I Wear A Little Poppy As Red As Can Be. . .

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Prize Winning Crochet Solar System - Pics 'Ta Dah'

Did I ever tell you what a fantastic pattern it is for this Crochet Mobile?  Did I tell you what an absolute pleasure it was to make and how proud I am of the results?  Today I was a 'Prize' winner in the Guilds competition.  I am over the moon!  I feel like I have won the giant Gosseberry growing competition.  I am just feeling so smug!  I was placed second.  That is simply amazing as the competition was fantastic.  I think the winning formula may be 'if you can't stun people with your skills then go for the quirky comedy factor'!  My Banana Moon certainly got a few belly laughs out of folks.  The mobile is 100%  Hand spun which I think for me is quite an achievement in itself.

It was a bit tricky to photograph due to all the orbits going on.  I will give you a 'whistle stop tour' of some of the other entries. . . I feel embarrassed to be 'Second' as the other entries were very, very good.  The theme was 'The Solar System' and people vote for their favourites.

I love this felted 'Nebula'.

I loved this 3D box with little felted planet and the torch to light it up.  This would be a brilliant school resource for me.  The outside was all sparkly too. (I tried my best with photographs).

What do you think of this Cosmic Tea Cosey?  Isn't it out of this world?  This would make me chuckle each morning whilst pouring my morning cuppa.  Superb.

This was one of my favourites too.  I love the texture and the simplicity.

How clever is this?  Wow.  I could not manage anything like this.  It is beautiful and I would love to have it in my house.

This cushion was the winner it is dyed and embroidered.  The photograph does not do it justice at all it is sparkly and beautiful.  I did not manage to photograph all of the pieces but it was fantastic to see the range of interpretations of the same theme.
              The Exhibition is open to the public all day and today it was very relaxing and enjoyable.  I spent most of my time sat spinning, drinking cups of tea and eating cakes but don't tell anyone about the eating cakes part!  We even got time to try to teach another guild member to spin.  She did a fantastic job.  She has recently purchased a beautiful Alpaca fleece and that is now her motivation to learn to spin.  By the end of the day she had produced 'yarn'.  I had a good old chin wag chatting to some lovely people too.  I managed to resist buying any yarn or fibre but I did buy a jar of Plum Chutney that will be perfect with a lump of cheese and I also bought some little 'French Knitting Looms' that I will take to work for the children to 'play' with.  I have one boy who loves to 'finger knit'.

Here are some of the six inch rings that were on display at the National Exhibition in the Summer.  Again it is fantastic to see the diversity of ideas and end results when everyone starts out with the same design spec.  I think there were three or four hundred of these on display at the National Exhibition.  They must have looked a treat.
                When you are writing a Blog sometimes you don't feel like you have very much to say or write about and then there are other times when you have five posts waiting to burst out all at once.  I love the little 'newsy' posts about the everyday stuff in peoples lives.  I am not sure if there is anything that is too trivial for Blog Land.  I have a little store of posts and things to show you and tell you about waiting in a queue.  I will try to pace myself. It is nice to have things to write about and share with you.  I just won't share it all at once!  I hope you are all having lovely weekends out there where ever you are.
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Solar Flare Up!

Just a super quick blog as it is quite late enough already!  I have had the most frustrating evening trying to put my hand spun crochet mobile of the Solar System together for Weaving, Spinning and Dyeing Guilds exhibition tomorrow!  Remind me not to leave things until the night before.  This Solar System has been. . . a ball ache for want of a better phrase.  I think it is finished, it is not too badly balanced but I have spent about six hours on it today!  I was awake before six crocheting the rings of Saturn!  Let's not talk about Uranus! It looks like someone has sat on it!  It is a good job I am not a perfectionist.  I will go to bed shortly mulling over how to display it tomorrow!  Great idea. . . a mobile!  Why do I not keep things bloomin simple?  I have taken some pictures so I will share it with you as soon as I can. . . it erm has not turned out quite as I would have liked.  It nearly tipped my Mother and I over the edge tonight. The planets kept dropping off and getting tangled.  It took at least three hours longer than predicted to get nowhere.  I bought it home from my parents at 10pm and have wrestled with it to get it finished.  There better be somewhere to dangle it in the morning!   The magazine pattern was very helpful.  The advice for arranging the sun, moon, nine planets and a rocket said. . . 'To assemble look at the picture'.  Well jee thanks a bundle.  Look at the picture!  I reckon it took five people a week to get it looking as it does in the picture!  If I never see another crochet planet in all my born days it will be too soon I can tell ya!  My advice for this pattern would be 'don't' just simply don't!   Hope you are all set for a peaceful, frustration free weekend!  I have really had enough crafty frustration for all of us.
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November 5th - Remember Remember

Remember remember the 5th of November

Gunpowder Treason and plot

I see no reason why Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot!

