Clay beads, Sausage Plait and Easter egg hunting

I've dabbled with my clay recently in an attempt to make some slightly unique clay beads, the initial results are pleasing but still very basic.  I think I will have to experiment more with techniques, colour mixing and more crucially, pressure on cutting utensil as I cut through the clay because I'm finding it's distorting the pattern as I push down.  Any tips on how to improve on this aspect.

I also decided to follow a recipe by the Hairy Bikers, yes, I like a Hairy Biker (or two in this instance) when they come up with good recipe suggestions.  Daughter of 12 does not like sausages!!! Why, I don't know because she eats sausage rolls.  Regardless, having shown and discussed recipe with daughter of 12 it was decided that I should cook the Sausage Plait for dinner.  I went off thinking it would be really easy to get some sausage meat but tis was proving more difficult that expected.  Eventually decided to buy some sausages, remove the skins and use the meat inside.  Daughter of 12 saw me buy sausages, remove skins, and mix sausage meat with onions, herbs and spices.  I then needed to attempt the puff pastry plaiting technique as outlined in the cookbook.  Well easier said than done, quite frankly it's easier to plait daughter of 12's hair both now and when she was 2 years old.  I achieved a lopsided plait with the pastry and into the doven it went.  This I served witha lovely side salad and surprise, surprise, daughter of 12 who does not eat sausages decided she liked it.  Now I ask you..... is there any logic in that?

Today was the day that daughter of 12 invited 5 of her friends around for an Easter egg hunt and craft activity.  I must admit the event went off relatively painlessly though I will state that they are categorically useless at Easter egg hunting.  I've subsequently found a lot more in the garden, thank goodness before large 4 legged friend could reap the rewards.  The girls then engaged in decorating polystyrene eggs, which had already been prepainted with sequins and seed beads.  A little bit fiddly but it kept them entertained while they gossiped around the table.  While this was going on I escaped upstairs and read my Book Club book which is beginning to get quite interesting.

Son of 15 has just returned from doing his DT practical, in preparation for GCSE which are looming ever closer.  I must admit, to be fair on him, he is trying to come to terms with studying and I can often hear the chair scraping across the wooden floor as he continues to sit at his desk and do some revision.  Still, there's no end in sight for the near future.  He still has the pleasure of A-levels and additional studies after that so it's a hard learning curve and he's not alone.

Right, 4 legged friend has already been for a walk though we lost the ball in the stream today and tail was decidedly down as we returned home.  She can never understand when we lose a ball where it could possibly have gone to.  I don't feel like cooking tonight so think it will be pizza (and not home-made) though I do enjoy a home-made pizza). 

More later
Love jayjay

mumcando: Wire wrapping a marble, hanging baskets and Tom Ya...

mumcando: Wire wrapping a marble, hanging baskets and Tom Ya...: "Well the weekend has been and gone and we can claim to have had another 2 BBQs. Not bad for the middle of April - long may it last tho..."

Wire wrapping a marble, hanging baskets and Tom Yam Gai

Well the weekend has been and gone and we can claim to have had another 2 BBQs.  Not bad for the middle of April - long may it last though it's still far too chilly to be outside and eating alfresco.  Decided to put myself up to a challenge this weekend and try some bead wire wrapping.  I bravely ventured into the attic and amongst the pure chaos of forgotten belongings I source some long lost marbles from son of 15 years earlier childhood days.  Equipped with marble, a variety of pliers, wire and a book that promises to teach me the technique I begin.  After numerous attempts and a lot of broken, crumpled and useless wire that gets discarded I finally manage to get a marble wrapped in wire so that you can still see what is on the inside and it doesn't look too much of a mess.  Decide to challenge myself to a second attempt and I'm pleased to say I found success again.  I later found a much simpler technique on Youtube.  Still, at least I can say I can do it the hard way and to quote the book I used "The most difficult undrilled objects to wrap and smooth and round" - that sounds distinctly like a marble .... doesn't it!?

Daughter of 12 has been nagging me to get a hanging basket as she wants some pretty flowers outside the house.  I finally relent and we visit our local garden centre of Saturday and end up purchasing not one, but two hanging baskets, the moss lining, the suitable compost and a variety of hanging/trailing flowers.  I must say that having got down and dirty while making them up the end result was quite pleasing.  Just hope we have some decent weather to let the flowers flourish and I still need to fathom out the best way to keep them watered.  They are rather high up!!!! I wonderr why?

