Thursday 12 April 2012

April Kitchen

 It's bright and sunny again (at last) here today....after a few rather chilly days and a very damp easter, today the sky is blue and the birds are chirping outside my window again.....i made some little spring inspired cakes the other day......
 ...it was nice to do a bit of baking after mostly working intensively over the last couple of weeks....lovely to have a bit of time to do other things like baking and crafting just for fun......
 .........a while ago i did a review of tea towel designs for al at all tea towels, and when i decided to give one of them away as part of my winter giveaway, al kindly said i could pick another one too.....so i chose the one in the pictures above called a nice cup of tea.....i discovered that the artist who designed it was the same one who designed the first tea towel i picked....linda edwards, whose lovely website can be seen here......the tea towel, like all the ones stocked by al is lovely to use and i love the colours in my april kitchen.....
 ................and a very SwEeT block here along with the coloured chocolate flowers.....from fee, of course....
 .........lots of spring flowers brighten up my kitchen at the moment....some of my favourites are the natural primroses which i grew from tiny plug plants a few years ago.....i have quite a big primrose patch in the garden now, and pot up a few as presents or to enjoy indoors for a while.......
 ............some daisy cupcakes in spring green paper cases........all gone now.......we still have some chocolate flowers left though, as well as some easter eggs still to nibble..........
 ......i had a bit of time to make some more blocks for the farmer's wife quilt over the weekend break....
.........i had to include this one today because it's name is...broken dishes.....i love this block pattern, i remember first discovering it years ago and thinking how the little pieces did look like shards of broken dishes........ i have a couple more blocks to sew together, and my flower patch quilt is nearing completion now....and i've begun a new crochet blanket but will save that until next time :-)
.......thank you for calling in to see me in my little bit of blogland today.....i hope you are having a sunny week and enjoy the coming weekend too.........back soon xxxxxxxxxxxxx

42 comments:

cupcakejojo said...

I always love the colours in your photos. So light and inspiring. Now I feel I need to make more cupcakes!! :) x

FourHappyBunnies said...

Please, please, please may I move in with you Helen! You are such an inspiration to so many bloggers. I love your work.
I am awaiting a vey special delivery from the postman tomorrow. I will share it on my blog as soon as it arrives.
Xx

♥ Mary Janes TEAROOM said...

Hello Helen...I love your fresh Spring post and how lovely to have your own pretty primrose patch!...Your cupcakes look wonderful and I am so in love with your quilt blocks...I recently bought the Farmers Wife Quilt book and I am really enjoying reading through the letters...
Off to set up my sewing machine now..the sun has just begun to shine here Helen!
Susan x
P.S I love Al's tea towels they are such lovely quality..

greenrabbitdesigns said...

The patchwork pieces really do look like little bits of broken china. Such a pretty colour of fabric. :)
You always have lovely little toppers for your cupcakes Helen, I love the daisy ones.
And your primroses are so beautiful, nothing like the natural colour of primroses.
Happy Thursday Helen, we've got sunshine too thankfully without the showers today,
Vivienne x

Fleur Cotton said...

Your primroses and cupcakes look beautiful together ..a perfect match.

Unfortunately I have April showers outside my window but a new bunch of daffodils inside are making me smile instead!

Have a lovely week whatever the weather.
Fleur xx

Rhona said...

Wonderful pictures - as always! Those cakes look totally yummy.

Apple Blossom Barn said...

Hi Helen

Everything is so pretty and vibrant
I love your quilt block so lovely and those buns look yummy!

have a lovely day

Denise

Cindy said...

I just love the colors on your blog. They make me happy and inspired to make things! I also love that block, such pretty fabric. I keep meaning to start on FW, but I'm already working on 3 projects. Have a great day and enjoy your sunny weather!

Simone said...

A lovely spring post. The flowers on your primroses are so prolific! I only got 3 flowers on my plant! I am glad you have had the time to craft and bake and do things just for fun. x

Brenda Pruitt said...

Your blog cheers me more than about any I read. Full of color, inspiration, and loads of talent!
Brenda

Crafted by Carly said...

Mmmmmmm, Helen! Those cakies look DELICIOUS!!! And your primroses are beautiful - so MANY flowers!!! The quilt block is beautiful - the design looks so intricate and fiddly. You're so clever! I can't wait to see what the finished quilt will look like!
Carly
x

Tanya said...

кексы аппетитные! Фото прекрасные!!!

grace said...

what fabulous colours, so pretty x

Emma Breadstill said...

I love the quilt block and can't wait to see your crochet blanket xxx

Tangled Sweetpea said...

Such a pretty spring post. I love the green cupcake cases and dinky chocolate flowers.
Victoria xx

Madelief said...

Dear Helen,

Could you please send some of that lovely spring weather our way? We could use some. It's cold in Holland!

Your spring cakes look very cheerful! I can imagine why they were gone soon. They never last long in my family either :-). Chocolate and cake is just too good to be true...

The blocks for your quilt look lovely!

Enjoy your weekend,

Madelief x

Jane said...

It's real April showers today Helen but good to see so much daylight. Your cakes and flowers all look so cheerful. Enjoy all your crafting it sounds like you have lots of lovely projects on the go. It's a nice short week after the Easter break, almost the weekend already. Enjoy ;0)
Jane x

Paula said...

