More Charity Kits available!

 Hello friends

 thank you everyone 

I don't think I've ever had a kit sell so fast and just after I announced 'sold out'  I started to receive messages from those who had not been able to grab one.  So...

I've been back in my cabin today, checked the card, papers etc and worked out that I can make some more with a little change. Hurrah!  The only different will be the centre piece.  I've run out of the sentiment discs so it will now have this arrangement with four die cuts.

A silver scallop edged circle, a teardrop circle, a plain edge silver circle and a smaller pearlised circle. On the inner circle - you could add a sentiment or perhaps the poinsettias, entirely up to you.

Other than the centre arrangement, the kit will be the same - silver envelope, gatefold card, patterned papers, mini poinsettias and leaves.

Here is the link to purchase.

£5.85

I'll be making these kits up over the next few days and then immediately posted out to you.

Lots of thanks to you all.  Hope you are having a good start to your week.

Take care friends.

Charity Kit Day - October 2020

 Hello friends

It's Charity Kit Day!

Many thanks for your support and please 

feel free to share kit details with everyone.

Each month a donation is made to a different charity,

and this month it is MNDA - Motor Neurone Disease Association

who improve care and support people with MND.

To keep track of charities there is a tab at the top of my blog 

here with lots more kit info.

Soon, I will be asking for your charity suggestions for 2021.

And here is this month's kit:
A white pearlised gatefold card with silver envelope,

featuring the pretty festive papers we used for last month's kit.

This die is one of the Spellbinders Large Die of the Month,

they kindly sent me a few a while back.

Included in your kit:

White pearlised A2 gatefold card

Silver envelope

Pre-cut patterned paper panels (design may vary - see below)

Die cuts - matt silver crinkle edged circle, white scalloped circle,

burgundy mini poinsettias, matt silver leaves

Sentiment disc (design may vary - see below)
Full instructions

(Items you will need: adhesive, gemstones and foam pads).

Your card will feature one of the lovely sparkly paper designs below,
all silver foiled.

And one of the sentiment discs pictured here.

The kits are packed in recyclable paper bags and sent in a 'do not bend' 

envelope so they arrive in pristine condition. 
To make up the kits you just need a basic craft kit, everything is pre-cut.

The kit cost is £5.85, that's the total payment -

inclusive of postage and packing.

Payment is via the PayPal link below.

If you wish to purchase but would prefer not to use PayPal, 

please email me:

hope-chances@live.co.uk  

I'm happy to help with alternative payment arrangements.

It is possible to purchase multiple kits,

there's an option for that too.

If you would like to support the kits but do not need one right now,

there is a 'Ko-fi' button', at the top of the blog, it's not really coffee.

All donations enable me to purchase card blanks, envelopes, the paper bags,

sticky labels and more -

very grateful thanks to those of you who help through Ko-fi,

it makes a real difference each month.

Thank you so much for your valuable continued support.

Take care friends, enjoy your Sunday.

Friday Chat Day

 Hello friends

Welcome to another FCD - my excuse for a little natter and diarising my week.

Blogger is now insisting I use the new template so if things look a bit wonky I apologise.

Hope you are all keeping well and adjusting to the cooler weather and the nights closing in. Mixed emotions with the approach of Autumn, I'm sad not to be doing jobs in my tiny garden but pleased to have the excuse to indulge in comfort foods and sit down and crochet more.

And talking of comfort foods - this week's recipe is Shortbread. I used to balk at the prospect of making shortbread fearing it would be tricky but this recipe is easy peasy, it uses semolina but you can use custard powder too.

Recipe:

200g plain flour, 200g butter,

100g sugar, 100g semolina

 Preheat oven to 180C.

Cream butter and sugar together,

I use an electric hand whisk.

Add the flour and semolina and mix with a

wooden spoon until it begins to form a dough.

Either press into a cake tin or roll and slice.

Bake for 15 minutes until very slightly golden.

(It looks uncooked as you take it out of the oven and

there is a temptation to cook it for longer – resist!)

Leave to cool in tin and it will firm. 

The printable is available here.

