Spice up your baubles

I absolutely adore this blog at teawagontales. Super vintage fabrics and cute but very cool handmade goodies.

And the clever lady who writes this blog has posted a tutorial to 'pimp up your Christmas baubles'. Take a look....

www.teawagontales.blogspot.com

...am off to order some vintage floral decals.

Mince pies in November....

... but we do have a good excuse. Dr Green's birthday tomorrow and he's promised the gang at work some home made mince pies.

mimiandcakes.com!

Well, I have FINALLY updated my website www.mimiandcakes.com. There's now information on sewing tuition as well as the goodies I make for the vintage fair. Phew.

Now need to blog more regularly. Laters x

More sewing course news

Am so excited think I might damage something! Yep, the sewing courses are finalised and Sharon at Roses and Rue is booking places. There's some cracking courses on offer. I'm particularly excited about the quilt course, appliqued pictures and the Christmas gifts: tea cosies, peg bag and laundry sack, toy sacks, Christmas bunting, Union Jack cushions, door stops, hearts, aprons, tote bags, Christmas stockings and lots, lots more.

If any of you guys fancy joining in, then please take a look at Sharon's website - www.rosesandrue.moonfruit.com for all the details and how to book.

Love to see you there.

Blackberries!!!

At the weekend we took the kids and the dog over to Two Tree Island for a bit of blackberry picking. Managed to get a huge bucket of them and there are plenty more unripe berries for a revisit.

Last night, Mimi and I cooked up a delicious blackberry and apple crumble (served warm with vanilla ice cream). And today, by chance, I was sent a link from the BBC Good Food website with some great blackberry recipes. Have made this amazingly moist blackberry and apple loaf cake. YUM!

Lara popped by with a couple of recipes too - blackberry and apple crumble cake (sounds similar to the one above) and a scrumptious blackberry fool - one to try tomorrow.

Kids away so mum gets busy busy busy

Wow! Haven't I been productive.

But before I go waffling on about what I have been up to, I need to say thank you to my lovely family who have entertained Mimi and Cakes since the weekend through to early this evening. They are very lucky bunnies and have had a fabulous start to their school holiday. Thank you and big love to mum and dad, Aunty Rachel and the Kingston Cliftons x.

In the kids' absence, I've sewn like a mad woman! Have managed to make four more floral satchels, a couple of grey linen elephants and some sleepover rag dolls (complete with little sleeping bags).

Sharon and I have also prepared a sewing course programme for the autumn months. Take a look at Roses and Rue's website wwww.rosesandrue.moonfruit.com to see what we are up to.

So, whilst I'm on a roll there will be more mad sewing for the two vintage fairs in September and December. We will also be selling our fabric, knitted and crocheted goodies at Christmas parties hosted by friends in early November. Busy busy busy....

A nice bit of baking

As it's just Mimi and I this evening, we decided to do a bit of baking.

Mimi whipped up this lovely meringue, filled with fat free fromage frais (a tiny bit of caster sugar and vanilla) and topped with strawberries. Yum!

We've had homemade pizza for tea - tomato, basil and pine nut for me, pepperoni for my little friend.

Next in the oven was the red onion, cheddar and pancetta tart for Dr Green's lunch tomorrow. And later, there will be a Nigella lemon cake too.

Right, off to drag Cakes out of Max's pool..... later.