It's the season to be baking - tra la la la la, la la la la!!! Christmas cakes, mince pies, cupcakes.....baked, decorated and eaten - well I still have one undecorated Christmas cake in the cupboard, but since everyone has consumed a years worth of calories in a matter of days, I think the Christmas cake will stay put for a while yet.

The one thing which one of my sons always ask for at Christmas is a baked cheesecake.....which we all like....... but every Christmas?? This year to incorporate several likes, I made a trio of desserts, baked cheesecake with berries, chocolate brownies with ice cream and a brandy-snap with white chocolate mousse. (The ice cream I bought, but everything else was made at home including the slightly tangy berry sauce).

Now brandy snaps has to be the most fiddly things to make!!! I made two at a time, and made just enough for one each - no there was none for seconds - I just couldn't devout the patience! The brownies were simple and easy to make and the cheesecake was just as easy and there was plenty of left overs which disappeared by the 27th!!

The picture shows a huge portion, but we all had a half a portion of brownie and cheesecake after our Christmas dinner - I couldn't cut the brandy snap down!!

Today.....I have an urge to bake.......but I think the hubby would have a fit if I produce anything sweet for the next few weeks lol - ooh but anything savoury would make him happy so mini smoked salmon frittatas and quiche for the boys will make everyone happy!

Vanilla cupcakes for School Christmas Party

December crept in rather quickly........as we found out on Thursday morning when the youngest son got out of bed......to no advent calendar!!!!!! Okay it was a mix of getting one later, having a look at some upmarket ones online but then deciding against it and then of course realising on Thursday morning that we hadn't actually got any!!! We duly explained to a the younger son that he would be getting his after school as dad was off work and would go and get him one.........only to find by that evening..........we couldn't actually even buy one in our town!!!

Not wanting to make younger son think that he would be the only child without an advent calendar.....I told him (without thinking) that I would make him one after he had gone to bed and he would then be able to open up two windows the next morning.........he of course went to bed rather excited and very happy.

At eight thirty on Thursday night, I was beginning to wonder why I had even opened my mouth to suggest I would make him one and even more so......to start making one after eight thirty at night!!!! Having searched through my stash and a little help from Google......sour cream packets were born!!

I had some thick pearl A4 papers from Crafters Companion. I cut each sheet into four equal size rectangles, used some double sided tape to glue together two of the sides, trimmed with some fiskars scallop edge scissors, and finished of with a punched hole at the top and bit of fuzzy wool and a line of string and paper clips to hang it. Numbers generated on the computer and punched out using a circle punch.

By midnight it was all assembled........I managed to find two treats for days 1 and 2 and the advent calendar was ready. He wasn't to know the other packets were empty......until a mad dash to the shops on Friday afternoon!!

The next morning.....the facial expression said it all.......he was so pleased with the "world's biggest advent calendar"............we have to meticulously take down each one and he takes out the treat, then it has to be hung back up.............it is his biggest pride and joy!!!

I am going to showcase this on Make it Monday.........for all the hours it took.........it still goes to show how a little paper, tape and imagination can bring happiness to someone.

It's pie season - pumpkin pie, mince pies - you name it, its in some kind of pie at this time of the year! This week I have baked whoopie pies - they went to the schools cake sale for the girls book club and on the weekend (yesterday), our first batch of mince pies!! These have to be the poshest mince pies - sweet shortcrust pasty, topped with a Viennese biscuit topping, so they are light, buttery and crisp and who cant resist a buttery biscuit????

Recipe:

Makes 16 large (muffin pan) or 30 small (mini muffin pan)

Pastry:

80z plain flour

4 0z butter

1 tablespoon sugar

1 medium egg (beaten)

Viennese Topping

6 oz butter (softened)

1 1/2 oz icing sugar

6 oz plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

Filling : 1 lb mincemeat (the sweet fruit kind - Tesco (UK) finest with Brandy and Port is fantastic)

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5

To make the pastry - sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, then mix in enough egg to make a firm dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about a minute until smooth. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.

To make the Viennese topping: beat together the butter and the icing sugar until pale and fluffy. Sift over the flour and the baking powder and beat in. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with large star nozzle.

Roll out the pastry thinly and cut to the approximate size of the muffin hole using a cutter. Line the muffin tins with the pastry circle and divide the mincemeat between the pastry lined tins.

Pipe the Viennese topping over the mincemeat in swirls then bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes in the tins. Remove from the tins and place on a cooling rack. Serve warm or cold.

