Beavering away....

I have been such a busy bee lately preparing for the opening of my Etsy shop jammypudding next week. Investing a not insubstantial amount of pennies on supplies and sewing like a wee trooper to build up stock.

These are what I am selling...

Lovely (if I do say so myself) felt brooches.

Some of the designs go way back to 2010 and I have been making them as gifts ever since but finally decided it was time to share my love of brooches with any one willing to part with their hard earned pennies for them. I'm selling them already on Instagram (since yesterday) and am pleased to say that I have sold some already. It feels lovely actually. Lovely that someone wants them, lovely that I made them with my (sh*t, less than 5 weeks till 40 year old) hands.  Lovely that I feel competent I know what I am doing and am organised. Lovely to spend lots of time sewing, watching Heroes on LoveFilm and it feeling like a job.
To be fair lately it has stopped me furfilling other creative urges but I am nothing if not committed so I kept at it even though I have a list of wishes and WIPS as long as my arm. It just feels like the right time.

So I am taking photos to edit, ready to list on Etsy very soon so if you are looking for a wee gift for yourself or another come have a looksee when I open.
Or if you are in need right now get in touch, (contact details at the top of this page).

X

Find me on Instagram and Twitter as jammypudding.

The day I made lemon curd and embroidered a pretty jar topper...

So I am asking why oh why oh why oh effing why haven't I made lemon curd before?
I mean it
Why?
I love lemons, adore them, cannot think of a tastier flavour of sponge. There are few better smells in the world and they rock yellow like no human could.
Yet until very recently I hadn't ever made the effort to make homemade.  I had this recipe from the lovely Fishy and bonny Mrs B (whose shared foodie blog I miss with all my stomach and would bribe them to post again) bookmarked for an age and had copied it into my favourite treat notebook.  I mean for yonks and yonks!
Anyhoo, I have no excuse and if I had known how effing easy peasy lemon squeasy it was going to be to make I would [like to think I'd] have done it sooner.

 It is the best lemon curd I have ever eaten and had to take Mrs B's advice and pair it with my favourite scone recipe with added poppy seeds.

There was enough for just about two jars becauseI didn't use standard sizes. I knew once I saw those golden filled jars I had to get sewing, sorry embroidering (see still have issues with the names).

Still wanting Robert Plant to squeeze ma lemon.  That will never change whenever and everytime I think of lemons

 Says what it was, lovely lemon curd.

If you have never tried making it, please do.  You will be rewarded with heaven in every mouthful.

Some strange people, namely Mr Biscuit are not impressed by lemons, fools and numpties one and all. He is both, trust me!

X

Find me on Twitter and Instagram as jammypudding.

Oh my, I love to embroider...part 1.

I have always sewn since way back as a wee lass learning at primary school.  I was taught 'cooking and crafts' by Mrs M whom I remember enjoyed the sun. As in 'looked like an old leather handbag' liked the sun and wore an incredible amount of ugly gold jewelery and had pillar box red talons.  Not nails, dear readers, t-a-l-o-n-s!! Her hands freaked me out because she she would insist on keeping those rings on when she had her hands in flour.  To this day I hate to see someone baking with rings on and never ever, not on your nelly, do I keep mine on.  Any kind of food under someones rings gives me the boak!  Worse still under those talons.  I blame Mrs M for me never wearing nail varnish either.  Put me off for life. The look of her garish, leathery hands has stayed with me even if she was the person who taught me to sew hexagons together and bake cakes.  *shudder*
But I was hooked (not by her talons which would have held me prisoner, pinned forever) and since then I have always felt at home with a needle in my hand.  Later, in my teens, my mum and dad got me a second hand sewing machine. I used it loads, altering things I got in charity shops and generally playing about with it.  I have never fallen in love with a machine as much as with sewing by hand.  There is something so methodically comforting about hand sewing.  It soothes my soul.
Until recently I feel I have only dabbled in embroidery.  Even back in spring I was waxing lyrical about that. Dabbled because in my head embroidery is quite specifically defined.  That is, what I do, the sewing I usually do, is not embroidery. I suppose, for me, embroidery is prettifying, embellishing with stitches.  I don't know why in my head I think I didn't do it.  I am a loon as it's obvious I do embroider and always have. I was just calling it sewing, which it is, duh!!

