hen party - afternoon tea ..........

After lots of cooking and planning I set off on schedule at 5.30 am Saturday morning. Armed with all the baking, teacups, plates, cake stands, fizz (very important) and presents for the guests.
My first stop was to collect Laura and then on to collect Vicky who was the nominated driver as motorways and London traffic don't seem to phase her at all.

We made very good time and arrived at Kate's at about 9.30am. After unpacking the car we had a busy few hours getting everything set up, it was so lovely having my three daughters all together. I also had time for a few cuddles with Jake before it became a male free environment. Jake and Seb had a lovely boys afternoon planned and then a sleepover at Seb's parents.

When the boys had gone it was time to open the fizz and start to enjoy our afternoon. 

goodies for the guests ...........

a selection of the baking .............

the carrot cake was popular ......

mojitos and lemoncello slices ............

Vicky having fun in the kitchen ..........

When all the guests arrived we indulged ourselves with our afternoon tea and Anna taught us how to make beautiful tapestry brooches and fabric necklaces. At one time you could hear a pin drop as we were all concentrating so hard on our sewing - although with fourteen women it didn't stay quiet for long.

Zoe sewing her necklace .............

I had fun making a necklace for me and one for Laura ............

After a fabulous afternoon, the next phase of the party began - which was to change into glam clothes and move onto the restaurant for dinner and then cocktails for anyone with the stamina!

I had decided that I would take advantage of the empty house and curl up on the sofa and watch TV after my very early start I was ready for the rest.

Kate had a lovely evening with her friends ..............

On Sunday morning I took my three best girls out for breakfast and then it was time for the long journey home. We all felt quite sad leaving Kate but also excited as the next we see her it will be the wedding! I can't believe it's only 5 weeks away.

Vicky did an amazing job as the driver and we were safely back home for 4pm.

I have just finished my holiday packing and I am about to sit down before I fall down as I am exhausted. I can't wait for tomorrow - sunbathing in Turkey sounds wonderful.

talk soon but not sure if I will be able to post on my blog for a few weeks x

baby shower ..............

Friday was another busy day but I managed to finish the baby shower cupcakes, fit in my trip to the beautician prior to my holiday and then deliver the cakes in the evening.

pink for a girl blue for a boy ......

all boxed up ............

ready for the car .............

 All delivered safely  - I hope they taste nice!

Catch up soon about the hen party crafternoon tea x

yarn along .............

I am a day late again for Ginny's yarn along - sorry Ginny (by the way I love the colour of your daughters Sunday sweater!) I seem to be flitting a bit from project to project this week, I haven't had much spare time but can't seem to settle on any one thing. I started my pink baby blanket but found a mistake near the beginning so needed to undo quite a lot, and I don't really feel inspired to pick it back up again. I have been very tempted to start a knitting project so have spent more time looking at my knitting patterns and yarn stash than anything else.

After much flicking through books I have fallen back in love with my Erika Knight Natural Nursery Knits and I have decided to knit one of my all time favourite baby bonnets - it's utterly adorable. I do hope one of  the babies due in autumn will look good in pink!

talk soon x

chocolate lollipops ...........

It was my usual Wednesday morning, Zachy and Noah arrived for breakfast but alas I had forgotten to buy more Weetabix which is the boys favourite breakfast food, but we survived and made do with  Rice Krispies and jammy toast.

Around 10.30am Noah went down for his morning nap and Zachy dragged his chair into the kitchen so that we could start our baking. I had planned to make simple chocolate lollipops which were quick and easy to make and Zachy could be involved in most of the process.

We broke half a block of white chocolate into a small bowl and half a block of milk chocolate into another bowl and then melted the chocolate in the microwave.

Zachy breaking up the chocolate

I lined a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper and with a dessert spoon put spoonfuls of the melted chocolate onto the paper in roughly lollipop shapes. Then we pushed sticks into the circle shapes and spooned a little extra chocolate over the top.

Zachy added a variety of decorations onto the lollipops and then into the freezer for 30 minutes they went. 

all ready for the freezer

set and ready to eat

don't they look yummy

The lollipops were a big success and after Noah's sleep both boys enjoyed one before mummy came to collect them. Zachy made sure that the remaining lolly's were packed up for him to take home.

talk soon x

Still on target .......

I stayed up very late on Monday night watching Andy Murray winning his first ever "Grand Slam" in New York.

                    

It was about 2.30am when I finally got into bed so unfortunately yesterday I was running on empty but luckily still managed to have another productive day.

