Apple Muffins and My win from across the pond...

I entered a Fall/Autumn giveaway a few weeks back with the lovely Jennifer from Vintage Gwen and I was lucky enough to win - I commented that I would be having a go at baking Apple Muffins this season (I am not the best cook, so I was slightly ambitious I think!)

I waited for my prize to arrive but I didn't have to wait very long (very impressed with international delivery times I must say)...

I was very excited to open the 'Candy Corn' tissue paper (I had to ask what Candy Corn is - it is seasonal chewy sweets!) to reveal...

A beautiful pumpkin tea-towel, candy corn cake cases, pumpkin and candy corn cookie cutters and lastly a fabulous recipe book from Jennifer's Church.

I thought my Apple Muffins would look fab in the cake cases so I found a recipe here and got started. First I chose some gorgeous red apples...

and got on with the recipe...

Now all I need is a nice cup of tea and a sit down with an apple muffin warm from the oven...

I won't win any prizes for presentation but they were certainly yummy!

The kids wanted to get in on the action, so we made Spongebob Squarecakes too...

...Pretty yummy also!

Now I just need to run up and down the stairs a few times, 

muffins + cakes = inches!

I forgot to mention yesterday what the next Tutorial Tuesday will be about - I will be showing you a ribbon rag wreath...

Hope you all have had a fab week too, and enjoy the weekend! 

xx

Tutorial Thursday - Cardboard Pumpkins.

Good Morning, welcome to an extra Tutorial day this week - Tutorial Thursday. Today I will be showing you how to make cardboard pumpkins... 

I have seen lots of amazing versions of these, but this is my one...

For 2 medium-sized Pumpkins You will need:

4 Pieces of A4 Cardboard (Mine were 3 matt gold and 1 shiny gold)

Paper Trimmer

A Poky tool

4 x Large Brads

4 x 2.5 inch pieces of green korker ribbon (or curly wire)

2 x 2 inch stalks (mine was made from stems off an artificial flower)

Hot glue or equivalent 

Step 1

Take your 4 pieces of cardboard and using your paper trimmer cut longways into 1 inch strips - you should end up with 32 strips (16 for each pumpkin)...

Step 2

Take 16 strips and stack them in your desired pattern and pierce a hole through the top with your pokey tool...

Step 3

Take a brad and push through the hole you have just made and close the prongs...

(excuse my messy desk! :0)

Step 4

Fan out your strips into a circle...

Step 5

Take another brad and begin pushing through the ends of the strips one by one (make sure your strips are the right way around so any white sides are inside the pumpkin)...

Step 6

Keep going until you have pierced all the strips, then close the prongs of the brad...

...You can then move the pieces around to make a more tidy pumpkin shape.

Step 7

Heat up your glue gun. Take a stem from an artificial flower and snip of the end to make a 2 inch stalk...

...Put together with your 2 pieces of korker ribbon or wire...

Step 8

Glue to the top of your pumpkin...

Step 9

Repeat the above steps to make your second pumpkin...

Voilà a fun twist on the traditional Halloween pumpkin (and a bit less messy)...

Hope you all have a spook-tacular Halloween!

xx

Trick or Treat...My Halloween Decor!

As it is the half-term holidays, I thought I would put up our Halloween decorations now so the kids can get a bit of fun out of them before the big day!

I am lucky enough to have a gorgeous Welsh dresser, (given to us by my mum-in-law), which is the perfect place to have seasonal / party displays on...

The display is made up of a quickly made organza 'Boo' wreath...

...I just wrapped and pinned organza around a foam wreath and made a 'Boo' bunting banner out of stickers and card and pinned to the wreath. I then tied the wreath with lace to a gold coloured frame which was from a picture from the 99p shop. The frame also came in handy as a photo prop at my daughter's fairy party. I love budget buys, that can be used over and over!

Next is another bargain buy - my 20p broom from Wilkinsons in their after-Halloween sale last year. I just prettied it up with orange satin ribbon and black  ribbon and black / white gingham ribbon - I'm sure the kids think I fly around on it when they're in bed! ;)

Here is my ribbon pumpkin I showed you yesterday in Tutorial Tuesday - I just stood him in my Ikea vase and tied a large gingham bow. Next to it is my 'Crafty Mummy' made from an artists mannequin and bandages - very easy to make and a lot of fun!

I made a 'Boo' banner out of folded rectangle doilies, ribbon and chipboard letters - I love how it turned out, it gives a vintage feel and ties in with the gold cardboard pumpkins. I will be showing you how to make the pumpkins tomorrow in a special Tutorial Thursday!

