A day of sketching and crafting in the sun

Happy Easter Saturday. It's a completely spectacular weekend here in the UK - I have never known it to be this hot in April. Mainly because apparently we haven't seen temperatures like this at Easter since records begun.

So today I've been enjoying the unseasonable weather - I've been sketching, eating, reading and crafting in the sun.

I don't know what's going on with my skirt here

Despite the glorious weather I have been online quite a bit (okay, a lot). Here are a few links from around the internet that have caught my eye this week...

- This print - "An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail"
- Baked oatmeal - I have porridge with blueberries and bananas every day. This looks like an indulgent alternative.
- The Sketchbook Project 2012 is live - which theme will you choose?
- My friend Lu has got the cutest mugs.

Enjoy the rest of the Easter weekend x

I love Spring

I love the flowers...

and I particularly love the rhubarb.

I made a gorgeous rhubarb crumble that I really should've taken a photo of for you but you'll just have to imagine it as it got gobbled up far too quickly. Here's the recipe if you want to try making it yourself.

Rhubarb crumble

5 rhubarb stalks - cut into chunks
1tbsp sugar

3oz butter
3oz golden caster sugar
3oz wholemeal flour
3oz oats

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Put the rhubarb, sugar and some water in a saucepan and heat gently.

Meanwhile mix the butter, sugar and flour together in a food processor (or rub it together by hand). You still want it to be lumpy so don't over process it - you don't want breadcrumbs. Then mix in the oats.

Once the rhubarb has cooked down, check the taste and add more sugar if you need it. Then pour it into an ovenproof dish and cover it with the crumble mixture. Bung it in the oven for about 25-30 mins or until the top is golden brown.

I serve mine with 0% fat Greek yoghurt but custard, cream or ice cream would be just lovely.

I see your true colours...

Pretty colours

...and that's why I love you.

Yes I've been listening to the Glee soundtrack way too much. But I am in love with colour at the moment - it's Spring so it's time to throw of the winter browns (comfy Ugg boots) and greys (snuggly woolly cardigans) and embrace the colours of Spring.

I bought all these yummy threads to welcome Spring (and because they were on special offer!). I think they look gorgeous and match my pretty vintage Romanian jug perfectly.

Now, what to sew?

A few of my favourite things

A few of my favourite things

Twitter followers will know I had a short spell in hospital yesterday - don't worry, it was a planned procedure and all I needed was a little sedation so I was home in time for Indian takeaway for dinner.

But today I've been taking it easy so I decided to play a bit with my camera (I can legitimately call it mine now: the husband bought himself a new Canon so I have claimed his old one).

This little vignette contains lots of my favourite things: pretty blue flowers from the garden in an empty jam jar (I have a cupboard full); a vintage doily; and one of my vintage tea cups.

What would be in a photo of your favourite things?

It looks like it's going to be a sunny weekend so all being well we'll spend some time out and about - if nothing else we've got to go carpet hunting as we've nearly finished decorating (I say we: I haven't actually contributed a whole lot to the work other than choosing paint). I'm also hoping to do a few crafty things, some baking and watch my new DVD.

Hope you have a lovely sun-filled and Spring-like weekend whatever you're getting up to.