Bunting, Bunting, Everywhere!

I am sure I have never seen so much bunting!

It's not very often we British feel so patriotic, is it?

I've got my handmade crochet bunting up in the front window (from Making Magazine):

and I have been watching all the boats go up the Thames on the tv.

Yesterday, I made quite a lot of cakes for the Senior Citizens Tea Party -

I think they enjoyed their little cake fest.

We also went to Cadhay Fair near Ottery St Mary.  It was lovely and we had a gorgeous cream tea in a quintessential English garden.

The weather just about held out, with a little drizzle as we were leaving.

I hope you're all having a memorable weekend and let's hope we've got some better weather tomorrow!

Bumbling Along

Well, all week I have been trying to get to this point (posting) and I am finally here at ten to eleven on Sunday!

Lots of knitting has been going on here and I hope to show you a picture soon but in the meantime, here are some buns!

I have a Jubilee Tea to do in a couple of weeks and decided I have better have a bit of a practice.  Unfortunately I couldn't find any dark blue tulip cake cases, only light blue ones; so the red, white and blue effect is not as good as I wanted.

I have also invested in a mini loaf tin and so I made some miniature lemon drizzle cakes as well.

Oh dear, now we have to eat it all!

The dog is settling in well.

It seems like he has been here forever.

And hasn't it been a lovely day?  Oh look, some more rain forecast for tomorrow!  What a surprise!

Better use it as an excuse to do some more knitting!

Feeling Stuffed

and a bit guilty .....

There is a tiny bit left ....

Happy Birthday Knitting Queen

Today was my very good friend's birthday, The Knitting Queen.  She is also my neighbour and the amount of times she has helped me out with emergencies, traumas, running out of ingredients and dealing with big hairy spiders, is innumerable!

So I thought a cake was in order:

Yes, the icing is a little rustic but seeing as I only had 2 hours sleep last night, I don't think I was doing too bad!

I don't know what it is that happens on Saturday nights but this is the second in the last two months that I have sat in A & E watching all the drunken louts swagger in!  Children are such a worry, aren't they?

Anyhow, back to The Knitting Queen.  I also made her this brooch:

And a box of chocolates!  Thorntons, no less.

Aren't I lucky to have such a good neighbour?

Hope you Had A Happy Valentine's Day!

Running on Caffeine

My bottom has just hit the chair for five minutes while my chocolate shortbread is baking.  Plain shortbread, cherry cupcakes and bakewell tarts already done, thank goodness.  Coffee, chocolate and coconut cupcakes and lemon drizzle cakes left to do, along with anything else I can think of!

I just quickly clicked on Selfsewn for a little read and she is summarising her week in three words.

I put "Running on caffeine".

Ooops.  Gotta run.  Oven beeping!

Preparation is The Key

Aaaaahhhhhh!

Why do we take on so much?  Correction, why do I take on so much?  You're probably all out there in Blogland with your presents handmade and wrapped, with Christmas cards poised for posting and Christmas puddings aromatically maturing in larder cupboards!

I am not.

Nor ever likely to be.

There is no more productive time like 'The Last Minute'.

Anyway, just thought I better drop in and play catch up; at least, prove that I haven't been spending all my time on Pinterest (ahem).

That strange red thing I was making a while ago here was eventually finished, along with a couple of others and they now reside on my bookshelves.

See, it wasn't rude!  Unlike this thing I saw [click here], which please don't look at if you are of a nervous disposition.  But do you think the Runner would like me to knit him a pair?

The two main things I am in a panic about are a cake stall on Saturday (you know what I will be doing from dawn til dusk and later tomorrow don't you?) and a craft stall the following Friday.

Lots of making projects going on at the moment, most of them half-finished!

Wish me luck!

Happy Birthday Starfish and Runner

It's definitely birthday season here!

Review of Birthday Goodies

Just a few lovelies to show you from Scary's birthday presents.

Shall I start with the boring card?

A couple of little tea light holders.

I did try and get her a decorative bird cage but they were all too expensive for my pocket!

A pretty photo frame in her favourite colours.  Cheap and cheerful from Store 21.

A cutie umbrella, cos you know what English weather is like!

Scary loves peacocks so she had several things along those lines; including a notebook and a hair clip.

A hair band and tie that I crocheted in her current fave colour.

A cute little box and necklace from a charity shop.

Another little sweet box from another charity shop (good job she doesn't mind) to fit in with existing pots.

And I managed to fill it with charity shop and boot sale finds, running with the butterfly theme.

Yes, she did get a bit of money as well!  Along with a guitar; no picture, sorry.

And The Runner gets in on the making act as well.  He made this necklace for her.

Many other bits and pieces, too numerous to photograph, but these were my favourites, along with The Bag, of course, which seemed to take so long to make.

No, not that one!  The real sized one!

Oh, I almost forgot the slippers I bought for her (she suffers with cold feet, poor baby).

And Starfish gave her something she's been wanting with a passion for some time.

Shame he's not real!  Starfish and I went into the shop and said "we want Matt Smith please".  "Oh yes", the lady said.  "We've got one out the back."  Imagine our surprise if she'd come back with a real one! 

Well, if you've made it this far, I think you deserve a slice of cake!