A Quiet Week and 2 Shades of Pink

After a busy week last week involving recovery vehicles, cars, garages, oil boiler repairs, coffee dates, dog walks, dentists, and shopping, I am having a quiet week this week.

I am making no dates, seeing no friends, and except for vital dog walks and food shopping, I am going to be a total recluse.

This is because I have so much I want to do on the home front, from putting new stock in my Etsy shop and finishing the baby blanket, to putting up some spring hanging baskets and sowing some seeds, and the only way I can do that is to hole up without any distractions, and answer neither door nor phone ( I don't really mean that of course but it sounds like I mean business!).

The pink popcorn blanket has reached a crucial turning point! 

Plan A ( all pale pink flowers), finally decided upon after much pondering and inviting input from you, my lovely blogging friends, has had to be abandoned in favour of Plan B (different shades of pinks), due to circumstances beyond my control - namely, the bloomin' pink yarn I ordered (the local shop had run out where i bought the first ball) being too different a shade from the original yarn.

The yarn on the left is the original, the one in the middle is the new colder pink.

Instead of the warm, pale peachy pink of the first ball of pink, it is a much colder, more lilacy pink.

I made up a handful of squares, but which ever way I arranged them it looked totally naff, and the original plan of all over pale pink has sadly been abandoned.

So on, most rapidly as time is running short, with Plan B, which to be honest most of you preferred anyway and I really liked, but I had really wanted that simplicity of the one pink shade.

And, of course, that is what you get for not planning a project at all, but just going on a whim to make something without a pattern, without knowing how much yarn I would need, and without thinking the shop might run out.

Some new ready cut patchwork scraps arrived for a little project I have in mind for when the baby blanket is finished, and it is well on the way now but I have bored you with enough pink popcorn squares in the last few posts to show you more of the same here - next time you see it I'm hoping it will be finished or almost there.

And a new (second hand) book Zakka Style with a few interesting projects to inspire ........

............and a bunch of second-hand novels to while away the evenings when not crocheting.............I have never read any Barbara Pym, and these novels were mostly written in the 50s before she had a revival in popularity in the late 70s when she was chosen by Philip Larkin as one of the most underrated novelists of the century. Following on from this her novel Quartet in Autumn was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

I'm currently reading Jane and Prudence and really enjoying it so far - an insight into life in the 50s!.

Early Friday morning last week I squeezed in a quick visit to the Flea Market, and came away, literally, with a basket of goodies!

A large and wide basket perfect for storing balls of yarn..................

which I filled with linen and lace and other lovely vintage bits and bobs from Heather's stall... yards of a delicate pale peachy pink thick linen fabric.......some fabric with yellow roses....lots of lace and crochet pieces...............

old crochet hooks...............

some with such tiny tiny hooks, and with delicate patterns.........

all hooks for £1

and this ethnic linen traditional costume from foreign lands, with beautiful bright embroidery......Bella couldn't resist trying it on for size........it was pretty large!

I love the different coloured jewel-bright centres in the red diamond design, and it all looks hand-embroidered.......so much work

I have no idea yet what I will do with it, and it seems a shame to cut it up, but the linen is good and thick and coarse, and if I could re-use some of the lovely embroidery and give it new life.......so into the pile awaiting a revival.

beautiful crochet doilies and lace, presumably made with such tiny hooks as those I found

I came away with a filled basket, all for £12 including the basket - not a bad haul!

I meant to share the Blueberry Muffin recipe in my last post but didn't have time, so here it is. 

The muffins are yummy and moist, and usually erupt with fruit out of the top making them look quite impressive, but as I used some frozen blackberries without thawing (shock, gasp of horror!) in addition to the blueberries they sunk this time - but the cinnamony and fruity berry taste was as good as ever!

The recipe is from this favourite and reliable book - I have doubled the quantities here.

Blueberry Muffins

.....

Makes 16 - 18

8 oz plain flour

2 tbsps baking powder

5 oz soft light brown sugar

2 eggs

12 fl oz milk

6 tbsps vegetable oil

4 tsp ground cinnamon

10 oz fresh or thawed blueberries or blackberries

.....

Pre-heat oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5

Grease or line muffin tins with cases

With an electric mixer in a large bowl, beat together all ingredients except fruit until smooth.

Fold in blueberries or blackberries until evenly combined.

Spoon into prepared tins filling them about 2/3rds full.

Bake approx, 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Thank you for all your comments on my last post, and welcome to my new followers!

Have a good week!