Category Archives: Craftiness

October 22, 2021 · 12:11 pm

ANYTHING BUT PINK!

Today is the last day of school for my boys before they get a week off for half term. To mark the day, the school have said the kids can come in wearing their uniform with pink accessories, or dressed entirely in pink to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness.

My youngest (aged 4) often copies his older brother, but aside from that he doesn’t have any strong opinions about pink. In contrast, my eldest (6) once told me that it was a school rule that pink was for girls and blue was for boys. I’ve no idea where he got this from, but he is resolute. We all have colours assigned to us based upon our gender. I’m not sure how this manifests in life, but in his mind it is an immovable fact.

Several of the boys at school opted out of joining in. They couldn’t face the thought of donning pink and having their masculinity challenged, others really went for it. I saw one boy running in wearing his sisters pink leggings, a pink t-shirt and an excited smile. Hopefully my little man (and a few others) will see that no boys were gender re-assigned by six hours in a fuchsia top, that they walked away, pride intact, having had a lovely day.

As for my two, I knocked these up last night and they both looked very handsome. In the end they seemed glad they’d joined in and so am I.

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March 19, 2021 · 1:48 pm

A Crocheted Pot-holder and an Overdue WIP

(WIP = Work In Progress)

I made the potholder pictured years ago, I honestly can’t remember when. Of all the functional things I’ve crocheted it probably gets the most use and is, poor it, the most ignored. However it has saved me from a nasty burn on more than one occasion.

I used wool as I love this colour but it makes my skin itch, so making anything wearable was out of the question. The border is a light purple cotton, just to add a touch of colour, and to reinforce the loop.

It’s made with a foundation chain of the desired length and then rows of single crochet until it was the right size. On the last row I continued beyond the square with a chain, which I went back over with single crochet to produce the loop. The border was added using single crochet all the way around (these are all UK terms). It comes in handy all the time and I really love the look of it.

With regards to the WIP, I’ve been crocheting a pillow case for, give or take, about 3 years. It’s been so long, that when I recently ran out of yarn and ordered more, the colours had changed. I thought perhaps my stash had faded over time, but some colours seem brighter, some seem duller. I’m pushing to get it finished as it’s rainbow themed and with everything that’s happened over the last 12 months, with the extent to which the rainbow has become synonymous with supporting the NHS, I thought 2021 would be a good year to complete it. Fingers crossed I get it done before I run out of yarn again!

On the right is my old yarn, the two on the left are new. It’s not that noticeable… I’m sure I’ll get away with it…

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March 12, 2021 · 3:46 pm

Lino Print Thank You Card

I decided this card (image below) warranted a post, not least because this was the last print I did before we had our children five years ago, but also because it was my first attempt at using more than one colour. I should add, it was the last of about 6 prints, I’m a learner who hopes to improve with practice.

I do look forward to getting back to lino print, I tried during the current lock down but my eldest was fascinated and wanted to join in. I was only able to watch him failing to stab himself for a few minutes before I decided I was best off waiting until the schools reopened.

There are some fantastic lino print artists around. I first encountered lino print during York Open Studios, an annual event (pre-covid), during which artists in York open their studios to the general public and allow them to sneak a peak at the inner workings of their craft. We went to the studio of an artist called Gerard Hobson (website here) who was desperate to teach his guests all he could in the short time we had together. He was very generous with his knowledge and I left his lovely home feeling keen to have a go. Amanda Colville is another artist I’ve always loved and once you’re familiar with her work it crops up here and there. I thoroughly enjoy recognising the work of artists when out and about, it’s a bit like unexpectedly running into a friend.

Anyway, that will do for now, thanks for visiting.

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March 7, 2021 · 12:39 pm

An Overdue Blanket Reveal

Today I am getting a bit of a preview as to what next week will be like, as my husband has taken our children to my Mother in Law’s house. She is part of our bubble and so the visit complies with the current lock down restrictions. This means I was able to have a lie in, the house is eerily quiet and some toys (for the first time in about 12 weeks) can finally be put away.

