Girly But NO Pink...& THAT CAT!

Hi everyone, Saturday again and the second of my post's for Sweet Stampin.  Hope you are all well and settling back in to the normal routine of things.  Yesterday I took my eldest son back to Uni, so I have to say I'm a bit sad at the moment. That's him in 2nd year now and it's still hard to say bye as he heads off for another term.  Glad he's only an hour away though as I can always visit!

Right' back to Sweet Stampin business, today the theme is;

Girly but no Pink!

Not too hard a theme for me as I quite often don't do pink girly cards.  That said, because I was told not to this time, it kinda made me want to use it - how bizzar!

So, here's my card -

My card uses a fab Bugaboo image, MME Be Amazed papers and dies - Die-namics Retro Squares again for the middle strip and I think, a Marianne Flower.

Again there are a few sponsors for this challenge - Cuddly Buddly are offering the monthly winner a £10 voucher whilst the weekly prize winners will get a £10 voucher from the Ribbon Girl.

Challenges;
Polkadoodles - Anything goes - girly
Charisma Cards - Birthday
Digi Galore - Girly
Natalie & Amy's Challenge - One for the girlies
One Crazy Stamper - Anything Goes
Fab n Funky - Lets Celebrate
Fantastic Tuesday - Anything Goes
Krafty Girls - Anything Goes
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Blog - Cute & Sweet

Finally, a couple of cat pics.  For those of you that follow my blog you will know I have a 6 month old kiten called Merlot who loves to climb trees.  So, the latest adventure, my neighbours tree, here he is,

... he was up there for over an hour jumping about on the stumps till I eventually got the ladders out - again.  How many times does he need to get stuck in trees before he'll learn? Jx

New Beginnings - New Job

Today we have a new challenge over at Moving Along With The Times, we want to see your projects to do with

New Beginnings

And as I have to make a leaving card for one of my husbands colleagues, I have gone with a new job card.

My card uses a super Mo Manning digi, specially bought for the occasion. Papers are LOTV and then I used a border die and some bits and bobs to finish things off.

Challenges;

Crafty Sentiments - New
Ooh La LaCreations - Easel cards
Papertake - Anything New
Addicted Too Stamps & More - Use Markers
Crafters Caft - Anything Goes
Shopping Our Stash - Something New
Sweet Stamps - Kraft
Ready Teddy Go - New Beginnings
Winter Wonderland - Teddybears
Crafty Cardmakers - Bears
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes

And the die that you are all asking about...

Die-namics Retro Squares - I got mine from Dies to Die For here. Jx

New Beginnings - Baby Boy

Well, the schools are back, Alan returns to Uni at the end of the week and things are gradually returning to normal.

That means Tuesdays, and another Oldie But A Goodie Challenge - the first of 2014, and like many other challenges out there, we've gone with the theme of ;

New Beginnings

(Please also use an item older than 6 months on your project and tell us what it is)

So here's my card,

It uses very old Craft Creations papers, an old pre-coloured Pink Gem image and my lovely La-La Land banner die.

Quite a lot of the DT also went with baby cards, but you don't have to.  Check out what they made here.

Challenges;
Glitter n Sparkle - Anything goes
Hobbycutz - Anything goes
The Corrosive Challenge - New beginnings
A Gem of A Challenge - Something new - new baby
Chocolate Coffee & Cards - New beginnings
Jx

Sport & Fitness

Today is a very exciting day for me as it sees the beginning of my month long stint as a guest designer at Sweet Stampin.  I am so pleased to have been given the chance to work with the SS team and I'm looking forward to joining in with all their challenges this month - thanks ladies for asking me along.

So, the theme of this first challenge of 2014 is;

Sport & Fitness
Do you think the DT ladies are trying to nudge us in to action with this one???

For my card, I went with a sport dear to my son's heart - football, and this was the card I made for his birthday.

The paper is Basic Grey and the image, a super digi from Just Inklined, called Football Crazy.  The colours of the football boots reflect the current ones Alan wears, (& I clean!) and the glaze helps them have that plastic appearance that boots have nowadays.