A while back I bought Alicia Paulson's Daisychain sampler pattern from her shop because I was going to learn how to embroider properly (right, I know, thicko alert).  Ignoring the fact that I knew how to do quite a lot of the stitches described in it, 'I sew not embroider' was imbedded deep. Oh my it was a revelation, I found the thing I love to do more than anything.  I am all about a needle in hand.  I had started to get that when I was sewing thousands of hexies together by hand.  I enjoyed it way too much even with the pain of aching joints and getting spiked under nails and through fingers.  I felt hardcore folks!  But I had found 'my thing'. The sampler was going to be my way of practicing new stitches with something at the end of it.  I wasn't a fan of alphabet things, well I thought I wasn't.  I am all over breaking assumptions in crafting!  I loved the end result.  'I made that' was a grin plastered to my face!

Here's some shots...

Once finished I put it in a frame and it now hangs in my bedroom reminding me of the joy I had sewing it. My boys and I ask each other what letter is our favourite and before we know it we each have said pretty much all the letters. It is that pretty!

Once this was finished I moved on to a new project called 'Crafty Shelves' which I will save for another day.  Wouldn't want to bombard you with too much gorgeousness at once.  I thought we could spread it out for longer appreciation of the joys of embroidery.  You agree, yes?

X

Find me on Twitter and Instagram as jammypudding.

Spring is in the air...

...even though we woke up to a thick layer of frost this morning.
However Spring is poking it's head up with the daffodils and crocuses.  I have especially been 'feeling it' in my sewing.
The last few weeks I have been embroidering the Daisychain Sampler pattern from Alicia Paulson's Rosy Little Things shop.  I an sewing it in floss rather than crewel and I have been loving it, finding it remarkably soothing and one of the most enjoyable things I have ever made.  I realise as time goes on my true crafting love is hand sewing.  Something I began to learn/feel as I was sewing hex after hex together.  I haven't really tackled embroidery much before, a wee bitty here and there and a dip of the toes in some cross stitch, although I discovered I'm not keen on that. This is my first real foray into such a varying amount of stitches.
Take a looksee...

My cool wee Loftus on the Hipstamatic and north facing window are not doing the colours justice so 'here's one I took earlier'...

 I made this wee house for my Kindle too, copying some of the flower designs from the above pattern and adding a bumblebee and sunny buttons.

I put wadding it it for protection and am glad I made one myself  but I never enjoy using a sewing machine as much as I continually think I am going to.
No doubt I'll make an Autumn/Winter house for it too.  Love my Kindle.  Much easier to stroke cats whilst reading...

I cannot leave without a photo of cake, too pretty to leave out.

Take care, my lovelies.

X

It cannae just be me who does this....

Surely it cannot?

Today I find myself with my mind birling with ideas.
Creative juices a bubbling and a spiraling.
I have a need to design.

 

So I have all of this out designing a special quilt; my 'Teawagon Quilt' inspired by the lovely Jane of teawagon tales who sells the most lovely vintage fabric (oh and Jane is very cool too, she loves Morrissey, what can I say?).  All of the fabric for this quilt is from her shop so hence the name.  I have been quietly foraging pieces away in my stash for a while now. Once I have enough I'll get going as it will be sewn on my machine and therefore won't take long (I have been sewing the below by hand for months and months so anything by machine seems easy and lightening speed) but...

The ridiculous thing is that I already have three other blankets on the go, two of which are stumbling in the main due to finances. This granny all-square  from The Royal Sisters blog which is shown here as part of the 52mmmc...

  

which, even though I have a hundred plus pile of, I need a lot more wool to complete it and then there's this...

of which the top is pretty much finished but I still need to add some more white hex's to square off.  This involves counting up all the spaces and working out how many half hex's I need too. There's two thousand paper pieced hexagons on this bugger already but  I  need some more calico to make more hex's which means money. Oh and the batting but luckily I have an ancient (well it used to be on my bed when I was wee) candy stripe flannel sheet for the backing.  This 2.3 x 1.1m quilt top has been a real labour of love and I could have carried on and on, I loved it so much!!