The pies will keep for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container.

Warm days, cold days, warm days, cold days........what's up with the weather????? Everyone seems to have been coughing, sniffing and sneezing over the past weeks and for the past four days, I have found myself in the same boat!

The queues in the shops are beginning to increase.....stressed out people in car parks trying to find a park as close to the shop as possible.....oh how I remind myself why I like the internet at this time of the year!!!

After a run of no baking - its the last thing you need to do when you're sniffing - I had to bake the guys something yesterday.......they look forward to the creations that come out of the kitchen and at least I get feedback!! A roulade means not much handling with the hands (the biggest passer on of the cold), or should I say not much touching with the hands, because its covered with paper for rolling up too.

This went down a treat last night..... by nine o'clock, hubby and middle son was eating their third slice each (I know....... alright for some) - Chocolate roulade with white chocolate and raspberry filling.

Chocolate Roulade

Oven temperature 180 degrees Celcius, 23 x 33 baking tray greased and lined with baking paper (or a rectangular roasting tin of the same size :) )

For the cake:

175g caster Sugar

6 large eggs

200g dark chocolate (I used 45 % cocoa content)

For the filling:

200 ml extra light double cream (Elmlea has half the fat of other brands)

150g white chocolate

150g fresh raspberries

To make the cake:

Melt the dark chocolate and allow to cool. Separate the eggs into to large mixing bowls. Make sure the egg whites go into a bowl which is grease free other wise they will fail to whisk. Whisk the egg whites until thick and forming soft peaks (if you turn your bowl upside down they should stay in the bowl), then in another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the caster sugar until pale, thick and creamy.

Fold the chocolate into the egg yolk mixture using a large metal spoon, being careful not to knock the air out of the mixture.

Add two large spoonfuls of egg white to the chocolate mixture and fold in using the large metal spoon, until all traces of the egg white have disappeared. Then fold in all of the remaining egg white - be patient - be gentle - you are making a sponge!!

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and tilt the tin gently to ensure that the mixture reaches the corners of the tin.

Place in the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until well risen. The top should appear slightly crisp.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin. Don't worry it is suppose to sink!

For the filling:

Melt the white chocolate and allow to cool. Once cool, pour in the cream and whisk together until soft peeks have formed.

Assembling the Roulade:

Turn the roulade out onto a sheet of baking paper. You can either sprinkle caster sugar or icing sugar on the paper first (I didn't). Leave about an inch on the short side closest to you, free of cream, Spread the cream over the rest of the cake and then dot with the raspberries.

Use a knife to make a shallow cut along the 1 inch piece of cake (which you have left cream free). This will make it easier to roll. Using the paper to help, roll up the roulade.

I have finished mine of with shaving of white chocolate scattered along the top.

Happy Halloween!!

It's the last day of October, and I am beginning to detest the fact that as of tomorrow we will be saying "It's Christmas next month!!!" Don't get me wrong - I love Christmas - the preparation, the shopping (as long as its over the internet), the gift wrapping, and preparing and cooking a Christmas meal and anything else festive, but Christmas has really crept up on me far too quickly this year. ahhhhh!!

This weeks Challenge over on Crafting When we can is Halloween/and or Anything but a Card, Secret Crafter is Spooky or Whimsical, My Mum's Craft Shop Challenge is Spooktacular, and Dream Valley Challenges is Anything Goes, so I am entering the card below in all of these.

Our youngest was invited to a Halloween party on Saturday which was perfect as I also made the cupcakes too for the party. The image on this card which is perfect for boys was free from Dustin Pike and the Halloween papers from Shery K Designs. The spider I found on some clipart and the sentiment I made on Acme Labelmaker.

Oh I so enjoyed decorating these cupcakes - the bloodstained eyeballs, the mummies and these piped chocolate spider webs turned out beautifully and I hope the kids enjoyed them too.

It's soooooo wet today. The rain has been pouring since we got out of bed and hasn't stopped. However this makes it a good day for sorting - much to the kids dismay!!! Bedrooms have been de-cluttered and de-junked!!!

Today I am showcasing some invitations I have started making for a very special couple - my in-laws will be celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary in December and I am on a mission to make the invitations and get them in the post by the end of tomorrow so they will arrive in St Helena by the end of November (I hope).

