Not So Plain...

Sometimes it's the plain things

that 

make us feel

warm

and fuzzy

inside

Sometimes it's the plain things
that make us feel
loved...

Thank you all for your sweet comments...
on my last post...

Benjamin seemed mighty impressed...
and gave a quick "hop, skip and a jump" for joy...

Benjamin...helping...

After finishing my little 

picot edge...

I though a few pictures would be nice...

So with a cup of tea at the ready...

A few biscuits...

All was just right...

Then Benjamin thought he would like to help...

Hmmm he is thinking it didn't look quite right...

something was missing???

Now he's worked it out...

It was HIM...

Granny Goodness with Bertie and Gertie...

Finally finished the 8 x 6 rows...

very late last night...

Woke to a "picture perfect" day...

So I dragged out the ladder

and "Bertie and Gertie" the ceramic chickens...

and got snapping...

Granny Square Blanket so far...

So far so good...

8 squares by 5 squares...

Need to get on with another row as it is getting to the stage were it looks like "something"...

I can't believe that it has taken this long...

But changing colours every row will do that...

We have been having a very wet start to Autumn here
and the leaves are starting to change already...



That's climate change for you!!!

Are your seasons all "mixed up" too?

A friend mentioned to me today that their friend just flew into Sydney
a few days ago
and the first comment they made was..."it smells like mould"...

Now don't get me wrong Sydney is normally a beautiful city full of
amazing sites, parks, museums and people...

But the weather has played havoc in the last few months...
I do hope it improves very soon...

Not just there but right across our amazing planet...

A Bit of Art...here and there...

This week I have been absent from

blogging and most internet communications

as my laptop has decided that the battery is just plain "exhausted"...

So in the time that I have had spare

I have been doing a bit of

mixed media art...

adding bits here and there...

painting, glueing and colouring...



and not forgetting to add a smidgen of crochet...

so that was my first attempt
and I am fairly happy with how it turned out...
I added lots of things I love
and
things that remind me of what I love...
like recipes, letters, material etc...

I think that I would like to try another one...

We will see how I go...

So for now my blogging will be a tad here and there
until I get my computer working properly...
But I will be checking out as many of my sweet dears blogs
as often as I can...

Happy Valentines Day My Dears...

What a great way to start the week...

Bunches of flowers...

whether from a loved one, friend or neighbour

or maybe a bunch picked by yourself from your garden...

It really doesn't matter

They just make the day seem so much brighter...

So to all my dear friends

here is a bunch for you...

Picked from the garden of a local fellow

whose garden is just amazing...

Some Zinnias...

a favorite flower of the butterfly...

Also this week I have finished off some crocheting...



A lovely red wool vest
from the same Japanese crochet pattern book that I have mentioned
here...
This ended up begin about a size 14...
I will be making my next one a little bit smaller...

 I did find it very quick and easy to understand...

and the subtle detail on the top and edge was just perfect...
If made in wool thou you will use about 300grams so it does pay
to get more just in case...

So that it about all here at River Cottage this morning...

I do hope you all have a lovely day...

Mr Benjamin...Bunny...

I would like you all to meet

Mr Benjamin Bunny...

He is a Lop eared Cashmere fellow...

Very handsome

with the quietest nature...

Very Fluffy
and adores cuddles...

I think he quite likes to be photographed as well...



Of course now with Mr Bejamin residing here at River Cottage
I might not have much spare time...

So I needed a project that I could just do every now and then...

Click on the photo below for details of
the inspiration behind these colours...



So for now I will just be plodding along with some crocheting...
and getting lots of cuddles on the couch...

I hope your week has started out as sweet as mine...

So until next post
Keep up the Granny Goodness...and Hug A Bunny or two...

Chutney cooking

I am officially obsessed

with Chutney making...

 

I have about 6 jars  made

and will be looking for some more recipes soon...

The two on either side are Kasundi

a Indian style tomato chutney...

That is so yummy I have already opened 

one of the jars and am half way through already...

