Creative Crafts for Christmas

Well, for those of you in or near the North East this coming week we have the 19th Anniversary of the Creative Crafts for Christmas at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle 14th - 16th October 2010.

My friend and I went to the Pins and Needles event back in March and had such a wonderful day; it flew by. We were there from 10am till 4pm and they has to almost chuck us out.
It's a great event there were loads of stalls selling items for crafting at really good prices (mainly) everything from quilting, beading, knitting, egg blowing (this looked amazing!).

In addition to this there were workshops held all day and we booked ourselves on the beadwork charm bracelet workshop, this was a good giggle sat with lots of other likeminded ladies, this is what got us both hooked on jewellery making! In addition to that we did a workshop on how to make Kusudama Balls (japanese Medicine Balls), just because they looked amazing!
Here was my effort, this now lives in my teenage son's room hanging from the curtain rail:

This year my friend and I both fancy the box making workshop, which might come in handy to box up our handmade gifts this christmas.

I will take the opportunity to stock up on what I need, I have a growing shopping list ready. I prefer buying things like charms and beads in person rather than online as you get to feel them and see them for yourself.
Our tickets arrived a couple of weeks ago and I have booked the day of work and am really looking forward to this coming Friday, I get to have a full day with my lovely friend too. The next big craft show is on when my friend's baby is due so we will have to make the most of this one!

I'll show you what I buy / make when I get back!

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Uncommon Crochet

I saw a post last week about a crochet string bag which I really fancied having a go at. The pattern was from the Uncommon Crochet Book by Julie Armstrong Holetz. Well I managed to get my hands on this book and here are some of the lovely ideas in there; I do like the idea of crochet with different materials Jute, String, Wire etc.

This is the string bag I set my heart on. I have the string ready 3 balls for a quid (B&M Bargains), just need to decipher the instructions:

I remember my Mum had a bag like this back in the 70's, I can see it with a Cath Kidston cotton inside:

I could fancy one of these too I have a mountain of yarn stuffed in ugly carrier bags:

I really like this felted bag, it's called the Hong Kong Bag:

This is something I could manage, I like the mix of materials, now where can I buy those handles?

These are quite sweet and look really simple to make:

On the whole I like this book, I am glad I came across it. The only fault with it is that over 1/3 of the book was showing the basics of crochet.

This does annoy me a little, I think that with the millions of books out there dedicated to showing the basics the book could just crack on and show lots of lovely patterns, but nevertheless it is a welcome addition to my craft book selection.

Any good craft book recommendations?

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Secret Santa Swap and Free Quiche

Have you heard about the Secret Santa Swap over at Hookin' with LaaLaa?

The idea is that LaaLaa sends out a questionnaire to us all and then she pairs us up with someone secretly. You check out your partner's blog and get to know her likes and dislikes etc. In time for Christmas you send a parcel containing at least five gifts for your partner to open on Christmas day. Isn't that a great idea?

I love making and receiving handmade items but not everyone does, have you ever given a gift you have put much thought and time into only to have someone turn their nose up at it? Well I have and it's nice to give to someone that you know will appreciate it, that's us lot!

Pop over and sign up if you fancy it, it's open until the 15th October so you have 10 days still to join.

Another quick Slimming World Meal to show you:

Slimming World Cheese Pie

Ingredients: 1 packet cheese & broccoli Pasta in Sauce

1 packet Cheese & Onion Smash

1 Medium Onion

3 Eggs

1 Tub Quark

Salt & Pepper

Lean bacon

Tomato

Directions; throw all ingredients in a bowl and mix together with boiling water until a cake like consistency.

Pour into a quiche dish and bake in the oven Gas mark 4 or 180 degrees for 35-40 mins.

Add sliced tomatoes to the top.

Free on Green and Extra Easy. This was rather nice but a bit stodgy, it's not something I could eat lots of, but you could if you had the mind to. I ate mine with a heap of beetroot, Yum!

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Estee Lauder Gift Time

As some of you may know I am quite thrifty in general but when it comes to face stuff and makeup I adore Estee Lauder!

I ran out of foundation the other day and after work I popped into the Metrocentre and in Debenhams I hit the Estee Lauder counter only to find it's Gift Time!! EEEEkkkkk, I didn't even know.

I bought my favourite foundation and with one other purchase you get the free gift, I could have bought something cheap but I was desperate for more Idealist Skin Refinisher so I got that too!

