Truly Scrumptious - It's Pancake Day!

And it's one of the ways I wooed or is it wowed by husband when I first met him.  I was living in a shared house in London and making pancakes (both sweet and savoury) for everyone in the house when he popped in to visit a friend.  He's never asked me to make them again so maybe not.

But for a while when we were houseparents in a boarding house, he did use to make them for everyone.  I think his record was 120 in a sitting!

So whether you want to make from scratch, buy a mix or even buy them ready made, there's no excuse not to celebrate Shrove Tuesday.  And of course, make sure you're well protected in an apron.  If you don't already have one then get one of ours here.  Choose from appliqued designs or personalise your own.  

They're perfect for Mother's Day gifts too.

And if you're going to have a go yourself, here's a simple recipe from BBC Good Food magazine.

You will need:

• 100g plain flour
• 1 large egg
• 300ml milk
• oil or melted butter, for frying

Directions:
1. Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre with the back of a spoon then break in the egg and pour in half the milk. Whisk together, gradually incorporating the flour to make a smooth thick batter. Beat thoroughly to remove any lumps, then stir in the rest of the milk.

2. Heat a little oil or butter in a medium frying pan, then tip off the excess into a bowl. Pour about 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan, tilting the pan as you pour, until the batter thinly coats the base. Cook over a moderate heat for 30 seconds to one minute until golden brown on the underside. 

3. Flip over the pancake with a palette knife, and cook the other side until it is golden brown. Slide the pancake out of the pan on to a plate, heat a little more oil or butter and cook the remaining pancakes one at a time in the same way.

Happy flipping!

www.cobwebknits.co.uk

Meet the Maker - Louise Firchau and Paper Panda

It's no surprise that Paper Panda has over 80 000 fans on Facebook and that, as a result, designer Louise Firchau has been able to quit her day job and make her hobby for making typographical lyrical papercuts from recycled paper a full time job.

I'm not going to say too much about her work as it speaks for itself but there are a few at the bottom in Louise's own words for those who want to know more.  

It is no surprise to me that this piece is causing a bidding frenzy on e-bay - it's just adorable.

One lucky competition winner had an original design created just for them and you can see the work that goes into producing one of Louise's pieces.

And because I'm always on the look out for projects you can have a go at yourself, you should know she has a beginner's kit, more details further down the blog too

  

 and you can get a template, just perfect for Mother's Day.

I promised to let Louise explain more about Paper Panda so here she sums it up in her own words:  "PP has three very distinct styles available in a multitude of merchandise.  I hand draw and hand cut The Bird & Bunny and folk series of papercuts that are inspired by Quarwood, where the Panda family live in a little cottage in the Cotswolds surrounded by animals and woodland life.

The Storybook series (and other gothic darkness) is a cute collaboration between Mr & Mrs Panda. I tell Ryan what to draw with a waggy, pointy finger over his shoulder and only when he gets it perfectly right will I cut it out of paper. It's a good bit of teamwork.
The typographical pieces are created using digital software. I studied typography at university and it became an obsession. There is nothing more satisfying than creating a piece of graphic art using amazing fonts and hand cutting it so perfectly that no matter what the size it looks like it's been printed."
As promised too, here's the information about the trainee kit: what's included and reassurance that you will be able to do it!

In each kit there will be:
1 x A4 self heal cutting mat
1 x soft grip blade handle with 5 x blades in a rubber encased blade holder (some may differ slightly)
1 x 'how to Panda stylee' instuction sheet
1 x Practice sheet showing you what to do
1 x Baby Panda Design 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'
1 x Baby Panda Design 'Home Sweet Home'
1 x Small Panda design 'I love you'
1 x Large Panda Design A4 (Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's learning to dance in the rain)
1 x sheet of speciality paper
1 x Panda badge (essential)

I guess today's tenuous link would have to be our own 'learn how to knit' tutorial which you can find on our website by clicking here.   Personally, I'm off to order my own kit from Paper Panda and hopefully surprise my mum with a truly personal gift this year!

www.cobwebknits.co.uk

Days Out - Whitland Produce Market

Getting ready for our first market in Wales having been asked to hold a stall at the Whitland Produce and Craft Market.

As it's nearly Valentine's Day the theme is about all things heart shaped, so we've been busy making vintage inspired hearts with pastel button detail.  I think I've probably made enough for everyone in Whitland!  They'll be on sale for £2 each.

  

With St David's Day just around the corner I thought I should make some signature red dragon hats, bodysuits, T-shirts and aprons which will all be on sale and to order too.

And we mustn't forget Mother's Day.  You will be able to order a personalised apron at the market ready for collection the following month and in time for Mother's Day.  What would you choose to say?  SUPER MUMMY, MUMS ROCK, WORLD'S BEST MUM or MOTHER KNOWS BEST perhaps?  And of course, you can order online too.

If you're in the area do come and say hello.  We'd love to meet you.  For more details about the market, click here.

www.cobwebknits.co.uk