Flat week.

Last saturday I collected my No1D from her class and was gobsmacked to see how much of the old Design School at the Art School has been knocked down. So much so that, the window I sat next to is now visible...

Just below the "S" on the crane... where I sweated blood and tears - literally..

All things change I suppose... sigh.

There was to be a bake sale at Guides... and as quite normally there is a tight turnover of time through the week and so since I was in and No1 D was not - I was busy baking. I don't mind in the slightest in truth,  quite the opposite. Last time our Oreo Brownies didn't sell so we took a different angle and after skulking in the corner of LAKELAND cookware shop, reading their book on cake pops and "How to", I went away and had a go. So we had some Piggy Cake Pops for the bake sale...

and they were a sell out. One person did ask "were they standing in a toilet seat?" No!! It was a polystyrene shape that sat around a glass bowl - HONESTLY!!

Well they were such a hit, I'm going in on their last night to get the Guides to make them.

I have also been trying to be inspired by the Guild AGM competition theme "A Visit to Scotland". For the first time in a long time the AGM is being held in Scotland. I 'm doing a Young Quilter's workshop which will be fun. Helping at another. Anyway, A visit to Scotland.... can't get past shortbloodybread...

I've gone with a plaid-ish effect and I think I'm going to applique thistle-like shapes on top. But I am sighing with disappoint because I envisage several thistles.

Oh well, at least an entry. It's only to be 24" square.

Get on with it - she says to herself, and make it pretty!!

Kindle Cover for No2 D.

I'm typing this watching one of my favourite films. You've Got Mail. I can't tell you how many times I have watched it. It's become a joke in the house, but I JUST love it. So much so that a couple of years ago when Mr H and I went to NY city, we stayed in the part of the city, upper west side where a lot of the film was made. Talk about bliss. Didn't bump into Tom Hanks though. This is Meg Ryan's quilt. Love a film with quilts in it...

 

Last October I made No1 D an ipad cover . It, though I say so myself was very nice. Quite professional looking. So last week I got my act together and No2 D got her own version of it for her Kindle. She's pretty pleased with it.

We had another day out on sunday. It was the holiday weekend when the children had a few days off. Mr H didn't, except for sunday, so we took ourselves off to Largs . The funny thing is, we have been there many times but we got lost this time!! We forgot how to get there and ended up using the GPS on the iphone to get us in the right direction, never mind the correct road. This is the road...

Talk about beautiful. It was the quietest road that narrowed and narrowed to the point Mr H was beginning to worry about his alloys. No cottages, no cars just sheep standing staring. The only exception was the parked up camper van with steamy windows... ahem... Mr H " well at least we know they're alive!"

Largs is famous for a few things. Great viking centre, ferry across to Cumbrae and of course Nardini's.

which we obviously had to visit...

Arty trip out

No1 D, I have mentioned in the past, attends saturday classes at Glasgow School of Art. She's only 14, 15 this year but seems to be leaning in the direction of something arty. I hope very much that she succeeds in whatever she wants to do with it. It is a wonderful thing to do, spend 4 years focusing on your passion.
From experience, my one warning would be, it passes all too quickly... absorb absorb absorb.
Anyway, she is working on portraits at the moment and painting. Off her own back she requested we take a wander around the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum  
It was actually a lovely afternoon. She was mightily impressed when I told her that I, myself have had a drawing hanging in said museum... part of a Schools competition many a year ago when her dear mother won a silver medal. Maybe I should wear it about ... 1984 :-O

It was all very interesting and we munched on some homemade macaroons that I had whipped up this morning. In taking a few pics as we walked about, we had a bit of giggle at this one...

FishHead Mummy...

Almost as much fun out of that as MrH will get out of his new gift. He is anally into The Beatles so we couldn't resist this yesterday..

Get it?? Sgt Pepper..... LOL!!

illness afoot

I had thought I would be a bit better at writing here. In fact after a lovely Christmas No2 D has had a recurring head cold/flu as has MrH. It seemed to have died down a bit then the weekend before last it reared it's very ugly head again. Culminating with 2 sick people having a week off their normal weekly doings... i.e school. work.
SO No1 D and I have had a busy time of it. I went back to work last week and am back to 3 evening classes which is a surprise as I expected quieter terms after Christmas... who knows how things work. I do enjoy it tho... so interesting seeing the different tastes/choices that people make.

and then whatdyu know at the weekend?!? Slight tickle in my throat... now have a bit of ear ache... waking at 5am, hacky couch... bleh!!! After plenty enough time off where I could doze at my leisure getting over illness, it's trying to kick in - not letting - when I do not need or want to be ill!! Fingers crossed I still have a voice by Thursday.

