Summer Camping

Millie had an idea

and it was really good -

Why not go camping

tomorrow, in the wood?

She called her best friends

to ask them whether

they’d all like to go

summer camping together.

It was going really well

till Susan had to brag,

that she had the nicest

and chicest sleeping bag.

Primrose was offended,

her mother made her bag,

with a mother’s talent,

not a fancy shop’s tag.

It had lovely stitching,

made with so much love,

a soft and comfy bag

that fit her like a glove,

The girls all took her side

and agreed that no brand

could ever be as nice

as something made by hand.

.

(©handmade by amalia)

♡

Featured: Dolls' sleeping bags

are one of my favorite carfts

for leftover bits of yarn.

 

A Kind-Hearted Guest

It’d been a long day

but the bear felt fine, 

the nursery was tidy

and he was in bed by nine.

But then a small noise

filled him with dread -

was something hiding

under the bed?

It took all his courage

to look down and find

a tiny tooth fairy,

looking tired but kind.

The fairy looked up

and gently confessed:

“I have many deliveries,

I’m just taking a rest.”

(©handmade by amalia)

♡

Featured: my father made

these little wooden beds,

I made the soft furnishing

and kind-hearted bear.

Mission Impossible

A little bear has 

set himself a mission - 

he is going to climb
to the top of a cushion.

The dolls are concerned,
perhaps he should stop
but the bear is going
all the way to the top.

(©handmade by amalia)

♡

Featured: A new cushion

I made for my SIL Ella.

The Princess and the Pea

 

The little princess

had an awful night,

she tossed and turned

from left to right.

But tonight she

will sleep at ease -

she made the prince promise

to use mushy peas.

♡

Featured: A princess bed

with extra accommodation inside.

Upcycled: a small tin of Barkleys mints

The Footwear of a Bear

There once was a bear

who liked his feet bare

but found the cold hard to bear.

In the winter you wear

shoes everywhere,

you silly old bear.

♡

Featured: a little bear

hibernating in his

cozy new sleeping-bag.

Time for Bed

The time is late,

the shadows are deep,

and all little boys

should be fast asleep.

The house is quiet

except for young Ned,

who is tossing and turning

upstairs in his bed.

"Oh, why can't I sleep?

I feel so awake;

could it be that I ate

too much chocolate cake?"

♡

Featured: my dad made

this two doll beds,

guaranteed to provide

a good night's rest.

Hide-and-Seek

 

"I feel like a game"

thought the sun, as she rose,

and hide-and-seek

was the game that she chose.

The sun's a good hider,

that’s why I felt proud,

when I finally found her

there, behind the cloud!

♡

Featured: two friends hiding

in a knitted hanging basket

A Five Star Review

 Five reasons I’m giving Five Stars to 
Smoke & Cracked Mirrors by Karen Charlton:

1. The Setting - the story takes us to 1940 York, 
a time full of intrigue and atmosphere. WWII books 
featuring young women are very popular right now 
but the author finds a fresh angle, an interesting location 
and a great plot.

2. The Detectives - Jemma James and Bobbie Baker 

are among the nicest, cleverest and most resourceful 

protagonists I’ve met in a long while. They never put 

a foot wrong, really (but I don’t hold that against them). 

And the secondary characters are every bit as good.

3. The Record -  author Karen Charlton has 
previously written the Detective Lavender Mysteries, 

a fun regency mystery series. I was quite looking 

forward to her new series and, indeed, I’ve enjoyed 

both her excellent writing and clever storytelling.

4. The Format – Charlton surprises us (no worries, 

this is a spoiler-free zone) with the structure of the plot, 

some cases are easily solved, others require the whole 

book, and they flow together very well.

5. The Summary – this is the first book in a new series 
and a fine start, IMO. If you’re in the market for an 
enjoyable, gentle, heartwarming mystery with unexpected plot 
twists, this could well be the book for you.

♡

Featured: baskets made out of t-shirt yarn

Eggs in One Basket

 I put all my eggs in one basket

and went outside to play;

the basket fell down to the ground,

no omelette for me today.

