A Christmassy Ramble.

Such a beautiful day today with sunshine and crisp breezes. Isabella and I have just returned from a treat of a shared hot cholcolate in Thorntons; a rare treat, but one made all the more special for the scarcity. Her little face was so excited. I swear she radiated happiness and it was returned by the other shoppers smiling at her chocolatey face. back at home a few things have continued to make me smile such as these dried apple rings piled high in a flowery jug. They will be gracing a door wreath any day now, but for the moment I just love the sight of them in our kitchen.



Waiting on the worktop is my most favourite Christmas mug, a present from Mr Davey a couple of Christmasses ago. No doubt you recognise it as a Caroline Zoob design. She is someone whose delicate embroidery I admire hugely and I covet one of her beautiful pictures. Of course, I also aspire to be as good as her in my own embroidery work and should any potters out there wish me to design a range for them I would not be too slow in saying yes!



Ho hum... well, on to decorations. I love handmade - obviously - but am also lucky enough to own one or two exquisite baubles thanks to my dear dave. This fragile beauty has been gracing our tree for a number of years now and is made of the finest glass painted with the sweetest circus scene. So fine is it that the light shines trhough turning the colours into glowing jewels



much like the stained glass orange slices dried earlier this week - have you done yours yet? Bossy again, eh.



Let's mix things up a little as a change from the festive scene. I think I may have mentioned how much I love to cook and so here's a recipe I would like to share. No need to be precise about measurements. Just take a mound of peelings - potato, sqush, leek for example. Add some chunks of said squash, some left over apple pieces, pumpkin seeds,porridge oats and anything else you would normally add to your compost bin; add some water and cook gently till slightly softened.



Blitz with a blitzer (!) and ta da, you have a meal fit for...ducks and hens obviously. What else were you thinking?



Ok, intermission over and it's back to Christmas with a tree made by Davey who makes a new decoration every year or two depending on how the mood takes him. I love this one with its touch of hand embroidery and tweedy squishyness.



And of course, the best of all are the ones made by your chldren aren't they? This is the angel made by my eldest son Tom almost 22 years ago when he was five - and for those of you trying to do the maths, there is almost 24 years between Tom and our youngest, Isabella. Come to that, there is four and a half years between Tom and Lauren, seven between Tom and Sam, fourteen between Tom and Lucy (eight between Sam and Lucy) and as I said, 24 between Tom and Isabella (eight between Lucy and Isabella). Add to that Dave's two gorgeous children Matty and Elias (we hate the word step-children as it suggests you are distanced from them and I most certainly am not!) and you can see maths comes hard in this house! Anyhoo, back to Tom's angel fondly known as the 'Angle' Gadriel - and yes, the 'Angle' is intended!



Back out with the Christmas cookery books and first up is Elizabeth David's classic which, though I love her writing, I do wish there were more pictures to complete the scene she sets so evocatively.



Well, I think I have rambled quite enough for one day, so will leave you to enjoy yours with a picture of the magnolia stellata buds which are forming their furry bud coverings quite nicely and reminding us that spring is not so very far away. Back next time with some more crafting, some more decorations and possibly some more christmas china too. I can feel the anticipation!



Bye for now x

Christmas Emporium!

Forgive me if it is a little too early for you to be thinking of Christmas - I do understand; after all, Hallowe'en and Bonfire night are barely behind us, but in the world of the small business and retail in particular I am really running late. Still, not to worry. If it is all too much just click away to a more autumnal blog and return another day, but if you are ready to think of all things festive...well, here we go. ( Grab a coffee - it's a long one!).



A suitably Christmassy picture to start us off at the top followed by a Holly & the Ivy Christmas Stocking. This is big enough to hold plenty of goodies and made from a soft linen/cotton fabric. Fennie, please note Lucy's Babbit modelling for me - He gets in on everything!



a little close up of the hand embroidered detailing - holly leaves, berries and silver starts.



I have focussed on holly leaves and scarlet berries for much of my range this year as I love the simplicity of this most traditional of motifs. Some items, the stocking being one such, also have delicate silver thread tracing through the sprigs and silvery stars scattered throughout to catch the light and bring a little something extra to the whole. The theme continues with the Noel and Merry Christmas Hearts



The Noel Heart



and Merry Christmas, both featuring my hand embroidery.



