Cafe Rouge, Chocolate Guinness Cake and a bit of stitching

I absolutely love Cafe Rouge, we visit quite often and I am always tweeting them. After our last visit I asked (on Twitter of course) if they sold their merchandise as I'd love an apron. To my huge surprise they have sent me one in the post - I was totally amazed. I do recommend them and tweet lots but I felt that was really generous.

Me in my lovely new apron

I have used it today as I made a gorgeous chocolate Guinness Cake - I promised my Year 11 students one for Friday - this is a practice hee hee. I'm off for a slice and a coffee after my blogging is done.

Chocolate Guinness Cake

I have been working hard on the 60th gift - I have the frame and should finish it tomorrow or Monday. The birthday is Friday so perfect timing. I'm very pleased with how it has turned out. The poem was written by the birthday boy (our retired Head of English), it's about sparkling wine hence the bottle. I'm just hoping I worked out the frame size right as I had to order it before the piece is finished so it's here in time.

Finally my Stitch Club at school have made an Easter Tree.We have one hour a week and they have stitched eggs on perforated paper, backed them with felt and attached ribbon. I went foraging for the 'tree' in our local woods. They've done a great job, I'm so proud of them, and a HUGE thank you to everyone who has sent thread and fabric, it has meant I can run the club without charging the students- thank you.

The George Eliot Schol Stitch Club

Our Easter Tree

Next month brings lots of excitement; a week at the caravan, Easter and ..... Needlecraft Haven Meet Up whoo hoo :)

March already

2012 is certainly flying by. Much as I love my holidays and work is work, I am getting a little annoyed with so many people on facebook counting down 'sleeps' to the next school holidays - count down to something good yes,  but if your job is that bad then should you be doing it?

Life is so short and so very precious.

I can't share too much of my stitching this time as my main work has been for the Spring Exchange on Needlecraft Haven. I haven't done this finish before and am recycling something so it's been quite a nervy project. Iam hoping to assemble it all later today.

I can share my two ornaments for my tree at next year's Church Tree Festival. I will be making the ornaments up all at the same time, a day with the sewing machine I think. Anyway last night I stitched 'sister' and 'brother' - yes allinone night, amazing for me.

Freeie chart by Lorraine Clarke

Freeie chart by Lorraine Clarke

My Totally Useless jar is looking good - I am cetainly stitching more this year so it is growing well.

Orts as at 29th Feb

Finally - how aware of things are you? This little test amazed me, made me think too. Have a go and see how you get on - good luck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfA3ivLK_tE

Thanks for popping by and reading my news :)

18th Birthday

It was Philippa's 18th last Friday - she had a great day. We had a family meal at Frankie and Benny's then she went ice skating with her boyfriend. At night the four of us went into town to the bar where Michael works - he was on shift and we had a great night; hic hic

Philly and her boyfriend

I haven't made any special cakes for a while but decided to make Philly a black and white flower cake. I was really pleased how it turned out. I have to more birthday cakes to make in March, a 60th and a 75th.

Philly's cake

I have been busy all week stitching my piece on Julie's RR for Needlecraft Haven - I do have more time but it has to go to Dusty next and the Mini RR also needs to fly over the pond to her so if I send the two together it saves the postage :)

Julie has chosen Debbie Draper's My Little Book of Stitches from The Gift of Stitching - it was lovely to do, thanks Julie.

Julie's RR

My other colleague has had a little girl so I can start stitching Piglet now although I must do my Spring piece for the Needlecraft Haven Season Exchange as that needs sending off soon.

Have a great weekend everyone, thanks for popping by.

London - February 2012

I've had a fabulous few days inLondon with my lovely hubby - I really am a spoilt lady - not sure why either as I'm no-one special, just me.
Anyway we stayed at Travelodge City Airport which is a s mple, clean hotel within a 10 minute walk of the airport (just a small one) with a good Docklands Light Railway station. It's a bit weird travelling on these trains as they have no driver - eek! We now have Oyster card so just swipe the card and travel wherever we like all over the city - it makes hopping on and off the tube very easy.

Valentine's Day we checked in then went into Oxford Street with all it's husle and bustle. Selfridges was our first stop to buy our Nespresso coffee - it's always amazing to see the handbags, perfume, and other luxury goods in there - amazing prices too !!

A lot of walking later - only the first day too - we popped into The Shakespeare for a drink before enjoying a fabulous meal at Cafe Rouge ( saumon salad for me; chicken for hubby; creme brulee for us both)

Wednesday we went to Westminster Abbey which although a little pricey it was stunning - we sometimes forget how intricate our own buildings are and what amazing history we have.

