Domesticali

Hands off Halloween

So, we're pretty much ready for this evening - all decorated, cupboard stocked with treats for the little ghouls who turn up on the doorstep and pumpkins  carved. Though Johnny is very insistant that his is, in fact, a plumpkin.

 

Coffee Lady ratted me out in my crafty preparations by asking about the involvement of the children after my last post. Rumbled. They may eat the food, but the joy of the preparation has been all mine. A self confessed craft-control-freak, I freely admit, my favourite kids crafts are the ones that I do without the kids. But please note the hands in the picture above. Mark's. In fact for the first time this year, he did his whole pumpkin all by himself. Are you impressed at my levels of self control?

Admittedly, I did still do the scooping of Johnny's for him (only because he tells me he doesn't like sticking his hand inside) and the sharp utensils bit. But I swear he drew on the design all by himself.

They are most pleased with themselves. 

And me? Well maybe, just maybe, it's okay to not be the one in creative control once in a while. 

Happy Halloween!

Halloween happenings

We're enjoying the preparations for Halloween this year (helped by the great timing of half-term). Getting inspiration from books from Kristina, magazines from Lynn and the holy grail of Pinterest. Each year, I get more and more into the fun - not so much the dressing up or the trick-or-treating, but the decorations and the spooky food.

What's not to like about an orange with fangs?

Or pudding with a ghost face

Or Oreo pops made to look like jack-o-lanterns (not as easy to do neatly as I thought....)

Oh yes, we are enjoying the build up a great deal.

 

Reverse engineering

It started, as so many impulses seem to begin of late, with a picture on pinterest. A woolly cuff, which caught my eye. But horror of horrors, there was no real link on the original pin. 

Source: farm6.static.flickr.com via Ali on Pinterest

Don't you hate it when that happens? I was determined to track the image down. For hours I trawled Flickr with every keyword combination of woolly bracelet cuff cable knit I could think of, but no joy. TinEye brought up no matches. I tried Ravelry and Etsy. Nothing. But I couldn't get it out of my head. I tried knitting a giant cable, but it didn't look right. And then, from deep within the recesses of my subconscious bubbled up the idea of a turks head knot.

And a great deal of knitted icord later, my own version appeared.

Woolly bracelet bliss.

Though I am still determined to track down the creator of the original, so if anyone knows, please do enlighten me.

 

 

Busy with the needles

It's undeniably colder this week, and the boys are beginning to baulk at having to wear their uniform shorts to school. Thankfully, half term marks the point beyond which long trousers are acceptable attire, so their knees should be warmer shortly.

Chilly knees are not really an issue for me, but I loathe having cold hands, so as soon as Autumn hits in earnest, there is always a pair of gloves or two about my person. And since I lerned to knit, these have often been Toasty mitts. They are the perfect simple pattern - incredibly straightforward and forgiving of almost any yarn substitution I have thrown at them.

But I had a hankering to extend my mitten knitting repertoire, and Fetching mitts have been in my knitting queue for a considerable time. When I rummaged through the stash, there were two balls of Cashmerino Chunky. And so I cast on, and got to grips with my very first cables.

I'm pretty pleased with them (though I might modify the thumb if I knit them again). Small projects are perfect for trying a new technique - because I'm all about knitting instant gratification. And these proved cables are as easy as everyone told me they were. A couple of evenings and a quick visit to the new 'needles and natter' group at Rosie's Tea Room, which I've been enjoying and they were off the needles and wrapped up ready to post off to a friend. And I'm thinking another pair to keep is definitely on the cards. Unless there's another great pattern you know of that I really should try.

On Vases and Vessels

Ever since my 'growing flowers for cutting' fascination began, I have harboured a parallel obsession with vessels. See, in the flower workshop at Green and Gorgeous, there is a cupboard (and a dresser or two) and they are full of the most amazing array of bottles and jars, vases and jugs and the odd tea cup and gravy boat too. And it gave me such a case of the screaming wanties, that I considered for a moment, a secondary career as a crockery kleptomaniac.

Photo from Green and Gorgeous

But because I am a law abiding citizen, I decided I'd better start my own little collection. And it's been going well. In the past, I have veered towards very plain, glass containers. My interior style tends towards the simple and utilitarian, over anything more flamboyant and they seemed safer somehow.

But then I came across a new book Vintage Flowers by Vic Brotherson (there are some page shots on that link). And I've been blown away by her use of vessels. Such unfettered joy. A true floral 'in your face'. And her words on choosing the right vase? Try to keep as many water holding vessels in your home as possible. 

And armed with those words, perhaps my comfort zone is expanding. Into the realms of this little blue pot, which spoke to me and begged to be filled with allotment nasturtiums.

