Arne & Carlos - Easter Knitting

Sometimes try as I might I just can't make things work out! I got terribly excited last week when I realised that the authors of last year's favourite knitty Christmas book have published an Easter one. I set to it immediately and contacted the Australian distributor. But alas, no English version until 2013...and they can't even supply me with the original Norwegian publication!

I'm not one to be deterred though, so I've ordered one from this website, and depending on how the patterns are given - in the written form or on charts, I'll decide on whether to stock it and order it direct from the designers. Am I totally mad - or do you just love it too?

Cheers,

suzy xoxo

Flowers in the vegie patch

Happy little marigolds, delicate alyssum and chives that I have let go wild....I love having flowers in my vegie patch.

The things people say...

Over the weekend I started compiling a testimonial page with some of the feedback I have received from my lovely customers in the last eight months.

It was also a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with these people, firstly to ask their permission to publish their comments, and secondly to remind myself how warm this online crafting community can be.

It is still a work in progress...but you can read the first draft over here. It certainly made my weekend putting it together!

Have a great day,

suzy xoxo

PS: Oh and the photo above is by the very talented Christine Pobke, who is herself undergoing a bit of a crafty-nesting transformation.

Cake Friday

This year I'm making a cake every Friday and joining along with one of my favourite bloggers .

This week's cake is Apple & Cinnamon Teacake. Committed to memory from my Grade 8 Home Economics textbook, Everyday Cookery.

Baked, taken outside and enjoyed on the swing by the wee girl this very afternoon.

Apple & Cinnamon Teacake

2 eggs. separated

pinch of salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

2 cups SR Flour

2 tabs melted butter

extra cinnamon and sugar

1 cooking apple, peeled and thinly sliced

Whisk eggs whites with the salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar. Add in eggs yolks and milk, mix well. Alternately, fold in flour and melted butter. Pour into cake tin, arrange apple slices over top, then sprinkle with extra cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 55-60 minutes in a moderate oven.

Always best served warm, with a nice cuppa tea!

Inserting a lifeline

After confessing to a wee-knitting problem here last week I decided that the only way was to insert a lifeline - and here is how I did it.

1. You need to firstly mark the row where you want to get back to, and then chose a row or two above that just in case your lifeline isn't quite right.

2. Pick up the stitches very carefully, it helps if the yarn like this one has very defined stitches. I picked up the stitches with the wrong end of the needle that I use to weave ends in. You can't use the pointed end as you will not be able to pick up the strand of yarn evenly. A bit obvious, but it is best to use a colour for your lifeline that is in a contrasting colour to your work.

3. Work your way carefully across the row. Taking care to pick up the correct stitch, ie. knit OR purl stitch in my case for stocking stitch...and making sure not to cross-over into the row above or below.

4. This is the scary part. Start ripping out your work above the lifeline and stop a row or two above. If you are confident your lifeline is OK rip away, but if not you can pick up your stitches with your needles at this point. I find it good to have a crochet hook handy here, just in case there are any stitches that pop of the needles, or you have missed with your lifeline.

I went for broke and ripped right away to the lifeline.

5. Insert your knitting needle back through, if you haven't decided to pick up stitches that is, and pull out the lifeline....and voila we are back on track.

Cake Friday (on a Monday!)

A couple of weeks ago I decided to join one of my favourite bloggers for Cake Friday. Which is essentially a rather good excuse for me to indulge in compulsory baking. And I seriously did bake it on Friday, as those that follow me on twitter will attest.

So to the cake. It is from a book by Gretta Anna, who was unknown to me until my MIL introduced me to her wonderful Christmas cake. She appears to have been Australia's answer to Julia Childs - who knew???? I sought out her cookbooks at a Lifeline Book Fair a couple of years ago and struck gold with two pristine copies.

This week's choice was easy - the most lush and moist carrot cake I have ever tasted...even if I do say so myself.

Gretta Anna's Carrot Cake

1 cup of grated carrot

200g tin of crushed pineapple (half a tin)

1 cup plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

5 tablespoons oil

1/4 cup walnuts (optional)

Strain the juice from the crushed pineapple. Mix the dry ingredients together. Add the eggs and oil and mix thoroughly. Stir in the carrot, pineapple and walnuts. Bake at 175 degrees Celsius for 35-40 minutes and cool before covering with cream cheese topping.

Cream Cheese Topping:

Place 3tabs butter, 3tabs cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 250 icing sugar in a mixing bowl and beat well.

Happy Baking,

suzy xoxo

My creative space

I'm pondering here today, examining options, cursing my enthusiasm...and if I admit it, being a bit avoidant. My latest 'go-to' project, you know the one you can work on during swimming and ballet lessons...well I let myself 'go-to' it a bit too much, if you get my drift. Despite diligently carrying a tape measure in my oh so special project bag, I didn't measure it and I'm beyond the range! Aaarrgghhh...

See I've told you before that it's not all crafty light around here!

Pop on over here for creative types having a better day of it than me.

suzy xoxo

Knitting in the kitchen

I know that y'all think about yarn all the time like me...right? Well if you are like me, then look what I found for yarn tragics, a yarn inspired teatowel...the perfect excuse for me to bring my knitting into the kitchen!

Available from here for $24AUD.

Image from shelf/life

Summer knitting

We are having such a mild summer in these parts. It was the same last year, then winter started early and long outstayed its welcome. I'm usually a person that loves winter, having grown up in a sub-tropical climate I thoroughly enjoy the change of seasons. I love that even if its hot or cold, you know that it won't last that long and the next season is around the corner. I love, love, love dressing for winter in coats, scarves, tights and gloves...I don't think the novelty will ever wear off.

But back to summer...I've been knitting a lot this summer outside under the tree while the kids play. Maybe it has been because the weather is mild, but it has got me to thinking about year-round knitters and crochet folk and those that enjoy a cozy project when its chilly outside? I have so many projects in my Ravelry queue I would never get through them in a winter session...but what about you - winter only or all year?

Summer lights

Do you remember these from a couple of years ago? Repainted with my favourite Rust-oleum ?

They still look great and have stood the test of time....why oh why then has Bunnings decided to delete this range? Lucky then that I have a paint stash, that could nearly match my yarn one.

Have a great weekend,

suzy xoxo

A time to celebrate

Ten years celebrated by visiting my favourite garden , quiet walks and fabulous food . Not to mention an old-style motel and time to start a new knitting project on the way there and back.

I don't want to wait ten years to do it all again!

suzy xoxo

Cheesecakeapalooza

Under the shade of a pear tree, and next to the most beautifully weathered garden shed I have ever seen...this afternoon some crafty peeps and I came to what we call 'cheesecakeapalooza'!

Cheesecake was sampled, shared, critiqued and enjoyed....new flavours were explored, projects shared and plans made. I highly recommend it!

02-02-2002

Ten years on I wouldn't change a thing about our wedding. It was small, simple - and I DO mean simple...no bridesmaids, no cars (we went in a taxi) and no pro photographers. I wouldn't change the venue - registry office and restaurant. I'd keep the purple dress (bought off the rack) and the stonking red hair! And I wouldn't change the chap - he's pretty amazing!