My Pal Val ..................

is back YIPPEE! It was great to spend some time this afternoon catching up (and eating pancakes). I did manage to do a layout while we were chatting and I was determined to use Val's new Martha Stewart Deep Edger Half Fan Punch. I've got the Lattice Heart one and I've used it on a couple of layouts but the great thing about this one is that you can use it to create a 360 degree flower shape. It did take a few tries to get it lined up properly but I did it in the end and I must say it is a lovely punch done either way. The supplies I used are by Bo Bunny and the papers are Organic Marigold and Chocolate Dot. The photo is one of those rare ones of Jim and I together LOL.

Tomorrow I'm cropping with some friends and I'm really looking forward to it. I really need to sort out some more photos tonight (if I can get myself off the sofa). I also found some Bo Bunny We R Family papers and stickers that I would like to use on a little album so I've got plenty to work with. Let's just hope I have the mojo to do something other than chat.

Catch ya later.

Fee x

Beautiful Flowers

You may remember me saying that I helped my friend Sandra and her work colleague (Janice) to make a scrapbook for her daughters 18th birthday. They did extremely well considering the time they had to do it and I made a few pages to help out. This fabulous bouquet of flowers were given to me as a thank you and I was absolutely delighted. All my friends know that I love fresh flowers and they are the one gift that will always be happy to receive. This bouquet was from Jade Flowers at the Hilton Hotel and it was very unusual as it was wrapped in black paper and raffia - very posh LOL.

Today I didn't get very far as it was snowing heavily all day and the roads are treacherous. I had problems reversing the car out of the drive then I got stuck in the car park when I went to the bank so I decided to stay home for the rest of the day. Laura didn't get to the Youth Club either and she wasn't very pleased about that but I really didn't want to take the car out again. Thankfully it seems to be turning to rain now so fingers crossed that tomorrow will be a better day.

If I can get my washing and ironing up to date tonight I hope to do some crafting tomorrow (cos I'm having withdrawal symptoms).

Till tomorrow.

Fee x

It's Recipe Time Again

Today the recipe is for Spiced Onions. Many years ago I commented on how much I enjoyed the spiced onions in my favourite Indian restaurant in Glasgow. I must have gone on and on about it because the waiter gave me the recipe before I left. I hope you enjoy them - I know we do.

Ingredients

1 large onion sliced
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mint sauce
1 teaspoon chilli powder

Mix sauces, lemon juice, salt and chilli powder together. Add sliced onion to mixture and leave to soften in fridge for 3-4 hours before serving with poppadums or pappads.

Catch ya later.

Fee x

House Viewing

I recently spotted a new house that I thought Jim and I would love and we went to view it this afternoon. It was beautiful but I'm not so sure that it was worth the amount they were asking so I don't think we will be going anywhere LOL. It was nice to see it though and it gave me a few ideas for decorating so I suppose the time wasn't wasted.

I've also been busy baking (again) today and I'll have to go now and eat it .

Till tomorrow.

Fee x

A Beautiful Sunny Day .......... now SNOW!

Today started off frosty but the sun came out and it ended up a beautiful sunny day. A great day for a walk but I had lots of washing to do. At least I got my washing out and it was almost dry when I brought it in at the end of the day.

Jim and Laura are driving down to Prestwick Airport tonight to collect Val and her family who are flying in from Paris. I just looked out of the window and shock, horror, it is snowing. They are going to leave a little bit earlier than they had planned just in case it gets worse.

Today I wanted to share another page I did recently. I used Making Memories Noteworthy that I brought home from Florida almost two years ago and the photos were taken a few years ago at the Carnival at the SECC. I hope you like it.

Catch ya later.

Fee x

Freecycle

I recently joined a local Freecycle group as I had two blue leather sofas that were in excellent condition and were no longer needed. My foray into recycling didn't get off to a good start as the guy who said he would take them didn't turn up Grrrrr! I was annoyed because there were a lot of people who had replied and missed out because he was wasting my time. It all worked out in the end and I ended up giving them to my eldest niece and they are perfect in her new flat.

Today I picked up 3 boxes of brand new carpet tiles from another freecycler and I'm delighted with my freebie.

No crafting at all today but there is always tomorrow. I think I'm missing my pal Val for motivation - hurry up and get back from Paris Val.

Fee x

Mission Impossible (well almost)

This afternoon I went to Braehead Shopping Centre to get some more school shirts for Laura. Not a difficult task you would imagine but it took me ages to find the style she wanted in her size. Anyway mission accomplished and I've now washed and ironed them ready for school.

I wanted to share another page from My Home book. This time it's Laura's bedroom which is a really girly room painted pink and lilac. It isn't normally as tidy as this but I straightened it up a bit for the photo LOL. That girl has sooooo many soft toys it is ridiculous. I hope you like the page.

