Tulip decoupage - Just relaxing

Lynn and I went to the Kraft shop last week and found these charming decoupage images.
I got the just relaxing pack, Lynn got birthday wishes, see here for her cards - we often share packs :)
Unfortunately they are die-cut, I prefer to cut my own :(
The quality is not too bad although you still need to trim them.

These are the cards I made with mine.

I used the leftover pieces to decorate the insides too as above

The only additional materials I used were some CWC card blanks, DCVW textured cardstock in pale blue and green and ribbons.

New home card

Therese asked me to make a new home card before I left work.

I used an A5 card and punched the edge with a Martha Stewart deep edge punch.

The papers are from the Prima Sparkling Spring range along with some lemon bazzill.

I added a strip of patterned paper inside the card too under the lace edge.

Candi was added along the scalloped edge.

The decoupage is Jolly Nation.

TFL

xxx

Dave's 30th

A sad but happy day today if thats possible?

My last day at my current job - I am sad to leave but happy that I won't have that awful commute on the trains anymore. But....I will miss my colleagues one of whom is celebrating his 30th birthday today.

This is the card I made for him.

A 6x6" CWC card with brown bazill frame and papers from the SU pad I got from Zoe last year (A 12x12 which is lasting really well even though it's getting a lot of use!)

The image is from an SU set (Cheers to you I think its called) which I masked and stamped several times to create a few celebratory pints!

Coloured with Copics, the froth is distress stickles.

I added little dots of a gelly roll stardust pen which makes it look like the beer has bubbles :)

Have a happy birthday Dave - will miss you :(

TFL

xxx

What a weekend!

Tomorrow, Monday, is my last day at my current job and I wanted to make

cupcakes to take in.

On Saturday morning I got up and started to make the cake mix when the Kenwood Chef blew up!

Yes, blew up, made a crackling noise and started chucking out thick black smoke!

Once I had unplugged it double quick and put it outside I realised that my plans had just gone out the window - well the front door to be literal.

If the truth be known, the mixer was about 35-40 years old as it belonged to my Mother originally so it has done very well really.

I had to revert to the Kenwood food processor which, although good, is not as good as the Chef and also a hand blender.

With a lot more effort and hard work, I managed to make the cakes - 45of them in total.

Then I made Lavender Shortbread too, but was not 100pc happy with the result.

Sunday came and Lynn popped round to play (scrapbooking), I was in the middle of my second attempt at Lavender shortbread at the time :)

When she had gone I set about the buttercream topping, again with the processor.

These are the resuts.....

Iced to look like roses...

Some packed for work...

with irridescent edible glitter..

and purple...(and pink - not photographed)

Some for us at home.

Once the buttercream had run out, I juiced the lemons, the rind of which was used for the shortbread, to make some glace icing.

Mmmmm, no pictures of the shortbread, shall have to take some tomorrow.

Then off to the craft room to make the following for Georgia.

She had liked the Faye Whittaker decoupage cards which I made last week but wanted three children on it as her sister has two girls and one boy.

I used two sheets of decoupage and added the boy into this image.

Below is a close up.

On a more positive note, my lovely husband has been on the internet and ordered me a new Kenwood Chef which will be delivered on Tuesday - I am a very lucky girl!

Scrapology June Card Challenge II

Following on from yesterday's launch on Scrapology of the June card challenge, I also made this card.

Using the last (for now) of the Faye Whittaker decoupage that I made up the other weekend, I created this 8x8" card. Three strips of Kay & Co papers were mounted onto red bazzill and positioned vertically on the card. I then added the same mount to the decoupage and placed it onto the card with 3d foam pads.

I added one of the pre-printed messages to the bottom edge.

A close up of the image.

This is the sketch we are using this month...

Why not hop on over to Scrapology to see the other DT examples and enter the challenge?

Thanks for looking

xxx

Scrapology June Card Challenge - Thats Crafty

Our June challenge was set by Laura at Thats Crafty.

Laura stocks the amazing Sweet Pea stamps which have featured a lot on my blog recently.

The image below is Purple Woods by Ching Chou Kuik and is coloured with Copics.

The card is a 6x6" from Craftwork Cards in lime tp which I added three panels of Magnolia paper.

I ran an edge with Platinum stickles around each one.

The image is double mounted onto purple and lime bazzill as is the birthday message (also CWC) and punched with SU scallop and circle.

Below is a close up of the image, they are so beautiful to colour in.

You can't really see here but I have dotted stickles onto the trees behind.

This is the sketch we used.

Why not pop over to the Scrapology blog to see the other DT examples and take part in this challenge.

