More cakes

In the summer, when all the "summer" clothes were meant to be worn, I couldn't help but notice that they weren't as comfortable as they ought to be. Well the answer to that is... The proof of the pudding is in the eating! Quite literally. Too much eating.
Since there are more baking snaps than stitching here, you can't argue with this... so I made an effort and got my marching shoes on. Walking 4 miles a day - at pace - it's actually great. I downloaded podcasts and got so caught up in listening to them, forgot where, how quickly... poor little dog trotting along next to me. She loves it really.
Has it stopped me baking - has it heck - request monday is a weekly occurrence...

The last pic is the far healthiest of all the buns.. Christmas crocheting. These will be going on Christmas parcels next month... AAAAHHH!!

I will go and take some photographs of things that I have made, non-edible, because I have been really quite busy - honest.

I have been sewing honest...

...but in downloading pics from my phone after some time - 324 pics :-/ I have discovered that I have not been photographing my sewing projects...
mainly eat-ables..

Needles to say all have been and gone and a pleasure it was to have them visit... all be it briefly.

The last one here was a birthday cake made for me by my No1 D, who is becoming quite the whizz in the kitchen :-)

Here is my Black Forest Gateau...

Note to self - Photograph sewing projects - of which there are plenty!!

P.S if you look carefully behind the plum and almond tart, there are three pumpkin buddies keeking out

Let's not comment on time span since last posting. Let's just go from here....

I don't know if the word 'Summer" can be posted here. Based on the months involved, yes indeed the word ought to be used but I'm afraid other than us being off school/work there wasn't much in the way of a summer feeling around here. In fact, I think we only ate outside TWICE!! I didn't even bother painting the table and chairs.
If it hadn't been for this...

I think there would have been a real feeling of misery at the wetness of our holidays. We were lucky enough to go back to Tuscany and I think we all agreed that it was one of the best holidays we have all had.

The above three pics are... the quilt that I was working on - always a bit of stitching to be done in the peaceful warmth of a quiet day. Mr H holding it over a slight drop ... I jest it was a HUGE drop. To drive up to the house we were in you were lucky to use 2nd gear for any of the journey... it was very much in the "Italian Job" vain, causing a few hairy moments in our miniscule Fiat Punto.

The house was completely wonderful and completely my dream holiday home. It had a fantastic bread oven which I was shown on the saturday we arrived and was lit by lunchtime sunday.. pizzas and homemade bread - as you can see in the last pic. What it doesn't show is that the side of bread hiding from us is completely black!! Fab bread oven, experience required!! 

We are almost in a state of... "..and relax.." in our house. It's been a busy old time. I am no longer the parent of a child at Primary School...
My youngest has now moved on, and will join her sister at the High School after the summer break - something to get used to for all. I should add a sarcastic note referring to the lack of Summer weather. It has been, and is grey and wet, and seems to be remaining that way for the rest of the week.

We had a bit of planning for No1 D, as she went off to Paris with the her year group. Spending a week sight-seeing in and around the city.

One of the highlights of the end of term for an 11 year old is the end of year dance.

The Hummer fitted all the girls from the class and unfortunately, due to the awful sheet rain, no pics of them standing outside it. A sea of umbrellas helped them in and out, and all had a "ball".

This summer we will have the joys of the London Olympics, and I must admit, I have no interest. If the telly is on when I happen to be sitting, I may catch a bit, but I'm not really into it at all. However... when I heard that the Olympic torch was going to be near us the other week I took the children down to see it and - it was actually quite exciting...

So No2 D left P7 after various events, singing in front of all the parents - brilliantly - playing with the orchestra, reading out the farewell from her class - sobs from me - playing with the hockey team and handing in a thank you gift for the teacher. A lovely teacher who No1 D also had had and so, an apple for the teacher was taken in... c/o HERE

...and as the days relax I am enjoying a little stitching, working on things that have been sitting about for ages... like a quicky hexagon by machine...

Fab Jubilee Weekend

Est Voila... the bunting was hung and blew in the breeze. I can say that breeze is about all it came to for once. We have been camping and had strong winds leave me awake most of the night worrying about the tent staying out but this weekend we had the most wonderful weather.

It's a shocker! Went camping ... had great weather... 

We stayed outside Oban, along a narrow one track coastal road with views across to the Isle of Kerrera off the west coast of Scotland. I WISH we had great weather during the summer months because it would make us travel around seeing as much as we can of this glorious country. Scotland is beautiful whatever the weather but there's only so much rain and dampness a person can take. The midges, well they had us running for cover one night but weren't all that bad.

I'd like to show you my Jubilee bunting rustled up for this weekends camping trip... BUT I haven't taken a pic of it. so I will once in situ on the tent.
I have taken a lot of pics of late, so many that - TOO many that, to download became more about the thought of wading through them. Terrible, why take pictures you can't be bothered to look at.

Plenty bread making still occurring in this house, to the extent that my children are now screwing their faces up at the plastic bag stuff... Point to Moi!!

At the end of last month we were at my brother-in-laws wedding. It was in the most lovely of places, Inverary, with the most beautiful of weather, and was indeed a fantastic weekend. Bonus feature being it was very near a favourite spot of ours...

It was lovely.

Easter Break

...has flown right in. It has been very busy and fun

- I have to add that as offended the children last night in my tired grumpiness, complaining there has been something everyday. And still, today I am busy working on designs for a future project which is slightly sideways for me but nonetheless interesting and enjoyable - watch this space - and tomorrow, shopping for a wedding outfit for No1 D. my brother-in-law marries at the end of the month and we are all kitted out bar her, so it's a must.

Some peanut caramel shortcake for extra chocolate intake, on top of the eggs. I saved my hot cross buns before I burnt them to a crisp... talk about misreading a recipe...

Although, I am camped out in my old sewing room, now a little spare room where the ironing gets done and a quilt hangs on the wall. It IS generally a tidy room, but because it is a spare, there is a tendency to "put", anyway, I set up a table in front of the window and it is a very pleasant spot to paint and draw. I did try using the kitchen table but I found that passing traffic would stop to chat and look and ask questions - is there anything more irritating than questions like "Is that your design?" "Is that what you are doing?" When you are only just getting into it.

My usual homemade Easter gifts were last minute frantic "get this done" in time, this year Pen Rolls. There are so many variations online. I just measured the height of the pens I bought and added 2". I had purchased sets of 30 coloured pens from Tesco and matched a rainbow of fabric to each pen. I cut 1 1/2" strips. A lot of strips to cut and sew to make 7 rolls but nice to see them lined up, and all smiles upon receivement (if a word!)

Yesterday it was my father-in-laws birthday and so we had a day out. This time we took the ferry to the Isle of Cumbrae, a small island off of the West Coast. Really a short drive. We left the cars on the mainland and off we went, picnic in tow, dog.. children. The weather was supposed to be wet but instead it was the loveliest of days and we all came home with reddened faces from sun, sun, sun!!