First things first today is 'The Second 'Annual Hug A Chicken Day'.  I went back to work after a weeks holibobs.  When I got home it was almost dark.  So I quickly got the Broody Moody Lavender off her nest and gave her a little hug as I plopped her at the bottom of the garden to stretch her legs before bedtime.  She has been broody for over a week now.  Poor thing.  She is just not herself and does not want to leave the nest at all unless I take her off.  Yesterday she forgot her broodiness for about five minutes and followed me around the garden.  I thought she may be snapping out of it but 'nope' she soon ran back to her 'imaginary duties'.  The girls are still all bedding down peacefully but currently no one is laying in the nest!  Nuisance!

Here is Lavender having her 'Hug a Chicken Day' hug.  Bless her.  Of course I don't wait for 'Hug a Chicken Day' I like to hug each chicken as often as I can.  I am sorry it was too dark to hug all four today.  I had to bed them down early because in the UK it is Bonfire Night.  There have been lots of fireworks all weekend as soon as it gets dark.  It must be very frightening for chickens.  My old dog used to hate the fireworks but Lacey is not too bothered.  She might come and lie by my feet if they are too noisy.  Tonight I decided to take Euan to our local fire station for its Annual Firework Display and Bonfire.  I remember my parents taking me as a child.  It has been running for 35+ years.  Today they think could have been the last one as the land has been sold.  Henry stayed home dog sitting.

We froze until the fire got going.  It was a huge fire.  We ate too much...hot dogs and burgers.  The fireworks were spectacular and set to music.  Unfortunately we were about two meters from a large speaker!  I am a bit deaf now.  I tried my hand at photographing fireworks but gave up pretty quick!

I just could not get a good shot.

They were absolutely stunning.  It felt like I was in an enormous kaleidoscope.  At one point it felt like I was floating through the galaxy.  I am sure something landed on my head!  I expected my hair to set alight.

I have now retired from photographing fireworks.  I have a stiff neck.  I was a bit disappointed with the blaring music as the sound of fireworks is at least half of the fun isn't it?  We did wrap up warm and wear our wellies but we were still freezing cold.  Poor Euan.  I cheered him up by stopping at our local fish and chip shop on the way home for hot chips (French Fries but much thicker).

 At work today we made 'Pinwheel Cookies' for Bonfire Night.  Euan and his friends enjoyed these.  It is a simple biscuit dough one half chocolate and one half vanilla rolled out and place on top of each other, then rolled up and cut.  Yum.

When I lived in Devon I used to go to Ottery St Mary for November 5th.  They have a spectacular custom of 'Barrel Burning' once a year.  The custom is hundreds of years old.  Huge wooden barrels are stuffed with tar and straw and then lit.  Only people born in the village can carry the barrels.  Seventeen Barrels are carried throughout the day.   Hundreds of people line the streets of this little village to watch the spectacle.  It is wild and primitive.  Children's races start in the afternoon.  Children carry smaller barrels that are not lit.  Then when it is dark the women carry burning barrels and pass them to each other.  Then it is the men's turn.  The crowd gets charged and things can get pretty hairy.  The burning barrels are carried and passed until they fall apart.   I saw a pub sign get set alight and a van's windscreen get broken one year.  I also found myself in the path of a man carrying a burning barrel and had him running behind me shouting "Get out of the way you B*gger!"  That was pretty exciting!    You can find out more about the burning tar barrels Here.  If you live near and are feeling brave it is a 'must see'.
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An Early Morning Trip Town

Yesterday morning I had an early trip to town.  My mission was to join the queue outside a large stationers.  The reason for this being to obtain a 'Daily Newspaper' with a coupon for a free Lego Lord Of The Rings toy and collect the toy.  People buy multiple copies of the newspaper and sell the toys on ebay!  I can not be bothered with that and just collect the toy for Euan if he has been good.  It was also the 'early' morning meeting for the 'Niddy Nodders' spinning group at 'The Crafty Cafe' so I needed to be up early and in town.  We have a great indoor shopping centre and I like it early, all to myself.  I simply cannot tolerate it when it is busy and avoid avoid avoid.  Town has been Christmassyfied.  I am disappointed that this photograph is blurred!  Doh!