I never feel properly dressed without Idealist it turns your skin to velvet, when I have been cash strapped I have settled for the Boots No.7 Protect and Perfect, but it is a poor relation to the Idealist.

Look what I got free, there were two options this time, the creams for the older skin and this one for the youngsters like me (stop smirking!!):

Full Size Lipstick, Mascara, Eyeliner, Mini Toner, Facewash, Mini Idealist mini Face Cream.

And all in a sexy pink croc pouch, which is huge!! I have lots of these Estee Lauder Bags now, this is one of my favourites so far.

So if you love Estee Lauder pop into Debenhams and get the offer, they do a beauty club now a bit like the boots points system which is pretty good!

p.s. Just so you know I have no connection to either Estee Lauder (I wish!) or Debenhams just like to pass on bargains or good deals when I can.

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Autumn Swap Time

Did you notice in my sidebar I joined in Crafty Helen @ Homes Autumn/Halloween Swap, well I chose Autumn and I was paired with the incredible knitting talent that is Chloé.

We had a little email discussion about what we liked and we read each others blog, I spent hours looking through her flickr makes, she really is brilliant.

This is what arrived :

Brown paper packages tied up with string......

...these are a few of my favourite things:

This wonderful book full of clever and unusual knits for little ones, perfect! It is spiral bound which I love in a craft book as it actually stays open and you can use it without creasing it.

how cute is this:
and this is adorable:
a fabulous laptop sleeve, which I have been meaning to make for myself for months now - this is just very me, I love it

The loveliest facecloth hand knitted isn't it amazing, Chloe has linked to the pattern on Ravelry on her blog, it looks far too complicated for me. The body bar just smells amazing I wish I could share it's smell with you, I can't use it I want to keep it like this!

And last but not least the softest, most beautiful wool scarf handmade by Chloe using a design she created herself of falling leaves, isn't it just amazing, I love the detail in it and it's so appropriate for this swap, I will treasure this.

Huge, huge thanks to Chole for such wonderful and well thought out gifts, I hope you like my little offering to you!

Big thanks to Helen for organising this, you lovely clever thing you!

p.s. Weigh in last night, lost another 1.5 lbs - thats 9lb in three weeks, I just need to keep this going..

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Givaway Win and a Slimming Pudding

Did I mention that I won a lovely giveaway recently, well I did, I won!

This is what I won from Bibbitybob's Giveaway ~ aren't there some lovely bits in there? I have already got the vintage doilies out in the house and the kids snaffled the little chocolates ~ just as well really I have eaten far too much naughty stuff this week. Thanks again honey this was a welcome suprise and made my week.

Beautiful little handmade heart:

CK covered photo frame and little heart:

An assortment if beautiful pre-loved cloths, some of these have already found homes throughout my house:

Didn't I do well it brightened up a dreary week! Thanks again honey x

Now on a different note, I have been cooking lots more since joining slimming world. I know I have to cook most days but spag bol from a jar is not really cooking is it?

I am not a cook as such, I make what I have to and find it a chore, but I have enjoyed making some new Slimming World Recipes recently, here is one I made yesterday:

Slimming World Raspberry Roulade

Ingredients: 4 eggs, few drops if vanilla essence ( I used lemon essence), 4 tbsp sweetner, 1 tub quark (virtually fat free soft cheese), and strawberries or raspberries.

Directions: Seperate the egg whites and whisk until stiff peaks form.

In seperate bowl mix egg yolks, 1/2 tub of Quark, 1/2 the sweetner and Lemon/Vanilla Essence. Give it a good mix.

Gently fold into the egg whites.

Pour the mixture in a lined (important as it will stick) and well oiled (with frylight) tray and bake for 10-15 mins at gas 5 or 190 centigrade.

It comes out like this, it was a strange texture a bit like a sweet omlette and very delicate:

Next you mix the remainder of the quark, sweetner and fruit together and spread it across the cake then roll it into a swiss roll and dust with sweetner. Stick it in the fridge for an hour and you get this:

And it was delicious, I was not expecting it to be; but it was. I ate the lot myself, everyone turned their noses up at it and I didn't encourage them too hard to share it. I hasten to add I did not eat it all in one sitting.
This will only make sense if you follow slimming world or if you have done, but this entire roulade is FREE on all plans. There is a version which is 1/2 syn for the whole thing but that is for 1 tsp baking powder which I leave out and it makes no difference as far as I can tell.

