Sunday 21 September 2008

Two Hundred!

As predicted it has been a busy week. Reading and planning for my Opus module "Cultural Stitch" as well as working on my piece of work to take to Prism selection day next week. In addition I've started teaching a new City & Guilds class - nine lovely ladies two of whom have blogs - Vintage Rock Chick and Textile Groupie. I'd better be careful not to give them too hard a time or I suspect you might be reading all about it. Pop in and tell them I sent you!


Apart from that I've been knitting some little hats as it's that time of year when Innocent Smoothies need hats to keep them warm. I did it last year and they really don't take that long so although I don't think I'll manage quite as many as Michaela I hope to get a few done before the deadline. Visit Innocent Smoothies to find out more!

Yesterday I was in London all day for the Opus BA Induction Day and today I've just cooked Sunday lunch for eleven. Ben was home for the weekend and Mum and Dad were here as it's Mum's birthday on Tuesday... the perfect excuse to use this fabulous little cupcake set that I bought from Momiji. It was a silly price for 100 cupcake cases but I couldn't resist the cute little tin and the little flags!

Which made wonderful birthday cupcakes!

I made a grown up cake too!
Coffee and walnut.
Not much left of that now.


And if that wasn't enough there is the little matter of my 200th blogpost which of course couldn't pass without celebrating with a traditional giveaway. I did think about offering a cupcake but not sure it would survive the postal system so instead a pear...

A pear pincushion made from a Heather Bailey pattern which I will send to the winner of my 200th blog giveaway along with a brand new copy of the pattern because being rather silly I ordered two by mistake! The pattern has instructions for the pear, an apple, a strawberry and a tomato pincushion too. Might be some other bits and bobs too if I'm feeling generous!

All you have to do is leave me a comment on this post this week and then next Sunday I will pick a winner - old fashioned names in a hat - because with another busy week ahead I suspect I won't be around much this week either!

52 comments:

  1. Bloomin' heck Gina ~ you are one busy lady. How do you find the time to fit all this in?

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  2. my god you leave me breathless just reading about your day!! the cupcakes look scrumptious and your little hats are soo cute!! you certainly are a one woman dynamo! isn't it time for feet up now and a nice cuppa - you certainly deserve one!!

    xx
    or maybe a big glass of something!

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  3. Oooh, luverly pear!! Yes, please, count me in!!

    I only recently found you via somewhere else (can't remember where, Jennyflower maybe?), couldn't have timed it beter really!!

    xxx

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  4. You are one busy lady!! The coffee and walnut cake looks so yummy. Hats are way too cute. Would love to be in for your drawing.

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  5. Whoop whoop! Well done on reaching 200! How've you fitted it in with everythin else?

    Aaah C&G... I loved those days soooo much. It's all changed at our local college now. Virtually all the courses have gone.
    They were my intro into the world of textiles and embroidery and I'll be forever grateful to my tutors, for all they taught me and the world they opened up to me.

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  6. What a whirlwind of activity!!! But I'm sure a weekend of sunshine has recharged the batteries. The fruit pincushions are a delight!!!

    Here's to your double century of blog posts! (I'm raising a glass of ice cold dry sherry - mmmmmm! deeeeelish)

    Celia
    x

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  7. 200! Wow, that is a lot of textile picture fabulousness. Loving those cupcake papers and flags. Shall have to investigate further.

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  8. Oh what sweet little cupcakes - I love them! I've wanted to try the Innocent Smoothie hats but alas I cannot get the hang of knitting - crochet yes but knitting no for some strange reason!

    Good Luck with the new class - I'll pop over to the blogs mentioned later and say hi :o)

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  9. Just found your blog through someone else. You are a busy bee, realy like your pincushion and would like to be added into your draw thanks,

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  10. Congratulations on so many things! Cooking for 11 and having time to post today, and leaving me the kind of comment that made me smile that you took the time. Thank you. And of course 200 posts...good luck with prism.