Till tomorrow.

Fee x

Cousins Together

Another early page from the album I found recently. It was done using papers and embellishments from Ki Memories. I'd like to get another copy of the photo and redo this layout as it is the only photograph I have of the four girls together. I think I'll set myself that challenge and see what I come up with.

Fee x

A Little Help For My Friend

I spent this afternoon with my friend Sandra (Hill) to help one of her work colleagues to make a 12 " x 12" scrapbook for her daughters 21st birthday. I did as much as I could by cropping photos and helping them to select papers and embellishments from their stash to use on the layouts. No doubt they are still working away on it as I type this. I did take some photos home with me and I said I would do a couple of pages of the album for her over the next couple of days.

I've posted another page from Laura's Bo Bunny friends album. These photos were taken during the September weekend last year when Jim, Laura, Jenny and I went out for the day and ended up in Oban. The girls couldn't resist trying on sunglasses and eating slush puppies even though it was raining outside LOL.

Till later.

Fee x

Congratulations to ..............................

Craftyrufus (a.k.a. Ruth) on winning the MLYB Baby Safari Blog Candy. I asked Laura to write out all the names and got her to draw the winner (very high tech LOL). Ruth can you please e-mail me your full name and address and I'll get your prize off to you. Thanks to everyone who took part in the fun and look out for the next giveaway.

I hope you like the layout I did yesterday. I've used Bo Bunny Persuasion paper range and stamped the lower case part of the title with Amuse Polka Dot Stamps that I've had for ages. The photograph was taken a couple of years ago when we were on holiday in Florida. I had real trouble trying to come up with a title for this layout because all I can really remember about that day was that Laura left Minnie Mouse in a restaurant and when we went back for it the restaurant was closed. Laura was so upset and I could see Minnie sitting on a shelf inside so I made my way round the back of the restaurant and through the back door and swiped her off the shelf. I'm glad no-one saw me or I may have got into trouble. There were no further dramas for the rest of the holiday thank goodness and we were all relieved to get her back safely.

Till tomorrow.

Fee x

Happy Valentines Day

Don't forget the blog candy competition posted on Wednesday ends tonight at midnight. Make sure you add your comment to the post to be in with a chance of winning.

Here is a photo of some of the roses from my Valentine bouquet from Jim. I don't like red roses and my favourites are yellow and pink instead. I was delighted to see that he had remembered and had sent me the colours I prefer and I couldn't resist taking a photo.

Today Val and I did some scrapping (at last). Val was working on her Disney Book for her grandson Jack and I did a layout using some of the new Bo Bunny Persuasion range. The shop where I bought the paper didn't have any embellishments so I had to make my own. Val had the "bright" idea that I should make the flowers out of scrunched up paper. As that is so not my style I protested loudly but she made me do it and to be honest I was quite pleased with the end result. I grumbled all the time I was doing it but Val just laughed at me and told me to get on with it LOL. I'll post a photo tomorrow cos the light is so poor in the evenings.

Till tomorrow.

Fee x

I Passed the Test - Yippee

The fruit loaves were a huge success and I'm in the process of rattling up another couple tonight. I took one along for the girls at the crop today and we managed to scoff it no problem (thickly spread with butter of course). I thought I'd post the recipe in case anyone would like to try their hand at making them.

Ingredients

1 Cup Caster Sugar

1 Cup Water

1/2 lb Mixed Fruit

2 Cups Self Raising Flour

4 oz Butter or Margarine

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

2 Eggs

Melt Sugar, water and butter in saucepan. Add fruit and cinnamon and bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes. Allow mixture to cool in pan then add, flour, beaten eggs and baking powder to saucepan and mix well.

Grease two 1 lb non stick loaf tins with butter or margarine and divide mixture between the two tins. Bake in a preheated oven at 175 degrees (fan oven) for approximately 50 minutes to 1 hour.

I didn't really do much at the crop today except eat and chat LOL. However, I did manage to finish off a layout I started on our weekend away. I hope you like it. Thanks to Lyn for lending me her white gel pen cos I couldn't find mine anywhere. The paper is from the My Minds Eye Bloom & Grow Range and I felt that it suited the photo perfectly. I chose to use Doodlebug rub ons because I hate my hand writing and I love the funky fonts that Doodlebug have.

Fee x

Don't forget to add your comment to Wednesday's post to be in with a chance of winning the My Little Yellow Bicycle Baby Safari Blog Candy. The winner will be drawn after midnight tomorrow (Sunday) and published on Monday. Good luck everyone.

