Don't Stop or you will Fall Off...........

So sorry I have neglected blogging this last 8 days (feel bad!) but If I said I have felt like a hamster in one of those hamster wheels, and that I just had to keep running because if I stopped I knew I would fall off, would you understand?

The last week at work has been extremely busy and although the weekend finally came, I had wedding make up to do on Saturday and then Gav and I attended the wedding, which was wonderful.

Congratulations Pete & Nicola xxx

Which meant when I finally stopped on Sunday morning (fell off the wheel) I felt awful & soo tired, generally rubbish! I did nothing all day except food shopping as the fridge was looking horridly bear (never really to be know in the Chez Sophie Household) and general lazy day stuff.

So today I had a new spring in my step as I was recuperated and ready for action.

I got up early and went to a CB, a few bits and bobs nothing to shout about really. Buttons, Famous five books and a couple of tea cups. People ask so much for stuff these days you would think they were antiques or something.

Anyway I digress.......... I then cooked a Full English for Gemma and myself to re fuel, went to the in laws to help with some DIY, popped to the super market again!! Jam sugar needed as now had an excess of fruit from the MIL.

Came home picked Blackberry's and then attempted to make Apricot & Nectarine Jam, well that didn't really go to plan.

So I was following a recipe for Apricot jam and thought that substituting Apricots for Nectarines (as I didn't have enough Apricots to make all Apricot) would be OK,

SOOOOOOOO not OK!!

Figured out after Jam would not set that I need to add less sugar for Nectarines!! So added more Nectarines and Raspberry's to combat the situation as I had no pectin and no apples for some strange reason. Seems to be setting a bit now but still quite runny.

Gav is calling it a compote!!

I'm thinking of it as a learning curve and will be investigating actual Nectarine Jam recipes before I attempt it again.

Will be nice on french bread though, bring on breakfast!!

Hope you have all had wonderful Bank Holiday weekends, hopefully I wont be on that wheel again this week too!!

Love Sophie xxxx

PIF or Pay It Forward...........

So when I popped over to Sarah's blog All about Eden today, her post was about a PIF!

Well I was not sure what a PIF was so I took a look.

A PIF for those of you who like me were unsure of the translation is a Pay It Forward

Which means that the first 3 people who commented on Sarah's post will get a Handmade gift from her, these people must then post about the PIF & send out handmade gifts to the first 3 commenter's on there post's and so it carries on.



So having not heard or joined in on a PIF before I made a comment, (the 1st comment) and now I am passing on this PIF to the first 3 commenter's on this post.

I am quite excited as I have just recently go the sewing bug back and have ordered and shopped for some fabby new fabrics, ribbons etc. (see my Post re Liberty below)

So Please comment if you would like to join in, I'm sure it will be great fun.

Love Sophie xxxx

Edit: PIF Filled

Thanks to

1. Michela
2. bekimarie
3. Della
   
   
   

New Books

New Books!!!

Lovely new books.

Is it silly to get excited about new cook books!!!

No don't be silly Sophie, new cook books means lots more cooking to do.

So I finally got Nigella's Christmas - really wanted it last Christmas but every where I went it was sold out. So this year I decided to get it early to miss the rush & disappointment.
I also got the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook which looks Divine and I just want to make all the goodies in it straight away!!
And Veg Patch which is the River Cottage Handbook 4, really great info for my Veg patch adventures.


So all in all a good selection of books, still have more on my list though "Handmade" being at the top.

So have a lovely weekend Sophie xxxx

Bloggers Beauty Event & A Treat For Me!!

Today I have been up to London Town to help at a Beauty Blogger Event for Work.

I work for The Body Shop International, in there UK Market.

They had this fab idea back in the spring to host a beauty blogger event, which I attended to talk through skincare products.

Attending the event inpsired me to start my own blog & the girls I met there have given me a lot of support over the last few months.

So today we hosted our second Beauty Bogger Event at Sketch in London and it was fab.

We had a group of the previous attendees come in the morning and a group of 30 new (to us) blogger's come in the afternoon.

We had great sessions today and it was soo nice to see familiar faces from the last event and to meet new ones too.

We have product developers talk them through new products that are yet to launch, Chase Aston Make Celebrity Make Up artist creates amazing make up looks, a store visit, Q&A sessions and a fab goodie bag.

(Photos to come soon)

Sketch is just off Regents Street and is an amazing Bar/Night Club/ Restaurant.