  These baubles are huge and about as big as my head!  I like the colour and texture of this photograph.

There are hundred of decorations all over the place.  I guess soon we will bombarded with the treat of 24hr Christmas Carols.  It serves to induce mild panic in me as I realise I am not ready for Christmas.  Mind you I never am. . . it just happens!

Sorry for another grotty photograph but I wanted to show you this jacket.  If only I were slimmer, much slimmer!  I really like the contrast of Woven and Leather.  I quite dig the pink glasses too.

Occasionally when Euan and I are in town together we like to stop here.  Euan likes the cakes and I love the Gingerbread Flavoured Coffee.  We also like to play Eye Spy with the 12 huge Mosaic Panels.  Eye Spy is a brilliant game to play with these as it really makes you look closely at each piece.  These mosaics are the largest piece of publicly commissioned art work in the UK and were designed by the famous Scottish Artist and Sculptor Eduardo Paolozzi .  They are valued at several million pounds.  I have not worked out a way to steal them!  Yet!

I didn't want to photograph all twelve of them but perhaps I should have done.  They are all fantastic.

When we play Eye Spy with all twelve panels...we can find all sorts of things and baffle each other.  Great fun while slurping Gingerbread Coffee.
               I always park in one of the towns multi storey car parks and today as it was so quiet I decided to drive all the way to the top to take photographs in the drizzle.  I drove up to level 12 and there were no other cars past level 4.  This particular car park is said to be haunted.  It was the site of an awful murder in the 1980s.  A construction worker also died here and it has had several suicides.  When I arrived at the top of the car park I think a security guard thought I was 'tired of life' as he was watching my every move with his 'walkie talkie' in his hand.  I think the poor man thought I was a jumper.  I took two photographs and put his mind at rest by getting back in my car.

Typical UK weather from the top of the car park.

Our Town Hall with the flag flopping in the wind!  Not sure these shots were worth worrying the security guard?

On to 'The Crafty Cafe' where I chose a lovely large mug to have my coffee in and sit for an hour nattering and spinning.

They regularly hold 'Sock Monkey Making Workshops' in the cafe.  I think this one is rather cute.  I really enjoyed my spin and natter and I managed to ply some yarn for my 'Solar System' project that needs to be completed by next week!  Eeeek!  I am starting to get a panic on!  I got asked  if I would be willing to appear in a charity Fashion Show at the Town Hall on Friday 30th of November.  I would need to walk the cat walk wearing something I have made!  Now you have really got to be having a giraffe!  (laugh). I may spin on the catwalk as a 'feature' for the knitwear section...I don't know yet...I do get myself into some strange scrapes!  Mental note to self:  Stop getting me into strange scrapes!
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Pumpkin Post

Euan and his Dad Carved this pumpkin (and scooped out the yucky insides) for Halloween.  What better way to start November than with a pan full of pumpkin.

I steamed the pumpkin until it was tender and then Whizzed it with my hand blender.  It made a big pot of Pumpkin Puree.

Great.  Now what to do with the big pot of Pumpkin Puree?

I made this recipe for Pumpkin Pie.  Naughty but nice.

I tried this recipe for Iced Pumpkin Cookies.  These have gone down very well with Euan. They taste like Pumpkin Pie in a cookie.  Yum.
                    The 'Piece de resistance' for me however was this recipe for Roasted Garlic, Pumpkin and Potato Mash it was absolutely delicious with Roast Lamb.

I have eaten so much Pumpkin in the last couple of weeks...pies, cookies, soups, roasted. . . it is a wonder I am not orange.  I love pumpkin.  Do you have any recipe ideas for pumpkin that you think I might like?  
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