A Cup Of Tea & A Catch Up

It's nice to have a catch up occasionally, but it does make me realise just how much my life revolves around eating. There are worse things I suppose :) Anyhoo, here is a bit of March, which saw me writing book reviews - as always - going to my niece's birthday party (what you are seeing there is a drunken brother-in-law raiding a fridge, as that is what happens if you drink irresponsibly!), and eating treats from my local coffee shop, The Seasons. I also finally popped an engagement photo in a frame (although it hasn't a real home yet, and is sitting randomly on a windowsill...), then over easter Rob made some pulled pork and bread rolls (delicious), I made some edible but rubbish cakes (note to self, never wing it, always follow the recipe), bought some pretty plates, and we also had french onion soup grilled cheese sandwiches, courtesy of Joy the Baker, scrummy but very, very rich! 

A Triceratops, Cake & A Bear With A Sore Head

It's a bit late to say "Happy New Year" but this is my first post of the year, so I hope your January has been a good one so far and that you have all been enjoying a bit of snow (if you are in the UK).
I've been quiet because my focus has turned to the wedding, so far this month we have booked hair and make-up, a car, ordered rings, booked a suit appointment, abandoned the idea of custard doughnuts and put a deposit down on a cake, and then I turned my attention to toppers for the cake.
It might seem a bit early to think about a cake topper, it's another 9 months until they are needed, but I also wanted to make a little figurine for my friend as she is emigrating, so I decided to get them all done in one weekend. 

The initial creatures (a bear, a triceratops, and a fox for my friend) were made from polymer clay, completely free-hand. The Triceratops proved slightly challenging but I'm quite pleased with how she turned out. 

They were all painted gold, as the idea was to then paint them white and sand them back to make them look distressed. 

The fox stayed distressed, but before I began sanding the bear I decided that I would really like him to remain white, so I had a change of heart and repainted the triceratops white again.

Before I finished the toppers off, cake samples arrived from Couture Cakes. This has to be the most exciting things ever, it isn't just getting cake in the post, this is getting several different flavours of cake in the post.

The pieces on the plate look a little small, but I had cut each flavour in half so Rob could have some... the vanilla at the back looks really small, that's because I had begun it eat before I thought of taking a photo. The flavours we tried were vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut praline, raspberry and amaretto, and toffee and pecan. It was possibly the moistest, tastiest cake I've ever eaten, and I can't wait to try the finished cake... bit of a wait though. 

The finished toppers. In the end we kept them white with just small details. Oh and in case you are wondering, the bear - rubbing his sore head - represents Rob, and the baby dinosaur represents me, can't imagine why, I'm very dainty on my feet! 

Cake, Cat, Valentines, & A Bit Of A Catch Up

Day 40 of the Doodle Olympics - A Nanna's house, although my Nan didn't have a cat, or that wallpaper.

Day 41 of the Doodle Olympics - Cake and tea, that is all.

Day 42 of the Doodle Olympics - Ollie, next door's cat. This is actually from a photo, as he usually puts me off drawing him, by snoring really loudly. 

Day 43 of the Doodle Olympics - Everyone is gearing up for valentines day, and I just feel sorry for the posties, although admittedly, this one just looks like a very popular school boy. 

Day 44 of the Doodle Olympics - From a photo again, as I was struggling with ideas again this week. I think this was at Bury St. Edmunds Abbey. 

Day 45 of the Doodle Olympics - Fubby and I celebrate Valentines Day, but not in a huge way, we don't do presents, just a nice meal at home, and spending time together. Love is so many things, but just for the time it took to draw this, it was sherbet lemons. :)

Day 46 of the Doodle Olympics - True Story. This was a little bit inspired by Lizzie Stewart's diary - Solo, I'm not going to draw my own diary, I am no way, as talented or witty as she, but just wanted to pay homage.

Merry Christmas!

Sorry the blog has been a bit quiet over the last part of the year, that should all change in the New Year. 
As you can see the Christmas Festivities have begun here! 
Merry Christmas everyone! 

Hello 30s - Day 289 - 302

It's back! Hello 30s! I have finally given out all the cards and presents, that I have taken photos of, so I can now continue with my daily photo challenge, without spoiling any surprises, yeay!!! I do need to get a wriggle on though. The project ends this month, and I already have over 50 photos stored up, that need to be posted. Spit Spot!!

Day 289:

Candied walnuts! I made these for a salad, possibly the tastiest salad, that I have ever eaten. 

It was also possibly the unhealthiest salad I have ever eaten. 

Ho hum! 

These walnuts were so yummy, that half of them didn't even make it into the salad. I found the salad on Shutterbean, make it, it has sweet sugary walnut goodness AND caramalised onions! 

