It's been ages!

Or it seems like it anyway! I so miss blogging, it's been almost 6 months since my last entry. So much has happened and i have alot to say but I guess I wont have the time to write everything so I'm gonna try and make it short.

I guess there's always a plus minus in everything just like when I started my job early december, I was excited and happy coz that means I will have extra money to buy vintage things I love, save so I can go on a holiday and/or fix my run down house but the minus sides of it is now i dont have alot of time to do what I love doing such as baking, crafting and sometimes even the house chores got to be put off hence my absence in the blogging world!

It's still abit of a shock for me as i have forgotten working full time 5 days a week from 8am to 5pm, the last time i worked as a full time was probably more than 10 years ago! Anyways, I was sick after just working a month (winter probably didnt help either) then my feet were and still are aching from alot of walking to the train station and to work/home (my only exercise i'm doing) and I haven't eaten properly as work has been manic and stressful.

I am still grateful though as I finally got a job and that our financial issue is getting better now, I am also happy that I lost abit of weight because of it although for the first few months, I can't even relax on the weekends! doing house chores etc but I think i have gotten used to it now and more organized. I can even make simple things on weekends now and still taking photos on my mobile phone which I post on instagram (that's probably the only place I update daily as i don't have to switch on the computer and just snap a pic and post it wherever I am).

The reason why I can blog now is because Im taking a week's off from work coz i have enough holiday hours accrued and another reason is that my 5th wedding anniversay is coming up on the 6th of June! I have so many things to do this week, spring cleaning isn't that exciting but someone got to do it but we're planning to have some outings and of course a romantic dinner!

Anyways, I think i have spent alot of time on the computer as the screen has started to get abit weird (I hope to buy a new laptop soon!), so I'd better switch it off and do abit of crochet before bed time. I'm sorry i still can't visit everyone's blogs but I hope to have time this week to do it and I wish everyone has a lovely weekend! x

Altering that Vintage Dress

This is my first time trying the sewing machine on clothes, it looks easy when i read or watch the tutorial online but it's not coz i'm still learning how to sew and i'm too lazy to hand sew it.

Anyways, I bought this dress in a charity shop awhile back for under £3 and thought it's cute but when i wear it, it looks so ridiculous on me, it swallows me up and the skirt is just too long, so it stayed in my wardrobe for a long time until last week as i was browsing online and found the tutorial on how to cut it and re-hem it.

I got rid off the pads on the shoulders, shortened the length of the skirt...though i was having trouble trying to iron it flat as the skirt is pleated and sew it straight is tough, the needle kept on going sideways! but anyways who would want to examine it closely? i like the result! what do you think?

I think i deserve a hot chocolate with marshmallows in it after that and i think i'll be wearing it at my friend's birthday dinner party next week :)

I still have a few clothes that i bought in charity shops that I wanted to get my hands on altering them next time.

Also Linking to:



Sweetology101

Simple Chocolate Tart

Boy, it's been awhile since I updated my blog...I got a cold a few weeks back and i was so miserable that i wasn't in the mood to switch on my laptop that takes forever to load and can only use it for half an hour or so before the monitor screen started to play up and i had to switch it off. Thankfully i got my phone to entertain me :)

Once I got over the cold (slow progress though), i was informed by my friends that they have some vacancies in their workplace that I might be interested to apply, but of course!! so I was busy (again abit fed up with my old broken laptop) and update my CV and then saw more vacancies online for christmas jobs that i just had to apply (i could dream of buying with my own money for hubby's christmas pressies) and of course myself! :p

Anyways, between applying jobs and two interviews so far and still no news if i got a job or not, I always wanted to try and make a tart, it's from Jamie Oliver's recipe book.

The hard bit, i gotta say was making the pastry, it's gotta be a short crust one and it was my first to make it, the result wasnt as good as i expected to be, it's crumbly and kind of uneven but hubby said he loves it :P

The chocolate bits are heavenly coz i used my fave Lindt Dark Chocs, just pure heaven. I used cocoa powder and icing sugar for dusting once the chocolate has hardened abit in the fridge :)

Anyways, I miss visiting everyone's blogs and i really could do with inspirations for christmas as I just realized it's almost december! fingers crossed i got a job even if it's only temporary christmas jobs, i dont mind at all! :)

Also Linking to:



Sweetology101

Pyrex Love....

Inspired by my other lovely ladies in the blogland few years ago, I too fell in love with pyrex dishes, although my collection isn't that many and i can only managed to find a few of these pretties over the past 2 years in charity shops but i did manage to add one more cutie, rather smaller in size and plain...but i like the color and so i quickly grab it and paid it in a hurry before the rain started to fall again and walked home yesterday :p

It's plain and in blue color, kinda cute i think and i like the handle too... can't resist adding face effect on photo editor to it, just too cute! :p The below photo are my small collection of the pyrex dishes that I managed to find in different charity shops in the past two years...

