And the winner is...

Thank you all so much for entering my 1 Year Giveaway and saying such lovely things about the kits.

But there can only be one winner and that is...drum roll please...

Jane from Janie C. A Flower Brooch Kit is on it's way to you. (Please send me your mailing address) And if you don't mind, please send me a photo of how it turns out (unless you are giving it as a present of course)

Go get your lemons!

Thank you for being patient waiting for this recipe. I think you'll be pleased with the wait. And with a Sunny (?) Bank Holiday Weekend on the horizon I will picture you all picnicking in the sunshine with your homemade bread rolls, freshly churned butter and Lemon Curd atop!

LEMON CURD

(Microwave Method)

rind of 3 lemons, finely grated
3/4 cup lemon juice (from about 3 large lemons)
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 cup caster sugar
3 whole eggs

Have ready 2 washed and rinsed 8oz jars.

2 hours in advance leave the rind to soak int he lemon juice in a large microwave-saffe jug, to extract the flavouring oils. Pour this mixture through a sieve, then discard the rind.

In the same jug melt the butter at 100% power for 1 minute (cover lightly with a paper towel to prevent splattering). Stir in the lemon juice and sugar and cook uncovered on 100% power for 2 minutes. Then stir again to ensure that the sugar is dissolved in the liquid.

In a food processor or blender, process the eggs to blend for 10 seconds, then slowly add the hot buttery liquid throught he feed tube, processing all the time. Return the mixture to the jug and microwave on 100% power for 2 1/2 minutes, stirring half-way.

Take out and stir vigorously to ensure the curd is even in texture - it should be the consistency of a thick coating custard. If not, cook for a further 30 seconds.

Sterilize the jars as follows. Fill them a 1/4 full with cold water and heat uncovered on 100% power for about 2 minutes - until the water is boiling. Remove carefully as they will be very hot and pour away the water. Stand upside down to drain on a paper towel. Turn them over immediately and fill to the brim with the curd, then cover with a lid.

Store up to 3 months in a fridge.

Enjoy xx

(Thanks to Evelyn Rose for the recipe)

Snapdragon

I first met Jane at Top Drawer in January and instantly fell in love with her beautiful work. It is stunning. I was desperate then to get my hands on her things for Blueberry Park. So when our paths crossed again at BCTF I was determind to order some things.

Today the order arrived and boy are they fab. I was very restraint (mainly because I've blown my buying budget for now, but hey, a girl has to buy what a girl has to buy) but seeing the little Pocket Mirrors is definitely a case of Less is More.

I couldn't decide between these 3 designs, so you guessed it, I went for all 3!

I'm sure I'll be adding to the collection, but in the meantime you can choose one of these little lovelies for yourself (or a gift, if you are feeling nice). They are in the shop now.

(P.S. Don't forget... Just 3 more days to enter my 1 Year Giveaway...xx)

Fabric for Sale

I've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this gorgeous fabric, designed and produced by the talented Martine of Green Olive Textiles. I'm not sure if I mentioned that I've started a Fabric Category on Blueberry Park, in order to bring you lots of fantastic handmade fabrics to enhance all our crafting projects.

This design, aptly named 'My Bike' was screenprinted from a drawing Martine had done when she was a child. Her very clever and forward thinking Mummy saved the drawing and voila, a fantastic fabric was produced.

This is one of the first designs to land in the shop and is absolutely gorgeous. I so want to use it all up myself. I have started with 5 of each colourways, so if you are keen you'll need to be quick!
Go straight here.

PIP - Purse in Progress

Matthew is in Milan for the weekend with his 2 old Uni pals. It's actually the first time he's been on a boys weekend - not counting stag weekends and the like. I was quite keen for him to organise this trip as it's almost time for Perpignan revisited. You may remember I went off with the girls last September. Well we are now planning Perp 2 and to save the guilt of abandoning the family again I needed Matthew to have had his weekend off too.


All very interesting, you may think, but where on earth is this leading? To a guiltless evening's sewing of course! I work in the attic alot in the evenings. If it's to fulfill orders then there is no choice. The job has to be done. If it is simply playing around with fabric then I try and do that on an evening when Matthew is either out or working himself. He hates to feel neglected - poor lamb.


So last night I had one such evening. Matthew away. Kids all in bed (albeit 9pm by this point) and just me, my fabric, a glass of wine and music for company.

A few weeks ago when I last had the opportunity I'd been sewing together some of my gorgeous bits of cut-offs. It had been sitting in a corner waiting for time to turn it into something. Last night was the night and it happily turned in to this purse.

Now because I always start off with whatever size pieces I have, I never really have in mind what I am going to do. (Mental Note - must start being more planned) So when these pieces were joined together, whilst I was thrilled with the combinations I wasn't entirely sure what it was going to become. A purse, pencil case, make-up bag? Well in all honesty, it doesn't really matter. It could be any of the above or something entirely different.

One little extra detail I'm quite pleased with (Mental Note Number 2 - make items versatile) was to attach not one but 2 buttons, to make it adaptable. I was quite pleased with that one. In fact tonight, when he's still away I'll be up there again refining what I did and ironing out the little glitches in the design.

Saints & Pinners

I had a great new discovery at the beginning of the week and by the end of the week I have proof that it wasn't a mirage.

Saints and Pinners is a new online fabric store run by Fran and Jo, a mother and daughter-in-law team. How amazing that you should have this mutual passion with your mother-in-law that results in running such a dream together.

I'd conversed with Jo earlier in the week about swapping links to our sites and by the time I'd had a look through her lovely wares, several of them were clicked in to the basket.

Today this arrived...

Now I have to say that this is the most beautifully wrapped parcel I have ever received and I was very tempted to just sit and gaze at it in all it's glory all morning (by the way it is now creased tells you I broke into it a nano second later to see my treasures - and then had to rewrap it to take the photo!)

Now, isn't this a gorgeous mixture?


What's more, a year ago I would NEVER have chosen those oranges and yellows. But I love how my tastes have altered and organically grown out of doing more crafting and sewing.

I love these 3 orange based ones. How summery are they?


As for these yellows and blues - simply divine. I'm swooning now. I think this rose fabric is my favourite fabric at the moment. I think I'll be getting more of that one and making a few spring accessories.


This green dot (more limey that it shows here) is one of my favourite fabrics for doing my car cards. It looks great with turquoise. At the fear of running out, I quietly snuck it into the basket.


Since I was one of Fran and Jo's first customers, they very kindly threw this in too.


Now I probably would never have bought this fabric, but how gorgeous does it look with my beloved dots? (I really haven't done either of these two justice. You'll just have to believe me on this one.)


So go take a peak at the shop. You really won't be disappoinited.

The Ins and Outs of Blueberry Park

Here are some of the Ins...



And here are some of the Outs (or almost Outs)...


It's a busy day.