Now as any St Helenian will know.....Cheese straws are featured highly at any party, or gathering within a St Helenian community. These fingers of crispy cheesy pastry are addictive....I mean once you start on them......the only point at which you can stop picking at them is when they are all gone. From a bakers point of view.......bake them when you're home alone and have lots of spare time........you will at least have some time to savour your effort.....before they disappear and you're left with nothing but the washing up!!!

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C/300 degrees F/Gas Mark 2

8 oz/225g Mature Cheddar Cheese grated

2 oz/50g butter

4 oz/110g Self Raising flour

1 egg beaten

pinch of salt

cayenne pepper or paprika (amount depends of level of spiciness)

Beaten egg for glazing

Method

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs

Stir in the salt and the Cayenne pepper or paprika

Stir in the grated cheese making sure the cheese is distributed in the flour

Add the beaten egg gradually to form a firm dough.

Wrap in Cling-wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or longer

After 30 minutes roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2 cm (half cm) thick. (It may be easier to cut the dough and roll out in small quantities).

Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into straws measuring approximately 10 cm by 1 cm

Arrange the straws on a baking tray with a gap between each. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden.

Remove from the oven and leave on the tray to cool (They will crisp on the tray as it cools). Removing them too soon from the tray will mean chewy cheese straws!!!!

They are sooo time consuming to make......but so worth the effort.

According to my seven year old try makes practice - not practice makes perfect!!!

Yesterdays Baking - Cheesy Monkey Bread (Delicious with Soup)

It's half term holidays.....which should mean time to craft and time to bake....but it seems my week has already been preplanned with college trips and days out so I am going to have to squeeze in some time to craft and bake!!

A couple of weeks ago I made these little chicken and leek pies with a hint of chilli (got to have chilli) and home made shortcrust pastry. They went down a treat in the house, and they were just as tasty when reheated the next day.

Halloween is just around the corner and the shops are full of orange and black things and appropriately a lot of the challenges around at the moment is focusing on Halloween. Cardmakinmamas, One Stop Craft Challenge and Everybody Art Challenge are all hosting a Halloween challenge at the moment!

This is a real digi card this week - the image, sentiment and papers are all digi and they were free - only the black, orange and white card stock, lace and ribbons are from my stash.

This gorgeous little image is this weeks freebie at Bugaboo Stamps and was brilliant to colour with promarkers and a white gel pen. The "Boo" papers came from Shery K Designs - I recoloured it orange before printing. The patterned paper at the bottom of the card came from The Background Fairy and they are all FREE!!! The sentiment was made on Acme Label Maker!

It was national chocolate week last week - so I was told.....but hey not many people need an excuse to eat chocolate!!! This was the boys weekend treat - a chocolate cake, filled with chocolate Ganache, covered with ganache and lots of maltesers, white and milk chocolate buttons and these brilliant orange flavoured chocolate buttons. To finish it all off a big band of a darker shade of milk chocolate (yes that's what it's called from in Aldi)

The cold weather has come with a vengeance - the wind is reminding us that it is Autumn after all! Winter woollies, and homemade soups are going to be featuring quite highly in our house in the coming weeks, as we try to banish the sniffles and colds!!

This weeks challenge over at The Sugar Bowl is a sketch by Gayle along with a picture of her dream kitchen for colour inspiration. I've had this little Sugar Nellie stamp for ages, (I won her for Sugar Nellies first Birthday) and she was all wrapped up in her packaging lovely and new two years plus..........until now! I've coloured her with promarkers, the Green papers have come free with an addition of Papercraft Essentials Magazine, ribbon, gems and pink cardstocks from my stash. The border has been made with a Fiskars border punch. The sentiment is a clear stamp from Studio G Designs.

I am also entering this card in The Totally Gorjuss Challenge which is Ooh La La.....as this little girl just really make you want to say that!!

One Stop Craft Challenge is anything goes......so I am entering her there too!!

Microwave Chocolate Pudding

Because I bake, our house is never short of essential baking ingredients so in moments of family desperation.........when they are swinging on the fridge door looking for something of a dessert nature and a yoghurt will not suffice......this can be prepared, and cooked in less than ten minutes and works wonders!!!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

4 oz self raising flour

4 oz caster sugar

4 oz butter or margarine

2 eggs

8 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons cocoa

up to 4 oz chocolate broken or chopped up roughly - I use what ever I have......chocolate buttons, cooking chocolate, a mix of plain, white and milk chocolate, orange buttons etc

Method

Mix all the ingredients together in an large oven proof container. The pudding will rise to about double size of the uncooked mix.

