New DVD

This has been an exciting but busy week.  On Monday we took delivery of our first supply of the new DVD on embellishing. 

The first ones have already been sent, and more are going out today.  If you would like a copy you can find it here and here.

Textile in Focus - Don't miss out

February is the month for Textiles in Focus.  Held each year at Cottenham just outside Cambridge in the UK it is the highlight of the textile year for a number of people.  It has a good mixed selection of traders, interesting exhibitions and 2 hour workshops to give you a taster of a number of crafts etc.  The next show will be as much fun as the last, if not more, and today is the day that information is released.

The dates for your diary are 19th - 21st February 2010, but if you want to take part in a workshop etc you need to get the details NOW or all the places will be gone.....

Full information can be found here.  Don't miss out, and come and say 'Hi' to us at Winifred Cottage as always we'll have far more with us that we have online including all sorts of Sassa Lynne bits and pieces.  (I'll be teaching a workshop too)

Little Bookies Part 2

I've been going to blog about this all week since I came back from Missenden Abbey, but somehow other things got in the way.  I needed to download the pictures first, that's done now, so here are a few glimpses at what we got up to.

It was a fun weekend, but I made them work hard!

We made a mess at times, so those cat litter trays were useful.

We coloured lots of papers using several techniques

Of course they had to keep their heads down and just get on with it!

We created fun surfaces

And made a variety of covers.  Some bright

And others not so bright.

Some had pockets for fun but others didn't

We'll be makng little bookies at Textiles in Focus next February, how about joining us?

Christmas is coming.

I am spending the weekend finishing my Christmas cards. I have 250 to make this year, some for family, friends and aquaintances, but also on behalf of my mother, who also used to make all her cards until her sight became too poor. I've nearly finished, and if I hadn't stopped to write this I could have made at least another one! DH is helping too. He's addressing all the envelopes and will take them to the PO too. We no longer share the stamp licking! Thanks to Royal Mail they are all now self-adhesive.

Then what?

Well, the gift wrapping of course, and this is a chore. Many moons ago I would design individual wraps for family recipients - for example one year I wrapped a TV to look like - a TV ! Not this year though, it will be wrapping paper for most but for some it will be a little different.

Now in theory there should be a video for you to watch next showing you a brilliant and reusable idea, but as I've not added one before I'm not sure what will happen. Let's see.



Furoshiki gift wrapping from RecycleNow on Vimeo

What will you be doing with yours?

Friday Food

When I woke this morning it was cold, damp and grey.  It was foggy, and it looked as though it was going to last all day.  It looked as though it was just the sort of day for comfort food to chase away the blues, so I thought I'd make a nice warming pan of soup.  It's one of our family favourites, and is really filling.  It can be served with chunks of crusty bread, but frankly it doesn't need it.  We call it 'Orange Soup', but that refers to the colour and I promise that there isn't an orange in sight.

This version is a sort of 'throw it in the pan and see' type of recipe.

First, prepare your lentils!  I use red lentils (they add to the colour) but you can use any lentils you like or happen to have.  I use about half a cup for 4 servings.  Let them simmer or partially cook if this is needed while you  prepare the rest of the ingredients.

You will need -
peeled sweet potatoes cut up into chunks,
peeled squash cut to the same size,
an eating apple well washed and cut into chunky slices (I leave the skin on - but that's up to you
a piece of fresh ginger about the size of your thumb up to your knuckle which I peel and slice fairly thinly

When the lentils are ready for the 'long' cooking I transfer them to my slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredients along with some hot stock.  If you haven't got any stock it works just as well with water.

So, pop the lid on and wait for it to cook.  This recipe works well on the top of the stove too, but remember to turn it down to a simmer after it has all come back to the boil.

Now, how do you like your soup?  If you like it 'with bits in' you can crush it with a potato masher.  If you want it a little finer push it through a seive - the apple skin won't go through, though, and the ginger will struggle as well.  I usually whizz it with the blender, until it is smooth, with jus the odd fleck of apple skin to give it some texture.  Don't forget to taste and season at this point.

To serve I grate a little hard cheese (preferably a good cheddar) into the bottom of the serving bowl. This melts as the hot soup is poured in and creates creamy whirls within the colour.  You can also add a little chopped parsley if you have some.

So, mine is happily simmered away - and guess what?  The fog has cleared the sun has come out!  Told you it would chase away the blues!

 Yum.  There's enough for you too.

Enjoy.

Little Bookies

This weekend I'm off to Missenden Abbey. I intend to have a lovely time making little books, and hopefully the students will enjoy it too! I know they will make several, so, with their permission, I'll be able to post some pictures of theirs too, next week, but by way of a taster here are a couple.

Can you tell that I'm trying not to give too much away?

Well, just for good measure, here's another - in the process of construction.

Half the fun is colouring the pages.....

PS, don't forget that you can find the thread of the month here.

From this.....

It's hard to believe, but ....

From this

 

To this...

Sorry they aren't better photos - but HAPPY BIRTHDAY anyway.