And if you wish to view any previous recipes they are all available on the Recipe tab here.

Garden:

This is a Bijou Clematis and I'm so thrilled it has flowered. 

Very different to traditional Clematis in that it mound-forming and perfect for containers, 

tiny leaves with these large purple flowers. 

Hoping it will establish and provide a lot more flowers next year.

Time to put in some winter colour, pansies and cyclamen.

I've also managed to take ivy cuttings so adding those to my tree containers.

Thought this would look festive, fingers crossed they stay like this. 

Photo taken on a rainy day with a full water butt, wishing I had room for more - 

something satisfying about collecting rainwater.

Crochet:

All week I've been working on the border of this blanket - Summer Harmony.

I'm nearly there, it's 17 rows and each round was taking nearly an hour. 

It has kept me nice and toasty whilst finishing it.

Today it should be complete and then I'm full steam ahead to get another

blanket done by Christmas.

This week at Elliott's flat a very important item arrived...a sofa! 

Up until now he's just had his office chair and visitors (me) sat on the floor.  

It was tricky finding one that would not only fit in the room but fit through the door.  

This one was ideal as it comes boxed and you build it (thank you Mitchell).  

Bella testing optional.

Telly:

Ghosts - all episodes available on BBC iPlayer. 

A young couple inherit a grand house with resident ghosts. 

Very light hearted and definitely raises a smile or two. 

Starring very familiar faces and co written by Matthew Baynton.

Travelers - Netflix

Hundreds of years in the future, the last surviving humans discover a way of sending consciousness back through time, directly into people in the 21st century -"travelers," who assume the lives of seemingly random people.  

Very different and intriguing, I like it.  Recommended by Mitchell and to be honest 

I would probably never find half this stuff to watch if the boys didn't mention them.

And finally...

this Sunday is Charity Kit Day, please stop by.

I've kept with the festive theme and it also complements last month's kit.

Here's a little sneak peek.

And that is another week - this weekend Mitchell and I are visiting Elliott 

and cooking a roast dinner, Elliott is learning how to cook and we thought best way 

was to use his cooker - all electric, I'm used to a gas hob but I'm sure it will be fine.

Lots of thanks for the Mum get well wishes, she has had 

 quite a few hospital appointments this week, relieved to be back home and 

hopefully now on the mend.  

Take care friends in this very surreal world we are living in now.

I admit to getting wobbly now and again when I watch the news so I limit that. 

I truly hope you are all coping ok.  

Take good care.

Friday Chat Day

Hello friends

Welcome to another Friday Chat Day, hope your week has gone well

amidst the new government announcements and general concern. 

Let's bury our heads for a bit...

Crochet:

The Summer Harmony Blanket - all 100 squares joined together.

Now to start the border. 

Oh how I love the colours, the cooler greens and blues radiating to the

pinks, lilacs and reds.

The border consists of all 17 colours so looking forward to adding that.

And because I can't just have one project on the go I've started 

something else...

this is going to be another Harmony Blanket using a different colour

palette and it is my full intention to list this one for sale and it

should be finished in time for Christmas.

(I cannot take any credit for typing out those colour tags, a lady on

a Facebook group has made those available to print and use - very kind).

Garden:

This photo taken at the beginning of the week in lovely sunshine shows a

snoozing Bella and my tomatoes ripening.

 

And I took delivery of Percy - my new Palm.

My plan was to have him at the front of my house but for now

I've repotted him and kept him out back.

He is a Hardy Cotton Palm hence all those cotton bits,

which I'm not so sure about, the tidy me wants to give him a haircut!

Recipe:

Oops!

My planned recipe is coming next week as Tesco delivery 

unfortunately didn't have a vital ingredient. 

I have made sure to order ingredients for a

Christmas cake and highly recommend everyone stocks up on flour etc.

This year I intend to make a rich fruit cake with plenty

of time to feed it alcohol.  I'll be sharing that recipe.

But just in case any of us  run out of time there's 

always my Last Minute Christmas Cake over on the recipes tab.

And the mug cake recipe last week, some asked about 

microwave wattage - my microwave is 900 so fairly high,

you may wish to adjust timings accordingly.

