tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48830370884756636342012-01-07T20:25:55.359ZA little bit of clutter goes a long wayRaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.comBlogger2161100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-13711114224745000482011-09-05T15:55:00.001Z2011-09-05T15:55:30.665Z

It would appear that I completely failed to blog every day for the month of September ALREADY. 'Twas a lofty goal, indeed.

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-84944714179546075202011-09-05T14:00:00.003Z2011-09-05T15:13:26.235Z

I am trying to grow avocado trees. I originally thought I'd just do one, but you really need more than one in order for them to pollinate, right? Also, it's too cold here to leave the plants outdoors and depend on bees to pollinate the trees, so I may have to do it myself with a feather or something. That's assuming I don't kill them first. I'm not the most green fingered of individuals, but I

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-78444261136404627112011-09-03T19:21:00.002Z2011-09-03T19:31:25.466Z

I've been watching old episodes of Hoarders, and gosh. I can see why the show is so popular; it's the quintessential train-wreck that all at once makes you feel disgusted at other people's houses and pleased as punch about the state of your own house. I must admit, though, that I can see myself going down the path of hoarding in my old age if I'm not careful. My particular weakness is books.

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-28035710629840832222011-09-02T09:00:00.001Z2011-09-02T09:00:01.473Z

I am American, and have been living in England for the past 12 years. For whatever reason, the closest friends I've made while living here (aside from my English husband) are other American women. And they are both leaving the country by the end of the year. (maybe) (very likely) (sob) Two years ago, the three of us got pregnant within the same sort of time frame, so now our toddlers are merely

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-87687918481801780802011-09-01T09:00:00.001Z2011-09-01T09:00:06.925Z

That is not me. That lady up there is in the process of whipping a team-mate, or is being whipped. Not sure. And here is where all you readers who have clicked through from a quilting blog go, "Huh? Why am I reading this?" Well, the main reason is that I'm a dabbler. Two and a half years ago, I started teaching myself how to quilt; I was pregnant with my fourth child and wanted to make quilts

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-56755754037212418442011-08-29T20:58:00.001Z2011-08-29T21:27:37.785Z

So now that I've committed myself to NaBloPoMo for the month of September, it turns out that I have a huge sewing job ahead of me - I am going to be making 250+ bags before the end of October. HELP

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-67930538346754943552011-08-29T14:23:00.003Z2011-08-29T14:34:35.433Z

Here we go again! Nearly four years ago, I embarked on a month-long odyssey of writing in this blog every single day. Hopefully I won't choke at the finish line, like last time, but we'll see. I have more children and have more hobbies, so life is totally easier this time around. HA. Speaking of hobbies, I've decided to fall in love with a little sport called roller derby. Oh yes. I am not

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-44755690626535623822011-07-30T16:19:00.004Z2011-07-30T16:44:11.700Z

My sewing clubhouse is up and running! I think the reason why it took me so long is:1) I announced my intentions before actually doing anything about it, thus giving me the warm fuzzy feeling of DOING something when I was only THINKING it. My brain, it is Not Very Observant.2) I didn't have any pressing sewing projects at the time (other than my abandoned ones, that is), so sewing stuff wasn't

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-22464529335386395782011-07-24T15:33:00.010Z2011-07-24T17:22:39.854Z

I'm not the best at creating tutorials, but I wanted to provide some information that I have gleaned recently in putting together Tudor costumes for my children. There isn't a whole lot of information available on the web about creating period-accurate Tudor costumes, so I hope this bridges the gap a bit for anyone who might need it!The Tudors were a family that ruled England and Wales from 1485

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-29287449276929391082011-06-22T15:39:00.002Z2011-06-22T15:42:02.124Z

Directly from the Facebook page, "Worldwide Mothers Support Habiba!", no more than 10 minutes ago:TOGETHER, EMBRACED AND FREE. little Alma is recovering leaning her head against her mom's breast without separating from her for an instant, as if everything had been a bad dream. Habiba shines with joy, as we have never seen her before. We reassure you everything you have done has been worth it.

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-8604627181702500352011-06-17T14:52:00.004Z2011-06-17T15:00:35.912Z

It has recently come to my attention that a 15 month old baby in Spain has been forcibly removed from her mother's care because she did not follow the protocols set up in the government-run Mother and Child Home with regards to feeding her child. She refused to stop breastfeeding her toddler, and as a result, her child was taken away from her.As the mother to a breastfeeding toddler (my baby is

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-43562597287787012462011-06-11T18:16:00.002Z2011-06-11T18:28:55.698Z

I have a plan. I am going to set up a sewing corner in our attic. It isn't a finished attic, so I'll have to climb the attic ladder to get to it, but the beauty of this idea is that the kids won't ever be able to get into my stuff! AND it won't take up any of our living space! AND our attic is mostly empty and a really good size, too. We'll have to get an electrician in to put some outlets up

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-12265794891139380762011-06-06T20:46:00.004Z2011-06-06T21:41:49.591Z

I'm not big on labelling parenting styles. If you ask me (and I'm going to assume that you did, which is why you are reading this blog in the first place), many, many parents are doing the best they can with the resources they have available. I am one of those parents.However, if you were to break down my parenting decisions in bullet point format, I suppose much of what I do and how I do it

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-15389569824264792572011-06-03T22:00:00.003Z2011-06-03T22:11:59.233Z

I made a foolish decision earlier this evening and put my foam block for felting projects on top of our tall halogen lamp. I wanted it out of the way so the baby wouldn't grab it and hurt herself on the needle (she was cross with me for not giving it to her while I was working on a felted fairy doll), so put it as high as possible.Fast forward about four hours, and it was starting to get dark.

