Cake Pops, + Bad News and Good News



Well here is my attempt at Cake Pops - not exactly brilliant - but quite edible.  I ran out of lollipop sticks, so put the balls of cake mix into little sweet cases and poured chocolate over them

close up for some of the pops

Now for the bad news - as I was brushing my teeth last night I discovered an unknown object in my mouth - turned out it was a piece of my crown.  So it was up early to ring Dentist and get an appointment.  "Never seen that happen he says the porcelaine has cracked"  - trust me to be different.  Anyway he polished it down, and because it didn't take very long, he decided to do my check up today instead of in a few weeks time when I had an appointment booked!   So that was a bit of good news, and got a nice clean and polish into the bargain!

And the icing on the cake was the fact that my youngest granddaughter is home from hospital - yippee - had a small op to remove the drain this morning and then was released this afternoon!    She will be on antibiotics for another few days, but the good thing is she is home for Christmas.   Perfick end to the week!

Mags



More Baking!

shortbread shapes, frangipane mince pies (with orange pastry) and puff pastry mince pies

I couldn't see to do a lot when I got back from the emergency appointment at the opticians (which turned out to be nothing to sorry about - phew) but I had to have drops in my eye, and they took ages this time to wear off - so I pottered in the kitchen

Made some mini frangipane mince pies - gosh they are yummy - not sure how many will be left for the visitors next week!  Also made some shortbread, which I was going to decorate, but as am still feeling under par - shall leave them and maybe dip them in chocolate next week.  If not they will remain plain!

I made some more mincepies with puff pastry - was a tad worried I had burned them - as the pinger didn't go off - anyway chief taster said they are brilliant and not burned!

I also prepared the mix for some cake pops and put those together this evening - don't think I shall be rushing to make them again - tad fiddly.  I didn't have any candy melts, and the chocolate is taking an age to set!  (I may show you the disasters tomorrow when they are set!)

Think I am all baked out now - so shall relax a bit for next couple of days.

Mags

A baking evening

Life is a very weird here at mo.  My youngest granddaughter was rushed to hospital last week, with an infection in her jaw of some sort.  They have been backwards and forward to hospital, then she was kept in on Monday and had scans yesterday - today she was transferred to another hospital and had an operation to remove an abcess!

I have a filthy cold, so haven't been able to visit as well as problem with one of my eyes - and have got an emergency appointment to see about that tomorrow - hey ho - why does it all happen just before Christmas.

Anyway I needed to do some baking ready for my visitors next week - so to take my mind off granddaughter and try and "sweat" my cold out of me I made this lot this evening!

Sausage and Onion pie,   Meat and vegetable pie

sage & onion sausage rolls, mince pies, few jam tarts and cheesy nibbles with left-over pastry

Blue pendant

Just a very quick simple pendant on a cord.

Black and Silver & Black and White

My two hairdressers admired my necklaces, so I knew what to make them as a christmas gift. I asked them their favourite colours - black was the answer! so two variations on a theme.

Black & White



Black and Silver

and the boxes:

and finally - third christmas cake .....

Red & Gold Beaded Christmas Cake

.... mine!  Another beaded effort, but this time with a crocheted wire circlet for the side of the cake. 



The top knot




crocheted wire beaded circlet.


This view shows how NON-White the so called white sugarpaste is, when you compare it with the white royal iced snow effect around the board!

Mags

Snowflake cake

Turquoise snowflake cake

This is the second of the three Christmas cakes I have made this year for the family.   This time a sugarpaste coated one.  I was very disappointed in the sugarpaste - I decided to try some new stuff this year that Mich Turner of the Little Venice Cake Company had put her name to.  I should have realised that as it was made by Silver Spoon it would be rubbish!   It was horrendous to handle and took a couple of attempts to get it on the cake.  Haven't had that problem since I first started cake decorating many many many moons ago!  Still we live and learn!  Not only that but the packet said "White" - erm as you can see in the photo it is ivory!  At least the blue dusted white snowflakes show up on it!

I made the top knot from turquoise and white pearl seed beads.  Slight panic when I discovered the ribbons I had weren't quite the right colour that I wanted, but solved the problem by putting a green ribbon under the blue one to get the required turquoise colour!  It now matches my daughter's dining room decor perfectly.

Look out for tomorrow's posting - third and last cake - mine!

Thanks for dropping by.

Mags

Poinsettia Christmas Cake

I have been busy today - finished off a couple of necklances, and finished off two Christmas Cakes.  Didn't know what to share today - so thought I would show one of the Cakes.

