completely scrumptious things, but that's a year round thing.


My daughter and I made these peppermint creams at the weekend. Technically this isn't baking but they are most definitely scrumptious. These little lovelies made the perfect accompaniment to a fabulously massive cup of fresh coffee and a warm seat in front of the window watching the rain tip down.

Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• 400-420g of sifted icing sugar, plus extra
• Few drops of peppermint flavouring or peppermint oil
• Pink and green food colourings (optional)
• Good dark choc for melting
  

Beat the egg white until it's just turned frothy and then add to 300g of sifted icing sugar. Add about 3 drops of peppermint oil or flavouring and a drop or two of food colouring. Fork the ingredients roughly together and continue adding tablespoons of sifted icing sugar until the mix is stiffening and can be handled into a rough ball shape. Taste and add a one or two more drops of peppermint if required. Knead the ball for a minute or so and add more sifted icing sugar if the dough feels too sticky or wet.

Lightly oil a piece of parchment paper and lay out. Shape the sweets as desired (sift sugar on worktop if rolling dough or else it will stick) and air dry the cut/shaped sweets on the parchment paper for 20 mins before decorating by dipping or dripping dark melted chocolate. We shaped our sweets by rolling balls of dough and then squishing them gently between thumb and forefinger.

I'm going to have to make and eat these again very soon, I miss them already.

1. 2 . 3 .4...I declare 'Thumb War'.......

School holidays have arrived, lots of relaxing and free time to spend with my little ones. I think crafting with boys is always slightly more challenging, I really have to pick something that will capture their imaginations for longer than 2 minutes. Enter our Thumb wrestlers!
A happy hour was spent this morning, cutting out felt, sewing together the 'thumb' and then sticking felt scraps onto the thumb to make the details. We used this programme on CBBC to get some ideas for designs http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/games/#/lb/games/play/maskmaker