This should have been titled "shattered". A busy day here today. I spent the morning baking (I have had an order for vegan cakes and this clashes with the Fair so I am trying to get them all done/in the freezer before the start of the Fair. I am not happy with vegan recipes - trying new-to-me recipes is not good - one today turned out not much more than an inch thick, yet I used a smaller baking tin than suggested. Not wanting to waste good ingredients (and of course it's totally edible, just not very filling as I am catering for 16 each time), I made some Sugar Biscuits to back it up. They should have had an egg in, so I substituted flax/water mix. They baked up a bit cakey . . . I can see I will have to keep experimenting until things turn out to my satisfaction. At least the Chocolate Apple Cake (a well used recipe, which requires no eggs) was deep and as it should be. There was a mountain of washing up with this too, plus two oily trays from yesterday's roast.
I went and watered in the greenhouse as it got to 16+ degrees C today. I sowed Cucumbers yesterday, and put my Monarda seedlings into pots. Also sowed Borage. My Farmer Gracey order arrived today, so those will go to soak for 3 - 6 hrs in the morning.
This afternoon I pushed myself and wallpapered the window wall, and little slips behind the radiators. Totally Joe Bodgit as I wasn't in the mood and the bits behind the radiator are hardly seen and I used leftover cuts which look fine. I am now round the corner on the far end. I took down the falling-to-bits curtain rail and have put the lovely William Morris Golden Lily curtains which I will wash and pass on as I have no use for them here as they don't fit any other windows. Next I have to work out how to put up the new curtain rail. I even set to and washed the windows inside whilst I was at it because they were grubby. I will have to get the outside windows cleaned by my window cleaner next door neighbour.
Right, Wonderwool:
This was a patchwork stand with lots of hexi project kits. I loved this kit but stayed my hand, thinking I could probably do the bird myself and can certainly make hexi's and embroider beads on. There were some kits with choirboys on - their heads were made of half a dozen teensy hexi's the size of your thumbnail - not for me!
Of course, I got my Luna Lapin book out the moment I got back. NOW I have a reason to make her, and bought the felt for her several years back when I got the book. The kits for her friends and her clothing weren't cheap though.
One of the stunning patchwork pictures by textile artist Josie Russell, who I follow in Facebook. She has them made into prints, cards, cushions, Jigsaws, place mats, coasters etc too. She's very talented. I bought Jon one of her printed cushions of Aberystwyth for Christmas one year.
There were umpteen stands with deliciously coloured wools to tempt us. Tam bought two lovely yarns to knit for Rosie with.
Tam loved this waistcoat.
Kantha stitched jackets and throws. Tam bought a bum bag here.
This was a felt shoe stand (you bought the "ingredients" to make your own, and these felt bits were to decorate with.
Some people had dressed up specially - love the knitted "horns" on the hat of the lady on the left.
This suggests that the Fair was a great success - these are bags stuffed full of purchases, being kept in the Creche whilst their owners bought MORE!
So, if you ever get tempted to come to Wonderwool, you can see there is plenty to keep you amused and to part you with your hard-earned cash!!
