Its Birthday time of year again

Well my boy has had another birthday and I made a cake with I thought was quite impressive for me.  The cake mix consisted of 12 eggs so you can imagine how big it was.  Probably a little bit too big as my boy hasn't really eaten any of it.

I made two separate mixtures and cooked them separately and amazingly they cooked through in the middle.   When they were cooled, I shaped the cake into a football shirt shape by cutting the sides off and using some of this to make the sleeves.

I then put a thin layer of jam and butter cream in the centre.  I also put a layer of butter cream on the outside to enable the icing to stick to it.  The icing is pale blue as his favourite team at the moment is Manchester City.  I rolled the icing out, several times, to get a large enough piece to cover the cake.  I then smoothed it out on top of the cake and eased it around the sleeves which was quite tricky and was not perfect by any stretch of the imagination.

I then rolled out some black icing and put my boy's name and age on the cake and ta-dar - one finished birthday cake.

I was really please with the finished product and it tasted rather yummy too.

Well, I've actually made something else that isn't a grannie blanket or a chicken - wait for it....

It's bunting.

I bought some small pieces of Cath Kidson material from the internet and thought I would try my hand at making bunting with my newly acquired second hand Jones sewing machine.  I had a bit of a disaster with the machine on my first attempt at using it.  I tried to take up my Son's trousers but had not set the tension right so on the front the stitching looked perfect but on the back it was really lose and not very good at all.  And to top it off when I asked my son to try them on they were nearer his knees than his ankles!

Anyway, take a look at my bunting that I am very pleased with,

and just if you are having withdrawal symptoms of chickens here is a couple more to show you...

Jubi-Lee Chick

Mr Fuzzy

The white lamb with the black leg

Some Easter baking

The Flying Scotsman

Spring has Sprung

I'm liking the fact that the clocks have gone forward a hour and enjoying being out in the garden for that extra hour in the evening.  I am currently sowing vegetabe seeds, peas, cauliflower, carrots, and parsnips to hopefully, vermin and weather permitting, transfer to the allotment in a month or so.  As I do not have a greenhouse I am sowing seeds in deep pots and attaching see through carrier bags over them to create a bit of heat and protection from the frosts.

I'm also growing sweet peas but they are staying in my garden for me to enjoy.  There is nothing quite like the scent of sweet peas.

I have also been busy crafting and have created a crochet blanket for a new baby's arrival - and no, before you ask its not me.  When would I find time to garden and craft with a new arrival around.

It's been birthday month in my life in March and I have made a couple of birthday presents for a couple of children.  You may recognise his friends from earlier blogs and this one has been specially created for a little boy in the colours of the Jubilee.  His new name might be Ju-Billie Chick!

I have also spend a very long day on the farm helping my family with the lambing.  I used to help out every year and, having spent one day there, I have been reminded how exhausting lambing is.  I do miss the "Good Life" but I'm sure if I had to contend with bleeting sheep every day of the week I would soon come to dislike them lots.

There are rewards for all the hard work and, when you see how cute the baby lambs are, it makes it all worthwhile.  Obviously I cannot take any credit as I'm a busy full-time mum and part-time florist.   I just "show my face" occasionally and don't really contribute to the day-to-day running of the farm.  I leave that to them that know how to.

Happy Easter to you all and thanks for reading.  I'm sorry it's been so long and lets see if I can make something sooner for the next update.

Happy New Year

I hope you had a lovely Christmas and wish you a very happy 2012.

Just thought I would show you some flower arrangements that

I have created in the past

I did these as table decorations for a member of my family.

This was an entry into a local produce show and is in fact a small

arrangement sat on top of a very large upturned wine glass.

... and here is a project that I completed for a friend recently. I love crocheting and the way that it grows so quickly, although this blanket was made up of quite a few smaller squares which needed sewing together.

I have some more wool and have been asked to make a similar blanket for a baby boy who is known at present as the bump!  I will keep you posted on the progress that I make on this and need to get a wriggle on or baby will be here without a blankie to snuggle up in!

Meet Me on Monday

I have had a very productive weekend.  I have made some chocolate brownies, made some funky button-holes and finished my second chicken. 

I think Chicka Tika is really happy too now that she has got a friend Miss Chilli con Chick - and yes, she is bright pink and is such a floozy!

I am now starting chicken No 3 - think I have got the chicken bug!

I am really happy that I have found the knitting pattern for the bobble stitch that I have been trying to find for ages, in a craft magazine.  My boy also won his football match on Sunday 3-2 which I am really pleased about.  We had to travel for miles to get there so it made it worthwhile.

I am watching DCI Banks, Downton Abbey Doc Martin, and also of course the X Factor.

I have nearly finished reading my book, it is sooo good, you know when you don't want it to end, but want to know what happens.

I have also been mixing concrete - yes concrete, we had a garage built and we are trying to fill the gap between the original drive and the garage, about a foot wide and 10 feet long. Think it will take a few more bags!

I am hoping to make some malteaser muffins this week.  I have found this recipe and the brownie one on http://snipsnaphappy.blogspot.com.

I have also been to the allotment and "sheeted down" the weeds.  Hopefully this will lesson the back-breaking digging to rid the weeds.  We dug up some more wonky carrots but something had already had a nibble at them so didn't fancy cooking them.  Think it may be Roland and although I agree with organic gardening, he has got to go!

Oh and the grannie blanket is still going...... ...... ......

Fields, Lanes and Pansies

Today I have been on a mega bike ride.  I think we did about 3 and a half miles and on our ride we went on lovely country lanes, main roads and through fields - with my friend shrieking that she didn't like sheep as "they look at her"!  We also found some horses which she also didn't like and at first refused to go into the field.  We live in the countryside, how can you not like sheep and horses?  I think the last straw for my friend was when she accidently ran over a dead mouse.  Think it will be a while before she goes on a bide ride with me again! 

I have also planted out some of my winter pansies - I love them because they are such hardy, pretty little flowers and they continue to flower no matter how cold it gets.

me little pansies

my new bay tree and pansies

I have also made a start on the pink chicken - this is a gift for a friend but think she will need a witty name.  Could you give me your suggestions, bearing in mind that the other one is called Miss Chika Tika and I am using "hot pink" wool.

Oh, and why do spiders feel they have a right to enter your house - uninvited!.  Twice now they have scared me, one met his end under a clodhopping size 9, and the other one - obviously his mate - decided to appear out of the ironing pile, while ironing a pair of trousers and ran over my hand - eh!  Threw said trousers on bed and thought he was under ironing board, took board outside, no sign.  Picked up trousers, which were on my bed and there he was!  He is now roaming free under my bed!  

Let me introduce you...

... to Miss Chika Tika.

This is my latest project that I have been working on and I am very proud of her.  I have always been able to knit, but was not sure how to decrease stitches, but I actually found it quite easy.  The pattern was supplied to me by a friend and she inspired me by showing her pictures on http://busybutterfingers.blogspot.com.

I am hoping to make her some friends and think they would be lovely to give away as Christmas presents.

I am planning to join some other blogs for Whats on Yours Workdesk Wednesday, but for this week instead of a picture I am going to tell you what is on my workdesk.

I have some lovely new hot pink wool, which I plan to make another chicken with.  I am also still crocheting my granny blanket and I have another blanket on the go which is just knitted and crochet squares.  I will put pictures on next week.

I have also made another crumble as the last ones were delicious and I am hoping to make some scrummy chocolate brownies - recipe supplied by snipsnaphappy.blogspot.

I am also planning to go on another couple of bike rides this week as I lost 3lb last week, which I am really pleased about.

Right, off to start chicken No 2!