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~

Versatile Blogger Award

I have recently received another award (get me, I feel like Katherine Hepburn... I wish I looked like her too) from the rather talented Jacey of Coffee 'n' Crochet ~ thanks very much honey!

To receive this award there are 3 things you have to do;

1. Say a big thank you to the person who sent you it: Thanks lovely lady :)

2. Reveal 7 Interesting facts about yourself. If I keep doing these you will know me better than I know myself, I am not terribly interesting but here we go:

1. I am a movie fan, I have hundreds of DVDs scattered about the house and buy films all the time.
I have a pile of movies that I circulate through on a regular basis and I watch movies sometimes in 10 parts as and when I get the time, they are the backlight to my daily life. I like a wide array of movies and the last few movies I watched this week were; Harvey (for the 1,000th time), The something, something, something Dark Side, Dead Man's Shoes and A Christmas Story (in September I know, but I love this film). I do however rarely go to the cinema, it is not easy with 4 kids and its blooming uncomfortable and expensive, and I hate that plebs sit near me and talk and eat with their mouths open and it just drives me insane and I can't enjoy the film, oh I am such an old woman! Ohh I once had a fight at the cinema (on my birthday!) with a man who sat on me and then poured Nacho's and Cheese and Pepsi over me. The cinema apologised on his behalf, gave me loads of free tickets and offered to pay for my dry cleaning and the police had a polite word with him. I must learn to keep my mouth shut though :)

2. I am a scatterbrain and have to write everything down.
I carry a huge handbag with two notebooks for current lists of stuff and long term stuff I need to remember. I wonder sometimes if I have early onset dementia, it does run in my maternal family. At work each day I keep a notebook by me all the time and write everything down and each day things that have not been addressed I have to copy over to tomorrow's page so I don't forget. People at work know not to ring me on my mobile as I always tell them to confirm by email a I WILL forget.

3. I am a huge Alan Bennett fan.

I love all of his work and have a special fondness for his monologues and his work with Thora Hird. I know he is gay and has a life partner but I could spend the rest of my days with this man, I adore his dulcet Yorkshire tones. I have listened to his talking heads monologues so often I know them all verbatim, my favourites being A Cream Cracker Under the Settee, The Last of the Sun, Waiting for the Telegram and A Chip in the Sugar.


4. I love the Radio, especially Radio 4.
For years now I have never missed an episode of the Archers, I am an Archers Addict! I love Womens Hour too and podcast this each day. I don't watch much TV really, I do like some of the soaps, but that's about it.



5. When I was a little kid we lived in a Sheltered Accommodation Block for the elderley a my Mum was the warden. It consisted of a huge building housing about 60 self contained flats. It was locked all the time and as such I had the run of the place. All my friends were between 60 - 98 and they were the people that shaped my life.
I visited my favourite friends every day, it was like having dozens of grandma's and grandpa's, my best friend was Hilda, she fed me Jam Sandwiches and let me play with her treasures. I remember at Easter my brother and I would get about 40 or so easter eggs each!

6. I have very few friends.All through my life I have had one or two close friends rather than a huge gaggle of friends around me. I am not a social animal, and can't abide having a house full of visitors, I prefer a few select friends who I really care about. I have one best friend who I love and lots and my Hubbie and Boys, then we have quite a small family and a couple of other friends and that's enough for me! I can't abide false people and false 'friends' so I choose not to have them around me. As I am getting older I am much less tolerant of everything, I am a grumpy old woman at 36! Oh p.s. I love Calvin and Hobbes (the comic strip above).

7. I love poetry and have a poem for most occasions. Again my tastes are wide and varied but some of my favourites are;
Flowers ~ Wendy Cope
Sonnet 116 ~ William Shakespeare
Sonnet From the Portuguese XLIII ~ Elizabeth barrett Browning
The Road Not Taken ~ Robert Frost
The Lady of Shalott ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson
Sudden Light ~ Dante Gabriel Rosetti
Remember ~ Christina Georgina Rosetti

So there you have it another few pieces of me. Again, I have to pass this on, but again, if you fancy taking up the mantle please feel free to, I will not actually tag you as I know some of you don't like it, but it's open to all.

All images courtesty of google images.

~ ♥ Back Soon ♥ ~