Happy New Year

Well Christmas is now over and we can begin to stitch again without Robins and Reindeers getting in the way! Having said that I did enjoy making a robin this Christmas and here he is with a few friends.

There comes a time around here when I am glad to be sitting in front of my computer with a cup of tea and a warm glow from the wood burning stove behind me, and that time was at approximately 1.45pm on Saturday afternoon on the top of Pike O' Blisco in Langdale. It was simply freezing with a terrible wind and the hoar frost on top of the summit was lethal. I was up there with my Border terrier Bella, my husband Pete and a lady from Germany called kira, I know that she sometimes reads these blogs so if you are there, hello and Bella says thanks for the doggie food from Germany yum yum....Speck Snacks - mit Wertvollen Vitaminen from Pet Bistro - more please says Bella!

So my thoughts are turning to sewing again and this very week I have been busy trying to procure more fabric for the ladies to sew into carpet bags. I managed to get our ladies interested in making bags with this wonderful Turkish fabric just before Christmas and low and behold they now need more.... So I am trying ladies.. I bet the bags will be simply wonderful when I see them and I will show them on this blog as soon as they materialise. Meanwhile, I feel lazy as I have some of that fabric too but have not started a bag yet so its time I produced something.....

Speaking of production lines, I spent yesterday afternoon making Seville Orange Marmalade. I had not made some for a few years and when I did I was surprised how easy it is, the only bad bit is all the messing around taking the peel off to start with and then cutting it up into small pieces. Anyway, it was proudly on display for breakfast this morning and it tasted good too, with no complaints from him who knows his marmalade and usually buys Tiptree.

I mixed up some homemade Calvados (no brandy) mincemeat before Christmas and made too much of that too so I also have plenty left over for the coming months. I prefer to make a larger 'pie' than the usual small ones although I always make some of those too. So here is a photo of the lattice pie with my mincemeat in it.




















I once made some mince pies based on one I had at Mire House just outside Keswick, it was a really deep pie and they took the lid off it and filled the space on top of the mincemeat with Cumberland Rum Butter and then popped the lid back on and served it with whipped cream, oh that was lovely; very good when the pies are warmed first.

I am becoming so hungry with all this patter about pies that I have not mentioned the real reason for posting to the Blog and that is to remind all of you that in March our workshop is with Gill Reid and the subject is Head Cases and incase you don't understand what that is, here is one...



She is a gorgeous dolly, I can't wait to make one of these, I just love the little feet and the red bow in her hair and her pretty face and lips! Gill sent me an email last month and said she would try and send me some more photos so I will post them as soon as I receive them. Meanwhile, I also should remind you that this very week we are going to make Fabric Jewellery with Janice Nott. Now this is interesting as I have no idea what to expect but I did receive these beautiful fabric beads at our Christmas Lunch swop of pressies. I think I did very well indeed. So I hope to see you all on Thursday when we should be making more goodies...