Christmas Crazy Rush!

Maybe I'm just getting old but I seem to be constantly chasing my tail!  Its been an unbelievably hectic 7 days and still another 24 hrs to the big, planned for event. 

All the months of planning and preparing and choosing little gifts for everyone that mean something to them and just when I'm about to cross the finish line the unthinkable happens.   I was so looking forward to a visit from my good friend and her lovely 5 year old twin girls, thinking we'll relax and catch up, eat mince pies and have a little drop of gin, paint the girls nails and help them make cards for 'mummy', the unthinkable was a nasty dose of tonsillitis which really knocked me out.  No sniffles, no cough just the most awful sore throat and swollen glands and a temp of 40c. 

The visit was quieter than planned but a nice relax and two days on, the antibiotics are doing the trick and even though talking is still really painful I'm feeling more human and hope to be back in the swing of things tomorrow (miracles do happen).  The only bonus was that lovely hubby, Frank, made all the Christmas phone calls to family and friends tonight so that tomorrow night is total relax and unwind before the big day.  This was a first! but he felt so sorry for me he offered and I very quickly croaked 'yes please'!

Some food prep (quite a lot actually) tomorrow, a couple more bits to wrap and that's it all done and dusted!  lots of baking this week for other people but tomorrow is for us, mince pies and a tiramisu for Christmas day, some sausage rolls for tomorrow night and also cooking a large piece of gammon tomorrow which will be finished with a muscovado & mustard glaze. Also going to prep all the veg for Christmas day, sprouts (we love them!), I cook them with chorizzo and chestnuts, parsnips which will be roasted in goose fat with the potatoes and carrot & squash mashed with butter, cream and lots of black pepper.  The Christmas pudding and cake are made and our lovely friend Lisa provided a fab hamper of home made goodies including lovely chutney's, jams and my favourite chilly jam.  A lot for one day but its always a lovely day, we are sharing it with friends who are coming for the day with their beautiful little girl and another good friend and good neighbour are popping in so all in all it will be lovely.  We'll be skyping all the family in Ireland in the morning and thrn speaking to our grand sons to see what Santa brought, so exciting for thr little ones!

Hope everyone has a really lovely time and a great relax.  Happy & peaceful holidays!  Mars xxx

Here's a couple of pics of what I've been doing.............

Just a couple more pics folks. Also one of our new 'E Bay' bargain kitchen in Holly cottage!

Hi All

Haven't been here for a while as have had quite a few appointments and have been trying to take heed for a change and rest the old leg - v hard for me!!

Anywhere here's what I've been making in the craftroom and kitchen........

Have been usng muslin to make flowers and had some lovely papers for my birthday and a fab Sizzix machine which I can't use at the moment as I need some special spray that I can only find in the US!!  When it gets going it will be great and I will be able to do some fab diecutting.  Also discovered the joys of fab Martha Stewart glitters but also 'wearing' a lot of it as I always soom to have some on my face!!  Anyway here's a couple of photos........

Cards with Candi flowers........

all from craftwork cards.....

I just love Candi!

A few Candi ideas.....

Candi  flowers –  Dahlia

You will need:

2 x 3cm circles

Candi – approx 20 – 26

Candi fix

Silicone glue

Instructions: Dahlia

·         Cut 2 light card circles approx 3cm in diameter for the base of flower

·         Fold one in half and apply adhesive to one half

·         Stick two circles together so that unglued half gives you something to hold whilst making flower

·         Apply candi fix to 10-12 candi

·         Stick candi around the outside of circle making sure to maintain a nice round shape

·         Take 10-12 candi and fold in half giving a good pinch to emphasise fold

·         Taking circle with candi around outside, apply a thick layer of silicone glue around inside circle close to edge of candi

·         Taking folded candi start to build inside layer of flower by placing candi, folded point  and open side of candi down into silicone. Keep as close together as possible maintaining a nice circle

·         When all in place (will take 10-12 candi) use index finger to level nicely into place, this should give just enough space for a nice candi centre

·         Take 2 candi and sandwich together, right side out, with a candi fix between.  Place a nice blob of silicone in the centre of flower to give some height to the centre and place candi centre on top (you could use to candi fix, one on top of the other, instead of silicone)

·         When glue is dry the unglued half of the circle at the back can be finished off by gluing down for a flat backed flower, left loose for a more 3D effect when applying to card or scrapbook page or can also be used to hide a cocktail stick before gluing in place and this will make a great cupcake pick.

Instructions: Lotus

You will need:

2 x 3cm circles

Candi – approx 20 – 26

Candi fix

Silicone glue

(not suitable for foiled candi as insides are white, no reason not to have outside petals foiled though!!)

·         Cut 2 light card circles approx 3cm in diameter for the base of flower

·         Fold one in half and apply adhesive to one half

·         Stick two circles together so that unglued half gives you something to hold whilst making flower

·         Apply candi fix to 10-12 candi

·         Stick candi around the outside of circle making sure to maintain a nice round shape

·         Take 10-12 candi and fold in half inside out (i.e. if you have dotty candi make sure dots are on inside of petal when folded) giving a good pinch to emphasise fold

·         Taking circle with candi around outside, apply a thick layer of silicone glue around inside circle close to edge of candi

·         Taking folded candi start to build inside layer of flower by placing candi, folded point down into silicone with open side of petal facing up. Keep as close together as possible maintaining a nice circle

·         When all in place (will take 10-12 candi) use index finger to level nicely into place, this should give just enough space for a nice candi centre

·         Take 2 candi and sandwich together, insides out, with a candi fix between, this will give a nice ‘cup’ like centre that can be filled with a pearl, gem, or liquid pearl dots.  Place a nice blob of silicone in the centre of flower to give some height to the centre and place candi centre on top (you could use to candi fix, one on top of the other, instead of silicone)

·         Place pearl, gem or liquid pearl in the centre to finish

·         When glue is dry,  the unglued half of the circle at the back can be finished off by gluing down for a flat backed flower, left loose for a more 3D effect when applying to card or scrapbook page or can also be used to hide a cocktail stick before gluing in place and this will make a great cupcake pick.

having a bit of a 'blue' moment when crafting!

