20 July 2014

Ninja Flamingos and Crafty Hens

S'up homies! 

How are you? 


I've been busier than a bee recently, so it's been tricky to figure out what to share with you first! Anyway, here goes:

Hen Party Time

Last weekend I attended my first ever Hen Party. Thankfully, it didn't involve glittery Stetsons, inflatable willies, or having to hand over our dignity at the door. Instead, we indulged in craft activities, afternoon tea with Pimms, and a delicious three-course dinner at The Manor in Brighton. The Hen's two BFFs arranged a sewing session to make personalised patchwork squares (which will become a wedding quilt for the fabulous future bride), and even prepared goody bags with glowsticks and bubbles! I used felt to turn my quilt square into a snack pocket- because no blanket should be without one :p To top off a fantastic evening, my pudding was the best brownie I've EVER eaten. EVER. And I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that I've eaten (more than) my fair share of brownies....


Me and the brilliant Moll contemplating the placement of her raindrop buttons (image stolen from Jess, one of the excellent party organisers)

Surprise presents

If experiencing the best brownie of all time wasn't amazing enough for my Saturday night, Fran also presented me with this incredible set of pun-related postcards as a "just because" present. I actually met Sarah, the wonderfully talented illustrator of said postcards, at the Brighton Etsy Craft Party and can confirm she's just as lovely as she is talented. Now I just have to decide which of my friends is most deserving of receiving the llama postcard...


Image from Sarah's Etsy shop

Fly(mingo) Tipping
About a month ago, Fran asked me if I fancied adopting an unwanted plastic flamingo from her garden. Obviously, I did - but Tom put his foot down and refused to let me bring home "any more weird crap". Tom had a dinner date with Fran's husband last weekend and, unbeknown to me, Fran's other half sneakily left the flamingo on our driveway! I only realised what had happened when my parents came round for a cuppa the next day and started giggling about the new addition to our front garden. 


I feel like he needs a hat

Tackling chores
This weekend has mostly been spent cutting down and digging up parts of our overgrown garden (there's another bag hidden behind that large one above, which is about 3x4x4ft), and painting the tiles in our kitchen. I'm trying to paint one area each week, so it's done before the end of August in preparation for our new floor being laid in September. Exciting times, eh? 

Here's the before, complete with the everyday clutter of people who actually use their kitchen (the photos on this blog are definitely never going to be of the "beautifully styled" variety :p):



And a close-up of the ugly mottled-beige tiles with orange floral motifs, and a huge chrome-and-poo-brown trim around the edges. Lovely. 



Here's the after:




I still need to track down and fix on some new, white trim, but I think it's looking so much better already.

Finding my Dream Job

I've spent the last few months looking for a new job, and stumbled upon three brilliant options last Sunday: a Professional Slime Maker, an Ice-Cream Taster, and a PRINCESS! I'm genuinely sad I don't live in the East Midlands or have a food science degree; I reckon I'd be amazing at the ice-cream job.

Puddings galore
After all that gardening, I reckon I've earned a treat or two. I've been pinning mug cake recipes like they're donkey tails at an old skool children's party (enthusiastically, not while blindfolded), and tried out this one (for me) and this one (for Tom) on Friday night. They weren't as pretty as the ones illustrating the recipes, but they were damn tasty!

Oozey peanut butter and shiny molten chocolate. YUM. 

However, my favourite recent dessert discovery has to be that combining Greek yoghurt with a certain household chocolate spread (or Aldi equivalent) tastes EXACTLY like a Mississippi Mud Pie Muller Corner. Aka the best corner yoghurt in the world - and I don't seem to be the only one who thinks so!

What have you been up to recently? I've also managed to squeeze in some reading and crafting this weekend, but I'm going to share my craft project in a separate post, just in case I wear your eyes out! 

Katie xxx

15 comments:

  1. Those tiles are looking so much better! I love the postcards and the desserts sound interesting!

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    1. They really do; I'm amazed at the difference! You should definitely try making a mug cake sometime - they're more like sponge puddings than cakes but are the best for a quick sugar fix! xxx

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  2. The post cards are AMAZING! That sounds like the perfect hen do! xx

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    1. They're so amazing! I'm trying to decide which ones to frame xxx

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  3. The tiles look cool and I love the postcards- they are soo preeety!x

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  4. Would never have thought about painting tiles - looks so much better already - mind you I have original 1950s blue tiling in my bathroom that I don't have the heart to remove or paint over!

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    1. They sound lovely- you should definitely leave them! If ours had been pretty vintage ones I'd've left them alone, but the ugly orange flowers had to go :p xxx

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  5. Oh, I love postcards so! I wish there was a penpal group just for postcard exchanges. I feel like I saw someone else sharing a great postcard assortment recently too - I wish I had bookmarked it! Also, no garden is completed WITH OUT a plastic flamingo. So you kind of HAD to take it in.

    Kelly @ KellyDelValle.net

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    1. You're in luck! There's a group/company thing called Post Crossing where you get to swap postcards with strangers - http://www.postcrossing.com/

      You're absolutely right about the flamingo. I had no choice. xxx

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  6. I've pinned both of those mug cakes. I've always wanted to try one and since you've made both and they turned out, I will have to try them! And those postcards are adorable! I love the 'knead' one.

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    1. Mug cakes are brilliant! They won't be anywhere near as good as your regular baking, but they're perfect if you suddenly realise you need to eat a cake within the next five minutes (which happens to me quite a lot...) xxx

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  7. Your tiles look fantastic! You don't need a trim at the bottom, you can just squirt a line of silicone sealant in there. xxx

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  8. Very jealous of the flamingo. I've always wanted one. You're very brave leaving it out front. Someone might nick it! (I would!) xxx

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  9. That looks like a very civilised hen party! (mine did involve willies and even an inflatable sheep but it wasn't by choice)
    Loving the flamingo as well, he looks right at home although I know Andrew would say exactly the same as Tom if I suggested one in our garden! :-) xxx

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