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-53914757447969306622011-06-02T21:16:00.004Z2011-06-02T21:33:21.653Z

Today was a busy day - we ended up visiting two different families and we were out of the house from about 10.30 am to 5.30 pm. The first family we visited have 3 children, 1 cat and 5 kittens, 2 dogs, 2 chickens, 1 guinea pig and 3 goldfish. They live in a village in a converted barn with a very rustic and tumbled-down sort of garden. It is noisy, a bit smelly, and full of every sort of

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-33981101504266018092011-06-01T21:30:00.005Z2011-06-01T22:08:38.793Z

I've been thinking about my blog lately, because I feel regretful over not writing regularly, and also because I struggle to keep a theme going with my blogging. In the beginning, it was just a collection of random thoughts that I managed to blog about from time to time. It veered into parenting and baby stories frequently, with recipes or movie reviews sprinkled in.Last year, it became a

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-58542742054767566892011-05-31T22:23:00.003Z2011-05-31T22:42:19.717Z

A year ago, I was pretty miserable. That pregnancy was my hardest, for a multitude of reasons, but now that the memories aren't quite so fresh, I'm feeling nastolgic. Isn't that insane? HOW can a person feel nastolgic about full-body swelling, constantly aching joints, 9 months of nausea, and a labour that leaves you sore, bloodied and bruised? But I get a baby afterwards. A yummy, sweet, snuffly

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-39497066674698008962011-05-27T06:57:00.004Z2011-05-27T07:23:09.556Z

Wow, sorry bloggees! If any of you are still out there, that is.Life has been very busy and has left me little time/energy to think about blogging. Or sewing, or anything other than trying to catch my breath!We moved house at the beginning of the year, which was more tumultuous than expected, given that we were told by the letting agency as we were about to drive to the house with a fully loaded

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-53363046269984906602010-12-09T23:24:00.003Z2010-12-09T23:41:44.580Z

So after four months of obsessively looking at house rental websites, booking viewings, mulling over the properties we viewed, and inevitably saying no to ALL OF THEM, we finally decided on a house!It's like this giant leap forward in our living arrangements. The number of bedrooms stays the same, but there is more living space. Seperate rooms for different things, instead of one big room for

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-82471623423283529012010-11-25T13:23:00.004Z2010-11-25T13:37:19.974Z

5.30amBaby: Let's play! PLAY PLAY PLAY LA LA LA.Me: Zzzzzzzz.Baby: You're not looking at me. LOOK AT ME. WATCH HOW I WIGGLE.Me: (takes baby downstairs so no one else wakes up) Zzzzzz.Baby: Ooh, a shiny thing. I shall eat it. NOM NOM NOM. Hang on, you're not looking at me again! LA LA LA PLAY PLAY PLAY.Me: Hello baby. You are torturing me. Thanks for that.Baby: Tired now. Want milk. Zzzzzz

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-10968579730703339142010-11-24T17:29:00.002Z2010-11-24T17:32:20.182Z

As I am sitting here, chilling out with the kids and watching cartoons (as you do), I just saw my baby -- who will not be officially 6 months old until December fifth -- get up on her hands and knees and launch herself forward and face first into the carpet.I knew this was coming, and declared that she will be crawling by Christmas. At this rate, it will probably be by next week.I'm not sure why

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-83815449468581639362010-11-24T15:55:00.002Z2010-11-24T16:00:39.770Z

Thanksgiving always sneaks up on me. I've been living in England for 11 years, and I suppose because I'm married to an Englishman and don't live in my home country, I tend to forget about Thanksgiving until the week before. Sometimes even the day before. (for shame!)But not this year! This year we are having our American friends over with their passel of children, and we're cooking up a turkey

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-7987665586408629922010-11-23T07:00:00.003Z2010-11-23T07:10:48.944Z

My kids are painfully early risers, and it has caused no end of frustration in me over the years. I have never enjoyed waking up earlier than 7am or so, but my kids seem to think 6am is a perfectly acceptable time to start the day. They basically open their eyes and start zooming around the house at 100 miles and hour, not slowing down until bedtime.Unfortunately for me, the baby seems to be

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-72810038866230689362010-11-20T23:58:00.003Z2010-11-21T00:05:34.237Z

..but I've got my defences set up already..I have never made 3D plushies before, and after extensive research on the internet, I managed to make these two little guys over the course of several days.Anyone who is familiar with the computer game Plants vs Zombies will know that the green one is a Pea Shooter, and the blue one is a Snow Pea. They are an integral part of your basic defence systems

