taking stock: May & Makealong update

Making: Pebble Beach shawlette for the Cftc Makealong. Have had to start over this week as I think I was twisting my purl stitches after the lace rows. Back on track now and at the 10% mark!

Cooking: yummy banana pancakes from this easy recipe.

Drinking: Twinings lemon green tea.

Reading: Captain Corelli's Mandolin (still!)

Wanting: to find the right place to live. Please!

Looking: on Rightmove and Gumtree, all day every day. Ugh. 

Playing: with Annie Sloan chalk paint for the first time. 

Deciding: whether or not I absolutely need to use wax to seal the chalk paint. Any thoughts?

Wishing: I could paint ALL THE THINGS!

Enjoying: having a bit of a clear out.

Waiting: for my breakfast to go down so I can head out for a run.

Liking: that our bathroom geranium is budding again. 

Wondering: if our tiny, weary houseplants need re-potting.

Loving: that Carly Rae Jepson video with actual Tom Hanks. Wut? 

Pondering: approx ten billion haircuts on Pinterest. 

Considering: getting my hair chopped off. It's like wearing a hat and scarf all the time!

Buying: eggs.

Watching: 3rd Rock from the Sun on Netflix. And the latest GoT.

Hoping: for healing.

Marvelling: at the difference sunshine makes to a day. 

Cringing: at my peely shoulders - got stupidly sunburnt last weekend.

Needing: to see for myself whether Poldark really is all that. 

Questioning: injustice. 

Smelling: Nuxe goodies from my in-laws. 

Wearing: my hair in a plait. 

Following: what's happening at Knit Fandango on Instagram. 

Noticing: the days getting longer. 

Knowing: we're leaving this flat in about a month. Eep.

Thinking: about splashing out on a pair of Saltwaters.

Admiring: new mums who are acing motherhood.

Sorting: junk we don't need.

Getting: a bit stressed.

Bookmarking: recipes for a certain husband's birthday cake.

Coveting: other people's fab hair.

Disliking: having to dress for all four seasons at once. 

Opening: waaay more tabs than I need.

Giggling: with Mr P.

Feeling: overwhelmed and a bit worn out.

Snacking: on peanut butter rice cakes.

Hearing: bells and birdsong from the bathroom. Will miss it.

Inspired, as always, by Pip's Taking Stock series.
What are you up to at the moment?

Christmas craft roundup

It's that time. 

Now we're into November I can no longer deny that Christmas is sooon. As such, aside from indulging in small amounts of I'm-not-ready panic, I've trawled through the Knit Happens archives (so you don't have to) and found some fun and easy craft ideas for Christmas. Bring forth the links, projects, patterns, recipes and ideas...

Pretty Christmas hearts

To hang about the place for festive cheer. Here's when I made these. 

This tutorial is pretty good.  

Wrapping Ideas

Remember the Crafty Christmas Club? There are still a load of great creative projects on there. Here's my guide to budget gift wrapping. 

Carolina Snowflakes

This is by far one of my favourite festive makes. A wee bit fiddly but totally worth it. 

Find all the links and stuff you need here. 

Last Minute Chutney

This is super-tasty and doesn't require any time to mature. 

I've been saving jam jars all year for my Winter 2014 batch! 

I-cord Heart Decorations

Baker's twine, garden wire, cream yarn and some knitting needles. I-cord is go!

Easy Stripy Phone Case Pattern

This is so quick to whip up and yes, it fits an iphone. 

I've also been really inspired by Kate's Christmas craft roundup at Greedy for Colour. As you'd imagine, there are lots of brilliant tutorials for colourful yarny treats and washi tape ideas. The confetti pompoms and cute hot air balloons are high on my list!

What are you making for Christmas? 

off the needles: little knitted hearts

Hello lovelies!  I hope you've had a peaceful, or brilliantly raucous, Christmastime.  I was holed up in the Shire (Devon, not Middle Earth) with The Chap and his family and 'twas splendid.  Anyhow, now we're back to some semblance of normality I can share this year's Christmas crafts.  

These dinky hearts were the I-cord project I mentioned in the last post.  I knitted a load of I-cord tubes, then threaded them with wire and shaped them into hearts.  A length of baker's twine or pretty ribbon and job done.  I'm quite pleased and have so many ideas for more I-cord goodies!      

I also rustled up my annual last minute batch of chutney.   It did turn out okay, but the unthinkable happened along the way - my go-to recipe has vanished from the internet!  I used this as an alternative with a few amendments, the addition of smoked paprika and a handful of sultanas.  I would like to be a bit more adventurous in the kitchen and try out some new recipes.  

Do you have any favourites?

Chutneying

Chutneying is a word, right?  If not, why not?  Anyway, I have taken to the kitchen once more to whip up some fierce festive chutney in time for the holiday hijinks (awful alliteration over, I promise). 

I used this recipe from the ever delightful Betty Magazine blog.  I only tweaked it slightly by using red onions and swapping the red chilli for smoked paprika, black pepper and chilli powder. 

Sweet, tangy and with a bit of a bite; I'm pretty chuffed with this chutney.  Hopefully it will be a good accompaniment for those random unidentified cheeses that appear in the fridge at Christmas time. 

* As this recipe is no longer available, I've been using this one by Jamie Oliver instead, with the addition of smoked paprika and sultanas. 

hmmm, looks more tempting in the jar, I think. 

lady marmalade

A couple of weeks ago it was my Mum's birthday.  I decided to make her some marmalade (mum-alade?!) to mark the occasion.  A good challenge.  Brilliantly I have since lost the free Sainsbury's recipe I used, but I can tell you that 3 whole oranges, 2 whole lemons and 1 kg of sugar went into it. 

Panic not readers, I have rooted out this lovely marmalade recipe from the good ol' Guardian for you- check it out!



I was happy with how it turned out, although the fact that I made it myself helped me overlook the extreme stickiness.  Not bad for a first timer, anyway. 

What have you done this week that you've never done before?