Sponsoring this challenge and offering some great prizes are

Flat Friends - £15 voucher prize

Crafty Devils - £15 voucher prize

And the monthly sponsor is Cuddly Buddly who are giving away a £10 voucher prize -  so lots of prizes to be won!

Challenges; 

Charisma Cardz - Birthdays
Crafty Creations - Anything Goes
Papertake - Sketch 42

Passion for Promarkers - Use a sentiment

Brown Sugar - Ribbon or Twine

The Hobby House - Ribbon - but no HH product used so ignore my entry!

Allsorts - Free & Easy

For more details on this challenge & to see the rest of the DT makes, head back to the main Sweet Stampin Page.  Jx

Finally, a decision, (I think!) Race for Life - Think I'll sign up for it again this year, I'll sleep on the idea, then hopefully before this challenge is through I'll have signed up for it - maybe???

Cats

Morning everyone, after what seems like a huge crafting break, I'm now back upstairs and 2014 production has begun!

Today's card uses a lovely " A Day for Daisies" image available here - really love their stamps and you'll be seeing a few more of their images this year as that's what Colin got me for Christmas - clever boy!

Papers are an LOTV pad then the ribbon & lace were from my huge ribbon box and the clouds, Die-namics die-cuts.

Challenges;
Sketch n Stash - 129 -mirror image of sketch - hope that's ok?
CRAFT - Anything goes
Crafters Cafe - Animal Friends
Paper Shelter - Anything Goes
Sweet Stampin - A little bird told me
Bunny Zoe Crafts - Wings
A Day for Daisies - Anything Goes

Top 5 2013

Happy New Year everyone, hope you had a good night last night and wishing you all the best for 2014.

Looking back at 2013 now and I'm picking my favourite 5 cards for Debby's end of year round up.

So here they are, in no particular order,

Designed To Delight - Autnmn Colours

LOTV - Baby Card

Stampelkallan - Shirt

Bugaboo - Twine Time

Crafts & Me - Simply Charming

Hopefully later on today I'll have time to blog hop and see everyone elses top 5, but for now I think it's back to bed! Jx

Chocolate Torte

Just thought I'd post the recipe I used for my chocolate torte - it turned out to be rather yummy though I say so myself!

Serves 12
Prep Time 50mins + cooling & chilling
Cook Time 25 - 30 mins

This looks a complicated recipe but it's not, it's basically a sponge base with a mousse topping so read on...

Ingredients;

Sponge
75g SR flour
1/2 teasp baking powder
40g cocoa powder
125g softened unsalted butter
125g caster sugar
2 eggs
75g Bournville chocolate broken into pieces
4 tablesps orange liqueur or orage juice

Filling
2 teasps powdered gelatine
2 tablesps cold water
3 egg yolks
50g caster sugar
1 teasp cornflour
300ml milk
200g Bournville choc broken
300ml double cream

To Decorate
I grated white choc and had buttons but basically anything you want, mini eggs at easter, flake, buttons etc

Method
1. Grease a 9inch/23cm springform tin and line base.  Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into a bowl.  Add the butter, sugar and eggs and whisk well until smooth & creamy.  Transfer mix to tin and bake at 180C / 350F / Gas Mark 4 for 20-25 mins until firm.  Allow to cool either in tin if not making chocolate cuff or remove from tin if you are doing step 2 & 3.  (I omitted that bit!)  Drizzlewith liqueur/juice.

2. To make the chocolate collar to go round the cake, measure the circumference of the cake with a piece of string then cut a strip of greaseproof paper 1cm longer than this and 6cm deep.  Melt the sponge chocolate.

3. Spoon the melted chocolate along the paper strip, spreading it right to the edge on one side and making it wavey on the other.  Leave 1cm of paper free of choc at one end. Set aside for around 15 mins till choc is semi-set and does not run when paper lifted. Carefully wrap round sponge with straight edge on plate. Secure then cool whilst making filling.

4. Sprinkle the gelatine over the cold water in a bowl and leave to soften.  Beat the egg yolks in a bowl with the cornflour, sugar and a little milk.  Put the remaining milk in a pan and bring just to boil.  Pour the milk over the yolk mix and whisk well.  Return the mix in the pan to the heat and gently heat till thickened but do not boil as mix may curdle.