Day 290:

Drawing chickens. Did you see the last Hello 30s post? The one where we looked after chickens? Well that gave me an idea. I had taken some photos of the chickens, so decided that I would try and paint them, for future sister-in-law's (Sandra) birthday. I haven't had to draw or paint anything in a while, so practice was needed. 

Day 291:

I also had to practice painting chickens (on paper silly, I didn't paint any real chickens). All I have at the moment are watercolours, which I find quite difficult to use. I am an oil, or acrylic kind of girl, a bit slap dash, and heavy handed. 


 Day 292:

Meet Floss. Yes she is a bit of an odd little chicken. She was a runt, that should have been for the chop, but Sandra saved her. Floss sometimes get a bit confused, and thinks that she is a cockerel. 


Day 293:

After an hour long walk, and feeling quite disappointed, that I had remembered to take my camera along, but had found nothing of interest to take a photo of. I came across these two swans, and their healthy brood of cygnets, right by my house. 

Day 294:

My Precious!! These are my thumb rings, I love them. They have been lost for so long. I had desperately searched high and low, in a Gollum like fashion, and had just about given up. That was until we decided to do some painting and decorating in our bedroom, and moved everything out. 


 Day 295:

As I mentioned above, painting and decorating, which, as always, turned the house completely upside down. 


 Day 296:

I went along to the first UK Handmade Surrey Artisans meet up, and as well as meeting some lovely creative ladies, I also came away with a stash of cake and biscuits - can't complain ;)


Day 297:

Oh the excitement! You know how it is, when your days are being governed by DIY, it just isn't THAT exciting... but parcels are exciting, even if your parcels are full of door handles. It certainly breaks up the monotony of door painting.


Day 298:

More cake!!! I had taken a cake along to the meet up, boyfriend was a bit put out, so I had to make him another. This is how I know, that this vanilla pound cake is quite good, as boyfriend isn't usually a big fan of of sweet things. Oh, and anyone that thinks vanilla pound cake is a plain cake, shame on you!!! 


Day 299:

Going through the family photos. This is my Mum and I... not that she is going to appreciate me putting this on here. I had spent the day getting her birthday present finished and ordered. I was lucky to have this photo, it was one of a group, that I had sneaked out of the house on one of my last visits. Even trickier was sneaking them back. My folks are planning on moving, and everything is packed away in boxes. I had to hide an envelope on top of a wardrobe, and tell my dad where to find it, so he could put them away. Very James Bond!


Day 300:

The Arty Street Party in Reading organised by Jelly. I went along with the lovely Anna from UK Handmade (and Sakura Jewellery) to help spread the word about UK Handmade. Had a great day, meeting lots of wonderful creative people. :)


Day 301:

It's those door handles again! Honestly, black door handles, hard to find and expensive. (Wickes and Homebase both do some, but do any of them do a matching bathroom privacy lock - noooo!). Oh and you see that door, that was brown... and now... it's not :)


Day 302:

Birthday card for Sandra. As well as painting chickens, I also made a chicken card. You can probably see a theme developing... it is a good job she likes chickens really :) 


Right, only so much blog you can put in one post, there will be another update soon! :)

hello 30s - Day 99 - 108

Day 99:After removing all our belonging from the attic at the beginning of the year, I found piles and piles of photos that needed sorting, so I ordered some photo albums from WHSmiths, because they were buy 1 get 1 free :)

Day 100:
You turn you back for 5 minutes... I know it never comes across as well in a photo, but the cuteness of cats climbing into things never fails to impress me.

Day 101:
The last slice... or more accurately, large mammoth slice of christmas cake (courtesy of Rob's mum) of the year. I would like to say I didn't scoff it all myself, but I did, sat down in front of America's Next Top Model I think (of all the programmes to eat cake in front of), with a giant cup of tea :)

Day 102:
Rob and I went into Guildford, to pick up some belated Christmas treats for ourselves. Rob bought me my Paperchase diary, I get one every year, and I can't live without it. I like them, as they are page per day, and there is always at least one that I find so pretty, that I want to use it, and I think that is key with a diary, otherwise it sits and gathers dust.

Day 103:Photo albums received, and organisation in progress.

Day 104:
I wish this was more interesting than just a group of jars, but it isn't. The point is, I have collected them over christmas, but as yet have made nothing to go into them. I really must get working!

Day 105:This was The Pudding Club that I wrote about in my last post. Here is Lydia concentrating very hard on what score she wants to give her pudding.

Day 106:

The lovely shopper and certificate I received from The Pudding Club :)

Day 107:
Handmade stuffing balls with sausage meat, apple, onion, and chestnuts. They are still raw at this point, we were getting prepared for our feast the following day...

Day 108:
Christmas Day 2! Yes really. In an attempt to be less stressed, and spread the finances a bit, Rob and I didn't get each other presents for christmas. Instead we waited until January 11th, then had another christmas day, but more on that in another post.