The decoration is out of this world, with beautiful original art installations all around the building.

Pop in for a nosey if your ever in the area.

As I was just off Regent Street and could see Liberties in my sights I just had to make a quick trip in my lunch break!!!!

The current theme is "Liberty Celebrates Prints Charming" The windows are fab so I took some of photos for you to see, and some of the Haberdashery department.

I got completely overcome in the Haberdashery department, so treated myself to the following

A Rotary Cutter

Some Stripy Ribbons

3 Embroidery Silks

30cm of Erin McMorris for Free Spirit Bird Print Fabric

30cm of Erin McMorris for Free Spirit Blob Pattern Fabric

30cm of Daisy Chain by Amy Butler - and I was gutted when the lovely sales assistant told me Amy herself had been in Liberty's on Tuesday signing her new book!!!

So today has been long, hot and tiring but completely worthwhile.

It was Lovely to meet more fellow blogger and I am looking forward to reading your blogs.

Have a lovely weekend, Sophie xxxx

Once I Started I Coudn't Stop!!!

The sewing bug has got under my skin again and I am hooked!

I now have a thing for pin cushions!! I know weird!!

I have now made 12 pin cushions and 5 needle cases, and I have become obsessed with fabric, ribbon, buttons, cotton and more!

Is this normal I ask myself?

Am I becoming obsessed?

Well now I may have to start an Etsy or do some craft fairs as I'm not sure I can use 12 pin cushions myself!!

So here is what I have made so far, and I'm sure there will be more made at the weekend.

Hope your week is going well.

Sophie xxx

P.S My Baby Treacle decided that she wanted to help too xxx

I've Been Nominated

I've been nominated for the Dorset Cereals "Little Blog Award"

Not sure who nominated me, so Thank You to whoever you are.

There are some fab blogs nominated, I am a follower of quite a few of them.

Just click here to have a look at them all.

Hope the sun shines this weekend!

Sophie xxxxx

Pretty in Pink

Oh how I knew that I would not be able to stop once I started!

Since the sewing machine has been set up I have been hooked.

I found a fab Tutorial for a Needle Case at Messy Jesse.

I thought that as I had a new pin cushion I could have a go at a matching needle case!

So I adapted/customised the pattern and came up with this.......

What do you think?

I am so slightly addicted and made 2 cushions for a friend tonight!!!

I have already decided I am going to make some more Pin Cushions and matching Needle Cases, and have chosen some pretty strawberry fabric. Can't wait to get home tomorrow after work & swiss ball class to get started. Nipped to the fabric shop at lunch and bought some proper toy stuffing so hopefully the pin cushion will stuff better than before.

Hope your week is going well Sophie xxxx

Time Flys When Your Having Fun.........

It's been a busy one AGAIN!

Why do I do it to myself!

Think Sophie...... Because I like to be busy!!!!

Weekend To Do List

1. Post Giveaway - Check
2. Shop for wedding outfit - Check
3. Help Gem pick up Hen Night stuff - Check
4. Go Black Berry Picking - Check
5. House Work - Check
6. Have a Nap - Check
7. Go To Hen Night -Check
8. Sunday - Visit Gav's Parents - Check
9. Food Shopping - Check
   
10. RELAX

Saturday morning and there was a thud on the door mat, and what did I find?
A lovely parcel all the way from Australia from Kate at One Flew Over.

I won her giveaway, a beautiful bundle of fabric, with truly inspiring patterns.

So today I decided was the day to get out my trusty old sewing machine, It's older than me!!

My Mum bought it when she was pregnant with me, she had inspirations of making me clothes, curtains etc. I got the bug for sewing at school, I loved my textiles classes and could always be found in the sewing room at every spare moment. I took it as a GCSE, An A level and studied it during my art foundation year at art college. So I shouldn't be nervous but I am!!

I dusted it off and put it out, in the pink room next to my crafty cupboard on the collapsible sewing table I got from freecycle.
I haven't sewn for a while as I haven't felt very creative in the last 6 months. Work has been stressful and I find it difficult to be creative when I have other things on my mind.

I had been looking for inspiration and found this wonderful blog Freebies for Crafters that lists all the blogs which are offering free crafty tutorials. I wanted to make something with my beautiful fabric so I decided to make a Pin Wheel Pin Cushion, to show them all off, I got the tutorial from Quiltsalott.

I have lost my old faithful pin cushion, and although a friend bought me the CK flower pot one as I gift I cant bear to put pins in it!

