Wednesday 20 March 2013

A catch up post...

I thought I'd use this rather grey and miserable looking afternoon to write a 'catch-up' post full of odds and ends from my week. 

Competition Win

Firstly, I wanted to share my bit of good luck with you...I won a blog competition over at the wonderful Breathe Happiness Blog written by lovely Hayley & Shaneen! The blog is full of lovely posts which inspire happiness, have a vintage theme, covers photography, fashion, home interiors and much more! Having only launched recently, Hayley and Shaneen celebrated the start of their blog with a lovely blog competition to win a gorgeous vintage lace porcelain necklace by the wonderful RubyAnne...and I won! :-) It arrived beautifully packaged this week & I couldn't wait to wear it. 

simple but elegant packaging & a lovely message from Ruby herself

I couldn't resist wearing the stunningly unusual necklace straight away

Sewing Club

In an attempt to achieve one of my "27 Things To Do in the Year I Turn 27" goals I have signed up to a wonderful beginners sewing course (basics of using a sewing machine) over at Kitchen Table Sewing  by the very patient and very talented Janet Lehain, with the aim of finishing projects I started last year (two cushions and a tote bag). 

Last week I completed my first cushion using newly purchased fabric which matches our nursery wallpaper - 'Cockatoos' by Quentin Blake. I completely fell in love with the design & I loved the sense of satisfaction I got from making this cushion from scratch by myself. 

front

back

I am hoping to complete my second cushion tonight, as well as making good progress with my Cath Kidston fabric tote bag! Not only is the course helping me achieve my goal to finish crafting projects, but its also really lovely to get out of the house, and catch up with some lovely friends at sewing club, with a time-frame of sitting that my bad back can manage! 

Nursery Decorating

Another of my goals is to ensure the nursery is completely redecorated and all ready for Baby Bishop when he/she arrives in the summer. We are making amazing headway - and only now have a few bits and pieces left to do to finish the room. My lovely hubby put his wallpapering skills to the test this weekend and wallpapered our 'feature' wall with the Quentin Blake paper. 

close up of the wallpaper design

the finished wallpapering - notice my handmade cushion on the daybed ;-)

our nursery so far...

the wallpaper with our lovely vintage cot - which was my stepdads cot in the early 50's, then used by my baby brother when he was a baby (he's now 17) and now by Baby Bishop

I love how bright, busy and fun this wallpaper is. I also hope it will suit either sex, and last up until he/she is much older as it is not too 'baby' in its look. 

Only a few shelves to put up for books on the opposite wall, and couple of pictures and accessories to put together. 

I also have plans to make a portable roll-up wipe clean changing mat using remnants of the Cockatoos fabric and some gingham oil cloth...it's a pattern by Kirstie Allsopp (my hero!) & Lisa Comfort from Sew Over It. I'm hoping that once I've completed the four evenings of my sewing course I'll be armed with the skills to make this for bubba too. 

A Little Light Cooking...

Like most people, I don't always have the time, energy or inclination to cook a beautifully fresh meal from scratch every night, and sometimes I turn to convenience foods that I can quickly bung in the oven. As much as it pains me - I'm pretty realistic about life, and know that it's just one of the downsides of the chaos of fast-paced living. 

However, this week, in a bid to perk-up a pretty mundane oven cooked battered cod and chips cooked in the healthy Tefal Acti-fry (a machine I couldn't cook conveniently without!) I decided to have a go at making my own fresh mushy peas. It might not be much - but in a bid to get as much fresh fruit and veg into me while pregnant, I thought it would be worthwhile. 

peas boiling with fresh mint

cooked peas, fresh mint, knob of butter, squeeze of lemon juice, splash of single cream and s&p all blitzed up in the food processor. 

et voila! a rather boring fish & chips (a couple of cheeky scampi!) with fresh minted mushy peas. 

You can use fresh peas for this recipe - but I must admit I absolutely LOVE frozen veg - it is so convenient, you never waste any veg because its gone off, and its actually usually better for you than 'fresh' as it is frozen (and therefore all the goodness locked in) just hours after being picked. 

(Frozen veg I ALWAYS have in the freezer - petit pois peas, super sweet sweetcorn, and french green beans. They are such versatile veggies, and usually all go down well with kiddies too!) 

A Spring Walk...

Currently being off work with a very painful slipped disc in my back is getting pretty boring & the novelty of being at home is definitely wearing very thin. I am feeling a little stir-crazy & some days feel pretty trapped in the four walls of my home. 

I'm not able to do much exercise until I've received my epidural treatment in a few weeks, but yesterday the weather was so good, and the sun shining so brightly that I decided to walk back from my antenatal appointment and enjoy a slow stroll in the sunshine. 

Although I paid for it later on (painful night), I really enjoyed seeing all the spring flowers blooming and the gorgeous (and very full!) River Ouse. 



gorgeous spring daffs

River Ouse- very full - burst the bank & surrounding the tree trunks! 

Crocuses - one of my fave spring flowers!

lush! 

Today, of course, it feels like winter again! (boo!) its grey and nasty outside, so I'm enjoying reminiscing about yesterdays sudden spring-burst! 

Time for a cuppa, some yummy lunch in the form of a fresh egg-mayo sarnie, and an afternoon lie-down to rest my back before sewing-club later. 


Hope you guys are all having a lovely week! 

Big hugs

Mrs B

xxx