ICSketches 80

So here we are again, yesterday i knew i needed to make another card so i popped over to ICSketches and borrowed their new sketch.

I made this card up using Meljens Monday freebie which was so appropriate for the person I'm making it for (well i thought so) so i paper pieced it, looks like this is going to be my new method for some digital stamps lol. Played around with the sketch a bit and voila.

A Little Creative Time

So this morning i spotted two challenges care of Meljens Designs and couldn't help myself. A bit of paper piecing and voila :)

I think the Halloween theme is definitely getting the better of me as is the kinda distressed look, i used to think i hated it but I'm getting into it now. I had alot of Halloween stickers which have helped finish off the last two cards I've made. I am entering this in two challenges. Sketch 79 over at Inspirational Card Sketches - Meljens Designs found here and Challenge 21 over at Meljens Design Team and Challenge Blog found here.

The Challenges was to use this sketch 

and the other challenge was a colour challenge to use  Brown Orange and Teal, fun fun fun :)

Here's one i made earlier lol. I printed off a few different papers this morning so put this one together for a friends birthday.Thought i would share.

Recipe no. 3

Today i am using a recipe found here at Waitrose. This one has been in the cupboard a little while and i know I've used it several times. They are currently cooking in the oven and cooling on the rack :)

Ingredients

125g butter, softened
100g light brown soft sugar
125g caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
225g self-raising flour
½ tsp salt
200g chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
2. Cream together the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy. Slowly add the egg and vanilla, beating between each addition. Sift in the flour and salt and mix. Mix in the chocolate chips.
3. Roll the mix into balls the size of hazelnuts. Put on baking sheets lined with baking parchment (bake in batches). Bake for 10-12 minutes, until just golden. Cool on a rack and serve.

I have to say after making the Flapjack cookies at the beginning of the week they take some beating!

First impressions

They look great,

  They taste great,these are crunchy cookies as apposed to chewy but very moorish.

This recipe made enough to fill a plastic biscuit box

So i would give this recipe a 7/10

Stop Oh Yes Wait A Minute Mr Postman

Ok so yesterday i had a fantastic parcel come all the way from my dear friend Senta in Utah. I've never met Senta but like one or two ladies across the pond in the states we've become really good friends, as much as you can when you never see each other, thank goodness for Email, Facebook and Skype. So last year me and Senta decided to have a crafty swap which was great fun. This year we thought we'd do another one. It's sometime since we agreed to have another one but these things take time amongst all the normal day to day things we have going on. Anyway my parcel to Senta went a few weeks ago and she has it now and loved all her goodies only one of which i think i have a picture of which I'll try and add. Mine came yesterday and i have been stalking the postman for days lol.


Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow about sums it up. Now in my box was a combination of things. On my Ivy's Attic page i suggested a crafty swap which three of us took part in, me, Senta and Melissa. My item goes to Melissa and still needs posting. Melissa's parcel is going to Senta and is now in the post or has arrived but i was lucky enough to get Sentas creation. The theme to our crafty swap was to make something that represented us or where we come from...

Here it is, isn't it amazing. The card with the ribbon tells you a bit about Utah and on the box Senta has painted a little map about Utah. The cricket and the Seagull were in the box as the crickets were eating the crops and the seagulls ate the crickets and saved the crops (in a much more abbreviated story) Personally i think this is wonderful, thanks Senta, so much. Mwah.

This is the contents of my box layed out on the bed!

So amongst my amazing collection of goodies was a handmade cupcake which is adorable, a fabulous recipe book all pieced together, just for me, how exciting, can't wait to try out the recipes, a Reese's cake bar mix, which after the Drop Scone Mix at Christmas will be the most fun to make.

As well as that there is a magical Fairie magazine, a crafting magazine and a Dover book of Fairy folk transfers for me to play with :)

Then there is a tortoise making kit :) and some amazing Victorian hanging decorations which will look fab on my twiggy light up branches cause they're not Christmassy so i don't have to wait.

I am so chuffed with all my amazing goodies, how wonderful, it made my day thank you Senta :)

This is the candle jar i made for Senta which i haven't shared until now so it didn't spoil the surprise :)

Card Challenges with a seasonal twist ;)

Well i got to be creative today with this sweet image from Michelle Perkett found here she is called Mary Margaret The Teachers pet BUT having been in the startings of Halloween mood i wanted to do something completely opposite and did a naughty Mary, i think it worked too lol. I printed her off several times onto patterned papers and cut out the different elements and then glued them together, yes glued, I'm almost out of everything adhesive and my last double sided tape went missing two seconds after i got it out of the draw right up till i was almost finished lol. The sketch was from Paper Craft Planets Sketch group found here, this is what it looked like 

So here is Mary Margaret out trick or treating for Halloween i am entering this in the sketch challenge above and for challenge 41 over at Michelle Perkett Studio. Well done to all the new Design Team members :) I have also (thanks to Jan) entered this in  
Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps blog where the challenge is also to make a card using a Michelle Perkett digi and guess what Michelle is the sponsor too, three times a charm :)

Here it is