Going Pop

I made popcorn in my Evo this evening. It was soooo easy, I wish I'd tried it years ago when I got my fitst Instant Pot!

I ate it all, which was probably not the best idea I've had.  I used different seasonings with each small bowl,  all of them savoury.    

I bought some seasonings from a company called Condimaniacs recently, recommended by a member of the Kitchen Gadgetry facebook group  and they were perfect.

I'm hopinh Miss Teen likes popcorn, as I'd love to show her how quick and easy it is.

Start IP on saute high,  add oil (I used coconut oil), when its hot add corn, stir to coat in oil,  and put the glass lid on.  When it's finished popping, season it.  (I took out a bowlful at a time and seasoned it in the bowl as I wanted to try sa range of flavours.

Definitely a winner.

Clearing the Air

A lovely couple (they keep hens too,  and they keep quail!) came to collect my cabinet dehydrator today. 

It's been on my cutting table  the kitchen table since the other buyer said she wanted it, and I can't believe the difference it makes, not having it there.

It's like I can breathe again. All the fresh air and light from the kitchen window gets to the table now.

It's made a much bigger difference than I expected.  I mean, it only took up 1/8th of the table (it's a big table), but it not being there has made me want to get some fabric out and make something!  

I haven't felt that sort of urge for a while.

I cannot do that though, as I'm busy doing chores.

I've been thinking about trying to sort out the cats breakfast that is our living room.    I'd had a minor urge to do something a few months ago, but couldn't work out the whole picture and parked my plans.

 I'd been to my best friend's house recently, and her house is always so clean and tidy, and it made me more determined to try and get my own carp under control. 

Last night, something suddenly crystallised and, before I knew it,  I had the whole plan mapped out. 

The key piece, I won't do anything until the supplier has a sale.  I'm hoping that might be Black Friday.   In the meantime, I started looking for two easy chairs. I had an idea of what I wanted, and my search sharened things up quite quickly.  I kneow what I didn't want,  and I set up an Ebay search and a Gumtree search.

I found a pair that were interesting perfect, but were too much money. And a weird colour, which actually grew on me, the more I looked at neutral colours.   I kept coming back to them, and dimissing them because they were more than I wanted to pay,on a punt.  It didn't matter, I wasn't in a hurry,

And then, I saw the same set again on a different selling platform for a lot less money. 

So I asked for some more information.  And I asked a local chao how much he'd charge for collecting them...  and then I talked to DH about the whole project, and showed him the chairs.   He didn't wince at the colour, and he liked the idea of what I wanted to do.      

 And now I've bought them, and I advertsided my sofa, free to a good home,  and someone is coming tomorrow. (Although I'vde sometimes found with free stuff that people change their minds).

 Anyway, I've been dusting and vaccuuming the sofa (cat hair gets everywhere)  DH tipped it up so I could attempt to get the worst of the hair off the pads we'd put on the bottom.    It needs another go over.... and I've also I've also got to clean the exit routes.  You know what it's like,  you move something and find a mahoosive tumbleweed......

I'm looking forward to the changeover.

And I found myself thinking "hmm, quail.   We deferred them to the 'nect year' list about 10 years ago"

 

Hoodying

We've been seeing a bit of Miss Teen recently.  

She came to stay for a week while her Dad was having his final chemo session,  and she's been here after school occasionally to do her homework. I pick her up after school she comes here, does her homework,  we play a game, have dinner, watch tv, and then her Mum collects her (or we take her home).

She asked me to make her a hoody.      I was happy to have a go,  I've been trying to make myself do something cresative, even though I haven't felt so well. 

She picked some fabrics, and I started with 5 out of 4 Half time Hoodie for her.   The liging of the hood was handled brilliantly.  The lining was cut out the same size as the outer, but sewn with a bugger seam allowance.  This made the lining slightly smaller than the outer.   Then, the outide edge of the lining was turned in,   which made a really lovely finish. 

 I also made thumbhole cuffs, which were a bit of a pain. They were easier when I found someone else's tutorial for them

I also made a Jolly Roger Raglan  hoodie, from Paterns for Pirates,  with a crossover cowl hood.    This wasn't so great, it was a bit small (I think I probably picked fabric with too little stretch) .    Her thumbhole cuff tutorial was excellent.  Her hoopd lining was not as professional as the 5 out of 4 one.

