Tuesday, April 3, 2018

A Lovely Easter & A First Birthday!

Greetings dear friends & readers & (Belated) Happy Easter Wishes!



We have honestly had the loveliest Easter here at Threadbear ... my Cottage is now closed, the weather was beautiful, we didn't have to do anything in particular or please anyone!

And then yesterday, we had a small birthday celebration to attend for my youngest grandson Sid - who turned One!!

Here he is on the new trike gifted to him by his other grandparents


Early last week I decided to make Sid a couple of bibs to pop in with his gifts .... I used some Peter Rabbit & Winnie the Pooh fabrics that I already had in my stash .... backed with a cream towel put aside especially for bib making



The bibs went together so well I then decided to make him some little boots .... I used Lisa's pattern from Here ....
 the Tie Back Boots

Once again these were made entirely from scraps of fabrics I had on hand


The boots are fully lined & I had a lovely soft polar fleece that was just perfect for the job



Wrapped & ready & waiting for the Birthday Boy!


I offered to make a birthday cake for our morning tea ... I have popped my recipe at the bottom of this post ... it is such a simple chocolate cake recipe that I make up in my meat dish, lovely & moist & keeps well too.
I decorated it with some choccie eggs & M & M's ... though I have photographed it from the wrong angle, the candles spell "SID" - another of those times you are thankful your grandchildren have short names!


Here I am wearing my new bib, waiting for some of that cake & wondering why it is taking so long !!


These autumn days have been beautiful ... I spent some time out on my deck painting a couple of small projects ... this wooden trug needed an upcycle


Some pale duck egg chalk paint & a scrap of vintage wallpaper just big enough to line the base, plus a coat of wax


Whilst I loved this tissue holder once upon a time, it had gotten old & chipped & tatty looking .... I decided 
a freshen up was in order

While I had the pale duck egg paint out I gave it two coats & a light sand of the edges.
I then mod podged paper doilies to each side & glued some vintage braid around the opening 


My lovely friend Shirley loaned me her copy of this Tilda Book
I made up the Paper Angels & strung them across my dining room dresser as a bunting


I plan to make some more as feel they would be perfect attached to brown paper gift wrapped parcels!



I spent a bit of time pulling one of my raised veggie gardens to bits & picked yet more tomatoes & some chilli peppers 
I am keen to get my winter planting in but those tomatoes just keep on producing!


And then this morning I picked the last of my dahlias before they all hibernate for winter .... these have given me so much joy this season & kept on flowering away merrily

I hope you all had an enjoyable Easter dear friends - it feels as though March passed us by in the blink of an eye!
I am off to my Mums for a few days - she will be turning 89!
Be good & kind to yourselves & to each other,
Thanks so much for your visits here today,
with much love & friendship,
Julie & the furry ones x0x0x 

*Sherie's Chocolate Cake Recipe*
1 3/4  cup flour                         1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking pwdr                  3 desstspoons cocoa  
   1/4 tsp salt                                    1 1/2 cup sugar   
1 cup milk,          1/2 cup soft butter,        3 eggs 
Sift all dry ingredients together in basin.
Add butter & milk & beat vigorously for 2 - 3 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time beating well.
Pour into meat dish or large tin & bake in moderate Oven (350) for half an hour.
When cool ice with chocolate icing or chocolate frosting.
(will keep well for a long time - if it gets a chance!)
      

16 comments:

  1. Sounds like the p-e-r-f-e-c-t Easter to me and topped off with cake and special times with your handsome wee man! Good to see you still making tempting and beautiful crafting goods. Hugs from the Winterless North xx

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  2. Oh! My Goodness! Where to start..
    Little Sid..'little' well..he's looking grand,
    and a year old..lovely bibs..from Grandma, and
    l do like the idea of the name being that way
    round, if l had a pair, l'd need my name that
    way round, so l could see it and remember it..! :).

    AND..the cake..Wow! Look at the cake, l bet Sid
    was covered in chocolate after all that! HeHe!
    "Granny..my bibs dirty"..Bless!

    And! Yes! Can l just say..A Very Happy Easter
    to one and all..Mine was rather quiet..I think!
    Out and about this morning..few things to do..
    Home now for a cuppa lemon tea and an almond
    slice...two actually..! :0).

    One thing l'd like to mention...Over here in
    the UK we have a program called 'The Repair Shop'
    the last three weeks have been a new series,
    finished last Friday...last night was the start
    of the repeat of the first series...I love it....
    I notice it is on BBC iPlayer...the program runs
    for just half hour, it's an amazing program, and
    you will need tissues when you watch it..give it
    a whirl..it does what it says...repairs old and
    broken down items! Not to be missed! :).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Found the link to 'The Repair Shop'...
      If anyone wants to take a look.....

      https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b08l581p

      Delete
  3. Happy first Birthday to gorgeous wee Sid!! He is adorable and the gifts you made him are fabulous. I have been picking the last of our chillis too. And I have loads of colourful Dahlias in my garden, they are beautiful.

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  4. Hi Julie what a wonderful post your little Sid is growing so fast and he is such a handsome little man,I love the bibs you made for him hope you have a lovely time at your mums xx

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  5. You had a beautiful time.. I'm happy for that.. And Sid.. he is so, so, so, so cute!!

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  6. Oh my goodness, those little boots are so cute. I can't wait for some great grandchildren so that I can make some.
    Briony
    x

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  7. Happy birthday to Sid...one already, time just flies by!! The boots you made Sid are gorgeous!! Did he have chocolate face after eating his cake? Wonderful your garden is still producing. You did a greatjob refreshing the trug and tissue holder. The dahlias look beautiful, a real splash of colour..

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  8. Hi Julie, oh what a cutie Sid is, and one already wow!, those boots look so comfy and soft, as do the bibs. Cake looks yummy to Julie. Love your revamps. Enjoy your time with your mum, hope she has a great birthday to. Chris xoxo

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  9. So many nice things! Sid is darling and so are the bibs! What is a trug used for? Those paper angels are adorable. Lucky the person receiving a package with them on! I love the kleenex. I love almost anything with doilies! Happy Birthday to your Mom. Have a nice visit! Nancy

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  10. Happy birthday to Sid! His booties are really impressive, you could be selling these online personalised in this way you know. How could you have Beatrix Potter fabric in your stash and not have mentioned it before! my favourite! the bibs are beautiful - again a sure online seller.

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  11. Dearest Julie, first of all thank you for leaving your kind words in the atelier,

    Nice to meet you, from today I will follow you willingly.

    If I understand you are the grandmother of a beautiful little nephew named Sid who has just turned years ... Happy birthday wishes !!!

    You have created two beautiful bibs and beautiful slippers.

    And what about that cake!

    Wow how nice, live on the other side of the world in a beautiful cottage, I love it !!!

    For now I hug you tight and I send you a kiss

    Have a good week

    Love et bisous Ve

    Sorry for my English🙃

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  12. Lovely bibs and boots. Happy Birthday Sid!. Yummy cake - thanks for the recipe. Hope you are all okay with the weather - it is blowing a storm around here tonight. Trees down lots of places. Love to the kitties - keep them safe and warm.

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  13. Wonderful (as always!)
    You can make a pretty thing out of absolutely anything, I think!
    Sid is a cutie pie.

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  14. You had a beautiful time.. I'm happy for that.. And Sid.. he is so, so, so, so cute!!
    กำถั่ว

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  15. I'm doing a catch up on blogging here...lol...I love what idea of using the doilies for skirts. You come up with all sorts of creative things precious one. xx

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