The cupcake colour scheme underwent some last minute changes and 122 cupcakes were baked and iced. Well, more like 140, but some were rejected after baking, and some more after icing. They didn't go to waste though!
The cakes were by no means perfect. I'm used to cooking with a gas oven, but these were baked in an electric oven which caused quite a difference in the way they rose. It meant the icing was far messier than my practice versions. They looked pretty though.
The weather was terrible but apart from that the day was perfect. Alex looked beautiful and Sam didn't stop smiling from the moment he saw her. They liked the cakes too!
And just because my dress was so lovely, here's a photo of me arriving at the reception. You can't see my face, but that's no shame!!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Baked, Iced, Eaten
I'm back from Wales, from a mammouth cake baking session, and more importantly my brother's wedding yesterday.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
'Grandma would be proud'
I've been sewing for myself today. I've been working on an apron that I've had in mind since last November, when I went to New York just after Grandma died. I bought some fantastic fabric from 'City Quilter' covered in cakes, tarts and pies. It's kitsch and I love it. Still a work in progress, I hope to finish it over the next evening or two, then I'll blog about the pattern and see if I can find the name of the range of fabric it comes from.
I was in the living room earlier, using Mum's iron to press the pleats around the waist, when Dad saw what I'd been making. 'Ah', he said, 'Grandma would be so proud'. He's right, she would have been . One of my defining memories of Grandma is that she was a woman who wore an apron, or 'pinny'.
This is my favourite photo of Grandma and me together. It was taken a few months before my second birthday, in our old living room. I was too young to remember having the photo taken but I've always liked it. I like that we have matching hair (my curls were natural, Grandma's weren't!). I like the look of concentration on my face as I sat on Grandma's lap, drawing her a picture I presume, as I was too young to be writing. What I love, is that Grandma's apron is draped over the back of the chair next to us. Wherever Grandma was, her apron was nearby.
This is my favourite photo of Grandma. I can't remember exactly when I took it, about 5 years ago I think. Grandma's kitchen didn't change much over the years. She'd had the same cream enamel cooker and kitchen cupboards since she had moved into the house over 30 years earlier. I love this photo partly because you can't see her face. That sounds a little strange and perhaps it is. Grandma is ageless in this photo because you can't see her face, but you can see her apron. She died last November but I look at this photo and she's still there, pottering around the kitchen in the only house I'd ever known her live in, the only Grandma I've ever known, who taught me to knit, and always looked wonderful in her apron. 
I planned on making one of these aprons in a different fabric as Grandma's Christmas present last year, but I was too late. I love the apron I've been sewing today. In part that's because it's nice to see that my sewing skills are progressing, that I'm starting to understand patterns and I'm gaining confidence with my sewing machine.
Mostly though, it's because I know if Grandma had seen this apron, seen me wearing it, she would have been proud.
I was in the living room earlier, using Mum's iron to press the pleats around the waist, when Dad saw what I'd been making. 'Ah', he said, 'Grandma would be so proud'. He's right, she would have been . One of my defining memories of Grandma is that she was a woman who wore an apron, or 'pinny'.This is my favourite photo of Grandma and me together. It was taken a few months before my second birthday, in our old living room. I was too young to remember having the photo taken but I've always liked it. I like that we have matching hair (my curls were natural, Grandma's weren't!). I like the look of concentration on my face as I sat on Grandma's lap, drawing her a picture I presume, as I was too young to be writing. What I love, is that Grandma's apron is draped over the back of the chair next to us. Wherever Grandma was, her apron was nearby.
This is my favourite photo of Grandma. I can't remember exactly when I took it, about 5 years ago I think. Grandma's kitchen didn't change much over the years. She'd had the same cream enamel cooker and kitchen cupboards since she had moved into the house over 30 years earlier. I love this photo partly because you can't see her face. That sounds a little strange and perhaps it is. Grandma is ageless in this photo because you can't see her face, but you can see her apron. She died last November but I look at this photo and she's still there, pottering around the kitchen in the only house I'd ever known her live in, the only Grandma I've ever known, who taught me to knit, and always looked wonderful in her apron. 
