Family Tree and Grannies

Back so soon!

After posting yesterday, I inspired myself to get on with the crochet. And added another square to the growing pile of grannies. I do have more than in the photo, honest. So, tonight I will aim to do at least one more...


And, as I already had the camera out, thought I'd show you a sneak peek of my family tree. I started this at the crop last Saturday, it was part of a class done by Cleo Jarvis, from Bellaboo. It's still not quite finished - there's loads of cutting out to do. But I'm just about ready to put it all together, just some photos to add, and then hang it all from the tree.

Sarah x

Happy Camper

So much to be done, so much to tell. Where to start??

Think I will have to do some bite size chunks, and just try to tell as much as I can. Think there will also have to be teasers - as much as anything, to make sure I come back to tell...

So, Ruby... Well after her escapade last post, she is now sat in her favourite garage awaiting repair. Luckily, it looks as though the insurance will pay for most of the work (keep your fingers and whatever else crossed). So that's not too bad, and at least nobody was hurt - most important!

But, we think we are going to sell her. This decision hasn't been made because of the fire, we were already thing about it, but it has sort of pushed us into making a decision sooner rather than later. Ruby has been a big part of our lives for the past five years - but it is now time for us to move on, and for somebody else to have some enjoyment from her. Ruby has taken us to many places - places we may not have been to if we didn't have her. We've been to Cornwall many times, obviously, to the Devon coast, Dorset, the New Forest, Suffolk and Norfolk - to name but a few places. We've had many rides into the Cotswolds, to Stratford and Evesham, and also onto the beach at Weston-Super-Mare(that's a story all by itself!) So the time is coming to say goodbye. She will be got back into good working order, spruced up, and then (hopefully) go to live with somebody else who will also have some adventures. There are some plans afoot for Ruby's swansong - but that is definitely for another post, some time later this year, I think.

The picture at the top shows Ruby just outside Evesham in September 2007 - we stopped overnight on the way to Vanfest. The girls slept in the pink tent, and that's me, just walking back to the van - now doesn't that look lovely?

So, what are we going to do for our holidays? Our summer trips to Cornwall? We're going to get a tent!! We're going to be Happy Campers, once again! And I'm looking forward to it - I love camping.

Onto another little project - I've started to crochet a blanket! Inspired by this post I decided that Ruby needed a granny square blanket. So, using these fabulous instructions I jumped straight in. After a (very) wobbly first square, I started to get into the rhythm of the crochet, and amassed a fairly decent pile of squares while we were on holiday. Alas, I haven't been quite so productive since I got home - I need to make a new habit of crochet in the evenings, I think. No pics yet, I think I'll keep those for an update post...

I also have another little project still to be finished off, from the crop last Saturday. So I'll leave that for another post - promises, promises!

back soon (ahem!)

sarah x

A New Day

Sorry for going awol, we were on holiday last week for the girl's half term. And I really have so much to let you know about. But, for now, I'm awake far too early, unable to sleep after a bit of a day yesterday.

First day back at school, but Phoebe had to go to the orthodontist first thing - check up in two years time, but looking like she may not have to have any work done.

Then I had to go to the funeral of a family friend, it was lovely - if they can be? A sad but also up-lifting remembrance of a long life.

Then, when it came to tea-time, Mark nipped out for some salad and cat food (for the cat, not for tea!). He took Ruby, our 26 (I think) year old VW camper van, as she was sulking because she hadn't been to Cornwall with us last week - yes, she sulks!

Anyway, I quickly got a phone call to say that as Mark was parking there was a big back-fire ( nothing unusual there) but that there was also smoke coming out of the engine at the back. Mark quickly checked and realised that the engine was on fire. Luckily we keep a fire extinguisher in the van so he was able to quickly put it out - but not before some damage had been done to the engine. But the rest of the van, and Mark, were ok - if a little shaken! Ruby is now in the garage, waiting for some fairly extensive, and probably expensive, repair work.

So, that's why I can't get back to sleep. To much in my mind! And thinking - what if we had all been in the van? With a boot full of camping gear? On the M5? But, also thinking, thank goodness we weren't, and that Mark was parking as it happened, and that we had the fire extinguisher...

I'll be back soon with the good stuff that's been going on, because there's lots to tell.

Sarah x

Chocolate Fudge Cake

My pudding of choice is Chocolate Fudge Cake, warm with vanilla ice cream. I may ooh and aah over all of the other choices - but I'll usually go for the old favourite.

