The Great Gallery Sewing Bee!

I stumbled across the Great British Sewing Bee by accident last week and must say I've really enjoyed watching it. It's the final this week.and I'm rooting for Lauren to win. Loving her efforts and my word is she talented! Is anyone else watching it? Who are you wanting to win??

So this weekend we had our own sewing bee! I used to sew when I was little. I was never amazing at it but I got by. I have found, like many women I suspect, that after having kids my self confidence has taken a bashing. So it was lovely to sit with my sister in law Fiona and make a few things, just having someone there bolstering my confidence was what I needed. And it was fun too. I made a couple of things for Caelan, a taggie and a stuffed felt rabbit. I'll share the picture of the rabbit on another post. The taggie (pictured above) is a true upcycled item. It's make from a receiving blanket which I no longer use, I had been swaddling Caelan with it (shhh don't tell the health visitor!) but he has grown out of being swaddled now (mostly because he likes to sleep with mummy but don't tell the health visitor that either!)  and I won't be (intentionally!) having any more children. It was used for all three children  and now it'll stay in the family a bit longer! The back is part of a muslin  square, that essential bit of fabric all mums must have a hoard of! The ribbons were acquired after a trip to my mum's! I am fairly pleased with the finish article but it remains to be seen whether Himself will be impressed with it! You might recall that I made a taggie for Teaghan some time ago, and although it stays in her cot that's the extent of her interest in it!

This week we found out that our eldest has not been allocated to our first choice school, which happens to be where she is at nursery. I can't say I am overly surprised as it is not our parish school, which she has been allocated a place for and we are happy for her to attend, but we were quite disappointed obviously as she is very happy and settled at the nursery. But I have been incredibly proud of the way Caoimhe has reacted. She has accepted that she will be leaving her nursery friends behind and is looking forward to making new ones. She says going to a new school will be a big adventure. My children never cease to amaze me in the way they see things, and embrace everything with so much eagerness. I know Caelan will be no different. They're awesome,kids, aren't they?!

As usual i'd like to link up with Wendy for Handmade Harbour  and I'll be having a bimble over to see what everyone else has been doing this week.

Til next time!

Posted via Blogaway

Posted via Blogaway

Chocolate overload!

Like most houses I think we've had rather too much chocolate following Easter. If there can be such a thing as too much chocolate! So this week I've been trying to come up with ideas to use it up. Last weekend we visited the lovely Mackay family and the girls were kept busy before tea decorating fairy cakes with melted Easter eggs and mini eggs. So when I looked after my niece as well as my own girls this week I thought they could do the same. I made the buns the night before, to save time, and set the table with buns, melted chocolate, a variety of sprinkles and jelly sweets.They certainly seemed to enjoy themselves and at the end of the day we are two eggs lighter!

If you are looking for other ideas to use your Easter egg glut, you could make chocolate truffles mixing the same weight of fruit cake (Christmas cake works well) with melted chocolate and rolling into bite sized balls. You could roll in cocoa powder or decorate with melted chocolate. Or you could engage the children in making chocolate crispie cakes, letting them loose with sprinkles or jelly sweets, try making them with Coco pops or weetos for an extra chocolatey kick. Or make use of that Herman starter bubbling away under the tea towel on your counter and make chocolate and banana Herman cake.

Like most families we are facing a bit of a financial challenge at the moment. We all want to put good food on the table and give our kids everything we can but money is tight and it doesn't look like getting any better in the near future. In any case shouldn't we be making the most of what we have? I am also aware that as a mum to three (not sure how that happened! I'm still in a state if shock!) I have experiences to share that some people might find useful, or at least enjoy reading about. With all that in mind I am thinking of expanding my blog, and maybe incorporating a website, where I can share a bit more of my life - recipes, crafty ideas, and pass on my parenting experience- the high points and the low ones. I might also be looking for other people's contributions so if you have something you'd like me to share then please get in touch.

I'd like to link up with Wendy for  Handmade Monday and think you should go and see what other people have been up to.

Hope you all have a lovely week. Til next time!

Posted via Blogaway