a few bits and bobs, and due to my tardy nature i have had to upload them all in one go.

So these are some things I have made. As I have been reluctant to spend much time on the computer, I will be uploading pictures in the order they have found themselves on my computer. This may or may not be chronological. My memory is not my most reliable function, but i guess it makes no difference to the internet world either way.

I made a cross-stitch Gir, from Invader Zim, for my friend Natalie at Christmas. I didn't realise she liked Zim until we had a pub related discussion about it. She was so pleased with the picture of my cross-stitch portrait that I thought it would be perfect for her Christmas present. She put a picture on facebook of him in this frame. I was delighted. I'm so glad she likes him.








I made him by zooming into a picture so it became pixel-ated. I then mapped it out on to grid paper. and voi-la.

For my friend Lauren, I made a moustache pencil topper. I took some pictures of me using it, but i have kept them firmly locked on to my computer, as my face is not suitable for the world of the internet unless I am having a particularly lucky face day, or someone has gone to some wonderful photo-shopping efforts.

She enjoys moustaches. Well, who doesn't. But it can go on her pens and pencils, and when she has a creative block, she can choose to look like a distinguished business man, if she requires...; ideally this might lead to some other world-ly inspiration. 

This is my Sarah Dyer inspired picture of a robin wearing it. I can't work out why the picture is the wrong way round, but i'm not going to find out how to make it right. I blame internet gravity.

Also this Christmas, I assisted Waterstone's with their Christmas display. I had wanted to make a lot, but I was lacking motivation a little. Although what I had made, seemed to be enjoyed. My old colleague Jen said that people had come in asking where they could buy them. I was not sure whether she was just being super-nice (she is possibly one of the nicest people I have ever met). 

I made this knitted bunting with some lovely red and green wool  I found at  'The Stitchery'  in Lewes. I really do love it in there.  I made about forty strips, so twenty red, twenty green. I think I was just doing a basic knit. I started with ten stitches and knitted fifty lines. (I feel that this knitting explanation is very unprofessional).

It just so happened that Steve Coogan (as Alan Partridge) came in to the store a few weeks before Christmas to promote his book "We Need To Talk About Alan".

They didn't tell me that they were going to put the bunting on the cut-out they had delivered, but I was super pleased because I really enjoy the work of Mr Coogan.

I also made some penguins and a couple of Robins for them to put in the window. I made quite basic cut out shapes for the penguins. 

They kind of looked like bowling pins. Ecologically, the bigger penguin doesn't really exist. I mean it doesn't resemble a species of penguin. But that's okay. I need to work on my stitching. That's a fact. But I tend to sew when I'm watching TV too. Usually football, and I have a tendency to get a little distracted. I'm one of those people who thinks they're great at multi-tasking, but in reality is a DISASTER.

I think they fit into the display quite well. I was very proud when I walked past.







I made this one for my boyfriend's dad this christmas. I did not design on. I think I got it from the Fuck Yeah Crafts website, but I might be wrong. (I really do apologise if you see this and want to sue me for copyright, you did it, and i admit you did it). Now I feel bad, I'm going to go back in my history and find it so I can credit you. http://www.etsy.com/listing/56616912/may-the-force-be-with-you-needle-craft

So that's where I found it. My university degree has left me with a massive guilty feeling when I don't reference someone else's work. I know... it's the right thing to do.




Christmas was also full of baking. I made these cookies using up some heart chocolates I had bought earlier in the year for my boyfriend's birthday cake. I didn't take a picture of the final cookies because the hearts were all melted by then. But aren't they pretty (even if it looks like they've been in a bowl of poo - EUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH)

 This is a ring that my boyfriend made me after Christmas. He can be so clever! He has lots of information about the history of snakes eating themselves in art, but he refuses to make his own blog, and I will not tell his stories so I will not discuss that all much here. But this ring is absolutely lovely. It's from a maple - he thinks - he's just informed he can't be sure because it's winter and the tree has no leaves. So maybe I will have to update this information at some point. He's pretty good when it comes to being a sleuth wood thief. 

 AND FINALLY....
On Thursday of this week my wonderful friend Emily and her equally wonderful (and super talented) boyfriend James came over to our house. We were making dinner and we'd been organising it for SUCH a long time, that it felt like it had to be super good. Plus I missed Emily's birthday bash and I didn't half feel guilty. So I made this "cake" that I had seen on the TV on Tuesday being made by Lorraine Pascale, who I'm usually not a fan of. Anyway, I made this cake, and it was beyond decadent! I didn't take a picture of the final product because the wine was flowing and I don't feel it's appropriate to take pictures in other people's company. Anyway, there it is. Not at all, in it's glory. I would explain how I did it, but I'll leave that to Lorraine. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/winter_swiss_roll_bowl_27318

I used this vanilla brandy that I bought over christmas to dab on the Swiss Roll. It used quite a lot of ice cream, and FYI it takes a pretty long time to be able to cut into the cake after it's out of the freezer. We had to dip the knife into hot water periodically whilst trying to cut. It tasted alright though...