Poppy, guardian of the sewing machine.

Apple crumble...pure comfort food.

 Looking back on a week in which I have waved 24 owls off to Newcastle,  an emergency food parcel to Cheltenham, closed my Facebook orderbook and rediscovered fishfinger sandwiches.  And now,  inspired by my mum's Sunday dinner, the sweet smell of apple and cinnamon is wafting round, as a crumble cooks in the oven.  Apple crumble - pure comfort food!

Cinnamon is said to be the happy spice - said to lift spirits.  Well, maybe it's the cinnamen, maybe it's the fairylights - or maybe it's knowing that I'm no longer behind on my orders - but I'm feeling very relaxed.
And happier now that I know my 20 year old son has food in his cupboards again, after the bank took a sudden interest in a depleted and beyond student bank account!  And how good are Tesco?  Order in Swansea, deliver to Cheltenham, all within 24 hours and all for £3.50!!!  

This afternoon I listed Petunia on Folksy.  Or all the owls I have made, Petunia is a definite favourite.  I love the delicate colour palette, and she's very appealing.   As is my apple crumble :)

http://folksy.com/items/3850014-Small-owl-cushion-Petunia

Move over, owls...

Sometimes, I feel my home is being taken over by owls. Owls in various stages of production, draped decoratively over tables, the ironing board...in trees.  
Waking up today,  peering out at the winter sky and my first thought was  ''What a great day for photographing owls!''  And not the feathery kind,  now that would be understandable.  Oh no - my owls are floral or tweed or bedecked in tartan, and photographing them involves conifer trees or blankets draped on chairs...all in broad daylight,  usually in pyjamas.  That's me in pyjamas, not the owls.  Now that would be silly!
Much as I love owls, I have wanted to make a fox for a while, but have been snowed under with orders.   
However, I have now cracked the owl backlog, so after a very productive rummage amongst bolts of gorgeous, autumnal, woollen fabrics I have made my first fox cushion!  I love the contrast of the orange fox against the burgundy background, and am now working on a snoozy fox, all curled up, with his head resting on his bushy tail.       Move over, owls!

http://folksy.com/items/3828670-Baby-Fox-cushion-

Life skills.

My son has reached the grand old age of 20.  He can travel solo to Australia and is captain of the university tennis team.  He has lived away from home for the past two years, but if there is one thing that fills him with dread, it is the cooker.  Below is a conversation we had yesterday night.  The subject was gnocci, that complicated, italian food which requires four minutes simmering in water on the hob...

• Josh Eves

  I couldn't work the hob, so I boiled a kettle, kept filling the saucepan and then draining it when the next kettle boiled. Did that a few times. Haha. And microwaved cheese sauce for it too! Ha.
• 

  12:56am

  Sarah Eves

  was it cooked?

  why could't you work the hob???
• 

  12:56am

  Josh Eves

  Of course!
• 

  1:36am

  Josh Eves

  Couldn't light the hob, will get lessons off my flatmates. 

  
  

  
  

  Oh my, oh my, oh my !!!

Desperately seeking...Hector.

Well, it appears that Hector has yet to reach the Knutsford depot.  Although I'm basing that on Mystic Andy at the depot,  who informed me that he knew Hector hadn't arrived as he hadn't been scanned.  Not scanned?  Hector is recorded mail, which means the only tracking available is a computer generated number to show he was posted (Llanrhidian), and a signature at his destination address to prove he was delivered.  Royal Mail, I am cross!!!  But Mystic Andy has assured me that if I ring again tomorrow they will have a better idea of where Hector is.  Really???  Needle in a haystack springs to mind,  but for now I have faith  in Mystic Andy.   

And the update on Hector?  He arrived!!!  Safe and sound, my faith restored in Royal Mail.

The quirks of Royal Mail...

Pondering.  In the last three days I have sent out ten parcels.  By the law of averages they won't all arrive on time, but what of the three I sent out Monday morning?  The two second class parcels arrived today, whereas first class Hector is still in transit!!!  Languishing in a depot somewhere, awaiting delivery. 
And I am left wondering.  In 2012, is there really any difference between first and second class post, aside from cost?  

Diversifying.

Today is a lazy day.  On the sofa, bowl of cheerios in hand,  I am trying to muster up the enthusiasm to finish Scarlett while  ignoring the splatter of hailstones falling down the chimney.  6pm, but feeling much later.  Not a big fan of winter.

 I love my owls, but my shop is missing small, impulse buy items;  items that are (relatively) quick to make and can sell for under £10.  I think £10 is a cut off price for impulse buys,  and it would add variety.  So I  have been experimenting with gadget cases, and will soon be an expert on phone dimensions, ipod dimensions,  kindles.  So many gadgets, makes my one solitary phone look quite minimal, never having owned an ipod or a kindle.  
But what I do own is a hot water bottle...a beautiful, moss green hot water bottle, bought from a wonderful Folksy shop called Selvage.  Yes,I have reached the age where I find hot water bottles exciting - I love hot water bottles,and Selvage does  beautiful ones!
http://folksy.com/items/2508449-knitted-hot-water-bottle
http://folksy.com/items/3778986-Snoozy-Owl-gadget-case

Oh my, oh my, oh my.

Poundland.  A treasure trove of bargains amongst the tat.  I love finding a bargain, but today I had an altercation at a till. Bip, bip, bip went the items.  £2 went the till.  I had more than two items.  As I (thought) I was handing over a £10 note, I queried the bill;  bip, bip, bip the items went again, I handed over another note and then wondered what had happened to the first one.  How could it possibly disappear??? I rummaged through my bag, my pockets...the floor - no note.  The lady on the till called a supervisor and off they disappeared to do a till check, leaving me to ponder the missing note.  For ages.  And then I realised - I hadn't had a £10 note, having spent it earlier.  Mortified...