First thing Tuesday morning I met up with my friend Jane and we had a lovely catch up and celebrated her birthday over coffee but alas no birthday cake (I am still being good) Jane loved her birthday present, I had ordered her a Florrie Fern Tree and some adorable Tree Triplets from oneofakindboutique Urban Garden collection, to make it even more special I commissioned Kate to customise the present with some special birthday badges.

Florrie Fern

 

Tree Triplets

During the afternoon I did some cooking, I made a vegetable pie with puff pastry, cauliflower cheese and herby new potatoes for dinner. Later in the evening I made some baby shower cake decorations in preparation for making the cakes later in the week. It's important that the flower paste decorations have time to dry out completely before I use them to decorate the cakes.

flowers and feet

more flowers and feet

I need to refer to my list but I think I am still on track.
talk soon x

ticking jobs off my list ...........

I've had a productive day, everything on list completed and actually quite a bit more besides. Vicky came over to discuss the hen do and ended up giving me a hairstyle make over - I quite fancied having a few curls in my hair so Vicky had a go with the curling irons, I was really pleased with the result.

Washing and ironing all done and I managed to fit in some baking as well, Pam had given me a Jamie Oliver recipe for banana muffins which she makes when she has over ripe bananas that need to be used up. I had three ripe bananas looking at me this morning and I felt unable to put them in the compost so you will be pleased to hear that I had a go at making the muffins. They were so quick and easy to make and turned out really well, I added a bit more texture by adding a handful of sultanas to the recipe. I was still in a baking mood and had all my ingredients to hand so I made a batch of plain scones to go with some strawberry conserve and clotted cream I had in the fridge.  All sounds yummy but I am still on my diet and due for a weigh in on Thursday so unfortunately none for me. 

I spent some time in the afternoon working on the baby shower decorations, wrapped my friends birthday present and then had a lovely treat which I had booked last week but had forgotten to add to my list. Pam collected me and we went to the new Clarins spa for a massage, mine was a relaxing and vitality enhancing massage with lovely essential oils,  Pam's was a full body massage that used essential oils and hot stones, we both felt so very pampered and relaxed when we came home.

After cooking dinner I spent the rest of the evening watching tennis and doing some of my crochet, a lovely relaxing end to a busy day.

I hope tomorrow is as productive
Talk soon x

a perfect sunny Sunday .........

It's been a lovely sunny day today and I decided to have a leisurely day before the onslaught of a very busy week ahead.

The day started with a trip to a local charity car boot sale, where I bought some lovely china teacups to add to my collection, some vintage dessert bowls and a little china serving dish. Followed by a very quick supermarket shop and then back home.

teacups

serving dish

dessert bowls

The house has been so quiet, no visitors, my partner had gone to play football which left me with some lovely me time hours. I played my favourite Jack Johnson album and did some pottering inside and outside the house. I love sitting in the sunshine but it also makes me want to do jobs in the house, I tried hard to resist on the job front but did end up doing some sorting - so not such a leisurely day but still enjoyable.

I have been checking off my to do list for the wedding and things are going well - also made a list of jobs for the week as I go away for the weekend and then on Monday it's time to go on holiday - I can't wait.

Things I have planned or need to complete before the weekend -:

Monday
Meet Vicky re hen do, sort holiday clothes, do the laundry and ironing, wrap Jane's birthday present, start sugar paste decorations for baby shower cakes.

Tuesday
Meet Jane for coffee, start planning baking list and shop for ingredients

Wednesday
Look after Zachy and Noah - meet up with Laura re hen do

Thursday
Bake cakes for baby shower commission

Friday
Bake cakes, scones, meringues for crafternoon tea (hen party afternoon tea), pack for London, decorate baby shower cakes, fit in visit to the beauty parlour for manicure and pedicure.

Saturday
Pack car with cakes, vintage teacups, cake plates, and  cake stands, jam jars and knitted covers, travel to London with Laura and Vicky

Sunday
Travel back from London, unpack and re-pack for holiday tomorrow

Monday - holiday!

I can't decide if the list has helped or made me feel slightly hysterical ............... but on a calming note I have started another baby blanket, this one in pinky shades.

comfy chair waiting, crochet at hand - just need a cup of coffee

talk soon Sue x

my creative space

I am playing catch up with everything this week, but better late than never. Hope everyone has had a creative and inspired week,  I stayed up late last night and put the finishing touches to my baby blanket - hope you like it.
Just popping over to "my creative space" to check out everyones projects.

 talk soon x

slow living ........

Another month has flown by -  life is hectic but fun and fulfilling. Hope you have all had a productive month, using Christine's nine heading's I have given you a flavour of what's been happening in my life.

