Didn’t we have a lovely time…

…the day we spent sewing!! Sorry – that started out better than it finished (I had that stupid song about a Trip to Bangor in mind when I started typing!!)

Unusually, I had today off as part of my nine-day fortnight and I spent it sewing with Nicola (check out her handiwork here – plus her version of events!!) after I had completed the mountain of ironing that had built up over the weekend!

Nicola arrived about 10.30 and after about two hours of chatting – I haven’t seen her for ages – and lunch of soup & roll plus delicious Victoria sandwich cake (provided by Nicola) we finally got around to sewing – and this is the result…

We started with two rectangular pieces of fabric (no pattern or instructions – just Nicola’s memory) which I quilted together, bound the top and bottom, fitted a zip (never done that before!!) and then pleated the sides ending up with about four (maybe more) layers to sew through – just as well the machine is sturdy! Add a tab in to the mix, turn it inside out, give it a bit of a tug here and there and …voila!! You have this…

Lovely!!! So what’s next? Well, I had a bit of a browse after we’d finished with the thought that I needed some lovely bright solid colours and stumbled across a site here that I thought was very reasonably priced so I did myself a bit of ordering – bags could become the new quilts!!

Oh – before I forget the verdict on yesterday’s muffins – Blueberry’s were OK – not sure about the butternut squash and rosemary – they were a bit soggy for my liking – I think maybe I misjudged the quantities of squash!

Ta Dah!!

Woo hoo!!! I am a chuffed Sparkle! Two batches of muffins – one Blueberry the other Butternut Squash and Rosemary – this weeks Blueberry mix rose a little more than last weeks but I still don’t think I’ve found the best one – anybody have one to share? The Butternut Squash ones are from this book here. I don’t very often watch TV cookery programmes but this one really caught my eye – especially when she made these muffins. As yet they are untested – I’ll let you know what they are like!

So, without further ado…

And…

This tin is perfect for 9 muffins – which meant the other 3 had to be eaten!!

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And last but by no means least – I’ve finished the top of the ‘Simplified Log Cabin’ I thought I was never going to finish it but I am quite chuffed with my efforts –not so sure I’d rush to use the pattern again though!!

Still needs backing and quilting but as it’s been such a lovely day today I thought I’d get out there to take a sunny day picture!

When I posted this morning I forget all about the great day I have planned with Nicola tomorrow – I’m going to learn something new which I hope to share with you – if they work out OK!!

Now  back to the TV for League Cup final – if I can stay awake, happy days!!

More of the same!

Nothing exciting to report I’m afraid ! No sunny day photos, no crafty reveals, no great news, nothing particularly cheery to share – oh how I hope that will change soon!!

I think last weekend I told you I was going to bake (just going to check that ‘cos I’m doubting myself – and I’m back) correction I told you I had baked! Well, I didn’t like to declare at that time that I was sooo disappointed with my blueberry muffins – they didn’t rise! There I was looking forward to huge fluffy muffins and they turned out more like titchy fairy cakes ! So today I’m going to use another recipe and see how that goes – if I don’t tell you, you’ll know they were a failure too – although I must say that last week’s efforts tasted delicious, lovely and light so the disappointment was really only the size!

We had a lovely day with Linda & John last Sunday, Son 2 came along for the free meal (and a shower ‘cos his housemate had used all the hot water!!), I didn’t get any sewing done but I did sit and cut two-and-a-half inch squares for my planned portable hexagon project. Linda, like Julie, is an experienced needle woman to whom I have often turned in times of need – I have always been  envious of both of them for their ability to whip up a pair of curtains or a fancy blind!

Work has been awful this week, working in the NHS is going to be a real challenge in the next couple of years with the extreme financial pressures that are going to hit us, we all think that we spend only what we have to already but that will have to change – if anybody can tell me how to save money that isn’t currently being spent, please let me know!! The phrase ‘working smarter, not harder’ will be used ad infinitum!

I do have one fabulous thing to look forward to though, no actually – make that two! In a couple of weeks Julie and I are going off to the Quilt show at Chilford Hall in Cambridgeshire and then, towards the end of the month, John & I are off on another holiday! This time we’re going to Washington DC – I bet you can’t begin to guess how many geocaches he expects to do!! So despite the doom & gloom there is a little light at the end of the tunnel – it just seems a bit dim at the moment!

So what am I going to do today? I’m afraid there is the inevitable pile of ironing – I still seem to have so much even with just the two of us, a bit of baking and then I’m going to finish piecing the top of that darn ‘simplified log cabin’! Watch this space for the finished article!

And finally… just opened the curtains and found this to share with you after all – have a great day, whatever you do!

Beautifully clear but flipping freezing – I think I shall dry the washing outside today which makes me very, very happy!!

Catch up!

Before I get started, if you read me in a reader and only see a few lines, I learnt this great tip the other day! In Google reader, go to ‘Settings’ (over in the top right had corner) and choose ‘Reader Settings’, then take the tab that says ‘Goodies’ and scroll down to ‘Put reader in bookmark’, drag the ‘Next’ button (right click and drag) up to the lower tool bar and you’ll see the Google logo with the word ‘Next’ – and you can read the posts from their original location and in their entirety without having to open a new window – simples!

Well, my last post certainly brought me a lot of visitors from worldwide locations! It seems I must have been the top Google response to ‘Paul Evolved Management’ searches – sadly it appears that ‘Paul’, whoever he may be, will not be buying any of our super duper blogs!

While on the subject of money, I was ‘lucky’ enough to receive an email from a poor man called ‘Blessing’ this week, begging me to help him get his late parents’ monies out of his country – sadly I did not feel charitable enough to help him out (please don’t judge me!)

In other news, errr… other news, ummm – let me think…Oh yes, last Saturday Janet & I finally had our day out in Framlingham. The weather was a bit grotty but we enjoyed a good natter and a mooch around the various shops, including the ‘Pretty Birdcage’ which I don’t believe has a web site – yet! It’s my kind of shop selling both yarn & fabric – heaven! I didn’t buy anything though – I’m feeling very virtuous – I must use some of my stash first as I’m spreading, sadly I don’t have a dedicated room for all of this stuff, poor John can’t raise his eyebrows any higher!

During the week we had dinner at Julie’s before going of to see my lovely goddaughter in her last ever school production – I can’t believe she’ll be 18 in a couple of months!

On the sewing front, I’m whizzing through my ‘simplified log cabin’ with just two more rows to piece, sadly I won’t get any done this weekend, what with football yesterday and Linda & John visiting today. I’m being a domestic goddess today, having already made blueberry muffins and having a bread & butter pudding soaking in the fridge – oh and I made a banana gingerbread loaf yesterday as well, get me – first time I’ve baked in an age!

Football wise things are looking up! We are now undefeated in seven games – haven’t won them all but we haven’t lost any, surprising what a change of manager brings!

I’d better go now  - can’t entertain my guests in my PJ’s however comfy they may be!!

For Sale?

I received this email yesterday from ‘Paul’ – should I be flattered??

Hi, I am interested in buying your blog . If you are possibly interested in selling your blog, please contact me at paul@evolvedmanagement.com.

What price would you put on your blog?

If you have other blogs, I may be interested in them also.

Thanks,

Paul

To Unsubscribe, click here

Paul – if you are reading this (which I very much doubt) it’s yours for $10million dollars!

(Actually it’s not for sale – my blog is priceless, whatever makes these people spam like this? And by the way I didn’t click on the lick and I’ve disabled it on this post)

Anybody else heard from Paul??