Monday 29 November 2010

CHRISTMAS GOODIES!


I have a few spare hours while Mr Lemon Drizzle does chef school with the kidlets so I thought I would catch up on my photo editing and share some Christmas goodies with you.  This is the banner for my Christmas page on my website.

I have been making mini Christmas cakes which have been a big hit. 

I heard that 80% of Christmas cakes end up in the bin, so these are perfect for families where only one person like them.

Here is a little group of this years gingerbread men all ready to go out and adorn trees.

My Santa cake has been a big hit, I am raflling him off at the fairs I have been doing. 


And these cuties are this years newest line, gingerbread boys and girls.

 I can customise them to match the child who will eat them!


Don't forget to enter my Christmas giveaway!

Friday 26 November 2010

CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY

I have managed to get myself organised in time and arrange a giveaway, hurrah!
So, to thank you all for your support of my blog, you could win some Amelie's House goodies.

First up is an Amelie's House calender, there is only one left in my Folksy shop here if you don't want to risk not winning.

Then a fabric picture made by me of...cakes of course!

A sexy Christmas stocking to hang on your mantlepiece.


There are also these two for sale in my shop.

 Six Amelie's House Christmas cupcake picks.

 An Amelie's House Brooch.

 Some magic reindeer dust, contains real magic, also for sale in my shop.

 And finally a beautiful cupcake tree decoration from Heartfelt Handmade.

Excited?
You would love to win this stash in time for Christmas?
You want to know how?
What that's?  You want me to stop asking stupid questions and get on with it because I'm begining to sound like Bruce Forsythe.
Cheeky!

Here is a sneak peak of my gingerbread house for this year and some of the inspiration that I used.

And here are two of the previous years houses.
 I seem to have a bird theme going on and can't stop myself!
Anyway all you have to do to win is follow this blog and leave me a comment telling me what your dream gingerbread house would look like.  If you tweet, blog or facebook about the giveaway you can also be in with an extra chance of winning.
I will draw the lucky name out of a hat on Monday 6th December.
Good luck!
Sorry the giveaway is closed now!

Tuesday 23 November 2010

MORE HOOTY McTOOTIES



Remember the week of holiday craft projects I promised, that
actually was only three?
Here is one of the 'makes' I never got round to posting:
our yearly lavender bag project.
This is a great 'mak'e as it spans two holidays.
In the Summer we spend a happy hour picking the lavender from our bush.  I send the kidlets off with a small pair of scissors each and they come back with a lovely big bunch of the smelly stuff.

  
Apparently the perfume actually comes from the flowers rather than the seed heads, so it shoud be picked while still in flower on a dry morning. Obviously, being a British Summer these kind of mornings are very rare, and by the time a dry morning had come around the flowers had gone. However there is still plenty of scent.

Then our Autumn half term project is to make lavender bags to keep our smalls fresh!


First step is to strip the seed heads from the stalk so that you end up with a lovely pile of useable lavender.  This is my favourite part because the smell is glorious and makes us all feel very calm!
Do this over newspaper to catch the large amount of seedheads that invariably miss the bowl.


We have made various shapes over the years, bunnies, hearts, houses and this year of course it had to be owls! My kidlets are sooo on trend!

I started by letting big kidlet draw around the templates on the reverse side of her chosen fabrics.
I don't know if you are the same but I can be a bit controlling when it comes to craft projects, I want the kidlets to have fun but most of all I want something pleasing to look at...don't think bad of me. Anyway, when my six year old suggested that she cut out the shapes I was horrified (I've seen her cutting out) but I swallowed my crafting pride and let her do it. 


Actually I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

I then had to let go even more when she wanted to add some stitches to the owls.  


She did the flowers. 


The four year old wanted to join in too, so I let her add some stitches...
how relaxed am I?


Normally I bondaweb pieces on if I am appliqueing, but I didn't bother this time and it was fine. I ran a zig-zag stitch around the eyes and tummies and a normal stitch for the beak.
Then I faced the two right sides together and stitched around the edge, leaving a 5cm gap on one side.


Before I turned them back the right way I snipped into the edge just up to the stitches. This helps the owl to keep it's rounded shape. (Just becareful not to snip over the stitches)

Once I had turned the owl back the right way out, I gave him a quick iron.  
Then it was the lavender time. (Are you singing 'It's Lavender Time' to the tune of 'It's Hammer Time'?  Because I am!)


We started with a paper funnel, but quickly resorted to spooning it in with a teaspoon. Make sure you do this over a bowl to catch all the precious bits that don't go in first time. (In our case most of it!)


When the owl is stuffed full, handstitch the gap together.

And there you go: a fragrant owl to bring the scent of peace to your drawers!
If you want to download the PDF of the pattern click here.


Or right click on the picture above to download the jpeg.

Twit-Twoo to yooouuu!


Monday 22 November 2010

BOOK CLUB CAKE OF THE MONTH, NOVEMBER


This month we were reading Freedom, by Johnathan Franzen.
I have to thank Liz for pointing me in the direction of 'The Silver Palate Cookbook' which Patty, one of the principal characters uses. I have to confess this passed me by while reading the book, but after Liz's comment on last month's cake I looked it up and it does exist. So I used this decadent chocolate cake recipe, which I have to say is delicious, very light and chocolatey, although I would put in slightly less sugar.
Patty's husband Walter is a conservationist trying to protect just one species of bird, the Cerulean Warbler. After seeing its picture I did fall in love with this little blue bird, so I painted its portrait onto some fondant discs.
Anyway, the book scored an average of 8.5, with most people going for 9 or more. I did enjoy the begining and end, but found the middle hard going. However, after our discussion I feel that I maybe missed a lot of the symbolism and themes - the other book clubbers are much more literate than me: I found myself reading the book just to discover what cake I could make!

We haven't decided on the next book yet, as we are giving ourselves Christmas off.

Friday 19 November 2010

TOMORROWS RAFFLE PRIZE

I am doing a fayre tomorrow and am raffling off this cheeky chap!
The fayre is 11am - 4pm at The Desborough Hall, Tring School.  It has been organised by the pupils who are raising money for World Challenge.
I am also back on Three Counties Radio this afternoon at 4pm on Lorna Milton's show giving a Christmas Pudding recipe.  You can listen here.

Thursday 18 November 2010

NEVIE-PIE CAKES CALENDERS



I have opened a Folksy shop!  My first products on the shelf are Nevie-Pie Cakes Calenders.
I have chosen some of my favourite pictures to make each month sweeter for you. 


Some are delicious looking cakes or cupcakes and some are my painted cakes.  


You can buy them here.  
If you are from a country not mentioned in the p&p please e-mail me at nevie-pie@hotmail.co.uk and I will add your country.