Lemon Lava Volcano Cake

Original Cake Club has definitely come to an end as the second Cakemaster has now left the company. But what a good cake he left on – just look at the height of this!

It was a 5 egg wonder, lovely texture, very lemony, altogether delicious (and some of us greedy ones had 2 slices each!).

Thank you Cakemaster2 – goodbye and good luck!

Cake Club is now down to 3 members so we’ll be recruiting for another 3-5 in the new year… watch this space!

Busy DoorMice

Chatting DoorMice

I’ve been rummaging through my fabric stash for upholstery and curtain remnants to make my latest Doorstop idea – DoorMice.  They have big raggedy ears, beady eyes, button noses and hold their own tails up to stop them getting trapped under the door whilst they’re on duty!

DoorMice

Making Gifts Magazine – I’m in it!

making gifts cover and spread

I’m a bit excited today! I’ve got 3 whole pages in the first edition of this lovely new magazine called Making Gifts. It’s out today – 5th November – and it’s crammed full of all kinds of gifts to make – stationery boxes, knitted felted bags, fimo jewellery, loads of things… and oh yes, SOCK OWLS by me! It feels like ages that I’ve had to keep quiet about it and now it’s real – yikes!

Anyway, hope lots of you peeps get to buy it and have a go at the lovely projects inside – happy making!

And here’s a batch of Owls I’ve already made…

owls retouch

Christmas Craft Fair in Newbury

If you’re in the area and at a loose end on Sunday 8th Nov why not pop in to the St Bart’s craft fair and say hello… hope to see you there!

craft-fair-ad-jpg4

Sarahs’ in stitches

I recently became a follower of Sarah’s blogspot Noahsarkcrafts after reading a lovely article about both her kindness and her crafting talent on TheOtherMousies blogspot (also real name Sarah!). At the time NoahsArk Sarah was running a little incentive for new followers and I lucked into being a winner. Look at these lovely goodies…

crafty notes

You can get your very own birdie bookmarks and pretty embroidered lavender pouches from either of Sarah’s shops, Folksy or Etsy! She has lots of festive felted Xmas tree decs to choose from too.

And if you’re looking for some really cute stocking fillers don’t miss out on these cheeky Itty-Bitty-Elf-Kitty’s in TheOtherMousie’s shop… she’s working as hard as an elf to keep up with the orders!

Itty-Bitty-Elf-Kitty

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Cancer Research UK On-line Shop

Laura Cameron from Folksy.com has very generously volunteered her time to set up a Folksy shop dedicated to raising funds for Cancer Research UK.

folksy cancer research badge 01

All the items in the shop are being donated by Folksy sellers and they will also cover any postage costs. Here’s a preview of some of the lovely handmade crafts on offer.

CRUKpics1

CRUKpics2

All the proceeds go to Cancer Research UK and we are hoping to raise lots of money for this leading charity dedicated to beating cancer.

Please have a browse around the shop and thank you for any support you feel able to give.

Alan meets The Secret Gardener

percy 01It’s not often that grumpy old Percy Grower lets the other Gardeners have a day off. So when Alan Pitchfork got the chance of a few hours to himself he took full advantage and arranged to meet his friend The Secret Gardener (TSG).

He’s ‘Secret’ from Percy. Percy would  most certainly be jealous of the garden that TSG tends. Plus TSG is rather an expert at rearing delicate hothouse plants, something Percy has never quite achieved.

Anyway, you can see what a lovely day they had together. Alan even managed to smuggle his pet HooterNinnie out for the day!

Alan & Hootie make a new friend

Alan & Hootie make a new friend

Hootie tucks in to a bunch of berries

Hootie tucks in to a bunch of berries

Doing a spot of bird watching

Doing a spot of bird watching

Resting their weary stitches

Resting their weary stitches

TSG shows off his Aloe plant

TSG shows off his Aloe plant

TSG's favourite orchid

TSG's favourite orchid

Just enough time for a cream tea!

Just enough time for a cream tea!

Hop into the travel bag chaps and say Goodbye!

Hop into the travel bag chaps and say Goodbye!

After Alan, Hootie and The Secret Gardener parted company, TSG made his way off to a new home. His new home is with the young boy who designed him. To find out a few more of his Secrets you can follow him on his own blog:

The Secret Gardener!

Naughty Lizzie forgot to bake!

NaughtyLizzie

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! Bit of a boo boo this week. Lizzie completely forgot that it was her turn to bake for Friday Cake Club.

She had to dash into the Supermarket on her way to work to compensate with All Butter Carrot Cake and Victoria Sandwich. Nice but not a patch on her Elizabeth Sponge Cake!

Remember Lizzie – two ‘forgets’ and it’s Discommunicaketion!

Oscar’s 5th (Secret) Gardener

5th gardener

Secret Gardener

Oscar’s instruction for the 5th Gardener was simply to make him in ‘Gardener colours’. I know he’s not quite as grubby looking as the other 3, but he is still shades of green. As he’s obviously a lot younger than the other Gardeners I think it’s OK for him to look a little trendier.

He’s already been out on a photo shoot – this is his favourite (he’s actually quite vain!)…

The Secret Gardener posing with a giant crocus
The Secret Gardener posing with a giant crocus

You Ugly Cow!

cowsI have never been so terrified as yesterday afternoon.

After a rather a stressful week, we decided to have a trip out to a local National Trust property (The Vyne) for a peaceful walk through the woodland and lake area.

We came to a bird watching stop along the way that looked out over a field to a bird pond with numerous wild fowl and herons – beautiful. We decided to take a closer look and ventured through the gate. Biggest mistake ever!

Half way across the field we turned to look back and saw this herd of about 40 black cows steadily approaching in our direction…

MrSockGarden: don’t run, don’t panic, just keep walking…

Me: (constantly turning to look) – ok but hurry up, walk faster…

MrSockGarden: it’s OK, don’t panic

Me: there’s no gate ahead, how are we going to get out (rising panic)

MrSockGarden: keep calm, we’re nearly to the edge

Me: (not caring about squelching through wet cow pats in my holey crocs) but there’s NO gate – just barbed wire

MrSockGarden: It’s all right we’ll be able to get over it, keep calm..

Me: (doing hysterical girl run-stumbling and shouting now) they’re going to trample us to death, hurry, hurry

Cows: advancing in a big black menacing unified swathe of mooing, bellowing, hot stinky breathed cowiness (incredibly scared now)

MrSockGarden: gets to the barbed wire topped (crotch-height) fence – and then over it…

Me: (screeching now) help me, help me, I can’t get over on my own (throwing knitted bag with sock creatures inside for photography over the fence first – idiot!)

MrSockGarden (on the safe side of the fence): almost-calm encouraging sounds and hands out to help pull me over…

Me: wailing now and getting hauled over the fence with those evil brute heads right behind me…

… over and into the filthy ditch on the other side, heart pounding, head in hands and over ears to drown out the sound of those hateful, massive and vicious lumps of steak.

The first thing I did when we got in was google ‘killer cows’ and then…

…we started the beef stew bubbling! It was very delicious and we’ve got second helpings quite soon.

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