As Saturday draws to a close I suddenly realise that I am on Sunday school duty the next day.  Mad panic as I quickly identify what the chosen activity is, decide against it and find another one that I think is far more fun and in keeping with Palm Sunday then realise that I need split pins.  This results in a mad dash to the large craft shop in the neighbouring town where I arrive puffing and panting with what I think is 5 minutes to spare (it's 4.55pm) only to be told that they close at 6.00pm.  I could have finished my cup of tea that I left on the side of the kitchen table after all!!!

Sunday school went without a hitch and needless to say the children loved their large scale donkeys with moveable legs, head and tail.  Thank you split pins.

Tom Yam Gai was then the flavour of the day.  Armed with one of my favourite chefs... Nigel Slater I then decided to make one of his perfect soup recipes.  Quick run through of all the ingredients and I was ticking boxes all the way through only to realise that I didn't have any limes.  Quick dash to the local shop proved fruitless and Tom Yam Gai needs lime juice (preferably fresh) so decided to improvise and make a variation on the above incorporating noodles (the children love chicken noodle soup) and using fresh ginger as well.  Well judging by the empty bowls and the predictable return of son of 15 years 1 hour later for more (I don't know where he puts it all) it must have been a hit.

Right nearly time for a shower and for the the 2 furry friends to have their dustbaths .. that is the chinchillas.  Next project, challenge is to make some polymer beads using some clay in a variety of colours and getting ready for daughter of 12's easter egg hunt party on Thursday. 

More to follow
love jayjay

mumcando: Blue Charm Bracelet, Dog Washing and .... haircut

mumcando: Blue Charm Bracelet, Dog Washing and .... haircut: "Well really getting the hang of making these charm bracelets now and this time I decided to make the bracelet using jump rings only (having ..."

Blue Charm Bracelet, Dog Washing and .... haircut

Well really getting the hang of making these charm bracelets now and this time I decided to make the bracelet using jump rings only (having noticed this technique on a well known bidding website).  Really quite pleased with the outcome - see picture - what do you think!?  I notice though that daughter of 12 in my recent absence has purchased even more beads and has obviously decided we need to make an orange charn bracelet (or 2).  So that is obviously going to be one of my weekend projects along with finishing off the knitted bracelet that I am currently doing too.

Decided larger of our 4 legged friends in the house (boxer dog) needed a bath today as she had spent too much time in the smelly creek recently.  And I can say, with a huge smile on my face that I can claim SUCCESS!  For the first time ever I have come away from the bathtime venture almost as dry as when I started.  Either my four legged friend has resigned herself to being subjected to this humiliation in the bathtub or else, dare I say it, I'm becoming an expert.  Can that be possible?

Along with making more charm bracelets this weekend daughter of 12 has left me with a conundrum.  She wants her haircut and keeps on asking me what I think and how should she have her hair cut.  I've told her 'It's got to be her decision' otherwise I know I'll be held responsible but I know I'm going to have to give some advice.  HELP!! 

It's also hanging basket weekend (photos hopefully to follow) as now freshly potted blueberries look almost good enough to eat and no... they are not bearing fruit yet.  But anyway, daughter of 12 has decided that we need to spruce up our front and a hanging basket (or 2) is required.  A visit to the local garden centre is imminent.

Right, I think I might just indulge in a little Book Club reading for tonight and leave bracelets and everything else for tomorrow.

More later
Love jayjay

Macaroons

Well the reason for the first time flop with the macaroons/macarons - there seems to be a variation in the spelling has now been identified.  The recipe I initially followed missed out an important step and thus resulted in very flat very crumbled macarons.  I really think that this blunder warrants a letter of complaint to the publisher/editor of the cookbook so that it can be rectified.  Anyway, problem has now been resolved thanks to The Mail on Sunday who published a fail proof recipe for macaroons last week and I must say (even if I say so myself) they turned out a treat.  The only downside was.... wait for it.... there wasn't enough.  They seriously just melted in your mouth.  A complete sugar rush and pure indulgence (a bit like eating candyfloss I suppose) but a sweet fancy that must be tried.  I've aslo discovered the joys of food colouring paste which far surpasses the food colouring bottles and would recommend that to anyone wanting to practise with the colouring of food.

