2013 Best Bits - Mini Book

Hello.

I got a fab little set of journal cards with one of my Cocoa Daisy addons last month. I knew I would have to make a minibook with them. So I did.
It's highlighting our 2013 best bits.

 

 

 

 

There are full step by step details, photos and instructions on the Cocoa Daisy blog today.

 

I hope you have a great weekend. It's Louis' 12th birthday party for us. Sunday morning, 10 boys and bowling.... wish me luck : )

xxx

 

 

Art in the Kitchen

I've loved my Cocoa Daisy kit this month.
Such a contrast from last months. This month is rather girlie.

It was the stamp that inspired me with this LO today.
Hollie loves making pretty things in the kitchen. Whatever she makes or bakes has to look as good as it tastes. She's all about the presentation.

I took the 'go make art' part and stamped it around the focal point of the LO, blocking off parts of the phrase so it wasn't printed in full each time.
The stamp is an extra here and comes in 5 parts.

I cut some circles from the exclusive Cocoa Daisy papers in the main kit and creased and inked them up. I  bought the Raspberry Pie Prima Ink and the Maya Cotton Candy Mist to go with this kit and they both match perfectly

 

The stitched cards (I love these so much) and the October Afternoon Alpha Stickers are from the Day in the Life Kit.  I always think these little extra kits are such great value. $25.99 that's about £16.

 

The kits go on sale on the 1st to the non subbers.

You can see our full galleries here of what we've all made this month. 

You can also see on the Cocoa Daisy blog today how some of the other DT girls have used their stamps this month.

 

xxx

 

2013 Review & Resolutions

I've just posted over on Papermaze today.
You can see the post here.

I have posted about my years review LO and added my 2014 resolution too which includes piccies.
Take a look. It starts off looking impressive  and as you look on....not quite so impressive as you will see.
Anyone else like this?
Come and tell me.
If that doesn't make sense check out that blog post and you'll see want I mean : )

Raindrops & Rainbows

It's a little like that at home right now.
I made this LO for Hollie this week.

 

 

Our February Cocoa Daisy Kits each include a piece of watercolour paper. I have put together a short tutorial on how I used mine. You can see the step by step process over on the Cocoa Daisy blog here.

 

Don't forget the reveal tonight. See what's coming in Feb. The main kit and all the wonderful addons. The reveal is at 8pm EST here.

 

xxxx

SCRAP365 Magazine

The latest issue has been on the shelves for a few days now.
Have you grabbed yourself a copy?

I have a couple of pieces in there this month.
Here is s sneak from one of my features.

SCRAP365 have been working on the blog a lot more this year.
We are adding a lot more posts each month including tutorials and tips.
You can take a look here.

And finally I shall leave you with an older LO that I had published a few months ago.
Halloween fun at Disney.
This is a great way to use up your scraps by adding lots of strips of patterned papers.

 

See you soon xxx

A Special Mini Book

My Dad was 60 on Sunday.
Unfortunately we couldn't celebrate with him as we are in sunny England and he lives in Indiana in the US. But we did throw him a surprise party when we was over in August including a 'Happy Almost 60 Birthday' cake. Fully personalised : )

I did make him this mini book using Simple Stories - The Daily Grind to send over. Another 'unfortunately...it still hasn't arrived : (

I used a mix of the papers and sticker sheets and added a few of the chipboard stickers too.

 

 

 

There are lots more details, photos and links to buy the materials on the Papermaze blog here.

 

Thanks for stopping by today xxx

 

 

 

 

Cocoa Daisy Sneaks - Color Swatch

I was so lucky on Saturday.
My Cocoa Daisy Color Swatch Kit arrived.
Here are some sneaks of this fab kit.

And here are a couple of the sneaks from the LO's I made over the weekend.

 

I'm loving this kit. It's such a contrast from last months.

You can see more photos and read more details on the Cocoa Daisy blog here.

 

xx

Welcome Baby Girl

A very sweet scrapbooker Lynnda is expecting a baby girl very soon : )

Julie has organised a little blog hop betweeen a group of her online friends as a little celebration today. It feels almost like an online babyshower.

