A weed is only a flower in the wrong place!

All of a sudden the garden has come alive!

Here are some of the Weeds! Hhm! Wildflowers!

Primroses

Bluebells

The only Daisy patch in the lawn
so whoever mows the lawns mows round it!
It actually survived the snow!

Periwinkle

Celandine which grows wild in the lawn!

A pink Primrose

Dandelions which I pick regularly

for my friends Tortoises

These sweet blue flowers grown in the lawn

Herb Robert

It's come around again.........

My Birthday!

My cards from family and friends

Flowers from my sons

My birthday cake
Erhmmmmm do I have to act my age?
It's...................53

Chocolate Cup Cakes

Recipe
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, gas 4
Weigh 2 or 3 eggs, then weigh the Butter, Flour and Sugar

to the same weight,

then remove one desert-spoon of flour

and add one desert-spoon of cocoa powder
Beat the Butter and Sugar together until pale in colour
Beat the eggs then add slowly to the butter and sugar mixture
Gently fold in the flour and cocoa powder.
Divide the mixture equally between the cake cases and cook.
Test to see if cooked with a skewer after about 15 - 20 minutes

When cool

For the topping,
mix 5ozs cream cheese,

1ozs softened unsalted butter,
3ozs sifted icing sugar

2 teaspoons drinking Chocolate

mixed to a paste with 2 teaspoons water
and teaspoon orange essence (optional) until smooth.
spread on top of the cakes

Don't be scared to do this.........BUT.........

WARNING:

Please Please Please

don't do this with antique samplers.

Let the professionals clean those.

And certainly do don't do this with any

old or modern tapestry stitched with wool

they will shrink!

I don't use an embroidery ring or frame unless I have to, as I personally find them difficult to use and rings sometimes leave a mark. I recommend that you do whatever you are happy with. With tablecloths and trays cloths I pick up from bootfairs and flea markets I treat then as shown in the pictures below, but make sure the fabric hasn't started to rot. Give the fabric a gentle tug in various places if it tears easily it has started to rot.

Finished piece

Pin or tack into a laundry bag


Put into the washing machine,
(my piece went in with the towels on a quick
wash at 40 degrees, modern threads
Coats & DMC can be washed at 95 degrees
check the labels!)
just make sure the items it goes in with
colours that do not run otherwise you will
have to start the embroidery again!

When washing cycle is finished,

take the embroidery out of the laundry bag,

do not dry but

lay on a flat surface, ironing board or floor

on a couple of towels and press.

Finished embroidery
(the colours look so much brighter)

The Train....................

now standing on platform 1 is.........................

The above photograh is courtesy of David & Jane Bates

for Dunster, Blue Anchor, Watchet,

Williton, Stogumber,

Crowcombe Heathfield, Bishops Lydeard

You see this view when you alight the train!

Rocky Road

This is my version...........

400grms Milk Chocolate ~ Melt in a basin over hot water

Do not allow the water to splash into the chocolate

and be careful of the hot water

(the only exact measurement - because it is pre-weighed!)

Add about a third of a packet of
broken very plain sweet biscuits

(I use Rich Tea) Add a few Marshmallow Sweets

Do not let them melt too much

(cut smaller if too large)

Few Cranberries and Blueberries
(Use any dried fruit - I find these just take the sweetness away)

Few Glace Cherries

(chop or leave whole)

Line a loaf tin with a cake liner or Cling Film

Tip the mixture into loaf tin and put into the

refridgerator until cooled

ROCKY ROAD!

Quack Quack

Two little ducks

Body ~

Cast on 39 Stitches

Row 1 - Knit

Row 2 - Knit 1, increase in next stitch, Knit 13 , increase in next stitch, knit 7, increase in next stitch, knit 12, increase in next stitch, Knit 2. (43 Stitches)

Row 3 - Knit

Row 4 - Knit 1, increase in next stitch, Knit 15 , increase in next stitch, knit 7, increase in next stitch, knit 14, increase in next stitch, Knit 2. (47 Stitches)
Row 5 - Knit

Row 6 - Knit 1, increase in next stitch, Knit 17 , increase in next stitch, knit 7, increase in next stitch, knit 16, increase in next stitch, Knit 2. (51 Stitches)
Row 7- Knit

Row 8 - Knit 1, increase in next stitch, Knit 19 , increase in next stitch, knit 7, increase in next stitch, knit 18, increase in next stitch, Knit 2. (55 Stitches)
Knit 16 Rows

Next Row - Knit 10, cast off 11 stitches, Knit 12 stitches, cast off 11 stitches, Knit 9 stitches

Next Row - Knit 10 stitches, slip the centre 13 stitches onto a thread, Knit 10 (20 stitches)

Knit 4 rows on these 20 stitches

*Cast off 2 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows

Knit 2 rows*

Repeat from * to * till 8 stitches)

Cast off

Rejoin yarn and knit 13 stitches from the thread

Next row - increase in each stitch (26 stitches)

Knit 12 rows

Next Row Knit 2 together *Knit 1, Knit 2 together, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, Knit 3 (19 stitches)

Next Row - Knit

Next Row - (Knit 2 together) 9 times Knit 1 (10 stitches)

Break a long length of yarn and thread through the stitches and secure, and sew seam down back of head, along body and up the tail. Leave base open. Stuff. Thread yarn through neck and gather slightly.

Base

Cast on 10 stitches

Next row - increase in first stitch, knit to last two stitches, increase in next stitch K1 (12 stitches)

Next Row - Knit

Repeat these two rows till 16 stitches

Knit 5 rows

Next Row - Knit together, knit to last two stitches, knit 2 together

Next Row - Knit

Repeat these last two rows till 10 stitches

Cast off.

Sew into open base of body

Wings (make two)

Cast on 14 stitches

Knit 2 rows

Next Row - Increase in first stitch, knit to end (15 stitches)

Next Row - Knit

Next Row - Increase in first stitch, knit to end (16 stitches)

Next row - Knit 2 together, cast off 3stitches, knit to end (12 stitches)

Next row - Increase in first stitch, knit to end (13 stitches)

Next Row - Knit

Next Row - Increase in first stitch, Knit 10 stitches, Knit together

Next Row - Cast off three stitches, Knit to end (10 titches)

Knit 2 rows

Next Row - Knit1, Knit 2 together, Knit to end (9 stitches)

Next Row - Knit

Next Row - Knit 1, Knit 2 together, Knit 4, Knit together (7 stitches)

Cast off. Sew on sides of the body

Beak

Measure yarn at least 24" (60 cm) Cast on 4 stitches leaving the long tail

*Knit 2 rows

Next Row - Knit 2, Knit 2 together

Next Row - Knit 1 Knit 2 together (2 stitches)

Next Row - Knit

Next Row - Knit 2 together fast off*

With long piece of yarn pick up four stitches from cast on edge and repeat from * to *

Fold beak in half sew through centre to face

Embroider eyes