Rocky Road @ the Christmas Craft and Crop

Thanks to everyone who came to the Christmas Craft and Crop on Saturday. We had a fantastic day with some amazing canvases and layouts being created. I'll try and post some images over the next few days.

In the meantime...I thought I'd post my Rocky Road recipe. This is seriously yummy - enjoy!!!!

Rocky Road

175g margarine

2 tablespoons golden syrup

200g plain chocolate

200g milk chocolate

1 pack chocolate digestives

1 pack rich tea biscuits

Handfuls of chopped cherries, maltesers, mini marshmallows

Icing sugar to decorate

Crush biscuits in a plastic bag

Tip into large mixing bowl and add cherries etc

Melt margarine, syrup and chocolate in a saucepan

Pour chocolate mixture into bowl and mix thoroughly to coat everything in chocolate.

Tip into large flat tin and cool in fridge

When set, empty out, cut into pieces and dust with icing sugar

Christmas Canvas

Have a look at this gorgeous canvas made by Clare, a Scrap Happy regular. She has used the same sketch as I did for my 'Hannah' canvas - but with amazingly different results. I love the criss cross stitching  (using Bazzill in stitch'z) and the Sizzix Christmas tree.

Thank you Clare for letting me use it on my blog (and for the company whilst we made our canvases the other morning).

If you'd like to join the 'Scrap Canvas' class at the Christmas Craft and Crop do have a look here and drop me an email .

Scrap Canvas

At last! I've finished this canvas of Hannah when she was 4 days old. This is one of my favourite baby photos ever - I love how tiny she appears on Andy's arm - and I also quickly learnt to love the fact that she was asleep (a bit of a rarity for baby Hannah!). My grand plan is to make one of each of the children to put up in our bedroom - and as this didn't take too long I might even manage it!

'Hannah'

Supplies: paper - Fancy Pants, Creative Memories, The Girls Paperie; ribbon - RexHome; flowers - Prima; buttons - from an old pair of slippers; die-cuts - Sizzix 'tattered florals'; Bazzill in stitch'z;

I painted the canvas with some cheapy twinkly watercolours from the Works - I was going to use acrylics but I rather liked the sparkle from these paints and they seemed less heavy for a baby page. The rest of the layout is based on this sketch, minus the title and journaling:

I used my bazzill in stitch'z templates again to add some detail..and I'm really pleased with the result.

If you would like a chance to make your own canvas there will be a 'Scrap Canvas' class running from as part of the Scrap Happy Christmas Craft and Crop on 27th November. The 2-hour class starts at 11am and you can either come and scrap for the whole day or book for just the Scrap Canvas class. If you would like to know more please check out this page, or drop me an email .

True Stories

I've just signed up for the Shimelle 'True Stories' course :) For those of you who know me, I love the idea of including lots of journaling on my pages (and have a huge collection of journaling stamps to prove it), but don't always manage to actually do it! This is a 3 week course with daily email prompts to help with telling our stories...can't wait! If you fancy having a go, check out Shimelle's blog here .

Christmas Cards

I had a fantastic time at Ally Pally on Saturday with my friend Suzanne. We were there for the Big Stamp and Scrapbooking Show...and I went clutching (in cash) all my Scrap Happy money from the past couple of months.

  

Naturally we went and visited Sugar and Spice first, even though they're only down the road, and I also loved the Scrapshed and Scrap Revolution stalls. I now have lots of new projects buzzing around in my head, but the first thing I've put to use are my new 'Hero Arts' Christmas Tree stamps.

I'm not sure if its organised or sad to be making Christmas cards in September but I used one of the stamps to make a very simple set of cards.

First I stamped the two trees and a greeting on a tall card blank.

Then I stamped the same image onto patterned paper (a great way to use up scraps). I cut just the triangle shape out - nice and quick and easy ... which is good coz I hate fiddly cutting out.

Finally I stuck the patterned paper over the top of the stamped images, and coloured in the tree trunks and stars.... a very quick set of cards!!!

Birthday Princess

During the summer holidays I had a lovely couple of days (with the children at Granny and Grandad's) and managed to get a bit of scrapping done, as well as planning a new kitchen and some never ending 'sorting out.'

I made this page for the Papermaze blog 'Saturday sketches' and I'm really excited that they've used it on their blog (check out the Papermaze blog here).

The big heart shape took me right out of my comfort zone and it took me ages to find a photo that I thought would go..but I am pleased with the end result!

'Birthday Princess'

Supplies: Paper – The Girls Paperie, Fancy Pants, Bazzill  Dotted Swiss; Stickers – Creative Memories, Basic Grey; Flowers: Prima; Bazzill Basics In Stitchz; Alphabet – sizzix ‘bloom’; Stamps – Collage press (Charleston Rings), Woodware;

My Little Book of Lists

As some of you know, I have been running a monthly course called 'My Little Book of Lists'. This is basically a book of me, presented in list form. Each month we create an 8" double page about ourselves and topics so far have included our new year's resolutions, favourite foods, favourite books etc.

I am really enjoying the discipline of making a particular page each month..and this is the first time I have appeared on my own scrapbook pages. Exciting to think that in November I will actually have completed an album - a first for me!!!

..And here are some of the pages I have made so far...

'Playlist'

'My Favourite Food'

'I love books'

 

'One day in my life'

'Friends'