Ages ago, about February I think, my friend Lisa blogged about the chocolate fudge cake recipe we used to make when we were at school. I asked her for the recipe, and she blogged it here.

So, on Saturday I finally got around to making it. I also made three little cupcakes, just so we could try it out before cutting into the big cake. (Luu was out, so she didn't get a cupcake)

Verdict? The cake was good.

We ate the second half the next day, warmed up, with strawberries and clotted cream left from Mark's birthday. It was even better warm! But, you know, back in the mid eighties when I last made it, I wouldn't have dreamed of warming cake up to eat it, but now it's quite normal.

The cake will be made again, and the recipe passed on. I think, perhaps, next time I won't cook it for quite so long. Again, these days, Chocolate Fudge Cake should be just a bit squishy!

Sarah x

A Crop and Another Birthday

So, I went to the Bromsgrove Crop last weekend. And had another lovely day. And it's only taken me a week to get around to getting the pictures on here!
Deb had set a challenge to do a layout using:-
1: stitching (real or faux)
2: shaped cardstock
3: something with wings

So, this is my take on the challenge. It's the first time I've used the challenge as a start for a layout, and I'm quite pleased with it. It's also the first time I've stitched on a layout - not that difficult, as I am a newbie, and I like the texture. Also did a bit of paper scrunching, which, as I have just re-discovered the macro button on my camera (doh!) I will show you in glorious close up!

Also did a couple of layouts of the girls...

And...

Ooops, have just noticed I haven't journalled on Smile, but I do also want to add more bits - love the look of those really busy layouts, just not quite sure if i can pull it off - but, practice, practice, practice!

And the cakes, well they were for Mark's birthday earlier in the week. And you can never have enough cake - even if it is just photos!

Sarah x

A Sewing Day

So, after days of glorious sunshine, the weather wasn't so great on Saturday. Helen rang and suggested a sewing day. So, I gathered up my sewing machine, some fabric and ideas. And off Phoebe and I trotted.

I made this door-stop, which has been on my to-do list for yonks.

And Phoebe made some bunting, using up the last bits of the spotted fabric. It's destined for her shed, but it still needs some tweaking - where mommy missed missed the edge of one of her triangles, when sewing on the (boring) tape!!

Sarah x

Easter Hols

A picture heavy post coming up, to catch up what I've been up to lately. This definitely counts as a diary type entry...
Sandcastles on the beach (not ours, but borrowed, this time)

Drinks overlooking beautiful beaches.

Many cups of coffee, in some lovely cafes. This was one of our favourites, at Trevaunance Cove.

A bit of culture - Truro Cathedral.

A trip to our favourite beach.

Then back home to Easter.

Blossom on our trees.

A taste of Cornwall with our bought in Cornwall Clotted Cream ( I know you can get it out of Cornwall these days, but it's always better from there) and a homemade cream tea. The scones were delicious, but not very pretty, we ran short of flour so they looked a bit like rock cakes.

Some tidying of Phoebe's play shed.

And making of curtains for said shed. And also a quick bag (hung on the door) for the carrying of essential items to the shed.

A birthday - that would be mine... With a cake - and candles - made by the girls.

And more cake... They also made about two dozen that I took to work, which went down very well.

Lots of lovely presents, with a definite pink theme noted by me in the wrapping, the cards and the presents themselves... And then I un-wrapped this...

Even more pink!!! For those that know, no explanation needed. But for the rest of the world - it's a Bind-It-All! I can now bind my own little books. So far, I've only made books using scraps from my paper and card box - no pics yet, but great fun!

A day spent scrapping with my sister and all of the girls (oops, no pics) and a birthday meant my work table could not be seen, so some time spent organising, tidying and actually getting rid of some (older) stuff. I was so excited it was clear, I never took a pic before I cluttered it up again, but this time with crafting, not junk.

Hundreds of photos taken of the girls playing, in the hope of catching that elusive shot of Phoebe's head above the top of the trampoline. Pheobe's head above the trampoline is not elusive, the photo of it is. I might try again today, with Luu's better camera - I want the pic for a scrapbook page - I am so into scrapping at the moment.

So, there you have it, if you're still with me. A quick round up of the Easter Hols. Now it's time to get out the summer uniform, and find the P.E. kits.

I'm going to try and refine/define my blog a bit more, and get some more regular posts on here - a birthday resolution of mine, let's see how long that lasts...

Sarah x