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Yarn Along: Finished. At Last

Joining Ginny for Yarn Along… 

At last. I have finished the Baptismal shawl (for Sunday!!)

Whatever inspired me to decide to use 4ply cotton? Never again!!!

Even more pertinent: what the heck inspired me to crochet the shawl “in the round”?!

By the time I was thoroughly mentally finished crocheting it, it was just too small to use as a shawl to wrap around Baby, so some lateral thinking was needed. Fast.

I folded down one edge (using a measurement from one of his cardigans) to create a collar effect:

(I folded less than this once measured)

Then chose some small mother of pearl buttons to sew around the collar edge, and a vintage button at the neck:

The older brothers were not impressed with my central button choice, deeming it a “bit blingy”

(how shocking!! -I am possibly the least “blingy” person I know!! :-)  )

(seriously)

But once all sewn together, it looked fine, and so we decided on a dress rehearsal:

Unfortunately, our little Bubble of Cuteness just loves to JUMP, and so four hundred photos (or so) later:

Quick jump break…

(Our little Chewy… one tooth has come through and fingers- any fingers in close proximity, his or ours- are chewed on. Oh, the razor sharp edge of baby teeth!!)

I dont have any photos of the pile of books I’m reading (concurrently, of course) hopefully I’ll be more organised next time. For now, I am unbelieveably relieved to have the shawl finished. Just a few more rounds for his cap (no doubt will be done Saturday night in my usual way ;-)  )

 

Posted in Crafts, Crochet, Yarn Along, handmade, yarn.

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By Emily – January 25, 2012

From Porridge to Birds

Today started off on a good note with a hearty breakfast of porridge, followed by a pot of tea (the teapot, incidently, was a present from me to Fergal, (but really from me to me!!); it is enamel and not only gives me delight to look at it, pours beautifully too! I’m so looking forward to picnic-ing with it)

Paper, paper everywhere… (as usual)

My middle boy, (who tends towards the cute side) was telling me how he would just love a hot scone with jam. 

So how could I resist such a plea? (don’t they look “perfect”? And tasted rather good too!!)

James’ baptism is next weekend- I’m crocheting a quick little cap; and the shawl: I’m keeping that to have something for Ginnys Yarn Along on Wednesday. I had to deviate somewhat from the plan (was there a plan? Really?) 

These little fellows are flitting to and from our window all day…

Our smallest cutie spends his changing time transfixed by the movement a few feet away:

 

Posted in Animal Husbandry, Cooking, Crafts, Crochet, Freeform Crochet, Home-making, Our Garden, Our Home, Yarn Along, cloth nappies, handmade, tea, yarn.

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By Emily – January 23, 2012

Deirdre Maddens’ Scones

Those of you who did the Home Economics in the Leaving Cert back in the day will have probably used- or come across- Deirdre Maddens fantastic All About Home Economics book.

If ever you wanted or needed to know the basics of cooking, sewing, general home-making; this is your bible. My well-thumbed copy is regularly used, and, following a dream about her scones, I made them exactly to her recipe (well, I doubled the quantities…)

As would be expected, they were perfect (funnily, I find, this is an outcome that happens when one actually follows a recipe rather than winging it)

When my children eventually fly the nest (although they regularly threaten they will never leave) this will be the book I give them a copy of. Recently the book has been re-published, find it here, and in the meantime, do go and make these scones….

Tea Scones

200g flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

50g butter

25g caster sugar

1 egg

A little milk (approx 2 tablespoons)


Sieve flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl

Rub in the butter until it looks like breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar

Beat the egg and milk in a small bowl and add to the mixture (you can keep back a little to use as a glaze if you like) Mix to a soft dough, adding more milk if necessary.

Turn onto a floured worktop and knead until smooth underneath.

Roll out to at least 1 cm in thickness and cut into rounds.  Place on a greased tray, brush with egg and bake in a fairly hot oven 215′C/ 425″F, Gas 6 for about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire tray.

Posted in Cooking, Home-making, Recipes, tea.

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By Emily – January 17, 2012

New Year: Painting

I mentioned in a post a few days ago about my new “painting studio” arrangement… For the past few months, painting has been in my head; having a space to paint and general experimentation. I’ve been working away in sketchbooks and on a pretty compact scale, but have been yearning to go painterly wild. This has been fired up no end by following my bloggy friend all the way across the ocean in the US of A: Rita Maria. I have been keeping my beady eye on her painting journey for a year or two now, and have been practically salivating over her words as she embarked on a painting adventure which stretched her boundaries of painting experience and creativity…

  

(all paintings by Rita Maria)

I LOVE her abstract paintings- don’t you? Vibrant, luscious, and inspirational. 

