cupcakes and a time without a camera.

These are the cupcakes I made for college and even though I was up all night a few times completing them I gave them in on time!

No feedback yet though which gives me a bit of breathing space as I've just gone back to work and it's really interesting but utterly exhausting.

This was a happy day in the Easter holidays. No recent photos as I haven't had my new camera agreed yet or ordered and have no means of downloading from my cameraphone which is now full. So yes there's fun and good things happening right now but the blogging will be a tad delayed. Am currently working on a variation of the RONA jacket from the Winter 2009 magazine by ROWAN and also the SARDINIA jumper - in DK cotton in a lilac- from the SUMMER CROCHET booklet again by ROWAN.

Miss Y is soooo pleased with her raspberry-chocolate cardigan that she is either sleeping in it or cuddling it every night.....

AND THE WINNER IS: CHA CHA!!! TANN TAN TARAAAA . The draw for the bigger floral brooch was held and the winner this time - out of the 10 listed as members- is Cha Cha.

This will now be posted this weekend.

BIG Birthday day- all day joys

How old is this face?????????
Hi there, sorry about the delay but my beloved camera died last week and as it's my birthday today I was not allowed to replace it as this would make an ideal present.... BUT we had to choose it together and as we've been snowed under type busy THAT has not yet happened.
So we've had many lovely days but only a few photos taken with my phone- camera to show for it and my computer does not accept my phone camera photos- it has to go via JJ's laptop....

My BIG day started at 6.30 am with a cold tired Miss E who had snuck down to the kitchen at 6 am to finish the cake she made all by herself and ESPECIALLY for ME!

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE BROWNIE CHEESECAKE!

Made from 3 mouthwateringly delicioso layers. We cuddled in bed till 7 am to warm her up again( the heating had been off overnight and temp had plummeted to 0 C) then Miss Y woke up and went to make me breakfast in bed!

A huge Cath Kidstone mug of hot tea followed by granary toast with vegemite- yum yum.

Presents and cards, including a fab poem written to me by Miss E and amazing tokens from Miss Y , then JJ woke up and joined in and even both Lucy AND Pippa came upstairs and jumped on the bed to ''kiss'' me HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

After seeing the kids off to school , JJ and I went for a walk on the South Downs Way. It was a bright sunny day, with the bluest of blue skies , no clouds and we arrived at our chosen start point at Buriton by 11.50 am. Even though I had received the national trail guide AND the OS map ( # 197) for my birthday we managed to set off in the opposite direction from the plan......

THIS path DID look so very inviting!

Instead of getting to South Harting we arrived at the Queen Elizabeth Country park and Butser Hill but as we so thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, who cares? LOVELY woods and we even saw a DEER running across the path aheead of us, that's good luck isn't it? Pipa and Lucy were in their element too, Lucy running ahead and Pippa trotting along happily too - for a change-.

Did you call me?

Oh boy, I LOVE it here!

I'm a log, a hairy log....

Which way now?

Pippa is on the lead: a/ because of the rabbits, b/ she's in season and c/ she still has no re-call: always ignores any calling of her name.....

Lovely birdsong was our background music all afternoon.
JJ had made delicious sandwiches and we found a place to have tea/coffee and lemon drizzle cake!

Back again to drive home for a late school pick-up.

Views on the walk back.

Lucy leading the way back to the car. Waiting for us. I have Pippa who by now is doing regular lying down protests.

JJ lying down with a well earned drink just before the 2 hour drive home....

After the tiniest bit of crochet - I have started Rowan's Sardinia pattern in DK Patons pure cotton in the dark lilac shown.( 4mm hook)- and after a refreshing malibu'n pineapple I slept almost ALL the way home!

After this the festivities continued but that's for another day!

Princess Hair day

Up late again this time I had been trying to wake them since 10 am.... We made it out by 13.30 today which meant our walk had to be a very little one as hair appointments had been made for 14.15. We walkes at Great Kimble a walk often mentioned and photographed on this here blog so I'll try to keep it to a minimum today.
First there were deer to be seen: 2 large herds or rather 1 herd split between 2 fenced fields: possibly segregation of males and females? Or mated and pregnant and not yet mated?

Lovely blossom. Tree hugging.

Lucy plays this game that most toddlers play: run ahead and hide and then jump out and shout BOO! Only she jumps out and ( mock) attacks Pippa.

Can't see me now can you?

Although it was cold and windy it seemed much sunnier than the photo shows? The sun popped out from time to time.

Bye bye deer.

Who's this? Do I know her????? Well done Brothers of Thame, splendid job.

Oh so sophisticated our Miss Y.

And Miss E had cut and blow-dry PLUS a touch of cornbraiding as they call it in the USA.

When we are this sleek and shiny, all bow dried and perfect we call it Princess hair as in the Princess Diaries film. Shiny hair,smiley faces: family bliss!

Then it was time for the afternoon activity: a spot of scrap-booking or reminiscing of past- sunny- holidays.

Such concentration and fun, can't do this with digi pics can you? I had this lat printed off quite a while ago '' for a rainy day''.

We've decided that Miss Y will have to sleep sitting up so as not to spoil her hair.....

Here she is again just so as we do remember! Isn't it fab? Night Night Miss Y, IT'S 23.13 and BED-TIME!!!!!

Beach and bubble fun

This was our Saturday: 10 April 2010. It started slowly for although us adults were up and about early, feeding dogs, making lunches, walking dogs and making preparations as well as sipping tea in the sun, the young ones slept on and on and on.... We kept trying to wake them- well from 9.30 onwards but it took till 12.30 before we could actually leave for our day out.

The beach was lovely, blue skies some sand and lovely view of boating activities. Quiet too.

Much more quiet than I was expecting, but then it was NOT warm. It just looked as if it SHOULD be. After about an hour and a half of walking and sitting about watching the kids and the dogs play I was frozen to my core, chilled to the bone and had to go warm up in the car!

Once there and driving to Portsmouth Miss E fell asleep- again- it's all that growing she's doing don't you know.

We found the Spinnaker Tower which I have been wanting to visit for ages and thus we decided Miss E and I would go up, as Miss Y doesn't like heights and dad stayed with her for a coffee break and sit on a terrace with the dogs.

Up we went : first 100 m and then some more. We only had 20 minutes before closing so we dashed about a bit!

This is me- see stripey sock?- standing on the glass floor.

Me again, plus baby- not mine- looking at a terrace but it's not the one JJ's sitting at.

Pretty small these houses and dinky toy cars it reminded us of Madurodam in the Hague which is a miniature village replicating many famous buildings.

Towards the Isle of Wight we think?

2 ferries crossing, so cute from up here.

Sunny day but not as warm as it has been. The glass in the tower must be coloured because this is not how it looked to the naked eye?

Here come the souvenir shots: we were HERE!

AND HERE.

and here....

From the outside.

But I like THIS one, at this angle?

While we were up in the tower I saw this bubble and it looked such fun that I zoomed in to see more. Also to locate the place, that canal?

So when we came out we explored a bit and found it and both girls were game to give it a go!

Here's Miss Y about to be ''inflated''.

Ready , steady, GO!

ooooh OOOOOH They has sooooo much FUN!

THIS is a major achievement. Only lasts less than a second....

BUMP! Back down again.

Such fun I won't bore you with ALL the pictures we took. Suffice to say we'll be back to do it again!