I'm thinking of opening a wee Folksy and/or Etsy shop to (hopefully) make a few pennies to help??? Scottie dog/apple brooches anyone??

I have also started a knitted patchwork blanket from my wool stash...

You know, something for the evenings!

It doesn't seem to matter how many WIPs I have on the go (just about to start this too???) I cannot stop the need to be creative about the NEXT project.  I don't always have to start this next project straight away and I like to have a few things on the go; a bit of crochet, a bit of knitting, a bit of sewing, as I like to be able to move around depending on my mood but when a new idea strikes or there are rumblings of an idea taking seed I MUST heed it and sit down, pencil and paper in hand and design.

Hands up who else?

I see you there, get that hand up!

X

Nealy Headless Nick..sorry I mean Nearly Wordless Wednesday!

still hexed!!

X

Today...

I decided to print off some of the patterns accumulating on my laptop and boy now I'm feeling a wee bit....forget that negativity.  Let's just say rather than looking on it as lots to do, overwhelming and a long long list, I've decided that it means (poor, poor unfortunate me!) lots and lots of necessary sitting on my bottom watching box sets and films whilst sewing and knitting.  

It's important work I tells ya! 

*sigh*  

I loves a homemade Christmas!

I confess though the first thing on this printed out pile that will be made are for me... 

 Surely if I am to work so hard [??!!] for Christmas it is essential for me to be comfortable and cosied up in the feet department.  I found the wool recommended for a bargain price of 12.95 instead of 36.00 for a ten pack.  Shocking for 100% undyed virgin wool!  Not that I need ten balls but everywhere else would have sold only the four required for the same price.  Now I could knit another pair for someone else and have two balls left over for a pair of socks.  Not keen on the word 'smug' but if the feeling fits...

What is on your crafting 'to do' list?

X

p.s the pattern for the bunny slippers can be purchased from here.  If you'd like to see more of my knits, I am on Ravelry as cupcakeandbiscuit.  You do have to be a member or join to have a looksee  but it's easy to do so and is an amazingly helpful and fun site, lots of available patterns etc.

Have yourself a very squeaky Christmas!

I am unapologetic, Christmas is on it's way and I, for one, am jumping up and down.  Skipping and a' twirling because I lurves it so.  No, I am not wishing the time away, nor have any desire for songs or decorations yet.  Simply, for me, the build up, the anticipation of Christmas is as important as the day itself.

Autumn is starting to poke it's head out and I've spotted his forehead and that it all it takes.  My body is reacting.  I am thinking about socks, warm stews and crunchy golden leaves.  I am thinking that not so far in the future winter is coming and it makes me happy.  Happy because it means jingly jangly bells and fairy lights, gingerbread and cinnamon.  Let's not be ashamed to mention Christmas like it's a swear word!  We are about to enter the 'bers' and that folks ends in "the most wonderful time of the year"!

Also Christmas needs a bit of planning.  If, like me, you enjoy a good session of list writing, Christmas calls for that in abundance.  If, like me, crafting is a fundamental part of your Christmas, then really it's best to get ahead and not risk spending any part of December in a panic sewing, knitting or making (not this year, I swear!).  I confess I am not a lover of shopping *bows on knees to the internet* and my idea of hell is a shopping centre but will do if for small necessary things.  I don't want to be doing it for main presents.  I also don't really want to do it at any other point in the year.  I sometimes buy cards and wrapping paper in the new year sales but I never look at anything else, not until the days shorten.  If I have to shop then I want endless rounds of Wizard and puddles on all the shop floors.  I want the atmosphere, though not necessarily the crowds, and I want to feel Christmassy.  

So this week I have started ordering craft supplies and yesterday I made my first present.  I was itching to make this.  Do you get that way??  You see something, are inspired by something and you are restless until you give it a go? 

Isn't she cute?  

Watching the rain.

I saw her in this book by Tone Finnanger who designs the Tilda range of fabric etc.

I do love Tilda fabric although, like most designer fabric, it's quite expensive so I tend to buy charm packs and the like so I can get a wide range of patterns without breaking the bank.  I've had this book for a while but never really felt at all inclined to make anything from it until now.  