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-53057875573800559882010-11-17T23:29:00.003Z2010-11-17T23:45:32.402Z

Life is busy, and I am tired, but I've been slowly plugging away at a few projects. My hexagon quilt is slow going, but I knew that when I started:It's going to be awesome when I finally finish! And yes, there is a teeny little hedgehog in the middle of the bottom right hexagon. So cute.Speaking of cute, look at these little dollies!Laboriously hand sewn for my daughters' Christmas presents. I

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-75515872739562879212010-11-16T18:17:00.001Z2010-11-16T18:31:52.303Z

Some things my son will eat for dinner:steamed broccolicorn on the cobmashed potatopasta of any sortmild cheddar cheese by the truckloadThings he will not eat for dinner:any other cooked vegetablesalad vegetablesstews, chilli, curriessomeone else's leftovers that haven't even been germified for goodness sakeThings my three year old obsesses over:tv timechapsticknail polishjuicereceiptstaking

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-53864944500417919182010-07-25T20:13:00.002Z2010-07-25T20:16:29.776Z

I haven't done much sewing recently; maybe a few hexies here and there, but no machine sewing since the baby was born.Totally worth it, though! Look at this gorgeous girl! 7 weeks old, and already busting out of her 0-3 month sized babygro, Hulk style. That's my girl.

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-39668327824634026002010-06-17T11:12:00.002Z2010-06-17T11:16:46.483Z

Here are all the flowers together, so far. I'm liking it! Although, I think I need some I-Spy fabric, fussy-cut, to add to my collection. :)

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-55255710263368564732010-06-16T20:06:00.001Z2010-06-16T20:14:04.942Z

Been sewing hexies, but a new baby isn't compatible with regular blogging, funnily enough!Be back when I can.x

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-4874054518000985442010-06-09T23:29:00.003Z2010-06-09T23:32:17.796Z

I edged one of last week's flowers with white, and made two more.Can't comment much more today, as I have a very hungry baby to deal with!

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-21290234790445911622010-06-07T18:40:00.003Z2010-06-07T18:51:57.354Z

A few days ago, I had my fourth baby. My older children are 7, 5 and 3 years old, and it's amazing how quickly I forget what it's like to have a new baby in the house... she's just scrumptious. I love her little noises, her wee little toes, her smell. I look at my older children in awe, because in a blink of an eye, this 2-day-old newborn will be at school and making her own way in the world with

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-19263206360093307752010-06-05T06:09:00.003Z2010-06-05T06:10:37.098Z

Baby #4 arrived in our living room in the early hours of the morning of 5 June.She is currently sleeping in her Moses basket and everyone is very happy and well.Sooo glad I'm no longer pregnant! ;)

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-1073127393232532492010-06-03T07:31:00.002Z2010-06-03T07:36:55.172Z

Aren't they gorgeous?! I am selfishly hoping I win, because I think they would go well with my rainbow triangle set. I haven't been able to do any machine sewing lately, and the prospect of receiving a pile of pre-sewn blocks as adorable as these fills me with excitement and cheer!But anywho. Get over to Cutie Pinwheel for a chance to win!

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-55869805806654681142010-06-02T06:22:00.005Z2010-06-02T06:30:20.777Z

My first two hexagon flowers are complete! I have such an odd assortment of fabrics, that I realised that they probably won't all go very well together in one large quilt. We'll see. I love both these flowers very much, but the one on the left has a much more old-fashioned feel to it than the one on the right.Also, the one on the left was my first attempt at sewing hexagons together, and you can

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-42676826445229337132010-06-01T07:20:00.005Z2010-06-01T08:16:31.254Z

For those of you who haven't read this blog recently, and my constant complaining yammering about being 9 months pregnant, well! My official due date is tomorrow. I have three older children, who are absolutely dying with anticipation for this baby to be born (the youngest, aged 3.5, has informed me that it is taking AGES for the baby to come). I like the idea of them getting a little gift in

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-75524675697303650432010-05-28T06:20:00.005Z2010-05-28T06:42:50.576Z

Amy's Creative Side is again hosting a Blogger's Quilt Festival this year. I thought I had missed the deadline, so haven't yet participated. I was wrong! Today is the last day, so I thought I'd add a quick entry to the list.So this is my entry for the festival. I've talked about this quilt before, but I've been thinking about it recently because of my hexagon project -- a few of the scraps left

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-57684720042792949312010-05-25T13:27:00.002Z2010-05-25T13:46:30.077Z

Hexagons Sewn: 141Hexagon Papers: 248The Plan: UnknownFor whatever reason, I'm really enjoying the process of sewing these little shapes. My husband thinks I've gone bonkers in this late pregnancy brain of mine, but I think it has a lot to do with the ability to put my swollen feet up and still get sewing done. Unfortunately, sitting at a sewing machine for too long causes all sorts of aches,

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-14268583823551467272010-05-24T04:07:00.003Z2010-05-24T04:18:49.779Z

I am a week away from my due date, and yesterday afternoon/evening was the first time I could have honestly said that I might have been possibly, maybe, could-have-been-but-not-quite-sure, kinda-sorta in labour.I am planning on a home birth, so last night before I finally went to bed I laid plastic down on the floor, pulled out all the old towels, got baby's clothes ready, and double-checked

