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Sunday 27 June 2010

Halfpenny Home visits the I make fun stuff market in Ipswich

This was the lovely message left for us by Anna today. We're really glad you like our stuff Anna, we love it too!

What a lovely day for a craft and vintage market! The bunting was out and so was the sun in Ipswich today. The Saint's Market was organised by the I make fun stuff people and Loveone who have a very lovely shop in St. Peter's Street.
Loveone were hosting the cream tea parties today, we had 'two to go' and very nice they were too - thanks to Peter and Tracy Ranger for tipping us off! I've been email and blog buddies with Tracy since January but had we hadn't properly met until today and it was such a treat to finally get together as they are usually so busy looking after The Gedgrave Flock - we have their yarn at Halfpenny Home as it is so soft, shiny and beautiful to knit with (can't you tell we're big fans).
We had a little time to play hangman...
make pom pom ribbon bracelets...
and enjoy some refreshments...
before we packed it all back into the trunks ready for Adam to take us back to Halfpenny Home.

Thank you so much Pixieannie for all the giggles, hope the ride back home on your new bike wasn't too wobbly - your basket was very full! Thanks to Adam for putting up with us all and helping pack and unpack and finally, thank you for the lovely button doodles Beth. Nic x

Thursday 24 June 2010

Pre-match preparations...

Knitting is calming and relaxing, we'd like to think that this is why Adam joined us this morning for 'a knit' in preparation for this afternoon's big game.
Yes, he is knitting on our 'stunt' ball of yarn from Knit Collage. It's so lovely to knit with so we have some 'on the go' in the shop - no one can resist it! We are eagerly awaiting a shipment due any day now.
Actually... we reckon it was the cake, two to choose from today - orange or chocolate?
We did make him knit a decent amount before we got the cakes out. Nic x

Monday 21 June 2010

Knitting Bonanza!

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! I just love this wool! Nic has let me loose with this to knit something! I haven't started yet....it needs to be something very special and also needs to bear in mind this will be only my second knitting project. But, I tell myself, I have mastered the strawberry tea cosy so, onwards and upwards. But then I look at it again and consider it a piece of art as it is!

Here we have some of the Gedgrave Flock yarn - totally different but just as gorgeous.
Back to the Knit Collage yarn, this time a sampler of it when knitted...mmmmm

The socks are done! Yay!

Well done ladies on your acheivements. They are already busy on the next pair. And the weather in Suffolk was so cold this weekend they went straight into service!!

Jacqui x





Friday 18 June 2010

Pudding Bliss!

This is what we did last night!
Nic and I were invited to a Pudding Party in aid of
EACH Treehouse Appeal. The evening was organised by our mutual friend, Lisa who wanted to help neighbours, Sarah and Jay, who live in Creeting St Mary raise funds. Sarah and Jay's baby son, Isaac passed away aged just 5 months having been diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy at just 6 weeks old. During Isaac's short life the family received considerable support from the Children's Nursing Team and the hospice and are now hard at work raising money for the Treehouse Appeal, which aims to fund a new purpose built hospice in Ipswich.
We were glad to be able to support a fantastic local cause and we were glad to pay our dues for a ticket in return for the delightful and greedy opportunity of sampling over 30 puddings, all homemade by local friends and neighbours. We also indulged in Lisa's homemade elderflower fizz, listened to live harp and flute music. This is just a small selection of the goodies on offer.

Not only that but we left with a book of all of the recipes from the night. There were old family favourites, experimental recipes and adaptations. Some were virtuous but most were not. All were delicious.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Nic and I went home happy (not least because of the amount of elderflower fizz consumed) in the knowledge that collectively a group of friends and neighbours in our small community had raised just under £450.00.
My husband's contribution - Vanilla Cream Terrine with Raspberry Coulis

Just one of the tables groaning under the weight of gorgeous puddings!
We all voted for our favourite pud. This was in the top three - Pasties de Nata
(Portuguese Custard Tarts).
Jacquix






Tuesday 15 June 2010

Let's Have a Vintage and Craft Fair!

