more decision making

thanks for all the lovely support on my moaning Monday post. the toilet is fixed. the car is not..... they told us it was just a sensor and easy to fix. but it still doesn't work apparently. bother.

still no further on with the quilt, although I've cut out some more strips in different colours.

I keep getting distracted you see.

First someone at the library knitting group brought in some sample books destined for the rubbish, and now a new cushion graces our sofa.

Then I started cutting out bunting from more fabric scraps, for a charity stall someone else is running.

and I've been wanting to make some summer tops and keep coming across this top, simplicity 4589 - it even has it's own flickr group. problem is it's out of print.

so then I've been looking at this new look 6705 pattern and 6871 which are a bit similar.

and then I found some online tutorials, this one which is at sew mama sew, and from made by rae and then there's this tie top tank

- when I choose which to do I'll still have fabric decisions to make. I wonder when I became so indecisive..............................

of course if you have any pattern recommendations I'd be happy to consider them!

a different monday morning

last Monday morning I sat and sewed and played with colour combinations very happily


this Monday morning I'm going to ring the garage, and get them to come and get the car.

the quite new car that broke down yesterday 140 miles from home.

the children were quite excited by the recovery truck.
but then the wait by the side of the road was quite long, they would have been excited by a wheelbarrow ride.
although not a wheelbarrow the ride home was bumpy and uncomfortable.
but we are home...

and then when I've rung the garage I'm going to try and mend the toilet that overflowed all over the bathroom floor just as we were heading out to school...........

but first I'm going to have another cup of tea

hope you are having a nicer Monday xxxx

decisions

decisions decisions...............

first I was going to make a Chinese coin quilt, which would look a bit like this.



then I saw a tutorial for a quilt a bit like this..............



but then I got thinking what if I combined the two?




and I still have to decide whether to go random to sort the colours in each strip.




what do you think?

monday morning

number of hours of a quiet house since the children went back to school - 5



number of pieces of millionaires shortbread eaten - 2



number of times I have looked at this Chinese coin quilt in progress and not done anything to it - 2 million



amount of time it took me to find this white cotton for sashing - not telling you...



number of episodes of the edible garden watched on bbc iplayer - 2 - thanks for the tip off all you lovely bloggers who knew about this when I didn't! It's a great show. I wish I looked good in a dress/wellington boot combo................



number of cups of tea drunk - 3 -not enough, off in search of another.
thanks for all the lovely comments on the last 2 posts, I'll make a pot of tea and we can have a celebratory cup together, with perhaps just one more slice of cake? care to join me.....
back soon, with progress on the quilt that isn't going to be a coin quilt anymore.

an excess of cakes and even some prizes!

ok here goes, are you ready for an excess of cake and sugar and more sugar, and maybe just a sprinkle more.
ash fallout from the Icelandic volcano isn't what's grounded the UK air industry, it's the clouds of icing sugar from my kitchen..........



we've been busy bee's here in the driftwood house!

some leftover roses from a wedding cake have been put to use

some family members favour the everything in excess style of decorating....

another little bee looking for a flower to rest on.

this cake looks like it might be feeling a little blue? perhaps it's as tired as I was by 10pm after delivering all the cakes and flowers.......

the making of the buttercream icing meant the lemon drizzle cake might have had a few minutes longer than it needed in the oven, and oops look wrinkles from the greaseproof paper - definitely not show standard, but Miss K says it tastes good!

and a satisfying rack of child made scones filled the house with a most delicious smell.

and look - they are prize winning scones no less! E was enormously proud and even more impressed with his £3 prize money, which had to be spent immediately on match attax world cup cards..............

Miss K was more than happy with her millionaires shortbread 2nd prize! and £2 to put towards a mood measuring necklace no less........ but I must just say that whoever thought this is a suitable challenge for a child's class needs their IQ testing. I mean come on, bubbling hot caramel and small children. really......... why?

and me you ask, well my daffs with the orange centres came 2nd! my cupcakes came joint 3rd!

clearly all your well wishes did the trick, so thank you, thank you, thank you.

you may be called upon again.

Both E and Miss K are hugely keen to do this again, at every village show in the county if they get their way I fear. Me. not so keen........... we'll see.............

and just so you don't think we're ALL about cakes here, here's proof that we do indeed do have vegetables too.

and my prize money you might wonder. well I spent my £3 on the these. I love them. they smell amazing. and unlike everything else round here they're sugar free........

reading the rules

picture the scene if you can.
the beginning of a two week school holiday.
with no plans, play dates, or parties.
heavenly you think, until 2 children say
"what are we going to DO?"
and you remember that your hubby is going away at the end of the second week, and perhaps you really should make some plans...........

"we're going to enter the spring show" I say with faked enthusiasm, and show schedules are aquired, and discussed, and pored over, and the rules read.



the garden is assessed, and I decide that these daffodils are miniature, but who knows if they are on the "approved list". if they are disqualified then I guess they are not........



my plans to only have the children enter anything are thwarted when Miss K spots the class for lemon drizzle cake.
lemon drizzle cake is probably her most favourite cake in the whole world.
even more than chocolate.
how can she be a daughter of mine I wonder.
must be due to her father's genes............
anyway I am nagged and nagged to enter the lemon drizzle class.
until I cave in for some peace and quiet..........



also making an entry will be these yellow and orange daffs, who have a class of their own. I do hope I'm not supposed to know what variety they are, I was truly delighted to find them bravely growing in the corner in the shade of the last of the conifers.



and then there will be sea creatures, and funky animals made of vegetables, and scones and caramel shortbread, and decorated cupcakes in the childrens classes.............

so my kitchen tomorrow will be a bomb site of flour, and sugar, and icing and bits of mangled vegetable.
and due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland hubby is not going anywhere until the flights are uncancelled..................
which means he will be home to witness the destruction.

it's just as well I've got a new apron, I will be stopping to read it often I think

wish me luck. not for the winning, just making it through tomorrow will be enough...........

the bunny went this way

we've had lots of visitors recently, but this guy was my favourite.



anyone bringing chocolate is my best friend at the moment.



other blogs seem to be relishing the warmth of spring, talking of wearing skirts and flip flops, but here it's still a bit too chilly.
which is good because I don't love flip flops, but I do love socks.



These will be for my sister-in-law's birthday. It's just as well I've told her about them, or might be tempted to keep them for myself. Miss K wants a pair next.

but this weekend there will be no time for socks.

This is the big flower and vegetable bed creating weekend. So far our gardening has been only the destructive type (we've taken out 15 conifers that formed the boundary at the back, leaving it open to view the nettles that are growing in the wild bit behind our fence) trying to move a deck, (much too heavy.......) and cutting lots of turf. This weekend we're going to edge the beds with timber and then let the planting begin! (followed by some chocolate, just for sustenance of course..............)