Five on Friday... A snapshot of my week

I'd like to report that I'm feeling perky and back to my usual self but I'm still struggling to pick myself up and get motivated...  I need someone to come and give me a good talking to! My foot has been painful this week too which doesn't help... and although I try to keep politics away from my blog I feel depressed at the news this morning in the UK. But nevertheless life goes on and this is a snapshot of just some of the things occupying my time over the past few days

1. Lavender

I don't teach my regular machine embroidery class in the summer term. I'm not sure why, it's historic. I inherited the class about eight years ago and was told they didn't do the summer term because the ladies liked to spend the summer in their gardens rather than stitching. Hard to believe looking out the window at the torrential rain as I start to write this post on Thursday, but I digress. So, once a month throughout the summer the ladies abandon their gardening to meet up for afternoon tea. On Tuesday I joined them at Hitchin Lavender, where I had a very nice buttered scone, bought a bag of lavender and came home inspired to make some lavender bags. There will be virtually no new artwork on the walls at my Open Studio this year but I'm hoping to divert attention from the fact by bribing visitors with cake, puppy cuddles and lavender bags!

2. Birthday Cakes

June... sigh...  Three family birthdays in the space of two weeks but I managed to get away with only two cakes. Son no. 3, Joe, has reached the grand age of 27... Husband no. 2, Stewart is a bit older than that (but still not as old as me as he likes to point out). Both had chocolate cakes. I'd had the idea for the anti gravity Guinness cake for a while but it looked a whole lot better in my head than the reality. But at least it still tasted good and they both enjoyed their cakes.

3. A Commission

There was a third birthday cake but this was not for family members. I was commissioned to make this cake several weeks ago by a couple who had found me through an advert. My brief was a square fruit cake for Nancy, a keen sportswoman who cycles and plays golf and her daughter Jade who is a play therapist...  Really... you want me to make a cake to incorporate all that? I confess I was stumped by this one for quite a while but eventually came up with the idea of a golf course with children playing in the bunker. The hand prints feature on Jade's promotional leaflet. I was a little taken aback when Nancy's Mum, who commissioned the cake expressed disappointment that I hadn't included a bicycle, but overall I think they were pleased. I hope so!

4. Brooches

Not much to say about these flower brooches. They are useful little projects for those odd spare moments and they are great for using up fabric scraps. More Open Studio fodder! I was thinking of writing up a little free tutorial for them... That of any interest to any of you? I don't think I've done this before but humour me if I have!

5. Puppy School

Do not be fooled by those innocent eyes... He is a pest! He was a star at puppy class last week... Good eye contact and sitting on command, very well behaved... Everyone thinks he's gorgeous. Then the minute he gets home he digs up my vegetable beds again... Naughty puppy! Back to school again this morning.
Wishing you all a good weekend.

Joining in with Amy for Five on Friday