I hope everyone is having a brilliant start to 2010 – I know we are! I started my recreation leave from the day job a few days ago and don’t return until February. This year I am trying to be more organised and have already re-arranged most of the cupboards in our home; purchased and covered the school books; and bought the school uniforms etc. Now I can relax and enjoy the next three weeks before the craziness starts again (at least the kids will be at the same school this year!). I am trying to get more balance in my life this year (i.e. spend more time away from the computer) and have rediscovered my love of reading. You might find me around a little less Β – but don’t worry, Sarah and I still have plenty of plans for A Spoonful of Sugar this year, including more tutorials etc.Β
Thanks for all the lovely comments and feedback on our pre–christmas posts. For those that asked, I will be doing a tutorial for the little handbag ornaments later in the year in plenty of time for next Christmas. We will also be sharing some tips on how to make your own chocolate bouquet before Valentines Day!
When I packed away all the Christmas decorations last week, I really missed the cheerful red and white palette in my living room. My solution? I started a red and white string quilt using the fabric I had set aside for the Joseph’s Coat Quilt-A-Long. I have a feeling that my appliqued blocks will become cushions to match the string quilt instead. I am not the only one working on a string quilt this week!
We celebrated Sarah’s 13th birthday earlier this week – it is hard to believe that my “baby” is now a teenager – and such a delightful one at that! I love to make my family special cakes to celebrate their birthday. The cake plate belonged to my Grandmother and was always used for birthday cakes when I was a child. The cake knife was first used to cut our wedding cake nearly 20 years ago. I really love all the family traditions – makes occasions more special:)
Sarah and I bought some ready made icing and armed with some cake decorating books and small cutters, have been making up some sugar flowers to using in our baking. We would like to attend a class this year to improve our technique.Β
We won’t be around for the next couple of weeks as we relax and enjoy the holidays. Check back in late January – we have a special giveaway planned to celebrate 2 years of blogging and nearly 200 posts.Β
Posted by Lisa
Happy belated Birthday to Sarah! I love your string quilt, real eye candy.
Happy Birthday, Sarah! Cute cake you lucky girl.
And that quilt…it will look amazing on your couch in February/Valentine’s. Don’t you think?
HappY NeW YeaR to you both.
HappY BirthdaY Sarah.
HappY HolidaY
See you when you get back….
Good Morning Lisa and Sarah, enjoyed catching up with your posts….a string quilt is on my to do list this year….love the eyecatching reds you have used…I too this holidays have gone back to the library and have been quietly reading…I realized how much I missed this…so I am the same not on the pc as much…Warm Regards Lyn
happy days to you both and all your family, enjoy your r&r! the house always looks bare when the christmas decorations go away, i love the red quilt! i have the same cutlery set, the same design as your knife, i use it every day and just yesterday cleaned it all and it is back in the draw sparkling at me! hope 2010 turns out to be the way you want it to be.
Happy Birthday to Sarah! Love your string quilt…you should have a look at my blog posts today and yesterday. :o) Great minds…
Happy New Year. Happy birthday to Sarah. I hope that you both have a fun and relaxing holiday.
Linda
Happy Birthday Sarah…
Your works are always so beautiful.
I wish you great holidays.
Take care…
Barbara
Great red quilt. I am looking forward to that red Candy bouquet. Looks like something I could use at my daughters wedding in November.
I love your red and white quilt. What a great idea to keep those happy colours around.
Love Sarah cake – very pretty with the musk sticks
What a pretty cake! I’m going to bookmark that, and maybe try something like it for my daughter when she turns 4 in a few months. And happy birthday Sarah! 13 is an awesome age!
What pretty quilt blocks and a really pretty cake! Enjoy your break.
Wishing Sarah a happy 13th year!
The cake plate and knife are beautiful – and even more with its special story! I love all family traditions too, and have lots of them…:)
Enjoy your holidays – all of you!
(your quilt is wonderful)
Happy Birthday Sarah!
I love love love the quilt! It’s been a while since I’ve made one, I may try to find directions on how to make one like yours!
happy birthday to sarah! lovely quilt too!
How fun to have the whole month off! And what a great way to spend it, making that gorgeous red and white string-pieced quilt AND celebrating Sarah’s b-day. Her cake is so pretty and yummy looking!
happy birthday Sarah, hope you enjoyed your day, and that beautiful cake xxxx
Happy Birthday to Sarah! The cake looks fabulous! Love how you shared your traditions. Enjoy your break!
Happy Birthday Sarah! What a lovely cake. Enjoy your holiday π
that cake is divine!
