Saturday 20 October 2012

Miscellany

Saturdays are not classified as relaxing in our house. It's a laundry, grocery, child to dance class, and (sometimes) swimming day. But it's not all bad. For one, I got promised a takeaway for dinner tonight. So no cooking. Woohoo! And the younger child made bread so lunch was sorted. These are good things.

Emily, as mentioned on previous occasions, is our bread maker. Helen is our cake maker. Today Emily commandeered the kitchen, much inspired by watching The Great British Bake Off on BBC of late. She decided to up her game and tackle a plaited loaf. Mostly because so many of the contestants made a right mess of theirs on the show. She did good. Not sure if it was the technically correct way to plait bread but I think the resulting loaf looks fantastic, and I know for a fact that it tasted great.


If that is not enough good stuff, the post man came. I very recently got an unexpected gift from a very good friend. Ignoring all the 'You shouldn't have' stuff, it was lovely to get a surprise and I lost no time using the gift  voucher at Fluffy Sheep to purchase myself this wonderful stack of fabric. It is a mix of Oh Deer!, Mama Said Sew, and a little bit of extra Summersville seeing as how I shared my first bit with the girls. I think I just joined the ranks of text fabric addicts! And I have wanted some of those birds since I saw them on Fluffy Sheep's coming soon page. (I've got Helsinki Town on my radar now.)


But wait, there is more good stuff. I forgot to tell you that I added a quilt block book to my library recently. I think half of you have it already so I won't elaborate. And today, when I was in town with the girls getting a couple of necessary items, I happened to find the apple thingmajig we saw recently on an outing. The one I found today was on sale 40% off. Could I resist? Um no! Baked beans for a week seems like a fair trade off. Besides, the girls are so thrilled with it they have both eaten three apples each today. Result!


Finally, you will notice, I even managed to do a little bit of sewing. More on that tomorrow.

Susan

29 comments:

  1. Oh she's done a fabulous job on that plaiting! Looks like a very tasty loaf :-) Can I be her next holiday destination??
    So lovely to see you've been proper spoiled too. x

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  2. Emily's bread looks fabulous! She's quite the professional! Congratulations on the fun purchases. Anything that gets the kids excited about apples is worth the price!
    I like your photo mosaics, too!

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  3. The bread looks wonderful. How nice to have a couple of little cooks in the family!

    I have one of those apple peeler-corer things and, I tell you, it's revolutionary. Easy to use, quick, minimal clean-up. It's totally changed the way I make apple pie! Good purchase.

    And I love the fabric ;)

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  4. Oh it all looks great - I only have onion bhajis for tea, so apples look great!

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  5. I've always wanted one of those apple things too. So cool!

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  6. Emily's bread looks fabulous - please can she stop here on her way up to Sarah?!! I love your new fabric and book...

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  7. love the fabrics that you have used in your sneak preview of sewing!
    The plaited bread looks fantastic!

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  8. Mmmmm for once I was salivating on the bread pics I almost missed the fabric!

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  9. Artisan bread maker extraordinaire! Fab plaited loaf - makes me wish I had lunch at your house. Enjoy all the other goodies too. I love my modern blocks book which J bought me for last year's birthday - there are still so many blocks I want to try out from it.

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  10. Amazing loaf there, clever girl! And the apple thingy looks amazing! I need one, what with an orchard full of the damn things, we are getting quited bored with the blighted though, nothing in this house is eaten unless it is preceded by the word apple at the moment! Apple cake, apple jam, applie pie, apple chutney, apple sponge, you get the idea!

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  11. I think Emily may have found her calling as a bread maker! Loved great British bake off this ar! Enjoy your apple thingy, and the book, having made so many Pea Room blocks from it :). I may have received some similar shopping too today!

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  12. The bread looks wonderful! The rest also wonderful, nice fabric, nice slicer and it is a good book.

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  13. you can send your bread maker to stay with us we love bread. just taught one of my grands to crochet granny squares

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  14. All looks fabulous! Love the apple corer thingy! One thing I have been meaning to ask you though..how do you do those great mosaics with your photos on Blogger! I can do the hugelabs one from Flick'r....

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  15. Ooh, yummy - and I mean both the bread and the fabric!

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  16. Wow! Em's loaf is amazing! I wouldn't be surprised if I see your girls on GBBO in a few years time! Jxo

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  17. The loaf looks brilliant. Well done. You could send her round to me if you like!

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  18. I love days like that. Full of different things. You have your girls well trained in the baking dept. liking the fabric and I too have that book. Good choice. Di x

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  19. Well apart from the boring laundry, that sounds like a perfect Saturday! I am very impressed with your daughter's bread making skills and I just love the fabrics you purchased. I think I have fabric envy ;-) I love text fabrics and must get my hands on some soon! I hope you enjoyed your takeaway, hooray for no cooking/washing up! And I just love the sneak peak of yesterrday's sewing. Such gorgeous muted tones. Can't wait to see what you are making. :-)

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  20. That plaited loaf is very impressive! I'm looking forward to seeing what you're making - I love Etchings and it looks to be in that line.

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  21. Good to see Emily again and that she's been in the kitchen - her bread looks amazing!! Enjoy your goodies - all completely deserved in the universe what goes around comes around scheme of things!

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  22. Oh my goodness this is overflowing with eye candy. Fab fabric (yum!) with fresh bread (extra yum!) new books and apples! Eee! Happiness everywhere :)

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  23. You can send the chief bread maker over here for a little holiday because the bread looks amazing. She can do some research into whether Southern Hemisphere ovens cook bread the same way as the other hemisphere.

    Did I say that bread looks wonderful already?

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  24. Lots of yumminess all round there! I'm still searching for the perfect doughnut, so haven't succumbed just yet...

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  25. Way to go on the bread Emily!! I would have you as a supplier for my cafe any day.
    I am seriously in love with all the text prints, I need to bring in some cash so I can go on a spree!!

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  26. This was such a happy post to read. It sounds like things are getting back to normal for you and for Em. That bread looks amazing. I hope she continues with her cooking and baking talents. She has a real gift. Yeah for happy weekends

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  27. I bet loads of families' Saturdays are like this. Ours is too.Just love her bread, it looks so tasty. A very talented young lady:)

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  28. You are most welcome for the voucher. Looks like you spent it well!
    Go Emily, that's an awesome plaited loaf!
    And we have one of those Apple things. It prompted my brother to ask if he'd just time travelled back to the 1980s lol... We make curly fries with it too from potatoes. I must get it out again...

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