Stitching and cooking, not in equal measure

I've had a sewing machine for about 5 years. Saturday was the first time it has been turned on in those years. Admittedly for a good portion of that time, I had misplaced the foot pedal... I have moved house 3 times since acquiring the machine, and seemingly only took parts of it with me. I searched ALL the boxes I hadn't unpacked and it wasn't there. So I checked the ONE box I knew it wasn't in, and lo, it was there. So, I asked my aunty (who my sister will attest is an amazing woman, an incredible role model who could build a log cabin from scratch and then furnish it for you) to give me a sewing lesson. And she obliged. So, Sunday, and my Aunty came, ready for my lesson. I set up the machine (after 10 minutes trying to find the illusive foot pedal - I'd put it somewhere safe after I found it, and subsequently lost it again), read through the instructions and settled at the table, ready to thread the machine. But no! No bobbin. I had EVERYTHING needed except that. My bobbins were in fact in storage - one of the few things I hadn't removed from my Dad's house during my various moves, and he had put it into storage while having his house renovated. Curses. So, we went on a bobbin hunt. Tesco, no joy. Rymans, no joy. TJ Huges, no joy. Aldi - full sewing machine - possibly a little OTT just for a 20p bobbin. So, trek back up to my aunty's house (a good 15 minute drive from me). But finally, bobbin joy.From then on, the lesson was productive, informative and enjoyable. And now, I just need to practice getting a straight line, then I can feather my cap some more! And with perfect timing, my lovely hairy-faced man bought me this....

Happy days! Lots of lovely projects to get stuck in to!

I think it might have been a thank you for the meat and veg pie I made for him the other day. My first attempt at pie... I'm hoping to be more home-focused... Making my home nice, cooking more, crafting more, that sort of thing!

I know the heart is a bit twee, but I had spare pastry... Incidentally, I hate making pastry. I'm pleased that I can, and because I know I can, I think its reasonable for me to buy ready-made stuff from now on. Is this acceptable?!

I haven't done any more crafting since my last post, but I have been cooking a lot. In addition to my pie I have made 2 lots of banana bread (a hairy-face favourite), cannelloni, and what I like to call 'pasta-quiche' (something I keep insisting my sister make, because it is yum-scrum).

Cook pasta and leave to one side

Chop onion, mushrooms, peppers, bacon, chicken (or whatever you would normally put in a quiche), and cook until soft

Beat 3 eggs together with a dash of milk and some salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a greased quiche dish

Cover with some grated cheese

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes

Serve hot or cold, it sits well in old tummy tumkins. Mmm-mm!

This week I have been working the late shift, so my evenings are painfully cut short. It makes me grumpy. I'd much rather finish work at 4 and have hours and hours to while away on crafts and cooking and lovely things. Stupid work getting in my way. Ah well, back on 8-4s in a week and a half... Roll on February 7th! I'll be much more productive then!

Anyway, that's all for now.

Toodles

Peg*

xxx

I though I would have a go at this, as my oldest sister (www.daffodilsanddandelions.blogspot.com) is fast becoming a huge fan and recommended I set up my own blog to spread the word about me and my crafting creations...

Introductions first...
My name is Leonie (or Leonie-Grace if you're checking my birth certificate!), although no-one apart from my Nan (on my Dad's side) calls me that. My dad and my brother call me Pin, although no-one can remember why any more... My biggest sister, her hubby and 2 children call me Peggy/Peg/Pegster, depending on how good a mood they are in. My other sister calls me Onion, my Grandad calls me Ionie, some of my uncles call me Nooch, some of my aunties call me Oonie (I say some of because I have 30 or so of each!), my Nan on my Mum's side calls me Amie (the name of one of my cousins, but I always know when she means me - maybe because she calls my cousin Amie 'Mary', who is another of my cousins, who she calls Kerry, who is another of my cousins... I have 30 odd cousins, so you can see where this is going), my friends call me Loni, my boyfriend Jake (who I call Boyfriend) calls me Girlfriend and my parrot calls me Cheeky Good Boy. I live in Cheshire with the previously mentioned boyfriend and parrot and I like to craft!

I have a love of fimo (I say fimo as it's quicker to write than Polymer Clay, and fimo is readily available in my town so that's what I use most, but I'm not a clay snob). I make pretty much anything you can think of - cards for any occasion, door signs, plaques for special occasions, cake toppers, jewellery (although that is still a fairly new addition to my repertoire), Christmas decorations, key rings, small ornaments. Just not faces...

I will be adding more shortly, (possible even later today), but just for right now I'll say goodbye!

Peg*