5.  Remove from heat and stir in gelatine till dissolved.  Add the chocolate and leave until melted.  Cover bowl with a piece of greaseproof to prevent a skin forming.  Leave to cool and beginning to just thicken then remove greaseproof paper.

6.  Whip cream until peaking then fold into chocolate mix, then pour over sponge.  Chill for 1-2 hours then remove greaseproof from cuff and decorate.

Five Five Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Before things really get going in our house I thought I'd join Debby with my top 5 Christmas cards this year.

Lot's of new stamp companies included in my line up this year, and the big surprise is, all my favourites come from digi's this year - not a rubber stamp in sight!

Anyway here are my favourites in no particular order;

We Three Geese by Rick St Dennis

Something Red by Delicious Doodles

Miley Mouse by Wee Stamps

Christmas in July Day 4 - Bugaboo

Christmas Cat - Mo Manning

Finally I'd just like to thank Debby for running this challenge again and to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Jx

Tartan or Check

Ooh, it's Christmas Eve, and just like the elves I'm busy working - well cooking actually - a chocolate torte! But before I get started, I want to tell you about the new challenge over at an Oldie But A Goodie where Sarah has chosen the theme of;

Tartan or Check

(Remember also to use an item older than 6months on your project and to tell us what it is)

My oldie was the Snowy stamp - and the papers come to think of it!(Courtesy of Sam again as this stamp has been out of stock - everywhere!) (Thanks, Jx)

And the prize this time is a gorgeous Christmas stamp donated by my lovely teamie Sarah - It's the Little Claire one shown below,

called "Christmas Changing Tree."

Challenges;
Stampin for The Weekend - Anything goes
Milk Coffee Challenge - Any Christmas Creation
Papertake - Last Christmas
Crafty Calender - Cold & Frosty
CHCC - Something not shown already
PBSC - Christmas
Charisma Cards - Anything Goes
In The Pink - Christmas
Stamping Sensation - Free & Easy
Cutie Pie - Snowmen Only

Finally I'd just like to wish you all a Very Happy Christmas and to thank you all for visiting my blog throughout the year and also for leaving such lovely comments. Jx

Colours @ MAWTT

So who keeps pinching all the time at the moment?  One minute it was summer and the next it's a week off Christmas - so close guys and am I organised, hmm? Think time will tell!

To escape all the stresses of the season I sneaked upstairs on Tuesday night and finished off my card for the new challenge over at Moving Along With The Times where the challenge this time is 

Colours

Using the ones shown below:

Now these aren't colours I'd normally go with and not ones I had papers for, (- there's always an excuse isn't there!) so I HAD to buy this gorgeous double sided 12 x 12 sheet by MME.  Loved both sides, but in the end went with the flowery side as it had more of the required colours.

The card then uses a super LOTV image - first time I've used it.  It's coloured with Promarkers then the flowers and leaves are made from both dies & punches.

Quite pleased with the end result and so pleased I've finished making Christmas cards for this year.

So that's what I did - there's loads more lovely inspiration on the main DT page and the challenge runs right through till 2nd Jan to give you extra time to join in.

Challenges;
Crafty Sentiments - Birthdays
Fan-Tastic Tuesday - Punches & Dies
Crafty Bloggers Network - Girly
Sketch Saturday - Sketch 253

Crafty Little Fairies - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz - Anything Goes

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes - Challenge 50

Anything Goes @ Diva's

Morning everyone, before I tell you about the new challenge at Diva's by Design, I want to share with you a picture of  Merlot - now outside and climing trees.  He loves climbing trees - the higher the better, only problem is he's rubbish at getting down and invariably falls.  We had the camera out at the weekend hoping to get a nice shot of him sitting in my newly pruned tree, but just as the shutter clicked - he fell!

That aside, I now want to tell you about the latest challenge over at Diva's by Design, a nice easy one this time around, and it runs till 7th Jan, so plenty time to craft.  What we want is

Anything Goes

And sponsoring us this time are the super Flat Friends  by Emma Canning who are giving the winner digi's of choice.

