This is what I saw last night when I was getting ready for bed. Looks like Handmade Dog and Stanley are becoming good friends and they like to spend time together discussing all those things dogs talk about when they get together…

Either that or the husband has been playing with his toys :-)

Now that the holidays are behind us and Rosie is safely in her new home I can introduce her to you.

She was supposed to be a Christmas present for my mum for Christmas 2006 but the yarn I ordered didn’t make it in time and so she was finished early last year. Knowing me, I still cannot understand how I managed to keep Rosie here with me and not say anything for such a long time.

Then again, who wouldn’t want to have Rosie around? She is such a sweetie and an excellent baker too. Just before she went on her travels, she decided to have a farewell tea party with her friends from around the corner. I came into her kitchen one Saturday morning and found her hard at work on her secret strawberry shortcake recipe…

I was allowed to keep Rosie company while she prepared the pan and washed the strawberries but my camera and I were quickly ushered out lest I find out about the secret ingredient.

When I was finally called back, the oven door was ready to be closed. Rosie was kind enough to let me snap a quick photo.

The timer was set and we sat down for a cuppa and some chatting. I also helped Rosie get her bags packed and with all the chores we forgot about the cake in the oven until the smell of delicious strawberries travelled through the house.

Rosie ran to the kitchen to check and was relieved to see that not only the cake was safe but it was also ready for the next step.

Now to find the cream…

Oh, dear! We looked everywhere but the cream was nowhere to be found. You can’t have strawberry shortcake without cream. And certainly not at a tea party!

Without a minute to lose, Rosie washed her paws and put on her hat and cape to visit grocer’s to buy the missing ingredient. She could’ve sworn it was on her shopping list!

Luckily, the shops were open and Rosie got just what she needed and hurried home. She even managed not to get distracted by the beautiful flower stands.

Just a few more minutes of secret cooking and the cake was ready and set on the table. All that was needed was to boil some water for the tea and wait for the guests to arrive…

I miss your sweet creations, Rosie.

Ah, my old friend, I have found you again.

It’s time to dust you off and start taking you with me on my adventures. I trust you will once more hold my inspiration and keep me focused on my goals.

I look forward to it…

Unplanned hiatus keep taking over my blogging time. I love reading what everyone out there is up to and it makes me miss crafting time. Work and life are quite busy at the moment and I seem to have lost my balance once again.

I hope to gain it back soon.

The good news is that it looks like I might get a chance to visit London again soon. Any tips on good craft/thrift shops or any other nice sites to visit while I’m in town?

Update: Thanks for the suggestions. The holidays have officially started and I hope to have some time to share some of it on the blog. Looks like I’ll be going to Amsterdam too, so if you have any suggestions for good thrift/craft shops in either city, keep them coming. I’d love to visit them. Thanks!