Place in the microwave and cook on high power for 4-6 minutes. The mixture should be well risen and the middle just a little wet on the top. This will cook through during the cooling period.

Allow to cool in the microwave for 2 minutes.

Remove and serve, either hot, warm or cold with either custard, cream or ice cream.

I have an excuse for not blogging - the weather has been brilliant, so we have been trying to catch the few hours after work outdoors.......but it's now back to dull afternoons, dark evenings and photos with lots of shadows!!!

Challenge 71 over at Sketch N Stash is a brilliant sketch with an optional extra of three different patterned papers and three embellishments either flowers or buttons - I went for both the options!

The papers are new, they came free with this months addition of Papercraft Essentials Magazine and they are from Wild Rose Studios, The image is the gorgeous Birgitta from C.C. Designs and the sentiments came free from The Beary Scrap. The lace and flowers is from my stash as well as the diamond dust on the heart and cupcake frosting. Oh and I love this chair which was free from Bird's Cards - it was so perfect for Birgitta to sit on and hold all those cupcakes!! I used promarkers for the stripy wallpaper and to ground the chair.

I am also entering this card in the following Challenges:

Cute Card Thursday - Time for Cake

All That Scraps Wednesday Challenge - Anything goes

Secret Crafter - Anything Goes as long as it sparkles

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes - Made with Cream not Butter (Recipe Below)

Last weekend, myself and our small son did some baking. Oh how he loved baking these, they were quick to make, tasted brilliant and to his amazement we could make a cake that you didn't have to put a big lump of butter or margarine in - oh so fascinating when you're 7!!! When they were cooled we cut out a piece of the cake, popped in a spoon full of Tesco's Finest Lemon Curd, and popped the piece of cake back in, before I piped on some of the meringue (ok he couldn't/wasn't going to do it all), and cooking them in the oven for 2 minutes to give a golden glow to our meringue.

Cupcakes Makes 18

1 cup cream ( I used Elmlea Double Light)
1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Lemon Curd (I bought some but I guess you could make your own)

Meringue

1 egg white

85g caster Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180'C. Line a normal size muffin tin with muffin liners.

2. Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk until thick and smooth.

3. Divide mixture between prepared liners and bake for 14-20 minutes (mine was cooked in 14 minutes) or until cakes spring back to touch. Cool the cakes on a cooling rack.

4. For meringue, beat egg white until firm peaks form, gradually add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating until sugar has dissolved between each addition. Spoon meringue mixture into a piping bag.

5. When the cakes are cool enough to handle, spoon out some of the cake and fill with lemon curd. Place the pieces of cake back and then pipe on a swirl of meringue.

6. Place the cakes back in the muffin tin and put them back in the oven for 2 minutes or until the meringue is golden. (A Blow torch or a couple of minutes under the grill will work too).

This weeks challenge over on Sugar Nellies Facebook page is "A Piece of Cake" - a pin board showing a whole selection of cakes in chocolate, orange and white colours for inspiration! The challenge over on Sketch N Stash is Free Choice Sketch so I have used Sketch 40 for the design of this card

Now seeing as I like dabbling in both papers and cakes - I was thinking of making some chocolate and orange decorated cakes too - but thought I would cut back on those calories and show a picture from a previous baking session (but they were gooooood).

These gorgeous papers are free from Three Paper Peonies - they are new to my stash - I found them today while looking around the web!! They are so yummy and they were perfect for this Sugar Nellie image. The lace is from my stash and the brown ribbon I have recycled - had it in my stash for a few years now - it came from a box of chocolates from my favourite Middle Eastern Chocolate Shop - Patchi!!!

I am also entering this card in the following Challenges:

Make It Monday

Everybody Art Challenge - Flowers

Oreo Cupcake with Vanilla Cheesecake and Gold Dust

The inside - whole oreo on the bottom, a layer of vanilla cheesecake and dark chocolate sponge.

A little time to blog before I attack the dreaded pile of ironing!!! I am only doing all the uniforms and work clothes etc for the week, but it is a real mountain when you multiply the amount of clothes for each day and four of us in the house!!!

Anyway I really like this digital stamp from All that Scraps and I am entering her in the All That Scraps Wednesday Challenge, which is "anything goes". She is gorgeous and angelic and brilliant to colour. The background papers are from Nitwits Threads and Thimbles collections. I printed out several to make this quilted background. I have layered Birgitta onto pink and black cardstock and onto a doily (from the baking section in the kitchen shop). The lace is from my local embroidery shop and the pink rose from my stash. I have coloured her with promarkers and added some white gel pen effects. Now the sentiment is a peel off - I know they sometimes have a bad reputation for looking cheap and awful but these white sentiment ones I found in my stash, and they suited this topper perfectly!

