Colourful crochet for a gloomy day.

I've been feeling a bit sorry for myself this week, just a bit fluey but haven't felt able to do much. I haven't done any sewing but this has meant that I've been able to catch up with some crochet mainly my Yvestown granny blanket.

Well it's getting there!

I crocheted these recently using the Royal sisters tutorial for Grandma hearts here.

I used the same pattern & made these red hearts for Lissylou who is having a 'Red for Heart' sale tomorrow in aid of British Heart Foundation. Good luck with the sale Lissy Lou I hope you make lots of money.

I made some for myself too.

On Facebook I was recently bemoaning the fact that I desparately wanted a small round wooden stool. This was so I could make a crochet cover for it just like the one on Dottie Angel's blog.

Well thanks to Claire at Dolly dollop, who came to my rescue I now have one. And in return I'm going to crochet her a cover for one of her other stools, I believe she has a few ;D As you can see I started yesterday, this will be mine as there is an annoying mistake on the first round.

And these are getting ready for the Easter craft sale. They need eyes and fluffy tails yet.

Along with these, which will become rabbit faces on flowers and then added to plant sticks.

Just a load of old jumble!

On Saturday we went to a jumble sale in aid of Shelter Box/ Haiti. As it was for such a good cause I felt I ought to buy a few bits :) A little bit of Kitsch above and something for next Christmas below.

One can never have enough teasets or spare cups and plates!

Now who could resist this little face, I think she's been sat in the sun too long as the front of her dress is so faded, time for a new dress methinks.

An unused piece of aqua Pyrex.

Even though I went to the book sale last week I still had to get this one inscribed 'To Annabel from Daddy & Mummy Xmas 1960'

Some tiny green glass sundae dishes.

And then what I went for 50p's worth of fabric,

and a jumble of lace for 25p

which was indeed a bargain and took quite a while to unravel.

I mustn't forget this, my 16 yr old declares it to be soooo retro! needs a good clean though.

This one didn't come from the sale we found it in a CS just before Christmas, the picture doesn't do it justice but I have been looking for one of these for a long time just need to give the wood a lick of cream paint.

Food Glorious Food.

A bit of a foody post today. Last week I joined in with Marmalade Rose and the other 20 minuters bloggers, the aim being to craft for at least 20 minutes a day for a year. I usually do some sewing or crochet everyday but I wanted to do this so that I'd make things for me or in this week's case for my 3 yr old, hence the felt cakes. These are by no means perfect I just played around with some bits of felt & seed beads but Lily loves them.

I've also completed my first string blocks project and made them into potholders.

I think I've mentioned on here before that I collect cookery books, I now have 1008 thanks to these ones that I bought on Saturday at the 30p book sale. the trouble is I buy them look at them and think oh yes I'll cook that, that and that. Of course you then forget well I'm now making an effort to cook lots of the recipes and have started with The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook.

I'm loving all the things I've made so far from this book, dread to think of the calorific values of the cakes though!

Traditional Brownies.

Oat & Raisin Cookies.

Banana & Chocolate Cupcakes.

Nutty Apple Loaf, which incidentally fell apart, as I took it out of the oven a bit too soon, tasted fine though.

Lemon Loaf.

We have now completed week 5 of the 52 week recipe challenge - cherry and coconut bake.

Just so it's not all about cake I thought I'd add some soup in here :) For a few years now I've grown Jerusalem Artichokes in the back garden, for their height! But I've never cooked with them until last week when I made this soup. I just cooked the peeled and chopped artichokes in some homemade chicken stock for 30 mins, blended then stirred in some cream.

Kinda food related - I was very happy to find these in the charity shop at the weekend, 6 rose Pyrex plates to add to yet another collection.

And another rose jug a twin to one I already have!

I treated myself to these from Lakeland last week, heart shaped silicone cake cases, so cute.

And finally carrying on from my last post, I managed to capture a photo of the the female Blackcap.