Happy Birthday Sarah!
You two inspire me so much to craft and be with my little girl.
We bought her a sewing machine for Christmas (she’s 5) and she’s been crafting up a storm!
A new year and time for change. Sounds good to me. Look forward to you tutorials and blogs and good for you to do more reading.
That dessert looks so yummy. I want to grab it right off of my computer screen. Yummy.
Happy birthday to the teen ager!
I love the quilt. I love the cake. I love birthdays. Happy Birthday Sarah! I will miss you while you take a break. Enjoy! ~karen
Happy birthday Sarah!I jope you had a great day.
I love the red and white quilt.red and white together are such a nice combination.
Have a great rest and come back refreshed.I know how you feel about getting more organised as I’ve been hit by the organising bug as well over my holiday break π Barb.
Your red and white looks so lovely! the beautiful cakes look too good to eat ( and spoil )
Happy 13th Sarah!
Enjoy your holidays !
Happy Birthday Sarah!!
Beautiful cake.
I love the reds and white together.
Enjoy your holiday!!!
have a great holiday, do you get 1 or 2 months for the summer holiday?
Happy belated Birthday Sarah!
It’s great to hear you’ve re-caught the reading bug Lisa π
Have a wonderful holiday & I look forward to catching up with you when you get home.
Take Care
Janelle xx
Happy b’day Sarah, best wishes for the New Year.
what a lovely cake and cheerful new quilt top.
Happy Birthday Sarah! What a pretty cake. A lovely quilt too. I look forward to seeing more of your wonderful creations this year.
Happy Day, Sarah! What a splendid cake… YUM! And Happy New Year to you all… Looking forward to sharing another new year of creativity and life :o) ((HUGS))
Happy Birthday, Sarah! What a beautiful cake. You are lucky to have such wonderful family heirlooms and memories.
And I LOVE the red and white quilt blocks! Enjoy your break.
HAppy 13th Sarah…I love your cake!
Also love the red and white blocks…
Happy holiday guys!
Cathy
Happy New Year – Looking forward to what is to come in 2010. Have a great break. Happy 13th to Sarah – it only feels like yesterday that I turned 13:)
Dear Lisa and Sarah happy new year! And happy birthday Sarah! Looking forward to all of your crafty goodness in 2010. Enjoy the hols!
That crisp white is really making the quilt work too!
Happy Birthday, Sarah! What a beautiful cake, it look so delicious!
Have a nice time enjoying yourselves!
You must have channeled your thought I was thinking of your last string quilt yesterday. It is on my 2010 to do list.
Belated birthday wishes! What a glorious cake! Your string blocks look great too.
Those musk sticks caught me eye – Happy New Year to you both.
I came I saw I liked, read that you will be away so wishing you a happy holiday .
Love your red and white string quilt! Such a happy quilt!!!
Happy Birthday to Sarah. The cake looks exquisite and so delicious! Sounds like you enjoying the perfect start to the year. Best wishes for 2010 and long may your R&R continue! The quilt looks amazing already, I can’t wait to see it all finished. I love the red and white colour theme.
happy birthday sarah and a belated happy new year! gorgeous cake and gorgeous quilt
can’t wait to see what exciting tutorials you share with us this year!
Corrie:)
Hi Lisa.
I wish you all the best for the new year.
Congratulation to Sarah.
Have a nice weekend.
Katharina
That’s a beautiful cake. It reminds me of spring tea parties and girls in pretty dresses with parasols and things of that nature.
Happy birthday Sarah. I wish you many more wonderful, healthy and loving years!
The cake looks lovely. I really like the little delicate flowers. Very girly, cute.
Have a wonderful holiday!
Many good things for your too!
cake looks wonderful, happy birthday sarah, hope it was a lovely day
xx
that is the prettiest cake i have ever seen!
I like this cake. Kind like waste if I eat this cake. So pretty.
Enjoy your holiday and happy birthday! I`m doing a string quilt too at the moment ( all different colors) but seeing it in red/ whit makes me dream of more…
I love all the red fabrics in your quilt blocks!
Had to stop by and say hello! I am finally back to blogging but a different site. Ritch in Love is no longer in existence sadly. I have a new blog. http://www.kates-afterthoughts.blogspot.com. Stop by any time!
Hi there
Hope you’re enjoying your break from work. I just found your site and have spent AGES looking at all your amazing crafting stuff!! I love it, and still have so much more to explore! Thanks so much for sharing it all!
Jill
Beautiful blog- my daughter just turned 13 yesterday and I feel exactly the same way. Where did the time go? So sad!
xo,
Lori