I love them so much I bought myself a print (above, on windowsill) which arrived today- HURRAY!!! It’s gorgeous, the print quality is beautiful, and I cannot wait to get it framed and on the wall. This is going to be my mascot towards unlimited artistic freedom (and possible madness. Although someone around here remarked recently that that milestone has already been achieved)

 

As I paint, I’m pushing my own boundaries as to what I “can” and “can’t” do (it’s extraordinary how your head can make you pause indefinitely, making you believe that something like sloshing paint is something you can’t do), and, even though I start off with extraordinary energy and excitement, halfway through, I feel as though I have cycled almost to the summit of a hill and whilst pedalling furiously I am slipping backwards down that same darn hill. The struggle, therefore, is to keep going onwards and up!! Not a particularly easy task. In fact, it is frankly terrifying. But good and energising and fills me with horror and delight at the same time :-)

And so I am experimenting: I’m using mixed media (goauche, watercolour, inks, acrylic) on Fabriano rather than oil on canvas (sometimes things out of your control can be a great thing: I usually have baby in the room or relatively near my while I paint so I don’t want any fumes from the process) The whole struggle not to paint in oils has been hideous and has caused sleepless nights (I know. Sad) (Maybe not as sad as dreaming of lichens every night for a week. Thats Very Sad) but painting in unfamiliar territory is teaching me more and will, I know, feed future oil paintings in great ways. And I’m starting to get the hang of these other mediums- wow, the freedom is extraordinary!!- and I just have to take a great big leap into the unknown. (I’m sure there is a fantastic quote that I could put in here to finish on a more succinct note, but no, couldn’t find any- a little difficult when a cute, bald baby is bashing a singing Cookie Monster toy on my knee!!)

(When I get my camera back- I have had to borrow one, and can’t use it properly- I’ll take decent photos- have a few more paintings on the go too!!)

Posted in Mixed Media Art, Painting, handmade.

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By Emily – January 11, 2012

Hope and Possibility!

Happy New Year! Wow, are the days flying by… I hadn’t meant to take quite a lengthy sabbatical, but never fear, things have been as busy as ever around here!! ;-)

We are slowly getting back to our rhythm in the house now the twinkly lights and baubles have been packed away…

today we went walking in Portumna woods- what a beautiful mild January day it was!- lichen spotting

(sporting a handy magnifying glass-thank you Pat!!- and my lichen book. We even came home with several samples which we are compiling to make a herbarium)

(Truly, we are turning into a family of nerds)

When we took down the Christmas tree, we moved things around in the sitting room to give me a space to paint… and this beautiful cupboard to put all the necessary “stuff”

(Once I get “my” cupboard properly organised I’ll take a few proper photographs)

and so I don’t know myself having somewhere to store all my bits and pieces, paints, brushes etc etc. I am painting/ art making in the house for the moment, as the studio is too far from the house and I really have to take any few minutes when I get them during the day or, usually, evening (needless to say I’m appallingly untidy and disorganised so I (and my beloved husband) hope this arrangement will curb the flow of creative accoutrements from invading the entire house)

I am also moving things around here on the blog… bear with me, my time is very limited, and usually involves a babe-in-arms nursing or pretending to nurse while all the time has one eye on the screen trying to type with his foot (I jest not)

I love this time of the year- Its so full of hope and possibility. I have so many plans and dreams and hopes for 2012!!! Thank you for reading, and looking forward to a year full of great things! :-)

Posted in Home-making, Our Home, Painting, breastfeeding, handmade.

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By Emily – January 8, 2012

Chocolate & Fudge Caramel Roulade

Perfect for the season that is in it, this cake is relatively simple to “throw” together, and coupled with the fudge sauce made late week (I truly urge you to try it) it becomes a decadently delicious ensemble.

I adapted this from a recipe found on my old friend, the BBC GoodFood website, and, having never made a swiss-roll/roulade before, it worked perfectly.

(At this juncture, I have to tell you one of the most hilarious stories involving swiss-rolls: my friend Sue (not to be confused with crafty-Susan) went looking for a swiss-roll tin. When the shop assistant produced the shallow flat tray for same, Susan said “oh, no, I’m making a swiss-roll, you know the ones that look like a roll; the tin needs to be a spiral shape”  !!!!!!!!! I think of Sue everytime I see a swiss-roll)

Ingredients:

100g caster sugar plus extra for turning out the roulade

5 eggs

25g self-raising flour

½ tsp baking powder

40g cocoa

50g ground almonds

 

For filling:

Fudge sauce (recipe here)

Frosting:

100gms chocolate

50gms butter

dash of cream

Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Line and butter a (flat!!!!!) 30cm Swiss roll tin, dust with caster sugar and shake out any excess.