The mice 'spoke' to me, as it were, their squeaky wee voices niggling me so off I went to my fabric stash.  It was very easy to make but still took me all day.  Forever up and down to the ironing board all all that stuff.  Pushing the fabric the right way out was a bit fiddly and I changed the face by embroidering the eyes, nose and whiskers.  I couldnae be bothered faffing about with paint and ironing on the nose. I didn't make it Christmassy either.  I went for pinks and other Tilda fabrics.  Even though it took me hours and hours I am very pleased with myself.  I don't tend to make sewn things like this and my confidence has been boosted no end with a successful time in front of my machine.

One down and many more to go!  I'm off to carry on with another...

Can you tell how driech it was when I took this?  The sun has come out to play as I type but is anyone else freezing?  Autumn is coming but it's still a shock to consider putting the heating on in August!

Take care lovely peeps!

X

A richt ol' blether!

...to you all and thank you to those of you who left a comment on my last post.  It is a common query as to posting about such sad things but life is sad at times so thank you for your kind words.

Our new - above - phone arrived today.  I knew I could have probably found a 'real' one of these but time was short and I am lazy shopper so characteristically hopped over to Amazon.  Our old one's internal battery had died again and it seemed a waste of money always replacing them (rechargeables are expensive!!).  It was under thirty squids so I'm not complaining..  I like it and yet, I will still ignore it ringing, it's quite gorgeous ringing, most of the time.  Don't want to hear voice recordings and have people 'fishing' about possible PPI's.

I am still hexed and planned a long loving post waxing lyrical about the joys of hand sewing but I thought I'd show you how I am getting on...

It really is a labour of love because it hurts, a lot!  Not my sewing hand but the other pressing two hex's together.  I'm about a third of the way there, it's only - did I say only? - for the bottom half of a king size bed and am very VERY addicted.  I can be found wandering around the house, hex's and needle in hand.  I am going to want to make another I can tell.  Also I am finding the irony in shouting at my cats to "keep off" when I have throws on our bed for them to sleep on.  It's easier to deal with hair and any mess on a throw than on a whole duvet.  Do you like it so far?

We have also been making jam, emergency jam. 

So called because at a recent sleepover at their grandparent's house we got a phone call from Youngest Biscuit saying "We picked too many strawberries by accident, do you want some?"  "eh....okay".  In fact they went for 4lbs and ended up with twelve.  We gratefully received four of them and got to work. Youngest Biscuit devours jam and was thrilled to make some. Can I mention again the joy of a huge wooden spoon in a huge, in this case 'jeely', pan.  Oh and it tastes wonderful.  Today it will be lavishly spread on a Victoria Sponge.  I need cake.  Part celebration/relief and part comfort food.  My period finally arrived today, a week late, and although I doubted a vasectomy reversal I wasn't finding Mr Biscuits round tummy jokes funny.  The VS will taste all the sweeter today.

I'm in a right blethering mood today, shame I've no friends to chat with!!  Also world war three is happening again next door.  They're loopy mental, always arguing, but luckily one or the other storms out so there's usually a ceasefire. Tis all quiet at the mo.  Cannae be doing with all that negative energy when I'm in a mischievious mood.

I shall leave you with my take on a harassed Woody running from the paps. 

 
I cannot resist taking photo of Youngest Biscuit looking cross in his Woody outfit, it makes me laugh so so much.  He, on the other hand, does not like it!!  Not one bit.

X

The 52 Marvellous Makes Madness Challenge - Weeks 41-44!

The sun is out today and with a hint of shock I am ignoring all inside jobs and forcing myself to sit in the garden, it may only last a day and it's still a bit on the chilly side but I'm determined to act like it's summer. My Biscuits' finish up school on Friday so I will enjoy the quiet whilst I can and a wee bit of sun on my toes. 

I heard last night, to my dismay, there had been a heatwave, must have occurred elsewhere....

Anyways...

More marvellous madness folks, hope you like...

Week 41

 Mummy bear

Made with a pattern from this amazing book...

 (image from amazon.  Click here to take you for a looksee)

which I borrowed from the library and after renewing and renewing I realized I needed to have a copy of my own.  It contains many things I want to knit and is old fashioned in a very nice way.  I love this teddy and want one for me too.  It was knitted for a first birthday and hopefully will be loved for many many years.  I couldn't resist adding a wee something of my own to the design...

