She's back!

I went and picked up my sewing machine on Saturday... Hoorah! I was so pleased to see it, I gave it a little kiss!


I got cracking with some sewing. Firstly a bit of housework... a pillowcase for M, and another round of flags for the never-ending-bunting project, taking the current count to 100 exactly - just 50 to go.



And then I got going on my Christmas list. I'm lucky in that I can share my Christmas sewing on here as I go along as most of my family are unaware of the blog at the moment.





One of my little sisters is getting quite into sewing, and so I thought a pin cushion and needle case set would be the thing. I can't tell you how much pleasure I got from sewing these little pieces. It has been long overdue.

The other thing that happened over the weekend was Carnival. Here in the West Country there is carnival season where floats are paraded around many of the towns. Each float represents a carnival club who spend all year making their float in top secret.

It is a serious business! The photos don't do it justice and should be seen to be believed.

The members of each carnival club dress up on their themed floats. Either in a tableau, like the Mozart one above, or dancing to the (very) loud music, like on the devil themed float below.

And as we live on the carnival route, we can watch all this from the comfort of our living room!

Kitchen Poetry: Sunday (on Tuesday - whoops)

I have really enjoyed taking part in kitchen poetry, so a big thanks to simple sparrow for suggesting it. I am afraid I lost it with the regular posting at the end there. Oh dear, never mind, just as well there is no blog police!

I rang about my sewing machine today and the shop who are servicing it for me still have it (ready to come back to me) but are waiting for more than one reason to come and deliver it back. They have had it for 3 weeks now and I am going a little potty. M and I might have endure the 2 hour round trip to collect it or no body will be getting any Christmas pressies at this rate!

Kitchen Poetry: Saturday (a bit late)

So yesterday was the big mezze cook off. We had a lovely day cooking in the kitchen. The fruits of our labour shown below.

Naturally, I was too full to post this last night.

Flatbreads, olives, falafel, tzatziki, tomato and aubergine dip, broad bean salad, houmous, filo and spinach triangles, kofte kebabs, grilled halloumi, tabbouleh. We didn't make the houmous or olives, but everything else. phew!

Kitchen Poetry: Friday

Sorry about yesterdays post! Perhaps a little bit cranky? This daily blogging business is new to me, and I guess it shows your true emotions.

So, for Fridays entry. I did have something else in mind, but Mr Elastic was insistent about show and telling his collection of tinned fish...

How could I resist?

Kitchen Poetry: Thursday

I am very stressed out. The full reasons I will no doubt share at some point. Maybe something to do with the whole house being covered in a fine layer of black dust - right down to the top of all the picture frames and the toilet seat, and also the fabulous prospect of having the entire roof taken off in a matter of weeks... yes. that means no roof in December... Joy.

Rant over, down to the evenings Kitchen Poetry:



Mr Elastic's mise-en-place. I assure you he did this off his own back... no rearranging for the camera (obviously just another day in the Elastic household!).


The main event: Chinese Pork Stir-fry with rice.

And sideboard of general mayhem. These silver(ish) pots are out to try and persuade me to polish them. They will probably be there for another few days before I get round to it. There is also some shampoo and conditioner from today's shop waiting to go upstairs, the local paper, some junk mail, and a Mediterranean cookbook to seek inspiration for our big Saturday night cook up... We had a disappointing Meze last weekend and have been talking of nothing but rectifying this disappointment all week. The menu is being fine tuned.

Night night, over and out.

Kitchen Poetry: Wednesday

Tonights dinner... spicy potato cakes (made with last nights left over mash - don't you just love left over mash?) with spinach and mushroom daal.

Yum Scrum.

Kitchen Poetry: Tuesday

So seeing as my sewing machine is still at the doctors, I thought it would be fun to get involved in an un-sewing-related blog topic. I was inspired by simple sparrow to join her kitchen poetry week. This is a week of taking a picture of happenings in your kitchen and posting this on your blog - sorry, I am a day late starting.

So this evening (camera in hand) I ventured into the kitchen to see what there was there to inspire a picture, maybe the bangers and mash that was to be plated imminently, but no. My walking into the kitchen (camera in hand) clearly inspired Mr Elastic to behave like silly buggers. This was the first picture I took and, I thought, one that ticked all the Kitchen Poetry boxes.