Getting Crafty

I'm quite a crafty person ... but have found that crafty stuff in general is quite limited in the UK and a little pricey. You really have to be dedicated to either hunt down somewhere to buy resources or have a large amount of disposable income in order to afford it. 

I was quite dedicated but didn't have a lot of extra cash ... so once I'd found some great shops, I was only able to touch and 'long for' the goodies ... and treat myself to a little something once in a blue moon!

Moving to small town America, I was really pleased to find that being crafty is second nature to a lot of people and it is really easy and relatively cheap to pursue a myriad of crafty pastimes ... be it, scrapbooking, knitting, flower arranging, mosaics, quilting, decoupage ... the list goes on. 

In fact, my husband gets a little concerned when my eyes open wide with enthusiasm every time I come within 5 miles of a prospective craft shop (especially when I have a money off coupon or two!) ... as he knows it will inevitably end up with a painstaking shop for him as I deliberate over what exactly it is I want to buy or what new skill I want to pursue.

Over the last few years, one thing I have often thought I would love to learn was quilting. Where we live in Ohio is just 20 minutes drive from Holmes County ... home to one of the biggest Amish population in the States ... and big quilters. So I figured it would be the perfect better time and place than to learn.

In town there is a quilting shop (recently relocated and renamed but still as good!) Mercantile on Main ... and so not long after we had arrived in Coshocton I went in and put my name down for a beginners quilting class. For more about that, see 'How to make an American Quilt'.

I was hooked from the get go ... and am now just disappointed that I don't have the spare time to do as much of it as I would like, with two little munckins using up all of my time and energy. Typical isn't it ... now I have the resources and it's more affordable ... I don't have the time!

A year after I took my class I completed my first quilt (see below) which I love and am very proud of. I didn't even use a pattern, it just evolved as I it went on. Already I have two more projects on the go and loads of ideas for more.

Being back in the UK at the moment, I've noticed that slowly and surely there are more crafty shops and opportunities popping up all over the place. It does still tend to be more expensive ... but at least it's becoming more available.

A Heavenly Party

Yesterday family and friends got together to celebrate the life of my Nan ... 

Florence Rose Morris (3rd December 1922 - 28th October 2011)

We had two services of thanksgiving and many people, at both of those and in cards and messages since she died, have talked of what a wonderful lady and friend she was and how she had touched their lives. Many of these stories were new to us and we got to see and understand yet another side of what an amazing woman she was.

Although sad, as we will all miss Nan so much, yesterday was a time of happiness too, knowing that she is exactly where she wanted to be, with her Lord and Saviour. I told Abigail that Grammie was dancing and singing and having a party with Jesus. Abigail's response was that she wanted to go to the party too!

When we were sorting through some of Nan's things last week we found a very non-descript notebook with  some poems she had written. One was called 'My Testimony' and I had the privilege of reading it out at one of the services yesterday, ensuring that she had her say, right to the end ... very like her.

My Testimony by 'Ren' Morris

When I was young I knew you

I worshipped & adored

I longed to sing your praises

I loved you as my Lord

So many times I cried & said 

Why did they do it Lord? 

But there you hung - the price you paid 

I read it in your word

Then suddenly it all went wrong, 

I saw the shining lights 

Out there was life for living. 

For the good times I would long.

How sad to see the child He made 

Turn her back on Him 

To forget that form upon a cross 

And forget her heavenly King.

So many troubles, so many woes, 

Came crowding in on me, 

I knew something had to change 

But blind - I could not see.

One day a ray of light 

Shone through a cloudy sky 

As though a voice from heaven said 

“You left my side - Why?”

“Dear Lord” I said “Forgive me” 

My life has been a mess, 

Why did I try it my way 

But you loved me none the less.

I’m giving you my life back Lord 

Do with it as you will. 

I want to love & serve you Lord 

Of you I want my fill.

Now I know the shame I felt 

Without you I was lost, 

And you forgave & gave me life 

You didn’t count the cost.

Oh how I love you Jesus, 

You’re everything to me, 

You took my sins & willingly 

Hung upon that tree.

How I long for that day to come 

When from this life I flee 

And I will see you face to face 

And say “Thank you Lord” - from me.

Sludgy Bananas

Sitting at my mum's, my eye spotted some brown and sludgy bananas in the fruit bowl! As you can imagine we've been a little preoccupied the last week or so since my Nan passed away ... so things like that have been a bit overlooked. 

Having said that, often at home, especially in the hot and and humid summer months the bananas in our fruit bowl get very ripe, very quickly. This was a 'problem' I remember coming across when I lived in Tanzania too. When I was there, I was aware that I didn't want to waste food especially when surrounded by people who had very little. So another one of the teachers came to my rescue with a great banana muffin recipe ... which was so yummy that I had been known to let my bananas go sludgy on occasion just so that I could make them! This is why I referred to the brown bananas as a 'problem' ... the outcome was always definitely worth it!

That was 10 years ago ... and it wasn't until we lived in Ohio and I was looking for fun and easy recipes to make with Abigail that I looked it up again. The first batch tasted nice but were a little rubbery (!!!!) and I realised that a key ingredient was missing ... every girls best friend ... chocolate! So although the original recipe was good, me and Abigail definitely recommend the new and improved version with the 'optional' chocolate! (As you can see we've roped my husband into making them on occasion too.)

We hope you enjoy them as much as we do (they taste best warm, 5 mins after they've come out of the oven) ... and may you never see another sludgy banana go to waste again! ;o)

• 2 or 3 large bananas 
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2t salt 
• 1 1/2 cups SR flour
• 1/2 cup choc chips (optional)

1. Mash bananas in a large bowl
2. Add sugar & beaten egg - mix
3. Add melted butter and dry ingredients
4. Mix together (no electric mixer required!)
5. Spoon into cupcake/muffin cases & place in muffin tray (makes about 12) or into a 9" cake tin & cut to size when cooked and cooled.
6. Bake 25 mins at 190/375/GM 5 or until browned

The bananas can be frozen once they've gone sludgy ... if you don't have the rest of the ingredients in the house right when you need them to make the muffins.