Ravely

I've had my invite to ravely. I'm now listed on there as Lupincottage, please feel welcome to add yourself as my friend, as currently I have none.

As I've now received my invite I might have to start listing my stash, which seems like a big job as it's so huge at the moment. I'll have to use up a few more yarn cones before I can even think about getting everything listed or maybe I'll only list those yarns I really love.

I've written details about my current project which is my rowan pixie jumper which I finished the back of last night (at last).

I've also now joined indirepublic which is an online group for all independent designers if you've not joined yet you really ought to as every ones so friendly.

I'm the slowest knitter in the world ever

I've discovered this week as it says in my title I'm the slowest knitter in the world ever.

I'm knitting my rowan jumper and I'm a bit further on but not much it's taken me a fortnight, of and on, to knit the back.

I'm so out of practise knitting actual garments by hand I'd forgotten how long it takes.

I know I'm going to love this jumper when its finished and it will fit into my wardrobe seamlessly. However, why isn't it finished yet? and why can't I be more patient?

I'm making myself a new jumper that no one else will own, in yarn I love, yet part of me thinks is it really worth it? and how much wear will I get out of it?

I can go to Sainsburys after work on Monday and pick up a new jumper for £15. Which will be unusual enough to cause people to comment but not to expensive for my budget.

Then I also know that's whats wrong with the way we buy clothing today. The market is saturated with cheaply produced clothing made abroad in sweat shops, that is completely disposable.

I know I can quite easily buy a new item of clothing or two pairs of shoes every time I go shopping. I think I've got to stop doing this and start making clothes I really love instead of buying clothes without really thinking of the origin.

I know that I'm never going to be able to support myself knitting clothes by hand but I do know my wardrobe will be much better off for it.

If only I can be patient enough.

Sunday is meringue day

To day it's my turn to have the family round for lunch so I'm busy creating in the kitchen today and not in my studio.

I'm really going all out as It's ages since we all got together I've made broccoli and Stilton soup for starters. Followed by a beef and red wine stew or a pumpkin gratin for the veggies

I think I may of gone a bit over the top with the desserts. I've gone a bit Nigella mad and made a chestnut and chocolate cake, a rhubarb and blueberry meringue and mini pavlovas with blueberry sauce. I do love meringues so much they're so easy to make and yet so scrummy.

I'm getting out my best china and got some lovely little green flowers from the supermarket last night (I'm not sure what they are so I won't embarrass myself by trying to name them). I've arranged them in shot glasses and will placed down the center of the table.

I ordered some new labels last week to put on my creations and they arrived on Saturday morning. I love them they're neat and pretty and make me feel more like a proper designer.

This week my Mr LCD is working evenings so I'll have a lot more crafting time and I may even take pictures of some of my work to share.

Now I'm going to leave you with my delphiniums which have flowered for the second time this year, this week. I love blue flowers, in fact I love all flowers, well maybe not roses as rose bushes are so ugly when they aren't flowering. Any way back to my beautiful delphiniums it is almost Halloween and I've spring flowers in my garden, it fills me with joy to have such lovely things to look at.

Well I better finish cooking lunch, as everyone's arriving in an hour and I've not got any make-up on or done my hair.

October and feeling poorly

I've been off sick from work all week with sinus and even through I should of used this time to craft, I actually just wandered round the house feeling sorry for myself.

I have started a couple of new things following on from my Christmas garland I made pom pom tree decorations.

Started on family Christmas presents but I'm not saying who its for or what it is.

I've also started knitting a jumper for myself from the Rowan kid silk Dream collection. I'm not knitting it in the kid silk, I'm using a very fine mohair in variegated green. Its ages since I last knitted something just for me. The top I'm knitting is called pixie and I can't wait to get it finished.

Organisation at last

I've managed to write descriptions for all my finished and almost finished scarfs this morning and get all my photos taken.

It was one one those jobs I'd been putting of as I like the crafting side of things but not actually describing my bits and pieces, all the measuring and faffing seems like a job that can be done tomorrow when I've got new things in my head to make today. Another thing that had been delaying me was the fact I like to craft during the day, I kept missing the sunshine on my days off but today I got up early and got organised.

My brothers getting on well with my new shop but I didn't realise how long it would take but now he's got all my photos and he's working on it this weekend.

I'm sorry to mention the Christmas word but I've also started making some decorations big felted white mohair pom poms I didn't cut them too exactly, so they'd look a bit scruffy like real snowballs. I've then threaded the pom poms on green ribbon and then i added jingle bells and vintage button details.

I love these but I can't decide to wrap them around my tree or to string them across my mantel piece. The night mares of Christmas decorating but now I've two reception rooms I'm able to theme each room which I know is sad but it keeps me happy. I think I'm getting a bit excited better stop talking about Christmas.

Well it is officially the end of the summer and time for the last fresh blackberry tart of the season. I've not got a finished tart picture as we wolfed this down as soon as it came out the oven. It also had windfall apples in it it was lovely and I can't wait for blackberry season next year.


My lovely husband has also been cooking for us, a leek, feta and spinach pie wrapped in flaky pastry.It was perfect for a cold Sunday afternoon after a morning doing lots of heavy gardening work.

His mum taught him to make this at home in Yugoslavia she also does a gorgeous sweet pumpkin pie that she made especially for me last time I visited.

Well now I'm going to love you and leave you as I've fairy cakes to make, a chicken to roast and I'm having a go at making some honeycomb after seeing Nigellas on Monday night.