N.E.C.

Very early Friday morning two grown up women became school girls again. After a restless night worrying about the weather I gave up trying to sleep and got up to check that we had not been snowed in. Beginning of the year Mrs A and myself had bought tickets for the Sewing and Crafting Exhibition at the NEC - never dreamt we would be worrying about snow. Fortunately there was not too much snow and we headed off very early only to arrive very early too. But being girls we always find lots to talk/giggle about, tea to drink, toilets to visit and creating havoc at the cloakroom (but that's another story) and all very quickly we were being let into the great halls of never ending sweeties!

Mrs A was in top form and said "Which way shall we go? Oh everyone always goes off to the right so we will go left". Then she immediately proceeded to walk to the right! Now Mrs A and I have very different tactics when it comes to shopping - she buys something as soon as she sees something she likes whereas for me I cannot do that. I have to go around the whole place and then decide what I want to buy. That sounds a good idea but it's rather a pain as you have to remember where and what you saw! This also means poor Mrs A has to be dragged back around again and she gets tempted to spend more money again! But there is sooo much to see and sooo much temptation and soooo many new ideas.

This lady was selling giant knitting needles and giant crochet hooks - so that you can make rugs etc in hours instead of days. I'm not sure my hands would be able to cope with the thickness of those needles, but great for those who can.

I took about 70 pictures but you'll be pleased to know you haven't go to see them all!


I just love house pictures. This is a miniature quilt about the size of A4 sheet of paper. Soo cute.

On show were some of the costumes from Jane Eyre films. Here is the costume Emma Thompson wore for Sense and Sensibility or as Mr P calls the film - senseless and sexless!

Of course you want to see the shirt that Mr D'Arcy wore in Pride and Prejudice - can't forget that moment can we? Oooh it sends tingles down my spine recalling that moment when he comes out of the water.

I can't imagine going to all the trouble of stitching an apron and then wiping my grubby hands on all that beautiful needlework.

Sorry cannot remember the details of this quilt but it was a copy of a mosaic floor from some great house. I just loved the quilt.

Especially loved the centre flower with all the buttons and the fabric is that gorgeous silk dupion.

Another miniature quilt. Love the randomness of the fabrics and stitching.

Isn't this soo cute? I'd love to make this picture.

This is certainly a type of small quilt I would love to have a go at making. Oh there is just not enough hours in a day.

This lovely lady - Lisa Evans from Wales was displaying some of her work she did for college. The patchwork on the wall is deliberately displayed that way. The paper inserts were pictures of friends or something very meaningful and then she also asked family and friends for some material that was dear to them. Such a lovely idea.

This full sized quilt is made up of masses of tiny tiny hexagons - someone had a lot of patience.

I thought this bag was rather sweet and stopped to ask the lady if I could take a picture. She said she had never made anything before and this was her first attempt., hand sewn because she cannot use a sewing machine. She was really chuffed that we stopped to admire her bag.

The Cotton Patch store is always a delight to visit and they always seem to occupy a large corner. One day Mrs A and I will have to venture out to their shop in Birmingham. They sell a wonderful array of fabrics such as those designed by Kaffe Fassett.

The quilt hanging to the right is one that I am in the middle of making but have not done anything to it for ages. Haver decided that I must do more to completing this quilt over the Easter break.

Wouldn't you like to see what I bought - the answer is "Yes please"!

This book has just been recently published and the author was there. She was selling the book, kits and lots of various fabrics to accompany the book. It was probably at this point where Mrs A was probably doing her nut at me because I couldn't make a decision which bundle of material to buy. And in fact just as we were about to leave, final visit to the loo she shouts out - why didn't you get her to sign the book and also you do know you can't get the bundles of material off her website?" Well you can guess what happened next.....

Back into the show I dragged Mrs A!



Then I put her through the agony of not being able to choose a second bundle of fabric! So Mrs A and the author made the decision for me! What a useless shopper I am.

Hopefully all the different colours will give me enough variety to be able to complete several projects from the book.

I like the way she gives such clear pictorial instructions. Not even me should be able to go wrong!

















Oh well enough of this episode.

A fat quarter of pale green silk dupion to do some embroidery on - ironically from a stall called Bombay Stores. They are from Bradford and it makes me soo mad with myself that I wasn't into fabric when I used to live in Leeds.

I also bought a small something for No 3 childs birthday but obviously can't show you.

Look at this bargain from Cotton Patch. Have plans of doing a small strip quilt. Oh dear the project list gets longer.




















