New Year - New Hobby?

Happy New Year!

Yes I know it's late (a whole month in fact) but there's lots going on behind the scenes here.

First and foremost I am pleased to announce that I have been invited to teach some workshops by the lovely Courtyard Gift Box. They have a lovely shop stocked with gorgeous handmade products (including some evajeanie) and a converted stable for workshops. There is also a new pantry opening this month.

The first workshops I'll be offering are an Introduction to hand pieced patchwork. The stable is set in the most beautiful rural location just outside Kettering, Northants! Oh and did I mention there is homemade tea and cake included?! Message me or leave a comment for further information.

evajeanie's photostream

I just thought I would share with you a really lovely comment that I have just received through Flickr about my photographs:

Nipuntantia14 said:
Fantastic Click.......your pictures feel like a window to whole new another world to me........you have a great photostream......such INSPIRING work.....
Have a nice day... (-;
Please do have a look at my gallery on my page on facebook Say Cheese Photographer

Isn't that just awesome? I have never had feedback through Flickr and this has really made my weekend!

evajeanie's photostream on Flickr.

Handmade, upcycled and crafted lovely things to make you smile :)

Day 35: Homemade Daily Challenge. Happy Birthday Eva!

Well three years ago today I was in the later stages of labour, therefore today my gorgeous girl is 3! Happy Birthday Eva!

Eva really loves the books and films of the Gruffalo so we decided to get her a special cake made for her Birthday this year. Here is Eva's fabulous Gruffalo Birthday cake:

There is even the little mouse!

This wonderful cake was made by the super talented Zoe at Mummy's Scrummy Cakes if you are looking for inventive and original cake designs for all occasions then contact Zoe. This link connects to their facebook fanpage but if for some reason it doesn't work then please contact me and I'll pass on your details. Thank you Zoe you made a little girl very happy (and Eva loves it too) x

Day 27: Daily Challenge

If you have been following my posts since 1 st January (you deserve a medal) you will know that my main skill set lies within sewing and pretty much machine sewing at that, although I do like making pies.

To avoid my blog being all about pies and bunting (I do love them) I thought it was time to inject a new craft. Something that I am a novice at so you can see how I progress. I have always fancied being a knitter but having looked through some of my Mums old patterns it appears they are mainly written in double dutch, so I decided crochet might be a bit easier.

I had no idea how to crochet so was delighted when a good friend of mine (Michelle at Button It) said she would show me. We met at a friends house last Summer for a Birthday BBQ and Michelle told me to take my crochet hook, we sat at the party like a pair of grannies in the corner crocheting,  (Michelle was crocheting, I was making a chain which resembled a series of messy knots). But after about half an hour I started to pick it up and could just about manage chain and double stitches (UK) which meant I could crochet lovely little flowers.

I made lost of these little flowers and was asked by friends to make them into little hairslides for stocking fillers at Christmas. So I made a stack of them and displayed them on little cards I made with my punch:

 

Now I know you don't all have a super talented friend to show you how to crochet and to be patient and not stab you with the crochet hook when you mess it up. But it is easier if you have someone show you, as it's a big help to see how its done a few times before your start (about fifty in my case). If you don't have a friendly granny or a Michelle of your own you could check out some youtube videos, there are loads.

I am going to be tackling Granny Squares next, I'll let you know how it goes.

Herman day 5, have added more ingredients

Day 22: Homemade Daily Challenge

Back in November 2011 a neighbour of mine invited me over for a coffee and told me she had something for me, it sounded rather ominous so I went over with trepidation (thinking she was probably going to give me some curtains to take up). But when I arrived I was presented with a bowl of what she called 'Gloop' I was rather excited with the 'gloop' as I thought we were maybe going to be making a collage or some kind of craft activity. But then she told me it was a cake, I was a little disappointed at the lack of crafting and even more disappointed to find that yes indeed it was a cake but that I had to make it and bake it myself and it wouldn't be ready for 10 days!!! I started to think, I had misjudged the relationship and clearly she wasn't a friend at all.

So I came home with the bowl of gloop with the intentions of slinging it in the bin, but this neighbour lives very close by and would definitely be visiting at some point within the 10 days and would know that there was a lack of gloop in my kitchen. So I decided to try it for a couple of days at least then I could say I had tried and failed. So opened the instructions and found that the gloop actually had a name, it was Herman, this made the thought of slinging him out a little harder :( he was a cake with a name.

Herman today: Day 1

But as I read on the instructions where pretty simple and actually all you do for the first few days is give Herman a stir. The recipes vary slightly but as the days pass you just need to stir and add a few simple ingredients on the last day you split the ingredients and share it amongst some friends (the numbers vary depending on your recipe). I managed to keep Herman alive and palm 3 portions of gloop off onto other friends and even baked the final cake which was absolutely delicious and very simple to do. So when a friend of mine (Michelle from Button it) was asking for new takers for a new Herman cake I practically bit her hand off! I went to pick him up today and alongside my Crafty daily blog I will be giving you a Herman update and then on day 9 I will be looking for friends to share him with so you can make your own.

When I get to the baking day I will post the recipe.