I planned on making one of these aprons in a different fabric as Grandma's Christmas present last year, but I was too late. I love the apron I've been sewing today. In part that's because it's nice to see that my sewing skills are progressing, that I'm starting to understand patterns and I'm gaining confidence with my sewing machine.Mostly though, it's because I know if Grandma had seen this apron, seen me wearing it, she would have been proud.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Introducing...
... Lincoln Andrew, son of Babs and Eddie. He's pictured here at less than 2 days old, going home from hospital dressed head to toe in my knitwear. That's a lot of knitted love right there!
Babs asked me a couple of months ago if I thought I could design and knit some mittens for her soon-to-be-born baby. Well, obviously I was going to knit something for Babs' baby without her having to ask, but of course I was delighted to be asked to make something for the trip home from hospital. Babs is one of my oldest friends, one of several I met while working for an architectural photo library during my university vacations, which means I've known her for about 9 years now. So, a request for a simple pair of knitted mittens soon turned into the offer of a hat and bootees to match. Oh and how about a little bolero? Oh, and a blanket? You know, to match the quilt I'm making the baby?
The blanket was knitted with Rowan Pure Wool Aran, adorned with one of my labels.
It matches the quilt that I'm making. I didn't want to rush this, as it's my first quilt attempt, I don't want to ruin it. Also, after this mammouth gift knitting session, I'm taking a little time out to knit for myself for a week or two. And possibly sew myself a little something this weekend.
I used just under 2 balls of RYC Cashsoft Aran for the bolero. The pattern is in 'One Skein' by Leigh Radford. (The other patterns are my own).
The hat, mittens and booties were knitted with RYC Cashsoft 4ply, which I really enjoyed knitting with. I think this will become my default 4ply for baby knits, although I have a few balls of Rowan 4ply Soft I should really try to use up. The accent yarn on is Handmaiden sock yarn, colour 'Amethyst' as far as I can remember.
Babs asked me a couple of months ago if I thought I could design and knit some mittens for her soon-to-be-born baby. Well, obviously I was going to knit something for Babs' baby without her having to ask, but of course I was delighted to be asked to make something for the trip home from hospital. Babs is one of my oldest friends, one of several I met while working for an architectural photo library during my university vacations, which means I've known her for about 9 years now. So, a request for a simple pair of knitted mittens soon turned into the offer of a hat and bootees to match. Oh and how about a little bolero? Oh, and a blanket? You know, to match the quilt I'm making the baby?
The blanket was knitted with Rowan Pure Wool Aran, adorned with one of my labels.It matches the quilt that I'm making. I didn't want to rush this, as it's my first quilt attempt, I don't want to ruin it. Also, after this mammouth gift knitting session, I'm taking a little time out to knit for myself for a week or two. And possibly sew myself a little something this weekend.
I used just under 2 balls of RYC Cashsoft Aran for the bolero. The pattern is in 'One Skein' by Leigh Radford. (The other patterns are my own).
The hat, mittens and booties were knitted with RYC Cashsoft 4ply, which I really enjoyed knitting with. I think this will become my default 4ply for baby knits, although I have a few balls of Rowan 4ply Soft I should really try to use up. The accent yarn on is Handmaiden sock yarn, colour 'Amethyst' as far as I can remember.The fabric for the quilt I bought from 'City Quilter' in New York, where I spent a large part of my week in New York last November. I didn't buy enough for the back of the quilt, but I found an online UK stockist, 'Bramble Patch' who I can't recommend highly enough. I've ordered twice from them in the last few weeks, both orders have been made around lunchtime and arrived the next day. Excellent service! The fabric range is by Moda and is called, 'Fall Back in Time'.
While the colours of Lincoln's set match really well, I didn't have any of the fabric with me when I was buying yarn, it just all worked out to be a great match. I love using bright colours for baby gifts.
Joyous and warm, the perfect way to welcome a new life into the world.
Welcome Lincoln Andrew, I hope the knits kept you warm on your big journey home today. x
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Wedding Bells
No, not mine.My brother's wedding is in 2 weeks. I offered to bake 120 individual cupcakes rather than a wedding cake. Today, I made a practic batch for Alex (future sister-in-law) to have a look at and decide what look she wants to go for. I've never iced a cake before, so I'm quite pleased with how these turned out, for a first attempt.
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