What my friends mean to me?

Today I pondered that question. How would we live without our good friends, they mean the world to me. They brighten my days and every now and then I get to help one of them out in some small way. This afternoon I caught one of my very dear friends just leaving after dropping off a surprise for me, very naughty of her! Alas I think she got the bigger surprise, the dog barked on her entering the yard and she dropped the plate with a gorgeous sugar dusted coconut cake onto the path with a crash. She was so worried the dog would eat the cake and swallow the broken glass she rushed to the corner shop to borrow a brush and dustpan to clear up the spill. I never did get to taste that cake but honestly it's the thought that is important to me. She was more worried about the broken dish of mine, but I am so glad it is finally gone, I was secretly hoping it might never return as it has been hanging around for so long and it was ugly!! Things happen for a reason I believe and the dish must of known it's days were numbered as I was returning from buying it's replacement this very afternoon.

Please dear friend don't fret, the dish is gone and good riddance to it, I am so glad you never hurt yourself. Now here for you is a recipe that I want to share. I made this cake on Sunday when two girlfriends came for tea and a chat, it is so delicious to share cake with good friends. Thank you for your kind words and your thoughtful gift, it is already beside my bed ready for night time jottings.

Flourless Almond Cake

4 eggs, separated

125g caster sugar

1 orange, zest

100g ground almonds

200ml fresh orange juice

50g caster sugar

1 tablespoon Cointreau (optional)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C or

160 degrees C for fan-forced.

Grease and line a 20cm non-stick cake tin.

In a large bowl beat egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy, mix in zest and almonds. Beat egg whites until soft peaks and fold into egg yolk mixture. Pour mixture into cake tin and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until firm to touch.

To make syrup, place orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir until dissolves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer for 5 minutes. Add Cointreau. Pierce top of cake with a skewer (this allows syrup to seep in), pour syrup over. Stand for 30 minutes for the cake to absorb the syrup.

Serve with cream or icecream, chocolate gratings and enjoy with your good friends!

Welcome to a new blogger

Today I came home to find a lovley comment from Meggy who is new to blogland and she looks like she is a great cook, something I would like to be but don't seem to make time for. I noticed in her profile photo a little cross stitch I had also done many, many years ago. I have just searched and found the little 'WELCOLME' piece with a stack of framed cross stitch that never made it back onto our walls after a repaint 4 years ago!

I also noticed with envy in my eyes Meggy's new icecream maker! We have just completed our annual accountant visit and it appears we will have a refund. Soooo, on the way home I told Dear Husband that I am going to order my icecream maker attachment for the Kitchenaid mixer then I will be able to make icecream, sorbet and frozen yoghurts whenever I want and I will actually be able to eat them because I will know exactly what is in them, can't wait!!

Let's go shopping

Still a little damp but maybe tomorrow this new bag will get an outing. I have to say I am pleased with my felted super strong string bag. The size is just right and it can be slung over your shoulder for ease of use and will make environmentally friendly shopping more fashionable than it is with those daggy green bags that most shoppers are in the very good habit of using these days.

Stringing you along........

......not for much longer. Finally got to finish this one off after a busy weekend. It will go into the wash very soon and hopefully will be a felted string bag later today. This bag was fun to work on and is very large at this unfelted stage. I was trying to replicate the shape of an old fashioned string bag that will be easy to carry all your small parcels in when out for the day enjoying some retail therapy.

Maintenance

There comes a time when some work needs to be done and it happened last Friday and I have to say it does make a girl feel great when she has her hair done. A little snip here and another there and look at the pile on the floor.

There's been a mouse in the house............

......not really, Miss Puss would maker sure of that. This is my newest idea, maybe crazy idea! A knitted and felted string bag, what could be more eco friendly than that? I hope this idea of mine comes out of the washer looking something like the picture in my mind. More progress photos over the weekend.

Working girl today

It's a dirty word sometimes, but somebody has to do it, 'WORK'. I am so happy most days just staying at home working away on my creations and then every now and then my days aren't my own, I actually have to go into town and teach others how to be more creative too. Not bad work if you can get it and I truly love teaching and talking with all the keen students. Today was the second lesson in one of my knitted and felted bags, the colour combinations were amazing, I can't wait to see them after the girls put them through the wash. If the girls email me some snaps I'll post them so you can all see. It's so satisfying seeing the pleased look on the girls faces when they have learned a new skill that will fill their spare hours with pleasure. I do love my work really!

My chocolate coated world

Now this square bottomed tote would carry a few chocolates along with your knitting, ahh, the essentials for a good life! This little tote has turned out well after it's rough treatment in the washing machine this morning and then some lovely sunbeams to dry it off. I like how the colours merge into each other. This idea was suggested to me by a knitting friend a few weeks back, thankyou C. The little side flaps offer some privacy to the contents of your tote and the opening is quite concealed when you are carrying.