Anyway, enough food indulgence.  I notice daughter of 12 has frequented our local bead shop again and neatly lined up on my beading table is a lovely array of new beads - obviously a hint for a new charm bracelet.  Should I pretend I haven't seen them.....

More later
Love jayjay

Key Lime Pie, Dining Room Table and Flower Necklace

Well the desserts at the BBQ on Sunday went down a real treat.  The Key Lime Pie was fabulous (even if I say so myself), especially with the double chocolate chip cookie base - lime and chocolate is so delicious.  Anyway, weekend out of the way and my project for yesterday/today was to tidy the dining room table.  Just oh so could not see what the table looked like it was so piled high with stuff.  So armed with new storage boxes with an aim to categorising things into relevant categories I slowly tidied everything away.  Knitting/sewing/cross-stitch etc - box 1....  Paper craft and decoupact - box 2 ..... Jewellery beads and findings - box 3 and 4 (have I really accumulated so much beading stuff already).... Work stuff and paperwork .... box 5.  Now at least I can see the dining room table and everything is sorted.  How long will it last!!!

Tried my first necklace attempt today having sorted out all the beads.  Followed a basic instruction leaflet curtesy of a big craft outlet and I am really pleased with the result.  Really quite easy to do provided you have the right tools and the right beads/findings.  Daughter of 12 has now seen the necklace and has requested that I make one for her too.  I think she can have a purple one - there can't be two of us wearing the same thing in the house at any one moment in time!!

Next project is Jamaican Jerk chicken for dinner.  My gosh, there are an awful lot of spices and ingredients that go in to marinating this dish.  The chicken has been marinating for just over 2 hours now and will hopefully soon be able to reap the rewards when we get it on the BBQ.  Having a lovely cold rice salad to go with it.  Yum Yum.

Anyway, had better get this chicken to the BBQer or else it will be tomorrow before we eat it.  Son of 15 is watching Man U and Chelsea on the telly.  As huge Arsenal supporters we have just got to love to hate Man
U so...... come on Chelsea!!! 

Love jayjay

Key Lime Pie and other puds

I have been told that I need to bring dessert for a BBQ we are going to tomorrow.  So, all jewellery making on hold for the moment while I decide I must make my usual meringues - I love meringues but need to make enough so use 6 eggs which then means that I am now left with 6 egg yolks.  I hate waste so I try and decide between making custard ice-cream or creme brulee (the brulee won) but then discovered I didn't have enough cream so a trip to the shops was warranted.  Now meringues were for tomorrow, creme brulee was purely for our own home indulgence so thought I'd better whip something else up while creme brulees are in the oven.  I decide on making a key lime pie but (drat oh drat) no limes so another trip to the shop is warranted.  Unfortunately local shop lets me down so have to wander further afield as now determined to make key lime pie.  Success - limes purchased and 1 key lime pie mixed made and produced.  Looks really good too. 

In the meantime daughter of 12 has announced that her friend from school really likes one of the charm bracelets I made so will I make one which I dubiously agree to.  On that note daughter of 12 sets off to local bead shop in the village (yes - I have a bead shop in the village, not much else but I have one of those) and returns bearing beads to make a charm bracelet.  I suppose I will have to squeeze in the making of the charm bracelet while I am bringing in the washing, walking our four legged friend, tidying up the dining room table (that's another story - though bought some storage boxes last night.... as currently can't see what colour or shape the dining room table actually is) and ... trying to catch up on a book I have had on the dining room table for the last 2 months.  Still, at least I know I don't have to cook lunch tomorrow as BBQ will do it for me though Arsenal are playing at the same time.  Will it appear rude if I keep on dashing off to the loo to sneakily peer at the score.

12 and 15 year old children are sitting quietly in front of the television about to watch a DVD.  There's been a request for popcorn and I love the convenience of microwave popcorn so that's a task easily done.  And once they are munching and watching at least that will be some respite from the noise.  They have been so noisy today.  I think that now the sun has shown it's face they have spent so much time outdoors today (no bad thing) that their voices have really echoed and rebounded around the house.

