Sowing the seeds this spring weekend

This weekend kick started our planting of seeds.


Keith has been planning and organizing this moment for the past couple of months down to what to grow, how to grow it and where (more info at a later date).


He had a little helper...


...with her wellies on the wrong way, but when this was pointed out she said 'soooooo, that's the way I like them' fair enough!


They filled pots with compost and dibbed and dabbed and sowed those little seeds until all the pots were filled.




Florrie did the nasturtiums...







...whilst I watched and eat cake, plus a little bit of knitting in warmth of the sun streaming through the patio windows.


Thank you Thimbleina.


Could we have a budding Sarah Raven?

A Handmade Skirt

A little while back I made a couple of skirts for Florence, this was pre Tabitha and pre pregnancy.


Even though they were very easy to make we received so many positive comments from friends, family and strangers I ended up making a fair few and were the top Christmas present given to all my friends with little girls in 2006.


I even had woven labels printed with my name to sew onto them.


This morning Florence in her usual flurrie to get herself dressed as she is a big girl 'four year old' now, decided to pull the contents of her wardrobe out to find that just so perfect outfit and look at what she found right at the back hidden away, one of my skirts.


I made this one out of a Cath Kidston print in cord material for better hard wear.


So today, for the first time in a couple of years Florence wore the little skirt I made for her and it still fits! I think this skirt will be getting a bit more wear out of it before it is handed down to her little sister.


As soon as I can I will post instructions on how to make this little skirt, it is really, really easy! If I can do this anyone can.

A last minute posting

Lookie at what I saw this afternoon peeking it's little face out at me as I sat at my sewing machine!


The first home grown one for me this year.


I think it looks perfect with Florence's hand painted rainbow as a backdrop. A little ray of sunshine, emerging from the haze!


Have a lovely evening xx

A day in the garden

Mama's sitting on the doorstep with a strong cup of tea,

Tabi's going for a wander...


...what will she see?


Exploring in the pots,


& mucky little fingers...



Patiently waiting...


...can we play Peek 'a' Boo


or a game of ball?


Tea almost finished...


...how about some lunch?

Mollychicken's Fabric Pom Pom

I love to sew, but I am a very slow crafter and also a very impatient crafter, a contradiction I know, but if I start to make something I like to see immediate progress! I have lots of ideas and things I want to do, but my home is filled with half finished projects, patchworks unquilted, quilts half made, trousers unhemmed and pencil cases with no zips the list is endless, remember Isabella's quilt?

As soon as I get excited about a new project and get started, something else catches my eye - this is a prime example


I started it over four years ago and will probably never finish it, though the beauty with 'English Patchwork' is I can keep it in a basket and pull it out when my fingers start to get twitchy!

So when I found this idea back in June (I did say I was slow!) on one of my top five favorite blogs 'Mollychicken' it was the perfect thing for an impatient crafter and a shoe box full of fabric scraps!


My mum use to get me to make pom pom's out of her wool scraps, but I think it was just a genius ploy to keep me quiet because I can remember they use to take me forever, winding wool round and round and feeling that I was never getting anywhere, I'm sure the middle hole was deliberately made wider than necessary!


All in all it took me about an hour and that was whilst having a one year old trying to bundle me and reading a comic to a four year old.

It now has pride of place (more my pride than her's) in Florence's bedroom as I think Tabi will just pull it apart like she does most things, it's her age!


Thank you Mollychicken, I really enjoyed doing this 'quick' project, at least that's one more ticked off the finished list.

Homemade Malt loaf

OK, so I know Wednesday is a strange day to do a post about a Saturday tea time treat, but this recipe needs at least two days, three if you can wait, to mature to a state of moist and gooey'ness'.

Along with flapjacks, malt loaf for me one of those all time, tea time treats I grew up with.

For me it has to be 'Soreen' plastic wrap malt loaf, spread with lashings of butter, no other product will do.


Well that was until I found in Gary Rhodes, New British Classics cookbook the recipe for 'Homemade Malt loaf' it is divine. I love this cookbook, it has lovely old fashioned recipes for things like Lardy Cake and Parkin or Fig Rolls.


I didn't want to copy the recipe right out of the cookbook as legally I'm not too sure if I can, but searching the Internet I did find this copy. Though there were quite a few alternatives online which I may try, I just like this because it is simple and quick, well apart from the waiting to eat it!

When I make mine instead of greasing a tin loaf I line it with greaseproof paper so I can just lift it straight out and wrap up when it has cooled.


I make this at least once a week, but have to confess that a couple of packets of 'Soreen' malt loaf is purchased with the shopping every week so the pantry is always kept well stocked!



Malt loaf and Grange Hill, now that brings back memories.

Enjoy! xx

Flipping Pancakes!

Ever since I can remember we have always had pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, my mother always made an effort and I in turn do so now for my children. I can remember my mum standing at the stove flipping pancakes as fast as she could whilst my sister and I stood, arms outstretched with empty plates waiting for the next one, until all the batter had gone.


I am a little bit more disciplined with my lot as my patience and nerves couldn't stand another reason for the older two to start quarrelling, but give them their due, they do sit patiently at the table until all flipping has commenced and a plate stacked full of pancakes are laid on the table, then they start arguing and eating as fast as they can!


These days pancakes are no longer a treat in our home saved for once a year on Shrove Tuesday. When we are not having waffles for breakfast on a Sunday morning we are eating pancakes, normally the thick American style ones with maple syrup and crispy bacon or toffee sauce with sliced bananas, I blame my husband putting ideas into the little ones heads with his adventures and travels to the States, but they are very, very nice.


I can guarantee though that come this evening I will be stood at the stove as my mother did flipping dozens and dozens of pancakes!

Happy Shrove Tuesday and happy flipping xx