Miss Teen preferred the Half Time Hoodie. I T was a little sad, as the raglan gives so much opportunity for uniqueness.  I decided it was a bit of a tight fr for her anyway, so I gave it to my brither to try on his grandaughter.

Annoyingly, I don't have pictures of either hoody!

I've made another Half Time hoodie now, a size larger, to give her more ease.    I attempted a kangaroo pocket on this one,  and no thumbhole cuffs.   The fabric was her choice, and this time I lined the hood with the same fabric as the outside. 

I'm waiting impatiently to see her again so I can give it to her.

 

 

 

 

Total crafty things this year:57

Sewing based makes: 

123) Inner pad for foot muff; make cover for foot muff;  trim down Superking Duvet to KS and recover edges;
456)Cushion cover for Miss T; Gift bags for Miss T and GDK;
7)Dressing Gown;
8-10)Cat Duvet, Duvet Cover and Pillowcase;
11) Cushion cover for living room;
12-15) Sleeveless tops (x4);
16) SBCC top
17) Overlocker chicken
18) Curtains for nest boxes (4, but counted as 1 make)~
19,20,21)Boxers for DH (test pairs for sizing - counted as 1,  and then 2 pairs)
Abandoned muslin for LoveNotions Willow Wrap Dress (not counted in total makes)
22)Apostrophe Patterns Joggers (jellyfiah and space)
23)Apostrophe Patterns Flared Joggers (black, with big red roses)

24)Boxes for DH (3 pairs using black cotton lycra with patterned fly)

25)Shorten the hems and sleeves on 4 of Mum's day dresses (count as 1 task)
26) repurposed  old tee shirt as cover for mini cushion
27) Burrito rolled bag (from Jane's July Zoom)
28) Replace waistban on massively oversized maxi skirt
29) Salvage DH's Firestorm tee shirt (using stretchyfix)
30) Yet another Heartlight skirt (July) feathers scuba, great pattern matching, good fit on waistband
31) Convert single duvet cover to king size
32) Convert 1 pillowcase to 2,  and create 2 additional plain pillowcases to match
33) Dressing gown (LoveNotions Compose) (black flowers on white, brished cotton)
34) Cover for A0 printer
35) Condolence cards

36) Halftime Hoodie with thumbhile cuffs
37) Jolly Roger hoodie with raglan sleeves,  crossover cown hood, thumbhole cuffs
37) Half Tme hoodie,  larger size,  with kangaroo pocket

Learning activities:
1) Scanning pattern pieces; 2) Making movies; 3)Babylock demo day; 4)Gathering using my overlocker;   5) Euphy training (circles,using elastic in looper);6) Gail Yellen's binder course; 7) Inkscape 1; 8) casting on;  9)purling; 10)casting off

Non sewing based craft makes: 
A) Painted bisque butter dish and had it fired
B) Knitted Infinity scarf, first attempt (pinks) 

C) Painted bisque small jug (hen names) and had it fired. 

D) Heart shaped plate with names of all our pet hens, and had it fired
E) Medium jug
F) Tall, "split personality" jug
G) Macrame angel
H) Felted a christmas bauble
I) Made a fused glass teaight

Ghosting

I had a household appliance up for sale, and was contacted by someone who lives about 40 mins away with an offer. 

I accepted the offer, and we discussed collection.  She was coming this way on -day or -day, and would be in touch at the weekend to let me know which day.

I marked the item as "sold subject to collection", and sorted out some bonus books for her.    She didn't get in touch.   I messaged her to ask how things were going.  2 days later, I messaged and asked  if all was OK. 

A couple of days after that, a craft Item I'd made at a workshop was ready for collection,  and the collection place was about  15 miinute  detour from the village/town  where this lady said she lived. So,  I messaged her  to say that I was going to be driving in her general direction to  collect something, and I could deliver the appliance to her if that was easier

Nothing.

I'm not cross,  I'm just a bit..exasperated.    I imagine she changed her mind,  but I do wish she'd just said.    