So to you Lynnda, we wish you and your hubby and little Martin who is about to become a big brother lots of  love, luck and good health.
I'm so excited for you xxx

Here is the card that I made for Lynnda.

Here is our blog hop list.
Next up after me is Julie, the last blog to visit.


Ros Crawford - http://ros-mikeysmom.blogspot.co.uk

Heather Jacob - www.heatherartandlife.blogspot.com

Lizzy Hill - http://lizzyhill12.blogspot.com/

Kirsty Vittetoe - http://www.handmade-little-things.blogspot.com

Alexandra Sirugue-Macleod - http://artscrapandmore.blogspot.com/

Sandi Taloumis - www.Scrappingasigo.blogspot.com

Yvonne Yam - http://yyam.blogspot.com

Amy Tsuruta - http://tsurutadesigns.blogspot.com

Chantal Vandenberg - http://girlsjustwannascrapbook.blogspot.com.au

Lisa Saunders - http://scrappyfairies.blogspot.com/

Julie Tucker-Wolek - http://thetuckerwolekclan.blogspot.com/


Thank you for stopping by and I'm sure you will join me in wishing Lynnda and her family well.
Here is Lynnda's sweet blog.

Lots of love xxx

Word Up #79 - Aspire

What does the word Aspire mean to you?

When I saw what our word at OLW was this month it got me thinking. I played with different ideas or where this page was going. It started off as an idea about my daughter, but then I saw this photo that I used on the LO in the end of me and I decided to go with this.
It was a taken on a day when I started off working, then going out to have a day shopping with a good friend that is struggling with some serious health issues, I took Hollie so she could spend the day with her friend, we met the girls for lunch and Hollie then stayed with them for a sleepover, I then came home to get ready & dressed up for an evening out with Ade at a friends house, taking Louis with us as it's his best friend's parents.

Everyday I find that I am aspiring to be the best Mum , wife, friend, sister, daughter, business woman, cook, homemaker. I am so hard on myself all the time as I never feel like I do great at any of them. Rushing from one to the next. But I try my hardest and that's what counts I guess.

So here is that LO.

 

I got rather colourful.

I had been sorting my stash and found so bits and pieces that I'd forgotten I had.

 

 

 

I searched the meaning of 'Aspire' from the Urban Dictionary and printed it over and over on some vellum which I used as a layer on this page along with a crafters workshop stencil and a good blast of Blue Metallic Maya Mist.

 

 

 I love these woodgrain Thickers but they needed a touch of colour to help fit the LO a little more. So I wiped them over with a ladybug red Prima Chalk Ink and brushed over with some Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze.

 

Adding layers throughout.
I love this lacy frame I found in my old stash. A wipe over with the same Prima Ink again to help it belong.

 

And finally some stickers, embellishments, stickers, feathers and a pin to finish.

 

Come and see here what the other OLW girls did with their word of the month and then play along with us too.  

I always find that OLW brings out the most creative side of me.

See if it does the same to you too.

 

xxx  



 

 

Be Bold...Live Loudly

When I first saw this little 4x3 card in this months Cocoa Daisy Kit, I thought of my little Louis. I ended up not using it though, I just couldn't get it to work how I wanted

Then this week I was totally inspired by Sharmaine's blog post.
Thinking Small
I'd printed off some photos for a mini book recently that came out to small and were sat on my desk, so I used one of those and made this.

This title is so fitting for my siblings. I cut the project life card up in to 4 strips and it now worked perfectly for me.

Keeping in with the small theme I used the teeny paperclips and the tint wood veneer '&' from the Main Cocoa Daisy Kit.

 

For the background I used a new CW mask with inktense blocks, pressing them through...pink, yellow and green. It made so much mess. Chalk dust everywhere. I then took a wide flat brush and lightly brushed over with water and letting it drip a little too.

 

I was so inspired by Sharmaine's post that I've passed on this inspiration to you now and set this as our Cocoa Daisy mid month challenge. Come and see here for more details and to play along.

 

I hope this inspires you too x

 

  

My word for 2014

Do you have 'a word' for 2014?

