Hot Cross buns and a new book

Yesterday evening I made some Hot Cross buns, using a new recipe that had choc chips in the ingredients.

 

I didn't put the usual crosses on the buns, but cut a cross in each using a knife. I heated them up this morning, and they were really tasty, slathered with some sweet farm butter that I had bought.

 

 My friend Laverne called round, and gave me this stunning book:

Have a look at some of the wonderful, colourful patterns:

 

It's some time since I did any knitting, being hooked in crochet, but these are inspirational.

 

I love this cushion, and have been wondering of I could convert the pattern to  a crochet design.

These diagonal stripes are just stunning.

This is a book to treasure, and to bring out every now and again just to look at the fabulous pictures.

Handbag

It's more than a week since I posted my last blog, and here is the reason why:

 

I've been making this crochet bag, using Elle DK cotton in ivory. It took five x 50g balls.

 

 

 

I lined the bag with off-white cotton fabric used double. I sewed a pocket in the inside. I put beads on the ends of the handles before sewing into place. There are also beads on a chain hanging at each side of the bag, just for decoration.

 

 

 

Where did I get the idea? Well, I saw a picture on Pinterest, and got the idea from there. There was no pattern, so I just did my own thing.

 

The bag is intended as a present for someone.

 

 

Work in progress

I've been making squares to join to make a throw/blanket (depends on how big it turns out!) using lots of colours and designs. I've joined a few together, and this is how it looks:

 

I'll post further pictures as it progresses, that is, if I don't get diverted by the dozen or so other projects I am working oon!

 

Walking round my garden

I was walking around my garden this morning, and took a few pictures of what I saw.

 

This is a Japanese Anemone. It comes up every year at this time, and is about 1.6m tall. It gets plenty of  water, as it is in the part of the garden where the water from my shower and bath drains away.

 

 

 

The butterfly bush is a perennial. I just cut it back every year when it has finished flowering.

This fuchsia is called 'Pearl" and has been flowering for some months. The pot it is in was a find. It has no bottom, so we put it on a dish, and put in some broken bricks.

The Strelitzia or crane flower is the floral emblem of KwaZulu Natal.

 

 

This stag's horn fern lives on the trunk of a bottle brush tree. It is so big that I suppose I should separate it and 'plant' onto other trees.

 

 

My favourite greenery for flower arranging; it makes wonderful backgrounds and fills in gaps! It is Nandina Domestica, commonly known as Heavenly Bamboo.

 

 

I planted these aloes about five years ago, and its time to thin them out a bit. Maggie, my Wire Haired Fox Terrier follows me everywhere I go, and likes to pose for pictures!

 

 

I hope you enjoyed the walk around my garden!

 

One hundred Easter Bunnies!

For the past few weeks, in between everything else that I have been working on, I have made one hundred Easter Bunnies! They are in many different colours, all with little white tails, and are made from Elle 100% double knit cotton.
I weighed the finished bunnies to work out the cost of materials,  and it came to R112 for the hundred, that a few cents over one rand each!
Here they are, in all their glory:

Now, you will ask, why would I want to make a hundred bunnies. Well, on 13 April, our church Ladies' Guild is hosting an Easter Bonnet Party. We held 0ne last year, and it was a great success. We invite local ladies to attend, but all must wear an Easter Bonnet, either home made (preferable) or home decorated.
We have a speaker to entertain the ladies, and our local Newspaper Editor will judge the hats. Last year he really enjoyed being the only man in a hall full of women, so we hope he will enjoy it again this year.  The winner and runner up gets a prize, and there are spot prizes, so that at least one lady on each table gets a small prize.
The Ladies' Guild provides the eats, and every lady present gets a little gift to take home. This is where the bunnies come in.
If you live in or near Dundee, you are welcome to come along. Details are in the Courier each week.

Latest art journal page

In a rush of inspiration, I did another page in my art journal, again using quotations that I had saved.
This took me all of ten minutes; which just goes to prove that being creative doesn't take hours!

 



First of all I drew the bird, then I added the pink wash, using very diluted acrylic paint.

Then I coloured the bird using water pencils, and softened by 'painting' over the pencil with a damp brush.

The flowers above the bird and the ones in front were again drawn with water pencil, and softened with a damp brush.

The hearts, music notes, bird's feet and beak, and the words were all done with felt tip pens.

The 'motto' is so true; I have learned from experience that it is best to cut from your life those who quite literally suck the happiness out of you, as they wallow in their own misery. There is no way you can change this kind of person;  I always say that they are only happy when they are miserable!



Some new ideas, and a present for my friend

I had the idea that I could make necklaces by crocheting into chain. So I went to my local craft shop (where I  was given a welcome 30% discount), and bought some chain and fixings. I have made three so far, using my favourite yarn, Woolhogs' Serina 100% bamboo.
Here they are:

 

Three flowers with bead centres, and two leaves.

 

 

The ever-popular pineapple pattern, an an appropriate colour!

 

 

Just a frill of variegated green

 

Last night I decided to make a pen-pot for my friend Marilyn, as she seems to have pens and pencils all over the place. You can do wonders with a baked bean can, some Serina yarn and a few buttons!

She loved it!

 

.

 

Another dog; More Art Journalling

Due to having had an intruder recently, we decided to get a big dog. We already have three small dogs, all with lots of courage. Caspar the daxie saw off the intruder, but he forgets he is only very small and thinks he is a rotweiler.
We got Tyson from the SPCA, and he has settled in really well. He loves Shanay, and the feeling is mutual. He is her 'velcro' dog, as he follows her everywhere.

 

 

 I've done two more pages in my art journal, here they are:

 

 

 

I've put numers (ages!) all over this page

 

 

 

 

 

At the moment I am making crochet Easter Bunnies - one hundred of them!  I've done over 50 so far. My friend Marilyn is going to finish them by putting on the little white tails. When we've finished, I'll photograph them, and tell you why we are making them.