Something a little different? What about a Noel Tea Cosy? I drink a lot of tea and seem to make endless cups over the festive season, what with older children home for the holidays and a steady stream of visitors. This cosy is inter-lined with a layer of wadding and lined in cheery ticking to keep your cuppa snug till the last drop.



I have scattered clusters of scarlet berries throughout this cosy as I love the cheeriness of them which is so in keeping with Christmas.



and finally, for now anyway, Dove and mistletoe Hearts



Elegant and simple



A touch more colour



Phew, well done all of you who are still here and thank you for looking through my Christmas emporium. I will be adding more no doubt as there are still some things in progress - some more gifts including something for little boys who I have sadly neglected thus far, and possibly a decoration or two to come.



Hope you enjoyed it and should the need grasp you to pop over to my website then any of the links will take you there as will the actual website link at the top of this page on the right hand side - or click here if it's easier. Lord, she does waffle on doesn't she?



Have a wonderful weekend. I'm off for a cuppa and a lie down! x

P.S. Hurrah for the end of the postal strike!

Views from the River Bank.

The tide was out and mud was present; thick, gloopy, squidgy river mud which for once had no particular smell. Penryn River Mud is somewhat renowned around here for that pungent pong of an ebbing tidal river. I, of course, quite like it.



Doesn't it make you want to stick you feet into it? Actually, now I think about it the river was flowing gently back in, not ebbing, the drift of the tide seeming not to move and yet rapidly setting the boats lined along the banks free from their muddy moorings.



I love the way boats tilt at almost impossible angles, waiting to come to life again like some sleeping ocean creature.



This houseboat fascinates me, though I have no idea why. I have walked along the bank where the path runs high above it many times and still am no wiser about it.



So pretty in all its guises: high or low tide, rain or sun, the river is just magical.



Well, that's me for today. Hopefully tomorrow will be a post about this and all things related



or maybe I have now guaranteed it won't happen just yet - curse my doubting heart. We'll see and in the meantime...

Have a lovely day x

An orange a day.

The festive mood continues apace, yesterday involving the slicing of oranges to make tree decorations. Isabella helped of course and we started by choosing the most orangey looking oranges in the store - not as obvious as it sounds as there were a plethora of rather anaemic looking fruits for some strange reason.



We then sliced them mostly thinly, though I did get carried away occasionally as I chatted too much with my helper and forgot the task in hand.



We placed these slices on several trays and popped them into the oven on the lowest setting for ages. Oh how I envy those of you with Agas and Rayburns with their warming ovens just perfect for jobs such as these. Still, I do love our huge range oven which has fed so many people on a regular basis without so much as a groan (please don't let me regret that now Christmas looms large!).



Isabella's help mostly took this form...



When thoroughly dried out and cool I threaded the slices with wire to hang on the tree where they now hang like little stained glass windows allowing the twinkly fairy lights to glow through as is NOT shown in this appalling photograph taken in a hurry this morning.



Ah well, they are easy to do and very pretty. You can also wire on bay leaves, cinammon sticks, anything really, so why not give them a go? Yes, I know I'm bossy but there we are! Righty oh, a slightly better Christmassy picture to leave you with.



Have a lovely day xx

Oh to sleep perchance to dream.

It has been a little trying here since Firework Night; each night has consisted of the fizzing and banging of varous displays, both public and private, and I sit here now pondering on the fact that Bonfire Night was surely the 5th of November, not several days later, and if the dislays are to include children how come they are still going on at 10 o'clock? The reason I am beiginning to lose the plot (no pun intended) is because Isabella has now decided to play up at every bedtime, dreading the raucous racket which will surely follow. Most upsetting as prior to this she slept so well, but I think we are beginning to get there...I hope.



The weather over ther weekend has been dreadful, so much rain and howling gales, though I mind these far less than the rain I must admit. Berries still cling to the hedgerows with the rosehips slowing turning darker and losing that wonderful vibrancy. I will pick more to freeze today ready for when I have a little more time to make syrup otherwise I think they will suddenly disappear for another year. The ones I hung earlier in the season in the kitchen to dry for decorations are almost ready for use.