For my card, I went with not one, but 2 Flat Friend digi's to create a living room scene all Christmassy and warm with a cat sat on the window ledge - this is where Femo my 5yr old cat likes to be. ( Santa's Been & Winter) Not outside falling out of trees!

 

Now the silicon glue and the glossy accents were both out in force here, the glue to raise tree layers & the cat and the accents for the double glazing!

Papers are Fancy Pants - Winterland and colouring by Promarker - and that's about it!

Challenges;
Little Miss Muffet - You've been framed - does the window frame count - sorry if it doesn't?
Papertake - Christmas Creatures - The cat
Krafty Hands - Anything Goes
Holly Jolly Christmas - Anything Goes
Kaboodle Doodles - Non Traditional Christmas Colours
Card Crafters Circle - Celebrations
Crafty Sentiments - Christmas
Deep Ocean - Santa is coming

Winter

Welcome to another challenge over at an Oldie But A Goodie.  Today our theme is set as

Winter

(Please remember to use something older than 6 months on your project and to tell us what it is. )

And the prize for our lucky winner this time is from Robyn's Fetish.

My card uses a great new Bugaboo image called Season's Greeting Feet and again is of a CAS design so that I don't get hit with large postal charges!

As you can see I've made a few of these, keeping the image the same but altering the ribbon.  (The ribbons are all over 6 months old) As for the image, well its coloured by Promarker, then Santa's boots are given a glossy accent finish and a flock trim and the snowman is glittered all over.

Challenges;

Sweet Stampin - Ribbons
Word Play Saturday - Snowman
Keep it Simple - Snow
Stampin for the Weekend - Use some red
Winter Wonderland - Embossing
The Ribbon Girl - Ho Ho Ho Christmas Challenge

Bugaboo Holiday Chaos

Clearly my Bugaboo radar was needing a clean, as I almost missed this one!

Yup folks it's been another crazy Bugaboo week with daily challenges and loads of prizes as they host their Holiday Chaos Event!

So after a mad rush, I think I have managed to complete the challenge with the following entries;

Day 1 - Stella Says Sketch - Use sketch Supplied.

Day 2 - Gift Wrapped - Something for a gift - a tag

Day 3 - Cozy By The Fire - Use the image supplied - Cocoa & holiday music - use the colours chocolate & silver.

Challenges:
Passion For Promarkers - Sketch

Day 4 - Ugly Sweater - Create a funny card using the colour combo red, blue & cream + a reindeer

Challenges:
Sweet Sketch Wednesday - Sketch 235

Day 5 - Favourite Holiday Treat - Spiked Egg Nog - Punched border, Fiskars Holly; Polka Dots, LOTV paper, Glitter & an item of choice - ribbon.

Day 6 - Photo inspiration & freebie to use

Challenges;
Friday Sketch Challenge - Carole's lovely sketch
I Love Promarkers - For A Child

Day 7 - Anything goes for Christmas

Challenges;
ABC Xmas - No squares allowed - rectangle
Papertake - Anything Goes

As I have so much going on at the moment and this challenge appeared from no-where I've just done a huge Chaotic Post - hope that was ok? Jx

Sketch Time at MAWTT

Remember Etch-a- Sketch?  Wonder if it will go down on anybody's Christmas list this year.  It was something I always wanted, but sadly Santa never got me one.  Those were the days when Santa didn't always get you what you thought you wanted!

Hopefully we will have a Sketch that you'll all want this time over at MAWTT, as Hazel has put pen to paper and come up with this...

So follow the sketch and you could win three super digi images from Scrapper's Delights if you are the lucky winner.

Over at the DT, we were lucky enough to get to pick an image and I went with this lovely Victorian Lady.  She came black & white & pre-coloured, and there were lots of lovely images to pick from, so do check out their site here.

Store is  http://scrappersdelights.com/store/

Initially I planned to use the pre-coloured image, but as I didn't have blue papers to match I went with paper-piecing instead.  Now she was a bit fiddly in places, but over all I love her MME outfit.  The rest of my colouring is by Promarker.

Challenges;

Crafty Creations - Anything except Xmas

Creative Creations - Make your own flowers - mine is made from a die