Rest and relaxation?

Yesterday was my first day of maternity leave, and, while I managed to stay in bed until almost 11, I also realised very quickly that relaxation isn't my forte! Especially when there's nesting to be done! The nursery is all but ready to go, and we've got all the necessaries laid out in their appropriate places, but what we don't have is a freezer full of food to feed us in the first few hectic weeks after Baby H's arrival. Naturally, I had intended to prepare a variety of delicious and nutritious freezer-friendly meals over the past few months, but life got in the way. The best laid plans and all that. Yesterday and today though, I managed to bake a couple of batches of biscuits - one chocolate chip, one white chocolate and pecan - to pop into the oven straight from the freezer when friends and family call around. I also threw together a lasagne and a few other hearty, satisfying casseroles, and am now smugly patting myself on the back. Such self-satisfaction, I suspect, will be short-lived, but for the moment, I'm enjoying it! 

In the midst of the cooking/baking storm, I finished binding and sewing on the label to the surfing-themed baby quilt I mentioned in my last post. Here's a sneak preview....

Looking at the wavy quilting in the top right corner makes me think how much more practice I need with it, but overall, I'm very happy with this quilt! The sunny yellow thread I quilted with really complements the whole range of fabrics in the quilt and, aside from anything else, looks so cheerful and fun. A quilt this bright and fun probably deserves a slightly more original name than 'Surf's Up', but un-imaginative name aside, I'm calling this quilt a success! 

And, inspired by Katy over at I'm a Ginger Monkey, I organised and colour-coded my box of scraps. I'm not sure I have the patience or, indeed, the scraps to create one of Katy's amazing vomit scrap quilts, but I am contemplating a colourful, scrappy baby quilt for close friends who have just announced their first pregnancy. I'm thinking maybe the crazy patchwork blocks we did in Bee Blessed a couple of months ago (and which I used for one of the nursery throw pillows I made recently). Or a simple but strategically laid out string quilt. Possibly a spider web. The possibilities are endless, and I'm having fun now researching them all! Luckily, the baby's not due until the end of June, so I've got a bit of time (though, all things considered, I better get started sooner rather than later!!)

Ok, I'm off now to put my feet up and indulge in a bit of daytime tv. I've just discovered the Food Network UK and am officially obsessed! 

xxTina