The odd spot of sun on Friday provided a chance for these pictures of burnished leaves and cotoneaster berries all grwoing around the boundary of our front garden in what could loosely be termed a hedge. This overgrown patch is shading the grass far too much to allow it to dry out, but I can't make myself cut it back until the colours have faded and the foliage will be used for Christmas anyway, hanging in swathes on mantle and windowsill and scenting the rooms with a freshness that mixes with the spices from our ever-present pan of mulled wine which begins on the 1st of December and ends with the decorations coming down....Mmm.



In the meantime, I shall continue working away on such things as children's bags and Christmassy stockings and a variety of other things which have been ordered and hope fervently that the fireworks have now been put to bed for another year, leaving Isabella with a peaceful night to dream a little dream.



I hope!



Happy Monday xx

A Babbity Day!

A very quick post today as the sewing room is hidden by a pile of orders which need packaging and posting...with much help from Isabella no doubt. The Christmas stocking and Carol Hearts have been really well received, so thank you for all the lovely comments - the next batch of items are on their way to the website, but I still haven't got pictures I am altogether happy with yet; probably be ready about New Year at this rate!




Today is Davey's 40th birthday - hasn't quite caught me up yet - so there has been much excitement here at Poltisko Farm. I have a pile of his favourite brownies to make which will be all gone in a very short time once the hoards get their hands on them, and then we shall have a lovely romantic dinner once the littles have gone to bed; well, that's the plan though I haven't actually worked out what I'm cooking other than pea & borage soup...hmm, may need a bit more than soup and candlelight to make it work.



Lots to do so I had better make a start and had also better rescue poor Fatty Arbuckle from Isabella as she is trying to get him to have his photograph taken...looks worse than it is really as he is the soppiest cat and positively purrs like a mad thing when she 'plays' with him. At least it keeps her away from the Babbits waiting for their name tags before they leave for their new homes. The word busy seems to be synonymous with Babbits at the moment, so for once I will introduce a new saying instead of Isabella (she of the 'Habby' for happy and 'Babbit' for rabbit') and say I hope you all have a Babbity day!



Have a Babbity day everyone x

Bits and Bobs.

Mr Dave is home once more, exhausted by a very gruelling three day course which started at 8am and seemd to end at about 8.30pm. On our last evening of 'girly times' as Lucy referred to it, I had a sudden need to do some cooking with the two littlies. Not sure why as it was a bit late in the day really and I could feel I was not at my most patient, but they were so keen that I bit back any reservations and off we set. Aprons were donned and utensils placed to the ready. Lucy decided to make
herself a cheese and vegetable pasty (not purists here I'm afraid) for her lunch at school the next day.



Isabella 'helped' me to make one for Daddy - she rolled that pastry and added the necessary carrot peelings, bits of cheese and frankly anything else she could get her chubby paws on, the resulting squiggles of pastry being added to the top of the pasty as a decoration. "Mine is 'L' for Lucy," announced Lucy-Lu. "Mine is a El-Phant!" bellowed Isabella, a tone of shocked surprise running through her voice at our incredible dimness!



No pictures of the finished article I am sorry to say as I was a little up to my ears in things by the time they had cooked, but they were truly delicious as was the blackberry and apple pie we also made from the last of our Coxs and berries from the garden. Other things occupying my time this week have been equally enjoyable. Yesterday I sat in the garden working on a pile - 18 backs and 6 fronts to be precise - of doorhangings. Lovely to embroider in the hot Autumn sunshine. The picture above shows just a little of the heap.



I have also been cutting out an increasting stack of fabric squares as I want to make Isabella and Lucy quilts for Christmas, though I am not experienced at this in the least. I made one which I was rather pleased with for Lauren's 21st birthday earlier this year and am now carried away by my success. Isabella's will be the first as it will be for her cot and therefore not so large. I never seem able to photgraph these fabrics well.



And lastly, here's a further peek at some of my Christmas range which is also coming along nicely. I have used some materials which speak to me of the sea and Cornwall in their colours and textures for these. More another time.



Phew, well that's it for today.




Have a lovely weekend everyone xx