Friday, November 30, 2012 at 10:24PM
Time zones are a great thing, especially when you can leave Heathrow at lunchtime and meet friends for supper in a city thousands of miles away.
Today we flew to Philadelphia.
But it’s been an awfully long day, I’ll admit!
USA in travelling Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at 2:21PM
but not quite
In spite of coaching from my paper heart weaving tutor ;-)
But there is success to report in other areas. Six Christmas puddings made and wrapped ready to store, Christmas cards designed, prototyped and going into production as I write.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 1:51PM
The only time in the year when I use barley wine. As a result, the multipack of four cans from the supermarket last for four years – probably well past its sell by date, but we’ve had no problems so far. This morning I’ve weighed out all the ingredients and stirred them together in a large mixing bowl to sit and soak overnight. Tomorrow, I’ll divide the mixture up between some pudding basins and steam the puddings in my steam oven, which will take most of the day. Do I wish I had a large copper washing boiler like my Nan? Not really…but I’m sure this was one time of the year when it really came into its own. My Mum told stories of the kitchen walls running with condensation on the day the puddings were steamed, the whole house feeling vaguely damp for a few days later. I’ll simply switch on the extractor fan.
Oh, and as you can see, the bald oranges and lemons have been dealt with. Pancakes for tea!
Heart progress today? Well, from left to right, one success – harder than it looks. One so very nearly complete but failed at the last hurdle, because with one red strip to weave, there’s no space left. On the right, one total failure, when I tore one strip completely and ruined the whole thing. I didn’t take a photo of the one which was thrown in the bin!
Time to cut some more “practice pieces” I think.
Monday, November 26, 2012 at 4:34PM
Before I went to work this morning, I had to have another go at one of Marianne’s star patterns. Clearly, I was in a calm and gentle frame of mind, because the heart came together very well and was no problem at all.
I am told, by someone close to me, that weaving paper hearts keeps me quiet. As if I normally make a lot of noise!
Well, to be truthful, there is often a noise when I’m at home in the studio. But it’s not me, it’s the Silhouette machine, buzzing and screeching as it cuts complex patterns and intriguing shapes, which occasionally come together to make something like this
A dear little suitcase, inspired by reading about it here, which came together in no time and which is so cute, I need to think of ways to use it!
I feel sure that two small girls not so far from here would be thrilled to make one of their own, to put a few small treasures in.
The Silhouette sale tempted me to download quite a few interesting patterns, including this intriguing book of boxes
It’s the kind of thing which would take forever to cut from scratch and yet, thanks to a clever designer, cuts in minutes and pieces together so accurately, it is immensely satisfying.
It’s very adaptable and could be put together in many different ways to showcase all kinds of creativity. I’m looking forward to doing exactly that – and to making another two so that they can fit snugly together in the little crate which is provided for them.
In the meantime, I sit and stroke it from time to time, I open it up and close it again. Because I can. I love it!
The little drawers are cute too!
Rather less cute is the heart I’ve been trying to weave this afternoon, having returned from work a couple of hours ago. I wonder if I can learn from this?
Think calm.
Sunday, November 25, 2012 at 10:07PM
Marianne, you know how to set a challenge!
Don’t look too closely at this poor effort, but admire the clever design and the imagination which created it.
The paper heart weaving fun continues, thanks to my sweet friends.