So I got started and cut out the fabrics as directed, and then sewed the 8ths together. Added the side panel and filled it with Wadding ( I should have used toy stuffing but didn't have any so improvised). I then sewed up the hole and added a button in the centre on either side.

Ohh I also sewed the ribbon that Kate had tied the fabric bundle up in around the side panel of the pin cushion.

It's not perfect by a long shot, but I think I will have a go at making some more as I have plenty of 8ths left over and only practice will make perfect.

So here below is my first attempt at a Pin Wheel Pin Cushion.

I have found so many lovely things to make now that I'm sure I will be sharing more with you over time.

Have a lovely week, Lets hope the sun keeps shining.

Love Sophie xxx

And the Winner is.......................

Well I have totted up the names, made a list, cut and folded each name and put all the names in a cake tin.

Gem gave it a shake

And then Plucked a winner

And the Winner of my Giveaway is ....................



Victoria of Florence & Mary


Congratulations Victoria, I hope you enjoy your goodies.

Thanks to everyone who entered.


Love Sophie xxxxxxxxx

Freakin Fabulous!

I have been awarded by the wonderful Muhsine from Bubblegarm the "Freakin Fabulous" blog award.

Thank you very much Mushine!

The rules of this award are;

•List five current obsessions.

•Pass the award on to five more fabulous blogs.

•On your post of receiving this award, make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link it back to them.

•When you post your five winners, make sure you link them as well. Don't forget to let your winners know they won an award from you by leaving a comment on their blog.

MY 5 CURRENT OBSESSIONS ARE:

• 
  
  Blogging - This seems to have taken over part of my life at the moment!!
• 
  
  Making Jam - loving the grow your own ethos at the moment, and love giving it to Friends & Family
• 
  
  Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - on Play Station 3 - Weird I know but I love it.
• 
  
  TKMAXX - finding some fabby stuff in there at the moment.
• 
  
  Charity Shopping - I have been officially banned by Gav as we will have no room left in the house if I keep buying furniture at this rate!!!

I Award:

MummyBooBear - stitchery pokery

Victoria - Florence & Mary

Kelly - Mrs D's Recipe for Life

Kate - One Flew Over

Pomona - Little Cottage Comforts

Enjoy Love Sophie xxxx

So Much To Say

Ohh it's lovely to be back blogging, It feels like I've been away an age not just a week.

Well I'm back from Mum & Dad's in Suffolk. Nanna's Funeral was sad but lovely at the same time. We had a beautiful service, my Sister Livy & Cousin Lucy both gave readings.

Livy read a poem she had written about Nanna when she was 12 (now 23) and Lucy read a reading called "She Has Gone" By David Harkins, which was read at the Queen Mothers Funeral.

If it's good enough for the QM then it's defiantly good enough for our Nanna!

The poem Livy read was so beautiful I had to share it with you.

My Nanna

When we read books in bed

And built sandcastles on the beach

You would comb my hair

Sun cream the skin I couldn't reach

Your love is unconditional

I love you with all my heart

Every postcard written

You checked it from the start

Humbugs and Jelly Babies

Line the handbags that you'd hold

Hankies and five pence piece's

I treasure them like gold

I miss those magic moments

When it was you and m

Playing your old piano

Drinking cups of tea

Your soft cuddly nightie

The way you wear your hair

Playing in the garden

I'm sorry your not there

Nanna you're like the sunshine

And with every second gone

I realise you meant so much to me

Not just to me, but to everyone

By Livy

So after the funeral we went back to my Auntie Sue's house and had a wonderful Garden Party with family & friends, and all Nanna's favourite foods and drinks. It was a long day, and she would have loved the party and I sure she was there in some sort of way!

So I have loads more to tell you!!!

I got an message from Kate at One Flew Over, and I have won her Pink Giveaway!! All the way from New Zealand. I am very excited as the giveaway was a beautiful bundle of Pink fabric, which I will endeavour to make something special with.

Thanks Kate, can't wait for the parcel to arrive.

Also a just to remind you that my giveaway closes on Tuesday 4th August and Gem will be drawing the winner on Wednesday 5th August.

I did manage to go to my fav fabric shop at Mum and Dads and I have added so pretty fabric and lace to the parcel & a few more treasures too.

I also found this great little Vintage shop whilst running errands for Mum, but that will have to wait for another day as I am shattered, and need my own bed.

Have a fabby week and keep smiling.

Sophie xxxx