Just love these colours from Craftwork Cards, the blues are so fresh and alive and sooooooooo classy!

Candi Wrap...

Couldn't find any wrapping paper suitable for a girlie gift without going shopping so used some crisp white tissue and dotted it with Craftwork Cards pink dotty candi.  It went down a treat and I think it looked really cute!

Mars x

been baking and crafting lots!

Chocolate with raspberry & chambourd meringue buttercream / chocolate with Baileys & dark chocolate - yummy!!

Vanilla & ground almond cupcakes with vanilla meringue buttercream.......

Great cupcake recipe, cooks in 20 mins!

 Ingredients

• 150ml pot greek/natural yogurt (have used lower fat but not fat free)
• 3 eggs , beaten
•  175g caster sugar 
•  175g unsalted butter , melted
•  140g self-raising flour (sifted)
•  1 tsp baking powder 
•   100g ground almonds
• tiny pinch salt

Buttercream

• 140g unsalted butter
• 140g icing sugar
• desired flavouring e.g. vanilla, melted choc, strawberry, lemon etc.

 

   Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases and heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.  Mix yogurt,

eggs & vanilla extract. Melt butter. Mix dry ingredients salt, into a large bowl and make a well in the middle.    Add the yogurty mix and melted butter, and quickly fold in with a spatula or metal spoon - don't overwork it. Spoon into the cases (they will be quite full) and bake for 18-20 mins or until golden, risen and springy to the touch. Cool for a few mins, then lift the cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely. Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze as soon as possible.

Decorate and enjoy!!

Mars x

Oh what a week!

What a week its been, Sunday again and it feels like its been a month and not a week since last Sunday, however onwards and upwards and lets hope this week will be a good one.  Lots to do too, I have a mountain of paper work to attack, lots of hospital appointments to sort out, appointments to attend and boring things like paying holiday home insurance and renewing TV license.  I do plan some fun crafting too though, have been asked to design and make some cards for a TV craft show and have to design and make some samples for a craft demo I'm doing in Suffolk on 15th October. 

I have some lovely ideas for cards, cupcake pics and decorations using Craftwork Cards fabulous Candi so hopefully I can put my ideas into practice and make things that I will be happy with, being a bit of a perfectionist can be a drawback when doing things for other people, it takes me twice as long as I keep redoing things!

A had a little bit of a baking blitz yesterday as my friend Katie came to spend the day with me.  Give Katie cake and she is happy forever, give her cake with chocolate and she absolutely glows.  In order to make her glow, and she surely did!, I made her a chocolate banana cake with rum soaked green sultanas, very yummy.  Its a recipe from Nigella and is the nicest banana cake I have ever eaten.

For my lovely friend Djamila I made some cranberry, almond and citrus biscotti, my own recipe, as she was having some special guests.  Unfortunately she hasn't been able to pop by to pick it up yet so the biscotti mountain is becoming more of a hill! Katie and myself had a couple of sneaky pieces yesterday and I had one this morning with a lovely large espresso....bliss!  Will post some pics later.

Watching the Great British Bake Off as I write this but will start crafting as soon as its over, love the show, second time watching this week, great for baking ideas. Programme over, TV off and off to the craft room for the afternoon, well a couple of hours at least, it is Sunday after all!! Back soon...........Mars x

A couple of pics so you know I haven't been slacking!!

Cupcake pics using paper, candi, ribbon &  diecut scalloped discs from Caraftwork Cards.  Decorate your cupcakes using your favourite butter cream or icing and pop a pic into topping to add a splash of pzazz!

Beautiful card stock from Inspire me and tiny little 3 layer (yes 3!!) flowers using a mixture of papers including Craftwok Cards and Inspire me, the centres of the flowers are made using tiny discs cut from pearlescent card using a tiny hole punch, tricky but effective.

Craftwork Cards winns they day again for card stock and supplies, watch out on their blog for details of how to make the flowers using Candi.

Mars x

Morning fellow crafters & cooks!

Its definitely a day for crafting here in London, its blowing a gale outside and raining heavily on and off.  There's nothing nicer than being all snuggied up indoors when its nasty outside, I love to hear the wind howling but be nice and warm and cosy indoors!!

The craft room is now lovely and tidy with everything in  its place (well most things!). I had a lovely weekend of crafting, tidying and laughing lots with two of my closest friends Bec & Djamila, no matter how bad life is we always manage to have a laugh or two and that's what makes them such fab friends.  Its Monday again, so am 'working' sorting out my cards and looking at what stock I have as I may have a stall at a craft fair on 25th September, have to ensure I have enough stock on the off chance that a stall becomes available.

The lovely Julie at Craftwork cards has posted some more of my 'creations' on their blog, that makes me happy - thanks Julie!

Off to have my first espresso of the day and start work.

Mars x

more Craftwork Card Samples

and there's more still more to add later!

Mars x