A fabulous prize will be on offer again, check back in a few days.

Dont forget to follow the blog to be in with a chance to win.

Faye Whittaker Decoupage III

And some more....

Another A5 card with the same papers as before.

I added a little strip with lemon ribbon and a knot to the bottom.

I loved this image, it makes you want to follow them down the path - don't you think?

An 8x8" card here, this Kay & Co pad seemed to really compliment these images.

Red Tulips at the top and script at the bottom, joined with the ribbon and simple knot again.

As I said previously, I really don't think that these images need much else on the page.

Such beautiful artwork.

TFL

xxx

Faye Whittaker Decoupage II

Here are some more of the Faye Whittaker cards...

An A5 cream pearlescent card layered with more Kay & Co papers and lemon bazzill.

I added one of the pre-printed messages to this one as it was quite masculine.

A5 card papers from the same Kay & Co pad (Blue Tulips I think its called) layered with purple bazzill.

I added a strip of lace to this one, I think it was from the Laurence Llewellyn Bowen collection.

A close-up of the decoupage.

These were lovely to cut out too.

A little decoupage............and a plan...

Last week at our monthly crop I cut out and made up some decoupage sheets by Faye Whittaker.

The are from the All Our Yesterdays - In the Garden range and were bought from Cardinal Colours.

I always put double sided tape on the first layer of decoupage if I am not making the card straight away so that it can be easily added to my design once I'm ready.

This first one is an 8x8" CWC card which I have used Kay&Co papers on.

I added a matt of gold mirri card and a red ribbon with a knot.

A touch of stickles was added to look like the droplets from the watering can.

The second one is also mounted onto an 8x8" card with some papers from Prima Sparkling Spring Collection (also Cardinal Colours) a little lemon bazzill and a ribbon again with a knot.

Personally I think detailed decoupage like this does not need any further embellishments on the page as the artwork speaks for itself.

What do you think?

Now, for the plan.......

A few years back Robert and I had a long weekend near Bordeaux in the South of France.

A local restaurant had lavender creme brulee on the menu so I gave it a try.

First you had the lovely crackle of the sugar topping followed by the rich creamy taste and texture of the dessert and finally a hint of aroma which was the lavender. It was a delight and something that has stuck in my mind, so, it got me thinking and below you can see my latest purchase.

Watch this space to see what follows :)

TFL

xxx

Lemon Iced Cupcakes

Tuesday night I made these :)

I was asked to share the recipe, so, here goes:

Pre-heat the oven to 180c/Gas mark 6.

150g Self Raising Flour
150g Caster Sugar
150g Margarine (I prefer Stork)
2 eggs at room temperature
1 tsp of vanilla extract

The method recommended is:

Cream the sugar and margarine until light, fluffy and a creamy colour.
Beat the eggs and add to the mix with 2-3tbs of flour to prevent curdling.
Stir in the sieved flour in a figure 8 motion with a metal spoon.

Personally - I have my Mum's old Kenwood Chef so I do the all-in-one method and mix on full power until light and creamy.

The above mix should make 12 cupcakes.
Fill the cupcake cases to halfway and try to avoid getting any mixture on the top as it will burn.

The recipe recommends baking in the oven for 10/11 minutes then turning the tray and baking for a further 8/10 minutes. I was sceptical about this as I had alway been told never to open the oven or they would sink, however, I have to confess that I tried it and all was well and the cakes do come out more even.

Once cooked allow to cook on a rack.

For the icing I used some Icing sugar (not measured) into a bowl, I added 2-3tsp of Lemon oil that I got from Lakeland at the weekend and a few tsp of water. Mix into a paste then spoon and smooth onto the cake tops.

Robert gave them 10/10 :)

Karen's 40th

Denise's colleague Karen (the one I made a card for her Dad's 70th) has just celebrated her 40th birthday.

Denise asked me to make this Memory book card for her.

Its 2 x A5 cards stuck together again to form a "Z" shape with a pocket in the middle with tags for all her work colleagues to write their messages.

Papers are from my stash as are the letters on the cover.

The orange section opens out as below..

This is the other inside spread.

And the back cover which hides the ribbon closure.

Karen, I hope you had a fabulous birthday :)

xxx

Christmas in June?!?!?

Not early blogging this, just late!

I made this last christmas for my niece of her daughter Megan.

Its a 6x6" album which I painted with red and gold acrylic paints then used the remainder of my MME Christmas paper pack to decorate.

The crystal letters came from Hobbycraft as did the poinsettia flower attached to the front cover.

I hope she likes it when I remember to give it to her lol! :)