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-66621092021105541322010-05-20T18:26:00.005Z2010-05-20T18:32:55.285Z

Take two large white tea-towels, a bit of lace from an old net curtain, and a length of elastic to make a frilly hat and apron, thus:Total time taken for project: 1 hour, give or take.Total cost: Negligible. Everything was taken from stuff lying around the house.I was going to make an all-black skirt, instead of having her wear a black skirt with a colourful design on it, but I'm too fed up with

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-72770630946862783292010-05-19T19:49:00.004Z2010-05-19T20:18:45.027Z

I'm finished sewing baby things for my friends who are due with their own babies a few weeks after me! I was going to make some stuffed, stackable fabric boxes, but I've lost a lot of steam for fiddly sewing jobs recently (can't imagine why!), so that project is on hold for now.However, I did do some experimental sewing of the baby wrap blanket variety. I really like to swaddle my babies when

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-21011863179527513902010-05-18T07:31:00.002Z2010-05-18T07:35:04.097Z

I do not own a quilting foot for my machine. I would like to buy one, but have no idea where to look, or what would be good quality!Could anyone give me some advice? I have a Janome RX18S. Help!PS -- How do you pronounce Janome? Is it Juh-nome, Jah-nomey, or something else entirely?

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-86851862675616769082010-05-17T09:46:00.004Z2010-05-17T10:12:04.366Z

My rainbow fabric finally arrived, after a loooong delay due to the Volcano-That-Can't-Be-Pronounced. So happy! The fabric is very pretty, and I'm looking forward to sewing all the triangle squares into something special.Haven't decided on a design yet, but I'm liking the look of things so far!I'm still plugging away at my hexagons, and had fun searching through my scraps to find more fabric I'd

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-4955304505924430392010-05-12T10:25:00.004Z2010-05-12T10:27:37.541Z

I printed up a set of baby onesies for sale on my Etsy shop. There's nothing else there right now, but hopefully I'll get other projects going soon enough.The button for the shop is under the "about me" section. Thanks for looking!

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-68564146916746326602010-05-11T20:38:00.007Z2010-05-17T09:43:21.716Z

My creative side is in full swing lately, and after reading up on ideas how to make a crinkle teething square for a baby, I decided to make a few myself. As mentioned before, I have a couple of friends due with babies only a few weeks after me, so I'm putting together a few small gifts for them.The crinkle squares were a lot of fun to make! Aside from the animal appliqués, the square itself was

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-60235082470671120862010-05-11T20:00:00.012Z2010-05-17T09:44:43.658Z

Firstly, to all my UK readers, freezer paper is not widely available in this country. I bought some on eBay for about £2, and the pack I received is about the size of an A1 sheet. Not overly expensive, but I'm not planning on mass producing anything at this point. However, it's a great little tool and I highly recommend it for this use!I wanted to decorate some baby clothes for two of my close

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-78670344072914016432010-05-11T14:04:00.004Z2010-05-17T09:45:09.652Z

Oh, yes, those are hexagons you see before you! I've been considering taking up this little sewing project for some time, and when I found some card paper hiding in my box-of-things-I-ought-to-organise-but-haven't-yet, I decided to take the plunge. I printed some 1.5 inch hexagons, and got cutting.Reasons to like this project include: sewing while watching tv, portability, cuteness factor.Reasons

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-61155887379703283552010-05-10T10:15:00.004Z2010-05-10T10:19:37.583Z

There is an amazing giveaway over at V&Co this week; Burgundy Buttons is offering a massive bundle of fabrics: 1 Half Moon Jelly Roll and Charm Pack, 1 Bella Solid White Jelly Roll and Charm Pack and 1 yard of corresponding Half Moon Yardage. The retail value of this giveaway is $87.00.Just today, as I was perusing the fat quarters that were on sale at my local fabric store (ssshhh, don't tell

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-40403710861825312092010-05-07T20:20:00.004Z2010-05-07T21:01:27.491Z

Some friends and I are putting together a surprise birthday party for another friend in our group; she's a cake lover, and we had the brilliant notion of baking her 30 different kinds of cakes for her 30th birthday! Not entire cakes, mind you, just half or a quarter of the recipe to make a few cupcakes to bring along as a taster session, as it were.Well, 30 cakes is a LOT of cake. I should know!

