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Fantastic Christmas!
December 30, 2006
I just realised it's been ages since I posted here - I've barely used the internet at all over the last week, and I strangely didn't miss it too much, although any longer and I'd probably have gone mad! Adam came with me to my parents for Christmas and we had a smashing time. And my word did we eat well! Adam and I made a cake to take - a Nigella one with clementines and almonds in, it was lovely:
We also had an entirely vegetarian christmas lunch - because it was just the 4 of us it was easier than making 2 separate lunches. We had lots of things, including yummy roasted veggies:
And an amazing pie:
We filled it with lots of lovely things - roasted red peppers, chestnut puree, mushrooms, spinach, blue cheese etc, in layers to when you cut into it it looked fab:
Also! There were many excellent presents, Adam got me the prettiest watch ever, also I got Nigella Lawson's Domestic Goddess book, hopefully I can bore you all with more cake photos when I've recovered from christmas enough to make some, and also a book to help me design better knitting patterns (and much more, I'm spoilt rotten!).
We visited my grandparents in Lyme Regis, where I grew up, and there was a new yarn shop in the little town. Naturally I didn't WANT to get any yarn, but I thought it was important to do my bit in supporting local shops haha! I bought some Sublime yarns, and they really are sublime!
Some mohair and some merino wool:
The lot:
And in a few hours we're off to Southampton for the new year! I hope you all have a fab one!
Posted by jen at 10:55 AM | Comments (9)
Juggling balls and a Tiara!
December 20, 2006
Here's another 2 Christmassy things! I'm on a roll! First thing is these juggling balls I made for Adam - he is great at circus tricks and needed more juggling balls so he can learn to juggle FIVE at once - seems like a lot to me, I can barely manage one.
I had a lot of trouble making them the right size and shape, I hope they don't break immediately they fall on the floor! Anyway, he can't play with them until Christmas.
Secondly, I made a beaded tiara from a kit from the bead shop near my parents house (details on the tiara's own page). I'd been eyeing them up for ages and finally bought one last time I was there. I think they also do tiara workshop days to teach you how to design your own - that would be fun!
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Click on the photo to see/learn more.
I'm going to wear it to the Christmas party tomorrow!
Posted by jen at 09:19 PM | Comments (5)
Absolutely scrumptious!
December 18, 2006
This looks like a very little post, but actually there's loads to see, I just can't show it on the front page!
Adam and I have been very busy making our Christmas presents this year! I had to hide them because they're for family members, so although I think it's only mum who reads my blog, don't click if you're in our family!!
Click here To see - enjoy!
Posted by jen at 09:58 PM | Comments (16)
Cakes, beans and exams!
December 15, 2006
Firstly the exams! Thanks for all your good luck wishes! The exams themselves were ok I guess (I can never tell!), but it was a VERY stressful day. I forgot my tax tables, which are essential, and me and my friend Alison had a hair-raising drive back across Bristol in rush hour to get them - horrid! Luckily we were still early even after that, but it did make me a bit hysterical.
But now they're over, and I'm very relieved. And also very surprised to discover it's nearly Christmas, how the hell did that happen?! I have TONS to do before Christmas!
One thing I have been working on is the knitted cakes. I posted about the yarn I bought for them here, and since then I also bought a ball of red for cherries. It took me a long time to get the shape right, but now I think I have the perfect recipe, haha!
Cake number 1:
I started making the cakes with just cakey colour and icing, but I thought it looked a bit boring with just 2 colours, so I tried one with a white paper case.
Cake number 2:
This one was better, but case was too boxy, and the icing blended too well into the cake. Also I cast off too tightly after the paper case. So I tried another, with a more tapering shape on the case, and reverse st st icing to make it stand out.
Cake number 3:
View from above:
So now I think they're how I wanted, but I will save the first decrease row on the top of the cake for the icing, so it's hidden better, and try and do the ribbing a bit tighter so it's neater.
I'll make lots more now, and put them on the xmas tree!
A final thing I made - I've wanted to ages to make homemade baked beans. I refused to eat them when I was little, but since I was about 17 I've been making up for lost time - I love them! I found lots of recipes in this book, and picked one for Greek baked butter beans. It was easy peasy and they are lovely:
They are so creamy on the inside and the sauce is really nice and herby. I'm definitely trying her other recipes after we've eaten all these!
Posted by jen at 02:26 PM | Comments (5)
Panic!
December 12, 2006
I keep meaning to post but I'm too busy doing last minute study, and in any case I haven't got anything to show. Well, I do, but that would require photographing it, and that means minutes not spent feverishly doing hundreds of practice exam questions and getting THEM ALL WRONG.
My exams are tomorrow, and I'm way more nervous about this set than any other set before. I know lots of stuff but I keep getting questions wrong and it's making me panic. Wah!
I've got thurs and friday off work too, when I can make a start on xmas gifts, that will be nice. Bye for now!
Posted by jen at 12:51 PM | Comments (12)
Happy Early Christmas! A Free Pattern!
December 03, 2006
Firstly thanks for all the wool advice, it gave me lots of helpful ideas! I will keep browsing and get the wool after christmas, now I have a better idea of what to look at!
Secondly, I have been meaning to share this pattern for ages, and I finally got round to writing up the scribbles in my notebook. I adore my fluffy caterpillar, it sleeps along the top of my pillow and it makes me smile everytime I see it. I have no idea why I'm so batty about it, but since I am, I thought maybe other people would like one too! So here it is, and just in time for christmas as well, in case your kid/other half/you wants one or something :)
If you click on the photo it will take you to a pdf of the pattern. More photos are available here if you haven't seen it before!
In other knitting "news" I finished the stripy secret thing I was knitting, and so now only have one more secret thing to go. Both have to be done in the next week or 2, by which time I'll have a ton of christmas crafts to show - how exciting (for me anyway)!
Posted by jen at 10:19 PM | Comments (7)