I decided it would be a good opportunity to post a few pictures of a blanket I made. I originally wrote about in February 2013 (see post here) as part of my first blog post, a post which included images of a number of granny squares, a work in progress. I can’t tell you how long the blanket took in the end, it was a while, which isn’t surprising as it is more than big enough to cover a standard (UK) king sized bed. In the autumn and spring it gets used as an extra layer on our bed, otherwise it is around for anyone feeling a chill.

This blanket was basically my first crochet project and, if only for it’s weight and size, I’m proud of it.

Thanks for dropping by, Polly

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March 5, 2021 · 4:24 pm

Easy Tiger!

For a while at least, I’ll be using this blog to make note of some of the things I’ve created over the last few years.  To be honest, with the boys keeping me on my toes, I’ve not been as productive as I’d have liked, but there are some items I’d like to post here for posterity, if nothing else.  The tiger pictured below is definitely worthy of a post.  

Some good friends bought our then 2 year old a tiger suit for Christmas (2019) and he fell in love with it.  He wore everywhere, in all weather and, like an experienced method actor he really ‘became’ the tiger.  He roared with all the force he could muster, he prowled about the house on all fours and occasionally, when he was feeling particularly fierce (stroppy) he would try to bite us.  B the tiger would even eat foods that B the boy didn’t like, very handy.

As a result, with his birthday fast approaching, I had a look online for a crochet pattern to make B the tiger a little tiger buddy.  I ended up going with this free pattern (click here) by the very talented Jess Huff.  It was easy to follow (US terms) and I was very pleased with the result, though I did opt to leave off the white tummy.  I made the pad but I preferred the wee man without it and, if I’m honest, I thought it might show the dirt a bit.  

When a parent makes a child a gift they do so hoping their child will enjoy interacting with it, that it will really mean something to the recipient.  I made my eldest an elephant when he was two years old, as requested, and I don’t think it’s ever been touched.  It was appreciated on the day, but fell from favour pretty promptly.  

B’s reaction to Tiger was everything I hoped for, and he has kept Tiger close at hand since their first encounter.  If, at 8pm, when he’s supposed to be asleep, B starts to complain that he doesn’t know where Tiger is, that Tiger is sad / cold / lonely, it is with a genuine mix of muted rage and a swell of pride that I traipse off to look for him.  Such was B’s enthusiasm, I decided to add to Tiger this Christmas (2020) with a superhero outfit.  I have very limited sewing experience, the suit took far too long to make and it is nothing like I had in mind, but I was still pretty pleased with it.  That said, B seems to prefer his Tiger au natural – you win some you lose some I guess. 

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February 26, 2021 · 4:27 pm

A Wedding and a Wreath

It’s been years since I’ve posted anything on this blog, seven and a half to be exact.  It is now February 2021 (the last time I wrote was June 2013) and, unsurprisingly our world is a different place now to what it was then.  

There have been a few significant events within our personal world: my husband and I got married, and we now have two beautiful boys (aged 3 and 5).  We moved house, trading-in local amenities for a garden and more space for the kids.  I am also no longer working and, at present, I spend my time with our youngest, preparing food, reading, being hugged, stumbling on toys and muttering expletives.  At present though, as for many, the overriding theme in our lives is COVID-19 and it is for this reason that I’ve returned to 45 Ginger Biscuits.

Once upon a time my anxiety levels were nonexistent, I may have been prone to brooding on arguments or worrying about things that hadn’t happened but, otherwise I was reasonably stable.  A miscarriage many moons ago seems to have irrevocably rocked the boat, and now I have to be a little more mindful about how I manage my mental health.  To cut a long story short, creativity helps, I enjoy writing, and so I’m back. 

Without further ado, I wanted to share the wreath featured above.  It was made, along with six others, after our wedding using the flowers from the bridal and bridesmaid’s bouquets.  I made the bouquets using a tutorial similar to this (click here) and then pinned the flowers to a wreath by way of a keep-sake.  I also crocheted bow ties for the groom and any significant gents involved in the ceremony.  It was a time consuming project but well worth the effort, that said, I couldn’t have done it without the help of some very dear friends.

My eldest returns to school on the 8th March, he can’t wait and I’m excited about the light at the end of the lock down tunnel. Hopefully a little more free time will mean a little more time to craft and to post.  Until then, hope you have a good day.