So this is a Royal Iced Rich Fruit Cake for my son and daughter-in-law.  Kept it very simple.  Just a red chiffon ribbon around the base,  and a white chiffon one around the board. Some "iced snow" on the board, which has had hologram glitter sprinkled over it.



view of the top




Close up of the spray

I confess I cheated with the spray.  I had no idea of what I was going to put on the top and the I saw a spray in Sains which was on special offer - £2 instead of £3.   I decided to cheat and use that instead of making my own and mixing up lots of different coloured flowerpaste!    Not sure that my DIL was too impressed when I showed her - but I said that I was going to dust it up, which I duly did then ran it through the steam from the kettle to give it a shine and blend the dusts. 

The original purchased spray before I got to it!


right back to the grindstone still have my cake to finish.

Mags

Birthday Cake Card

Another card from Joanna Sheen Jane Shasky - "from the heart of the garden" cd.  All the images and the backing paper are from cd 2.    The toppers from the Mixed Florals section, and the backing paper from the Calligraphy backing papers section; and I lightened the colour of the backing paper slightly in Publisher.  I also created the sentiment on the little topper in Publisher picking up one of the colours in the image.

Although it doesn't look like it all the toppers were mounted on the same silver mirri card, and I added a pale lilac organza bow.

I chose this image as my cousin the recipient is not only a cardmaker like me, but also a cake decorator - it must be in our genes!

Mags

Wedding Anniversary Card

It is my bestest craft buddy's Wedding Anniversary today.  I had a bit of a panic on Friday evening, when I realised I hadn't made her a card and needed to get it made and in the post PDQ - like before midday Sat.  However, it seems that RM have failed to deliver it on time, even though it went first class!  Still it is the thought that counts!

Fortunately for me, I had some bits that I had been playing with that saved the day (I know I shouldn't own up to  this really, but she will knows that I don't keep a lot of ready-made bits in my stash - so it really was a saving grace for me for once.  My guardian angel must have been on my shoulder for once!).  Must play and put more ready-made bits in my stash - mind you knowing "Murphy's Law" I will never have the right bits in my stash for what I want!

Hope you don't have to wait too long to receive the real thing Jacque! xx

Mags

Gardening and Books Theme!

Had another request from my pal for a card with a gardening and books theme - think this is the third one I have made with this theme this year!  Must admit my mind was blank for a few days, as I didn't really want to repeat one I had done earlier this year.   As I got into bed last night - I suddenly had a brainwave - bookatrix board.   Now I don't normally use this, as I don't really get on with it (undertstatement !!!!) - but nothing ventured nothing gained!  (and blow me down when Jak Heath's email came through this morning - she was recalling using her bookatrix board a few years ago - phew that was scary - but then great minds think a like - LOL!)

Cream hammered card with a matted background on silver card (from JS Jane Shasky "from the heart of the garden" cd).  Bookatrix shape in pearlescent card and embossed vellum (vellum was from a Goody Bag) with an image from the Jane Shasky cd and a computer generated sentiment, both matted to match the background.   Finished off with some orchid coloured ribbon and some daisy ribbon and some little purple flowers I found in my flower stash!

Insert was also from the cd, and I put a little image of the topper on the purple envelope, which I lined with the background wood effect paper.

Took me most of the afternoon to produce - but think the majority of the time was spent trying to decide which topper and which backing paper to use! lol

Hope she likes it!

Mags

Purple & Green

Purple & Green ribbon necklace

I asked my niece what her favourite colours were -  the reply purple and green.   Hopefully she will like this then!   Purple & Green ribbon and Purple and Green beads on the charm.  Had a bit of a panic on with necklaces past couple of weeks as ran out of silver bell end clasps, and local craft shop were out of stock until after Christmas.  Fortunately tracked some down on the net!



gift bag



and this is the bag I made to for it to go in.  I had made a box but realised that meant parcel would have to be sent as a package and would require a long queue at the Post Office - so I compromised, and made this little bag with my Hougie and instructions from Hougie Book 2.  It's called a milkcarton gift bag!

Mags

First Christmas

Used my Forever Friends cd for this one for my great great nephew.  I do love this cd.  Created the image in the programme, and then added some "glitter" snow.

Granddaughters....

...... cards that is.  Just three quick simple ones.

