Sadness and Joy

Been a mixture of these over the past few days.I find the rollercoaster of emotions, that life can be sometimes, very difficult. I am a rut person really, change does not suit me.I have also been in quite a reflective mood which is never good for me.
Our eldest cat ,Eric,died on Saturday.It wasn't completely unexpected as we had noticed his decline over recent weeks.We think he could have had a stroke.Came back from shopping and noticed that he was not right and within a few hours he had gone.I love my cats but I am not overly sentimental about them.It has just made me think a lot about loss.Big things and small things.Sometimes I find the small things affect me more than the big.
I am missing my Mum and my granddaughter.
I miss my youth.
I miss having energy

Sunday we went to the resheduled BSB meeting at Brands Hatch.Glorious weather in fact to hot for me.Great racing.Good fun.

Bakey cakeyness

Can you believe it the weather has actually been great this weekend and although we did not go far we have enjoyed a couple of little trips out on the bike.Just does so much for my spirits to get out on that thing it is just so much fun.
In the true spirit of the UK etsy thread I baked a cake.Little story behind it.Mr S and I were chatting and he said he fancied a coconut cake.I reminded him of the coconut cake that I used to cook years ago.So while he was at work on Sunday I whizzed to Asdas and got the ingredients to make it.He was chuffed to bits.Here's the recipe for those interested

Wholemeal Coconut Cake

8oz wholemeal self raising flour
4oz butter or marge
3oz soft brown or caster sugar
4oz coconut
1 beaten egg
5fl oz milk

Heat the oven to gas mark 4 180deg
Line a 7inch round cake tin
Rub together the flour and butter(or marge) stir in the sugar and coconut
Mix the egg with the milk
Add this to the dry mix
Bake approx 1 hour

Its quite a dry cake but we like it.

May Bank Holiday Weekend

Although its a bank holiday weekend MrS is at work.Well you all need electricity.He has got quite a lot of time off soon so we are hoping to make great strides in the utility room.But then if the weather is good there is a Ducati to be ridden.
What have I been doing this week.Joined Gardening 365 on flickr.I resisited at first because my gardening efforts usually fizzle out with my waning enthusiasm but I figured that if I took part it may spur me on.For those that don't know the 365 groups involve taken a picture every day for a year(365 days)In this case of your garden or gardening efforts.Since MrS has become more involved in the cooking at home he is quite keen.We are concentrating on herbs and salad leaf as we can grow these in pots and we don't want to open up any beds at the moment.
Still trying to get brooches made of Kala's cats but its proving harder than you might think.
Was going to go to an exhibition this weekend but looking at the map it was about an hours drive away and I would be going on my own so decided against it.
I am however going to a craft fair tomorrow as my friend libertybelle is doing her first one at Runwell village hall.
I am having major sort out in sewing room as I have decided that my chaos is not helping the creative juices.Well we shall see.

Stitch to Paint with Nickie Kimber 27th April 2008

The very first workshop to be offered by School House Arts. And what a cracker.
Nickie, very ably assissted by Sharne, presented her workshop on Stitch to Paint.
11 students started the morning with experiments with discharge paste using freezer paper and masking tape resists and and also bleaching some fabric that had been stitched into.
Next we machine quilted a sampler piece with four different patterns and used a different medium on each to colour it.These included markal,emulsion paint, a rub on gold medium and lumiere paint.
Next was lunch!
We then moved onto what was to be the main focus of the workshop which was a Celtic tree piece.First we ironed on the leaf motif down the side then discharged the leaves and either painted or used markals to further inhance these.Using a freezer paper pattern we machined round the tree and then machine quilted the background to give texture which would later be either discharged painted or decorated in any of the ways that we had been shown.
At intervals Nickie stopped us to show more techniques ideas and wrinkles.
At this point I feel I should mention something that I feel will become a feature of School House Arts workshops
THE LEMON TIMER
Maybe I should explain.As this was the first workshop Nickie and Sharne had a run through and noted the time that things should take.Nickie had then written herself a timed running order and the timer was set accordingly.Needless to say we did't always keep exactly to time but it caused much mirth and various offers of what we could do with this timer.
Everybody was really pleased with the results of their day and I know many of the students were stretched to attempt new things.
A great day and a great start of School House Arts

Muffins

As usual lots of talk of food on the UK thread especially cake. Now I am not much of a cake maker but I do a mean muffin.So at the request of lostintheforest here is my recipe for Orange muffins
10 oz plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarb
1/2 tsp salt
4oz granulated sugar
1 egg
3 tsps finely grated orange rind
(of 2 large oranges be careful not to include any pith)
Juice of both oranges first set aside enough for glaze add water to remainder to make up to 8fl oz
3fl oz corn oil

Glaze
3 oz icing sugar
3-4 tsps orange juice
1/2 tsp grated rind
Prepare muffin tins (makes 10 muffins)
Heat oven to 375- 400f 190-200c Gas mark 5-6
Sift together flour,baking powder,bicarb,salt and sugar.
In a separate bowl beat the egg and add grated rind, juice(plus water) and oil
Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined.Batter will be lumpy
Spoon into tins and bake 20-25 mins until lightly brown and spring back when pressed

Combine glaze ingredients and spread over warm muffins

Cap'n Ronnie's Cake

Cap'n Ronnie's Cake
Originally uploaded by debsmuddle

In a moment of lightheadedness I volunteered to make a birthday cake for my cousin's 2 year old son.Party theme was to be pirates and I found a recipe in an Australian Womens Weekly book of childrens party cakes.
First hurdle was the baking.Had to buy a new tin ,fine,found one at the right price in TKMax.Now I am not a great baker so I was a little nervous but that all went well.Trimmed it up and decorated, brilliant,really pleased.
Now all I had to do was to get it from my house to their's.A drive of some 20 mins usually.I decided the safest place for it to travel was in the well of the front passenger seat so I wedged it in and set off.
By now I am shaking.
All I can say is it did wonders for my driving.I have never driven so smoothly before.Braking was done very carefully and in plenty of time.Corners were taken at the correct speed.
Happily it arrived in one piece,a little warm and melting slightly round the edges but fine.

Hair Bobble by Guerilla embroidery

Hair Bobble by Guerilla embroidery
Originally uploaded by debsmuddle

I can't say enough about this ladys work I just love it. This is the first piece that I have bought and it will not be the last.