Snail's pace

Sometimes I guess you just have to except that things go at a snail's pace.

This is definitely the case on the sewing front but that's ok at least we are no longer a household of zombie's!

One by one we've fallen like flies succumbing to yet another horrible bug.

No 1 started being sick Saturday night, I followed Monday quickly followed by #2 luckily at this point Mr D felt fine so did the nurses job, moping brows, changing sheets, emptying the sick bucket, but even though he felt sure he was built of stronger stuff he too crumbled and by Tuesday we were a family of casualties!

 Today I think we're on the up, #1 back at school and with Mr D back at work some normality has resumed.

School breaks up for Easter tomorrow and I'm so pleased. It's going to be nice to spend some time with my oldest boy who has grown incredibly in the last few months since starting school. Fingers crossed no more bugs follow him home tomorrow!

 I have managed to finish #3's bumper using the fabric I bought from fabricworm. It marks a turning point in her little life as we are going to move her from her moses basket to her cot. I'm really pleased with how the bumper has turned out. I couldn't decide at first what fabric to use on the back but eventually decided on using a spare pillowcase from Ikea, I think it breaks the bumper up nicely. I've made it with a envelope opening at the one end for ease of washing.

I just hope she likes it enough to except the change in sleeping arrangements as right now we could all do with a good night's sleep!

Thrifted Crochet finds

It's surprising what you find when out running errands.

An innocent short cut through our local pannier market can lead to great treasures.

We had decided against going to a jumble today instead deciding to make the most of the first dry day for quite a while and take the boys out on their bikes. So I'd come to turns with the fact that they'd be no thrifting this weekend. But before the peddling could begin the butcher, and the bank needed to be visited and the quickest route is through the market just past a lovely stall which is like Pandora's box. 

Oh and how it didn't disappoint.

I was good girl and was reserved, though I'm beginning to regret it. Amongst the haberdashery there were hidden gems. I couldn't resist this crochet, still a work in progress which makes it feel even more precious.

I'm sure if yarn could talk it would have a tale to tell.

One day hopefully I'll have the skills to finish it.

The chocolate box full of threads couldn't be passed up especially once I noticed these four wooden spools.

And lets not forget this retro glass.

So all in all a very fruitful and enjoyable errand run!

this moment...........

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from this week.

A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
A moment I want to pause, savour, and remember,

Inspired by SouleMama

Sticky Date Cake

Sometimes you stumble upon a recipe that you just have to share.

Oh how I wish I could pass you a piece of this cake, I'm sure they'd be enough to go around.

I've been meaning to give this recipe  ago ever since I saw it on the Hairy Bikers, and yesterday after convincing the boys that not all the cakes we make in this house need to be chocolate we set about gathering all the ingredients. And boy does it use some dried fruit.
 It really is a lovely simple recipe or would have been on a normal day. I think at this point I should rename the cake to "pause cake" or "cake with interruptions" as these names would be a lot more appropriate.

So with the fruit softened we have pause 1, nursing #3.

One full baby later we mix in the flours, but as the nursing took so long its already lunchtime and Mr D arrives home so pause 2.

Now unfortunately #1 whose at home with a nasty cough, takes a turn for the worst so we end up heading off to hospital so he can go on a nebulizer. So cake mixture is left sat in bowl alone in kitchen.

3 hours later we return home having narrowly avoided an overnight stay in hospital and luckily with #1 breathing improved to a mixture looking very sorry for itself. 

Now I'm not one for eating cake of an evening, I'm very much more an afternoon tea and cake girl, but once the smell of baking is wafting in the air and I remove the ("take all day") cake from the oven, I couldn't resist trying a piece even with Mr D commenting on the fact that we're about to have our tea!
Now if the day had gone according to plan and I'd had that first yummy warm piece in the afternoon I'd been very tempted to have some cream with it. But even eating it stood in the kitchen surrounded by dirty dishes and with tea cooking away on the stove it tasted delicious. So lovely and moist.

It was just what I needed after the afternoon we'd had, definitely a cake for mending the soul. And as quite a bit has already been eaten and with #2 declaring it takes like chocolate cake, I don't think it'll be around for long. 

New Shoots

After the grey skies and drizzle that we've had over the last few days it was lovely that "spring" decided to show itself again today.

The hellebores lit up.

The camellia is just about to burst into flower.

And Ketchup the cockerel has enjoyed his day basking in the rays

But this ray of sunshine has meant little time at the sewing machine.

Oh well a little sun is good for the soul.

Orla Kiely Extravagance!

Just when I thought the week was going to end without any sewing getting done, 

Mr D comes to my rescue!

I've been wanting to make more cushions for the lounge for some time and after seeing this lovely Orla Kiely fabric on ebay a few weeks ago I just knew it would be perfect.

So with the kids occupied I grabbed the chance to knock off another project on my to do list.

I've used some ticking fabric on the back that I bought for only £1.99 a meter so that makes me feel better about the price of the Orla fabric.

Then again sometimes you deserve a little extravagance.

So now with all 3 kids tucked up in bed, some music playing and a glass of wine on the go, well it is Friday night! I think I might just go and collapse on the sofa.

Have a good weekend xx

My Favourite Type of Washing!

After an unexpected blogging break due to our laptop deciding it'd had enough, we're back on-line.

It's been very strange not having a computer and internet access, it's made us realise how big apart of our life its become . How much we do on it and how much we take the instant information for granted.
Oh it's nice to be back!

I spent a lovely couple of hours over the weekend catching up with blogs I love to read.
Which makes me wonder what I've been up to over the last fortnight. Well on the craft front nothing much. Though I'm making the most of this gorgeous sunshine and getting some laundry done!

We survived a weekend away staying in a "Premier Inn" whilst visiting family. In fact we had a lot more sleep than we had envisaged with all five of us in one room. I got to shop at Ikea! A shopping "experience" which only happens twice a year so turns into 3 hours of shopping bliss or hell depending on which family member you are!!! It's a great chance to stock up on some well priced fabric.

I was really pleased with this flower fabric where the print is a lot smaller and the colours more subtle than a lot of  Ikea's usual prints.

I bought mainly utility fabric staying away from there bold prints well that was until I saw this;

I have no idea what I'll use it for as I can't imagine cutting it up. It's a large piece measuring 100 x 147 cm so really it needs to be hung, but as we don't have anywhere for it I guess it'll live in my fabric cupboard waiting for me to have a bolt of inspiration regarding its use!.

Well I'm off to ponder over what it can become.
Any ideas please let me know!!!