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-74224007518791244802010-05-01T22:47:00.003Z2010-05-01T22:54:56.404Z

For the past several months, not only have I been growing a new bean, I've also been rehearsing for a concert with a local operatic society.This is me, in all my chubby-cheeked, fecund glory! Not too keen on the sparkly jacket/sack I was required to wear, but meh. It's just a costume! In this picture, I'm singing a solo from the song "I Will Wait For You". It's a French song, so my solo was sung

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-44378883214393488222010-04-27T16:10:00.002Z2010-04-27T16:15:42.036Z

There are so many amazing giveaways that happen in the quilting blog world, and I don't always enter them because I am sometimes lazy but also I live in the UK and most of the quilt bloggers live in the States so I feel kind of cheeky entering!But, on a whim, I entered the recent giveaway on the Thistle Hill Fabric shop blog, and I won! I'm so excited! The prize is amazing - a fat quarter stack

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-34157441162779006572010-04-25T20:30:00.002Z2010-04-25T20:33:29.889Z

So this is a departure from the quilt and fabric talk, but it's too funny not to share! My kids are really getting into the newest Doctor Who series, and my three year old seemed to really get a kick out of the latest Dalek episode. Here she is, explaining what the Daleks do and how bad they really are....(my apologies for the sideways picture -- I can't seem to flip it!)Here is a translation,

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-75955262033236273342010-04-20T16:19:00.005Z2010-04-20T16:26:06.019Z

There hasn't been much sewing going on recently; I'm 8 months pregnant and have three other children who have been off school for nearly three weeks, so we've been trying to have fun in between my naps. :)However, this hasn't stopped me from getting embroiled in a few bidding wars on eBay! Working on my husband's camo quilt has left me in dire need of COLOUR, so I bought a few packs of rainbow

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-29685838887496954902010-04-13T12:07:00.004Z2010-04-13T12:13:04.867Z

I've been working on my husband's quilt off and on recently, but yesterday I really made a lot of headway. I'm using a simple rail fence pattern, so all the hard work is really now over! I cut all three different camo fabrics into strips, sewed them all together, and cut them into blocks.Now to sew them back up again. I haven't decided how big the quilt will be; a friend of mine suggested using

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-3283668135298605132010-04-07T07:50:00.003Z2010-04-07T07:58:14.833Z

I went to use my camera yesterday, and the batteries were dead. Bah! I managed to find my daughter's camera, and took a few pictures of the blocks I've been working on with it. Her camera is a point and shooter, and I couldn't even figure out how to turn the flash on, so these pictures are so very bad. My apologies!I am attempting to design my own wonky star quilt, and I'm not sure how it's going

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-79462013941831901932010-04-03T07:51:00.003Z2010-04-03T08:02:55.108Z

I finished my son's quilt top, and am very nearly finished with the entire quilt now. Huzzah! This makes four complete quilts (well, five if you include the ticker-tape doll quilt, and seven if you include the two quilted table runners!) since January of this year. I'm very pleased. Next up: my husband's camo quilt. That should be interesting!This is my favourite block. I love the combination of

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-30275183313438953192010-04-01T08:54:00.004Z2010-04-01T11:25:11.480Z

Our home isn't big enough for a full room just for my sewing (someday!), so I have to do with a sewing corner. It was adding unneeded clutter everywhere, and everyone was getting frustrated with my stuff getting in the way:There is also the added component of rubbish and junk littering the sewing corner as well. We have a difficult time making it out the front door to throw things out,

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-61145568722639655682010-03-31T15:46:00.002Z2010-03-31T15:49:39.078Z

What do you do with old thread? There isn't enough on there to do much, but it seems such a waste to throw out! Do you save it for hand sewing projects? I'm wondering if it's even worth the extra room these spools take up....

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-23667221642362079532010-03-26T13:17:00.003Z2010-03-26T13:23:03.489Z

I didn't start quilting for realz until a couple of months ago. I have been obsessively researching quilting methods and tutorials ever since, and I've managed to cobble together a few quilts, table runners and blocks. A couple of friends of mine have been subjected to my quilting related gushing, and have since caught the bug! One friend in particular has spent far more money than is sensible on

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-89670100112793239572010-03-24T11:52:00.003Z2010-03-24T12:19:57.421Z

I've been tackling a couple of small projects recently, mostly because I've lost a bit of steam with regards to my son's quilt but also because I wanted to learn a few new techniques.For a super small project, I came across a tutorial for this wonky star. I love it! So much of quilting is about perfect accuracy, so the randomness of the points on the star really appeal to my chaotic side. :) In

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-2836689590352966412010-03-18T12:08:00.002Z2010-03-18T12:34:34.521Z

There is a great giveaway going on at Park City Girl. Burgundy Buttons is giving away a Verna jelly roll and two yards of complimentary fabric.Go and enter! And if you're like me, get sucked into the Burgundy Buttons website and spend money you may or may not have....

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-4229697949708818382010-03-18T11:10:00.003Z2010-03-18T11:15:21.879Z

So I managed to finish the house block I promised for Bumble Beans. Unfortunately, I messed up somewhere along the line, and it isn't quite 10.5" square. Eeesh.I tried to make one out of my scrap pile, but almost none of my scrap pieces were big enough! Frustrating. So in the end, I decided to cut into my new fat quarter set that I bought and I ended up with a very cheerful (if not quite to size)

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-81050458358173923462010-03-17T09:42:00.000Z2010-03-17T09:45:43.084Z

My husband has been watching me beaver away at the kids' quilts over these past weeks, and just the other day said that he would like a quilt of his own. I'm ecstatic! I would love to make a quilt for my dear husband, but now I'm at a loss.You see, he wants it to be "camo" themed. He wants the fabric to be from camouflage, and clearly, the pattern needs to reflect the manliness of such fabrics.I

