Buttons, baking and a bit of crochet

It's been a bit of a reuse/recycle kind of week for me. This gorgeous sparkly setting was actually stuck to the front of a lovely wee notebook my husband bought for me. It was far too nice to spend its life on a notebook so I carefully removed it and have attached a brooch fastener to the back. It looks amazing! I used to adore my Nana's collection of brooches when I was a little girl. She always wore one on her lovely handmade dresses and coats. I have some of her brooches in my jewellery box but I'm too scared to wear them in case I lose one. This one reminds me so much of her. It will look fab on my winter coat.

Going through my button jar last week, when I was finishing off my cushions, got me inspired to use up more of my vintage buttons. I have turned a few more of them into brooches which has got to be one of the cheapest and easiest ways of making jewellery. And you end up with something that nobody else has which is the best part! I love, love, love this button. It has a deco feel about it and it's quite big so makes a statement!

Here's the last one I made, three lovely old buttons glued together with a brooch clip on the back. I've also made some magnets doing the same thing with stacked buttons, you just glue a magnet to the back and you've got yourself a very cute and colourful way to display your small people's art on the fridge!

These ones are also in my button jar - they are gorgeous but huge! You can see them here against a regular sized button in the middle. Not quite sure what I'll use them for yet ... The pic doesn't really do them justice, they look different/brighter in real life but you get the idea.

There has still been time for crochet this week. I can't tear myself away from the orangey red/pink combination which I used in my cushion, so I'm going to have a go at using these lovely little granny squares in a scarf. I want to stitch them together in a similar way too but I'm not quite sure how that will work. Will keep you posted! Not a lot else to show you though as it's mostly been making more hats which you've already seen. Lots of requests for winter hats now that the temperature is slowly starting to drop here. And there are two new heads in our family this winter ... after waiting for such a long time to become an aunty - I now have a niece and a nephew! The cutest twins you've ever seen. We are off to visit them today - I can't wait to have a cuddle.

Miss 3 has been very crafty this week. We found these adorable tiny wee canvas and easel sets at a local bargain store. She sat for ages with the glue and the 'diamonds' happily creating her artwork. It's now proudly on display in her bedroom. I'm all for encouraging creativity in little people.

I had a hankering for apple pie yesterday so this little baby made the house smell delicious while it was baking. Mr 6 is now an apple pie convert! He had a big piece after dinner last night and was very positive in his food critic comments - very cute.

These muffins didn't last long! They were just too yummy to ignore, still warm from the oven. Here's the recipe if you want to whip up a batch ...

Hokey Pokey Choc Chip Muffins (Robyn Martin)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips
50g butter
¼ cup golden syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda

Lightly beat eggs and milk together. Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. Make a well in the centre of dry ingredients. Add chocolate chips. Melt butter and golden syrup together. Mix in baking soda. Add to dry ingredients with egg mixture. Mix quickly until just combined. Three-quarters fill greased muffin pans with mixture. Bake at 190 degrees Celsius for 12-15 minutes or until muffins spring back when lightly touched.

Enjoy!