BACK IN MY COMFORT ZONE!

Mid July and another birthday in our family, on Friday we celebrated Charlotte's 9th birthday. Another cake was called for and I have to tell you I was much happier making this cup cake than that bear type monster creation that I made for Jessica.

I felt back in my comfort zone!

As I sat with the cake perched on my lap en route to her tea party there was a brief sense of relief on my part when my husband commented that my birthday cake making season was at least over for another year.

This may not however be strictly the case.

The girls are having a joint party at the end of the month and they've asked me to make a "shopkins" cake.

 Do you know what they are?

I actually don't know myself yet but I have thought briefly about purchasing one already made.

The only thing is that my grand daughters have come to love my take on their birthday novelty cakes even though they are often lopsided and not totally recognisable.

I think I'll do some research of what the cake should be like before I decide, to buy or not to buy!

As part of Charlotte's birthday present, I gave her her finished cardigan

and by the skin of my teeth I managed to finish this one for Jessica.

This has turned out so much better that I thought it would. I ran out of yarn (Drops Muscat)  and couldn't get another ball of the same dye lot so ended up taking a chance with a different one. Thankfully, it's not noticeable at all and it looks really lovely on Jessica.

So now I am moving on to a quick little project, using this Pam Murray yarn that I bought while on holiday in the Orkneys.

When I find the right pattern, the right needles (you never have the right ones, do you!) I will be making myself a hat!

Enjoy your Sunday!

WHAT IS IT?

Sometimes, things go so well and sometimes things go oh so badly.

On this occasion it was the latter.

Jessica celebrated her 6th birthday on Friday and as is the tradition Granny was asked to make the cake. I was all prepared in advance, making the cake a couple of days beforehand and keeping it in the freezer.

On Friday, all I had to do was decorate it, what could go wrong?

Well, basically everything!

My, I have all day to decorate it turned into just 1 hour.

To add to that, it was such a hot day but I shouldn't really use that as an excuse.

The picture that I had in my head, did not materialise as I imagined on the cake

and I thought it looked hideous.

Have you guessed what it is yet?

We soldiered on, taking the cake to Jessica's tea party and were met by oohs and arrhs from Jessica and even an, "amazing!" from her Mummy.

In the end, I asked everyone if they knew what it was supposed to be and they got it right straight away - it's a teddy bear!

I wonder did you guess that?

Next week, I'm supposed to be making a cake for 30 people for my son to take to work for his birthday and Charlotte wants a Shopkins cake, which she has designed herself and I have the drawing attached to my fridge freezer.

I am beginning to wonder if my novelty cake making skills have now been stretched to their limit. Perhaps it's time to hang up my hand mixer. 

Getting away from cake making, I have finished this cardigan for Charlotte and I'm really pleased with it. It is a Drops pattern, using their muscat yarn.

This is the colour Charlotte chose herself and I have another on my needles for Jessica but in orange. Her choice again but extremely bright, hopefully that will be finished sometime next week and I'll include it in my next post.

I received lots of lovely comments on my last post, thank you very much.

Hope you enjoy the rest of your week!

DEDHAM VALE

When England gets it right  it couldn't be finer.

The last day in the month of June when the sun shining brightly in the cloudless sky lingered on well into the late evening.

It was our wedding anniversary, only 36 years and with us both being so busy recently, me with my parents and grandchildren and he at work we wanted to head to somewhere quiet and peaceful to eat, chat and while away a couple of hours.

We found the perfect place, The Boathouse at Dedham to do that very thing.

Doused in insect repellant,

(I have to say driving up their with the air conditioning on the pungent smell was unfortunately  a little intense for my liking.)

we managed to get a table outside right by the river.

There were swans and their cygnets to see but by the time I'd got my phone out of my handbag to take this photo they had passed and were probably half way along to Flatford Mill.

We always enjoy being in Dedham and the surrounding area and we had such a nice evening here, the food and the service at this restaurant was lovely and I would definitely recommend it.

Today, Michael is off to work again and I'm ironing!!

Yes, ironing on the hottest day of the year.

However I'm also taking time out to write this post, eat my lunch and watch a little tennis.

I have finally put buttons on my 2 finished cardigans.

This one is for Alfred

and this one is Jack's.

Jack's is quite thick  so will be ok for later in the year.

I really like the yacht buttons 

but ........

I also liked the football buttons that I bought originally for it, but bought five instead of six.

I'm always doing that!!!!

Thank you for all your comments, I really appreciate them.

Enjoy the sunshine!