Happy Easter

Quite early this year and certainly not yet spring like weather but Easter is upon us. It's a strange time of year for us as when the children were younger we always went away with my Dad. We've visited many places over the years with the last ten years having Easter at our caravan.

But things change and life moves on - Dad is no longer with us and the children are now grown ups. We no longer have our caravan (there was no point in keeping it as we very rarely went just the two of us) and so this year we are home.

Our daughter has come up from Wales for the weekend - we actually saw her house whilst watching the Cardiff Half Marathon on TV today! Our son is working but we do see him a little in the day.

Our house is ready for Easter - I've decorated my twisted hazelnut branch saved from my Grandmother's tree with eggs, the mantle is Easter themed and I have a lovely vase of daffodils.

Our Easter Branch with eggs and nests

Easter mantle

Vase of daffodils

I made Mum and Keith a Simnel Cake for Easter, it's a traditional cake for Easter with marzipan balls - one for each of Jesus' disciples but not Judas.

Simnel Cake 

I have just one new stitching piece to share as I have finally completed January Joyful World - my slow start is due to a fabric change and no stitching for a week or so.

Still on the frame but finished 

Thank you for calling by and I wish you all a Happy Easter :-) 

Gifted Gorgeousness in March

Well in February actually - our daughter's birthday is 17th so just after last month's GG. Unfortunately this year we didn't see her on her birthday but we had a lovely weekend together on 26th :-) You can read about it here.

Everyone loves cake on their birthday so I stitched her a cake ! This was a small kit gifted to me for my birthday so it's a double GG

Tatty Ted with cake for Philly's birthday 

Gifted Gorgeousness is the wonderful SAL hosted by Jo  every month on the 15th we share any item that we've stitched, made, given or received as a gift. It's lovely to see just how much gifting happens in our lives - sometimes special days and sometimes surprises !!

That's all my stitching news for now - the reason? - I haven't been stitching. I picked a needle up on Sunday after 8 days of no crafting :-( I have no idea why bit it's lovely to be sewing again.

Thank you for calling by - happy stitching to you all x

Happy St David's Day

It's St David's Day today - the patron saint of Wales whose emblem is a daffodil or leek. The children in Wales go to school dressed in traditional costume today, they really celebrate their special day.

Photo from a Welsh newsaper 

Welsh Flag

I have been busy baking too - welsh cakes. They are quite easy to make and are a traditional small cake in Wales, Bara Brith is the traditional large cake but I make welsh cakes as they are Hubby's favourites.

Batch of welsh cakes for Hubby and friends tonight at
scouts committee meeting

A few to go with our afternoon coffee

It's time to change out mantle as it's the 1st of March. I did a little shopping today so bought a bunch of daffodils. The birdhouse is a tealight holder and the fairy a rain catcher but she stays inside. It's time for March (Drawn Thread) to be displayed and my Jardin Prive Tree is now spring (that's on the side board). This year for Needlecraft Haven Four Season's SAL I have stitched a small design by Mausimom and made it into a little pillow.

March Mantle

Daffodils and Spring pillow  

Four Season's SAL 2016 with Needlecraft Haven  - Spring

Jardin Prive Spring - Four Season's SAL 2015

I have also managed to finish Challenge 2 on Needlecraft Haven's Monthly Christmas Challenge, it's a lovely design by Pineberry Lane which did originally have 1887 on the right hand side and is supposed to be stitched as an aged piece. However I decided to omit the date and stitched it in a more modern way.

Challenge 2 - Monthly Christmas Challenge

Wishing you all a very happy March, its going to be a busy month as here in the UK it's Mother's Day next Sunday and Easter at the end of the month. Thank you for calling by and reading my latest news.