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-43893563414497165902010-03-16T06:59:00.003Z2010-03-16T07:24:30.838Z

The first quilt I ever started was my eldest daughter's. However, I jumped in head first into a project filled with triangles and had no idea what I was doing! I got discouraged after time and put it away for several years.For whatever reason, I decided to make a baby quilt for our newest addition, due out in the beginning of June. I paid a visit to a nearby quilting shop and fell in love with my

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-38117704272168345652010-03-15T13:35:00.003Z2010-03-15T13:49:55.556Z

My current method for making quick quilts is to back them with a fleece blanket. There is no batting in the middle, so the pink fleece blanket shows through the white fabric; I'm fine with this.My daughter looooves it! I adore the fabrics and the pattern. I'm very proud of how it has turned out!

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-60169845073747570392010-03-14T23:24:00.003Z2010-03-14T23:27:41.728Z

Bumble Beans is calling all quilters to make house blocks for a homeless charity in NYC.I have never made a house block before, and frankly, I find them intimidating. But!I'm determined to stretch myself as a newbie quilter, so I'm going for it. Doing it for charity is a definite plus.If this is something you are interested in, the deadline is the end of April. There is also a giveaway attached,

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-2275321784187443372010-03-14T06:54:00.002Z2010-03-14T06:55:41.331Z

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers, mothers-to-be, and mother-figures everywhere.

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-87489829438539002132010-03-12T09:51:00.004Z2010-03-12T10:14:12.007Z

So the project I've been dying to write about can finally be revealed! I made two table runners, inspired by this tutorial over at p.s. i quilt, as Mother's Day gifts for my own mom and my MIL.I had so much fun making these runners. The fabric was mostly from one of Moda's charm packs (sadly I didn't write down which pack it was!) and some of my own scrap fabrics. I miscalculated quite severely

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-15931430753909745122010-03-11T13:35:00.004Z2010-03-11T13:49:52.393Z

So I went to the quilting shop to buy a squaring ruler, and spent 40 minutes looking through their stockpile of beautiful fat quarters and found these:My tastes in fabric have been leaning towards more of the Moda-esque bright pinks and greens or pale and antique-y blues, creams and pinks. I thought it was time to break out of those colours, even if I do adore them!This is the first time I've

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-81080610792413195702010-03-10T21:39:00.006Z2010-03-10T21:50:47.780Z

Sorry, this picture was taken at night, but the colours and patterns are fantastic! I especially love that little bird up there. I think I have finished sewing all the blocks for my little girl's quilt, but I need to measure up to be sure. I have more squares and borders cut up and ready to sew if needed, but I would be veeeerrrry happy if I could start putting it all together!I managed to sew

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-59627174990268640752010-03-10T14:49:00.003Z2010-03-10T14:53:24.700Z

The beginnings of the white centred squares. I find cutting fabric into small, measured pieces to be oddly enjoyable. I mean, it should be tedious, but for some reason it isn't.Some of the completed blocks. I need to buy a quilt squaring thingy, I think. The fabric isn't quite matching up on the sides, and if I don't want everything to end up sliding slightly sideways when I start sewing it

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-92031268160855167662010-03-05T22:03:00.002Z2010-03-05T22:18:13.920Z

I like having projects, especially now that I'm 3 months away from having a newborn and I know my sewing machine will not see the light of day for a very, very long time after that!One of my most important projects for me personally was to make reusable Christmas bags. Instead of wrapping everything in paper, I made a bunch of cloth bags out of Christmas fabric that presents can be plopped into

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-20632962846469387732010-03-02T14:23:00.007Z2010-03-04T18:11:16.249Z

This afternoon I sewed together five of the fifteen 9-square blocks that I need for my son's quilt.I am using the I-Spy fabric I bought recently, but had to add extra squares in there to make it the size I wanted. Unfortunately, when I cut most of the 90-odd squares I wanted, I hadn't bought a rotary cutter yet. It is difficult to cut exactly square with scissors, and the blocks are a little off

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-38266918434472140182010-03-02T09:53:00.005Z2010-03-04T18:11:39.116Z

At last!My oldest child will be 7 next month. Four or five years ago, my mother and I decided to make her a quilt. We had no real idea what we were doing; no experience quilting, no idea how to cut things square or line up seams. We dove right in to make a quilt full of triangles of all different sizes, and it was -- predictably -- not all that easy to do!I soldiered on with it until the halfway

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-81760150126155666872010-02-26T10:51:00.005Z2010-02-26T11:02:06.495Z

I bought some vintage reproduction I-spy print fabric squares on Etsy recently, and I just got them through the post! Aren't they just delicious? (pic is clickable)I'm using them to make a quilt for my comic book loving son (anything with tiny pictures for him to pore through makes him happy!), minus a few of the prints that are too girly. I'll be using those for a different project.I haven't

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-2175991157737835072010-02-24T21:23:00.002Z2010-02-24T21:35:19.661Z

