I have just finished testing a pattern for the very talented Amanda of Kitschy Coo. She asked me to make up a version of her asymmetrical reversible jacket to check whether the pattern was OK to release. I have to say that it was such a pleasure to make up.

The instructions were very clear and straightforward and the finished coat looks amazing. I decided to use some lightweight brown needle cord and some fabric that I picked up at last years Knitting and Stitching show.

Unfortunately, Pickle wasn't in a very co-operative mood, so I couldn't get any good pictures of her wearing it!

Pop along to Amanda's website for more lovely patterns.

Twelve years ago today...

...I married my wonderful husband. We have been through lots in these past twelve years, two countries, four houses, five jobs, two miscarriages, four wonderful children and after the birth of our youngest, the very real possibility that I wouldn't make it and he would be left with three young children and a newborn baby. We've had amazing highs and very low lows, lots of fun, many arguments and some fabulous snowboarding! I had no idea what the future held when we got married, but I know that if I had the choice, I'd do it again. I love him more now, than I did then. He may not be perfect, but he's the best husband for me, and I know that he often peeks at my blog so, ' Love you, and thanks for the last twelve years!'

Crochet rediscovered.

It is a long while ago that I did any crochet apart from a quick flower corsage for a present or two. That was until I followed a link to the lovely colourful Lucy of Attic 24. I have been so inspired by the wonderful, bright things that she has made and when she posted the pattern to her latest project, the Summer garden granny square blanket


I just had to have a go and now I'm addicted! The pattern is easily memorised, which means that I can pick it up and do a couple of minutes here and there, waiting in the car for the children after school, while I'm waiting for the dinner to cook - anywhere! They are so quick to crochet and it's not long before you have a satisfying pile of bright little squares ready to be joined together.


I have little bags of wool dotted all around the house and am completely addicted! I did try using different combinations of colours, but I have to admit that I love the originals the best and so have gone back to those.

I'm determined that this won't be a work that gets abandoned in the 'I'll finish this someday box' and am really excited to see the finished result. My husband will laugh at this point as he doesn't understand how I can be excited about wool - but I can and I am and so there!


....the more observant of you may also notice another project from Lucy's blog that I've been inspired by to try and make my myself!

Sunny Bunnies!

This weekend, I thought I'd get organised and start making little bunnies for my girls as part of their Easter present. They are always so disappointed when the things I make go to other homes, so I decided to make something just for them. This is what I came up with - little pocket sized bunnies!


Only I had such fun making them that I carried on!.It's my first attempt at making something from scratch with no pattern and it took a little while and a number of disastrous attempts, but I'm pleased with how they have turned out.

Here's a sneak preview of another bunny in the process of being made.....

- but you'll just have to wait until he's finished before you see all of him!

Can't decide if I like this or not......

Yesterday evening, both my husband and I were sitting at our computers when he turned to me and said " here's a notebook for you ".. I had no idea what he was talking about , but he showed me this and I had to smile! I can't decide if I like it or not and am not sure whether it really will ' complement this spring's outfits perfectly' as it claims. The selling point of it having a 'matching embroidered storage sleeve that protects the mini PC as you carry it' doesn't do it for me either, I'd probably need to make one of my own!

Needless to say, we won't be getting it. Three computers, a laptop and enough parts for another undetermined amount of computers is plenty enough for this house. Mind you, I'm sure he thinks that about my wool and fabric stashes!

As I was wandering around the house this morning my attention was caught by the sun streaming in through the windows. Spring is definitely on it's way and all of a sudden there are bright vibrant colours everywhere. I love the crispness of spring sunshine - even if it does make it very obvious that I haven't cleaned my windows in ages!

A pot of miniature roses on the windowsill...


A pile of granny squares waiting to be joined together...


Crochet flowers in lovely sunny spring colours...


A collection of WIP's , waiting patiently on the bookshelf!

Hello again!

Well, things are settling down a bit here. Everyone is home and healthy and Miss Chatterbox's finger is responding well to her second lot of antibiotics. They aim to take the pin out on Wednesday, so hopefully we'll be able to draw a line under that chapter of events!

Meanwhile, I've become the owner of two lovely new gadgets. The first one has a bit of a story - for years now, I have been looking at the muffins in Starbucks and other coffee chains wondering how on earth they get them so domed and high. I've been trying out lots of different ways to get the same effect at home, different kinds of muffin cases, different amount of fillings, different recipes, but to no avail. If I filled the cases to the top, then inevitably the mixture would spill over during cooking and I'd end up with a flat muffin. I became a woman on a mission, determined to find out how they were made and developed a theory that the manufacturers had a special cake tin that was shaped to allow the muffins to spill over the side and then continue to rise, but I think everyone here thought I was becoming a bit obsessed and just humored me!


Well, it must have been about October when I followed a link from a blog to another blog and what did I find, but a lady who had EXACTLY the same theory as me, but who had in fact found the tin that was used and it was shaped just as I thought!! Ha! Only problem was, they were only available in America.

Well, I must have mentioned it so many times that my wonderful husband ordered one for me for Christmas, but due to delays, it only got here last week, and look, it is shaped!

and since then we have had an almost daily baking of muffins! Each time I use the tin I think HA! and the novelty still hasn't worn off. So far this week, we have had:

Cranberry, cherry and white chocolate

Triple choc and toffee

and my all-time favourite - lemon and Poppy seed. No picture here I'm afraid, as they disappeared too quickly!

I still can't decide whether I am so pleased because I can make muffins just like the ones in the shops for a fraction of the price or because I was right even when people humored me and my ideas! Whatever, I am enjoying the products of my quest, and so is the rest of the family.

This is one of the 'super muffins' next to what we had previously thought of as a big muffin....

Oh and for those who are wondering, I can't remember the blog where I found the tin, but it's called a crown muffin pan, and my husband ordered it from here. It's been a long post, so I'll tell you about my other gadget in another post.

Feel free to drop by for a cup of coffee and a muffin any time....!