And finally my last buy:

This gorgeous cross stitch. Have to say got a bit out of doing this hobby - felt it had become dated but Michael Powell seems to have bought it all back to life again - well for me anyway. This picture is the middle section. It can stand alone or I could buy the other two at some other point in time. Just love the little beach houses, the boats and the lighthouse. Oh dear so much to do and so little time. I never get bored. I think work should pay me for five days but actually I only work two days - that would seem fair! Then more people could have a job if we only worked two days a week.

The day was finished with a Chinese takeaway with the men folk and some wine. Followed very rapidly with a contented sleep.

Water Blogged Part 2

Life here has been rather mundane and run of the mill. But blog I must. Perhaps I could tell you about how I discovered that my bargain Andrews loo rolls have not been such a good buy when I discovered an old one which was notably larger. Or I could tell you about my two hours of ironing. No that would be boring. Instead I'll bore you with my ears. As I told you last week I am trying to teach myself to swim properly by putting my face into the water and not strain my neck. But the consequences has been my ears been playing a constant buzzing sound. Today I asked a nurse to look into my ears and she thought I had a perforated eardrum. Fortunately after she raced to get a doctor to have a look it seems that the swimming pool has had an effect on my ears and hopefully after a few weeks it will settle down. Meanwhile they have advised me to use earplugs. Well thought it was time to show you nicemurderknitter looking so glamorous or rather scarylooking!

Decided I couldn't face making this picture extra large. It would scare any children looking over your shoulder!

Side view of me wearing the fabulous earplugs! I've never used anything like this before and didn't realise that there is one for the left and right ear! How am I going to decipher this at the pool without my reading glasses remains to be seen!





Tomorrow I will try out the new gear and let you know. I shall be pulling the hat over my ears but thought you would appreciate seeing me donning this new gear!

Looking forward to Friday as I shall be taking a well  earnt day off from work to got to the NEC with Mrs A to the craft and stitching show. Pennies all ready, good walking shoes and a large pack lunch to give us sustenance throughout the day. Oooh how exciting.

Finally having shown you some horrific photographs time for a few more pleasant ones of my kitchen window sill.

Wish you could smell this picture as these flowers (think they are called "Cheerfulness") smell divine. A lovely friend bought me these to cheer me up.

Oh I am so looking forward to seeing spring but I think we still have to wait a few weeks yet for that to happen.

Cooking Madness

Well the last few days, whilst outside winter has not wanted to let go, the kitchen has seen a lot of heat and activity.

Thursday Mr P was away in Northumberland so I made use of the opportunity to cook myself a curry (Mr P not being very keen about curries). Found this rather nice one in a Gordon Ramsay book.

It was really yummy, almost a bit too bland - think Mr P could have easily eaten it.






















The naan bread was well yummy - coriander and garlic flavoured. Not a terribly healthy dinner - no veggie troubles.

Knowing that Easter is fast approaching and dad coming to dinner on Friday it was time to make him and us a simnel cake.

Took the recipe from this small booklet. Note it says 40th edition. I know my mum had one in black and white and I used to love to cook from it when I was a child.

Think I allowed too much marzipan for the stones! Oh well it will still taste good. The two cakes took all night to bake - so I had to get up at 6.30am to do the topping.

Again with Mr P still away and knowing that he doesn't enjoy fish very much - this seemed to be the perfect book to use in his absence.























Not sure if I have ever used this book before - but the recipe wasn't too hard to prepare but it felt to me that the instructions were all over the place. Or was it because dad and I were drinking some of the champagne left from the bottle and talking!

Well dad said it was the best meal he has ever eaten cooked by me. I have to say it was utterly delicious and I shall be making it again. There was enough leftover for him to take back with him.

I didn't add butter to the potatoes as the sauce was sooo rich.

Pudding came from a book that I have used quite often. Love the cover.

Another version of a bread and butter pudding.

It was ok but I didn't think it was that special.























Forgot to take a picture of it until after we had finished eating! This was a bit of it left.

Saturday and Mr P is now back from his travels. So time for something safe to eat.

Haven't made sweet and sour chicken for ages. It was a dish I used to make a lots in the 80's. Still rather enjoyable with some rice.

Pudding came from this book. I do find the recipes in this book rather fiddly to make. It feels as if Gary has tried to make the recipes as hard as possible to make, when they do not need to be.

















I bought this book second hand - but it looks as if Gary has signed it. Maybe one day it might be worth something.

I always like steaming a pudding. I don't know why but I always feel as if I'm being very domesticated. I think of my mother in law and her steamed up kitchen and all those great chefs of years gone by.

