Hello sweet Helen! A lovely cheerful post, as always! I am so glad the sun is shining and the birds are chirping! We have had the windows open with our beautiful weather and it was wonderful to awaken to the birdies chirping in my garden! The spring cakes look yummy and pretty! I love your pretty tea towel! It is so cheerful and sweet! Your block and chocolate flowers are darling too! I love primroses, but haven't seen any in the garden centers yet. Yours are so healthy and bloom filled! I love your beautiful quilt block! You did such a good job and the fabrics are pretty! Enjoy your weekend! Much love, Paula xo

Maria - A Playful Stitch said...

Such prettiness - love it!
Maria x

mags said...

Yum, yum - the cakes look tasty. I can't wait to see both your quilts when they are finished. The broken dishes is lovely and the material choice is perfect.

Teje Karjalainen said...

Hi Helen! Your posts are always so happy and joyful! Your kitchen photos and those sweet cup cakes are like from a fairy tail! I am looking forward to see your new quilt - wow you hand sew all those tiny pieces! Happy sewing and have a wonderful weekend! x Teje

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

Those little cakes look sweet and yummy! And that primrose is so pretty, it doesn't even look real. Always such lovely things to see in your corner of the world. Have a great rest of the week. Tammy

MelMel said...

Your pictures have cheered up my day!
I just love the greengate flour/sugar shaker!

Melx

Lorraine Young Pottery said...

Broken dishes what a great name for a design.
I love your site as it always makes me feel spring :-}

Doing things just for fun, sounds good!

Lorraine

vintage grey said...

These are such pretty photos of spring beauties!! Love the sweet tea towel and your quilt block!! ;) xo Heather

koralee said...

What joy...your little cakes are so pretty...I hope to get baking this weekend. Such a pretty little quilt pattern...love the darling fabric. Sending you ooodles of love and still keeping my fingers crossed about that magazine. Where oh where can it be...I will send you a new one if you do not get it after a month...so I will wait until sometime in May...hugs to you. xoxox

Jenny said...

Your post is full of the joys of spring Helen, doesn't it make such a difference to have the house filled with light instead of the gloom we've had recently! The cupcake toppers are gorgeous, as are the spotty paper cases - we've still got Easter chocolate left over here, a massive amount actually considering there is only two of us! Looking forward to seeing your new crochet project too, I am thinking of doing a cushion next - going to Bath today and there is a lovely yarn shop called 'Wool' I may just have to pop into!! Have a wonderful weekend, Jenny x

Linda said...

Love reading your blog, very inspiring and hope to start a crochet blanket very soon too. Linda x

Pink Milk said...

'Broken dishes', I love that!!!

Such wonderful light and springy colours in your post again today. Your primroses are so pretty.

I love to come and visit your lovely blog anyway but most especially I think when the children have been off school for a while and my own little home is peppered with gubbins!! It's a form of escapism I think!! *sigh*

Enjoy your weekend.

Hx

Annie @ knitsofacto said...

How sweet is that sweet block ... clever, clever Fee. And the quilt block, I've always loved the broken dishes pattern too, it couldn't be more aptly named!

Wishing you a lovely sunny weekend Helen x

Teresa Kasner said...

Oh.. I love that quilt.. I wish I had a tiny one for my dollhouse bed. Enjoy Springtime!!
((hugs)), Teresa :-)

my4lilgirls said...

Oh love that quilt block too, the fabric is real sweet.
also love those yummmy looking cupcakes, aren't they just so easy to eat & enjoy :)
Lots of love Karen x

Sewmancer said...

oooh! Yum! trying now to figure out how to fit some baking into my day!

Peli said...

im not crazy over cupcakes but your pictures are so beautifull that im drooling on my laptop....lovely colours...

moonstruckcreations said...

love the fabric you are using for your patchwork!

Sounds like you had a good easter in spite of the weather.

I was out of the UK at easter enjoying scorching hot sunshine!! back now to the rain and hail tho..

Helenxx

Kentish Keg-Meg said...

Yes that block pattern does look exactly like broken dishes . How perfectly all your pieces are joined up, it's going to be a wonderful quilt.

fee @ chipper nelly said...

Lovely sunny post Helen - they always make me smile (especially when I spot a little chipper special nestled in between some HP gorgeousness!)
Hope the sun shines on our little part of the world this week - makes the end of the easter hols a little easier....fee x

Mia said...

Thank you so much Helen, these are so cheerful again, and especially for us whose weather is what it is and spring is still lurking around the corner. So pretty and oh so yummy looking cupcakes, thank you so much for sharing again!

Yours,
Mia

claire said...

your quilt blocks are coming along beautifully - can't wait to see them pieced together. And you've made me hungry for cakes!

koralee said...

Oh my sweet friend...you are not going to believe what happened..I still can't.
I went to my postbox today and sitting inside of it was the parcel I sent you!!! It was returned to me. No wonder you have not received it.
It had a sticker that said no postage. So someone took the stamps! Lucky I had my receipt...the post lady said she remembered me because she had put this beautiful $10 stamp on it...well I guess someone wanted that stamp and took it off the package. She could not believe it..and is going to report it. So
it is now on it's merry little way again. Sooooo sorry. I did not know that people would steal stamps that way......it had to be a postage person.
Anyways that explains why you have not received it.
Hugs to you....xoxoxox

Linda Edwards said...

Thank you for featuring my tea towel Helen! It looks very happy in your lovely kitchen. Linda x

Clara {Clover and Violet} said...

Love the blue and red also, your crochet and quilt blocks so pretty! Lovely as always!