I decided at New Year after a good chat with hubby (I'm so pleased that he totally gets this kind of talk) that mine would be 'Joy'.
I need to put more 'Joy' in to my everyday life.
I rush from one thing to the next all the time.
I need to sit back and enjoy life a little more and appreciate life more than I have been.
The kids are now getting older, it's just this school year that the school runs have stopped so I have more time on my hands. For example, I've been walking the dog with Ade more.
We both work from home, so the walks and fresh air is needed, but until recently as soon as the kids are at school I work and quite often will still be working 11pm at night aside from stopping to fix dinner.
So today the sun is shining and I took a 30min walk with Ade at 8.30am.
I've also been stopping for lunch which is something I would never usually do, but we now meet in the kitchen and have a quick lunch together each week day.
It's surprising how these little steps are improving my life.

I spotted this challenge over at the Chic Tags blog a while ago. To scrap your word.
I thought this would be the perfect start to my 2014 album (which I have already started as I aim to get totally organised with my LO filing this year too, another thing that comes from the word 'Joy).

So here is my Joyful LO to kick start 2014

I love using kraft with a happy colour : )
I've used various Chic Tags goodies. I do have a lovely collection of their 'stuff'. I love it all so much and I'm so excited about their new CHA releases too. I can't wait to get my hands on it....all!!

A handmade title and the wooden word 'Joy' sits on my kitchen window ledge next to my beautiful Kitchen Aid : )

If you have a word for 2014, you can play along with this Chic Tags challenge here.

I'm loving scrapping a little more for me this year.
Something else that's gone on to my list of 'Joys' this year.

Have a great day xx

Scrap365 Blog Hop

We are getting your scrapping New Year off to a flying start!!!

This month we are teaming up with Finnabair and her amazing DT from Mixed Media Place.

 

One of the things that we are very conscious of here at Scrap365 HQ is that if you are new to scrapping it can be really overwhelming with the choice of products to use and the host of styles to emulate….the same could be said if you’re experienced!!

So we have decided that 2014 is the year to get BACK to BASICS!! It doesn’t matter if you have been scrapping for ten years or ten days...you will be sure to learn something new along the way!

Finn has very kindly donated a marvellous prize to either add to your stash or to get you started.

All you need to do to be in with a shot of the prize is follow Scrap365 and Mixed Media Place blogs. Like us both on Facebook and leave a message here telling us which layout principle you are going to try! We would love to see your take on the Principles so be sure to upload them to our Facebook page :)

Our January Blog Hop is all about layout principles. I found this fabulous prompt on Pinterest, courtesy of SuzyQ Scraps http://suzyqscraps.com/. It really sums up the beginnings of every layout.

I chose to go with the Alignment. Choosing a photo and printing it off 2 further times.

 

 I've also made one with the 3 photos, but using different photos.

I'm going to be totally honest here and say, I have actually added this LO since posting this blog hop post this morning. I had this second LO ready, but I just wasn't happy with it. I didn't feel happy with adding it to my post. It's been sat on my desk for some time now (it was actually started before Christmas) but I just couldn't move forward with it and it just didn't look finished.

So this morning I've taken some time and I decided that I wouldn't let this LO get the better of me.

 

 

I removed the original title which was just 'Hats' where 'Disney' now is and added an Extra long title.

I like a good amount of balance on my pages and I needed to balance out my title by using the same colours top and bottom. I stuck to a colour combo of red, aqua and navy.

I also used a Simple Stories sticker sheet - Urban Traveler and added the stickers around the edges.

I now feel so much happier with this LO and it finally feels finished.

 

 

My sweet friend Alexa gave me some goodies when she visited me recently. The fabric Studio Calico cameras were amongst the goodies. I inked them in blue and added some red pen to them.

 

 

 

 

 

These stickers really did the trick and saved this LO.

 

 

So there you have it, the story of the saved LO.

Am I the only one that has moments like these???

 

Don't forget to leave your comments on the Scrap365 Blog when you get back to the beginning and follow the instructions to be in for a chance to win that gorgeous prize! And maybe you could leave some blog love on the DT blogs along the way.

