Friday 18 March 2011

Birthdays, gardening, cakes and makes ...


Hi everyone, I hope you have all had a fantastic week.  This week in the Sweetpea household we had a birthday, mine ! :-)   As I have said before I like to buy a pavlova for my birthday every year but this year I thought I would try and make one.  It was a lot easier than I thought and was great fun to decorate.  I got the eggs off my friend Helen as our chickens are not laying as much as they used to and used blackberries which I had frozen from the Summer (I bought the Raspberries and blueberries but hopefully we will have homegrown this year :-)).  It could have probably done with a bit longer in the oven as it was a bit gooey on the inside but then again  I like gooey meringue.  My parents popped over in the evening and bought a chocy cake so this pavlova was only eaten by me and my parents and the kiddies and Mr Sweetpea wanted chocy cake :-)

I popped to the toddler group today and my friend Kathryn gave me a lovely card with a crochet hook hidden in it, this then gave it away that it was my Birthday this week (she saw some Birthday messages on Facebook).


Now I don't mind getting older at all but I am not a fan of fuss so try and skip past my Birthdays with little fuss if possible.  The lovely Bear's Footprints had just shown me a gorgeous crochet mini cushion she had made which has lavender in it, it smells devine.  This was her first make of this kind and she then decided to give it to me as a birthday present!  How sweet of her, it must have been so precious to her as it was the first time she has made one and it is so lovely - if only we had smellyvision as it smells so yummy!

 

As the sun came out late last week (none this week I am afraid, just grey, grey, grey :-() we all got out in the garden and planted some seeds.  The kiddies and I really do love being outdoors in the warmer weather.  Little Sweetpea got busy with her new watering can that she got from Father Christmas :-)



And I had to find ways to label my seeds so I decided to use those old CDs you get with internet software or children's sample programmes on to label some up.  They also act as a bit of a bird deterrent.


oohh and I have been creating more daisies, I decided to make a rainbow of colours :-)


I have also been thinking about Easter so have been making some felt pouches for the hairclips for my little Facebook Shop :-)


ooh before I go, can I pick your brain???  If you are into sewing can I ask what machine you would recommend as I really want to buy one with my Birthday money and try my hand at sewing?

xxx

20 comments:

  1. What a lovely, cheerful post - I needed that! Happy Birthday! Yummy looking meringue :) I love Sweetpea's coat! Your makes are great too - and love the way you've photographed them! I've got a Toyota machine, but I don't do huge amounts of sewing. Berninas are good. Have a lovely weekend x

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  2. What a lovely post!!!! Happy Birthday to you! That Pavlova is awesome! I used to make these a lot when I was younger. Havn't made one for years as only I like them ( and the guilt of eating a whole one would be too much to bear!!!! ha ha!)

    Have a super weekend and here's to sunshine gracing us next week!!!!

    Love Vanessa xxxxxxxxxx

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  3. Yay, happy birthday, love your pavlova - I make these often and my Dad goes crazy when he knows I've made one.

    Love your little lavender pillow - just been admiring that over on the makers blog ;)

    Sewing machine - I have a Toyota too, love it - sturdy, foolproof and never let me down. I've had mine for ... oh at least 15 years!

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  4. Lovely post, Is there any pavlova left? and those hairclips are stunning in a rainbow.
    If you have a local sewing machine shop, buy local and they will demonstrate, and answer any questions, if not, buy one of the internet (cheaper)and enlist the help of a friend who sews. Go for a simple, basic model, you never use all those fancy stitches anyway!
    Sue Xx

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  5. Lovely yummy pavlova - belated birthday greetings! Littlest Sweetpea looks so cute in her pretty coat and Mary Janes. Love your makes too. I have a very old Frister Rossman which has been great but it only does basic stitches and for 20 years that has been all I wanted but now I wish I had a machine which would do some more fancy stitches and which would be easy to do freehand machine embroidery on too. I gather Bernina are the Rolls Royce of machines but expensive and lots of people have recommended Janame as being excellent - these were ladies who do patchwork and other fancy sewing. Get advice and try some different ones out before parting with your cash. John Lewis are very good at demonstrating and letting you have a go. Let me know what you buy and I might get one too!

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  6. Happy Birthday! If you want the best then I recommend Bernina (it's what I use at home and for teaching) but realise they are more expensive than most machines. Janome do good basic models.

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  7. hope you had a wonderful birthday xxxxx

    lovely piccys and post ;0)x

    p.s hope you liked the gifts i sent too x

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  8. Happy belated birthday. The Pavlova looks delicious, it wouldn't last long in our house.

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  9. Hope you had a lovely lovely birthday, the Pavlova looks divine! Little Sweetpea looks so happy outside with her watering can, you can't beat a little sunshine!
    Have a happy weekend,
    Andrea x

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  10. Happy Birthday, sounds like you had a lovely time:) Your clips are lovely, so cheerful and colourful, they are lovely! As for sewing machines, as I said on fb, I'm a fan of Janome (have also done commission work for them so may be a little biased, haha)... seriously tho, my machine has been great. Bought it from John Lewis 8 years ago - I think they still do it - excel 5004 i think or something like that, is a good basic machine with lots of stitches and is very easy to use, would recommend, but as others have said, is best to not be shy and have a little try out in the store if you can! xxx

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  11. Happy Birthday... your pav looks so yummo...
    I love my Janome... I have a basic model.... and it does everything I need...
    Hugz

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  12. I bought a janome last summer to replace one I'd had for over 25 years. Mine was quite pricey but I know they do more basic models which are just as good. As other people have said John lewis will demonstrate/let you have a go.

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  13. Happy Birthday Zoe! Yummy pavlova...! You must have sewing on your mind as your spelt sown wrong on your seed label! Gorgeous rainbow daisies... how much are they and can a buy a couple for Charlie's many wives? x

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  14. My son made a pavlova for Christmas and it was delicious. One of my favourite desserts.

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  15. Lovely photos lovely post! Hasnt it been lovely to see the sun at last?

    That pavlova looks scrummy - bet theres none left?!

    I would second what crafts@home said re the sewing machine - take it from me, she should know as she has been teaching me to sew for the last year! And I havent used the fancy stitches either!

    Helenxx

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  16. Happy Birthday, hope you had the lovely sun we had here yesterday. xx

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  17. Happy birthday! The pavlova looks great and the crochet lavender pillow looks great!
    I would definitely just get a basic sewing machine or try some out at a shop first, I don't normally use any of the fancy stitches on my machine either.
    I've been out planting too, little sweetpea looks like she's having fun helping! :) x

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  18. yes thank you sweetie i did get the emails x
    just noticed with recent swapsies that no ones posted anything about what i sent, maybe im just being sensitive....but i was very greatful for the lovely gifts and email xxxx

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  19. Happy Belated Birthday! The pavlova looks delicious - one of my favourites too. I love the pretty coloured daisies pictured all together - gorgeous! And lovely to see little sweetpea out there gardening happily in the sun shine! Hope you are having a lovely week.
    Helen x

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  20. dear Zoe, your little daisy hairpins are so sweet, too bad i do not have a little girl I don't think Jacob's father wouldappreciate if i clipped one on Jacob's hair, teeehee ! Your feltpouch ? ooooh, love it, sooo cute !
    As for a sewing machine, well, hubby bought me a singer fashion mate. ithas 69 stitches and hums so perfectly ! i really love it and it is very affordable. you can see a picture in oneof my blog's january post.
    never tasted pavlova before, but your cake looks really yummy!
    take care Zoe xxx

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