6 April 2012

Easter Weekend

Have you noticed how hard it is to seamlessly dip back into posting when it's been a while?

I've been popping by for ten minutes here and there and reading a few of your blogs, maybe commenting now and again, but otherwise my little blog voice has had a bit of a rest!

I'm hoping if I sidle in and shout "Happy Easter", you won't dwell on my absence!

Are you having a super weekend?

Ours started yesterday really.  It was D's 43rd birthday.  I think I rather prefer the eight months of the year when he is three years older than me as opposed to two.


Either Mr Marks or Mr Spencer provided the cake.  Didn't he do well?  (Remember, it's D who does the cake baking in our family and asking him to make himself a cake would seem a little unfair.)  The chocolate eggs were added in a random fashion to give it a little less-than-perfect look.

I am sticking to my own tradition of decorating a couple of lilac branches from the garden for Easter and seem to have a bit of a chicken and egg theme this year.  My favourite and best decoration is Miss Buttercup from the everso clever Jooles' Etsy shop ...


and this Gisela Graham (I think) bird is my second favourite ...


The branches are also peppered with these hilarious teeny chicks which make me laugh every time I see them ...


In other news, my youngest brother has just returned, indefinitely, from Australia with an addition to his little family ...


Introducing my newest little nephew.  He's just so adorable and I've had some wonderful snuggles with him.  Between you and me, I love having my little brother (the youngest of my three younger brothers) back in this country.  He's my parents' blue-eyed boy and it's a wonderfully refreshing distraction to have him around again.

He and another of my brothers and their wives are coming for supper tomorrow.  I'd rather be chatting and quaffing than hanging over the oven or hob so I'm making spaghetti bolognese using Sue from The Quince Tree's fabulous mince recipe.  Seriously, I've done it several times now and it's delicious.

On the craft front, I really am a bit behind in showing you my latest crochet makes.  I'll do a show and tell soon, I promise.  In the meantime, I fancied starting a new Spring break project so I've starting hooking a ripple lap blanket using bright, fresh seasonal colours.


By the way, I'd like to say a very warm "hello" to any new followers.  I've received the kindest messages from some 'no reply bloggers', particularly in response to my bunting tutorial.  I appreciate each and every one - thank you so much x

Whatever you're doing this weekend, enjoy, be happy and go easy on the chocolate ...

xxx

24 comments:

  1. Love those colours you're using for your blanket. What a cute baby - no wonder you were pleased to see them!
    Happy Easter
    Ellie
    x

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  2. Happy Easter to you and your family! Your nephew is so gorgeous and your crochet is looking good too!
    Jille xx

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  3. What wonderful decorations, especially Miss Buttercup! I have Master Sorrell, who is just gorgeous too, clever Jooles :) Those little yellow chicks are funny aren't they, I think it's their little expressions! I always laugh at random things like that too! Hope you have a lovely family dinner tomorrow, and a very happy Easter to you xxx

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  4. Happy Easter, lovely! D's cake looks scummy and your nephew is adorable. I wish we had some family babies to swoon over. Have a lovely weekend. Xx

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  5. A very Happy Easter to you and your family. It's lovely to have family around after they have been away! I had a sister and brother study overseas and when they came back it was awesome.
    Loving the look of your spring ripple. Have fun.
    Anne xx

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  6. Happy Easter to you too!! Just loving this post and your new little nephew....what an adorable little cutie he is! Gosh it makes all those hormones go a wibble....but no! No more! Love your little Easter decs and I also really like lovely the Spring colours in your new project... very inspiring! There's just not enough time to make everything I'd like to. Happy Birthday to your Other Half :) Mr Marks or Mr Spencer makes a rather mean cake :)

    Hope you have a lovely Easter weekend with your loved ones x

    Jo x x x

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  7. What a fab way to get back into blogging, I to have lost my voice in blogland although I have been whispering on other peoples blogs! Maybe just wishing everyone a Happy Easter will be my comeback too! Happy birthday to your hubby and what a cutie your nephew is, wishing you all a Happy Easter and lovely to hear your voice again!

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  8. How narky does that bunny look in the last picture?! Ha! So nice to have an update from you - I really love reading what you've been up to.