I am also entering this card into the following challenge:

Crafting when we can - Do it your own way

Card Makin Mamas - Challenge #28 - Digital

Some girlie cupcakes for my friend's daughters birthday party.

It's been back to work week! It has been an early start each day as our son has just started college and has to catch the bus very early! However the early start has made me more organised - I managed to iron a pile of clothes this week (uniforms, clothes etc for all week) so no battling with an ironing board at 6.30 in the morning!!

I have had time this evening to craft, which is lovely!! This little girl is from Sugar Nellie and the layout comes from the sketch this weeks challenge over on the Sugar Nellie Challenge Blog - The Sugar Bowl Challenge.

The background papers I have used is from the Nitwits on a High Note Collection and the foreground strips of paper is from Nitwits Threads and Thimbles collection....which suits the image perfectly! I have added some string (made my own baker's twine using a promarker) and some white gel pen effects. The leaf stamp came with the Sugar Nellie stamp collection. The leaf has been stamped onto rust bazzill cardstock.

I am also entering this card in the following Challenges:

Everybody Art Challenge - #158 - Autumn

My Mums Craft Shop Challenges - Layer it up

Cute Card Thursday - At the Office

Stamp Something - Anything Goes

Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Chocolate Cupcakes, Covered in Dark Chocolate Ganache and a Dark Chocolate Heart (made with Chocolate Transfers)

Hi Ho, Hi Ho.....its back to work I go!! Summer holidays are finished and its back to work tomorrow.....I really should be sorting out the ironing pile and making sure I get all the bags and kits ready but I could not resist the challenge on Sugar Nellies Facebook Page of Less is More!! Firstly its not an easy task stamping directly onto a card blank (so glad I dont do this everyday - I would hate to think of the waste)!! I had to look through my Sugar Nellies to find the stamp with the least intricate details in the hopes that I would get a clean stamp outline on my card. I won this stamp from Sugar Nellie ages ago (two year plus) and she was still sitting clean and new in her packaging.....and today she was perfect for the task!

I coloured her with promarkers and then outlined a shape around her which I coloured in with a blue promarker.....so she would at least look grounded. A border with a black fineliner and some not so good handwriting completed the look!!

Lemon Cupcakes with white sprinkles and some gold edible glitter!

I have had the most wonderful week - Our middle son did us proud by playing trumpet beautifully in the youth orchestra for the Lights Down Theatre Company's Wiz production. It was one week of many round trips to rehearsals, but the end result was absolutely amazing. We also enjoyed some days away which allowed us to relax and to meet up with so many of our amazing family and friends on the weekend - something we will continue to reflect on for many weeks.

Last weeks challenge from The Sugar Bowl Challenge is a sketch along with the theme One for the Girls. I love this stamp from Sugar Nellie as it allows me to indulge in my favourite colour mixes of pinks and browns from my promarkers and the must have white gel pen!! The light pink papers are from Nitwits, Threads and Thimbles collection, the dark pink from an edition of Papercraft Essentials Magazine, and brown card stock, gems and flowers from my stash.

Nut Free Blueberry Bakewells Tarts (Puddings)

I am not sure if you can call a bakwell tart, a bakewell if it is almond free? But the man of the house has a nut allergy, so I decided to bake these nut free ones. I made a rich shortcrust pastry and filled the cases with blueberry conserve and a vanilla victoria sponge cake mixture. When they were baked and cooled I decorated then with a swirl of royal icing an a fresh blueberry! I know its not the best of pictures but they didn't hang around long enough for me to try taking pictures from various angles.

Today its dull and gloomy, and a perfect day to be at home! The boys are busy doing their little projects - oldest son practicing music for his forthcoming performance and the little one has hijacked the pegs, some of my papers and sellotape and making puppets!! The challenge over on Stamp Something this week is to create a thank you something! I have made this thank you card using an Elisabeth Bell stamp which I had from Funky Kits a long time ago, coloured with my trusty promarkers, red cardstock from Crafters companion and these gorgeous background papers from Nitwits Cherry collection. The lace comes from a local haberdashery shop, which I must admit manages to make me go weak at the knees when I go there and behave like a child in a candy shop!!