Look What I Found

I was looking through one of my scrapbooks today and came across this layout that I did about 2 years ago. I loved it then and I love it now. The papers, acetate and rub ons are by Autumn Leaves (I think) and I stamped the word MEMORIES using another stamp set by Autumn Leaves. The flower is from Prima and I think the pin was Heidi Grace.

I've been busy baking tonight and have two fruit loaves waiting for Jim to taste when he comes in from work at 12.30am. Let's hope they pass the test LOL.

Till tomorrow.

Fee x

PS Don't forget to leave a comment on Wednesday's post to enter into the Blog Candy Giveaway.

Blog Candy Giveaway

I thought it was about time I had a giveaway. The papers shown here are from the My Little Yellow Bicycle Baby Boy Safari range and they are absolutely gorgeous to scrap with. To be in with a chance of winning all you have to do is to leave a comment about anything at all here on the blog before Sunday 14th February. The winner will be drawn at random. Good luck everyone.

Not a lot of scrapping mojo around today I'm afraid but I was busy with household chores instead but tomorrow is another day LOL. I did however find the fruit loaf recipe that I was looking for earlier this week and I hope to do some baking tomorrow - watch this space!

Fee x

More Love Elsie Pages

Here is another page from the book showing our extremely comfortable sofa and Jim's chair (the boss LOL) in our Family Room. I laughed when I noticed who was on tv when I took this photo - none other than the King of the Jungle himself - Gino D' Acampo when he was on Loose Women. I love this room and we spend more time in there than in the lounge. The little cream cushion on the sofa was given to me as part of my birthday present this year from Laura. It's from the Me to You collection and I have bought her several snowglobes, teddies, photo frames etc. from the range. We also have the Wii, a desk, laptop and printer in there so it caters for most of our activities. I'm using the Jack and Abby range of papers and embellishments from Love Elsie and I've had these for absolutely ages. They are a bit different to my normal style as they are a bit funky. Well you can't say that I don't try to work outwith my comfort zone and I do love the rub ons. The little houses are cut from canvas paper from the same range.

I had a bit of a lazy day today and didn't really get much done at home. I did do some shopping but only because my fridge was beginning to look like old Mother Hubbard's cupboard - bare! Anyway that is all changed now and I can hardly close the door for food.

Roll on tomorrow.

Fee x

Just Hanging Around ............ Waiting

I waited in all day today for Scottish Hydroelectric to come and check my central heating system. They said that they couldn't give me a time but that the Engineer would be with me between 8.30am and 5.00pm. Can you guess when he arrived? Well it wasn't until 6.00pm! I feel it was a bit of a wasted day hanging about the house just waiting Grrrrr.

Okay rant over and on the plus side I did manage to do a bit of tidying up in my craft room. It was well overdue for a bit of sort out and although it isn't completely sorted, it is a lot better than it was.

Here are a couple of pages from my New Home book that I finished off today - I hope you like them. I hate my handwriting on any layout and I may well change this to rub-ons or even type the address - the jury is still out on that one.

Till tomorrow.

Fee x

Poor Izzy

Today Izzy, Sandra, Margaret, Val and I had planned to get together to do a Scorpal project. Unfortunately, the road Izzy has to travel from Doune was closed when she reached the village of Drymen. We heard later that a body had been found between the villages of Gartocharn and Drymen and that is why the road was closed. I don't know any more details at the moment but no doubt the newspapers will be full of it tomorrow. Sorry you didn't make it Izzy - we did miss you but wanted to let you know that a piece of carrot cake was consumed in your name (8 pieces actually and not all by me LOL).

Margaret, Sandra and I bravely tackled the project which was a little briefcase filled with stationery. I had actually designed another project but it just wasn't looking quite the way I wanted it so I changed my mind about 2 hours before they arrived. It was quite a tall order to start something new at that late stage but I had seen something similar on a blog last year and I thought it looked lovely.

Val didn't arrive until mid afternoon because she has not been keeping very well for the past few weeks. It was so nice to see her and to have a good old gabfest. Hope you have a better week this week Val.

Another friend Lesley also came to visit today and we spent some time chatting about the new PTI dies and felt that will be released soon. I am sooo tempted to order this month and I was trying so hard not to.

Here is another card using the Floral Fantastical stamp set from Unity Stamps. The paper is by Chatterbox and the buttefly is stamped on patterned vellum and twinkled with Glamour Dust (of course). The scalloped edge was done using the Stamping Up scalloped border punch which I love).

Gotta go now I need my beauty sleep.

Fee x

Fingers Crossed

Laura had her tap and modern stage dancing exams this afternoon. She seems to think it went okay so fingers crossed that she will pass. She loves dancing and she has improved a lot over the last 6 months or so and she is doing especially well with the tap. So much so she taps all over the place, in the house, in the supermarket and walking to school so much so she sometimes drives me nuts tapping.