Hopefully after this week, I shall be around more - the dreaded stripping and painting is nearly done.  I have managed to do behind one glass/china cabinet today - including taking everything out, cleaning and putting back.  Had this brilliant idea - take photo of shelves in cabinet, before removing everything - fab - it was easy peasy to get it all back in its right place, after it was washed.

Just three more strips of wallpaper behind other display unit to do tomorrow - but this is big and heavy - not looking forward to that tomorrow.  However, that will be the last of it.  (well there is a little bit to do in an alcove behind TV, which requires shelves to be taken down first - but that is probably going to be left until the New Year as you can't really see it  - unless .....  I get time and inclination before Christmas after every thing else on the todo list is done!)

21st Card, Necklace & Box

It is one of my great nieces birthdays today.  Topper and backing paper from Butterflies section of JS From the Heart of the Garden cd.  I adjusted the colour of the backing paper to compliment the toppers.

I also made a necklace for her, using Pandora style beads;  with the option of putting the key charm on a phone, purse/handbag or a keyring.   (I have made a different necklace for her for Christmas, which will have a dangly that could be worn on this necklace if she wants to vary it from the key).



Choker necklace with optional key charm attachment

  

Close up of key beads

 and this is the box I made for the necklace with my hougie board - flower is actually more purple than blue.

Box for necklace

thanks for dropping by

Mags

champagne necklace

champagne necklace

Well the red version didn't make it to Sugarcraft raffle, as my pal Paula rather liked it.  I said I would make her another one, but realised I didn't have enough ribbon - so I quickly made this one yesterday, and the red one will be winging its way to her.   I actually took the wherewithall to make it to the surgery yesterday as OH had an appointment in the heart clinic (can report all results ok!) - as usual Doc was running slightly behind and that was at 8.30 in the morning!

Came home and made the little charm and added the chain and clasp findings.  The organza makes it look quite sparkly.

They went down quite well I think at Sugarcraft Club as the demonstrator was showing us how to make beaded jewellery for our cakes!  Right up my street - so watch this space - as if I have the right beads may make some for my Christmas cakes.

(Mind you Christmas cakes are a bad word in this house today!)   I marzipanned 3 cakes this morning, and then went to put the sugarpaste on two of them.  I had bought the new Mich Turner (Little Venice Cake Company) sugarpaste to try as it was on special in Sains.   First disappointment that although it said white icing - it was very much off-white and more like champagne coloured icing!  The second was that it was absolute rubbish to work with and coat a cake.  Had 3 attempts on the first cake - crikey - haven't had to do that since I was a student many many years ago!  I was so cross - it nearly got thrown across the kitchen!  I hadn't realised it was a Silver Spoon product - wouldn't have touched it with a barge pole - that'll learn me to look at packaging more closely!  but it was the colour that really made me cross.   If that is what she used on the Royal Wedding cake - no wonder it looked ivory instead of white!  ok rant over - just got to get on and do the royal iced cake - theoretically the marzipan should dry out for a few days, but I might risk it as it will take me 6 days to put the coating on - wonder if the kids would like old-fashioned "snow" finish cake instead? :-0  !!

Mags

Phone Charms & Organza Necklace

Apologies for being awol a bit recently - life has overtaken me a tad!   I am still struggling with the decorating of the lounge, and the stripping of wallpaper - but I am getting there slowly!  However, abandoned the decorating yesterday and today and did some crafting, as was feeling a little underpar.  

Made these items last night, as I had promised our sugarcraft club that I would make a couple of items for the Christmas Party Night Raffle tomorrow.  (They already have a paint fusion candle, and I may possibly wrap up another.  Depends how time permits tonight/tomorrow -  I may even make some boxes for these items!)

The first item is a couple of very simple phone charms in red and purple.



key charms

The second item is one of my ribbon necklaces with a little charm pendant.  This was an experiment with some wider organza ribbon bought from Joanna Sheen.  Also because they didn't have any silver ball ends in  our little local craft shop - I had to use gold ones - and of course all my pendant bits are silver, thus having to make a suitable charm with gold findings.   (and typing this have just realised that I was supposed to ring said craft shop to make sure the owner understood the order I asked the chap to write down for her today for the silver bell ends - and of course it's too late now - the shop will be closed!  grrr.  she isn't in every day either - have to see if I can e-mail her!)



Organza Ribbon Necklace

Right better go and feed the man of the house, and then settle down tonight to Christmas card writing, and using the flat spitty thing and the surfboard!     :-)

Thanks for dropping by.

Mags