Aunt's Birthday card (1)

Two weeks ago I started planning and designing my aunt's Birthday card.  I made a list of all the things that she likes, just like my Unlces 70th (which is her hubby).  My aunt is into fish's, westie's (dogs), cats and knitting. The theme I went for was fish, cats and knitting. I'm going to do westie's for Christmas, which I'm going to be making in the next few weeks. 

 I knew I was going to use the same template as
 my mum's 'mother day card'. 

Last week I did an special order for some die-cut cats, fish and knitting needles.  I found the cat and the fish, well fishbowl with fish, but could not find any think to do with knitting.  So I made my order and waited, I only needed to wait a day before my small parcel came.

I got out my craft mat, knife, double-sided sticky tape, embossing tool, ruler and sticky pads.  Then I looked out a peach colour card and envelope.  Then I popped the envelope to one side and opened up the card and layed it down on the mat.   I then took my embossing tool and ruler to mark the line across the top of one side of the card .  Then I took my craft knife and cut along the line I had made.


I used the same wrapping paper as I did for my mum's 'Mothers day card'.   This time I used the striped paper as the backing. Once I had stuck down the backing paper I made two square's from the same coloured card stock as the card and stuck on the wrapping paper.

I took the piece's to the fishbowl and made that up.  Then I got two cocktail sticks out and some pink wool. I then cast on about six stitches and knitted some row, it was hard work. But I got there in the end!  I then got some beads out and cut the end of the cocktail stick off.  I got out my trim-it glue and stuck the beads onto the end of each stick and made a little ball of wool. Then I stuck the knitting down onto the one of the squares I had made, and left that to set.  I got one of the cats out of the little bag (of 10) that the their came in, I had a small bit of card left over from the square's so I used that for the nose and two little gems for the eyes.

After that it was time to stick on the items. So I got my sticky-pads and stuck the square of the knitting on the left hand side in the middle of the card. I then got the fish bowl and again popped sticky-pads on and pop the fish bowl down the bottom on the right hand side of the card, just over lapping the square with the knitting on.  After that I did the same with the cat, but this time I pop the him up the top on the right hand side.

Please find picture's below:

To finish the card off, I cut to size an insert (saying: Wishing You A Very Happy Birthday). I popped a strip of double-sided sticky tape on one side of the insert and popped that in.

Please let me know what you think of the card..
I am now on twitter @Dorsetbotanybee

P.S... My uncle loved his Birthday card! I should find out over the weekend what my aunt thinks of the her card, I have a gut feeling she will love it!

70th Birthday Card

Two day after putting my aunts birthday card in the post.  I started designing my uncles 70th birthday card.  I wrote down all the things he is into.  Which to be honest is not a lot, in the end I decide on the one main thing. The thing he is always up to when I phone, in the garden! So as you can guess I decided on a Garden theme.....

A few day's later, 18th April I sat down and set to work, making his card.  I took a lime green blank card and envelope, then I popped the envelope to one side.  I then put the card onto my craft mat and got out some white cardstock.  Then I measured

 the white card against the green card making sure the white card was 1cm smaller on the sides and 4cm top and bottom.  I then got out a Christmas green cardstock and cut that 1cm smaller on the top, bottom and sides, than the white card. The same again with the white card.  I hope I have not confuse any of you! 

I took the large white square and stuck that onto the lime green card using double-sided sticky tape.  The smaller green and white card I stuck on using sticky pads.

After laying the squares up, it was time to put on the little garden items I had bought specially..

I firstly put the sliver watering can on the white card unsing trusted double-sided sticky tape.  Then I used sticky pads to stick the strip of green grass down.  The same for the folk and the little folk plus trowel. I also use some trim-it glue to stick them to the grass.

The picture below is how the card looked.

I left the card for a little while because I wanted to get a add-on that said " Happy 70th Birthday".

But I was un-successfully on finding a add-on that said that, :( so back to the drawing board....

~

The first week of May I went to the newly open The Range in my area.  I have to say the Range have a fantastic craft section in store, not online it rubbish! If you ever get a chance to go to one, You must go!

While I was there I got a few things, some peel-off's the Docrafts Creativity magazine and a

pack of Papermania add-on's.  

Once I got home, I set up my work table and got out my uncles card.  I picked out a 'Happy Birthday' (from the add-ons that I had just bought) to suit the card. Once I had picked out the add-on that I wanted to use, I got out my little sticky pads, to stick the Happy Birthday on the card.  I also got out my number peel off's. I popped a 70 on the Watering Can.

