Oh happy day

I'm having one of those great days where I am trying out all sorts of new stuff, podcasts for a start- yes I am behind the times I know. I've also been asked to make a cover for a recorder, this one was a new one for me but I love a challenge.

 You can't just have any old cover you have to make it snazzy! My youngest minion laughs when I say this word so I am dropping it into conversation whenever I can this week. If only to make myself giggle. So back to the case, just some lovely pink linen, lined in purple cotton and with a ribbon drawstring and some simple embroidery to make it personal. Things should always be personal. I'm pleased with the results so let's hope the musician it's intended for likes it too.

So while I've been stitching this week and last I've been digging through my music library and have been having a good ol' listen to the eclecticness that is my music taste. The top ones for this week are the Dixie Chicks, Julian Fauth and Imelda May. If you don't know them check them out you'll thank me for it. The sun is shining here so I'm out to the garden, hope it's shining on you too. See you soon.

Spring has sprung

It has been too long but if I tell you that I have been up to all sorts of exciting things you will forgive me I think.
So the time has flown by with...

Cake - and lots of it, birthday cakes, bought cakes, whoopie pies, cakes I shouldn't have eaten and cakes I am most definitely glad I did. I also discovered the cake hangover. Who knew it was possible?

Knitting - so much knitting and being seduced by Ravelry type reading. I've finished two shrugs in the lovely Rowan Linen Lenpur (which I got in the sale so even better), halfway through a stashbusting wool cardigan for when it gets cooler (and it just did, please don't tell me the English summer is over already) and that leads me to crocheting.

Crocheting - I've been improving my skills which let's face it were basic at best and so far so good. The crocheting has also distracted me from finishing one of the above mentioned shrugs (sewing up seams) and not yet finishing the cardigan which needs a neck. But I love granny squares.

Visiting - my new favourite hangout, where all the cool kids go when the real kids are at school is Jumble Jelly. A fantastic and oh so friendly purveyor of wool, yarn, fabric and if you are really good they give you cake!

Gardening - the garden has burst forth with all the fantastic weather we've had and so I've been pootling about there and also dismantling the poor excuse for a side garden that the builders of our house left us with thereby transforming it into the veg garden (this brilliant idea was thanks to a passing comment by my friend Red). So the beanpoles are in and the blackberry and raspberry canes seem to have survived the transplanting. There's a bit more to do and any pictures would be slightly disappointing so we'll have to wait. My biggest battle is trying not to turn into a volcano when I have to clean someone else's dog poo off my garden path! And breathe. Let me just say, my dog doesn't poo in your garden, don't let your dog poo in mine. Enough said on that topic. But looking forward to some courgettes the size of marrows - which some will be because they always grow faster than we can eat them. Which leads me to Chocolate Courgette Cake. The best. Which also means we've come full circle back to cake.

Today's cake selection is a cheeky little lemon and lime coconut cake, once I've finished squeezing the limes!