Chocolate Mousse and Teacups

I had the pleasure of my niece staying with me the other night on a trip home from Uni. She is a great lover of cooking particularly desserts! So out came my vintage china and lots of chocolate, and this is the result.

This is one of Nigella's easy chocoloate mouse recipes which you can find here.

She found my royal icing stash so we had a go at making some roses. Oh and we added some Cointreau to the cream for good measure ;o).


The teacups are part of a set with sideplates that I got from a charity shop in the summer. I love how the cups are hexagonal shaped.

We had lots of icing left over which rather than being used to create some delicate flowers it ended up like this!

Think we will stick to the roses! xx

More cards

There are sooo many November birthdays in my family! Below are a few more cards that I've made for the relevant family members. Not 100% happy with this bunch but my blog is about the good and the bad so post them I must!

K&Company Hopscotch papers

K&Company tags from an embellishment kit

Printed card from a Papermania boxed collection

Prima flowers and Brenda Walton chipboard sentiment

One of my flowers I made for a Pink Petticoat challenge, waste not want not!

Bit of bling from my stash

Cake was cut out of foam with Quickutz 4x4 die cake set
Glitter handmade paper from stash

Chipboard shapes and some paper from stash.

All these birthdays add up to a lot of cake! Needless to say my jeans are a tad on the tight side at the mo and I've still got the Christmas food to come ;o). Thanks for popping by. xx

Another year older, how did that happen!

Have been a very lucky girl today, got to have a lovely lunch with my nan, mum and sister. French toast, crispy bacon and maple syrup was my request and it was scrummy.

Look at the little gifts and cards they got me. Most of the cards were magic ones, you know the kind that money falls out of when you open them!

My sister also got me the wooden heart and sweet little crochet purse. She thought the words were very appropriate as people are always asking what do I do with my time!

We also had cake and did you know that Tesco now do that Dime bar cake you get at Ikea, that's me done for on the weight front then;o) Did go for a walk in our beautiful park afterwards though, it was so lovely and windy, my fave weather, and still loads of leaves to run through like a child.

Off to my favourite Indian restaurant tonight with the OH. Gosh there's a real food theme going on here, best not get on the scales for a few days eh! xx

Wedding and Baby

A couple of more cards commissioned to take back to the States with my Aunt.

Who else but Anna Griffin produces such timeless classic designs in paper craft. Oh so elegant and transferrable to weddings.

Added a contemporary twist but using some shocking pink satin ribbon as a real contrast to the pale grey of the papers. Made an envelope liner with co-ordinating paper.


Thought this sentiment was just beautiful, printed it onto A4 cream paper and folded to make the insert.

The two little doves were enhanced by using a glue pen to trace along their wings and then sprinkled them with antique gold fine glitter.

Oh baby it's another shower! This time I put a brolly on the card which was just cut out of cardstock from a drawing found on Clipart.

Those cardstock alphabet stickers I have had for ages, by American Crafts and from QVC. Forgot I had them to be honest, I know probably have too much stuff!! Anyway they are really great quality and love the muted colours of them.

The edges of the brolly were glittered as were the two white stripes going across the background paper.


Supplies List:

Papers - Anna Griffin
Glitter - stash
Cardstock - Anita's
Alphabet stickers - American Crafts
Ribbon - stash

Sitting here watching QVC with K&Company

I should really be in bed but it's a K & Company TSV on QVC shopping channel tonight. It's a giant 12x12 paper pad of 360 sheets, 120 designs 3 of each one! And all for the bargain price of £23.16 +p&p! That's just 7p per sheet, not bad eh!
Megan their representative always has such lovely and imaginative samples to demonstrate on the show. She is on during tonights show with Dawn Bibby and then back on again tomorrow evening at 8pm if you want to see more of her demos/products.



Now I know I definitely don't need anymore paper but what's a girl to do at this price! xx

Deck the Halls!!

Well it is November so it's okay to get excited about decorating our homes for the festive period! My local garden centre always has a huge section dedicated to all things Christmasy and is a must visit for me and my each year.

I shan't be waffling on in this post, just thought you'd like to take a browse through the goodies with me. I must point out that silly me forgot to take my camera so had to resort to the mobile phone, so apologies about the quality/slightly strange colours!

Let's start with the kiddies shall we

These shelf hooks in both piccies had to be one of my faves!

Oh and the mini knitted tree garments were just divine!

And looked great on this tree.

Fabric hearts by Gisele Graham

So soft and squidgy, love that word!

Cor where's me sunglasses!

Easy to do yourself with circles and a pot of glitter!

Traditional anyone!

Hold on a minute, isn't there meant to be just one Santa Claus!

Reckon this is the real one, by far the best looking of the bunch!

For the grown up kids!

They all played lovely tunes!

Look what's in my belly!

Looks like his elves have been busy making.

Dinky little hotties.

More Gisele Graham

Very country

Gingerbread anyone!

Or how about it'll be all white on the night!

Very calming, although the snow queen does look a bit jaundiced!

Up close.

Hearts and stars

More squidginess, the snowman just at the right is so cute!

So what type are you then? Me I'm a kinda country/traditional style, makes me feel all cosy and safe! xx

Baby Shower Card

Hmmm, I've been absent for a while haven't I. With good reason though, my Aunt is over from the States for a few weeks and like me she loves to thrift and craft so have been pretty busy taking her to local charity shops and antique fairs.

Anyway just popped in to share a card and money holder I made for my sister who is going to be an Auntie in January. The expectant mother is having a baby shower tonight, very American, my Aunt has been filling us in with the all the protocols of such an event. I tell you the American's aren't daft you know, they have showers for babies and showers for brides, plus the usual presents on the day, wedding day, birth of baby etc! Big business over there!

They already know it is going to be a boy so couldn't go all girlie and pink which I would have just loved!

The paper in the background is from my wrapping stash.

The card blank was a pre printed one (very handy) in boy friendly patchwork colours

Added some chipboard shapes, a couple of K&Co 3d stickers and the obligatory ribbon.

As well as a present they are also giving some money. This wallet was made using a template by Anna Griffin. Much nicer than just stuffing some cash in an envelope don't you think.

These large chipboard letters are great for monograms and embellishing.

Got to go get dressed now, yep still in my PJs! Sun is shining here so I am going to be good and walk down to my local town. Well you never know what you might find................ xxx

Cat and Mouse

View from my lap as I'm typing this post!

How am I supposed to get my work done then! Do you think he knows it is a mouse ;o) xx