Texas Cornbread

Well we've gone American - not quite back to my roots (my are from up north I believe - Yorkshire) with a large dollop of South African in but decided to do something different for dinner.  The children are always complaining 'same-old, same-old' so decided to resort to an alternative to putting a sock in it and make something different (that's not to say I don't experiment in the kitchen just perhaps not as much as I'd like to).  Anyway, sourced this recipe in one of my numerous cookbooks - I LOVE COOKBOOKS - and decided to give it a go.  Bought the cornmeal, buttermilk and searched high and low for creamed corn (couldn't find the stuff so resorted to normal corn) and whipped it up in two stages.  Cooked the mince and onions last night in preparation and when I came home today completed and compiled the dish.  Served it with a mixed leaf and tomato salad and even if I say so myself, it's not bad at all.  So I'm really quite pleased I've found an alternative to my usual fail safe weekday meals, especially as I nearly always try to ensure that I have at least 1 frozen portion of mince and onions in the freezer in case of pure chaos and lack of time.

My knitting nancy endeavour with the beads has temporarily gone out the window.  The knitting nancy seems to have a dip in it at every peg and seeing as the wire is quite fine it falls quite close to the dip so I need to source another knitting nancy.  In the meantime seeing as I took all the time to thread the beads onto the wire I am currently crocheting a thin beaded bracelet and I must say, I quite like the colours.

Anyway, more later as need to take 4 legged friend for a walk. 
Love jayjay

JayJay's Jewels: The benefits of those jewellery tools

JayJay's Jewels: The benefits of those jewellery tools: "I knew they would come in handy on more than one occassion - son of 15 years has just come downstairs with his automatic light timer for our..."

The benefits of those jewellery tools

I knew they would come in handy on more than one occassion - son of 15 years has just come downstairs with his automatic light timer for our resident gecko - Joey.  For lvoe nor money the pin to set the timer could not be removed by hand.  However, clever mum (ME!!) thought of those nifty jewellery pliers and equipped with spectacles to aid vision and an array of tools before you could blink I had removed the pin from the automatic timer.  'Oh, that was a good idea' son of 15 years announces.  'I knew you could do it mum'  Ahhh, you've got to love them.
more later jayjay

Charm bracelet

Well charm bracelet (or more to the point should I say bracelets) have turned out really well.  Sorted out the beads having decided I would go with a green and pink combination and placed them onto the headpins as per instructions.  Using the tools and I must say the tools are necessary, I cut each headpin to an approximate size with the wire ends pinging everywhere in the living room before I perfected a way to stop them shooting all over the place.  Then having twisted and placed jump rings onto the now curled headpins I could then attach them to the bracelet.  But in the process daughter of 12 having seen my endeavour then decided that she needed one too so I suddenly found myself making 2 charm bracelets.  Lucky I bought more beads in the beginning - I think I was slightly over zealous in the shop.  I really think charm bracelets are the way to go, a sort of instant pleasure at the finished product and perhaps, having always had a charm bracelet, a special sterling silver one when I was younger, maybe I have a soft spot for them.  But there is so much you can do and add on to make a charm bracelet individual and unique, the colour scheme and themes are endless and with a little tweeking perhaps I can incorporate a little wire curling and twisting to make those beads look just a little more special.  I think I need to master the various tools first - so one step at a time. 

Homemade ice-cream consumed almost before it had a chance to freeze.  Really is a fail safe recipe for homemade ice-cream though the calorie content must be absolutely horrific.  Still, pure indulgence is often called for and after a hard slog of twisting head pins and attaching jump rings it was definitely called for.  In some ways I might as well have eaten a whole carton of double cream and a tin of condensed milk but somehow it doesn't have the same appeal.  Joey (our resident gecko) has just had a new supply of crickets brought into the house.  I nearly forgot I had them in the car when I went to fetch 12 year old from her theatre club and tossed handbag onto the backseat where crickets in tub were residing.  Luckily chaos didn't reign as tub remained intact even though I think both the crickets and myself got a shock from the action.  Phew!!  The thought of 50 or more loose crickets hopping around my little green mobile doesn't appeal somehow, especially as dusk was falling at the time and trying to spot them would have been more than challenging.