Too cute, if I do say so myself.  I also added a bell inside it's tummy in homage to my own 37 year old panda who has one in his.  He jingle jangles every time I pick him up and I wanted to share the joy of that.  Made with very luxurious (and expensive!?) baby alpaca and the reason I am making noises about the price is the pattern only calls for one ball so seven pound a ball seemed reasonable for a whole teddy but a whole teddy it did NOT make.  I had to buy another just to finish off the arms and was not happy as the pattern said tension didn't matter etc, very frustrating but made a beautifully tactile and soft ted.

Week 42

Eldest Biscuits 10th birthday cake.

I've used this giant cupcake tin a few times and have of yet to be satisfied with the end result.  Tis very tricky to get the inside done without the outside being overdone and being the perfectionist I am, this winds me up. I've tweaked and tweaked and will keep on tweaking until I get it perfect.  Also tricky to make this requested cake as non girly as I could and I think I pulled it off.  I have to add this image as the birthday boy's face fills my heart...

watching his daddy singing 'happy birthday' and his wee brothers face is so happy to be joining in.  Family joy!  I am usually on cake carrying duty and Mr Biscuit on the camera but on this occasion, with my clumsy ways, was not to be trusted.  Fair play!   Now this cake was no where near as complicated as other ones I have made but it can never be underestimated how long they can take to create and at what late hour you tend to have to be creative.  That, my friend, goes hand in hand with birthdays in our house.  Me being exhausted just comes with the territory but as the above photo shows, it's worth it.

Week 43

Birthday biscuits.

It is a real shame I forgot to take photos of these biscuits as they were the best I've ever made.  I really went for it with piped then filled in icing, polka dots, hand made sugar daisies and blossoms and lots of pink.  Very frustrating that I have no image to look on my handy work.  They were greatly appreciated (along with Mummy bear) though and scoffed and that is the most important thing.

Week 44

Poppy Treffry Egg Cosy.

I had a discount code for Poppy's shop and thought I'd get a kit for the above cosy and have to be honest the sewing instructions were far easier to follow than in her book.  I am flat out rubbish at following written instructions ( I may have said it before but I even struggle with Kinder eggs.  I am that bad!) but managed to sew one up.  I am thinking tea cosies will feature highly this Christmas so this was really a good way to have a go to see if I am up to it.  I am (even after many years) not as comfortable with a sewing machine as I am by hand.  I'd like to be, think in many ways I should be by now but alas, I am not.

I love the style of Poppy's work and by that I mean I love that it looks a wee bitty untidy and suits the fact that in machine sewing, I am not neat and therefore cannot be perfect. I can easily lift of my own wee hat of pressure for perfection and enjoy the flow of sewing.  Click here for Poppy's shop.  It's pricey as hell but nice to look at and be inspired to get her book and make your own versions.

Back to enjoying outside, if only I could block out the sound of my neighbour boaking with his morning smokers cough.  Is it a man thing to make that much noise?.  The previous tenants were the same, although they liked to go in the garden and spit, MINGING!!!!

X

The 52 Marvellous Makes Madness Challenge - Weeks 33 and 34!

Hello, hello bonny bloggers.  

First things first, my oven is mended, yay!!!  Relief....must bake something today (am thinking scones).  There was a slight delay in it taking a few days to realize buying over the net was the way to go as our local shops were pants.  We managed fine without an oven in the main due to me having a cold over the weekend. Ladies you may know what I mean when I say, if I'm poorly not much meal production happens at the hands of Mr Biscuit. 

Why is it that after a busy busy time you catch a cold?  It's a bit worrying that the night before it hit I was handling cakes at the schools Birthday celebrations baking stall.  If any of you have never had the pleasure (???) of manning a baking stall let me tell you it's insane!!!  Unbelievably busy!  The teachers helping me didn't believe me when I said to get ready for it to get scary.  It'll be like childbirth, I'll forget how bad it is by the time I'm asked to do it again.  There are perks as you get to choose what you want before it sells/sells out, on this night meringues and cream, yummy!!

