This pencil case will not be up for sale, but still hope it will be for someone. Don’t know for who yet…

With help from Lithuanian post, my part of a swap finally reached  Loreta!  So, what was in that box:

Jane. This girl has a bit of a history as originally she looked very different from what you see in this picture below (for 4 years she was very much a girl of more modern times -  bright clothes, ginger hair… high boots and she was tucked away in one of my craft boxes).  My swap partner loves original dolls and she loves old, vintage things, so I decided to embrace the challenge in order to surprise her… I’ve only kept the original body and changed the rest to make Jane look like she’s from some older times (her dress is actually made from a vintage and I believe early 20th century fabric and lace!) … It took me two long nights till I got some sort of decent (not perfect) result… I can only hope Loreta honestly likes Jane. As for me – no more dolls on my work desk any time soon!

Loreta’s youngest daughter Une is attending art school, this pencil case is for her…

It was a great fun. And I’ve got some beautiful stuff to remind me of it for the rest of my life. Thanks again Loreta! x

I want to do more swaps!

Who doesn’t like a good treat? Well, I’m sure there are some people who would say they choose savoury or something else  instead of anything sweet, but me – I’m a sweet tooth girl. Not too sweet, but still – a bit of sugar in my life does me good. And the baking process… the mixing, the smell that travels around the house and tickles your taste buds and makes you feel happier – hmmmm… It’s a perfect therapy! So I bake…

Here we have a simple ‘honey cake’ recipe, but since we did not use any of it, it has to be renamed into a ‘molases cake’ (although it’s very yummy with honey too)

Ingredients:

3 eggs (separated)

1 glass of milk

250 g butter

200 g honey (in our version it’s 4 heap spoons of black molases)

500g flour (in our case 250 plain and 250 wholegrain)

1 tsp baking powder

4 tsp cacao or carob powder

3 tsp mixed spice (ground: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, coriander seed, caraway)

100 g  chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 220C/ gas 7/fan 200C and lightly grease a cake pan. Dust with flour.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cacao and mixed spice.
In a large bowl,  cream together molases  and egg yolks. Add milk and melted butter. Add flour. Whisk the egg whites and gently fold it in the rest of the dough. Add walnuts.
Working in two or three additions, alternately add flour mixture and milk to the sugar mixture. Stir only until just combined, then gently stir in the diced pears.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean and the cake is brownish in color.
Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
Dust with powdered sugar before serving if you wish.

Now, how about some very quick and very easy morning buns? Can be vegan if you choose! Originally it’s a scone recipe, but we change it a bit and those buns taste even better.

It takes 25 minutes. Makes 5-6, easily doubled and can be frozen after baking.

225g self raising flour ( I use wholegrain spelt)

1/4 tsp salt

50g butter (I used vitaquell spread), chilled, cut in small pieces

25g caster sugar (1 heap tbsp black molases is even better)

I also add 1 spoon carob syrup

125ml buttermilk (we substitude it with plain soya yogurt)

4 tbsp full fat milk (or soya)

a handful of linseed, sunflower seeds, rasins or anything else you want

I also put 1 tsp mixed spice and grated zest of an orange

a little extra flour for dusting

Preheat the oven to 220C/ gas 7/fan 200Cand lightly butter a baking sheet (unless you’re using a non stick sheet). Tip the flour into a mixing bowl with the salt. Shoot in the butter, then rub together with your fingers to make a reasonably fine crumbed mixture, lifting to aerate the mixture as you go. Try not to overrub, as the mixture will be lighter if it’s  a little bit flaky. Now stir in the sugar. If you’re using molases, mix is with the buttermilk or yoghurt.

Mix milk with buttermilk/yoghurt. Make a bit of well in the middle of the flour mixture with a round – bladed knife, then pour in buttermilk mixture. Using knife, gently work the mixture – just cut it till you get a soft, sticky dough. Don’t overwork at this point or you’ll toughten the dough.

Put the dough out of the bowl on to a lightly floured surface. Pat the dough gently with your hands to a thickness of no less than 2cm and no more than 2.5cm. Dip cutter into a bowl of flour , then cut out the buns. Place on the baking sheet and dust it with flour.Bake for 10-12 minutes until risen and golden/brown.

Eat them as fresh as you can and smile!

Loreta makes all the beautiful things. And this here is from her to me

it’s even more gorgeous in real (every piece has  stitching on both sides and is so beautiful, so perfect!!!) and it’s mine! M-i-n-e!!!

Pincushion

This notebook (and a bookmark)  is just …what’s the word? Pretty in every way and is gonna be used and treasured! Thank you Loreta so so much! I love it all!

It was a swap we had and as Loreta still hasn’t received my parcel yet (even though we sent almost at the same time), I can only give you a tiny sneak peak for now…

More pics soon, I hope!

it’s finished. But I haven’t quite decided what it is gonna be for… ‘sigh’. Well, originally it was meant to be a placemat for my older son, but I’ve changed my mind. And my boy doesn’t mind it (as long as it’s going to be something for him). So, I’m still thinking. Once I’ve completed this project I’ll let you know. It might take a while though… But for now lets have a look

Some of you might have recognized, I’ve borrowed my picture from this beautiful book. Delphine Durand is one of our very favourite illustrators and if you don’t know her yet – here, yep, she is fantastic. And those stories she illustrates… eh! I only wish there would be more (all) of her books in English.

and especially if you’re looking for ways to still have something sweet to treat yourself with, want something baked,  but also want a healthier sort of version….

Last night I went through some vegan blogs and found this very very simple recipe. Modified it a bit to suit our own needs and yes… these muffins were so so good, moist and delicious that it needs to be shared

3 ripe bananas
1/4 cup oil or melted margarine (I used sunflower oil)
1 cup sugar (I opted for 2 generous spoons of pure black molasses instead)
2 cups flour (I used wholegrain spelt)
1 tsp. salt (only used half)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional—see other options listed below) our muffins were with sunflower seeds & raisins

• Mash bananas (overripe ones make the best bread). Add oil/margarine and sugar. Mix well.
• Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda together and add to the banana mixture. Mix until the flour is blended (do not beat).
Pour into muffin pans or a bread pan and bake at 360°F  gas 5 until a toothpick comes out clean.

Optional: Add a handful of walnuts, oatmeal, raisins, chocolate chips, currants, coconut, or all of the above!

I’m still drooling if I look at that picture… so good they were. Too good.

Introducing:  Cweek

I saw this Maileg goose and then I thought I could try to make  a little quack of my own design. Might make some more… But for now it’s all teddies and rabbits sets.  And baby gifts. And felting…