Instead, I've wasted two weeks waiting for her and trying to contact her,  and now I have to re-post the item.    And, I've had to mess arund the person i'm due to collect from.   

It's exasperating.

 

 

 

Gr-appleing

DH has been picking apples again.  Yet more from our amazing dual purpose tree,  and now loads from our russet.   The russets are only just getting ripe,  but they are starting to fall.  Our council#s green waste now bans fruit from their service,  so we are trying to use more.

There were so many this time,  something like 6 crates of them.     I helped by washing and cutting them all,  making sure there weren't any wormies or other invaders in the fruit that was passed for scratting.

The mill (scratter) and the press have certainly earned their keep this year.  It was so much easier using them than trying to do it on a smaller scale. 

We have a humungous fermenter sitting on the worktop,  full of juice and bubbling away.   It makes the house smell a bit,  so we try and have the outside doors open as much as possible.

This batch will be some form of cider. 

I'm going to try and put (some of ) the windfalls in the food waste.

 

CT

I'm always running to catch up at the moment.  Well, not running,  more like ambling a bit faster in the general direction of forwards, with the occasional loop de loop.

I had a CT scan yesterday.   There was, as usual, a problem locating my vein.   I watched my heart rate on the monitor,  the ectopic beat causing it to escalate every few beats before dropping back to something more sensible. 

Because my heart needed to be relaxed for the scan, the lovely radiologist got a senior colleague to have a look at my arms before making any attempt to stab me.  He looked carefully, and then concurred with her recommendation that they got a doctor with an ultrasound machine to put the canula in.  So it was all quick and relatively painless in the end.   I was tempted to ask him to pass his ultrasound over my diaphragm and gall bladder while he was there,  just in case we could see anything helpful, but I restrained myself.

They injected me with whatever it is (x-ray dye?),  said my heart rate was calm enough for me to not need beta blockers, and then I was motored into the tube.   As I slid in, I told myself there was no need to be claustrophobic,and no need to panic.   Then I found myself picturing myself panicking,  and then I realised I was starting to panic about panicking. 

 I managed to get a grip. and tried to concentrate on seeing what was actually happening.    I realised I was looking at the lasery bit when I read the words "do not look directly into the laser" printed on it. I averted my eyes.

The first couple of passes were easy. 

The final pass was a bit more dramatic.  The lights from the machine started going round and round, until it seemed like the tube was spinning. I felt like I was in some sort of time machine, or in a film where this represented a time machine.  

As the spinning slowed, I felt a very warm sensation around my back end and I thought I'd pooed myself.   I  remembered reading something about the process might generate a lot of heat, so I hoped that was the case.      

It was.

As I'd not had any beta blockers, I was able to change and go straightaway.

Just got to wait for the results now.

Christmas Craft Workshop

Full of cold, and wearing a facemask to protect others,  I went to the Bergin and Bath workshop with my brother.  I've found being in the car for long periods very uncomfortable,  but this was only 45 mins so it was OK.

The workshop was in Potten End at a gorgeous nursery.    We were making 3 things, and having lunch,  in the 5 hour window.

First up was a bit of Macrame.  We made a macrame angel, and she is lovel y. I anm going to put her on my tree this year.  

I liked making her, and I might have a look at doing some other macrame stuff.  DH and I chuckled at the thought of having endless pot hangers round the house.

Next, we felted a christmas bauble.  I iked making the bauble,  I was rubbish at the decorating.   I'd try this again, maybe even with baubles.

Finally, after lunch,  we had a triangular piece of clear glass to decorate with other bits of coloured glass.  I wanted to make mine into a chicken (rather tha a christmas tree),  but I had been slow getting up to get some glass,  I couldn't really see anything that I wanted,   my back had started to ache,  I was feeling bunged up and a bit crabby,  so I just put some shades of green on.   

It'll be fired in a week, and we'll go back and collect it.

The three ladies who ran the workshop were lovely (especially the macrame lady), and it was wel worth the money and the trip out.

I'm pleased that I've been able to add something to my creative makes list,  as I've not been very creative for a while.