I would have to say I made this a bit milder than what it should have been

but I prefer mild not hot...

The one in the middle is an Apple chutney but I did find this a bit peppery 

and will be changing that recipe

next batch...

I have also made a Peach Chutney that is a little spicier

for my husband

and that tastes like a good chutney...

 

For the Kasundi I used the recipe HERE...

But did change a few things...

So I will write it out for you

if you like...

250ml olive oil

2 tablespoons turmeric

2 tablespoons ground mustard

2 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon garam Marsala

Heat the oil and place the above ingredients in a large pot

and gently heat...

Be careful it doesn't burn...

You just want to bring the flavours out...

In a separate bowl place

2 tablespoons of crushed garlic

2 tablespoons crushed ginger

1 tablespoon crushed chilli ( more if you like it hotter)

*I used the pre-made supermarket variety of these in jars...*

mix in 50ml of malt vinegar...

Stir well and add to pot...

Heat this all through for a few more minutes...be careful not to burn it...

and don't stick your nose in for a good smell

as it is could have you in a coughing fit...

Add to the pot

2 kg of  Cherry Tomatoes quartered

1 teaspoon of salt

125 grams of brown sugar

and 170 ml of malt vinegar

Bring to the boil

and the turn down a bit

and cook for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours...

Heat washed jars in oven on low heat..

Using an oven mitt pick up jars and place hot chutney into jars

until overflowing...

be very careful not to burn yourself...

Place lid on jar...

Wipe  outside of jar and let stand until cool to touch...

You will find that the jars with the metal lids the best to use...

The ones with the lid that has the "pop up" circle in the middle...

You will notice that the cooler the jar gets the button in the middle of the jar will depress

and vacuum seal the chutney inside...

Now that's it...

Oh! almost forgot...

It goes really well on crusty bread...

Yum!!!

Homegrown...Goodness...

The garden here at 

River Cottage...

is overflowing

with Tiny Tomatoes...

With bowls full at the ready...

I am recipe hunting...

I am thinking a relish would be tasty...

I like the sound of this one...here...

or

maybe this one...here...

Maybe you my dear friend has a "fool proof" recipe...
you would like to share...

It's another rainy day
and I am needing to cook...
how about you?
Do you like to cook on rainy days too...

Crochet Top...

Hello there my lovely dears...

It has been far too long since I blogged...
I have tried to keep myself busy with a few crocheted tops over the last month...
But unfortunately not a lot of other crocheting projects...

We are still in school holiday mode which has kept me
occupied with visits to the pool, day trips out and lots of crafting with
"Little Miss"...

This is one of two swing crochet tops I have made this month..

The other is in a apple green...
I really like this pattern...super fast and everything worked out the way it should...
Which is always good when you are trying to translate a Japanese pattern...

I purchased the pattern book from this shop here...

This is what the front cover of the book looks like...

I do hope that the lull of late will not be a habbit...
and I will be back on track in blogland very soon...

Thank you all so much for your patience...and kind words...

A New Year ahead...

With blue skies shining...

The summer has eventually arrived here at River Cottage...

The days are filled with 

beach towels and bathing suits..

Garden filled with flowers...



and even picking our very own Peaches...



This is just what summer and the New Year is all about...



I am just hoping that all of this colour and sunshine...
leads to lots of inspiration...



For the last 3 weeks I haven't crocheted a thing...
I know, quite the shock to the system...
But I wanted a break to re-think...and get some new ideas...

I have missed blogging and missed catching up with all of my readers...

I hope your holiday season has been a safe and a family friendly break...

 For my northern hemisphere friends...I hope the cooler climate has been forgiving...
 and you have been able to spend quality time with the yarn and hook...
 making warm scarves and woolly mittens...

and for my southern hemisphere friends...
I hope summer has arrived and is a pleasant change
from the inclement weather we have had before Christmas...
and if you are like me and still find the time to crochet in summer...
I hope you have found some brightly coloured cottons
to make crocheting a bit easier in the heat...

