Sunday, 13 February 2011

Losing enthusiasm




It's okay; I'm not losing my enthusiasm for crafting - if anything that has increased! No, I am losing enthusiasm for the computer. I really don't want to give up sharing my creations and thoughts etc, but the whole rigmarole of turning the damn thing on, doing the updates and trying to cope with Kubuntu not recognising my screen size is becoming quite a nightmare. Hence the ghastly two months without a post! However, help is in sight in the flavour of Mint. That's right, KDE Linux Mint is due to be released soon and, as it is based on Ubuntu, it should be just right! Hopefully it will actually recognise my monitor... Do you have any idea how awkward it is to try to edit photographs with the wrong screen resolution? It's not impossible, it just takes a lot longer...

Anyway, on with the post.

The first three photos in the mosaic are of three Crobots that I designed myself, crocheted and gave as Christmas presents. Chef is my favourite, but I love all three. Who wouldn't?!

I was given a couple of books on cupcakes and muffins for Christmas by two of my three sisters and have been avidly baking since the beginning of this year, with a new and different batch of cupcakes every couple of weeks or so. I am pleased with the results and have absolutely loved making them! I think the best of the "swirls" has to be the chocolate swirl cupcakes (picture 12 above) because I finally got the right nozzle and did it quite neatly too! It also helps that by the time I got to the third batch (strawberry, blueberry and then chocolate) I had got the hang of filling the icing bag.

My new year's resolutions this year are to learn cake decorating (so expect more sugar flowers etc!), to do more cross stitch (I haven't done much since we moved) and to finish what I start. In light of this, I made my step-son a Formula One birthday cake, which I am very proud with. You can see a photo of me (24) strategically placing the candles. I enjoyed it immensely, even though I got a bit stressed. I think I had better allow myself an extra day or two for the next cake I ice - the number 16 on the car ran because I didn't have time to let the car set before I did the number and because the icing bag was dripping wet by this time due to repeated washing between colours. I suppose I could always get a few more icing bags to save that happening again... I don't get on with the paper cones. I did give it a try, but failed miserably, scrapped and started again.

I have also started cross stitching a thank you present for my mother-in-law's sister (whom I have never met) who very kindly gave me a sewing machine. All she wanted in return for her kindness was a cross stitched picture, as she had admired those I had done for my in-laws. I am stitching Lucie Heaton's Garden Puppies from the cats and dogs issue of Cross Stitch Favourites magazine. Photos to follow. Due to mounting pressure, in stead of finishing the four or five other projects I have started, I am going to stitch my birthday present next; Maia's "Rejoice" designed by Monica Stewart. I have been looking forward to stitching this, but was kind of hoping to finish the other projects first, including the Calendar Pigs (see Picasa), but Jay is starting to get a bit more than scratchy about my apparent reluctance to start it. Regular photos of my progress will definitely be posted throughout this project.

Finally, I apologise for my prolonged absence and promise to try to post more regularly; I really do hope that KDE Mint is more suited to my machine!

Look after yourselves and keep crafting!
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