Lots of (all kinds of) Love …

This Valentine’s weekend I’ve been thinking a lot about love and the various forms it can take – not just romantic love, but all sorts of other kinds too.  A love of things is not praiseworthy of course, but I must confess to having fallen in love with a recent special gift to myself – a lovely pistacchio-coloured KitchenAid Artisan mixer that I proudly showed off on Instagram yesterday …..

Isn’t it beautiful!  But I bought it not to sit on the side and be admired (though I am sure I will do a lot of that) but because I love baking and am beginning to find my hand-held mixer rather heavy to hold for long periods of time.  I’m sure this mixer will get plenty of use over the months and years ahead making yummy cakes for my much-loved family and friends.

Then there’s the love our furry friends give us. These days Ben is mostly content to love me from the cosy comfort of his bed – though he always comes to sit with his head in my lap for special chin-rubs and ear-tickles in the evenings.  But Daisy likes to show how much she loves me by staying as close to my side as she possibly can – and getting totally in the way for most of the time too!  Let’s zoom away from the beautiful instagram shot above and show what was really happening in my kitchen ……

And there she is!  Notice that she’s taken advantage of my popping into the hall to pick up my phone by lying exactly where I need to stand to read my recipe book.  This guarantees she’ll get some petting when she’s moved on from that spot!  Oh Daisy, whatever shall we do with you?

I do enjoy a morning spent baking as the lovely fragrance of just-baked cake takes me back to my childhood and “helping” my mum, especially when there were bowls to be licked clean of cake mixture – yum!  This is how mums show their love each and every day of course, in so very many small ways. This inspired my “Small Things” hoop for the March issue of the Bustle & Sew Magazine…..

Which I thought would be perfect for Mother’s Day which we celebrate in March here in the UK.  Though it doesn’t have to be just for mothers of course.

Having spent the afternoon taking photos for this month’s issues, I’m beginning to wonder if I got a bit carried away with this lovely taupe gingham fabric from Clarke & Clarke?!  Did you spot the next kind of love – FABRIC LOVE – and I’m sure if you’re reading this then you’re a fabric lover too, just like me!  Anyway, there’s a definite spring feel in the magazine this month, with an emphasis on hand embroidery.  We had some lovely feedback from our magazine subscribers’ survey, lots of kind comments that made both Rosie & I blush madly!  There were also several requests for more hand embroidery which is why I’ve included two hoops this month – the second is my Be Happy hoop …..

I’ve loved stitching these hoops and am thinking of putting a collection of Hoop Art together in the not too distant future  – watch this space!  And finally on the theme of love – we have a few Lovebird Kits available in the store …..

If you’d like one they’re the same vintage blanket as the bird in the foreground.  But don’t delay as they’ve been flying off the shelves again and I’d hate anyone to be disappointed.  We’re hoping to have more French Hen kits in stock towards the end of the week.