Next jewellery challenge is to attempt something with what I refer to as a knitting nancy.  I have seen a article showing how you can incorporate the beads while knitting using this mechanism so sounds like fun and relatively easy to manage.  New dinner attempt is going to be texan cornbread.  A recipe I have seen using mince beef, cornmeal and sweetcorn..... who knows what it will turn out like but the children are permanently requesting something new.  Maybe this is the way to make them stop.

More later once I have my knitting nancy up and running.  I think I will do a dummy run with that old favourite (rather disgustingly coloured) ball of wool which I used in my previous knitting attempt.  I must not, however, forget that I have a book to read for the up and coming book club.  Time must not be allowed to run away with me!!
Love jayjay

Blueberries

Well knitted bangle finally completed, lobster clasp and all even though 15 year old son responded "What real one!!??" when I mentioned I was using a lobster clasp.  It was a bit tricky to fit but with a little manipulation achieved result.  In the meantime following a visit to the dump (to get rid of old barbeque that had completely disintegrated - a complaint to the manufacturer warranted I feel), 15 year old son returned bearing gift of 2 blueberry plants to put in the garden.  Now more research is needed as to the best positioning for the plant, want soil and other additional products needed in order to ensure blueberry plants grow.  Picture to follow once planted in garden. 

In the meantime while 12 year old daughter makes biscuits in the kitchen, 15 year old enters living room with favourite lunchtime meal - pasta with baked beans (just doesn't have the right ring to me).  He earlier entered the house having had a water balloon backfire and soak himself rather than his target - supposedly he's not very good at tying knots.  I don't think I'll enlist him to help me with my craft projects then.

I now need to contemplate what my next creative endeavour will be.  More knitting? An attempt at crochet (and that really will be an attempt), using the old fashioned knitting nancy, or do I get my newly purchased jewellery toolkit out and try something more wire based.  Regardless will think about it while I get my paperwork done for work tomorrow - not necessarily the best mother's day pasttime but it's got to be done.

Cricket is on the telly, Arsenal let the supporters down and surely, surely things can only get better.  Anyway, daughter of 12 wants me to check out her bread crumb consistency for the biscuits because she says it's just not coming together.  More later.  Love jayjay

Beaded Bracelet - It's finished

Well mad or not I stayed up until 1.30am determined to finish knitting this bracelet (which turns out to be a bangle) - I should have read the instructions more clearly in the beginning.  Really pleased to say that the finished bangle does look like a bangle (so that's a result in itself) but I think I would probably choose a different colour scheme next time as the brown beads don't really seem to show up on the brown wire.

Anyway, today is Mother's Day and I was woken up by 12 year old daughter giving me breakfast in bed (cold toast I might add) but it's amazing how good cold toast can taste depending on the circumstances and trust it it tasted really GOOD.  Lovely Mother's Day card too written in by daughter and son though when I asked 15 year old son whether he wrote in the card he looked at me completely blank and had to run upstairs to verify that it was his hand-writing in the card.  It was PHEW - I wasn't going mad I thought I could recognise my son's handwriting.

Anyway back to the bangle.  Have now got the challenge of fitting jump rings and lobster clasp to the bangle.  Really quite logical as it wouldn't stay on my wrist otherwise.  I think I will take my large 4 legged friend for a walk and then attempt that challenge.  More later.  love jayjay

Beaded Bracelet cont'd

Disaster, trying to juggle more than one thing.  Daughter was wanting to get me to read out ingredients for brownie and then later macaron recipe while I was ambitiously trying to knit.  I know we women can multi-task but sometimes just a little too much too soon.  Anyway, all my stitches fell off my knitting needle and try as I might I couldn't get 7 stitches back on, regardless of how many times I tried to pick them up.  I also ended up with 6.  Where did that 7th stitch go I wonder.  Anyway, I decided, in pure frustration, to pull the whole lot out and start again.  Which I have now done so it's pretty much back to the beginning.  I will say however that the second attempt at knitting looks more uniform and perhaps it is 2nd time lucky.  Having said that I have only knitted two rows so far.  But on the plus side brownies look good, oh so good so trip to corner shop well worthwhile.  Just wish I could say the same for the macarons.  They look more than slightly peculiar.  Still, tey were a first attempt so will put those on the back burner and try again.  Daughter is now making speedy home-made ice-cream with verbal supervision from me.  I am going to try and upload a few photographs on my blog page....Help!! and then go back to trying to finish knitting my bracelet.  In the meantime, just hope Arsenal manage to pull a win out of their hats.  More soon.  Love jayjay