Instead of healthy gym/zoomba yesterday I stayed inside and sewed,

it was a lovely bit of me-time. I am thinking mustard yellow backing, unexpected. The borders have yet to go on also.

There has been a whole lot of...

this with my new mega mixer dough hook. This was cinnamon and raisin bread swirls.

and when the fire is lit it's perfect for the bread rising...

I also did a bit of selling for the first time on a well known website. I have bought plenty things on Ebay, but never sold.

In the sales I found a pair of FLYlondon shoes exactly like ones I had but I confess should have originally purchased the next size up. Long story short sold £40!! SO pleased, that's what I bought the second pair for. They were lovely condition an have gone to a new loving home. So now I am searching for more things to sell... 

Too Excited!

Well, I was expecting a parcel - big box actually - and I was able to track it which is good (most of the time). So as of Tuesday at 08.24 "the parcel/big box" was in the hands of the courier having been processed at the depot - 04.30 ... so basically I have been waiting since Tuesday. Worse than the kids at Christmas.
Today at 11.33 (according to the delivery track) the customer signed for said parcel/big box. Except it wasn't quite like that. The door bell went, a man in a small blue car was at the door with my parcel and I didn't sign anything. To be honest it felt so cold, as though it had been in the back of his car all week...
...suspicious sidey glance...
anyway, it's here and I am TOO HAPPY.

So I am waiting for the macaroons to cool and the fruity, nutty bread to rise. Talk about "in love"<3

N.B

Wish I'd taken pics but oops. The macaroons were out of this world. Not flavoured, just the macaroon made with almonds but a cream and Nutella filling - what!! The fruit bread, well it will be made again. No2 D requested to omit the walnuts, so will do, just for her.

Happy New Year

Well that was lovely. I think on the 2nd of January I sat down (of which I have been doing a LOT) and thought, it's over :-(

I love love love the run up to Christmas. I have never been one for doing early shopping, preferring by far the hustle and bustle of queues and crowds all - I'm serious. I love it. I like hiding things, finding funny things, or getting something I know will be appreciated. I love decorating the house, altho our hall is ongoing so it was more bare than normal. It would have been done this week but the flu has taken over our house, well 3 out of the 4. I am the only one with good genes... and they are only just holding Christmas in... I am seriously considering GYM activity.

I mean I am seriously considering giving myself 6 months GYM attendance 3 times a week. or at least until Easter. This is really due to the fact that I bought myself Spanx pants and they are just all too "women in her 40s eats too much cake".

I am also awaiting the delivery of my special gift. Not everyones idea but when it comes, will polish and pic - gorgeousness itself.

In the meantime..

Wishing all the very best for 2012 X X X

December has arrived...

...and I am getting complaints that we are the only house I_N_T_H_E_W_O_R_L_D without their Christmas decorations up. Well, I'm not sure if that is entirely correct but I can also appreciate that everyone else does seem to have had decorations up for ages now. What's that about?? These same people will have them back in their boxes by the eve of January 2nd. When we will proudly display them until the correct 12th night.. whatever night that is.  Still to be worked out in this house.
Anyway...

it's coming. I spent yesterday afternoon cleaning "properly" under/over/roundabout in preparation for the big event. But I have been busy with other things.

My husband's sister had her 40th birthday last week. It wasn't fully decided that I would make her a quilt, just a seed of an idea that hovered in the air. Then as per usual for me, as time ticked on and later in the day than I would wish for comforts sake.. I decided to go for it. What a busy week!! Then the schools were closed due to extreme weather forecast so the planned big quilting day I had the children at home. They left me alone to pull and tug the quilt through the machine. It's really hard physical work when the quilt is so big. Well, cut a long story.. blah blah.. finished and wrapped it went to it's new owner who was delighted. One happy quilter.

Tomorrow the boxes come down from the attic, so let's expect some festive pics shortly.

P.S How cool was this... a hard boiled double yoke-r!!