Have a go: needle felting

i've recently had a go at needle felting to make a small gift for my daughter's best friend - it cost very little to buy what i needed - the rather scary needle, a pad and the 'wool roving',  i had to give it a go because i was so inspired by this artist's truly wonderful canine creations - my technique needs a heck of a lot more practice buy she's still rather cute don't you think? may, my daughter made her bed.

simply strawberry jam

for me one of the best things about summer is strawberry jam making, and especially strawberry jam because of that tantelisingly sweet sugary strawberry smell your kitchen acquires as it boils along and that glorious jewel like ruby red that fills your jars, i put my filled jars on the window sill so they glow even more - tastes pretty nice too! i read somewhere once to warm the jam sugar in the oven first - helps for a quicker setting time - really works!

busy, busy June

it's that time of year again -  school fair making frenzy time...

so being busy is making knitted hair fancies, bagging up sweet treats, sewing aprons fashioned from tea towels, baking and packing chocolate brownies and bagging up lucky dip treats - busy work, but awfully good fun... tomorrow - jammy efforts

but on the other hand...

big is beautiful too... i'm loving knitting this cabled rug on super large 15mms and with chunky yarn from my stash - the pattern i've taken from jane brocket's fabulous new knit book 'the gentle art of knitting' - love this book!

small is beautiful

i've decided, i really do love knitting small things - i use my little dpns even on just flat knitting just because i like to have the knitting and its workings contained within the confines of my palms, it makes me feel neat and delicate. socks, gloves and baby doll clothes like the one shown above (soon becoming part of a new collection for knitted baby party wear) do it for me.

blooming lovely...

i'm well over the bike now! truly i am.... ish.. but into the beautiful bounty of blue bearded irises that have bloomed since end of may in my garden (please excuse the over exuberant alliteration! i just can't help it!) i've waited for them to bloom so for four years - 'though this one sadly fell in battle against the crazy winds we've been having so i'm enjoying her in the house - isn't she lovely?