Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from April, 2015

Busy doing nothing much

I had a lovely quiet day on Saturday. Not much housework as lucky for me Ian had the day off on Friday and did most of it. After cleaning the kitchen I decided the window needed some colour; and an hour later some new bunting was in place. I was on a roll and made some more, this time for my Folksy shop . It made a nice change to be sewing, I always seem to be making granny squares at the moment. It's a long process my granny square blanket but more about that when I've finished it (I'm way behind but catching up). That's what I like about sewing, you can see the finished piece a lot quicker. So here are some photos taken in my garden this afternoon before the rain came down. photo shoot And the custom bunting for my kitchen window. It worked out perfect, 7 flags all hanging perfect.  customised bunting for my kitchen window  

I did it! (Swimathon 2015)

I took on the individual 1.5k Swimathon challenge and on Sunday, 19 April - I swam along with 9 other keen swimmers at Swallows Leisure Centre. The Sittingbourne Leisure Centre hasn’t held a Swimathon event for many years; Charlie the swimming coordinator was keen to host the event this year. It wasn’t very well attended this year which is not surprising; only ten people took part on Sunday, I’m not sure how many attended on Friday, 17 April. I’m hoping that Swallows host it next year and make it a bigger event because it’s my local pool. This didn’t put me off because it was a nice atmosphere and meant that most of the swimmers could get in and start straight away at 3pm. I’ve been training for three months fitting in swimming around my job and family life, averaging at two swims a week. I’m so pleased I did prepare because my time was great for my first event, 51 minutes and 50 seconds. Not bad for someone who only took up swimming again last July after a 16 year break! I think o

time to get sowing

I did it, I finally banked enough time to dig over my veg patch and start sowing. I think I went a bit mad, this is what I have started with in just one bed, with room for raddish and something else! Sunflower Topolino (to attract the bees, we love bees); Broccoli Raab (that I bought last year or was it the year before?); Beetroot Boltardy (I've never had success with Beetroot so third time lucky); Carrot Cosmic Purple (left over from last year); Kohl Rabi (another packet from last year and something new); Chard Bright Lights (a favourite in my veg patch) And in two large tubs the Bearded Dragon's salad leaves (oriental and salad bowl). my little veg patch A nice little mixture to get me started, all covered to stop my inquisitive Springer Spaniel from looking! I haven't thought about toms and cues and courgettes but I do have all the seeds ready. One small step at a time. I feel so much better, something about digging around in the earth and being in the open air

What's in my yarn bowl

My lovely yarn bowl (Little Wren Pottery England) Last year I was lucky to receive a yarn bowl, not any yarn bowl but the one featured in Simply Knitting . My son, Jack remembered that I loved it and kept looking at the page saying "that's clever I need one of those" Well he remembered and bought me one for mothers day last year. It's perfect for small projects like the Birch Trees scarf pattern I originally blogged about here . That very blog post has generated over 400 clicks?!  It just goes to show that a good title and adding to Pinterest and being featured in Simply Knitting for my WIP scarf can generate a whole lot of interest in blog land. I never did finish it because although the pattern is very straight forward I managed to get it wrong and have tried to get back to where I was before it went wrong and couldn't. So I decided last night to start again but this time in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino tomato that I had in my stash. Anyway if you ha

Easter weekend, cakes, crochet and shopping

I love the long Easter weekend, four whole days away from work. I had a lazy Friday because Ian was due to go back on night shift. I spent the morning with a little crochet and ironing. Saturday Ian and me popped to Blue Water to watch a film but I messed up the tickets, I hate booking online. I managed to book the front row, doh! Anyway all was not lost because the nice manager could see I was having a hard time and exchanged my tickets for open ones to use another time. But we did get to eat at Eds diner, I love their milk shakes, a meal in themselves! There is the nicest cup cake shop at Blue Water called Lolas (in the Winter Garden area) and they had a lovely display of cakes, including this one. Very tempting but no prices so probably expensive.  cake shop at BlueW ater It got me thinking about baking so on Sunday morning I made a Mary Berry Perfect Victoria sponge . You must try it the recipe is just so easy. I put everything into my little Kenwood Chef and it does

my week so far

With only two weeks to go until my Swimathon event I was keen to boost my target. There is still time to sponsor me if any of you are feeling generous. I had reached my target of £400 but have since raised it to £500. Well why not, its a great charity. So more chilli jam was required, 4 batches and 650g later I've had enough (for now) of making chilli jam! Don't they look lovely with the sun shining through showing the little flecks of chilli. I made a batch of hot and the normal. The hot sold out quicker than the standard. A note for next time to make more hot. chilli jam batch I've got lots of little pieces of yarn from various projects, so a quick knit in about 20 mins is this little egg cosy. Since taking the picture the crème eggs have vanished :-) quick knit, egg cosy   With the long Easter weekend I plan to get on with Megan's uni blanket, over halfway and its looking great. I have enough wool to complete it so trying to be good during April and n