I have a card to share with you today and I hope you like it. The paper is by Sweetwater and the stamp is one from the Floral Fantastical set by the Unity Stamp Company.

Fee x

Disco Divas

I picked the girls up from the school Valentine Disco last night and they had a fantastic time and were all chatting nineteen to the dozen when the got into the car. I was horrified to see that one of the girls Laura went to primary school with was planning to walk home herself. It was 10.40pm and it was pitch black, raining and her mother had told her to walk home. Needless to say I took her along with Sophie, Jenny & Laura. I would never have forgiven myself if something had happened to her - not that her mother seemed bothered. I know Laura says that I am guilty of "over parenting" (her words) but if that means making sure your child gets home safely late at night then I'm guilty as charged after all they are only 12 years old.

It's half term this weekend so they are off school until Wednesday - how will I cope LOL? I'd better get something crafty organised to keep them busy.

Till tomorrow.

Fee x

Feeling Poorly

I was feeling a bit off colour yesterday with a bit of a head cold and I fell asleep after dinner last night and only woke when Laura shook me and announced she was off to bed. I then fell asleep and woke up again when Jim came in from work at 12.30am. I thought that I would never sleep last night but I did and didn't wake up until 7.30 this morning. I figure I must have needed the rest to have slept as long as that. I feel a bit better today but still not 100%.

I treated myself to a couple of silicon cake tins today as they were on special in the supermarket. I already have supposedly non stick bakeware but I thought I'd try the silicon ones to see if they are any better. I used to make a fantastic fruit loaf but can't find the recipe anywhere DOH! I'm having dinner at my Mum's tonight so perhaps she has the recipe - fingers crossed.

I haven't managed to do any crafting today so I thought I'd share another page from the Bo Bunny Album.

Fee x

Going, Going ........ Almost Gone

It's absolutely ridiculous I know but the carrot cake may not be with us for much longer LOL. Jim and I had 2 smallish pieces last night when he came in from work and 2 large pieces before he went to work this afternoon. It is so good it is positively sinful. I managed to take a photograph this time so that you can see what a domestic goddess I am (not!). Maybe one day we will be fed up eating it and some of you might even get to taste it - we'll see.

Tonight I went along to the Parents Information Evening for the Mathematics Department school trip to Paris next year. Laura is desperate to go (probably because it is in Disneyland) and I hope she appreciates that it is a learning experience and not all about the rides. It is only the top two classes that get the opportunity to go so I hope that it will act as an incentive for her concentrate on her maths homework.

No crafting at all today but I have a few things I want to finish off tomorrow.

Till then.

Fee x

Project Number 2

After covering the organiser box I was left with some pink paint and a lot of scraps of cardstock and I decided to be thrifty (for once) and use them up. I bought this little bank at the same time as I bought the other box and I thought I might as well do something with it. As you know, we had a fab time at our Scrapbooking Weekend at http://www.southlittleton.co.uk/ and we have booked to return again in October. I thought that if I made this little bank it might focus my mind on saving up for this. I hope you like it.

I've made some more carrot cake tonight and I'm impatiently waiting for it to cool so that I can taste it. As my last effort didn't require any hospital treatment I thought I would post the ingredients in case anyone wanted to try it out. There are many recipes available on-line but this is the one I used.

8 oz Self Raising Flour

4oz Muscavado Light Brown Sugar

4oz Finely Grated Carrot

2 Ripe bananas (mashed)

2 oz Chopped Walnuts or Pecans

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

2 teaspoons Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

2 Large Eggs (beaten)

5oz Sunflower Oil

Method

Preheat fan oven to 175 degrees . Lightly grease 8" non stick square cake tin with butter.

Sift flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder together in a mixing bowl and stir to blend. Make well in centre and add beaten eggs and oil together. Using a mixer on low setting mix until smooth consistency forms.

Stir in carrot, banana and nuts until blended. Pour mixture into tin until half way up side. Bake in oven (middle shelf) for 45 minutes or until firm and skewer in centre comes out clear. Remove from oven and leave to cool completely before removing from tin.

Topping

6oz Soft Mascarpone Cheese

6oz Icing Sugar (sieved)

1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence

2oz Soft Margarine (I use Stork)

Method

Beat Mascarpone cheese, margarine and vanilla essence then add icing sugar a little at a time. Blend until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Spread icing over top of cake and refrigerate for an hour to set topping. Decorate top with walnuts or pecans then cut into squares and serve.

Enjoy! I'll post a photo of my efforts tomorrow.

Till then.

Fee x