Christmas Diary - Company and Creations

Our first 6ft (fake) tree went up in our new house this year.

Our first Christmas here :)

1st December 2013

CHRISTMAS PREP:

Colleagues all received a card and a handmade gingerbread man each from myself.

My partners work also received some gingerbread but this time homemade angels.

I bought some cutters and the ingredients to make a gingerbread house, this isn't something I had done before, but the gingerbread men and angels when down a treat and I thought this would be a great project for me and my partner to do around Christmas.

It was all going well until he dropped the roof of the gingerbread house, onto the kitchen counter and it snapped in three. Running out of time we put our ruin gingerbread house together, hehe.

CHRISTMAS EVE:

I had to work on Christmas eve but booking the afternoon off we braved the large shopping centre to pick up any extra gifts and make sure all the wrapping was done.

07.30 - Work
12:00 - Shopping Centre
15:00 - Wrapping

CHRISTMAS DAY:

07.30 - Christmas morning I was woken up by a text from my Mum, waiting eagerly at her house for us to arrive and for my siblings to arise from there 'pits' as she put it haha.
09:15 - We went over to exchange gifts at my father-in-laws house and wish him a Merry Christmas.
09:45 - Christmas day was continued at my parents house.
Opening gifts, consuming snacks, eating dinner and the Christmas nap during the film.

I have been so spoilt this year and there wasn't one present I wouldn't use, display or eat.

Gingerbread House:
Although our ruin wasn't very attractive and may have some structural damage it managed to survive the journey over and was consumed rather quickly and appreciated by my family. I was maybe thinking of passing on next years 'new tradition' but then I realised it can only be better, right?

BOXING DAY WEEKEND:
11:30 - We headed to my partner's fathers house to pick him up, we had booked a Christmas dinner, at a near by restaurant and had a beautiful Christmas with him.
13:20 - After dropping his father home, we had to release the rabbit for a couple of hours whilst packing.
16:30 - Our four hour journey began to the mother-in-laws house, Beautiful Yorkshire Cottage.
Where the in-laws and their partners were and this little beauty below :D

Beautiful couple of days spent up north, even though the weather started off horrendously with the strong winds, being battered as we walked in the woods and explored, having a cuddle with some horses near by.

Even bought some crafting goodies!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GIFT FROM THE SISTER-IN-LAW

Yesterday's entertainment was this sweet little gift from the older sister-in-law, which I wasn't sure if I would actually use. (Glue and scissors not included)
Beings as there is no instructions, I was a little confused what I could do, with the limited amount of products that came with it, but I actually enjoyed creating 'Peggy and Stella' trying to use different things on the both of them. They will now be my little mascots on my crafting desk and strangly they have made me want to 'get my crafty on' again.

I am hoping to spend the last few days I have off of work and enjoy some crafts that I haven't had the time or mojo for.
Already ordered lots more crafting goodies this morning - not that a full craftroom is already enough? hehe.

Happy Crafting, I hope you all had a great Christmas and continue to enjoy. Happy New Year to you all.
Thank you for all the love, support, comments and even creations that you share on your blogs too.
I hope to be posting ATLEAST once a month next year, with a new creative project each post.

See you in the New Year, wishing you a healthy and happy new year.

xxx Dannii xxx

Monsters Inc. Iced Biscuits

Crafting comes in many different forms, recently I've been enjoying baking and decorating.
These simply cute, iced biscuits are made from the cutters in the Disney Cakes and Sweets magazine.
There are many ways you can use them and even step by step instructions in the magazine on how you can.
I decided that I was going to use a basic biscuit recipe and ready roll icing.



Food Safe Cutters and Stamps used:
James P. Sullivan 'Sulley' outline cutter and stamp, from Disney Cakes and Sweets magazine.
Mike Wazowski outline cutter and stamp, from Disney Cakes and Sweets magazine.
3 different sizes of circular confetti plunge cutters, widely available

My steps on how to achieve them:
STEP 1: Mix the biscuit recipe (whichever recipe you decide to use)
STEP 2: Sprinkle some flour on the surface you are going to roll out your dough on, to stop the dough from sticking.
STEP 3: Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough evenly, the thickness depends on how thick you want your biscuit base.
STEP 4: Cut out your biscuit shapes.
STEP 5: Place on a baking try and put them in the oven for as long as your chosen recipe suggests  at the temperature suggested.
*** Once baked and out of the oven you need to leave to cool ***
STEP 6: Whilst they are cooling, you can roll out your icing on the flour covered surface.
STEP 7: Using the stamps provided stamp your faces, on your characters outlines, on the icing.
STEP 8: Using the rounded cutters, cut out the amount of eyes needed. (do not stick on)
For Mike I used the big and the small confetti cutters, for Sulley I used the medium sized cutter, the middle of Sulley's eyes are premade decorative blue confetti from my local store.
STEP 9: Turning the iced faces upside down you can dampen with water to help it stick to the biscuit base.
STEP 10: Once on the biscuit you can dampen the front to remove any excess flour and the help the eyes stick to it (gently, not to ruin the stamp image.)
STEP 11: Make sure you have washed your hands so not to colour the white eye balls and layer your eyes on.
STEP 12: ENJOY! EAT! INDULGE!

