We have a birthday in our house this weekend which always leaves me in a bit of a quandary. What do you get a man who has everything lets face it, they all do! Not being able to "buy" gifts has actually helped in this case because there's nothing him indoors loves more than a homemade cake. I happen to know that he has a penchant for Jamaican spice cake. I may have to invest in a new cake tin though as I remember not having one big enough last time I made it.

It's an extravagant recipe with black treacle, rum, ginger, nutmeg and loads of other spices which fills the kitchen with the most gorgeous of smells, so every one's happy with this cake. Perhaps I'll decorate it for him too - I've been inspired. We had a cake icing demonstration at my craft group today so I might well be getting a little creative. We've planned to buy lots of native trees for our land too, so I'll take a trip to the local independent garden centre and get a nice bit of growing wood, although he was talking about growing grapevines over the sleepers on the land, so I may look at getting one of those. Birthday sorted. Then we just have to await the arrival of best mate who has recently returned to this country from New Zealand - they're both as excited as kids at being able to go out to play together again. That's REALLY what birthdays are all about.

With the weight loss seeming to have notched up a gear, I've had to start pinning my clothes on. I'm finding now that existing garments no longer suit my shape. But I like them all, so I'm planning on completely transforming them. I've got a gorgeous satin duck egg skirt with massive Lilly print on it, I'm going to make that into a top - maybe even a dress as there's that much fabric there. I've got a denim day dress that just looks really dowdy now, so that's getting turned into the fitted denim shirt I've been craving for months, so I'm well excited about that.

Now I just need some time to actually do the alterations. I did, however, complete on simple and uninteresting project today. I needed a new bath mat so I crocheted one out of packing string, because it's so absorbent. See I told you it was uninteresting. But I'm quite pleased with it. Simple things, eh, simple things.

So I talked today, by text, to the lovely Liz Buckland that's doing my skin art for me. Her website is now up and running, and a jolly good job of it she's done too. I promised her a link, so a link she shall have. You want a custom piece? Liz is your woman. Art is her bag, man. And they don't get better. You can meet her at the Newport Tattoo Convention, if you like! In the meantime, take a sneaky peek: http://tattoosbylizbuckland.co.uk/liz-buckland