We walked past Big Ben and the Houses of Parliment - again such amazing architecture. This is a beautiful staute of King Richard the Lionheart against Parliment windows - we saw his tomb when we were in onholiday in France last summer.

I have always wanted to have a proper Afternoon Tea but the Ritz is a little too much for us - you also need to book a log way in advance. However I did find Johnson's Restaurant which is part of The Strand Hotel and we had a lovely tea of sandwiches, cakes, and scones with jam and clotted cream - accompanied by really good coffee.

The best part of our weekend was another trip to Queen's to see Les Miserables. Ramin Karimloo is now playing Jean Valjean and he was amazing - very different to Alfie Boe - both good in different ways. Ramin is very good friends with Hadley Fraser (they have a band The Sheytoons together) and Hadley is currently playing Javert who is the policeman after Jean Valjean. The chemistry between the two of them on stage was amazing, two friends playing two enemies :)

Today we popped to Milton Keynes on the way home - we bought some lovely salad dressing and oils from Oil & Vinegar, and I had some more fruit infusions from Whitards. Lunch was Strada today - using our Tesco vouchers - I had seafood pasta and hubby had steak and chips - they do a delicious pud which I can never resist, nougat ice cream with nuts, with an expresso coffee poured over - gorgeous.

So now we're home for a quiet few days before going back to school - I could do with a rest as my left leg definitely belongs to someone else at the moment - feet up then ....

NO WAY - PHILIPPA IS 18 TOMORROW - WHOO HOO PARTY TIME :)

Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine's wishes to all my friends - love to everyone x x

I have finished two of the baby gifts - we're still waiting for the third little one to arrive, any time soon.

And I've finished my square on Jaclyn's RR for the Needlecraft Haven Mini Round Robin. Jaclyn had done the gorgeous Hot Dog and I chose the cute Toad in the Hole - very funny designs.

DH and Iare off to London for a few days - Cafe Rouge meal tonight, Afternoon Tea at Johnson's tomorrow and then another visit to Queen's to see Ramin and Hadley in Les Miserables - oh I am a lucky girl.

Have a great Valentine's Day - take care, have fun, thanks for popping by x x  



Please support if you can - thank you

Philippa, our daughter, did not pass her second attempt at her driving test but we are very annoyed as it was nothing to do with her. She was at an island indicating and ready to go left. She looked right and an Audi was there but indicating left to go up the road she was coming out of.

As she set off it changed its plan, cancelled the indicator and drove straight on. The examiner used his controls to stop the car a split second before Philly did. The whole fault was the Audi but we now have to pay another £62 for a test and the cost of using the instructor's car.

Philly had no other errors, the examiner was so sorry. Another test is fine but we are annoyed at the cost, which will be about £110, when it was not her error.

I have started an e-petition for re-takes to be free in these types of fails, and there be a scale for other errors. I can now see why we have so many unlicensed drivers on the road, people can't afford to keep taking the test, especially when it's not their fault.

This will not necessarily help Philippa but we will have raised the issue and may have some effect in the future. If there is enough support it will be read in Parliment.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29270

You will have to confirm the email they send you to activate your vote

Many thanks, please share this as we need lots of signatures

Clare x

Snowy news and a bit of stitching

Like many we had snow yesterday - perfectly arriving as we arrived home from a lovely pub lunch. This morning we had a good few inches and my plant pots looked like souffles :)

I have managed to do quite a bit of stitching since the New Year - I set up my two RRs which have been posted and have arrived at their first holiday destination with Dusty.

My start on my Angels

This is the finished design from Cross Stitch Gold

I have stitched two ornaments for my Christmas Tree at church next year - it will be called 'Family Tree' and will be filled with names we use in our families.

I have also finished stitching the first baby gift - a Tigger picture for Frankie who was born in December and I've started my next birthday gift, Pooh picture, for Eliza who was born just last week. I also have a Piglet picture to do for my other colelagues baby who is due in the nextfew days - another girl we think :)

Tigger for Frankie

The start of Pooh for Eliza

I have converted a bag my mum made into a ipad bag so I can easily carry it around school.

It's our DD's birthday in 12 days time -I can't believe Philippa will be 18, she has her driving test Wednesday too so quite a busy time for her.

I am hoping to be able to catch up on everyone's blogs soon, I know I have been a little lax, sorry. Thank you for popping by to read my news x x x