 

Here is the full blog list.

 Anai: http://anai.pl/blog/

 Finnabair: http://www.tworzysko.blogspot.com/

 Laura: http://akissonthechic.typepad.com/

 Marsha: http://marshavalk.wordpress.com/

 Linda: http://www.lindabrun.com/

Tusia: http://ototusia.blogspot.com/

 Michelle: http://mjm-thearttart.blogspot.co.uk/

 Pascale: http://pbhobby.blogspot.com/

 Riikka: http://paperiliitin.blogspot.co.uk/

 Lisa: http://scrappyfairies.blogspot.co.uk/

 Helen http://helentilbury.blogspot.co.uk/

return to http://scrap365.blogspot.co.uk/

Thanks so much for playing along with us.

Have funxxx

Please visit Helen next.
http://helentilbury.blogspot.co.uk/

Blueberry Yoghurt Bundt Cake

I made a delicious Blueberry Bundt Cake this week. It's so flavoursome and really moist.

If you aren't sure what a bundt cake is, it's the round ring shaped tin that it's baked in. You can get them in various sizes and shapes too all in the form of a ring.
This particular cake that I made this week was made in a plain bundt ring.
I particularly like this style of cake as it slices so well for the kids packed lunches. Loaf shaped tins are great too, but there's never enough. I find that once the kids have had a slice 'to try' then there's just enough for a packed lunch each and then it's gone. The bundt cakes can take more mixture so last longer.

I often get asked for my recipes, so I thought I'd share with you.
This particular one started off as a Hummingbird recipe but over the years I've adapted it to a Yoghurt Cake.

Set your oven to 170oC (325oF)
Grease your cake tin very well. This is really important. 

You need:
175g Unsalted Butter
175g Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
225g Plain Flour
2.5 tblsp Baking Powder
125g Natural Yoghurt
125g Blueberry Yogurt
1 cup of Fresh Blueberries

To make:

Put your butter and sugar together in a free standing mixer and mix until creamed well together and light in colour.
Mix the flour with the baking powder in a separate bowl.
Slowly add the eggs one at a time and as you do this add some of the flour/baking powder mix too. Keep doing this until the eggs and the flour mix have been blended in and the mixture looks smooth. Add the vanilla.
The whole time I leave the mixer mixing and don't turn it off.
I add both types of yoghurt to the cake mixture and allow to mix in.
Finally the blueberries get mixed in too.

Now pour in to the well greased bundt tin.
Bake for 40mins or until it's nicely brown and coming away from the tin at the sides.
I always do the skewer test and if it comes out with mixture on you know it's not quite ready.

The next important bit (and I learnt the hard way) once it's finished baking, leave it in the tin to cool. I'm so impatient in the kitchen, well in life in general : ) But it won't come out in whole if you try too early. Leave it to cool nicely and then I take a mini palate knife and scrape around the outer ring and also the inner piece too, just to loosen the cake off.
Take a cooling tray to the flat part of your cake ring (where you can see the cake) and flip over.
Your cake should now come out nicely. Sometimes I need to give it a bit of a pat.

To finish, dust with icing sugar.
Enjoy!!


   

 

Working from Home

I have a January Cocoa Daisy Sketch for you.

Are you ready to play along?
If your mojo needs a little kick start for the beginning of the year, this could just be the thing for you.
Here's my take.

 

I documented how much I loved working from home in December.

It's my quietest month of the year. I had lots of big orders, but not so many of the little ones coming through. It means that I can take my work in to the lounge, sit on front of the Christmas tree, make pretty wedding stationery and watch movies.

Bliss.

I did enjoy it : )

 

 

I used a mish mash of products on this page.

Crate Paper for the background, the other papers and journal cards are Cocoa Daisy exclusives.

This Blueprint kit and some really cool bits and pieces with it.

 

 

 

So come and join in. Add your blog link or a link to a gallery of your LO to the Cocoa Daisy blog post here. One lucky person will win a $10 coupon to spend in the Cocoa Daisy Boutique.

 

Have fun xx