 

Here is the picture of the card now!

My uncle's Birthday isn't til two weeks time! So I will let you all know what he thinks.

P.s. Please let me know what you think? 

Aunt's Birthday Card

At the end of February I started to plan and work out my Aunty's Birthday card.  I wanted to do a art deco style card, but at the time I could not find what I was looking for.  Until I went to Readicut, I found what I was looking for!  I made my order every think was going to plan til I had an email to say sorry we are having trouble with your order.  Later I found out they had trouble with getting stock, I ended up cancelling my order.  So back to square one I was - until I bought my fave magazine Lets Make cards . After reading the magazine cover to cover and writing down some webby sites to check out.

Working my down the list of webby site I made I came across one, that saved the day for me.  I joined and made an order up, about two days later the parcel came.... I was and still are thrilled to bits with the items I bought...  After making a cuppa tea I sat down and set to work on my Aunty's Birthday card..

I should say at this point that I could not find any art deco stuff.  I just hope she loves it still!

Anyway I got out my pastel cards plus envelopes and picked out pink. Has this is my aunts fave colour, then I pushed out the layers of the topper and the pink and black pieces to the boarded.  I then got out my double sided sticky pads, to help layer up the piece's of the topper...  Once I had finished that I then cut the pink strip along the bottom to size.  Then I stuck the topper on and the pink strip with the black one on top.  I knew I had some paper flowers so I got out a pink plus purple one and stuck them on with a pink gem stone that my aunty had bought me a while back. The last item I popped on the card was 'Happy Birthday' Not sure if you can see it very well as it is on the black strip!

Please find below picture!

I have to say I love this card, just got to work on my unlce's birthday card now! I will keep you all posted...

P.s: Please let me know what you think?

21st Birthday Card

Hi Everyone! Sorry I meant to put this one on at the end of January.


A while ago I blog about learning a new card making technique called diamond .
After learning and practising the technique, I could not wait to make one for a family member or friend.

At the beginning of the year I started to plan my brother's birthday card.   I knew I was going to do the diamond effect and because it was my brother's 21st, I was going to put a 21 on there......

I had some blue card stock so I folded the card to match the template (I had made before) and popped that to one side. Then I got some pattren paper out and cutter out one square a bit smaller than the top part of the card and the strip for the base of the card. I then stuck the paper onto the card. I thought it was a bit too jazzy, so I found a small blue square of card and a smaller pattern square and stuck the card and paper on. The pattern paper I used was gift paper from the card factory.

I then got out my sliver shiney card and drawen to lines with a grap between. Then  I drawen the words ' Happy Birthday' and cut them out. I just wished I could get my letter prefect.


One of the last thing's I needed to do was the 21. So I got out some gorgeous gold glitter card I bought for Christmas and drawed a 21. Then I cut out the 21 and stuck both the 'Happy Birthday' and the 21 onto the card.

Find picture's below!!!

P.s: Please let me know what you think?

Mother's Day Card

After making sure I got mum her Mothers Day Gift, which you can read about on My Little Garden Heaven.  I knew I had enough time to plan and design my Mothers Day Card.  But bad luck hit me, I caught that flu/cold virus thing that is about at the moment.  So all I did was sleep which was just great as it was my week off work.  Once I got over the worst of the flu/cold, I thought if I did not start now I wont be making mum a card.  So I wrote down my ideas and drawn a template of how I wanted the card to look.  I knew I wanted to put the word 'Mum' in the top corner, then a flower somewhere in the middle and a doggie on the bottom.

Here is my template below.

Once I did my template I made sure I had the papers and materials.  After making sure I had every think I needed to make the card.  It was time to have fun and get creative, this is always the best bit. :-)

I got a piece of my white card stock out and cut a piece in half and then folded that piece in half, to make a small card.  Then I cut a triangle piece off the top of the opening side, then I put it to one side.  I then made the squares and the word 'MUM', I even cut the piece of backing paper out ready. I used my peel off marker pens (which I got for Christmas) to colour the word 'MUM'.  Then it was time to stick the backing paper onto the card and the finished squares onto the card. 