Vanilla Sponge, with Swiss meringue buttercream and raspberry conserve, wrapped in

Belgian Chocolate Paste and topped with fresh raspberries!

These were so yummy. I have a tin in which I bake these individual rounds of sponge cake. I split them in two and filled them with some raspberry conserve and a little swiss meringue buttercream. The buttercream was also spread around the outside to hold the belgian chocolate paste in place. A piping of swiss meringue on the top and these local fresh raspberries, and they vanished from the kitchen within minutes!

Anyone who know's me well enough, will know that I love to bake (calorie wise I cant do it on a daily basis)!!! When I saw this free digistamp at Paper Garden Projects, I knew it would be perfect coloured as a chocolate sponge with layers of pink frosting! I coloured the image with promarkers, decoupaged the frosting so that it stood out from the card (ahh no photo) and it looked pretty good If I must say so. The papers came free with an edition of Papercraft Essentials Magazine, the sentiment stamp from Craft Stampers, ribbon and cardstock from my stash and some faux stitching. What better way to layer a cake card than on a doily - just perfect! Having finished the card, I toyed with the idea of adding some "sprinkles" - it's a cake after all......so I tried some glittered stars, they looked good but just didn't seem right, so I scraped them off. I hunted through my box of stash, but nothing seemed to fit......then I had an idea...... real cake sprinkles - white non pareils (posh name for hundreds and thousands), mixed with some clear glue and yes, they complimented the card perfectly! My seven year old thought I had really lost the plot "What! Sprinkles on your cards?" he exclaimed as he walked past!!!

Ice Cream Cupcake!

I had a go at baking these some time ago, but just came across the pictures again! The sponge was baked inside the cones, cooled and then iced with vanilla cooked flour butter cream, cadbury's flake chocolate and sprinkles. These cones were the smallest I could get in the supermarket with a flat base so undoubtedly, they contain too much cake for a little one, but they could be filled with less cake mix, a load of chocolate and then the buttercream - yeah they would go down well with most little ones!! The cones managed to stay crisp for several hours, although the one I kept until the next day (just to see how long the cone would stay crisp for), was rather chewy!! Best advice - Bake and Eat on the same day!!!!

The Inside!

This week has been about keeping it simple! Sometimes we spend so much time rushing backwards and forwards, that we don't know when to stop and appreciate the more finer things in life. I am proud of my roots and we were lucky to be gifted some St Helena Peaberry Coffee, which is available from here - the aroma flowing from the cupboard was amazing and this little bag of stuff don't come cheap either - £15.50 for 125g!!! I however am not a coffee or tea drinker, so the oldest guy in the house took it to share with work colleagues who said it tasted exquisite!!

Card making this week has been productive - started making some christmas cards (a bit of a mass production) and some clean and simple cards. I love these tulips which came free from Paper Garden Projects and the sentiment was free from Create with TLC. Some purple cardstock, and promarkers for colouring with some purple gems, finished of this sleek and simple card.

It was my birthday this week - just two years off a very big number now!!! The guys decided they wouldn't/couldn't bake me a cake. I was offered a lump of cheese by the youngest guy in the house though...which was clever and funny! I did however in the evening give in to my weakness for baking and baked this moist spiced apple cake, layered with a cream cheese frosting, which tastes even better the day after!!

St Helena Coffee

The past two weeks have past in a rush since we broke up for the summer holidays. We we able to catch up with our family who we hadn't seen for five years........and it was wonderful. Many nights of chatting until late over numerous cups of tea (which I don't drink)!!!

I am slowly finding my way around my craft stuff and finding my way around some of my favourite blogs online......only to see more nice things which I can only add to my wish list!!

This weeks challenge from Cupcake Craft Challenges is Sew Mad - Stitching either real or faux!! The youngest son had a birthday party to attend so it was the perfect opportunity to use Birgitta from All that Scraps for this card. I have coloured her using promarkers and some finishing touches with a white gel ink pen, the papers came free with Papercraft Essentials Magazine, the brick wall cardstock is Kanban (found in stash), and the sentiment is a digi download....but I didn't save the link where I got it so it remains nameless for the moment. The lace is from the local embroidery shop. Oh and my stitching faux of course....the sewing machine is still on the wishlist!!!

Inside with a mini Birgitta and handwritten sentiment.

Chocolate Cupcakes with a Belgian Chocolate Wave and a Elizabeth Shaw Dark Chocolate Mint Crisp.