We love vintage..
we love handcrafted items.....
we are surrounded by crafty people who like making things with vintage stuff....
So we thought we would start a monthly fair to show it all off and give people a chance to meet the artists, craftspersons and cake makers responsible.
It is, of course a perfect opportunity to indulge in some cakes from Scoffin' - they are bringing scones and muffins.
Do join us for a cup of tea and a scone on Saturday, it would be lovely to see you there Nic x

Monday 14 June 2010

Made to make your mouth water!

We've been dreaming of this day since February when we ordered these gorgeous Italian buttons!
Aren't they just fab?

They do really make your mouth water.....


These buttons are one time only releases so once they're gone, they're gone!

So I am busy thinking up projects to incorporate them into as I blog!!
Enjoy!
Jacquix





Saturday 12 June 2010

Socks, cake and a brand new mag!


We've been a bit quiet for a few days....not like us at all! It's been all go! We've been busy knitting socks. Gloria and Jeanetta, who attended Friday's sock class, have already vowed that everyone will be getting hand knitted socks for Christmas! It's official - knitting socks is addictive!
We've also had our noses in the first issue of the brand new mag, Oh Comely! It's just gorgeous and very refreshing - 'a magazine about people, their quirks and creativity, rather than money and what it can buy'. It sums up what Halfpenny Home is all about too so it's no surprise we absolutely love it! Check out their website and blog http://www.ohcomely.co.uk/.
Being serious multitaskers, we managed to squeeze in some refreshments alongside the knitting and reading. Here we have coffee and walnut cake, a perennial favourite, and choc orange drizzle - just moments before it was devoured! It doesn't get much better than this!
Have a great weekend. Jacqui




Tuesday 8 June 2010

A is for Apples - and also for Art!

I didn't include this in the last post about the art classes we have at Halfpenny Home on Friday mornings as I assumed it was one of Ed's paintings. I was wrong! It was actually painted by Bernard and I love it.
Ed is still coming over to the studio every Friday at 10 am - 1 pm and you are welcome to come and join him to paint - it's £15 per person for the 3 hours and we have cake and tea or coffee. Email us to see if there are spaces available. Nic x

Monday 7 June 2010

what we did at the weekend




Made some bags, rode our bikes to a festival, had a picnic and did some knitting. Lovely! Hope you had a good weekend too, Nicola x

Saturday 5 June 2010

Cushions, great company and cake!




We had a cushion class and here's what we made. They are all so different and all look great. All four ladies had been to a class at Halfpenny Home before and they all wanted to come back to try their hands at piping and inserting a concealed zip. There were quite a few fabrics to choose from and Charlotte had already spotted the old linen floral fabric earlier in the week and luckily there was just enough left to squeeze a cushion out of. Lisa wanted to use some of the fantastic hand printed fabric from Polly's Textiles with some of the lovely new grey pom pom trim that we've just got in, they work so well together.
It was such a fun morning and we stopped for tea and chocolate cake at half-time.
I also had to show you the other fabrics we have from Polly's Textiles, I'm trying to decide which one I want to use and I like them all. Nicola.

Wednesday 2 June 2010

I'm full of tea and cake and I'm knitting - it's lovely!





This was the answer I had from Tina last Wednesday morning when I asked her if she was ok. I've been thinking about it all week and it still makes me smile!
We love making stuff at Halfpenny Home and the rose bag with the bamboo handles is one of my favourite makes at the moment. This is how I get people to cut fabric and learn to thread up a machine. With frequent applications of tea and cake the end result is a lovely handcrafted item of which you can feel very very proud and smug. The next bag class is Saturday 5th June 1.30 pm - 4.30 pm.
Hand-knitted bed socks = luxury for feet! How lovely would it be to knit some socks for someone you love very much? This pair have been in the shop for a while, but I knitted them for my mum so that when she gets back to the UK she will have cosy toes. We are starting a sock class on Friday 4th June 1.30 pm and the following two weeks. We will be knitting a pair of these together and if you would like to join us then please do get in touch for details.
Finally a photo of Button, anyone who has popped in to see us at Halfpenny Home has been introduced to Button and captivated by her and her fluffiness. She is just so lovely and here is also a photo of her when she was just 10 days old and tiny. Isn't she gorgeous? Nicola x