I had a template for a dog standing, so I modified him to be sitting down and covered him with pink paper then stuck him onto the card.  The only thing left to put on was the flower.  I went thorough all the colours I had starting with blue then trying the pinks and yellows, I went back to the blue one I started with.  So I stuck the blue flower on and popped a gem in the middle of it.

Pictures below!

If you have read my 'Mothers Day gift' posted, you would know how I got told I shouldn't have got her any think.  The same again I was told I shouldn't of got her a card.

I have to say mum loves her card! She is still making lovely comments about the card.

Chocolate Marshallow Fudge

I first saw the Chocolate Marshmallow Brown Sugar Fudge (as its known) on Lorraine Pascale

programme Home Cooking Made Easy.  As you could guess, I could not wait for the book to be out in the shops.  So I was fast on line after the show, to see if I could get the recipe, and BINGO! I found the recipe on the BBC web site.

But every time I bought the ingredients some think would happen, like use them for some think else or the marshmallows would get eated.  So it was not until the 9th of February that I decided to have ago.

I had plan to make the fudge during the day, but I ended up being busy with family stuff. So while the second part of Emmerdale was on at 8pm, I went to make the fudge.  Yep I can hear you all say 'Gosh isn't that late' My mum and brother said that too.  I was like ermmm no! Anyway enough about that!

The recipe says to use a square tin and to grease it with vegetable oil.. I could only find a round one and I know I have a square tin somewhere in the house.  So I washed and greased the tin that I could only find. But I did not use vegetable oil the only oil we use in this house is sunflower.

 Also I have noticed just lately I'm not one for getting every think prepare ready. The only time I do prepare is making cupcakes. (Gosh not done them for awhile.) I'm more a go as I flow, if you caught my drift.

Sometimes I really hate the hob, its a right pain to get lite. I personally think its me not putting enough pressure on the switch to get the hob lite. Anyway once I finally got the hob ring lite and the pan on. It was time to put the butter, milk and sugar in.  Not long afterwards the sugar had melted it was time to put
the marshmallows in. I started popping in the marshmallows. They soon filled the pan, as I got the large ones and not thinking at the time what could happen. So I ended up switch to the big pan. (Note to self: Must use big pan next time not medium one)  Anyway once the first lot of marshmallows had melted down I started to braking up the last lot to get them melted quicker. Then I turn the heat up to let it boil for a few minutes.

While keeping an eye on the pan I started to tidy up. Because that's what my mum as taught me to do. Once I had tidyed I had enough time to get the dark (70%) and milk chocolate chopped up ready.  By the time I had chopped up the chocolate. It was time to add the chocolate to the pan and stir.
Once I had stir what was in the pan, I then poured it into the tin I had prepare early and
then left it to set. The recipe said for two hours to set, and trust me it dose only take two hours.

After the mix had set I tipped it out and cut it into pieces, I got more than 25pcs. But I did not have enough time to count because the fudge did not last for long.  Everyone said that the fudge was very yummy and I've been ordered to make some more
I'll be making some more in the next few weeks. That's a promise....

Hand on my heart I have to confess at times I did not think it was going to work.

 

I'll be making some more in the next few weeks. That's a promise....

Chocolate Marshmallow Brown Sugar Fudge

By Lorraine Pascale

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil, for greasing
• 70g/2½oz butter
• 300g/10½oz Soft light brown sugar
• 125g/4½oz Evaporated milk
• 225g/8oz Marshmallows
• 300g/10½oz Milk chocolate, chopped
• 75g/3oz Dark chocolate (at least 6% cocoa solids), Chopped

Method

1. Grease a 20cm/8in square tin with vegetables oil, then line with greaseproof paper.
2. Put the butter, sugar and milk in a pan over a low heat and melt gently. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the marshmallows and turn up the heat. Boil the fudge for 5-6 minutes.
3. Take the pan off the heat and add the grated chocolate. Leave for one minute, then stir the mixture together until everything is melted.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and leave to set for a couple of hours. Once set, remove from the tin and cut into 25 squares



The humble Poppy

Last November I noticed a lot of people was wearing a knitted Poppy for the build up to remembrance Sunday.  After asking a few people I found out that they were being sold and the money was going to Help The Heroes.  But no one could tell me where to get the pattern from.

Until the second week of January (2012), a friend of my mum.

Popped round with a pattern to asked would we consider to help make some Poppy's to sell for charity.

We both said yes we would love too.

Since then we have been busy knitted.

Here's one of our little poppy's

I will keep you all posted on how we get on.