Bag of chocolate

I know many of you have been waiting to see the scrumptious little bag and I have even felted it since this photo this morning and it looks really yummy now. Sorry about the teasing but you will just have to wait till it dries!

Jet set patterns

Just a sneak peek of three of my knitted and felted bag patterns that are winging their way to California this week with a friend who is going to check whether there may be some wholesale interest in my patterns over there. They just need to be slipped into their protective plastic bags and driven into town ready to be packed tonight. Just wish I could fit in that suitcase too!

I use Panda Woolbale 100% pure Australian wool for my bags and I am just checking whether this wool is available in the USA currently. I have tried many wools but believe this wool gives the best smooth finish to my bags that are hand knitted but machine felted in the washing machine.

Curly one crochets

She really has become a "crochet monster" in the last 4 days. While I'm at the beginning of my crochet learning curve the Curly One has been going one step further and hand felting her items with fabulous results. Her girls don't even think the iPod sleeves are too daggy to use! I think they are just great and the gadget won't even slip out and crash to the ground resulting in cracked screens...........but the teenagers will find a way to damage them eventually. The clutch purse is gorgeous made from a variegated Naturally Vero 100% wool. Well done Curly One, you know who you are. Forget about cleaning keep crocheting you're a natural.

All rippled out

I've done it, my first crochet piece and I really did enjoy myself and now I have a very warm scarf to pop on with jeans and a jacket when walking along our windswept beaches in winter. I already had the timber scarf pin so thought it would be perfect for securing this ripply strip rather than knotting it which would be a bit too bulky around my neck.

Rippling along

Here is todays progress. I know I'm not the fastest crocheter in blogland but I'm having a go and that is all that is important. I have to say crochet is very enjoyable when you have mastered a couple of stitches and I can see it has a high addiction possibility. One of my girlfriends has turned into a "crochet monster" since we had a little time together on Friday. The Curly One has rediscovered the joys of crochet and it's felting potential, lucky she's on long service leave!

The ripple effect

Well, finally 'ripple' crochet that many other bloggers are working on has seduced me too! I bought a bamboo hook this morning on a whim and have just sat down with both American instructions and my Nana's Australian beginners crochet book, it is just like learning a new language but doubly confusing because they call the same stitch different things. Only after watching a short clip online of how the stitch it formed did I realise this!! Now I am rippling along fine and my speed and technique are improving as I ripple on. I am working my stitches into the back of the loop so I have a 'ridge' line which was a suggestion in one set of instructions. Any tips or advice from experienced ripplers will be most appreciated. Apologies for the really bad flash photo, but I just wanted you to see I have been able to learn something new all by myself!

Yet another one

Yes, same basket, and I really like this mini penny rug created with a punch needle. This has been around for a couple of years now and I really should finish it off, only the charcoal background, this piece is only about 3" x 5". The framed basket of flowers was my first piece and I do like it enough for it to be on display in our lounge room and I think I like the penny rug more so. The photo isn't great as it is under glass to keep the creepy crawlies away.

Random thoughts

Look at this, a very long term UFO I found hiding in a basket. This is for Dee who is working on a very large piece of cross stitch and she has had to take a little break from its enormity, she isn't alone I'm sure. I know this isn't as large but it's single strand work on 32 count linen and every motif uses a different stitch, this is a good thing as it keeps you motivated. I am more than halfway through the alphabet but the blank area in the middle has a lovely verse for me to complete.

What is life
If full of care
We have no time
To stand and stare

A good motto to remind us all to slow down and take stock of our lives. There is also a a border pattern to work around the whole sampler so I do have a long way to go yet. The sample is called Random Thoughts by The Drawn Thread, a favourite of mine and they also offer a number of free designs.

Click on the photo for a closer look, sorry it is a bit crumpled but it has been around for quite some time!

Great weather for chocolate

Boy is it cold outside today, the wind is blowing and the air is crisp, time for a hot chocolate and some chocolate inspired knitting. Another bag idea has possessed me and I have to get it out so watch out over the next couple of days you will hopefully see some progress. As you may have already guessed I am a very passionate knitter who also loves to felt so you get 'felted knitting' and being a girl who loves a spot of shopping then what else would you felt except BAGS! I'm sure that many of you out there also love a good bag for the odd retail expedition or two.

Mauve and Margaret

It is freezing outside but the sun in steaming into my dining room and this little African violet caught my eye while I pegged washing onto the clothes horse. It was a gift from a student a while back is basking in the sun and blooming beautifully once again. This is my only indoor plant and I was worried when Margaret gave it to me as I would be so embarrassed if she were to visit and it was a all brown and dying due to my brown thumbs. Margaret is the lover of all things mauve and she utilises this in her fabulous quilts and creative knits. Those who know her know that she is always dressed in mauve, which suits her so well.

I think she needs some retail therapy

You would think this bag would cheer the lady of the lamp up just a little. The colours are so cheery and that bag is made for serious shopping, so comfy on the shoulder and a good size to hold all the essentials a girl needs. Now seriously, this bag was a lovely knit and the only sewing up was the turnover to hold the rings in place, now that's good isn't it. I hate sewing up and I always design so there is minimal if any sewing up.