The Biscuits school was celebrating it's 40th Birthday and it was cool to see photos of Mr Biscuit all Ginger and clad in 70's brown fairisle jumpers.  Not so good was the idea to light lanterns in the playground, at one point it was like The Hindenburg, watching one burning away to nothing not very high up in the air.  All the health and safety plans went out of the window when people realized it was better to use a lighter rather than queuing to get to a designated lighter, it got a bit scary with kids running around chasing lit ones.  It probably seemed like a great idea in the meetings...

Eldest Biscuit was also in a production of Oliver.  School productions and assemblies are always a joy to witness.

So to business...

Week 33 

I find it ridiculous that no matter how many (cough four) pin cushions I have, when I am sewing I inevitably have to stretch my way around mess - messy pup remember? -  to reach whichever one[s] I have out to get a pin so I thought one of these fellas might be handy.  It is, I am happy to report!  A wee simple rosebud made of felt sewn on to a ring, easy peasy!

Week 34

A Fish[y] brooch.

Made for a birthday gift on a creative whim giving a bit of freehand/machine embroidery a go.  I'm not entirely happy with it but....  Made with felt, fabric from my stash and the dinkiest wee spotty 'love bug' button.  I like to describe these buttons as raindrops on fingertips.  They are available from lovepaperfish.com if you'd like some.

More weeks to come....

X

The 52 Marvellous Makes Madness Challenge - Weeks 17-24!

Hey Check me out!

Mrs Organized I ams......so here's me feeling smug that I did indeed make a list of sorts of what week was what and indeed I forgot to photograph some makes (I am so so bad a remembering to photograph gifts before I hand them over!) and had to exchange a couple for baking...lots of baking then, but what is Christmas without lots of joyous mixing in the kitchen?

Scream if you wanna go faster!

                                        

Here we go!

Week 17 - stockings    Ickle ones attached to and i-cord, knitted up from a free pattern available at Little Cotton Rabbits from the amazing Julie, famed for her delightful bunnies.  I'd like to be her when I grow up.  If I knit for the rest of my days I shall never be as neat as her but I shall endeavor to try.

Week 18 - hot water bottle cover    Made up, could be better, say no more about it. My friend was pleased though...

Week 19 - pear brooch    Should be with it's partner of a larger needlebook [both designed by me] but like I say RUBBISH at taking photos sometimes.  A birthday gift for my mother-in-law.

Week 20 - wrist warmers    Another pattern I got from Julies blog, a joy to knit! Christmas gifts for two lovely ladies.

And...

Week 21 - door curtains    One of two.  I am very proud of these as they are "What I call" proper sewing and I've never done anything like this before, lined and everything!  Gave it a go without instruction and am still in shock they a) look like curtains b) work like curtains and c) are not skew-wiffy!!!

Week 22 - christmas cake    I've never made this before either as I don't like fruit cake.  Obviously I baked it a while a go [the best smelling cake I've ever baked] as a huge ten inch square to be cut up and shared out with family and had to as I felt something was missing from my life as someone who bakes not to bake one of these each year.  I admit to picking some of the fruit out as I eat it but it's very yummy.  I suppose if I was ever going to enjoy a fruit cake it was going to have to be a home made one.

Week 23 -  mini apple pies    After confessing my loathing of dried fruit it's no surprise at Christmas time I don't make mince pies.  These, my friends, are no inferior alternative.  Delightful 'pop in your mouth' melting, citrusy, yumminess!  From Nigella's 'before she became a caricature' Feast.

Week 24 - christmas cupcakes    Man how I adore these.  May well be my favourite cupcake ever, dense, chocolatey and slightly spiced.  I've made them each year since Nigella's Domestic Goddess book came out and constrain myself by not making them at any other point of the year.  You know traditions and all that.

Take a deep breath......lots more crafty delights planned for the 28 weeks left to do!

*

 Here's to 2011 and I shall leave you with easily my favourite gift, given to me by a teenage boy.

A testament to what I am all about...

X

What to do when...

...Mr Biscuit is wielding power tools in the kitchen, Biscuits are playing PS3 games and snow is falling (again!).

Eat chocolate and sew!

X