NOURISH:

lots of cooking and experimenting with recipes, not sure it's always nourishing as quite a few sweet bakes this month.

carrot and lentil soup

stir fry vegetables in a tomato sauce

cupcake batch bake

lemon drizzle loaf cake

tomato pasta

Oreo dipped lolly pops ............

PREPARE:
As usual lots of cooking from scratch, batch cooking and a few new recipes.

REDUCE:
Same as last time really, home fuel bills and petrol costs still showing savings.

GREEN:

Continuing to compost waste and limit use of pesticides and chemicals.
 

GROW:

Herb garden thriving, bay and rosemary look lovely, strawberries in pots and hanging baskets are looking good.

hanging basket strawberry plants

bay and rosemary

CREATE:

Even more crochet, and a few more unusual projects ..............

knitted lamp

little wooden people

DISCOVER:
Still discovering that I do have will power, I have now lost 2 stone - I am so thrilled.

ENHANCE:
Time spent with my wonderful grandchildren - they enhance my life enormously

ENJOY:
 A fabulous time in London sharing in Kate's wedding planning, dress fitting and more

I hope you have all had a good month sorry my post is a little late - I  look forward to catching up with all the "slow living posts" over at  Christine's - I am sure yet again you will have all put me to shame.

talk soon x

yarn along ........................

Hope everyone has joined in with Ginny's yarn along this week, I can't wait to check out new projects and find inspiration for a new read. - I have to confess I am a day late with being away in London.
The beauty of travelling is how much crochet work you can get through on a peaceful undisturbed train journey. I have been experimenting with a new yarn, style craft double knitting, well it's new to me and very reasonably priced which is a bonus as I seem to be getting through lots of yarn at the moment. I am making a little baby blanket as before the end of the year quite a few of my friends will have new grandchildren. I have used mainly trebles and doubles and have just made some crochet circles to add some embellishment down two sides.

I have also just received the first edition of a new magazine called " The Simple Things" which I think I am going to love. 

I thought I would share with you the inside cover of the magazine with its ethos ............

doesn't it sound perfect.

Hope you all have a creative week.

talk soon x

home and away .......................

Sorry it has been a week since I last posted on my blog - I have been so busy it's been hard to find time to sit at my computer. I have lots to catch up with. I went to London at the end of last week so had my usual cookathon to make sure that my partner had plenty to eat during my absence

The old staples of vegetable lasagna and vegetable chili stocked the fridge. For snacking I made a fruitcake, which was a recipe I hadn't tried before - Mary Berry's pound cake, I adapted it slightly and made it as a tray bake rather than a traditional deep round cake, it worked well. I also made a box of chocolate cornflake cakes which are quick to make and a household  favourite.  

Next came packing for my trip, I had to make sure I had room in my case for the knitted lamp and the little wooden people - I can now confirm that the knitted lamp was delivered safely and the little wooden people have a complete wardrobe and are sitting in Kate's studio.

It was lovely to spend time with Kate and Jake, it seemed ages since I had last visited but in reality was less than a month. Jake is getting more confident with his walking and is managing to get everywhere and into everything -  he is just adorable.

Kate as I expected is getting pre-wedding jitters, worried that she won't get everything completed in time, but of course she will.

We managed to fit in a trip to Liberty's where we bought some lovely fabric to make some of the wedding accessories.

I took this photo looking down from the top floor.....

One of the things Kate wants to make for her wedding is a wishing board like the one Sania Pell has designed and featured in her latest book " the home made home for children"

  

Wishing Board - taken from  " home made at home for children"

                              
We spent hours cutting up fabric to thread through luggage labels for the wishing board and for attaching gift tags to thank you presents. Kate also designed some special things for the hen party - I can't give too much away as it's not until the 15th September.

On Monday we visited  Temperley for Kate's wedding dress fitting, she looked beautiful  - I wish I could share more with you but I will have to wait until after the 20th October, I can't wait.

As usual the time ran away from us and it was time to come home, I got back yesterday and since my return  have had a busy time with the rest of my family.

Alex has moved up to year 5, Finn has started school, Daisy has started nursery school and they have all settled in well. Today was my usual day for looking after Zach and Noah, it has been lovely and sunny enabling us to spend lots of time playing in the garden. Noah has become very confident negotiating steps and slopes in the garden, his walking has improved so much. Zachy and I didn't manage to bake today but he had fun pretend baking in the sand pit.

I have also managed to do a little bit more on my crochet blanket, will add a photo next time.

No wonder it was so late when I eventually started this post.

Night night talk soon x