beautiful birthday gifts...

It was my birthday today and I received a parcel from Australia from my lovely daughter who had made me this fabulous hand made bag

and matching purse - I am so in love with it- it is really beautifully made and the fabrics coordinate so well

this lovely little book was enclosed called "The Miggy Tree" by Karl Yeomans with wonderful illustrations by Anna Walker. The story is really heart warming and was dedicated to the author's mother - sadly he died in 2006 aged just 33 years. These are such precious gifts - thank you so much Becky.

I spent the day at a barbecue in my friends garden and had a really good time eating and drinking far too much and enjoying the perfect weather today, which ended in a huge thunderstorm ... then watched Andy Murray winning a tennis match at Wimbledon so I had a day to remember...

11 things to LOVE and HATE!!!!

1. I love pink blossom seen against a blue sky-

2.The smell of fresh bread first thing in the morning- courtesy of our breadmaking machine..

3.English tea shops and the coffee shops in Melbourne, Australia

4.Soppy films that make me cry

5.Brand new shoes ( what woman doesn't !)

6.Australian soft licquorice- it's addictive!

7.my dishwasher- best invention ever

8.the blackbird who sings his heart out at the top of our birch tree in the evening

9.receiving a handwritten letter delivered by the postman ( hardly ever happens now with emails)

10.cliff top walks with the sound of the sea crashing on the beach

11.finding a book in the public library that I was just going to buy on Amazon....

I could go on an on but these are the things that I HATE - it's good to have a grump!!

1.coat hangers- especially when they get tangled up in each other- drives me mad

2.people who don't clear up their own dog's mess- this is a real rant!!

3.sorting out the laundry and always finding an odd sock- seems to be some sort of law!!

4.waiting at the bus stop to find my bus is not running

5.Halfords, Maplins and any sort of "blokey" techy shops

6.public toilets - especially when there isn't any loo paper or soap!!

7.slugs, snails, daddy long legs, mozzies etc etc...

8.any sort of milky pudding like rice pudding-yuck!!

9.drivers who don't signal left or right

10.people talking on their mobiles at supermarket checkouts or at the restaurant table- so rude!

11. Buying something full price to find it in the sales the next week.

Phew- feel better now- I could go on an on but what are yours- go on - let me know...

Baby Badger...

I made this baby badger in his little racing suit as the official mascot for a brilliant website created by my nephew for all Formula 1 fans. The web address is www. f1badger.com and it is a very entertaining and light hearted site - "Formula 1 is not boring!". So for all the many motor racing fans out there ,it is definitely worth a visit as it is the best and most informative and most importantly the funniest formula 1 website in the world .... but I am biased being number 1 Auntie... check it out and see!!

little pony cake!

I made this cake today for a little 5 year old girl who is crazy about ponies! I thought it would be impossible to do at first - a pony shaped cake? but I think that this gives quite a good effect and hope that she will like it...

HOT HOT HOT in the U.K.!!

We are having a mini heatwave in the U.K at the moment so are making the most of it while it lasts. These gardens at Biddulph Grange in Staffordshire were looking their best on Thursday..
The Chinese garden is based on the famous "willow pattern plate "story and was really pretty ... just wanted a couple of lovers running across the bridge!! The little house is just like a gingerbread house and the azaleas and rhodedendrons were amazing - so much brilliant colour..

Crazy patchwork!

Had a go at this crazy patchwork to use up a mountain of scraps that have built up over the years- got the idea from the "Sew Hip" magazine. It is so easy to do and I think it looks quite folksy and random and it is quite addictive once you get started...

Baddesley Clinton in Warwickshire,UK

Love seeing blue sky through pink blossom- one of my favourite things!

picture perfect kitchen garden !

Spent a lovely day exploring this beautiful Elizabeth manor house complete with moat which has been in the same family for 12 generations before being given to the National Trust. The gardens were really beautiful and I loved the kitchen garden- wish it was mine!!