Thursday 6 March 2014

Recent days and weekend plans



Still struggling with those post titles...

Anyway, life has been doing that thing, rolling along merrily, so time for an update.

I had another go at my beach hut block, this time after purchasing a little stack of Liberty fat quarters specifically for that purpose.




I changed the block a bit as I was seeing 'shed' more than 'beach hut'.  I am still seeing shed, and have realised that the steepness of my roof is at least partly to blame.  Design number three required!


Clare and Emily for the sand
Rosy Blue for the sky
Betsy for the shed hut walls
Petal and bud for the door





I started a new blog!  I needed somewhere to put details of my workshops and suppliers that I use, maybe even a few tutorials.  You can find it here if you fancy a look!






Last Friday was a momentous day for Miss U-t-B, as she received her first 'proper' pay packet!  She has actually been working since late November as a tutor in an 'Explore Learning' centre.  She loves the work, almost always coming out from her shifts cheerful and full of what she enjoyed (even the ones that start straight after college and continue till 8pm). But due to some administrative problems, she hadn't yet received any pay... A few tears had been shed, mainly when the sales were on - she refused to borrow any money to allow herself to buy a few treats so missed out on the bargains.

On Friday morning before college, there was a whoop of joy as she looked at her bank balance to find she had finally been paid!  She said it was a fairly painless way of having saved up nearly £500, and later treated Mr U-t-B and I to a fish and chip supper to celebrate!  Bless!





Sunday was Mr U-t-B's birthday.  I normally do a big family meal, but with all sorts going on on Saturday, decided to treat him (and me, in that I wouldn't be doing the cooking...) to a pub lunch.  Instead of the lunch, we had a little tea party - I did some baking whilst Miss U-t-B took him to the cinema to see 'Non-Stop' which they both really enjoyed.  He then had the company of his two eldest, their partners and his two grandchildren, with tea and sweet treats thrown in. 


I made these ginger cookies to use up the stem ginger that was in the fridge.  The recipe is Chris Evans' wife Tash's and I can heartily recommend it.  Just don't overcook them, because they are gorgeous when still a bit soft.
(They're still very good when they've had a couple of minutes more in the oven, just watch out for your teeth!)




I also made a nice Genoese-type sponge, which I filled with cream and some blueberries from the freezer.  






This weekend I plan to be making this...



The Family Reunion Dress
Picture courtesy of Oliver and S



I have loved this pattern for a considerable while but have, it is true, always baulked at the price.  But with certain little misses in the family at the age when this dress would be irresistibly cute, I could hold off no longer, and I also came up with a dressmaking challenge which I'd like to do once a month.  My plan is to choose a pattern and fabric early on a Thursday morning, order it before nine from some unwitting online supplier and see if they can deliver in time for a weekend of stitching!  Quite a tall order, but I know some suppliers turn orders round really quickly, and I want to know who they are!


This is the fabric I have chosen for the Family Reunion dress...





'Pretty Floral' from the Yay Day collection by Emily Isabella
Picture courtesy of BirchFabrics




I have chosen a supplier who has given me fast delivery before, so my fingers are crossed, my pins are ready and the sewing machine is warming up!  

Hope you have something good planned for the weekend - I hear it might be time to crack out the barbecues on Sunday!


9 comments:

  1. Your cushions look lovely to me and I see beach hut when I look at them, but I understand as sometimes we have an idea in our minds and no matter what others say if it isn't the image we have in our mind we can't see it can we. Glad that you have been having a good time, but sad to hear that your daughter has had problems getting paid, that seems very unfair. Glad that she has taken it in a good way though and I hope that she will be getting her money on a regular basis from now on. I will pop over and visit your other blog when I finish typing this! xx

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  2. Your beach huts are just brilliant - love the bunting! They definitely look like huts to me:-)

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  3. The cushions are lovely & I'm looking forward to seeing how the dress turns out. You must be very proud of the way your daughter dealt with her situation she seems to have learnt some valuable life lessons.

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  4. Belated happy birthday wishes to Mr U-to-B, the cookies and cake look delicious (it was Mr Fiddlesnips' birthday on Monday!). That first pay packet is very sweet isn't it - well done to Miss U-to-B for treating you all to f+c. (Hope also got her first pay packet this week - in her case it's very hard earned as she is still going through the pain barrier of weekend working in Costas!). The Family Reunion dress and the fabric you've chosen is adorable.

    x

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  5. I love the cushions. You use such beautiful fabrics and that really makes them special. Bravo for Miss UTB and a belated Happy Birthday for the Mr. Now I must go over and look at the new blog:)

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  6. The cushions are lovely. Great news for your daughter. Looks like you had a wonderful weekend. Pretty little dress.
    Julie xxxxxxxx

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  7. Oh, that little dresses going to be so cute! Well, I like the beach hut cushions as they are - v jolly! How kind of your daughter to treat you! I'm planning on pottering in the garden at the weekend. X

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  8. I've been away from blogland for a while, and am now trying to catch up on all that has been going on while I have been travelling in Australia and New Zealand. It is lovely to see what you have been up to.... love the beach huts. I'm looking forward to catching up on blogs I have missed.....I hate not knowing what everyone has been up to ! Jx

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