Lila Tueller Designs has a great giveaway going on right now. Check it out! That quilt is simply stunning. I don't know if my skills will ever achieve such dizzying heights, but for now, quilting in squares and triangles will have to do. :)A Little Bit Biased seems to have giveaways on a regular basis. Gotta love it!Some tutorials that I'm loving right now:P.S. I Quilt shows how to do a

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-70433281706339637622010-02-24T19:44:00.003Z2010-02-24T20:07:49.990Z

I'm baking a fourth little Cookie to add to our family! This picture was taken at 25 weeks. This pregnancy has been especially hard on me; I'm nearing the third trimester and I still get vomitrocious on occasion. How fair is that?! On the plus side, the other three little 'uns are super excited to welcome their new sibling, and I'm relatively confident that I'll be able to cope with all four of

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-48464013219173173762009-07-26T19:14:00.002Z2009-07-26T19:18:46.367Z

This blog has been inactive for a while, and my posts have been extremely sporadic. But now, I have a good reason! I am privileged to be a part of the team over at dinnercraft. This is a great website, and I'm not just saying that because I have to... the articles are interesting and varied, with home and garden tips, recipes and lifestyle/parenting points of view.Go have a read. Comment. Enjoy.

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-64619471345615625342009-06-09T12:05:00.004Z2009-06-09T12:19:04.967Z

I like to think that I am a good parent. I mean, I've kept three small people alive and well for six years and counting now, so that's something. We read together, we go places together, they are as well behaved as can be expected in many trying circumstances. I also shout too much, am always behind on laundry and turn a blind eye when I see my two year old eating a dusty cheerio she found behind

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-50844285327508430442008-10-04T16:15:00.004Z2008-10-04T16:58:15.988Z

I just survived my son's fourth birthday party, and it was a big success. I thought I'd share a few tips and explain what I did, so other people can get ideas.Because Spider-Man is red and blue, I just bought a lot of decorations in those colours -- streamers, balloons, plates, napkins and cutlery. I bought Spider-Man themed cups, party bags, masks and a banner. The banner will be moved to Middle

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-36301081533437212092008-07-20T11:30:00.002Z2008-07-20T11:32:22.742Z

This bit of fluff brought to you by the Newspaper Clipping Generator. Enjoy!

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-53597342460948530782008-07-19T08:34:00.001Z2008-07-19T08:36:49.170Z

Go watch it now. Seriously, right now. All three acts are online, but only for one more day.You won't regret it.Dr Horrible's Sing-Along BlogIt is one of the funniest things on the net I've ever, ever seen.

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-18488609886973148662008-07-06T14:26:00.002Z2008-07-06T15:20:08.789Z

Sometimes I feel like I live in a circus, and one that is aptly narrated by my small children. A few gems from Eldest child these past few days include:Mum, when you call my name and I just don't care and don't talk to you, then you talk louder and I still don't care and then you get a little bit cross and then I say, 'Huh?'I would laugh, but it's a depressingly accurate portrayal of how our

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-16488412563718164932008-06-14T09:37:00.003Z2008-06-14T09:41:35.122Z

The bee populations in the world are diminishing. Albert Einstein predicted, "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left."This article, written last year, talks about bee populations in the United States diminishing by up to 70 percent in some areas.Most bee keepers in the US travel around the country with their hives, pollinating farmers

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-82074711570140175182008-06-01T22:38:00.002Z2008-06-01T22:40:43.813Z

30 Cakes in 30 Days is my new blog, chronicling my efforts in baking one cake every day for a month. Well, not a true calendar month, but 30 consecutive days, anyway!The entries are on a time-lag, so I've already baked 7 cakes so far but the first post will be up by Monday.Hope you like it.

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-28674191159402884672008-05-27T07:01:00.002Z2008-05-27T07:25:35.223Z

Yesterday was a Bank Holiday, and as is usually the case on such days, there was a car boot sale down the road from me. I woke early, thanks to a certain small person that decided it would be fabulously entertaining to wake up at 5.30 am in full-on scream mode. After settling her back to sleep, my mind started whirring too much to go to sleep myself. At that insanity-inducing hour, I decided to

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-1334027856728313282008-05-14T17:32:00.000Z2008-05-14T17:34:12.330Z

I am insane. Barking. Mental.I got it into my head that I could move one of our (massive) armchairs upstairs into Middle Child's room. First, it got stuck in the living room door, into the (narrow) hallway. I didn't take that as a bad sign, oh no. I figured out how to get it into the hallway, and then pushed it up the stairs. It got stuck several times, while I got progressively weaker. Jiggle,

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-81660236775019602862008-05-12T09:55:00.002Z2008-05-12T09:58:33.046Z

I'm sorry. I've been writing somewhere else. It's not even with the same provider.I know I've been neglecting you recently. I know that we haven't been seeing each other much. It's just that my interests are taking me elsewhere. It's not YOU, it's ME.I'll still write you. We'll still hang out; I just can't make a daily commitment. I thought I could do this NaNoWriMo for May, but I can't. I've got

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-37138388908590460482008-05-06T17:07:00.000Z2008-05-06T17:08:51.730Z

Council on Size and Weight Discrimination’s list of the top ten reasons not to diet. 10. DIETS DON’T WORK. Even if you lose weight, you will probably gain it all back, and you might gain back more than you lost. 9. DIETS ARE EXPENSIVE. If you didn’t buy special diet products, you could save enough to get new clothes, which would improve your outlook right now. 8. DIETS ARE BORING.

