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Friday 12 August 2011

Mixed Bag again!

Today's post is a real mixed bag - first off here is another package I received in the Buttons and Bows swap organised by Barbara at French Village Life this time from Lorrie at Fabric Paper Thread who lives in Canada.

It contained some lovely bits of ribbon and a couple of sachets ingeniously made from the instruction sheets of old patterns and with pretty leaf shaped labels made of fabric backed with card.  Sadly I had to tear the sachets to find the contents!

This beautiful selection of buttons, beads and even a tiny photo frame - just perfect for my crazy patchwork - Thank you so much Lorrie.

 You may remember I showed you my hollyhock which was literally reaching for the sky back here?  Well after a windy night it was brought low and I had to trim it back and a couple of days later this little pink hollyhock appeared.  It had obviously been waiting for the moment when it could see some daylight!

But where did it come from I wonder - I bought the black one as a single plant so maybe this one had been a seed which self seeded in the pot for it can't be part of the same plant can it?

 Yesterday we took another walk with our neighbours this time through Nine Springs which is our local beauty spot.  The dog enjoyed himself scampering on ahead as you can see!



 We finished up at the Gateway coffee shop (this is attached to the Yeovil community church and is another great place for a coffee/tea with helpful staff and tables outside (essential when walking with the neighbours' dog!) where we again enjoyed a cup of tea and a cake before walking home.
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I don't seem to have shown much in the way of cookery recently so thought you might be interested to see our dessert earlier this week when I hadn't been to the shops and all I had to hand was one left over cooking apple and a crust of bread!  A quick whizz in the blender with the crust and voila - apple crumb!  It's a simple easy recipe which I make often especially if I have any leftover bread - waste not want not and all that!  All you do is to melt some butter and stir in the crumbs along with demerara sugar to taste and use the mix to top some sliced apple with a drop of water added and some sugar to taste.  Bake in the oven till apple is cooked and the top crispy and golden and serve with ice cream or custard.  Easy eh?

Finally some craftwork at last!  I have been looking for a bag - I needed something large enough to take my glasses, purse, phone, umbrella, diary.... you know the sort of thing I'm sure?!  I also need it to be capable of being worn cross body, as these days I pay for it with a painful shoulder the following day if I carry a bag on my shoulder, but nothing I saw was suitable.  Many were heavy even before you put anything in them or the straps were too short or they weren't big enough.... so what did I do?  Well I had this rather nice piece of upholstery fabric which I got from the Scrap Store together with several other small pieces for £1 along with some remnants of brown suede fabric left over from another bag made years ago, a couple of redundant curtain rings and look a bag which I hope will serve the purpose and carry everything I need on a day out.  I have to say I don't think I will be going in for bag production any time soon though as I made this up as I went along and kept realising that I should have done A before I did B and having to unpick it - with hind sight I should have put a magnetic fastener on the pocket as well as the top of the bag but it was too late by the time I thought of that!  Though of course next time - if there is a next time - I would hopefully have learned from my experience!

Have a good weekend and let's hope the streets of our cities are quiet this weekend especially as I am off to London- taking my bag with me - tomorrow!

18 comments:

  1. Oh I do like Hollyhocks, and suprise Hollyhocks in a gorgoeus pink have to be good :D

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  2. What a lovely collection of buttons, lucky you!

    The Hollyhock could be a gift from the birds, it wouldn't have changed colour from the black one I feel and anyway the pink one is a double and the black one was a single. Pretty anyway.

    You live in a very pretty area, isn't it marvellous to live near a tea-room? Your dessert was very frugal and looks very good.

    I like your bag too, very inventive even if you do feel that you tackled it in the wrong order.

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  3. Super parcel from Lorrie, what gorgeous buttons, and so imaginatively wrapped.
    My Grandma used to make what she called Apple Charlotte, with breadcrumbs. Delicious.

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  4. What a lovely bag you made. It is really so pretty and I think will work great for you. Wow, you really used what you had and but it all together to create a beautiful bag. Now you need to go on an outing! Have a nice weekend. xoRobin❤

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  5. Love your 'mixed bag' and your pretty bag you have sewn Jane. Delicious pud - my Mum always called this Apple Charlotte, but I'm not sure whether a proper charlotte is a bit more complicated. Once again you have shared a beautiful walk with us, love the watery pics. Have a nice weekend, Jil x

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  6. The pud looks really sweet and yummy! I make an apple charlotte with bread crumbs but don't continue it the way you do - I must try that. Jill mentioned 'proper apple charlotte' -that's made with apples stewed to a pulp and put into a basin lined with buttered bread and more bread on top to seal it. Then it takes 35 mins to bake and I'm much too impatient. I think I've only made it once!
    Your bag is going to be ideal for all those essentials we have to take with us, well done you!

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  7. We love Nine Springs and did a 'bat walk' there last year which was great fun. Literally thousands of Daubenton bats swoop over the lake at night in a feeding frenzy.

    Have a happy, safe time in London.

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  8. Lots to love here Jane! Firstly I love your bag, it looks great.
    What a lovely selection of beads and buttons, must have been quite exciting finding out what was in the sachet! A nice surprise getting a new colour hollyhocks too. Your walk looked so fresh and green and finally I wouldn't have minded a bit of that pudding. :)
    Have a great weekend,
    Vivienne x

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  9. What a fun post, full of all kinds of things. I love the bag you made. Hope you have a wonderful day in London.

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  10. What lovely walks you have. Following your example we've started a morning walk in the neighbourhood. A 9 a.m. start for whoever is awake and ready!
    Hope you and your bag stay safe in London.

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  11. That looks like such a lovely walk - that looks like one happy dog! Gorgeous goodies from Lorrie, beautifully presented.

    Hey, how clever are you making that bag?! Brilliant! I wouldn't know where to start with such a project. And no one else will have one like it.

    Have a lovely weekend,
    xx

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  12. You are so artistic Jane. How I wish I could make a bag (no chance) hopeless at sewing.

    Love your local beauty spot....such a lovely walk and a nice cup of coffee to finish. Delightful.

    Have a lovely weekend in the City......

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  13. The bag is brilliant Jane, clever you :-)
    I find though that even worn across the body, bags still hurt my shoulders.

    Great swap with lots of goodies and what a wonderful walk. Hope you have a good weekend.

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  14. What a lovely bag, well done! I hope you have a wonderful and peaceful trip to London.

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  15. What a lovely walk Jane... and always good with a reward like that !
    I've never made crumble with bread crumb but I can see it would be great. Must try it though we seldom have dessert here. Just yoghurt and fruit unless we have company.
    Lovely bag- Clever you but I am worried about your trip to London though I'm sure the louts are only in certain areas if they are still on the rampage. The Underground may not be a good place to venture though. Please be careful.
    Cheers
    Helen

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  16. It is great to return from my holidays in Blighty and to see what you have been up to, Jane. Those buttons are fabulous. You are a lucky lady!

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  17. Lovely swap contents, just right, as you say, for your crazy patchworks!

    Our Hollyhocks have been exceptional this year in terms of new colours and the height of them, however we still have the problem of rusty leaves.

    I would never have thought of making a crumble with old bread, but it makes sense, doesn't it? Shall give a go as it looks and sounds delicious.

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  18. What a peaceful walk. I clicked on the dripping water and felt as if I were there... heard the lovely sounds.

    I'm with you on those heavy purses--too heavy before one single thing is in it! You did a great job, and it was free!

    I looked at the Gateway Coffee Shop, I'd like to be there myself. I liked the photo of the stacked cups.

    Have a wonderful day,
    Joy

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