100 places in Ireland to visit before I die....2

2. Botanic Gardens, Belfast (including the Palm House and Tropical Ravine).
(footnote: most appreciated on a sunny day with an ice-cream).

The finished article: Cath Kidston-inspired granny square blanket.

I'm so pleased to be showing you this blanket today - it's always lovely to finish something. This blanket was inspired by the lovely colours Mrs K uses in her products; and is destined to be used in the boy's playroom/reading room. The room, as you can see, is brightly coloured, with red being the primary colour.

For this blanket, I used Hayfield Bonus DK wool; simply because it's a cheap acrylic available at a local wool shop: ten 100g balls for 12 pounds is hard to beat; particularly when you're on maternity leave. It's not as nice to feel as the lovely Debbie Bliss that I would normally use; and quite splitty; but it's sturdy, and not as difficult to crochet with as I would have imagined. I was going to block the squares, but I decided it probably wasn't worth the effort - I think in retrospect, I would the next time.

It's a very simple pattern - twelve granny squares of twelve rounds (two rounds of each colour); then each square ended with a white round. I joined them using Lucy at Attic 24's joining method; and then finished off with a few large rounds of the colours; and a scalloped granny edging with red (again Lucy - many thanks).

I'm very chuffed with it - as is my three year old, who has used it for picnics for him and the toys and a tent already. I hope it's up to the task ahead. In the meantime, I'm carefully considering a next project as my other two are slightly boring me.  I'm still in love with granny squares, and am considering making even more big granny square blankets as gifts for a couple of girls I know.  We'll see.

Emma's Antiques - 1. Poole Pottery

April 2011 Edition, if you're interested!

I love antiques and vintage - i suppose it stands to reason, given my taste in books and style; I get the wonderful Homes and Antiques magazine on subscription and look forward to my monthly treat of all things vintage and antiquarian (I also love magazine subscriptions - especially when the postie pops your magazine through the letterbox when you're least expecting it - but that's a different topic altogether).

Anyway, one article that I really enjoyed was one regarding Deco Poole Pottery - I knew that I was hooked as soon as I saw the wonderful floral images. I have been scouring our local charity shops for a piece, to no avail. I then decided to explore a different outlet - my old favourite - eBay - and I purchased this little treat very reasonably indeed - a few pounds only. In fact, the postage and packing was more expensive than the plate!

Anyone for cake?

It is, of course, a cake plate, and is in great condition. Looking at the stamp for Poole, there is, I would think, no huge age to it; but I just love it and know it will get plenty of use for scones and buns etc. Its also nice to like something that is quite affordable, especially compared to the ridiculous prices for cake stands one sees nowadays in department stores and gift shops and the like. And for my next Poole purchase? We'll see - maybe a wee jug or vase, but only if the price is right!

Mrs Chanders Bakes.....

Well, what a lovely evening we had yesterday, at the "Ruby Murray Curry Night" to celebrate my parents' Ruby Wedding Anniversary. It was so named because my husband, who is Indian, did the main courses (our family love Indian food) - and delicious it was too. Everyone wore red, and it was great fun. 

And the cake, I hear you ask? Well, i was very pleased with it - it was very plain and simple; but it turned out just as I had hoped - and it tasted quite good too! I used my trusted Mary Berry recipe for a Victoria sponge with buttercream; ready rolled white icing; and then made some red sugarpaste roses and leaves - I found The Pink Whisk's website advice invaluable for icing and flower making.

Anyway, back to a quiet weekend of dinosaur - reading; golf watching and hopefully, a little hooky time, peut - etre. A bientot.

Let them eat cake.

Apologies for the lack of posting, my dental abscess took slightly longer to recuperate from.  A sizable portion of crocheting and watching Wimbledon, as well as antibiotics, seems to have done the trick.  I hope to show you my Cath Kidston-inspired blanket soon,  but in the meantime, I have another pressing matter to complete.

My mum and dad are 40 years married this Thursday - no mean feat; so we are sending them on a jolly few days jaunt at a local hostelry of some repute.  On their return on Friday, we plan to have a little family party at ours to celebrate (which is what they would want, I hope!).  I am going to have a stab at making the cake.

Now for the confession - I am not a baker; but over the last year or two, I have been giving it a whirl with the aid of my trusty Mary Berry book.  This is the cake I made for my son's recent third airplane-inspired birthday party in June.  A simple Victoria sponge, the only thing I was unhappy with was the crinkles in the blue icing.  It tasted quite nice too.  So, I am going to try and make a simple sponge again and a simple decoration for the anniversary (maybe some roses or the like).  Please keep your fingers and toes crossed it's not a culinary disaster....

Childhood nostalgia: anyone for tennis?

My sister aged 2!

The good thing about the rubbish weather and aforementionned tooth abscess is that I haven't left the house much - so I have just had to watch most of Wimbledon. When we were children, we loved watching Wimbledon for a number of reasons: firstly, we loved tennis; and each had our favourites: John Mc Enroe; then Steffi Graf; then, (as I got older) Goran Ivanisevic (swoon!). Secondly, because it happened at the beginning of school summer holidays (children in Northern Ireland finish school at the end of June and have 2 months off); and thirdly, because it inspired us to run out into the garden and re-enact the latest match.

 Me enjoying the summer and the pool.

Mum would put two wicker stools out and put a brush across both as a fake net. We had such craic; and of course we lost more balls than you could count; but summer to me always is synonymous with tennis/Wimbledon. I even remember listening to the Agassi/Ivanisevic 5 set thriller on our old radio in our caravan in Donegal (no TV signal in those days), such was our dedication.

Nowadays, I still love to watch Wimbledon, particularly the men's game and the doubles; I do feel the women's game has lost something; I don't know what exactly - whether it be a lack of personalities maybe? Anyhow, I'm not as keen to run out and have a game; but nowadays I can enjoy a little Pimms with my viewing..... I would highly recommend it!

Under the weather

Sorry for the delay in posting, but unfortunately, I've been rather rotten of late - a dental abscess, to be precise. I can't remember pain like it, but I'm glad to report, that I am on the mend, thank goodness; thanks to a great dentist and some marvellous medicine. It means of course, that I haven't been in blogging form; but that will hopefully change over the weekend. In the meantime, I'll leave you with a nice bit of colouring in on my i-phone by my three year old.....