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  11. Yummy! Coffee cake!!!! You do sound horrendously busy though! Happy 200th! Lucy xxx

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  12. Hi Gina, Do you go to sleep? I love the cupcake cases! I have checked out the links for your 2 new students and will be reading them often.

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  13. oooh! that little cupcake set is lovely! The tin could be used for all manner of whathaveyou afterwards, so maybe silly price - but worth it?

    Pear is cool too. I want to make one of those so please enter m e for your givaway.

    And contrats on your 200th post!! (i missed my 100th so am keeping an eye out for my 150th!) x

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  14. Congrats on 200 posts. I would have to buy the cupcake kit too. I love the pear and would love to be part of your giveaway. ~Susan

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  15. Hi Gina,
    How busy are you!
    Congratulations on your 200th blog post and good luck with Prism.

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  16. Hia Gina, love the little hats and the pear is lush!!!! I am off to check out your C+G girls. I too am thinking about my new unit for level 4 C+G, my brain hurts alread y! Happy 200th, I would love to go in your draw!

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  17. Happy bloggibicentenary! Please share your secret for having the time and energy to do everything you do. And thanks for writing a great blog.

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  18. Congratualtions on your 200th post. Thought I would pop over. I originate from just outside Cambridge! Small world. Are you studying with the Opus school advertised in craft mags or is it a different one? Saw a machine embroidery course but not sure about it.
    You are very busy with lost of things at the moment too.

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  19. Gina I do wish you would stay out of the kitchen it gives Neil ideas and I can't be doing with that, not when I have got homework to do.
    I am sending you an imaginery medal, sunday lunch for eleven, cupcakes and birthday cake, slow down it sets a bad example for the rest of us.Love the pear I'm going to check out the recipe, sorry pattern.

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  20. This blogging is an amazing thing. However, i am doing a whole lot more looking than doing. All this inspiration and just not enough time. Has anyone a solution to this endemic problem? Love your blog.

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  21. Gina, I hope you impress on your students that in order to be successful they have to divide their time equally between the workroom and the kitchen........

    Regards, Neil

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  22. You have a lot on the go this week, I hope it all goes well. The cakes look delicious!

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  23. mmmmmmmm.CAKE.
    So come on then Wonder Woman, dish it...where exactly are you getting the extra hours in the day from?!?!

    Did I mention I love your blog?!
    x;0)

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  24. Congrats on reaching 200 posts. I never thought to count how many I've done on mine. I can't believe how much you have done in just one day!

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  25. Congratulations on 200 blog posts Gina - each and every one of them stylish and classy.

    You have to be one of the busiest women in the country! I'm off to visit your C&G ladies now, and to check out the Innocent Smoothy site.

    Would it be completely outrageous to say you have a cracking pear there? ;-) x

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  26. Do you have 48 hours in your days by any chance? You get so much done!!

    That coffee walnut cake looks deeeelicious - my very favourite cake....if you don't count carrot cake or lemon drizzle cake...

    Many many congratulations on your 200th post!! I always love reading your blog and feel very lucky to have got to know you. Two little people here think you're rather great too - Cedric and Ruby go everywhere with them!!!

    Here's to the next 200 :)

    xxxxx

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  27. Hello and thank you for my birthday wishes! You sound very very busy at the moment. Love those little hats for the innocent smoothies (better not show my daughters, they'll be wanting them to add to their lunchboxes). I love the pear, it is gorgeous
    Kimx

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  28. Congrats on 200 - you don't look a day over 21 ;-)

    Busy busy busy there as usual, I see. Any chance you could pop over and plant some onions for me in a spare minute? No?

    And thank you for the smoothie reminder; it's hard to believe that's come round again so quickly!

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  29. Your blog always makes me so happy: so thank you for your 200 posts. Adore the colours of the stripy smoothie hats and think the cake set is wonderful.

