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Sunday 29 April 2012

baking makes me smile ........

After the stress of my list day I am pleased to say that yesterday was a good day - I managed to achieve lots of things - I had a lovely day baking for the birthday tea party. I love baking and its one of the few things that give you fairly instant gratification - so many other things take ages before you can see the results.

I had requests for a chocolate birthday cake and a heart cake - Finn loves heart cakes

  I love my kitchen aid - chocolate cake on the go ............



















heart cake ready for the oven .............



















this new mini muffin tin is great it holds 24 cakes...........


out of the oven and cooling .......................




























all decorated - yummy ....................




















       filled with fresh raspberries and cream ...................


















can't bake and not make a batch of cupcakes ..................




































The party was a success and nothing beats having your family round for tea ...........

Unfortunately Kate was missing as she lives in London but she is coming home for the wedding (now less than 2 weeks - must keep calm) she has sent me some lovely photos of the granny squares blanket which is now happy living in the nursery.



I think the "belle and boo" bunny cushion likes the look of the blanket ........





















some of my crochet flowers were also dispatched to live in Parsons Green ......





















I need to get myself sorted now as the bride to be and her three bridesmaids are collecting me soon as its the final fitting with the seamstress - can't wait to see how she looks............

talk soon x    

Friday 27 April 2012

lists ................

I feel in need of a list ...............its the best way to unclutter your head!

Daughters wedding two weeks tomorrow :-






Jobs list


seamstress for final dress fitting
wear shoes in house - still a bit tight
buy tights
buy shrug ( not enough time to knit one)
book manicure
finish decorating vases
finish table plan
go to hobby craft for cardboard
visit nursery for plants - wrap plants in paper/fabric and raffia
finish decorating present bags
have hair done (roots prior to big day hair do)
drop 2 stone ( far to late)




buy shoes for husband - check suit and tie
chase husband re speech!
keep calm in front of daughter at all times ( do not allow daughter to read blog)
chase chair covers
talk to florist
check cake delivery
final run through of menu ...................................

Oh my goodness - this isn't working - head may be uncluttered but major panic setting in - no I will take a deep breathe and yes I am calm ( trying to be)



Good advice .....................




I don't seem to be forgetting to eat  - my advice should say - stay hydrated and stop eating!

Well I am going to have an early night as I will be busy with other things tomorrow  as its my youngest daughters birthday - so birthday tea party for 13................ but at least I have my list!

night night talk soon x



Thursday 26 April 2012

pink day ...................

I have been thinking about colour and have decided to have a day devoted to pink  ............... which is Daisy's favourite colour

http://ing-things.blogspot.co.uk/ recently had an orange day  - I just love the fridge




http://blog.lobsterandswan.com/  has just had a yellow day - so sunny



so here goes all good things come in pink! .............................

                               
                

           
                          

               


              

           

                                                          
           
                                                               
I have had such fun researching pink images - pink champagne and chocolates seemed a perfect way to finish.

I think I might choose a new colour once a month - I can't wait
talk soon x

Tuesday 24 April 2012

fed up with my house !

I woke up today feeling fed up with my house - could only think of all the bits I didn't like.................. utility room half decorated, lounge in great need of a make over. But then I decided to look at all the bits I do like and share them with you.......................................






I love my kitchen and my book shelf













I love my books - maybe I should bake a cake ...........



















or find a new pattern to knit ..................



















Just a random comment - do you ever buy pots of herbs and then forgot to use them I think I need to do some cooking today .......

















                                                                                                         



I love my dresser its full of yarn and crafty surprises ....................






I love my cushions from one-ofakindboutique.co.uk- 




  
                             I love my bits and bobs ........................



                                   
                                        I adore my sewing box ...........................


                 My vintage wall unit is one of my favourite things ........


                            I love my tidy shelves .....so full of stuff!



                             I love these baubles .....................


I am feeling so much more positive .................think I love my house x

Monday 23 April 2012

I've been busy .........................

Since my last post I have been busy with my two projects - my mushroom is nearly finished it just needs some more stuffing and the base needs sorting out ..................

almost finished




















I think the granny square was my favourite to make - I decided to crochet one big square rather than lots of little ones  - it was super quick and easy, great fun to do whilst watching television.

I think the colours have worked really well 

















haven't quite decided where to put it yet ....................





























Still got the crochet bug just wondering what to make next .................have you any ideas?

talk soon x





Saturday 21 April 2012

more mushrooms .....or granny squares

I am in a quandary! I love my knitted mushrooms and would really like a new family of them - my last family of mushrooms moved to Parsons Green to be adopted by my daughter -  but they do take quite a lot of time to knit up  as I am using fine yarn on 2.5 mm needles ................. on the other hand crochet squares are very quick and you get almost instant gratification watching  your pile of colourful squares grow................what do you think?

I think I will do both ................having two projects on the go won't be a problem they will have to fight for my attention..............
                                                                         
                                                 started my mushroom .........                                                                              


wool sorted for squares - love the colours ........

                                                                           

Talk to you later with an update x

Friday 20 April 2012

Inspiration

I am following a beautiful Dutch Blog http://ing-things.blogspot.co.uk/
Ingrid crafts amazing  things and uses colour beautifully I am in awe of her creativity - I first came across her blog in Mollie Makes and now follow her every day ....she fills me with inspiration and her blog makes me smile its always so sunny.





Mollie Makes featured some of Ingrid's exquisite crochet flowers which I adore I have had a go at making some but mine are very simple flowers as I can't quite master the little trumpets on the ones Ingrid has designed.

Ingrids flowers have coloured knitting needles for stems I had one pair of bamboo needles but then I tried wooden kebab skewers which also work and are much cheaper

My first attempt  - using bamboo knitting needles















Started to experiment a bit more - added more colours and layered flowers also used buttons which I think look pretty - and the wooden kebab skewers have worked well.






                                                              

I think I am hooked .................talk soon x







Wednesday 18 April 2012

Granny square saga .......................

Its finished ..............yeah!

My first crochet project is completed - not quite as big as I had hoped but I have stitched 117 squares together and I think it looks good. I had quite a lot of trouble getting the edges straight and is seemed a bit mishapen - so I decided to block it. I sprayed it with water and pinned it onto a damp towel gently pulling it into shape..............I can't believe what a difference it has made.



Blocking the blanket into shape ...........

I am not going to want to part with this blanket .................























All ready to parcel up and post to Jake for his nursery .............
































Talk soon x