♡

Featured: A knitted basket

to hold little treasures.

Shame on You, Mindy!

 Mindy is a 

lovely-looking doll,

she is pink and pretty 

and rather small.

She has a smile 

as sweet as a daisy,

but it must be admitted 

that she is a bit lazy.

Each day the toys 

play in the yard,

but Mindy says sorry, 

the ground is too hard.

And when they all clean 

and tidy and cook,

you can usually find her 

curled up with a book.

The others are ready 

to raise quite a stink -

really, Mindy, you are 

very lucky you're pink!

♡ 

Featured: a pink softie with an attitude.

A Five Star Review

Five reasons I'm giving five stars to 

Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge:

1. The Time and Place: We are in 1930, 

that breath of fresh air between the two wars, 

and in the green pastures of the English countryside, 

in the home of famed mystery novelist Agatha Christie, 

there is a body in the library.

2. She Who Must Be Obeyed: Phyllida Bright is the 

head of the household (though the butler would probably 

argue the point). Phyllida is no ordinary housekeeper. 

She is good looking, fashionable, easily the smartest person 

in the room and prides herself on her cool and calm head. 

The house, of course, is beautifully run at all times.

3. The Hidden Past: Phyllida hints at many secrets, 

at a past full of twists and turns, but the author 

is in no hurry to reveal them all. This is a 

woman worth knowing and we should take our time 

to do so.

4. The Newcomer: Our Phyllida has grown used to 

being universally adored, from Agatha and her husband 

Max Mallowan to the reluctant butler and the rest 

of the stuff (herself included). But there is a newcomer 

to Mallowan Hall who is not as easy to impress, 

who knows just how to unruffle the unflappable, 

and keeps her human.

5. Gimme More: If you're in the market for a 

light and lovely read, filled with an unforgettable 

protagonist, a few bodies and fascinating details of the 

daily life of a manor house, this is the book for you! 

Can't wait for the next book in this fun new series. 

♡

Featured: Knitted baskets, 

my winter obsession.

A Five Star Review

Five reasons I'm giving five stars to

the Wrexford & Sloane mysteries by  Andrea Penrose:

1. The setting - This mystery series takes us to

Regency London (aka Jane Austen time), both

to the glittering high society and the dark

underbelly, and dead bodies are everywhere.

2. The protagonists - Charlotte Sloane is a

satirical cartoonist with a complicated past;

the Earl of Wexford is a chemist with a 

complicated character. And they are both

wonderful characters that grow on you 

from one book to the next and a great pair.

3. Caring is sharing - Each book sees new

characters, many of them unconventional,

that join our little group of fighters for

truth and justice. Love the way they all

interact with out two main protagonists.

4. The history- The author likes to weave

important developments in science

and technology into the books. It is gently

done and adds an interesting background

to the stories.

5. In short - If you like a well plotted

mystery with excitement and twists, interesting

settings, attractive characters, a pinch

of history and a dash of romance,

they could well be the series for you.

♡

Featured: I lined this crochet basket

with plastic lining to house a 

strawberry plant.

Autumn Revisited

Autumn has arrived
and all were working hard

to clear the fallen leaves

and tidy up the yard.

The snail was going slowly

and chatting to the trees,

when suddenly he stopped

and gave a mighty sneeze.

The bees were not impressed,

who has time to sneeze? 

when he's so far behind,

"hurry, if you please!"

The snail was just about

to say "so sorry, bees" -

he opened up his mouth

and... gave another sneeze.

♡

Featured: The yard is so tidy

I thought I'd do a bit of glamping

while the weather holds.

An Ode to Autumn

Autumn has arrived,

that shy and bashful season,

it always enters quietly

as if it had no reason.

It won't outstay its welcome,

its time with us is brief,

you can see it on the sidewalk

in the face of a fallen leaf.

You can sense it in the morning

hidden in the gloomy chill,

and find it in the evening

as the day grows shorter still.