Till next post...
I hope your New Year is granny good...

Granny Seats...

I made these two seats (with some manly help)
for two very special people in town 

that have helped me out a huge amount this year...

They love recycling and helping the environment 

 so these were ideal for Christmas gifts...

The tops were crocheted in cotton and a bamboo-wool blend...
I really wish I had made one for home...
they are just too cute...

 

Inspiration:

Lots of old painted bits of timber from the bathroom renovation...

A stash of cotton and bamboo-wool just waiting for a project...

and pictures of the lovely amazing work of Ingrid from

"WOOD AND STOOL"...

who's stools I have admired for so long...

These sweet Granny seats are 

a "one off" present for two special ladies...

Sorry there are no orders on these...

Yarn Motivation...

Just needed to share...

Things that get me motivated...

Looking Forward...

The week 

I am looking forward to some peace and quiet...

But I have a feeling that it might not happen...



Too much Granny Goodness to share...

Granny Greetings...

Granny Greetings...
from River cottage...



The tree is trimmed...I have re-arranged, dusted and washed the lounge room...
It's looking a lot like CHRISTMAS...

 

Crocheting classes have sadly come to an end...

We did have a lovely last night thou...

With sweets, crackers and dip...

and lots of "giggles"

We all made some Grandma Rosie Rings...

and went home late and full of Christmas inspiration and cheer...

A huge THANK YOU to all my lovely dears

who attended this years classes...

and I will be looking forward to organizing 

even more exciting projects for next year...

***

So

from ME to YOU...

Enjoy your festive season

Stay Safe, keep up the Granny Goodness and Hug a Bunny...

That last one is just  because

it can make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside

***

Grandma Rosie Rings...Tutorial...

Yes that's right...

My Grandma Rosie Ring pattern if here...

For all to enjoy this festive season...

I have included a printable version as well...

Which is only in English terms

but the tutorial on this post will be in English terms with

American terms in brackets..

Requirements:

I ball of rose coloured cotton 2 ply or less...

1 ball of green cotton 2 ply or less...

(these will make several Rosie Rings...)

1 ring base

Super glue or very strong hot glue to secure ring to base.

Terms:

sl st - slip stitch

ch - chain

dc- double crochet- sc for American

htr - half treble - hdc for American

tr - treble - dc for American

To Start.

Using Rose coloured cotton...

Leave a "tail" of thread about 30 cm long to sew rose together.

Ch 31.

Round 1...

Working along these chains.

Miss first ch, 1 dc(sc) in all ch to end.

30 dc(sc) in total.

Turn work over.

Round 2...

1 ch, miss very first stitch that is directly under this chain.!!! 

6 htr (hdc) into next dc. 

1 dc(sc) in next dc(sc).

* Miss 1 dc(sc). 7 tr(dc) in next dc(sc). 1 dc(sc) in next dc(sc).* 

Repeat * - * to end...10 petals in total... 

The last dc will be hard to see... but just take your time... 

Sew and trim in this end... 

Now using tail end thread from the start...

curl and sew rose to form a pretty rose...

Leaves... 

Using Green cotton...

5 ch, join with a sl st to form a circle. 

Round 1... 1 ch, 9 dc(sc) back into circle. Join with a sl st to first dc(sc). 

* 5 ch.(working along these now) 

Miss first ch, 1 dc(sc) in next ch, 1 htr (hdc)in next ch, 

1 tr(dc) in next ch, 1 tr(dc) in next ch. 

Join with a sl st to next dc(sc).

* Repeat * - * to end... 

You will have 8 leaves in total... 

Sew to base of Rose...
Then using strong glue secure to ring base...

Take some time to let it set properly before wearing your Rosie Ring...

Printable pdf attached below...

Click on image and you will be able to go to my flickr page and go to all sizes and print
out a copy for yourself...

I hope everyone enjoys this pattern...
Please feel free to make and share
but I would really love it if you
credit me for the pattern...