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  30. Coo, busy girl! The cake cases in the tin are fab. But then I would pay a lot of money for that coffee and walut confection!
    Please put my name in the hat for the give away, not usualy a huge fruit fan, but those look yummy! xx

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  31. Mmmmmm...lovely cupcakes :)
    I'm very, very impressed with your innocent hats. The pumpkin one is fab! I have so far managed to knit...one. I'd love to win that beautiful pincushion, the fabrics are gorgeous. Happy 200th!

    p.s. I hope you're impressed that I resisted the urge to say anything about you having a 'nice pear'.

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  32. Love the cupcakes and the pear is lovely too! Congratulations on your post landmark. I'll be popping in to the new blogs to say Hi! Hope you're not working too hard.

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  33. When I read your post title, and then saw the picture of your innocent hats, I thought you had already knitted 200 of these! I have knitted for innocent for the last couple of years - and I also but the smoothies with the hats too - so the old folk get a double whammy donation from me.

    As usual, your post is full of all things yummy.

    Monda
    x

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  34. Hiya Teach - Congratulations on your milestone post! Thanks very much for the mention of my blog on yours. And I agree with what the others have said - just how many hours DO you have in your day????

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  35. My head is spinning with all your activity. Well done on all of your achievements. Enjoy your week and good luck teaching and with your course :)

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  36. Heavens to mergatroid - 200 posts already?? It seems like only 5 minutes ago you were celebrating 100!

    Many congrats on that, the cute smoothie hats, your new C&G class, surviving cooking a meal for 11, while whipping up delicious looking cakes, more prepping and working for your Opus module, creating a giveaway gift, and managing said giveaway ....

    .... oh, and not having a coronary through stress!!

    :)

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  37. Hi Gina,
    How did induction day go? Did you get your student cards? I never received one last year and I don't want to miss out this year.
    If you get a chance go to the O2textiles and EAST exhibitions at Braintree- they are very good. Good luck with PRISM selection - I used to belong but can't really afford it now.
    Chris

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  38. Any chance of sending som eof that cake aswell.

    Love and hugs your namesake Gina xxx

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  39. Whoo hoo! Congratulations on 200 posts, here's to 200 more!

    Love those little hats, and for a good cause too :)

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  40. It all looks great! Congratulations on 200 posts.

    I'd love to be included in your giveaway

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  41. I wish I was at your house for the afternoon - with those cupcakes on offer!!

    (Glorious pear..'tis beautiful!
    I agree with Viv - how DO you fit it all in...?)
    Here's to your 200dth xx

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  42. oooh, those cakes look delicious. Yum!
    Please count me in for the giveaway - that pear is gorgeous (and the ginger one's favourite fruit)
    Congratulations on hitting 200!!!!!

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  43. I inherited a desk at work, from someone who had been collecting these hats but I had no idea where they came from or why they had been knitted. I do now! Very good cause - well done.

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  44. Oh i'd love to win your pear and pattern. Your cupcakes look very yummy. You sound as though you need a timeturner to find enough time to fit everything in. Jane x

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  45. Wish you wouldn't tempt me so with all these Yummy cakes! Please put me in the hat!
    x Vicky x

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  46. I enjoy reading your blog so please keep up the good work

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  47. Hooray! You've been making little woolly hats - and such lovely ones, too :o) I *love* little woolly hat season :oD

    And the cake... mmm... the cake... it looks really yummy!
    VCxx

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  48. Oh pants, I got so excited rhapsodising about LWHs that I completely forgot to say HAPPY 200!! Which was the main thing I wanted to say! Sorry... :o(
    VCxx

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  49. Ooh, Miss, pick me, pick me! Seriously, though, you don't look a day over 25... :)

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  50. Congratulations on 200 posts - I can honestly say that I enjoy reading every one of them!

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  51. Am I too late? Bugger, where have I been all week? Loving all your little hats and that pear is just beautiful!

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