I'm back!

I'm back! I have been extremely busy....for ages!
It's been Christmas (and I had a lovely family one, but very busy!)
I also had poorly children before Christmas, so not much work being done.
I had lots of work to try and catch up on because of one of us always having coughs, colds, noro-virus etc....
We are also having work done on the house, so lots of builders around.
I also have a lovely new agent, who I have been trying to get some designs done for http://www.janemosse.co.uk/
But anyway, nice to get back to the old, neglected blog!

A bit noisy!

We are having a bit of essential work done on the house at the mo. Chimney rebuilt, as it was wobbly, some new windows, as they were a bit rotten, stuff replaced, re-painted, pointed etc... The road is also being dug up to check the water pipes. The builder keeps saying "Well you will go buying these victorian houses!" It's all a bit stressful!!!! Grrrrr.....

By the Sea

 I've found this lovely range by Northcott (http://www.northcott.net/) taken from a design of mine. It's always nice to see how the end product will look.

Beautiful butterflies

What a beautiful day! Our garden is full of butterflies and I just managed to snap this one before it flew off. I think I feel a butterfly design coming on.....

Cakes, cakes, cakes!

This is a special post for one of my daughter's very best friends, Abby. (I know she likes reading my blog) Abby had a cake-decorating Birthday party yesterday, and I think a great time was had by all! The best bit for me was that Lois came back with 6 lovely cupcakes......Mmmmmm

Chocolate mousse

Well, Green Man Festival was a tad muddy. The kids called it chocolate mousse, we have been cleaning 'chocolate mousse' off everything for the last 3 days. I enjoyed some bits, but it was a real shame about the weather, it would have been completely different, and much easier if we had a bit more sun. I really appreciate my home comforts after camping!

Green Man Festival

Well we must be absolutely potty as the weather is horrendous today, but we are heading down to Wales with the kids for Green Man Festival. We have everything but the kitchen sink in the car, and really hoping for a bit of dry weather. We had to abandon ship one year as the tent flooded, fingers crossed it won't happen again!

Feeling inspired...

I'm back at my desk today. I've been off having an operation and have felt pretty rubbish all week. I now feel kind of ok and it's nice to be working again. I've got lots of ideas to be getting on with, but only 3 days until the school hols - better get a move on!

Summer flowers

It certainly does NOT feel like summer, so I have brought summer into my blog today with some bright blooms.

Rain, rain, rain....

Well, it's torrential, I've already got soaked twice today and it doesn't look like it's stopping, but on the positive side at least I get to wear my nice, new purple wellies.

Love the beach...

We've just come back from a week in Wales, and for the most part it didn't rain!! (I know....I was shocked too!) So, most of the time we just mucked about on the beach, which we love doing. We made sand pictures and the girls tried boogie boarding, but it was a bit cold for that!

Happy Jubilee weekend!

I'm starting to think my blog ought to be called 'cakes & designs'! Hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend.

New felt tips!

My daughter Lois has some new felt tips, they are all 'in order' and she won't let her little sister borrow them at all! I was exactly the same when I was a kid - I loved my pens, and it was so exciting to get some new ones. In fact, I am still like this now, I LOVE pens!!!!

Print Pattern feature

http://printpattern.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/surtex-2012-just-kids.html

A nice little mention for my agent on Print Pattern blog today. I have been working hard to try and get lots done for Surtex, hence the neglect of my blog! I think I am starting to get square eyes as well!

Lovely camellias

The weather is horrible where we are, so here are some lovely camellias I photographed last time I went to Lyme Park. I think they are gorgeous, some of my favourite flowers, to brighten the day!

Yippee!

Yippee! Really nice to have 60 followers. I work from home in my office on the top floor, and it is usually just me and my cat Pickle. (She is sitting right next to my keyboard now!) So it's really good, to get a bit of feedback every now and then from followers. I also love having a nosey at other blogs.

A little message...

My 8 year old girl has been away on a school trip for 2 nights. (Her first trip away). The house has been very quiet! Anyway, she comes back later, so a little message from a shark, as she is obsessed with them!

Come back spring!

Well, this week has been a combination of all weathers. We've been warm in the sun, but also caught out in hail and snow. Quite hard to plan stuff with the kids in the Easter hols when it's like this. Fingers crossed Spring will return soon.....

More cakes!

Mmmmm...yum! Me and my girls made these. Vanilla cupcakes with berry icing and berries on the top. We whizzed up some mixed berries and sieved the puree with the icing sugar and this makes a lovely berry icing - so a tiny bit healthy too!!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Wishing all the lovely mums out there a very Happy Mother's Day!

dinosaur bones..

Been a busy bee this week with boys designs. This is a small section of a dinosaur design for boys bedding. I spent quite a long time drawing skeletons - and not sure whether they are anatomically correct!!!

Little signs of Spring

Well, I'm feeling very happy today. Not only is it very warm, but there are lots of little flowers and buds appearing in the garden and it's starting to feel a lot more like spring. (For now anyway!)

doggy doodles

I've been working on a dog design. I'm more of a cat person, but I like these two!!!

Happy Valentines Day!

Or Valentime, as my daughter would say!

Disappointing snow!

Well, after hearing a lot about 'the big freeze' and lots of snow on the way, my little girl, Jess was very excited about building a snowman on saturday. So, we waited, and waited and a little bit of snow came which then turned to sleety, haily rain! So, no snowman! We did manage some sledging on the small amount of snow and mud in the local park, and Jess who had previously hated sledging is absolutely fearless now! She loved it, she might have a future in the winter Olympics!!

cats, cats, cats

It looks like I have a bit of help with my cat design this morning!!!

Not the best week...

Well sorry to moan, but I'm having a bad week! One of those weeks where one bad thing happens, followed by loads more. It started at the weekend when a rented mill we were staying caught fire. The chimney caught fire to the roof, and we had a very lucky escape. Very scary, but everyone was ok. This week, nothing so dramatic, just lots of annoying things and as a result, I'm having a very unproductive week, work-wise. Sometimes, you just had to get your head down and plough on!!! Onwards and upwards........

Happy Friday!

I bought myself some daffodils, because I love them and the smell reminds me of Spring. Well, its not spring yet, but Happy Friday everyone!

A little selection of work....

I've been busy getting work ready for the Heimtextil show later this week. Here is a little selection of designs, fingers crossed it's a good show!

Happy New Year...

Well, it's a few days Late, but Happy New Year to all my blog followers. I'm back at my desk with my paints out this morning! As well as the usual resolutions (eat less choc and eat more fruit and veg, do more exercise, keep the house tidier etc...) I also want to paint more and re-teach myself photoshop! I used to use it all the time, and I'm a bit rusty.