Big Ben

 

Simon and Carol bought me this lovely Lego kit for my birthday - yes I do love Lego!

I used to spend many a happy hour when Simon was small helping him construct all sorts of things, I even had some of my own as a child which I used to build houses etc with - certainly not as advanced as the components today though!

 

I so enjoyed putting this together, Lianne helped too.

 

 

Isn't it fabulous....

 

The attention to detail is excellent.

 

Thank -you - I love it!

Christmas Layouts designed by Lynn

Lynn taugh these beautiful pages at the Cardinal Colours Retreat recently.

Check out her beautiful originals here.

Here a my versions.......

 

 

I added some punched snowflakes and extra gems,

 

My large snowflakes were sprayed with CC Spray and Sparkle in silver.

 

The letters I already had in my collection.

 

The second page I chose to do with the red background.

I always buy silly hats or Tiara's for Christmas dinner and this photo shows Robert with his antlers :)

 

These rosettes were glittered with the glue in the kit.

 

Thanks for a fabulous class Lynn, it was great fun to do :)

xxx

 

Autumnal birthday cards

 

Still catching up with my blogging - I have been bad lately!

 

These are cards I made for my crop friends - they only received them in November so couldn't show them before!

 

I used a stamp set from Woodware that I bought recently and based them on a design I saw instore.

Scraps were cut into 2" squares and stuck onto card.

I them stamped with a black ink onto the panel and mounted it onto black and a card with patterned paper.

 

 

The greeting is another new purchase from LOTV which I layered onto SU circle and scalloped punches. A row of gems were glued around the edge to add sparkle.

 

Being a new stamp, I wasn't happy with the depth of colour so tried to stamp over.

Not a good idea as I was slightly off :(

I saved the situation by using a glue pen and some irridescent glitter to add shadow.

I think it worked - happy accident?

 

The second was done the same way - sorry but I've just realised the photo is really blurred.

 

 

This time the stamp worked much better but I still added touches of glitter.

 The same stamped greeting was used but this time I used tiny gems (2mm) to edge it. 

 

Happy (Belated) Birthday to Chris and Zoe.

 

xxx

November bake off

I've had a busy month baking, first I tried Banana Muffins with toffee flavoured buttercream.

I even made the toffee :)

They are topped with little fudge pieces.

 

 

And Apple & Cinnamon cake.

I adjusted this recipe as I didn't have almond essence and flaked almonds so added the cinnamon instead.

 

 

I also made 50+ cupcakes for my birthday and forgot to take photos!

They had banana muffins as above (2nd batch) double chocolate with chocolate buttercream, Chocolate Peanut butter - a reeces peanut buttercup in a chocolate cupcake with chocolate and peanut butter icing, Strawberry and Coconut ones and of course Vanilla roses.

Think they went down well - all disappeared fast!

 

Then, I was asked to make Lyla a Peppa Pig cake for her 2nd birthday.

I started with a 12x12 sponge which I carved and sandwiched with buttercream and strawberry jam.

Looked like a bunny at this stage! :)

 

Then I covered a board with blue and green fondant to make a background.

 

And here is the finished cake in situ.........

 

Flowers were added with her name and age - which I then glittered.

I was quite pleased with the result but need to practice piping royal icing though.

 

And 30 vanilla rose cupcakes to go with it!

 

Hope you had a lovely birthday Lyla.

 

xxx

A sad card to make...........

One of my colleagues at work asked me to make a card for her friend who tragically lost her baby late in pregnancy. It always makes me sad to hear stories like these, it's so heartbreaking to lose anyone, let alone a baby.

 

She liked the peach/cream card I made recently for a 60th anniversary so I adapted the design and incorporated a poem she found.

 

 

I added Guipure lace to the edges and pearls.

 

a spray of butterflies....

 

and a bird on a branch....

 

And a box to keep it in too.

 

God bless and keep him

x



Wicked and the Rainforest Cafe.

For my birthday at the beginning of this month, I was treated to the Theatre and Dinner in London by my daughter, Lianne and my husband, Robert.

 

First we went to the Apollo Victoria and saw Wicked!

Wow! It was fabulous and we really enjoyed it!

 

 

The onto Leicester Square and the M&M shop.

I'm sad to say that they don't sell the peanut butter variety though! :(

Anyone off to the US that can bring some back?

They do, however, have a rainbow of colours as below!

 

 

 And some lovely characters too.....

 



 

Followed by The Rainforest Cafe in Shafetsbury Avenue.

We went here many years back and Lianne loved it although the food at the time was not brilliant.

This time it was the opposite and we had a fanastic meal.

 

Pre-dinner drinks gave me a Tiger's tail..........

 

 

And begs the question "Does my bum look big in this?"

(no comments please!) :)

We sat in the Butterfly Garden...

 

 

with large, mechanical butterflies.

Next door was a herd of Elephants...

 

And I had a chocolate volcano cake!

 

In the shop above, we were greeted by these lovely vibrant frogs...

 

And this fabulous Croc wished us Goodbye :)

 

 

Had a fabulous day - Thanks Robert & Lianne

xxxx

 

 

 

 



Elephants on Parade (still)...

Theses photo's are from my Elephants on Parade collection that are still waiting to be scrapped.

I finished the page which was started at the Merly Impressions weekend retreat back in June - so behind :(

 

The papers are from the Hopscotch collection and I have added a few extra elements.

 

 

I tied some coloured twin onto the punched edge of this note card.

 

My journalling was printed on the computer and layered with the note cards below with a addition of an arrow.

 

I layered, glossed and glittered the floral elements below.

 

And added jewels along the edge of this arrow.

Below is Chrissy's original layout.

 



 

Glad I've finally completed it but still have the btp frame to do.

Thanks Chrissy :)