Beaded Bracelet Part 2

Well, the beads look good on the wire.  I've found a tutorial on the net and after a little trial and error with some old wool I found in the attic, I have now mastered the art of casting on.  Competent with the wool I then progressed to putting it to the real test, knitting with the wire.  This proved easier said than done initially and I found that manipulating the 3mm wire quite tricky and I ended up with the stitches everywhere except on the knitting needle.  Still, I persevered and I finally achieved 7 stitches on the needle and I proceeded to knit.  I can currently boast that I have knitted 8 rows without further hitch (though it doesn't look anything like the final product illustration) and I have knitted 6 rows with the beads incorporated.  Hopefully by the end of the weekend I will be able to share the final product with you.  In the meantime, daughter of 12 years has just come into the room announcing that she wants to make chocolate brownies but .... no chocolate in the house so will have to make a quick dash to our closest shop to equip the budding baker with chocolate so that we can all indulge in brownies later.  More on bracelet and brownies later, don't worry I won't be mixing them together.  Love jayjay

jayjay's jewels: Beaded Bracelet Part 2

jayjay's jewels: Beaded Bracelet Part 2: "Well, the beads look good on the wire. I've found a tutorial on the net and after a little trial and error with some old wool I found ..."

jayjay's jewels: Beaded bracelet Part 1

jayjay's jewels: Beaded bracelet Part 1: "Well, first part of the task completed. I've had to thread all the tiny beads onto the wire in order to enable to get me started with ..."

jayjay's jewels: Beaded bracelet Part 1

jayjay's jewels: Beaded bracelet Part 1: "Well, first part of the task completed. I've had to thread all the tiny beads onto the wire in order to enable to get me started with ..."

Beaded bracelet Part 1

Well, first part of the task completed.  I've had to thread all the tiny beads onto the wire in order to enable to get me started with the knitting.  First things first, I realised that my eyesight was letting me down and I had to get my glasses on so that I could concentrate on the finer detail.  Bliss, now I can see again I thought as I slowly and painstakingly threaded all the beads onto the wire.  I must admit, the wire/bead colour combination looks quite good and just wrapped around the tube the beading looks quite satisfying.  Obviously it's the little things in life that please me.  I have also realised that I don't have the right sized knitting needles.  The required size is 3.25mm and the closest I have is 3.75mm (what's 0.50mm) between friends (or wire and beads in this case).  Anyway, I've decided to give it a go with these needles as a first attempt and if it works and looks relatively okay after the fact I will splash out and buy another pair of needles.  The only problem now is that I can't remember how to cast on!!!  Knit I can do but cast on seems to be the problem.  Will have to see if I can find a tutorial on the net to bring me up to speed.  Bear with me, I'll let you know how I progress.  More later with hopefully a profile picture and pictures of my attempt to follow.  Love jayjay

jayjay's jewels: 1st April 2011 - Day 1 HELP!!!!

jayjay's jewels: 1st April 2011 - Day 1 HELP!!!!: "Today is April Fool's Day - not perhaps the best day to start a blog but as the saying goes .... nothing ventured I'm venturing into the unk..."

1st April 2011 - Day 1 HELP!!!!

Today is April Fool's Day - not perhaps the best day to start a blog but as the saying goes .... nothing ventured I'm venturing into the unknown.  I have always viewed myself as completely uncreative and uncrafty but everyone says that there is a creative side to everyone so I'm going to attempt to tap into my creative skills. I would like to invite you to come along with me and try some of my attempts at home too.  Who knows.  Maybe we can get creative together.  I have just received a jewellery kit bought from an online store where I am going to attempt to knit a bracelet with wire.  I am hoping that my knitting skills, not very good I might add, will be remembered as I attempt this kit.  I can vaguely remember knitting at primary school, I attended a convent school in South Africa, but I also recall my mother often finishing off the projects I was meant to be doing.  So here goes.  The kit is for a knitted bangle, the illustration looks beautiful and full instructions are enclosed so surely even I can do it.  Anyway, this is my first blog, I've got to get ready for work now but more later.  See you soon.  Love jayjay