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June 8, 2013 · 12:02 pm

High Flying Lino Print

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I can’t tell you how chuffed I am with this clock, even though it is far from perfect, it was the third linocut I ever made and it isn’t horribly wobbly so I’m pleased.  I did cheat a little by cutting each image/number out individually and sticking them to scrap wood so I could minimise the impact of mistakes.  I managed to smudge the 4 and the centre of the clock when putting it together and I smudged the 10 and 11 when setting the time BUT these are minor issues, which can be easily avoided. 

Clockdetail

It’s taken an age to get the bits of wood for the backing, order the clock mechanism, not to mention figuring out how much ink to use when printing, which is the best sort of paper and what type of adhesive would work.  However, it has paid off as it’s finished and lovely and it’s telling the right time and everything!! (Sorry, I probably sound a little smug, but I made something, it’s pretty and it works).  At some point I’ll be setting up an Etsy shop and these clocks will be featured – watch this space!

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May 23, 2013 · 10:00 am

Whale of a time!

Wow – It has been AGES since my last post but it has been time well spent!   The printing press is now up and running and we’ve had lots of work done on our house.  This is just a quick post to show one of my first  finished printy thing, a birthday card for a friend who is a whale enthusiast.

Whale 001

The black ink hasn’t taken as well as I’d like but it was the end of a printing run of wedding invites so seemed little point in ‘topping it up’.  It seems to plod on forever on almost no ink so a tiny bit goes a very long way!  The colour was hand painted afterwards with a water based dye called Brusho.  I met a very talented artist called Gerard Hobson at York Open Studios a month or so ago, he uses the same inks and recommended them – I love them!   

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April 3, 2013 · 5:18 pm

A New Toy

Hello All, I don’t know about you but where we are the weather is stunning, springy and bordering on summeresk – laundry done and dry on the line in one day, so satisfying!  It is too nice not to have mentioned the weather but on to the matter at hand…

Having made the lino cut for the wedding invitation (which can be seen here), we decided the onerous task of getting 100 good prints when half of them seem to smudge was far too much of a challenge.  Whilst I suggested scanning the image and printing invites, Mr Biscuit hit eBay in search of a printing press, sure enough he found this little monster.

Adana

It is an Adana 8 x 5 table top letter press, it needs rollers but aside from that we have been assured it is in good working order, which is super exciting.  But… and this isn’t a small but… it came with this lot…

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Letters.  Thousands and thousands of letters, led lines, spacers and all sorts of things for which we don’t know the names and haven’t the foggiest idea of how to apply.  If anyone out there has any advice on letterpress printing or if you know of any good letter press / lino carving blogs I’d be massively grateful!  By the end of the first day of sorting I had one clean tray full of flouncy italicised letters (not an upper case A in site), several trays of grubby stamps and one or two boxes of bits:

DSC03800

If anyone knows anything about letter pressing…… help!

Thanks for dropping by,

Pol x

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March 26, 2013 · 5:32 pm

An Invitation

Hello Bloggy-land!

I’ve not written in a while as I’ve spent a week or two down with Shingles! Most unpleasant but it could have been a lot worse 🙂

My time was not wasted though, I finally put knife to lino and created the stamp for our wedding invitation.

wedding invite

It is a little cryptic for those who don’t know us, and perhaps a little sombre for those who do… When I first met Mr Ginger Biscuit he had a lovely Labrador called Biscuit, sadly she passed away in January (doggies don’t live forever and we now have a gorgeous beagle puppy – Ginger, hence the name of the blog) – Biscuit is gone but she will never be forgotten.  Mr GB also owned a stroppy old donkey named Jupiter, which he’d had for 26 years, as long as he can remember.  It seemed fitting to honour them both on the invite as they were a big part of our family for a long time.  We both love scuba diving and I did an MSc in marine stuff recently, hence the fish and walking dogs whilst avoiding squirrels, star gazing and outings are things we love hence the tree.  Not sure if we’re going to be lino printing an invite for everyone or scanning the image and using a computer but either way, I’m pleased as punch with it!!

I’ve also been pretty hookey lately, but more on that some other time!

Thanks for popping by!

Po x

 

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