Beat the eggs and sugar together until they are pale and thick enough to leave a trail when you lift out the whisk – they should have trebled in volume. This will take about 10 minutes, so use a counter-top electric mixer if you have one.

Fold the dry, sieved ingredients into the egg mix using a large metal spoon, being careful not to knock out too much air. Spoon carefully into the tin and spread out to the corners.

Bake for 12 minutes or until the cake feels firm to the touch. Flip out onto a sheet of baking parchment scattered with caster sugar.

Peel off the backing paper, then roll up the roulade lengthways, using the paper to help you. Leave to cool completely.

When ready to assemble, melt chocolate, butter and cream. Unroll the roulade until flat (It will crack and may break a little, but once the frosting is on top no-one will be the wiser)

Spread the fudge sauce on the cake and, usng the paper agin, re-roll it. When the frosting is ready, spread thickly with a spatula, and, if you like, mark it with a fork to look like the typical Christmas Log. 

Decorate with a sprig of holly, and, as ever, consume greedily with lashings of (double) cream or an excellent ice-cream!

 

Posted in Christmas, Cooking, Recipes.

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By Emily – December 26, 2011

Craft♥Advent, Day 24: Last Minute Cookies

Today, I made white chocolate and cranberry cookies. I made enough dough for several “rolls” of cookie dough wrapped in greaseproof paper, which stays happily in the fridge for several days. Packed in a clear cellophane bags, tied with a beautiful tag, they are a super last minute gift for anyone who visits over the holidays…

On our last day of  Craft♥Advent, thank you to everyone who participated either through submitting links or reading along…

I would like to wish you and yours the most joyful of Christmas’ and a healthy, abundant 2012!

Posted in Shop.

1 comment

By Emily – December 24, 2011

Craft♥Advent, Day 23: Crafty Selection

As you can imagine, things are getting beyond busy around here! :-)

We have been inundated with visitors and last minute things to do (let me put it like this: my cards will be late, late, late and many hand-delivered this year!!), so the shortbread I was to post today didn’t get photographed…

So I decided to link to a few Advent crafty things I made last year.

Our kitchen this Advent Eve…

And the papercut village, I made a tutorial for the papercut church here

Christmas baubles: So easy and a great last minute Christmas Eve craft for kiddies and adults alike!

Gorgeous tea-light holders: I can’t have enough of these… the tutorial here

Or a spot of baking… Nothing like brown bread for tea with meringues after!! 

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve… our last day of Craft♥Advent: see you then!

Posted in Advent, Christmas, Cooking, Craft Advent, Crafts, Handmade Gifts, Holidays, Home-making, Mixed Media Art, Our Home, Recipes, Tutorials, handmade.

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By Emily – December 24, 2011

Craft♥Advent, Day 22: Pastry Parcels

I love mince pies- made with fragrant home-made mincemeat, buttery pastry, smothered in cream or ice-cream with pots of tea is my idea of Christmas bliss… But the making of mince-pies is very fiddly and not being the most precise of people, I have decided upon a faster pie-method. 

Mincemeat ”Parcels”

(These are also very delicious made with apple, sprinkled with sugar… oh, yum)

For the pastry:

(I always make a lot of pastry and keep it wrapped in the fridge- keeping it chilled does wonders for pastry)

250 gms cold butter, cubed

500 gms flour

ice-cold water

In the food processor I whizz up the butter and flour until like coarse breadcrumbs (you can also do this by hand of course :-)  )

very slowly drip in the water until it just comes together. Keeping it in the bowl, I cover it with buttered paper and leave it in the fridge for at least an hour (It keeps for up to a week)

The Parcels:

Roll the pastry out thinly, then cut out circles (I used a lovely wide coffee cup)

Into the centre of each circle I put a teaspoon of mincemeat or finely chopped apple (if using apple, sprinkle with sugar), wet half the edges of the pastry circles, fold over the circle and with a fork, press down all along the edge. Spike the top with the fork and into a hot oven for 15 minutes. Enjoy hot!!

 

 

 

 

Posted in Advent, Christmas, Cooking, Craft Advent, Recipes, Tutorials, handmade, tea.

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By Emily – December 23, 2011

Craft♥Advent, Day 21: Solstice Mulled Fruit Punch

A delicious fruity seasonal drink for the shortest day of the year. I made this for our Christmas party today, and it went down a treat!

In a large saucepan (I have made this in a slow cooker also and it worked beautifully),

Put 1 litre of cranberry, orange and apple juice. To this, add 4 cinnamon sticks, a small fist of cloves, sliced orange and star anise. Cook slowly for several hours until you have a fragrant, non alcoholic warm drink with all the scents and flavours of of the season.

Enjoy!

Posted in Advent, Christmas, Cooking, Craft Advent, Recipes.

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By Emily – December 21, 2011

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