The 52 Marvellous Makes Madness Challenge - Week 7 and not so much a rant as a monologue.

I am weeks behind with this business with lots ( I really, truly mean lots!) of WIPs.  I have a bad, bad, self inflicted stress inducing, habit of doing too many things at once.  Was I a fool to think that a weekly make challenge would somehow change this?   Yes, I think I was!!  I tend to flit between projects depending on my mood.  Sometimes I feel like sewing, other times knitting or picking up my crochet hook, or baking.  I know I cannot be alone in this.  I call it multi-tasking, Hubby Biscuit calls it never finishing anything.  I've said it before, he may have a point!!  

Week seven's make faltered at the last hurdle due to the excessive amount of stuffing required and I was not willing to use my whole stash in case I had a creative emergency, an urgent need to make 'something'.  I have since bought a child size, equivalent amount so can complete my make.  But I have moved on since then.  As I write I am in the middle of knitting four (one of which is made up of three) things, crocheting two blankets, sewing more christmas decorations, revamping old curtains and replacing cushion covers.  Say it cannot only be me that does this or has such a huge list! 

I also do not want to get into shame spiral about repeating myself AGAIN about pain.  Yes I had another visit to my Orthodontist and yes my mouth hurts in an annoyingly all encompassing way.  I tried popping pills this time which is helping a little and have even tried copious amounts of cleaning to distract me because for some reason the pain makes me sew like clumsy lump and unable to read knitting patterns properly.  Therefore I cannot create and one full day of cleaning is quite enough thank you very much!  Pants to it all!!!  I am finding myself utterly dull now about it and please, please let my next wee bit of surgery work so I only have braces for another 10 months, pretty please universe!!  I'll give you cake, lots of cake...

It gets worse, can it get worse?

It is a crime indeed when I cannot even bear the thought of baking or eating a cupcake!  I had quite forgotten the appointment when I went on about baking this week in honour of National Cupcake week!  I may just have to be a voyeur of those of you who whipped up a few!

So...

...to week seven's make.

a felt holly wreath!

As I was making this I kept thinking, have I seen this before?  I have seen something similar somewhere?  Have I?  Am I totally stealing someone's design without realizing it?  Tell me if you think I have and I will give credit for inspiration where it's due. 

I felt in need of a Christmas wreath.  I am lucky enough to own one of Mrs B's gorgeous woolly wreaths (buy one here - they really are the most delightful things!) and would really love another but Hubby is having none of it and I've already played the 'Christmas gift' card for new merino wool for a scarf so I'm scunnered!!  The result being I had to come up with one of my own.  I just have to make the important decision of where to put a jingle bell as it must, must, must, must have a jingle bell.  I must be forced to imagine Santa on his sleigh or it's just not Christmassy enough!!  It's a rule that must be enforced!  

Another restraint of my own making!  And another...

...I have the next few weeks makes sitting awaiting completion - eek!!

***

A bit of a rant?  

Me thinks more of a  monologue but that, in essence, is blogging!

X

Adding to an already long list.

That's me!  Always adding things on to that already huge list of projects I want to make.  I have been knitting lots for my friend's new baby, hats, Tiny Shoes and cardigans, not due to be with us until June but decided to come four weeks early.  She is well, over five pounds (just) so no need for special care (sighing with relief) but we all got a bit of a shock especially her mum and dad.  She's teeny tiny and adorable, as you can imagine.  So I have had a lovely excuse to knit with pink, sew on cute baby girl buttons and order lots of gorgeous Tilda Rose fat quarters to make a patchwork cot blanket.  If that is not enough to be getting on with along with felt cupcake pin cushions and bunting for the garden parasol......I have been tempted by this.........

....pictured at the UK handmade blog, tempting me to go have a looksee at fluffandfuzz at Folksy where I just had to have this pattern for a Cavendish Cat.  Look at it!!!.....

I am 'purring' with delight.  Isn't it cute?  The shop also has patterns for a bunny, a squirrel (as pictured above), a badger, a hedgehog, an owl, a penguin, a mouse and a basket of fruit and veg.  All the animals come with ickle bags or baskets and accessories.  Gorgeous!!  

More wool to order oh and how I love to receive new wool in the post all wrapped up in tissue and full of possibilities.

That is why we add to our project lists.  For those little special moments like wool arriving in the post.

Have a great rest of the day and have fun with that list!

X

What is it about a cupcake?

Really though, what is it about a cupcake?  Is it all that heavenly spongy cakeyness packed into miniature? Yes! Definitely!  Is it the wealth of designs and variations; cupcakes for children, cupcakes for grownups?  For me it's cupcakes for all.  Yes, yes and YES!

I love a cupcake!

Whether it be knitted like these.......

 

.........or felty like this one made by Alex from LimeMoose at Etsy.

or fabric like the one I bought recently from Kitty Eden at Folksy......

or giant edible ones like this........

....or regular edible ones.  

I love a cupcake!!

I love to choose the cases for them, purist white, spotty, Halloween, Christmas, silver, gold, pastel or chocolate brown. Which recipe? Vanilla, chocolate, moreish lemon stuffed with added lemon curd.  I love to  bake them, have a rummage in my baking drawers (Oh-er Mrs!!) deciding how to decorate them, Royal Icing or American Style Frosting? Which colour? Sprinkles, smarties, glitter, hundredsandthousands, sugar flowers, wafer roses, coconut (my favourite! I'm drooling!), sweeties; broken or whole, crumbled Flakes or crushed Maltesers..........the possibilities are endless.

I can go Girly for a friend, refined to shabby chic for afternoon tea or my favourite; either myself or my boys going a little or a lot OTT with a bit of everything.

I have forgotten something I hear you say, the best part of it all!  The unwrapping of that paper case to reveal the cupcake in all it's glory, from the first nibble to the licking of the icing adhered to the case.

Aaaah!! She sighs!

So today I opted with creative input, if not actual physical endeavor, from my boys, to celebrate Christmas Selection Boxes and Celebrations/MiniHero tins. Not forgetting a little Girliness for me!

Mrs B I chose the stand to show what incredibly good taste we share!

It's not just any cake stand, it's a M&S cake stand!

 .......and after.

 

 

packed away......

(like that lasted for a few seconds after the photos, my boys were there scoffing before the icing was set!)

and the bowl ready for licking, I barely got a teaspoons worth............still it's all about the cupcake!.....but I also love a biscuit particularly any of these..........

...or any, really. NOT Garibaldi's....Y.U.C.K!
Or a fabby brooch to wear on a cardi like this one that came today from HomemadeHome at Folksy...

You can also get a jammy dodger and a bourbon and I will have to at some point I'm sure.

I love a cupcake and I love a biscuit but which is better? There's only one way to find out........

FIGHT!!

X

Could you have guessed a post about cupcakes and biscuits would be a long one?