Makes and bakes.

A great big hi there and hello to you!

Thought I'd catch up with a few things I've managed to make and do over the last couple of weeks. 
 
I've added a few more pages to my Smash Book so thought I'd share them with you. I'm really pleased with the effect I have created!

I decided that I won't use it simply for our road trip to Lewis at the end of next month, but for the start of the amazing journey we will be making as a family when we finally move there to start our new life, whenever that is - soon rather than later we very much hope!

 
I have also been baking and making things over the last week or so and these include the following.

Yummy American style pancakes for breakfast with my niece and the boys.

  

Harry asked for sausage rolls but with bacon and this is what he and Alfie got. Good result and a hit with the boys.

  

Jon bought me a meat grinder/sausage maker for my birthday. Here was our first attempt. Definitely room for improvement in the seasoning but the overall look was quite good.

Then I gave my niece this apron I had been sewing as one of her birthday presents when she came to visit last weekend. She almost didn't get it as when I realised I'd sewn the tie tapes on the bottom and not the top of the apron it nearly went through the window. However I gathered, as Kate Twinset would say, and carried on regardless and all came out well in the end.

I have cut out myself a new plain blue apron; this is more serviceable than pretty as is for when we move - pictures to follow soon. We are looking at not just growing and rearing our own food but also trying to make as much "stuff" as we can in every possible respect. This means I'm going to pick up on my sewing skills, but just found instructions for making a new ironing board cover so we're ok on that front!

Should go now as I need to get back to my in- anticipation-of-moving de-cluttering jobs!

Hope you like what you see!

Catch ya later!xxx

My first home made Smash Book! Eeeek!

I have had my eye on creating my own Smash Book for a while - the pre-printed ones seemed so expensive for what you got therefore, here you have my DIY effort!

I have made this for a trip I will be making with my family to the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles of Scotland at the end of October - a little early to be done and dusted but you know me, I always like to be organised!

I have not bought anything to create the book. To begin with I had one of my favourite things to work with, a Reeves sketchpads in stock from when I used to make embellished journals. (Check out my Pinterest board here.) I wanted to show you the inside pages using a video link thing into my blog but have failed miserably. Instead here are a few of my favourite pages and I'll figure out how to do it another time - might see if I can get it onto Pinterest.

To start making something of the blank pages I searched through all of my papers, card, embellishments, stamps, you name it. I also took pages out of books I use for paper crafting and basically anything I had lying around that seemed appropriate. Luckily I am a bit of a magpie and usually have something of use! Again, as with any journals I have done in the past I tried not to make it look too contrived and I think I'm really happy with it. I have purchased a double-ended glue/pen pen to take with me 

and I have asked for a few things to make my entries special for birthday presents.

Whilst I'm at it I may as well tell you about getting set for the coming school term. We were given some weekly plans from school. as usual to keep tabs on what the boys will be doing each day but they are a bit plain, being black and white. Instead I found these on the internet so are now completed and placed on the wall under the calendar in the kitchen. This way the boys can double check what they are doing and I know when things have to be in school on what day! Love them. Good job I printed off an extra one last week as the tomato ketchup came flying out of the door shelf of the fridge yesterday in spectacular fashion and practically covered one of them. Funny?

Time to go but just have a minute to show you the first Gladioli I have ever grown and that I am very chuffed with myself. Love the colour!

 Right, must dash but hope you liked what you saw, especially the Smash Book.

Catch ya later.xxx