Lucy's birthday.

Such a lovely weekend full of friends and family and children for it was Lucy's eleventh birthday. How did that ever happen? My teeny tiny leggiest of girls is now eleven! Saturday saw two of her friends arrive for a trip to the cinema followed by a high tea involving cake stands and dainties. Piles of little sandwiches with crusts removed, batches of brownies cut into tiny squares and a glass bowl full of jelly all sat chererily on the table, a cake or two given by two more of Lucy's sweet friends adding to the mass of cakines (is that a word?) on offer. So lovely that they are not yet too grown up to appreciate such a tea.



The girls signed our white tablecloth which is used for all such occasions and I will soon be embroidering their signatures for posterity in the manner of this one which already sits upon it from one of our Christmas feasts. It is such a lovely thing to do and will be added to more over the years. Clicking on the image will show it more clearly.



A sleepover followed the scoffing and then Sunday morning brought the actual birthday and the fun of present opening - this showed how much our other little girl has grown as isabella no longer thinks the presents are for her! I made Lucy this quilt, one I had intended to make as a Christmas present, but ran out of time. It has been dragged from room to room already and last night she snuggled under the soft folds with a very happy smile on her pretty face. I am so pleased with how it turned out. A combination of dainty sprigs, bold cherries and a splash of pink on one side with a raspberry toile backing should ensure it will suit her whatever her age. I freehand machine embroidered it (and still have a little to go!) and have to say how much harder I found it to handle the manipulation of this quilt which is the largest one I have done so far. Click again and the colours show a little better.



Still, it is lovely to see her so thrilled with it.



So that was the weekend. Mr Davey's gorgeous chocolate cake was eaten, half on Saturday and the rest on Sunday when family and friends joined us for a huge roast lamb dinner(and sweet potato and roasted red pepper lasagne for my lovely, lovely veggie friend) with far too many trimmings. This gluttony was closely followed by a cream tea of further gigantic proportions thanks to Dave's delicious scones with bowls of jam and cream....and yet more cake, groan! A lovely weekend of shared cooking and fun.



Happy birthday my gorgeous Lucia xxx

Bits and Bobs.

Mr Dave is home once more, exhausted by a very gruelling three day course which started at 8am and seemd to end at about 8.30pm. On our last evening of 'girly times' as Lucy referred to it, I had a sudden need to do some cooking with the two littlies. Not sure why as it was a bit late in the day really and I could feel I was not at my most patient, but they were so keen that I bit back any reservations and off we set. Aprons were donned and utensils placed to the ready. Lucy decided to make
herself a cheese and vegetable pasty (not purists here I'm afraid) for her lunch at school the next day.



Isabella 'helped' me to make one for Daddy - she rolled that pastry and added the necessary carrot peelings, bits of cheese and frankly anything else she could get her chubby paws on, the resulting squiggles of pastry being added to the top of the pasty as a decoration. "Mine is 'L' for Lucy," announced Lucy-Lu. "Mine is a El-Phant!" bellowed Isabella, a tone of shocked surprise running through her voice at our incredible dimness!



No pictures of the finished article I am sorry to say as I was a little up to my ears in things by the time they had cooked, but they were truly delicious as was the blackberry and apple pie we also made from the last of our Coxs and berries from the garden. Other things occupying my time this week have been equally enjoyable. Yesterday I sat in the garden working on a pile - 18 backs and 6 fronts to be precise - of doorhangings. Lovely to embroider in the hot Autumn sunshine. The picture above shows just a little of the heap.



I have also been cutting out an increasting stack of fabric squares as I want to make Isabella and Lucy quilts for Christmas, though I am not experienced at this in the least. I made one which I was rather pleased with for Lauren's 21st birthday earlier this year and am now carried away by my success. Isabella's will be the first as it will be for her cot and therefore not so large. I never seem able to photgraph these fabrics well.



And lastly, here's a further peek at some of my Christmas range which is also coming along nicely. I have used some materials which speak to me of the sea and Cornwall in their colours and textures for these. More another time.



Phew, well that's it for today.




Have a lovely weekend everyone xx