Showing posts with label chocolate cake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chocolate cake. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Autumn Is Upon Us.........



Hello girls, thanks for coming over for a visit to find out what's been going on in the world of Sweet Birdy Love.......

This week I have been focusing on a project that will be completed within the month.....can't say too much.
But lots of stitching, snipping and 'playing' taking place
and when it all gets a bit too much and I want to run screaming from the room.........





...I move onto something that's less taxing on the brain!!

Lots of UK bloggers are posting photos of the countryside Springing to life after being blanketed with snow.
Gotta love Snowdrops......I think there might be a little range of these cards in the offing. 
It was a fun little make......but you all know I'm just putting off what I really should be doing!!




Last Thursday, out little op shop opened in town......

There was a ribbon cutting ceremony and I had to make sure there was also some cake cutting......couldn't let the opportunity pass.
So it was chocolate cake with jam and cream in the middle, chocolate icing on top and sprinkles......
Remember in my state of excitement about the opening I cooked a cake 3 days too early?!!
 Well, I popped it in the freezer and made another one the day before  and we had a double decker doozie.....

Gotta say it was yummy, this recipe has never let me down and is always chocolatey and moist......starting to salivate just writing about it.




On Saturday our wonderful wood man Alan, delivered a truckload of wood. He rumbled into the yard and did a 10 point turn so that he could angle the truck close enough to the shed to make for easy stacking.
That job definitely belongs to hubby and No.1 !!

 I am already dreaming of evenings by the fireside spending quality time with yarn and hook.

Alan had a run in with a B double semi 3 weeks ago and unfortunately his tipper trailer was written off.
 The driver of the semi was at fault
 Luckily Alan walked away from the accident with very little in the way of injuries......




So from dry, brown countryside to a photo taken by No.1 while he was in Toronto.....
There was snow, he took his thermals and said he'd never been so cold in his life.
They had a crazy, busy time there and it all went well. 
The whole trip was about networking and promotion and all that sort of thing.
 So we'll see if anything comes out of it, but they were both very glad to come back home to some warmer weather and rain.....at last!!




I caught up with Megan from Indigo Midge recently.
We tried out the new cafe in town and it passed with flying colours.
Megan had some saved some seeds from her garden to share with me.
I love the shape of these Poppy seed heads aren't they wonderful?

 I can't wait to grow some next season and see what colours I get. 
She also gave me some Hollyhock seeds....
the flowers are black....yesssss!








The bees are still having a field day amongst the Zinnias, buzzing here and there, so many flowers to visit........






Tigger in the garden this evening.....

He's had a busy day sleeping inside and now it's
time to have a little lie down in the garden!!
Don't cats have an amazing ability to sleep just about anywhere?  





Autumn is sneaking onto the scene here......the Maples along the drive way are colouring up.
 The mornings and evenings are alot cooler although the days can still be quite warm.
We've had rain, but definitely more needed.
It's a nice time of year, with the heat of Summer just about behind us.

We have a busy month coming up with our Folk Festival happening on  the 22nd-24th of March.
Lots taking place before that, but as long as I can have some quality time each day with my Janome I think I can hold it together.

So what have you been up to and do you need one on one time with your sewing machine/paintbrush/knitting needles and yarn to get you through the day?

Pleeeeeeease, say you do.......


Welcome, to some new Followers, lovely to have you on board for this little adventure.


Take care and thanks for visiting,

Claire x

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Clearing the Decks........



Hello girls, how are you all?
I'm watching the first episode of the new series of Downton Abbey.
Obviously not giving it my full attention as I am typing this post...... 
Have you been caught up in it or not?
There is a cool breeze blowing through the windows and I can smell smoke, hmmm........must check out the CFA website to make sure it's nothing too close.
I assume it's from the fires up near Harrietville which is a way off from here, so no need to put my fire plan into action.....

 This week I  finished off some more tea cosies which had been sitting on my sewing table for far too long.

I've managed to find quite a few blankets at the op shop recently..... so my blanket stash is growing somewhat.

Gotta love red and white






I certainly agree with you Mr. Wordsworth.......



A couple of little budgies made a brief appearance and will be flying off to the USA to live with Liz.....
Hope it's not too chilly over there....






I also whipped up this card for a friends birthday.......
A moment of inspiration followed by 20min of faffing and stitching.
A personal note on the back a piece of trim for hanging and there you have it.......
I resent forking out huge amounts of money for cards.
At some stage they will be thrown away....
This will be the year of handmade card....it's more personal and it gives me another reason to play, create and have fun.




I had a quick trip to Melbourne, last weekend.
No.1 and I saw Keith Urban in concert
 ( you know, Nicole's hubby!!)

Great show Keith.....love the hair.

 On Monday morning No.1 played chauffeur whilst I ducked in and out of a few op shops.

I spied this fab Cake Box, it's made of hard plastic and in great condition.
The base is pink, so cute.....thought it would be great for storing trims, ribbons or buttons but I really needed to use it for it's original purpose first.
So.......I whipped up my favourite chokky cake, slapped on some awesomely chocolate icing and then the final touch...
rainbow sprinkles. 
Don't do crunchy 100's & 1000's
Well, the cake was a hit and it's all gone, so I can now fill it
with sewing goodies. 







The warm weather has returned this past week and the cherry toms are ripening nicely.
They are so full of flavour.....it's hard to stop at one







The Hollyhocks are still flowering and I love this beautiful pink bloom. Reminds me of a ball gown, layers of beautiful, soft, floaty fabric........thought you might like a change from Zinnia pics






So I have been 'clearing the decks' here....

I've almost finished the last orders from 2012 and am not taking on any more new work. I have a couple of things I need to work on for an exhibition in March and a lot of ideas I want to try out.
 Tidying the sewing room is taking far longer to get around to then I thought, but it can't be avoided forever....can it?!!
I'm scared I'll uncover far more UFO's than I thought I had!1

Hubby and No.1 son will be heading off to Canada shortly and I want to use the time they're away to work on some new projects....

That reminds me, must search for Winter jackets as they'll be in for a shock. Temps in Canada have been in the minuses! for some time. Certainly a lot colder than the Winters we have.

 I have been absent from my blog for a little bit I've been playing over on FB and having lots of fun.
Come over and visit if you like, just click on the button on my side bar.

Don't forget if you would like to donate to the 



there are only 22 days left to do so.
Funds are trickling in and the total is growing, but it's a long way short of what they were hoping to raise for her.

I know I said it last post, but a

 HOOUUUGE

 THANKYOU


to bloggers who put their hand in their purse and gave.
You know who you are  and so do I thanks guys....

So what have you been up to?
Are you a sprinkles or a 100's & 1000's kinda gal?

What would you fill the cake box up with.....besides cake!!

Do tell.....

Thanks for visiting always great to hear from you .

Hope you all have a fantastic week,

Take care,

Claire X