Kids are back to school today and the day will be mine for about 7 hours once I get rid of Dear Husband, he is a little late leaving as he had some overnight and early morning call outs. It was seriously cold here overnight, -3.1 degrees Celsius at 4am! Now to anyone in the northern hemisphere that mightn't sound too bad but you have to remember we live less than 100m from the beach!

I think I will sew today, let you all know later how that works out.

Into the wash it goes

The new striped bag is in the wash as I type, must remember to keep a check on the felting and not get too carried away blogging. This is a big bag and it weighed just over 300g so you could have almost knit a childs jumper in the same time. I love they colours and stripes. Will let you see the finished item very soon, I promise.

The bag lady of Moonshine Designs

Here are some yummy handbags by the very talented Monica Poole of Moonshine Designs who was visiting our local patchwork store this morning to do a 'Show and Tell' then a workshop with a group of very lucky ladies. Monica's work is very inspiring it just makes me want to sit down and sew and she works in pinks and greens so I couldn't not like her work. Her quilts are very 3 dimensional and quilt as you go so very achievable for all levels of sewing skill, there are several that took my eye, one called 'Gidget' and another called 'Kaleidoscope'. I will post a link to her website as soon as I get a minute.

New bag on the way

Here we go again! I have a new bag all mapped out in my head and I can't make my fingers work fast enough for the brain. Started this last night so should have it finished over the weekend. Off to the marine shop today to find the perfect stainless steel hardware for it. My Surfer Boy chose the order of striping and I'm going with it even though I know he is colour blind!! I am in too big a hurry to really care in what order the colours appear.

Somewhere over the rainbow...

These are my very happy socks, and yes they really are that bright and so far I haven't found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Maybe when I complete the second sock I will feel like I've won a gold medal for the slowest sock knitter ever as I began these socks in October last year. I told myself this week I can't start on my new Jitterbug wool till I finish this pair of Jaywalkers.

Here is something special that I want to share with you, Connie sings 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow', it makes me cry everytime, she is so sweet and inocent with the voice of an angel. She didn't go on to win Britain's Got Talent but she was in teh final 6 at 6 years of age!

My first felted bag finally finished

I found the perfect leather strap handles for my very first felted bag last weekend and now they are firmly attached and I even used the bag yesterday and I love it. This bag is so lovely and woolly and so very thick, perfect for these winter days.

Couldn't resist

These are the three wools that tempted me the most at the craft show, but let me tell you there were so many worthy others on offer, actually too many to consider. It is so good to see knitting is back and it's not just for grandmas. The wools that are on offer are just so beautiful, gorgeous colours and so many textures. I loved knitting my Rowan Kidsilk Spray scarf that I bought some lace weight Colinette Parisienne luxury kid mohair in marble and some of the new Addi lace knitting circular needles, red cable and clear coated brass pointier points, will let you know how they go. The pale pink will make a lovely pair of lacy socks some day soon. The Colinette Raspberry Jitterbug sock wool from Wales was just a bit of whimsy, who cares what colour your socks are so long as they make you happy.

Inspired bargello

Darling Daughter found this picture of part of a Kelim rug pictured in a book and one of the borders was my inspiration for a bargello needle case project. I was asked to teach a bargello workshop at a local embroidery group in August so I thought the time had come to get down and stitch it up. I have used a collection of crewel embroidery wools that were kindly given to me a few months back and they just seemed perfect for the task, although I think DMC stranded threads would give better coverage of the 18 ct canvas. I started with a piece of graph paper and sketched out the shape I wanted then began to stitch and it has been so simple just echoing the previous line of stitching. I am working a mock plaited stitch border and then will go in search of lining and wool for the needle pages, maybe even some twisted cord ties. More photos to follow.

Zig zag all over the countryside

I've been away for a girls trip to Sydney over the weekend to visit the Craft and Quilt show at Darling Harbour, what a treat. It was lovely to catch up with some friends I haven't seen in quite some time and meet some new friends in the group. As usual there was just too much to take in a short period of time and the brain goes to mush trying to think about what I might need and taking in all that is new in the craft world this time around. I did a bit of shopping mostly for Addi Turbo circular needles and some special wools. The quilt show was amazing, so much to stimulate the imagination and amaze me as usual. I decided not to lug the camera around the show but am now disappointed that I didn't as I can't recall all that I want to, or show any of you. If you are interested you can go to the NSW Quilters Guild to look at the prize winners.

On the way home we stopped at Berry for a few hours and that was very pleasant just meandering around the shops and their monthly country market. I bought one ball of Noro Silk Garden and knit this scarf up last night, so easy and something a little bit different. Also bought a few pieces of fabric for my hexagon quilt, spots and stripes so they should work in well. I will write about my other purchases when I have some photos to show you.