This steamer I bought from Asda some years ago, it does have three layers. I don't use it every week but when I do I'm always grateful as to how useful it is and think oh I must use it more often.

Always exciting to unwrap these small packages and have the fun of turning the puddings out to see the jewels at the bottom of the tin.

So as you can see I have been busy - hopefully this has reduced my challenge a little.
Click here to see Books used

 Decided to place the books I have already used on a separate bookshelf - hopefully to make it easier to see which ones need to be used.




 


















 

25 books used. 102 books to go. 289 days to go.

Water Blogged

My new regime this year has been going to the leisure centre to swim three times a week - I have amazingly kept it up. Even been four times a week! Wow! But being the grand age of 53 decided it was time not to look like an old lady and learn to swim with my head going under the water! This is very scary for me as the last time I tried to do this I was about 9 years old. I desperately tried to learn to go under the water but with the consequences of swallowing far too much water and ending up very very ill with gastro enteritis. Should have been admitted to hospital but mum promised to nurse me at home. Hence why I have never tried again. So with the aid of some goggles and a nose piece I ventured into a new world. Oh I am sooooo glad you couldn't all see me. What a sight I must have looked. I was rather embarrassed putting the gear on as I probably looked like I could swim properly instead of bubbling and flapping all over the place. Golly I was so exhausted trying to learn to breathe at the right time and when to do it with what stroke when and where! Took me a while to realise that I could keep my eyes open and see without them being water blogged! Not sure how many lengths I swam but it certainly is a whole new skill for me to accomplish but hopefully I'll be able to swim easier, not get neck strains from trying to keep my head above water and be able to go faster in the long term!

Change of subject.  I love listening to audio stories whether they be on the radio, a cassette or cd. I tend to borrow them from the library and have done this for many many years. You can be listening to a good story whilst doing the housework, ironing or whilst driving. I am not very good at reading a book - cause either I haven't got the time or I fall asleep whilst reading! But for a change I hired a bit of a chick flick cd, change from a murder. I have listened to a few of this authors' stories and they are easy listening (pardon the pun)!

Without trying to ruin the story for you the main theme is about this girl who gets told she only has 1 week to live and something will happen to her. This set me off thinking what would I do if I only had a week to live and was still well enough to enjoy it. Decided I would visit all my family and friends, make sure I'd sorted out any bills/paperwork etc, write letters to all my loved ones, give away my precious things, make sure I was right with God. Then I'd start doing some more outrageous things like saying to some what I truly think, do something naughty (not sure what!), eat out in a very very posh restaurant and if the quantity was so tiny go and eat at another one, go to somewhere like Disneyland and insist on not having to queue for any rides, these were just some thoughts. What would you do?

Recipe Rush

After a rather lazy weekend in terms of non cooking - it's time to turn the heat up! Well indoors anyway! As outside it's rather bitterly cold and the poor chickens are having to hide around the side of the house or what I more affectionately call "behind the bike sheds".

Anyway back to the heat. Monday saw me frantically preparing a soup before the craft group turned up.

Having some broccoli and leeks that needed using this seemed the ideal soup to make. I didn't bother with the salmon cakes. But oh boy what a stink came from the kitchen - I guess from the broccoli. Not a good recipe to have chosen when you have invited friends around for a pleasant evening. To me it smelt like ............. well perhaps I shouldn't repeat what I thought! The taste was alright but I don't think I shall be making this in a hurry again.

It certainly came out green.

During the craft evening someone suggested I started with the prep for the next meal whilst they were there. So kind of them - as it saved me having to stand at the kitchen sink late into the night.

The hardest bit of this meal was preparing the rather large squash - always find it rather difficult to peel and often opt to roast it, diced with its skin still attached for this very reason.

This book was given to me from one of my smoking clients whom I used to do home visits to. He had very little money but was always trying to give me something. How often in life have I experienced the generosity of those who have hardly enough cash to live off.














This book called for me to get out my ancient slow cooker. Have had it since we got married in 1978. It has been used but probably not as much as it should have been used.

Having prepared the recipe it says to cook it on low for 7 hours so I decided to leave it on overnight.

Tasting this dish at 6am isn't very nice! Everything inside of you rebels and just screams out where's my tea and porridge? Well it was no where near cooked the beef was still chewy / horrid. So knowing that I would be out all day till 6pm at work I decide to be brave and just leave the cooker on! Well it was definitely tender by the time I got home and very tasty - good decision. The squash was a little overcooked but not that bad. Certainly had plenty of dinner and spare to freeze for another day.

This is what is left!

19 books used. 108 books to go. 293 days to go.