I made this!

After a slow and steady start I am really enjoying handmaking gifts now, and more importantly seeking out new projects i can sew/stitch/bake/create!

It was only when i uploaded my photos for the week today that I realised what a home-made week I have had;

tomato soup for dinner on Thursday

completed some hand-stitched drinks coasters for my friend's wedding present (plus a bottle of rose fizz- i didn't make that i may add)

A little hand bag for my 2 year old niece (am hoping to make some more items for her in the same fabric)

I also made thank you cards for my GS birthday presents, and a salad solely using items out of the garden.

The sewing projects have been the most rewarding for me seeing as it's the one i needed the most development on, having rarely been able to sew even a button on in the past. I have sewn the items totally by hand, and although not as neat & precise as a sewing machine, I find I am resisting the use of a sewing machine (despite my MIL offering me hers) as it feels more authentic, more hard work if I do it myself and I find comfort and pride in that. Sewing by hand is almost like the labour of giving birth to my final creation, whereas i am not sure i'd have the same satsifaction from using a sewing machine. Maybe once I have reeled off a few more project then common sense will prevail and i'll use a machine, but for now I am happy by hand.

It's rainy on the hill today, there is a real feel of Autumn in the air, although the weather forecasts to be finer for this week, the temperatures have certainly dropped and I felt frozen today when visiting the car boot sale in Tansley, in the harsh open Derbyshire countryside.

Poor Daisy has been in the wars also; our warrior princess seems to have been in a scuffle with some other creature (unsure what, maybe a dog, another cat or even a fox) and has a nice deep puncture wound on her right behind that she growled and hissed at us every time we got near, poor little thing was not happy at all, so off to the emergency vet we went, and thankfully we had caught it in time as it was forming an absess, so a hefty bill later she seems much better full of painkiller & antibiotic injections and sardines (GN spoils her!)

Look at her being brave!