...and since it's tuesday, i'm combining this entry with my tea time tuesday, the weather is just so wet and gloomy again today, im lucky enough to be given scones freshly made by my dear friend Komang and it's fruits and cheese, even hubby has had his share, seems like hubby got a cold and i feel like coming down with one too so..im just going to enjoy my tea and scones while wrapping up to keep warm and watch Black Adder. Hope everyone else is having a much more sunnier day!

Also Linking to:



Sweetology101

Click...Click

Many things you can do while drinking tea, browsing a magazine for one or the internet to name a few. I also love to make things while having tea such as crochet or knitting especially when the weather is wet and gloomy like today, so as i was browsing for ideas, i found this free crochet pattern to make a cute instagram camera from Haakensmaak. I decided to try and make my own :)

for someone who loves taking pics, Instagram is a great invention and I used to envy my friends who got iphone as it was an app exclusively made for iphone users (as i cant afford buying one!) but i'm so happy when after awhile it can be used by android users too! Still...as my android phone is a cheap one and the camera is not that great, i'll have to make do for now til' i can afford a nicer one but i'm still grateful though!

Anyways, I wanted to try and make a smaller version for this crochet instagram camera as it's abit big if i use it as my digicam casing cover, I think i need to use a smaller crochet hook for next time and try to mind the tensions as i can see some stitches are tighter than the other and it's kinda crooked but overall at least now i know roughly how to make one :)

That's it for now..and I'm off to refill my tea and blog hopping :) x

Also Linking to:



Sweetology101

I Heart Cupcakes

My dear friend gave me the most delicious birthday gift, she baked me some yummy cupcakes that she put in the most cutest cupcake box i've ever seen and i just had to share it with you...

Isn't it so cute? the cupcakes tasted lovely and it's a perfect company for my tea time when the weather isn't so great though i'm taking advantage of the weather for relaxing and it's about time to start making something and be creative :p

I might pick up and do the half done projects from last years or start a new one, no idea yet but will keep you posted..

Also Linking to:



Sweetology101

Afternoon Tea Swap

I joined the Afternoon Tea Swap over at Pretty Little Jewel and i'm so lucky to be partnered with her, I'm so sorry that I sent my parcel very late as I was sick and couldn't post the parcel on time.

I was so excited despite my high temperature with a fever and was lying on the bed helplessly when hubby told me that He found a parcel on the door for me, I had to wait till the fever's gone then i opened the beautifully wrapped gifts she sent me, Thank you Julie! so here are what she sent to me;

She sent me; A lovely teacup but sadly the saucer was already broken when i opened it but i love it nonetheless, a beautiful victoria sponge cake recipe handmade by her, a delicious smell of Danish tea called Kaerlighedste Love Tea, can't wait to try it! she also sent me a chinese tea in a cute tin, a yummylicious homemade strawberry jam made by her which i've tasted it and love it! she also gave me a handmade necklace with a cute teapot pendant and a cute tea house stickers. Thank you so much and I do love the cute card too!

...and here are the gifts I sent to her, I wanted to apologize first as I didn't have time to make a craft item :)

I sent her; a set of English Breakfast Tea in mini tins, a Cath Kidston's Tea Mug, Tea Party Fridge Magnets, Handmade crocheted Cupcake and handmade Teapot cushion hanger and Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Lemon Shortbreads to accompany drinking tea. I do hope you'll like them :)

Thank you again for organizing the swap, I've had so much fun and Thanks for the swap gifts you sent, love them! x

Also Linking to:



Sweetology101

Happy Valentine's Day!

First of all I'd like to thank Pretty Little Jewels and Twinkle Star for the awards! really appreciate them!

I also would like to wish my dear friend Marianne a very Happy Birthday! I wish you all the good things in life and God Bless you, always! and Happy Valentine's Day to all of you my lovelies, you're all my inspirations. Love you all!

unfortunately, no flowers and/or a box of chocolates for me this valentine as i was shocked to see the price of a dozen of roses when we went to sainsburys last night though hubby offered but i told him I'd rather he bought me a book of craft that costs the same as those roses :) and as for chocolate, well you know i'm on a diet though i'm beginning to get abit pessimistic :p

I spent hours this morning to make this velvet valentine cake and i failed miserably! it tastes weird, it looks weird and blah! I got the recipe Here. I made it for hubby but i feel like throwing it into the bin :P

I also made these mug cosy for hubby and me from the tutorial in Mollie Makes Magazines, Cappuccino for him and tea for me.

I also made the puffy crocheted heart from the tutorial Here, I made several to hang on the twigs on my mantel and cute valentine printables from Here.

That's my February Photo-a-day Challenge for Day 14: Heart entry over at Fat Mum Slim's blog.

Also Linking to:



Sweetology101