    We are seriously lacking in cake around these parts. I will be rectifying that shortly. The M&S job looks delish - wish my OH liked chocolate cake but he's not keen. I LOVE it. Shall I pop round? :-)

    Hope you get lots of snuggles with the bonny baby this weekend. Bet you are beyond thrilled to have your brother home for the foreseeable future. I'd hate my sis to live in a different country.

    Have a good one, lovely!

    Nicki xx

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  9. What is it with baby brothers being the blue-eyed boys? Mine is too - mind you he is the only boy in our family.

    Have a good Easter and here's to more snuggles with that cute baby :)

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  10. I love your decorations, they are so adorable! The cake looks delicious. I regularly thank my lucky stars that we have a Marks and Sparks in this country. They sell lovely treats. the cake looks gorgeous.
    What a darling baby. It must be so exciting to have them home. xxx

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  11. Happy Easter :D

    This post should be marked with a cuteness overload Heather ... that baby nephew, what a heart breaker, and Miss Buttercup is adorable. But the bunny, he looks to have attitude! Love it :D

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  12. Hello Heather...Your cake looks so tempting..Happy 43rd to your D!....Love your Easter decorations...Jooles is so clever...
    It must be wonderful to have your younger brother home again and such a beautiful little nephew...completely adorable!
    The colours in your new crochet project are so fresh and pretty...Ooh, I'm getting crochet envy again...hopefully, I will learn one day!
    Hope you and your family have a wonderful Easter,
    Susan x

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  13. Delightful post, Heather! I loved seeing all your beautiful, colourful pictures today....and what an adorable baby your little nephew is!
    Wishing you and your family a Happy Easter.
    Helen x

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  14. yummy cake and wonderful decorations! but oh what an adorable bubba, lucky you to have your brother and his family back :) have a lovely family easter :)x

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  15. Happy Easter to you too. I know what you mean about getting back in the swing of things, I was away for months and now im trying to get into it all again.
    I love your little decorations they are so cute, and what a gorgeous little baby. Little Brothers are very cool, I would be lost without mine.

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  16. I do agree it is hard, when you've not been on the computer/reading/bloggin very much, to get back into the swing. I'm catching up today.
    Love your decorations, I've done a little display but I see other lovely ones like yours and think - ooh - why haven't I added my bird/chicken etc. Always so many great ideas, such inspiration in blogland.
    What a gorgeous baby, a really handsome little chap.
    Hope you have a very Happy Easter.
    Carol xx

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  17. Aw. What a wee cutie your new nephew is. Love the colours of the crochet blanket too. I am so excited to be teaching myself to crochet, I do so want to make a wavy one.
    Hope the rest of your Easter weekend is as good and pretty
    Xx

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  18. Go easy in the chocolate? I think it's too late for that in this household. Hope you have a lovely Easter!

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  19. Lovely ripple, great color combo. Making some crochet bunting per your tutorial this weekend. They are turning out super! Happy Easter!

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  20. that chocolate cake looks scrummmmy!!!! x yum, yum, nom nom!
    love the birdies! Happy Easter with your gorgeous nephew and family x

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  21. Happy Belated Easter!! Your branches look lovely - the bird is so cute, but not as cute as your nephew! How lovely for you to have your brother and his family back - Australia is a long way to go for cuddles! Hope you didn't OD on chocolate!! C XX

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  22. Oooh darl wish you'd told me about that cake, I'd have turned up on your doorstep with a large plate and fork (make that a shovel) in hand.
    Love all your Easter decs, you certainly went to town and it looks so pretty.
    Great crochet ripple, NO idea how one would go about that, I can only do triple crochet and that took 14 months to fathom....I kid you not.
    Lush to have your bro back. My little brother lives in Chicago and I come from a very close family so we miss him very much indeed.
    Happy Easter Monday
    x x x x xx

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  23. Love your Easter birds.....but I'm more in love with the new addition to the family. SO CUTE!
    A belated Happy Easter, I hope you had a lovely time.

    Lou xxx

    PS. I can't wait to see more of that blanket.

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  24. Oh! What a cute baby! I love babies as I don't get to see them too often but holding and snuggling them would be the best! Enjoy your new little nephew.
    BTW, I too am crocheting a ripple throw right now and I love it. It is addicting as are all the English blogs I have started following! I started with Attic24 and have gone from there! I love all of you! You're so talented and your sense of color is so much better than mine. Have fun with that little guy!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Anyone ever told you that you're a peach? xx

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