Sunday 17 March 2013

Home remedy


A has been suffering from a terrible cold, and this week I have been feeling under the weather, there is nothing more comforting than comforting honey and lemon. This also has turmeric which is a very good anti-viral as well as giving this a wonderful yellow colour. Honey is a good throat soother, so with each warming cup full soothes and comforts.

Add the juice and zest of 6 lemons, making sure that you don't add any of the white pith. Add six table spoon of golden caster sugar (one for each lemon) together with an inch of fresh ginger grated. One table spoon of honey, and 1 teaspoon of turmeric with 600ml of water. Bring to the boil so that the sugar is dissolved, and then allow to cool, strain off the zest . You can drink this warm or drink cool with some carbonated water.

Sunday 3 March 2013

Spring felted wreath version 2!


I did enjoy making the other wreath, but was going to be showing my ladies group how to make one so I thought I would adhere more to the original Bustle and Sew pattern, with a few minor adaptations, little felt flowers and using a heart willow wreath rather than a wooden sewing frame. 


It took some playing with different methods of creating flowers, but in the end I found these were the most satisfying - not only are they simple to make but very easy to do while watching call the midwife, you can save the fiddly bits for the more gruesome birth scenes! I must admit I loved the whole retro thing, especially the lovely fifties dresses, but having watched this programme I am so pleased I was born in the 60's, it seems that birth control was the fundamental change for women more than getting the vote! 


I have found felt such fun to work with that I might make a few more items, Eternal maker had a beautiful spring cushion on display in the store it was very inspirational. Although these days it is hard to keep ideas at bay and concentrate on the process in hand! 

We had a lovely afternoon tea at Bosham Walk Craft Centre - it is well worth a visit, I had a wonderful piece of victoria sponge I managed to get some beautiful filet lace for £5! There is a fantastic beading stall as well as some fantastic vintage stalls and craft shops. Needless to say we bought some Chilli fudge at the shop on our way home! More walking in order me thinks! 

After walking the dog, I practised making more bread! Still in the experimental stage, this time using Allison's country Grain flour, and I knew at the early kneading stage it was going to be a lovely loaf! I am beginning to get a feel for the elasticity in the bread. I had a great success with white bread, but I wanted to make something a little more wholesome but wholemeal flour is far too heavy, but this is just right. The dough enhancer is definitely worth using, but I am beginning to wonder at the ceramic tins I bought, they seem to make the bottom of the loaves doughy, although that might be me being too impatient and getting it out of the oven too early! Either way the experimentation continues! I don't give up easily - and the bread was yummy!  


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