They tasted good, but

Both the Valentines cards

 Dessert

my baskets were bowls, filled with rhubarb and champagne  yogurt

fresh raspberries and blueberries

when I popped the balloon on each basket the sides broke

dark, white and milk chocolate baskets.

Our starter was Covent Garden beetroot soup, hubby made mushroom risotto

We stayed dry and had a bottle of pomegranate and elder flower sparkling water from the Green Bottle company, hubby was not sure, but he did enjoy a couple of glasses  

We played with our camera's in the afternoon,

the light in our kitchen is not good

but I got the effect I wanted.

Skaters now have most of the snow, 

Plus another cute bird and a bare tree. I finished the lamp, and in my style did the rest in the golden colour, the design was to stitch in white. I'm over half way.

 cute bird

 I have moved the Avocado plant from the window, it is big and was getting in the way, it sits at the back of the office, still a very sunny spot. 

My Lemon and Lime plants are growing, soon they will require a bigger pot. 

My cucamelon  seeds are in the square pot, they are very slow starters. 

No roots on my leaves yet.

It's another sunny morning here, we are going out for a drive later, with our camera's. This evening we are having an informal meeting for the photography club, our tutor texted us and we are meeting for an outside shoot. He has so much knowledge to pass on, and is very keen for us all to learn and get great shots.
I have signed up for another SAL, from a french designer, I have seen her work on Pintrest and tracked her down, sent in my fee and I'm now waiting for the links, it's 12 monthly designs, so I will have a bit of catching up to do. Once finished skater, I am going to check my stash, I have so many things to stitch, and of course Winter Watergarden, oh how I wish I could love it again and finish it.
My 2014 book is almost ready to go for printing, I want to read through all the post just one more time, I have checked the layouts and the spelling. I now require Blurb to send through a discount code via e-mail, I don't mind waiting, normally they are 20% off, which is a nice saving.
Now I'm going to read blogs, I follow so many and love catching up with everyone, it will be nice to see how many celebrated yesterday and it what way, but my feeling is most of you are like us, nice meal at home together.
PS, I'm looking for another book to read, any suggestions.

Chocolate

I have the dark chocolate setting on the balloons

I then added the white chocolate

and lastly the milk

The trick is getting the set chocolate cold enough, and the melted next layer cool enough, 

so they sit on top of each other. I will show the finished pots in next post. 

They have not come out great, it was better using the bigger balloon. 

 Just using up the rest of the melted chocolate, every spoon broke coming out the molds.

 The card I made hubby was very simple this year

He always buys me flowers, but only from the supermarket

not the over priced ones

 These look red in the face from all the skating

they are both finished 

 The two birds should sit on a wire, and the snow flakes hang from the wire

I did a couple of rows of the snow at the bottom

Next I will count the snow out to the second tree

 I finished the book, Daughter by Jane Shemilt, the story line is the mothers story after her teenage daughter is abducted, very well written, so many layers. Great read, not dark at all.
Rod and Maureen came for afternoon tea, a nice way to spend a couple of hours. Maureen was concerned because Kev was not at home, and asked all afternoon where is Kev, is he at work, poor Rod was worried, but I answered each question from her as if it was the first time of asking. Purdy loves Maureen so they had loads of cuddles.
Today Josh and Sam are going to Grandma's for the half term week, she has them every half term, I will miss them, we see much more of them, at least 2 or 3 times a week. it's a long journey, Manchester is a 5 hour drive.
Nothing planned for the weekend, we hope to have some fun with our camera's, I am having a 1to1 on Tuesday with our tutor, he is going to run through every thing with me, hopefully I can then grasp the settings.
Tonight we are at home together, we planned a nice home made meal. I find Valentine's day so over commercial, restaurants and shops have their idea how it should be, all shiny slick, but romance and life is just not like that. Our's won't be perfect for everyone, but for us it will be fun and real. One note we are doing dry February, so no wine, not that I will miss it.
For the first time this week we have sunshine, how much nicer every thing feels when the sun is shinning. I might be nice to get an hour in the garden.
PS, I'm looking for another book to read, any suggestions.

Pleasures

Loads of chocolate

Tomorrow I will make the 4 baskets for Saturdays dessert

I promise photo's next time

Please note these have been in the fridge for 2 days and are unopened. 

 Yesterday was a curl up in a chair day, I spent the whole afternoon reading

Lovely book, has me hooked

 My lady has a scarf and hair

The scarf was my colour choice.

 Next faces and more snowflakes, 

and yes I am avoiding the white snow drift at the bottom

 Free Orchids, beautiful white flowers.

I have 2 plants in bloom

I gave Su another plant in bloom

2 more with bud forming

These are going to last me months.

Last night was our photography club, we were snapping drops of water falling, to get us used to our camera settings, I did not have the best evening, Whilst understanding what we are doing, I have difficulties in putting it into practice.
My car is in the garage today for a service, so I am at home all day, laundry is already in the machine. I did housework yesterday and I should do some ironing.
But I feel crafty, I have to finish hubby's Valentine card, I started it but stalled, and the book is calling. I also need to get into the attic and find my fabric store, a day with my sewing machine is planned.
Josh and Sam are coming for tea tonight, it's parents evening at their school, both boys love school, so we are not expecting any problems. We are having Pizza for tea, they both love pizza.
I am planning a trip back to my childhood village next week to stay with Martin my brother, 5 days on my own. Time to spend with my sister Leanna, Grandson Logan, and Larriane who I have not seen for 20+ years ( niece if my 1st husband, found again on Facebook). Hubby and Daughter will have to find their own fun without me.

Oh pretty

Now they are really skaters

with a cute bird joining in

 I am now going to stitch her scarf, hair and then their faces

 I have been shopping again, but this is the last lot for a while

These we £32 each, but Hobbycraft had a 3 for 2 sale on
makes far better value for money

 These can be used for so many different cards,

mix and match

I love the fine detail on each.

It's another gloomy day here, so no time in the garden, it's not too cold, but I do like to see the sunshine. I have been on mummy duty this morning, I have been to Su's house and pinned up her new curtains, I will leave them for a week and then go back and stitch them. Hubby has been playing golf this morning, his singles match, which he lost on hole 19, a very close match, and loads of what if's.

I have done more on 2014, I am working on August, it's nice to have time to get things done.
I was listening to a podcast whilst doing the curtains, and heard " you are not the same person as you were a year ago, or 10 years, and not the same as last week" the point being made was every thing we experience changes us. I thought this a really good statement, because as I work on my book and read last years post, I can see how I have changed. When I started my blog, it was sewing, gardening and my family, today it's much the same but my outlook has changed for simpler life. Could it be I have grown to another level in my life, having children changes us and then grand children also changes us, but being aware of the wider world also impacts on our outlooks. I have changed the most in the last few years, having my tussle with cancer in 2010, opened my eyes our commercial world, and reading like minded blogs fuels this desire to opt off the mad fast world in which we live in, and find a simple life to suit hubby and myself.