It is present in the sky,

guiding that flock of birds,

its beauty an inspiration

for prose and verse and words.

♡

Featured: time to bring out

my winter blankets.
  

Tomorrow is Another Day!

 We misbehaved today,

naughtier than we should,

so we are off to bed

and tomorrow we'll be good!

♡

Featured: Two new friends

all ready for a good

night's sleep.

A Five Star Review

 Five reasons I'm giving Five Stars to:

An Extravagant Death by Charles Finch.

1. The Series: This is the 11th book in the 

Charles Lenox Mysteries series

unfolding in Victorian England.

The book can be read as a stand-alone

but the whole series is excellent.

2. The Detective: Charles Lenox is the

second son of an honorable family and

his choice of career has raised quite

a few eyebrows. He is the most 

thoughtful, courteous and civilized

man and a wonderful character.

3. The Members of the Band: Lenox is

surrounded by a colorful group of recurring

characters - his wife, his daughter, his

brother, his ex-valet, his physician friend, the 

partners in his detective agency.

4. The Plot: While most books in this series

take place in London, this time we 

travel to gilded-age Newport, RI. It is

fascinating to see this new shrine to

American wealth through Lenox's

English eyes.

5. The Best Part: Is the quality of the writing.

Charles Finch crafts an intricate mystery

plot with a memorable setting, wrapped in 

beautiful writing, tenderness and wit.

♡

Featured: a pile or crochet baby blankets.

A Five Star Review

 Five reasons I'm giving five stars to:

The Amory Ames mysteries by Ashley Weaver.

1. The Plot: These light-hearted mysteries unfold

in England in the 1930s. Amory Ames is a young

society lady, who naturally finds herself embroiled

in one murder mystery after another.

2. The Setting: There is a nice feel for the escapist

period of the early 1930s, before the winds of war

are destined to appear. The books do a fine job of

conveying the glitz and glamor of high society.

3. The Protagonist: Amory Ames has been married 

for five years to a charming playboy and the marriage

is not going well. This provides both a little depth

to the series and a reason for her to immerse herself

in any murder that happens along.

4. The Writing: The books are well written and the

mysteries are well plotted. Each book offers some

repeat characters and some new, plenty of plot twists,

a different location, fun dialogs and a little humor.

5. In short: If you are in the market for a traditional,

murder mystery with a relatable heroine and a 

bit of  elegance, this could be the series for you.

♡

Featured: Crochet coasters. My father made the 

wooden stand for me.

 

A Five Star Review

Five reasons I'm giving Five Stars to:

The Kat Holloway Mysteries by Jennifer Ashley.

1. The series - We are in 1880 London and Kat

Holloway is a cook in a posh house. There is

an interesting upstairs-downstairs scenario, there is

a mysterious Daniel, and there are of course bodies.

2. The protagonist - Kat is always the smartest, 

kindest and most capable person in the room 

AND she's a fantastic cook. But I'm not holding it 

against her because, relatively speaking, she is a

product of her time.

3. The sensibility - So many protagonists of historical 

mysteries are liberal feminists with modern 

sensibilities that you forget how difficult it was for

a single woman to make her way. These books

feel more authentic in this respect.

4. The domestic details - I love details of daily life

and these books take the time to let us know how

a cook in Victorian London went about her day.

There are a LOT of yummy food descriptions.

5. The atmosphere - If you are in the market for

a light and gentle read, fast paced but without gore, 

with a likeable heroine, a nice feeling for the period

and a bit of romance, this could be the series for you.

♡

Featured: I made this granny square blanket
as a wedding present. Made with love to celebrate love.

Scarf Weather

If I had a scarf for every day

I'd always look so clever,

and every day would be laundry day

and I'd be ironing forever.

♡

Featured: It is not yet scarf weather

around here but we live in hope.

A Sleepover Gone Wrong

Billy invited me

to spend the night,

it was great fun – 

we had a pillow fight!

When we went to sleep, 

I don't know why,

I wanted to go home 

and started to cry.

♡

Featured: A new friend

with his own sleeping bag.