Total crafty things this year:54

Sewing based makes: 
123) Inner pad for foot muff; make cover for foot muff;  trim down Superking Duvet to KS and recover edges;
456)Cushion cover for Miss T; Gift bags for Miss T and GDK;
7)Dressing Gown;
8-10)Cat Duvet, Duvet Cover and Pillowcase;
11) Cushion cover for living room;
12-15) Sleeveless tops (x4);
16) SBCC top
17) Overlocker chicken
18) Curtains for nest boxes (4, but counted as 1 make)~
19,20,21)Boxers for DH (test pairs for sizing - counted as 1,  and then 2 pairs)
Abandoned muslin for LoveNotions Willow Wrap Dress (not counted in total makes)
22)Apostrophe Patterns Joggers (jellyfiah and space)
23)Apostrophe Patterns Flared Joggers (black, with big red roses)
24)Boxes for DH (3 pairs using black cotton lycra with patterned fly)
25)Shorten the hems and sleeves on 4 of Mum's day dresses (count as 1 task)
26) repurposed  old tee shirt as cover for mini cushion
27) Burrito rolled bag (from Jane's July Zoom)
28) Replace waistban on massively oversized maxi skirt
29) Salvage DH's Firestorm tee shirt (using stretchyfix)
30) Yet another Heartlight skirt (July) feathers scuba, great pattern matching, good fit on waistband
31) Convert single duvet cover to king size
32) Convert 1 pillowcase to 2,  and create 2 additional plain pillowcases to match
33) Dressing gown (LoveNotions Compose) (black flowers on white, brished cotton)
34) Cover for A0 printer
35) Condolence cards

Learning activities:
1) Scanning pattern pieces; 2) Making movies; 3)Babylock demo day; 4)Gathering using my overlocker;   5) Euphy training (circles,using elastic in looper);6) Gail Yellen's binder course; 7) Inkscape 1; 8) casting on;  9)purling; 10)casting off

Non sewing based craft makes: 
A) Painted bisque butter dish and had it fired
B) Knitted Infinity scarf, first attempt (pinks) 

C) Painted bisque small jug (hen names) and had it fired. 

D) Heart shaped plate with names of all our pet hens, and had it fired
E) Medium jug
F) Tall, "split personality" jug
G) Macrame angel
H) Felted a christmas bauble
I) Made a fused glass teaight

Stuff continues

Where to start?

Miss Teen came to stay for a week. She was meant to be coming anyway, but she had to come early because she was full of cold and had to have a day off school.

She wanted to go back to school, which was a pleasant surprise.  She could have done with a nother day off really,  but I'd asked her what she wanted to do, and she was keen to go in.     It's not right to  give a teen a choice, and then overrule them, so we took her to school

The daily school run was a bit of a shock to the system,  it's been a while since we've had to get up that early.   The afternoon pick up was always amazingly early, a different time ech day,  and it meant that it was difficult to start an activity.

She had an INSET day on Friday, and we insisted that she spenr part of it doing her homework.  In fact, most of the last week has been spent trying to get homeork done, arguing about getting homework done,   explaining that the time we'd spent arguing about it was longer than the actual homework takes,  and actually doing homework. And then checking and rechecking what homework was due when, and whrther it had been done.

The homework is actually very quick and hardly taxing,  I don't understand how they can have such relatively short school days and so little homework. 

WHat is definitely worse for them (versus our schooldays)  is that they have no desk at school, so everything has to be lugged around, all day.

I made her a hoody, at her request, which took all of Saturday and part of Sunday.   We also played soe board gaes (Ingenious, Catopoly, ad Scrabble),  and we watched all 3 series of Ghosts.

There wasn't uch opportuity to go out.  I'd arranged for us to do a Christmas Craft workshop, about 30 miles away, on the SUnday;  unfortunately, her Mum organised a riding activity as well,  so she didn't come to the workshop.

My brother stepped in and came with me so the booking wasn't wasted.  I'll write a bit more about it in a separate post.

I've had Miss Teen's stinking cold for several days now., and it's just turned into a cough.  I've done COvid tests so Iknow it's not a Covid cough,

DH started snuffling this morning, which isn't surprising.

The other health stuff continues.  Another GP phone appointment, and another circle in the eddy.... nothing can be done until I've finished the cardio appointments.    At least this time I was not feeling at my worst, so I was able to have a conversation about it and I didn't feel like a small child.