Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Cutest Cupcakes!!


I found the pattern for this cupcake card ages ago when I was travelling from one blog to another. I just never got around to making a batch. The pattern for this card comes from www.linseyrickett.blogspot.com She also has an ice cream cone card. Expect to see these on my page soon.

These cards were very easy to make and took very little time. I'm keen to make a whole range of them. I'm going to get out my recipe books to get some ideas for flavours.
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Sunday, July 27, 2008

Turn One Piece of Scrapbooking Paper Into 12 cards!


While checking out some of my favourite blogs I came across this idea that uses one piece of scrapbooking paper for the base paper for 12 cards. If you want to give it a go, the details can be found at : maecollins.blogspot.com (One Sheet Wonder). I'm always adding to my pile of half used paper. This idea sounded great. For this project I used a double sided piece of scrapbook paper with a floral black and white print on one side and spots on the other side. I then decided to stick with two colour schemes. Pink, Black and White and Red, Black and White. The end products have turned out really well and I've got very little left over paper.



The completed 12 cards.














This is for one of my friends who are expecting their first bub. I'll try to post my other cards in detail. I tried to do it tonight but don't seem to be having any luck. Hopefully I'll be able to add them to My Creations slideshow.
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Thursday, July 24, 2008

Marshmallow Munchies

One of the things in life that I love to do is Baking. I got the recipe for this slice from my good friend Gabrielle Messer last year. I have made two batches of these Marshmallow Munchies this week. The first batch went within a day. Disappearing to Dunc's workplace and my folks house and the second batch are almost extinct. With 2/3 on their way out to Opalton with my brother for road trip snacks. I always make sure I have the ingredients for this slice in my pantry for last minute morning/afternoon teas. They have minimal ingredients and preparation and you only use one bowl.
Here's the recipe.....

Pre-heat oven 180c
Line a lamington Pan with non-stick paper
In a bowl combine:
1 cup sifted SR Flour,
4 Weet-Bix (crushed),
1/2 cup Brown Sugar (firmly packed and sifted)
125g butter (melted)


Stir ingredients together then press out into lined pan. Cook until the base has browned slightly (about 12 minues). Remove from oven and cool. Cover base with 1/4 cup of raspberry/strawberry jam. Sprinkle jam covered base with 100g halved marshmallows or baking marshmallows. Return to oven until marshmallows melt. Remove from oven and press the tops of the marshmallows with a fork to stread the marshmallow ooze all over the base. When cooled, cut with a knife dipped in boiling water.
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My Collection of Craft Tins

After giving my first ribbons tin away to my friend Helen (Chook), I got busy making my own ribbon dispenser and couln't stop. I've now ended up with a whole collection of craft storage tins. My Bling Tin is for brads and all the other embellishments I've collected over the years. The scraps tin speaks for itself, holding small scraps of paper and ribbon that I may use one day. I've got 2 more empty formul tins sitting on my workbench. I'll have to get thinking, to decide what needs some extra special storage. Watch this space!!!!!.......
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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Formula Tins Get a Facelift!

One thing positive has come out of my inability to totally breastfeed my little bub...........empty formula tins. When we used up our first tin of formula I was tempted to thow it into the recycling bin but they are such a great size for using as a storage device. After a bit of thinking and fiddling I've created a ribbon storage device. I punched some holes into the plastic lid and decorated the outside with various papers, stamps and ribbon. It works really well and keeps my ribbons in order.
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Thursday, July 10, 2008

Christmas In July!!

After attending one of Gina's, Stamp and Stack workshop on Monday night (Dunc looked after Bubby) that was based on Christmas in July. I've decided to have a go at being organised for Christmas 2008 by making most (hopefully ---all) of my Christmas cards now. Another crafty friend of mine, Helen (Chook) put me onto these groovy tri-fold cards. They look really different and are quite easy to make. Just a bit of measuring and cutting to get the effect. As you can see I had a great time testing out my new giant circle punch.....lots easier than trying to cut around a template. Watch this space for more Christmas creations!!!
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Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Dunc's Favourite Muffins - White Choc and Macadamia

