Afternoon tea anyone?

2 days of baking and the afternoon tea was ready!!!

A little bit of bunting run up this morning (7.30 actually - I was a little bit excited so couldn't sleep)

Mini scones with jam and cream.

Chocolate brownies with white chocolate chips, on my very new cake stand!

Almond macaroons with chocolate drizzle and chocolate shapes

Cucumber sandwiches of course, mozzarella and tomato tarts and some not home-made pork pie

Citrus cupcakes

And finally meringues and shortbread. Most of it on lovely car boot plates on crocheted place mats!!

And of course I needed a new outfit for the occasion - a perfect floral skirt for £3 did the job!!

I have it all again (actually much more) for everyone at work tomorrow - I hope they like!

Look what arrived for me .....(it may be seaside related!!)

I was very excited last night when I got home I had a little red slip popped through the letter box - a parcel waiting for me!! I was so excited I woke up early this morning and arrived at the post office just before 8am to collect my parcel!! Look at all the parcels - beautifully wrapped a swap from Jill , thank you :)

Some very yummy treats!

The most beautiful notebook, with a lovely cross stitch on the front (I promise I will take better pictures in the daytime with some decent light!) The first thing I do when I get to a beach is run to the sea to have a little paddle!! Also some bunting - we have both sent bunting, great minds hey!!

A fish ice cube tray and a lovely felt fish - I am going to find him the perfect little home!! I think that the ice cube tray will also be perfect for making little chocolate fishes!!

Look at it all!! I love love love love it all - opening it all up it felt like my birthday. This is my first swap and what a fantastic experience it has been. I have loved thinking of ideas of what to get and make and then getting the crafting going and then to receive a lovely parcel as well, I am one very happy girl!! I think I could become addicted to them very easily!!

After all the excitement in the morning I went into town and managed to pick up some wicker baskets and some lovely bedspreads, ready to be recycled into bunting and blankets I think! Then I came home and did a little baking!

This is my 3rd attempt at meringues this week - the other 2 didn't work. Completely forgot to take a picture of the when they were done, but they were successful!

Then a new recipe for a victoria sandwich had to be tested!! It worked perfectly with fresh cream and jam in the middle - now you may all know I am trying to be good and so my diet couldn't quite stretch to all that lovely cake so I took it to my parents - slight mishap in the car with the top sponge not wanting to sit on the bottom one any more!! All was ok though and I manage to piece it back together!!

Finally I used some of the mixture to make some cupcakes - have recently bought the cupcake boxes and really wanted to road test them!!

Camping!

So here it is - tent all set up (in the wind!!) It lasted all 4 nights - one of torrential rain and I think gale force winds(ok it sounded like it but probably wasn't that bad)

The view from the tent - yes sea views - very lovely!!

The bunting!! loved the bunting - and the blanket, don't think I got a picture of the blanket - Yorkies half of the airbed was always too messy - but I will check and post if I do. It was ace, made the tent more homey!!
The first cooked breakfast and it was yummy times!!!

The night before ......

Tapas for tea! I forgot to take a picture before I started munching!! So instead it is half way through the meal!! It was super yummy and after we ate it we went off to the pub to watch the second half of the football! It wasn't very entertaining!!

This is a few pictures from country living magazine. I was flicking through (lovely magazine but far too expensive for me to ever buy!) and I saw this page - it was perfect - first of all bunting and any of you that follow my blog know that I like a bit of bunting!! Then a picnic hamper - also quite a few picnic related posts!! Finally enamel plates and mugs exactly like the ones I have just got ready for the camping trip!! I am very tempted to set up a little picture like this in my own garden!

It is now 11.10pm and we have just finished packing - it has taken so long because Yorkie thought it wise to bring 30+ pairs of pants, 25 t-shirts, hundreds of socks, work shirts ((why do you need work shirts camping??) 5 pairs of shorts, 3 pairs of football shorts and much more - so needless to say we spent a lot of time sorting through all of that!!

Bunting done!!

Here is my little workstation, beds away and out comes the sewing machine! Then I may, again, have gone a bit overboard on the photos! Oh well!!

I love my mini bunting! Cant wait for its tent expedition!!

A little more bunting!!

Fabric out and ready for the tent bunting!

Snip, snip, snip the bunting is all cut, I however cant face moving the sofa, my bed and the table and then going into the cupboard of doom tonight to start the sewing. It will have to wait until tomorrow!

Just a little picture of my trampoline, just about fitting between my sofas!! I am putting in on here to hopefully encourage me to us it muchos more!!

Bunting!

Sunny sunny day, perfect time to join crafty smiles I like to be beside the seaside swap. This is going to be my first swap and I cant wait - I already have ideas of what I want to do, and will be getting started shortly!

So today I went to Bristol with my parents. Purchased some more things ready for the camping trip! Really really cant wait! Then I came home to my little flat, put the bed away (I have a fold up bed - very little flat!) and got my table and sewing machine out and made some bunting. I apologise now for the amount of photos - I got a bit excited!!

First all the cutting - this took the longest!!

All stitched up and the points poked out!

All hung and ready to go!

These little labels were a gift from my sister for my birthday- first time I have used them!

And then finally in situ! They are there ready for you to see when you come in the door!! I love them and I am thinking I may take them on the camping trip to decorate the tent!