Telly:

I caught up with The Singapore Grip.

Based on J G Farrell's novel.

What a cast and it was watchable but didn't quite meet my expectations.

And Bake Off is back. Hurrah!

A few 'hold your breath' moments this week and I love Matt Lucas so totally enjoyable.

Thank you for the kind enquiries regarding Mum, she's not having a 

good time at the moment and is feeling quite unwell.

She is due to go into hospital on Monday for a procedure that will hopefully

make her feel better.

In between Bella is a regular visitor administering doggy kisses!

And that wraps up yet another week.

Time truly feels like it is on fast forward, this weekend I will be 

in my cabin working on October's Charity Kit.

It is mentally designed so that's a start!

Take care friends, have a super weekend,

keep safe and keep smiling.

Friday Chat Day

Hello friends

Happy Friday and hope you are all doing ok.

Marvelous weather this week if not a little strange, falling Autumn leaves 

and blistering hot sun.  Taking advantage of this hot spell meant 

venturing out with Bella, she has her own car seat up front with the driver.

Not so sure the boys are impressed sitting in the back!

I'm back on track this week with my nattering, here goes...

Recipe:

I call this Ugly Mug Cake, it's not the prettiest of cakes but it is perfect

if you fancy a speedy treat.  All done in the microwave so you don't even 

have to put the oven on.

50g dark chocolate, 25g butter,

1 egg (beaten), 25g sugar, 25g plain flour,

¼ tsp baking powder, 30g cherries

Place chocolate and butter into a bowl,

microwave until chocolate has melted.

Add egg and sugar, mix.

Add flour, baking powder and cherries, fold until smooth.

Grease a large mug with butter, spoon mixture in.

Cover with cling film and heat for 1½ minutes.

Remove cling film and heat for a further 30 seconds or until risen, cooked through. 

Serve with cherries.

It is a little more like a chocolate steam pud consistency. 

I use frozen cherries but you could use blueberries, orange zest,

whatever you prefer.

The printable is available here.

Crochet:

Whilst I was in the midst of making the Harmony Blanket I was also

making another batch of squares for the Summer Harmony - same design but

using the brighter colours as a wash from warm to cool.

I completed all 100 of them.  

I love this stage, they are all organised and filed in their wallets,

it appeals to the over organised part of my brain! 

 I use CD wallets with labels inside and found this to be the best way for me.

I was actually a little reluctant to start the joining as I just enjoy looking

at them in rows like this!

But I did start the joining and this little 'helper' was quick to appear.

The original Harmony Blanket uses one colour to join all squares, 

this version uses a different colour to join each square
which enhances that colour wash theme.

As mentioned, I'm fully converted to granny squares now

and I think Darcy cat approves.

Garden:

Flowers are still blooming and Bella is still basking in the sunshine.

This rose bush has been a real feature this year,

first rose I've ever owned and it hasn't let me down.

A  flouncy open rose - Bonica Bush Rose Floribunda.

And I'm thrilled with this - a new clematis has flowered and the 

heads are huge.  This is Snow Queen.

 

And this was a real surprise. I bought some Gerbera plug plants online

months ago and they looked tiny and sad in my back garden so I put 

them out the front.

I don't have a front garden, just a small concreted space for the the bins and gas box. 

It gets very hot out there and Gerberas obviously like that.

So here they are doing their showy thing.

I was tempted to cut them but no, they make me smile each time I arrive home 

and glance over the wheelie bins! 

And of an evening I sit outside and try to hide from this one - doesn't work!

Telly:

It has been a bit of a Netflix week.

Netflix - Young Wallander

Well, I'm not so sure about this one, I really liked Kenneth Branagh 

playing Kurt Wallander. I stuck with it and watched the full season but

not so sure I'm eager for a second.

Netflix - The Fall

I watched this when first released but realised I had forgotten a lot of it

and importantly, how it ended so I decided to watch it again.

Oh my it is gripping. Perhaps don't watch just before bedtime!

And that rounds up my week again.

Hope you are all coping in these uncertain times.

