Wild and Woolly

Cupcakes and cardigans

Earlier in the week, I made cakes to take in to the staff room for my birthday, but my kids, who had been hoping for leftovers, missed out because they were all eaten! So, I made these cupcakes from the Hummingbird Bakery Recipe Book, for them coming in from school today. These are proper American style cupcakes, not English fairy cakes. When filling the (muffin-size) cases, it seems as if there isn't enough cake mixture to go round the twelve holes, but the batter rises beautifully and perfectly, leaving just enough room for the cream cheese frosting on top. They are absolutely delicious.

I can also recommend the carrot cake from the same book (one of the cakes I took into school) - one of my colleagues said it was the best she had ever eaten!  I'll have to take her word for it, because I didn't get a chance to sample it!

Things have been very quiet on the knitting front, but today I bought some lovely Rowan Felted Tweed ready to start on Ysolda Teague's little smocked cardigan, Coraline. I'm just at the swatching stage - WIP photos to come.

Birthday Blog

Well, I haven't blogged for ages and I don't quite know what happened!  We went away on holiday in August and before I knew it we were back at school and I got caught up in all the things there are to do at the start of a new school year.  Anyway, today is my birthday and it seemed a good opportunity to sit down and take stock and catch up.

Hatty's picture of me blowing out my candles (count them!!)

Back in August we had a great holiday camping, first in the Swiss Alps, near to the French border, and then in the south of France - both places we know well and love going back to.

There was cool mountain air, steep climbs, picnics by rock pools with icy water to dip your toes in; wild flowers, butterflies, beetles; cheese, chocolate, coffee in auberges. Above all, it was quiet, peaceful and our hosts at the little campsite were warmly hospitable, as always.

The Alpes-Maritimes region of France was hot. So we explored less energetically - art galleries, villages with narrow shady and cobbled streets, markets that sold everything but most, importantly, food! And, being France, you can try before you buy.

And, I finally got to visit La Droguerie in Nice -  a wonderful old-fashioned emporium of wools, buttons, beads, trimmings, Liberty fabrics.  The length of time queuing for help and to pay were also old-fashioned but worth it, and I came away with stuff to make a Liberty scarf, a necklace kit or three and the Mes Accessoires Signes: La Droguerie book of patterns for scarves, mittens, bags, knitted flowers etc.  I think it is the yarn and colour choices which make the designs look so chic and 'French'.

And now last, but by no means least, I must thank my 'Secret Pal' (Lena) for all the beautiful packages she has been sending me from Sweden.  She really has a talent for picking out the perfect gifts. Here are the last two parcels:

there is beautiful Mirasol yarn (Hacho and Sulka), books about Swedish cookery and Scandinavian 'domino' knitting, a Henning Mankel thriller, a pretty notebook, divine chocolate in little mini bars. Thank you, Lena, so much - I have enjoyed everything and the beautiful cards which accompany eavh parcel!