And somehow manages to make even the uncleared breakfast table into a brighter place.

In Vic's book I had also read about window vases - a narrow vessel which was originally used as a way of showing off to the neighbours, bu putting your finest booms on display on the windowsill. Look at hers. Feeling wanty yet?

Photo from Vic Brotherson

Well lookie what turned up in my junk shop - and not just one, but a pair! Must've been my lucky hunting day.

And then there are some which I have aquired, and not yet had the chance to use. But can't you imagine this one filled with autumn hips and ivy berries?

Can you tell I'm excited about this? Funny, but when you have a new interest, somehow there seems to be so much inspiration around. I've been pinning like crazy. And some of the inspiration has even lead to action.

Source: kinfolkmag.com via Ali on Pinterest

 

Do you have loads of vases and flower receptacles? Or am I in danger of going a little over the top and turning into the single white female of the floral world. And if I am, Concha had better beware, because I've always had a bit of a thing for her way with flowers. And Belinda too, while we're at it.

What I do all day (ish)

9.10    Quietly sitting in front of my computer screen, I come across a post from Sue about how she spent her day. I giggle at a good 'korma' joke and feel slightly guilty about the household chores I am not tackling.

9.15 Empty the tumble drier of the stuff I 'fluffed' yesterday afternoon. I like drying on a line, but am addicted to tumble drier fluffiness, so all washing gets a 10 minuite tumble after the line. Yes, I realize this is slightly obsessive behaviour, but it's small beans on the potential OCD spectrum, so just let me enjoy it.

9.16 Add the stuff to the unfolded pile of clean, dry, fluffed laundry on the sofa. Really must fold it.....

9.18 Bring in the washing from the line that I left out overnight acidentally. Note it is slightly soggy from the dew. But my 10 minute tumble will deal with that. Ha! See you mocked my habit, but it has genuine purpose now. Stuff it self righteously into the tumble drier.

9.21 Put the kettle on. Load the dishwasher while it boils. Feel smug at my multitasking skills. Ignore the fact that if I wasn't such a slob, the breakfast dishes would have gone into the dishwasher straight after breakfast.

9.24 Decide I need to ramp up my 'domestic goddess' quotient after confession about breakfast dishes, so take a new box of tissues out to put in the car. In a fit of non-slobbishness, I clear all the used tissues and other rubbish out of the car. Also two baseball caps from the hot weather. I think it has passed. I shove them in the cupboard under the stairs (the caps, not the rubbish) and close the door very quickly, just in case the suff in there makes a bid for freedom.

9.27 Make 'special' coffee. My reward for not being at work near any coffee shop temptations which would cost me a small fortune in feeding my caffiene habit. Note with relish that hubby has not stolen my favourite coffee mug for his morning tea, therefore leaving it clean and ready for me. Decide this is the omen for a very good day.

9.32 Realize that writing down the stuff I do all day is going to be a big job. So I really must go back to the computer and begin typing while I sip my coffee. Sorry, dry dishes on the draining board, you'll just have to wait.

9.33 Wonder about going back in time to begin my story of the day with waking up. Decide it's not a pretty sight - who wants to share my classic battle cry of 'Would you please get off the toilet and get dressed'. Perhaps we'll abbreviate to get up, shower, dress, wake kids, madke breakfast, yell, leave the house, drive 25 mins  (bloody traffic) to school, remember we have left reading book behind but hope turning up in the right clothing cancels it out, scrabble in glove compartment for Jeans for Genes money, deposit kids, drive home.

9.40 God this drivel takes a long tome to write. Bored of typing. Look outside to see if I should put next load of washing on the line. Big grey clouds - mmmm maybe not. But 'fluff' cycle has ended - could just stick it straight in the drier. Ponder, indecisively.

9.42 Look back at post. It has no photos. Boring. Also, not even an hour of my life has passed and I've already written 554 words. 555 now. Decide this is not such a good idea for a post. Also, If I hit publish soon, I can catch Woman's Hour on Radio 4 while I finish clearing the kitchen and making chicken stew for dins. Slurp coffee. Blow kisses to you. Jenni Murray here I come...

Eleven

So, eldest son has made it to eleven.

And we've had a perfect birthday weekend - packed full of action of his favourite kinds. A sleepover, a trip to a Lego exhibition with Scouts, a Rugby tournament and his party - laser gaming in the woods.

Full on activity - just the way he likes it. With a teeny side of family moments - a specially requested dinner and a cupcake candle vehicle.

He doesn't like it quiet, this boy. And he couldn't just blow out a candle in the conventional way, could he?

Happy Birthday Mark. You are mad, but you make us smile.