I admit to cocooning myself and family - 

staying in our own safe space and keeping occupied by hobbies and routine.   

Checking in on the news once a day otherwise I feel it is overwhelming.

We each have different ways of dealing with the here and now,

so if you need to rush off and make an Ugly Mug Cake...

that's entirely normal! 

Take care friends - have a lovely weekend.

Friday Chat Day

Hello friends

How has your week been? 

Definitely seeing the leaves turn a little, 

beautiful Autumn is on its way.

Lovely response to this month's Charity Kit,

that little car is popular - just one kit left.

If you missed it or fancy another please click here.

It has been another busy week in the Emberson household,

so much so apologies - no recipe! 

Dinners have consisted of speedy offerings, mainly toast.

And talking of 'toast' have you ever tried this...

toasting sweet potato slices?

I saw this on Instagram and I'm still undecided whether (a) to try it and

(b) whether I would like it!  Let me know if you give it a go.

A week or so ago I did have more time in the kitchen and did some batch

cooking for Elliott.  His freezer now looks like this.

There is Shepherds Pie too otherwise he could end up looking like lasagne!

Elliott is now fully moved into his flat, carpets went down last week

and last weekend we made many trips to and fro with all his belongings.

Goodness he packed a lot into a little room! 

Mitchell, my Dad and nephew all helped and were dab hands with 

fixing curtain poles, building flat packs and more.

Here's a before and after pic of his bedroom.

Before...

After...

Very pleased we put down new carpet, the previous one had a real whiff! 

Love his choice of duvet cover - cats in space!

His cats - Pixel and Lily were intrigued by his absence but in typical cat fashion

have quickly found new laps to sit on.

Have to admit it is very strange without him at home, of an evening

we would always walk Bella together so she is a little confused too

but she is very happy with the huge park opposite Elliott's flat.

We've walked her there this week and still discovering how big it is.

Worcester Park in Greenhithe.

And here she is 'helping' me make up Elliot's bed.

Her little vampire teeth make us laugh every day.

Crochet:

It's finished! Tadah!

Attic 24 - Harmony Blanket.

There was a moment when I deliberated not doing the border but so

pleased I did, I adore the colour blend.

Lucy at Attic 24 is amazing, her patterns are truly the best to follow.

It's a huge blanket - single bed size, lovely soft and squidgy.

I am now part way through making the same blanket Summer Harmony.

From a girl that didn't like Granny Squares I have been fully converted.

Telly: 

Channel 5 - All Creatures Great and Small

I read last year that this series was on its way so I've been eagerly

awaiting it and it appears so have many others as 

Channel 5 received its biggest viewing figures in almost five years.

It was worth the wait, utterly enjoyable and Samuel West 

as Siegfried Farnon is spot on.

Long may it continue.

Garden:

With the feel of Autumn on its way I've been out 

clearing my little garden.

Tomato plants are gone and with thanks to your advice

green tomatoes are now ripening alongside a banana.

I've planted bulbs and hopefully next week I'm putting in some 

winter pansies and/or Cyclamen - although I've never had much

joy with Cyclamen, they tend to look sickly quickly.

And my Hydrangea has put me in quandary - 

this is the one I obtained via Freecycle, at the time it wasn't flowering

but it soon took off. I think this is a Lacecap variety.

Pruning - I've come across so much conflicting advice,

I'd like to reshape it as it has some wayward stems and do I chop

over those flowerheads now?  

Mum, a little poorly again this week, in fact a rushed

trip to A and E but thankfully back home now and recovering.

And Mum now has a gardener who is brilliant and likes Bella - win win. 

As much as I have discovered my love of gardening I wouldn't have

been able to tackle Mum and Dad's large garden so having help is perfect.

I came across this picture that shows my cabin first going up and you can see

Mum and Dad's garden is a tad larger than mine. 

And that rounds up my week.

Today I am visiting my sister for a day of chat and crochet,

after such a hectic week I am truly looking forward to sitting on my bum.

This weekend, back to see Elliott and do a few bits.

Take care friends, I think we have a bit of a rocky road

ahead if we watch the news ...be extra safe.

Much love,