Monday 18 May 2009

WIP, Swap and cakes for tea.......

Sorry to all the lovely people who normally follow my blog for not writing last week, but last week is best forgotten as far as I am concerned.


The picture above is of a WIP that I have nearly completed.I have altered it in places to suit me, and have stitched different colours to which the pattern stated. The pattern is a Mystery Sampler ( a freebie)which I found on http://pagesperso-orange.fr/anne-les-petites-croix/ . It has a good variety of speciality stitches which I found quite absorbing, and a change from just doing cross stitch.

The vase of flowers is a mixture of the many Aquilegia we have growing in our garden together with what I call popcorn grasses.I was so upset because the wind had been very strong for the past 3 days, and that along with the rain had been beating their tall stems all down onto the lawn.


The above picture is of the scissors case and fob which I stitched as my part of a swap to Irene in the Netherlands.Now that Irene has received her swap I thought you may like to see what I made. The swap was through one of the groups that I belong to Yahoo Group bbinteractive. The link can be found at the top left of my blog. The stitching was done on a 28ct even weave linen with a French Navy pure silk lining. I sent a little card which I made. I cross stitched a hedgehog on perforated paper, and decorated with a frame then made it into the card.




For many years I used to bake cakes, biscuits, pies etc, but up until the recession I am afraid I haven't been as good as I should and have been buying ready made.Today though I thought this must change.Not only is the price of some shop bought cakes ridiculous,but you really cannot trust exactly what is going into them. I feel so strongly about the fact that some unscrupulous manufacturers are putting hydrogenated fats( causing heart disease), into our food that I thought it was high time I went back to making my own goodies. I was trained in catering before I made the great decision that, that wasn't what I really wanted to go into job wise when I first started work; and eventually ended up being a window dresser for a large high street fashion store for while before getting married.


The pic above is of a Victoria Sandwich Cake which is sandwiched together with Damson Jam, and lightly dusted with icing sugar over a doily; which I made this morning. This is the start of me making and baking my own again.


The teacup in the picture is my favourite vintage teacup, of which I have many. This one is made by Royal Cauldon. This cup makes any cup of tea taste wonderful.

This is my favourite Picture for May, it is taken on Dartmoor, and when I took it I was surrounded by Bluebells. The scent was heavenly.

9 comments:

  1. Sorry your week was so bad; hope this one goes better. Your mystery is very pretty. And your cake - yum, yum, looks scrumptious! I love tea cups and that one is sooo pretty, too. Pics make you want to go take a walk!

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  2. Hope you have a better week this week. Your mystery freebie is very sweet and i love your little scissor case.

    I'm in the same mind as you with shop bought things. I always used jars/packets/sauce mixes to make dinners but this last week i've made everything from scratch and the family have loved everything i've created! i've even been making my own bread!

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  3. Hello Dawn,
    Three Cheers!!!
    Good for you for making your own gorgeous jam filled caked cake with and with a beautiful icing sugar stencil! You are very talented with your cross stitching too!

    Hope this week has started out better for you.
    xo
    Constance

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  4. Your stitching is gorgeous and the bluebells look beautiful! I bet it smelled wonderful! We have honeysuckle in our back yard and it smells heavenly too. :)

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  5. This freebie come from Anne, Tournicoton's designer....http://pagesperso-orange.fr/anne-les-petites-croix/

    I have only stitch it but it's true that I create some free chart but not this one !

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  6. Dawn, I really enjoy reading your blog. Hope this week is going better than the last. Hugs, Jane in WV

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  7. Hi Dawn - good thoughts are coming your way from me too. It looks like you have been busy - that cake looks delicious. You know I cant resist a recipe - you gotta share!! :) I have been using the reason that I am not stitching, that I am looking for a pattern to make a scissor fob and yours are beautiful. You swap partner must be delighted!

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  8. Ok that cake is making me hungry - it looks so yummy. The scissor case you sent it so pretty - i am sure the recipient will be delighted with it..

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  9. Cargaud thank you for telling me this was not your Mystery Sampler. I have corrected the hyperlink now. It was your site though that I found the pattern on.
    Thank you once again.

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