Dungarees no longer

Can you see that pityfull gaze?... "please don't take my Duncan Greens to the charity shop mummy" (sniff sniff for effect)

"but they don't fit you anymore sweetheart"

(stomps into house)

Later that evening mummy turns into a magician

and in the morning.......

SMILES!

SIMPLE!

Many thanks Sophie

THANK YOU Sophie for my beautiful Boudoir Swap Goodies Darling!

I was overwhelmed with so much prettiness you so generously sent.  It set me up for a girly day rearranging my dressing table with......

THE most gorgeous vintage trinket box

 

Hand embroidered swan linen

Hand made hanger and heart with soap roses that smell real! and a "secrets" box to hide my scrummy baileys chocs.

All wrapped up like it was my birthday in candy stripes!

xxx

If all else fails...stoke up the oven

I have to keep posting or my lovely blog gals start to fret!  Blogging has turned into a bit of a sanctuary these past couple of weeks and has helped to keep my overactive negative thinking at bay.  So with all the crappity crap going on I have let things slip a little in the Fondant household.  To make up for this and make it look like I had a busy-ish day I baked.....of course I was obviously forgiven with so many treats....and I enjoyed myself!
Instructions for a "busy" baking day....
1* Create the mood, turn on the radio, I like to listen to my playlist there in my sidebar.
2* Open all the kitchen windows to make the delicious smells waft to your neighbours, you can then hear all the birds singing and cheering you on.  Even better if you can see all your fave linen washing on the line (am I weired to feel the euphoria of linen on the line?)
3* Wear your new apron swap apron over your fave cotton frock.
4.* Gather all your recipes and ingredients and pre-measure into pretty little bowls (less flapping mid mixing).
5* Stoke up that oven and get creative!
When you have loaded up the oven, licked the spoons and bowls, stacked the washing up, click on the kettle and sit in your kitchen with a nice cup of tea/cappo and relax.
Most of all enjoy your baking day safe in the knowledge that all proceeds will be greatly received and will far outweigh the fact that the rest of the house looks like a bomb hit it....you can tackle that tomorrow!

So yesterday my sweet pal of Jules at Home shared her superb Sticky Lemon Cake Recipe. I kid ye not - it really is deeeelish.

I always accept that my cakes will never rise as much as they should due to totally inadequate oven!  But I was more than happy with these results as it just tastes so.....summery!

Then I made cheap and cheerful flapjacks

I am sure you all know how to make these teatime favourites

Melt 4oz butter with 4oz sugar (or less) and 3 tablespoons of honey or syrup.

Stir in 8oz rolled oats (or any muesli) and add a handful of chopped apricots (or other dried fruit or nuts)

Squash into a tin, bake for half an hour at gas mark 4 (or 180c/350f)

Drizzle melted choc over the top and Voila!

Then I made our usual egg and bacon pie and sausage rolls and set the bread maker on with a crusty loaf!

DOMESTIC BLISS!

All ready for a weekend of picnics!

Lucky me....swap goodies

With one thing and another lately I am so terribly late with this post... sorry swap pals x
All the way from Tasmania my apron arrived

From Silver nutmeg and golden pear.  I love it and as its reversible will not be in the washing machine as much (ha).  Courtney is one busy superwoman with her adorable children on one hip and her sewing machine on the other!  Go and check out her amazing blog.

This is what I sent to Courtney and her lil "Boss"

My Boudoir Swap

Then my lovely pal Kath of JuicyFig really did suprise me with her perfectly hand stitched box

Kath spoilt me with rose and violet cremes...I got tucked into them before anyone came home! I did share the sweet chocolate mice though!  Guess what.... Kath has made more of these sweet boxes and they are up for grabs in her cute folksy shop

.

And lastly......

Dear Royal Mail,  I am on your tail looking for a lost package that I sent to my strawberry swap partner!  I will not rest until you find it and deliver it to its rightful owner.  I am very dissapointed in your service and DO NOT want postage stamps as compensation as they will not replace the handmade lovlies I crafted for my friend. So get a move on or else I will have to start all over again and poor Emma has waited long enough!

Crochet Therapy

I have found solace and relaxation in recent days with MrHook and balls of snuggly colourfulness....I call it crochet therapy.  My sleeping pattern is horrendous so 3am crochet time is the norm at the mo!  It has calmed me, given me time to think and put things in perspective, made me smile imagining wrapping my girly up for snuggles and stories. 
I would love for you to join me in my new flickr Crochet Therapy group and post your pics to share.

Thanks to all you lovely ladies that blog I am feeling so much stronger and feeling the love and support you all emit with your emails, comments and cards.  You all have your down times and I sure hope I can repay you all in some way.  Love to you all.

xX WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER Xx

Tears can't be good for keyboards

A week ago I was totally overwhelmed by unwelcome goings on brought to my life.  This morning I was overwhelmed by your comments and emails to my last post.  Yes you made me cry....you also gave me an amazing amount of strength!  Each and every comment I read from you took me a step nearer to feeling brighter, a little more hopeful and most importantly felt cared about. 

   THANK YOU!

I have always kept myself to myself and been a big believer in live and let live.  I do not judge people by the way they choose to live. I have always taught my children to love everyone, be forgiving and above all have a good heart. If you have children you will know that its not always easy to teach these values when there is so much cruelty and badness in the world. 

Recently I have had to question these values myself.  Have I been naive? Have I been in lala land? or just plain stupid?  (still working it out).  Someone decided that they wanted what I have.  Someone decided I was too happy.  She made it her  business to destroy that.  When she verbally attacked me I took it on the chin and did not retaliate.  When she physically attacked me I did not fight back.   My calmness and tolerance only fueled her fire. She now knows how to hurt me....she involved my children.

The sheer despair this has caused me is paralysing, the pain and sorrow I feel is not for myself but for my son.  He is only 12 and has to endure someone else's spite and we have to prove his innocence against her lies.  He is confused and not emotionally mature enough to understand.  I have questioned faith, humanity, the justice system and my values.  Until reading your comments and emails we were alone and isolated.  

It takes what little courage I have to appear cheerful and strong when my son is around.  You have all contributed to lifting me high enough to actually get dressed today and eat!  I am even going to start on the laundry and clean the house. 

I will catch up with your blogs this evening as I would love to see how the boudoir swapping is going!  I will also post about my own lovely swap partner kath of Juicy Fig and the gorgous goodies she made me......you will all want one and will be pleased to know you can buy them in her cute little shop!

Your kindness, dearest blogstars, is astounding. 

 Again I thank you all. xxx