This week our freezer was empty of muffins. So on a perfectly wet, rainy, baking day I searched our pantry to see what type of muffins I would bake this week. I always use the same recipe and alter it go with the ingredients I have in the fridge, feezer and pantry. The basic recipe is:

2 cups SR flour
2/3 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup white choc bits
1/2 cup coursely chopped macadamias - Bauple Nuts if you are from the Maryborough area (toasted)
60g butter melted (oil if you run out)
3/4 cup milk
1 egg - beaten lightly

Preheat overn 200c/180c fan-forced and grease muffin pans (I just use muffin papers to save time and cleaning)
Sift flour and sugar and stir in remaining ingredients.
Divide mixture among muffin pan.
Bake muffins for about 20 minutes. Stand to cool a little before turning out.

VARIATIONS -
* Add 1/2 cup of dark or milk choc chips if you don't have nuts.
* Add 1/2 cup of frozen rasberries/mixed berries.
* Add 3 heaped tablespoons of cocoa to flour for a chocolate muffin base.

This recipe always produces delicious muffins that are best heated in the muffin just before eating. I store mine in the freezer in a snap-lock bag. This week Dunc got White and Milk Choc Chip Chocolate Muffins. He decided that they were too yummy to share at work. So they are slowly disappearing from my kitchen counter.

Another Excuse to Make a Card!!

Friends of ours have just sent out their wedding invitations. So, yet again I get another chance to create something. I chose this colour scheme to go with their wedding invitation which was turquoise and white.
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Friday, July 4, 2008

Starting to Scrap!!!

I couldn't start doing scrapbook pages for Emerson until I personalised the front cover for him. I'm hoping to fill the album over the next few months with some of the hundreds of photos that i've taken of him over the past months. I just can't help myself...I want to be able to remember every precious moment of these beautiful little baby days.





























My Pop passed away on the 10th of June at the great age of 97. Emerson was given his name for his middle name. Pop thought that this was great. He had a real soft spot for Emy. Pop and my Dad called Emy "Little Henry". I wanted Emerson to know about the special (if short) relationship he had with his great poppy. This page is my way of keeping the special memories alive for Emerson.
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An Excuse To Make A Card!!!

We've had an engagement in the family over the past couple of weeks. This special event has given me yet another excuse to fiddle with all my papers, stamps and extras to make something personal for the happy couple. The card turned out to be athree fold pouch with a pull out greeting card. I then decorated the envelope to match.
When Dunc and I got married last year, our colour scheme was pink and brown. I've got so much leftover paper that I tend to make a lot of cards for other people using this colour scheme.
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Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Hi!!! A Little Bit About Me......Melissa Board (Hume)

As I'm not the most computer savy person, it may take me a while to work out how to do this Blog-Stuff! But as with all things in life, I'm prepared to give it a go.

Over the past 6 months I've been on maternity leave from my job as an early years teacher. In March I welcomed into the world my first child, a gorgeous baby boy, Emerson Henry. Being Emy's mum has definately been the most amazing experience of my life. He's changing everyday and giving me more melt your heart smiles.

When I'm not feeding Em, changing nappies, washing and doing all those wifey jobs that go with being at home all the time now, I'm attempting to make cards, create pages for emy's scrapbook and baking. Along with craft and art, i love to cook!!!! Baking is my preference, but like most new mums, I'm trying to loose my pregnancy lumps and bumps. So it's my hubby's work place that gets to enjoy all my sweet treats. I may post some of my favourite recipes on this blog.

At the moment I'm addicted to stamps, after attending a Stampin Up party run by Gina of Stampin with Gina. I like to combine stamp techniques with other embellishments and fancy papers, along with any other bits and pieces I pick up at junk shops. I love nothing more than sifting through all the $2 craft bargains in discount stores. I got into stamping a few years ago and had forgotten just how much stuff I had purchased. When I went into by black hole of a craft cupboard I was amazed at how much great stuff I had. Playing with the embossing powders I found, is now my task for the next month. I'm sure you'll be seeing some of my creations soon.

I'll attempt to upload some of my creations. It may take a while with my super slow broadband and overloaded computer. So.....watch this space!!!