I finished my display with lanterns from the 99p shop and 'Candy Corn' tissue paper to cover the windows of the cabinet - you don't need to see the mess in there ha ha! (The Candy Corn paper is from my Vintage Gwen win - more of that on Friday!)

This cheeky chappy is Mr Bones, who has been a Halloween feature since I was a child! My mum kindly passed it on to me so I can share the fun with my kids - he always makes me smile!

And lastly, this year I thought I would do special 'Trick' or 'Treat' options for the kids who call around...

I used rub-ons (from my Scrapbook Garden win) on 2 brown lunch bags to make a 'Trick' bag and a 'Treat' bag. In the 'Trick' bag are bats, rats and noise makers...

and in the 'Treat' bag are jelly sweets, chewy sweets and chocolate eyeballs...

So come on...what would you choose, a 'Trick'...

...or a 'Treat'?...

~~~?????~~~

Happy Halloween Decorating!

(Don't forget to join me tomorrow for Tutorial Thursday - Cardboard Pumpkins.)

xx

Tutorial Tuesday - Ribbon Pumpkin

Good Afternoon and welcome to Tutorial Tuesday! This week I will be showing you how to make a pumpkin decoration out of ribbon!

You will need:

A Polystyrene ball (mine was 6cm)

lots of 2 inch strips of orange ribbon

7 strips of 2 inch black ribbon

1 strip of 4 inch green ribbon

Long pins

Kebab skewer

Step 1

Cut your ribbon into 2 inch strips and your green ribbon into a 4 inch strip...

Step 2

Take your kebab skewer and push into the bottom of the polystyrene ball firmly (they usually have a flattish circle on the bottom - I poked my skewer in there). You can then hold on to the skewer whilst you work.

Step 3

Start making loops with your orange ribbon and where the ribbon overlaps push in a pin, then attach to the poly ball...

Step 4

keep going until the top part and back is covered...

Come down onto the front until you reach where you would like the 'eyes' to be.

Step 4

Make 2 loops with the black ribbon and place where you have left space for the 'eyes'...

...keep going with the orange loops until you reach where the 'mouth' will go.

Step 5

Make 5 loops with the rest of the black ribbon strips and pin in a line as a 'mouth'...

Step 6

Keep going with the orange loops until the rest of the poly ball is covered...

(view from the back)

Step 7

Take the 4 inch green strip and make a loop, pin it to the top of the pumpkin as a 'stalk'...

Step 8

Put him somewhere safe if you have little ones or pets! Then admire him - it made my kids giggle, even hub was impressed!!

Voilà - a fab, fun addition to your Halloween decor!

AS IT IS HALLOWEEN SOON I WILL BE DOING ANOTHER TUTORIAL THIS WEEK - SO LOOK OUT FOR TUTORIAL THURSDAY! I WILL BE DOING ANOTHER PUMPKIN, BUT THIS TIME MADE FROM CARDBOARD...

Happy Crafting all!

xx

A Learning Curve and My Memories Win!

I took my crafty creations to a Kidsmarket on Saturday - it is a fab way to off-load your old baby and Kids items (it is always inside, so much warmer than a carboot sale!) They also offer stalls for Crafters and Businesses aimed at Children too. I have done one before but wasn't very successful, I think people tend to go for the pre-loved things rather than thinking of picking up handmade things. I did sell a few headbands, which not many little girls can resist :) (My little one loves them too!)...

Anyway, here is my stall, I was quite pleased with how it turned out and I did get lots of nice comments, but that is as far as it went...

(Excuse the wonky sign!)

Oh well, I think on reflection actual craft fairs would be more suitable for me and definitely know your audience. it also helps to have lots of ready-to-buy stock. I have learnt my lesson!

On a good note I was lucky enough to win the My Memories Suite giveaway from The Krafty Cupcake - wow, lucky me - I was so chuffed!

I really wanted to get back into my scrapbooking, so this is the perfect opportunity. I have had a little play around and it is very easy to work with...

I can't believe these photos were taken 3 years ago - my little 'Ladybug' is growing up too fast! The title says it all really, my poor kids have been dressed up in little costumes from an early age. I made the cute antennae out of 

pom-poms and pipe cleaners. Awwww!

Don't forget to join me tomorrow for Tutorial Tuesday - it is a ribbon pumpkin this week!

Have a good day!

xx