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-27049389410655599622008-05-05T06:39:00.000Z2008-05-05T06:40:42.906Z

Is this my real accent? Hrm. Consider it carefully, my friends.

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-28184282723341700772008-05-03T22:28:00.002Z2008-05-03T22:28:57.835Z

Went to a kids' party today.Very, very tired.Game later.See ya.

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-7222151858137778152008-05-02T18:39:00.004Z2008-05-02T19:01:24.911Z

Being a stranger in a strange land, I've got an interest in accents. It's not something I'm passionate about, but I do find the varying accents in this small little island to be astonishingly diverse.So, my game starts today. Is this my real accent, or am I faking it? (Or as the locals like to say, "blagging it.")Those of you who know me for realz need not answer. You know who you are, all one of

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-26517281450229976122008-05-01T20:03:00.002Z2008-05-01T20:08:36.407Z

So I joined this month's NaBloPoMo theme of "Voices," and I decided to play a little game.As you may know, I am American-born, living in the UK. I've lived here for nearly a decade, and the subject of accents comes up regularly in my conversations with people.The game is this. I will record my voice over the course of a few days... or is it my voice? Guess which one is me, and you win a prize. Um

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-30314984661471576252008-04-26T18:48:00.003Z2008-04-26T19:07:41.130Z

I wouldn't say my aversion to dolls is a phobia or anything. Most of the time the don't bug me. By now, Baby Child has developed a keen fondness for little baby dolls of her own, so we have several. They often get strewn around the house like any other toy. They aren't real babies or anything. It's no big deal.Except when I walk into my hallway and see this:Ignore the mess and take a closer look

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-62757767628590226622008-04-20T18:51:00.004Z2008-04-20T19:07:51.427Z

This past week I performed The Mikado at a local community theatre. It was probably the most fun I have had in years! I was in the chorus, dressed as a school girl, and spent my time on stage either dancing and singing like a loon, or giggling my head off. The advantage of being in the chorus was that I could often do both! This was especially useful if I messed up a dance move or sang off-key.

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-7993519439469462942008-03-13T10:31:00.002Z2008-03-13T10:35:26.686Z

She's 8 days old, and she'll be paired up with Charlie to make little baby hedgehogs of our own! Eldest has already decided that she will be called Rosie. What do you think? Does she look like a Rosie to you?I've started down the slippery slope of pet-dom. For years I ascertained that I would not have pets and that I shovel enough poop, thankyouverymuch. But Charlie is a breeze to care for, and

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-12244109850442281762008-02-25T16:33:00.003Z2008-02-25T16:49:06.928Z

The following are the top five most useful excuses and logical reasons for escaping horrible, horrible housework.1. Leave things to "soak." Not only does this get you out of scrubbing stubborn burnt-on food, it's also a legitimate way to clean something. Score! Bonus points if you manage to leave it "soaking" for more than a week.2. Incorporating a long, complicated chain of if-then scenarios

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-46908920550651696622008-02-19T19:25:00.003Z2008-02-19T19:57:51.584Z

If you guessed tamarind, you would be right! For the un-edumacated, tamarind fruit is defined by Wikipedia as follows:The fruit pulp is edible and popular. It is used as a spice in both Asian and Latin American cuisines, and is also an important ingredient in Worcestershire sauce, HP sauce and the Jamaican-produced Pickapeppa sauce. The hard green pulp of a young fruit is very tart and acidic and

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-21299890830837484422008-02-17T20:42:00.002Z2008-02-17T20:51:58.964Z

We have been playing round robin with a Monster Cold these past few weeks. Eldest was off school for an entire week, just before half term. Once she got better, Baby got it. Luckily the baby got a shortened version of the disease, so she got better just in time for me to catch it. Looooovely. The Husband is currently suffering, and hopefully Middle Child will escape its clutches. He is

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-43142782071521085802008-02-16T20:04:00.002Z2008-02-16T20:08:25.345Z

Baked goods only. Double desserts, of course.Lasagna. Technically this is cheating, since it's not usually found in a bakery, but I love pasta.The perfect cherry pie. Doesn't that look fab?Cupcakes baked inside an icecream cone, topped with a swirl of ice cream. This is a classic kiddie treat, and one I should use for Eldest's birthday party....Happy Saturday! I hope you enjoyed your feast.

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4883037088475663634.post-41238731105245702622008-02-15T09:08:00.002Z2008-02-15T09:10:49.459Z

Check my sidebar to sign up for my Saturday Meme!It's a photo scavenger hunt, and tomorrow's theme is "Perfectly Baked Goods."Use google images to find that perfectly baked treat, whether it's a gorgeous birthday cake, golden loaf of bread, or the greasiest, fattiest sausage roll you can find. Whatever tickles your fancy, really.Feast your eyes on some lovely baked treats tomorrow!

RaisinCookieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01535769533171380304noreply@blogger.com0