Saturday, 24 August 2024

A Lovely Sponge! 😋

I know this was yesterday, but I do love sponge cake and I just started making them.


This was my first attempt, for my DH's birthday last month. 
I totally wasn't paying attention to the recipe and didn't use self rising flour or baking powder. 
Can you tell?! It came out of the oven the same size as it went in!
It wasn't terrible, but it definitely could have been better.
I

Then I made this one last week for a weekend getaway with friends.


Ah, so much better! Next time I think I'll make a regular one instead of chocolate. 
Has anyone ever made a lemon sponge?


While we were with our friends, three of us decided we needed tea, and it was wonderful.



 





Monday, 19 August 2024

Fully Finished Gallery - August 2024 🖼

 Welcome to Rachel's 
Back to my normal, almost too late, self!


Here is August framed, I think September will still look good in this?
I've been looking for a fall/winter one, but I haven't found anything yet.


This sweet piece is from Kate Stitcher. It was in the Grace Notes retreat booklet last year. I used their fabric and changed the colours to go with it.
I modge podged this wooden piece with a fall napkin and painted the post and bottom. I thought you would be able to see it from the front, but the stitched piece was too big. It can be seen from the back and I've thought about adding something Halloween there so I can turn it around. We'll see.


And here it is with a small display, getting ready for a fabulous fall. It feels like it tonight, nice and cool, the bedroom windows are open!


I'm once again way behind on my blog reading and replying to comments, one of these days I'll catch up!
But be sure to check out the others and their finishes, I hope to get to them tomorrow.

Sunday, 14 July 2024

Fully Finished Gallery - July 2024 🖼

Welcome to Rachel's 
I missed adding to last month's link, so I'm early (for me) this month!


Another month using this frame, I still need to find a fall and winter one.


Here it is with my patriotic display for the 4th.


And here's a surprise, my 2nd Santa finally framed as an ornament. Only eight more to go!
Since I started from 1984, I've still got a lot more to stitch.
I'm not really happy with it, it's a bit puffy in places and not positioned the best. I'll do better next time.


Be sure to take a look at what others have finished!

Saturday, 6 July 2024

Flower Power Retreat 2024🌼🌺🏵🌻

 
Imagine, I'm delayed in posting about the May Flower Power Retreat, hosted by LinAnn Events!


I pulled this out again, Gman1 and C's wedding sampler. But now that their actual photos show all those beautiful flowers in it, I realize I need to add them. That will require some thinking, which I was unprepared to do there!

I mean, look at all those gorgeous colours!!!


I really didn't do much shopping, but I did find some goodies at Annette's Mind Your Needle!
Although the sweet needle holder was a gift from her.


Also forgot this... Interchangeable Scissor Fobs, adorable!


Ah, the freebie table. It's hard not to find something you can't stitch without.


Then it was time for exchange, always a good time!


Although I didn't get to keep the one I originally chose, I did get this fun bag.


The word was SPRING and inside was - 
Stickers, (including the Flower Power sticker)
Pincushions with buttons,
Ruler,
Ink marking pen,
Needle holder and minder, (a bee ❤)
Grips
All great stitchy things!


This is what I had to offer.
I bought a bee potholder and opened up the bottom to put everything inside. It almost didn't fit. I propped it on a picture holder stand and added flowers to the back of it. It was a plump bee for sure.
Scissors,
Pattern,
Ruffled Red threat drop,
Ivory Lugana,
Needles,
Glove in a Bottle (lotion),
and floss that spelled SPRING.


Our table this year. We're missing a couple of our friends, we're missing them! Hopefully at least one of them will be able to join us for the next retreat.


And the whole lot of us!


This is what I ended up working on. I wanted something simple that didn't require too much concentration. Wrong... I can't tell you how many times I ended up frogging several stitches!


And then before I knew it, it was over. 😟
So I'm already looking forward to the next one, next month!

Sunday, 23 June 2024

Fully Finished Gallery - June 2024 🖼

 Welcome to Rachel's 

Different month, but same finishing!

And this time I'm too late to join Rachel's blog, but here it is anyway!

Another busy month, but no additional finishing - and it's a been a HOT one too.

Thursday, 13 June 2024

May the Fourth Be With You! 🌠💍💞

Better late than never...
We gained a daughter-in-love, May the Fourth was certainly with us!
And not just a daughter, but her lovely family as well. It's wonderful that we enjoy being with each other!


They chose to have their wedding at an amazing venue, the Vandiver Inn in Havre de Grace. (Which happens to be the twin city of Mumbles, Wales, where my cousin lives.) Appropriate for my side of the family.


It was a beautiful evening on Friday for the rehearsal dinner. The wedding was supposed to take place here, but the weather had something else in mind for Saturday.
In this photo, you see her sisters and his brothers, soon to be one big happy family!
Some of these photos are mine, but some are also from family and friends who posted them.


I chose to wear my Momma's dirndl that evening, to honour her. She would have been so happy to see them getting married. But my Dad was able to come, in spite of his health issues.  


The next morning, it was time to get ready!
Getting all pretty with Claire's precious Nanny. 


The Gmen getting ready.
The Groom and his Best Man - his twin of course!


Wedding memories of their parents and grandparents.


Find your seat, it's time!


Now if you happen to remember the weather on May 4th, it was rather a chilly day compared to the day before. And we can't forget the darn rain! On and off all day.
Just before they decided to still have it outside, it started raining harder and had to be moved inside the reception area. It actually turned out really nice, everyone was already seated at their table. They got married in front of the head table, a very unique wedding!
Of course, after the ceremony, it stopped raining for a bit. Enough time to take photos outside where it was supposed to happen.
Alexis Manning Photography


Aren't the flowers absolutely gorgeous?!
Let me just say that the photographer, Alexis Manning Photography, was amazing, and I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the photos when they're ready. I'll be sure to share them when they are.
Alexis Manning Photography


Imagine that, it started spritzing again.
Alexis Manning Photography


"Rain on your wedding day is good luck because it signifies that your marriage will last. A knot that becomes wet is extremely hard to untie - therefore, when you "tie the knot" on a rainy day, your marriage is supposedly just as hard to unravel!"


In this beautiful photo, Claire is wearing her family's Scottish tartan, using her grandmother's lace from her wedding dress wrapped around the flowers, and wearing my Momma's bracelet. A lovely rememberence of a family brought together through love.
Alexis Manning Photography


And here's our "baby" Nathan, still a cutie! 


I started crying as soon as he walked over to me for our dance, and then laughed through the tears.
The song he chose? You've Got a Friend in Me. The Gmen grew up watching Toy Story and it was the perfect song for us.


My nephews, D, B, B's gf J, and P.


My sister-in-love and my older brother came from Baton Rouge for the wedding. My gf, K, joined us from VA.


She got my Dad dancing, and he had the best time! Back in the day, he and my Momma could dance the night away.
She will be forever more known as the Lady in Red!


DH and I spent some time on the dance floor too.


Dad looks rather spiffy in his new hat he bought just for the wedding.


They had fun up until the very end!


And that's how to make an exit on the Fourth!


DH's best friend's wife wasn't just there for the wedding, she is a pastor and performed the ceremony.
She did a fabulous job and it certainly made it more special knowing us for so long. She even has a connection to C's family.


Ah, the happy, newest, Mrs. C!


C's father made the welcome sign, it's beautiful.
Gman2 loaned his helmuts for display, such fun.
That Feeling PeaCChy was delicious!


Stitching will be shown on the next post, hopefully!