A Happy Jubilee

I’m taking a little break from my preserving to share my Jubilee with you. I wanted to go to Battersea Park as I live quite near and I thought it would be an amazing, once in a lifetime experience. However, I’m not always the most organised person around (I can be both extremely organised and the least organised person one could ever meet!) and by the time I had decided I’d like to go, the tickets had sold out. I was trying to think of ways to get in and then I saw a tweet. I’m a big fan of Crafty Pint and they were involved in a crafty marquee with the Seaside Sisters This seemed like an opportunity I couldn’t pass up – I’d be in Battersea Park celebrating the Jubilee and I’d get to be crafty as well! I dropped the lovely Gillian an email and that was it! I was on the list!

The only bad thing I can say about the whole day, is how I’d misjudged the weather – it was both cold and wet and I was very underprepared, but I had the most fantastic experience. As I quite rightly predicted, it was so worth going. I managed to see some of The Queen’s Pageant (well, I stood on tippy-toes and saw some boats!) and there was such an incredible atmosphere in the Park. Everyone was decked out in red, white and blue and there were flags everywhere. The weather didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits and certainly everyone I spoke to had an enjoyable and memorable day.

So, what was I doing? I was in one of the 2 Seaside Sisters marquees and I was helping people make rosettes. I had a go and created the work of art in the picture above! When I get onto a sewing month, I’ll make another one and do a step-by-step, but really they’re incredibly easy – all you need is a little scrap fabric, a needle and thread and a button. Within half an hour, you have a rosette and you can make them in any fabric, any colour and they really are fabulous.

The highlights of my day included seeing the finished rosettes of so many people and the joy they experienced in making them, as well as seeing the beginning of the Queen in cake form. Sadly, I didn’t get to see the finished cake sculptures and I understand that the rain wasn’t kind to all of them, but I loved seeing what I did. There was such an incredible atmosphere and I feel very lucky to have been part of it. I still haven’t managed to see the highlights of the pageant on the tv (I do intend to though!), but I wouldn’t have swapped my experience for anything.

Bring on the Olympics and the rest of the summer!

If you’re wondering what has happened to preserves month, so far I’ve made raspberry curd (it wasn’t overly successful, but I put that down to me and the recipe I chose! That said, I turned it into a raspberry meringue pie and it was VERY good!), peach jam and pineapple jam. I used the pineapple jam for some Pina Colada cupcakes I made and whilst there is quite a lot of the jam left over, I’m making a big Pina Colada cake next week, so the jam will be finished then and I’ll just have to make some more! This weekend I’m joining a street party and I’m bringing some drinks, so I might just have to experiment with lemonade and some drinks! Watch this space…

 

• Posted in: Uncategorized
• Tagged: Art, Battersea Park, Diamond Geezer, Jubilee, London, Queen, River Thames, Seaside Sisters