I am a subscriber to Disney Cakes and Sweets magazine, I highly recommend them, for anyone at any skill set, as you can make the recipes suggested or you can play about, expand or experiment with the cutters, moulds recipes provided.
Different recipes, little treats and also full decorated cakes are included in the content of the magazines.
~ From a happy, pleased subscriber, who never subscribes to a magazine, yet I am hooked and find them very useful, handy and adorable.

Disney Cakes and Sweets
You can subscribe, follower
or buy them from your local
supermarket or local newsagents.
Facebook HERE
Subscribe HERE

More Mens

Request was to create a card similar to my mini crossed ribbon card, footbal themed, blue and to include; Rakesh, 40 Today.

I used 2 papers from one of my favourite paper packs for men, Masculine paper pack by Dovecraft.
All papers were backed onto some plain, dark, blue, sugar paper from The Works.
The football, foiled topper is from a mixed masculine Kanban collection of toppers.
Light blue ribbon was ordered from Fantastic Ribbons and the buttons were from my stash.
I created the name logo on my PC software and added the gold 40 glittered number stickers.

I gave them a few choices of buttons, my favourite was the large dark brown button with a layered blue one ontop, as shown in the first picture. But they chose the light blue button alone.

Delighted that they were pleased with the outcome and very happy with it.

Green Vintage car card, created for a family friend and collegue recovering from an illness, who enjoys vintage cars. Also created with similar papers and Kanban toppers, but this time I added a few sentiments from my stash and some card candi.

Greatly received.

I love making mens cards, it is a lot easier when someone has a specific interest or hobby you can work around. Even better when you get a good reaction too.

Let's go bake a cake...

My first attempt at fully decorating and icing a cake.
I love trying new things.

Baking is my new enjoyment. 

Whilst still being creative.

My friend is a brilliant baker and cake decorator, I've been enjoying some baking and trying out new baking and caking skills, she kindly helped show me some new techniques. She taught me and a colleagues daughter; who was looking to take up a new skill for her DofE award.

I'm quite pleased with my first attempt of the following techniques:
- Covering a cake (with marzipan and icing)
- Using sugar paste for the first time
- Making sugar paste flowers (sweet peas, roses, periwinkles, ivy and leaves)
- Stemming
- Colouring and dusting the flowers
- Pinching and moulding the icing (edging)
- Smocking
- Piping (snail trail and writing)
- Making piping bags and using different nozzles.

I would love to thank my friend for some great evenings and helping me enjoy and learn my creativity with baking.

Halloween Pumpkins 2013

Painted Pumpkins

A great way to use up any old paint or you can get free left over paint from some stores or online sites, it is also work asking on social media sites. I bought myself some yellow tester paints and the rest was given to me via social networking.

Last year I carved my very first pumpkin, which was rather embarrassing, but I did it!
This year I decided to paint my pumpkins instead in the popular craze of some minions from the popular film ‘Despicable Me,’ it took a few coats to get full coverage.

It got some very positive feedback and everyone who stopped by for some treats, commented on them, which I was very grateful for, we were cleaned out of sweets several times and had to raid the cupboards, even though we had stocked up ready for them, some great costumes and polite trick or treat people, next year I need to buy double.

Happy 50th Birthday Mum

HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY MUM
*****28TH AUGUST 2013*****

^

These can make great door signs, toppers, card base, door hangers and decorations.

~ August Birthdays ~

You may have noticed that most of the Birthdays in our family fall within a week or two between eachother, August is a VERY busy and expensive month, with lots of celebrations and cake!

~ Bracelet ~
My first necklace that I created a couple of Christmases back, I made with a silver chain, one sided elephant charms, some air dry clay and some silver paint. (This project is not listed above) was a gift to my mum who loves elephants and she loves the necklace. (me not so keen on it)
Because she loved it, I decided for one of her gifts for her 50th I would create a matching bracelet, using the same one sided charms I used for the necklace.

~ Card ~

I was stumped when I came to making the card... Staring at papers, embellishments, looking for inspiration online... nothing.

I decided to colour in some stamps I bought but hadn't used yet for a start, but that was all it was a start, I was still none the wiser about what to do.
When I was looking through my papers I came across the paper pack covers, placing the coloured image over the middle to see which papers may fit... (Light bulb moment!) the image fitted perfectly in the center of the central flower.
I reuse most items or recycle them, but not the paper pack covers as much, this worked beautifully to frame my image, I had two so I layered the other one onto of the other to add dimension and depth. The texture was already there for me, glittered etc. I added a few embellishments - Sentiments, glittered numbers and pearls to complete the card.
I will definately be using the covers more often, as they fit my die perfectly and the colouring is beautiful, with many uses.

Thanks for stopping by my blog - views, comments, ratings etc. are very much appreciated.
I also love viewing and commenting on others blogs.
Great community that helps lift my mood.
***Thank You***

~ Dannii

 

Instagram: @CraftyDannii

Twitter: @DanniizDesignz

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:
Treasured Times - Use paper, flowers and bling ends 31st August 2013
(decorative paper, central flower embellishment, pearl gems and glittered numbers)

Dannii's Diaries Blog Candy

As an apology for not being here as often as I had hoped and liked to share crafting creations, also thank you for those near 100 who have followed me over the past year, I have a selection of goodies to give away.

International Candy ~  Ends on Monday 30th September 2013 ~ Good Luck!

CONTENTS INCLUDE:
- 100 Beatrix Potter Card Toppers (1 pack)
- Black and White Buttons
- Black and White Flowers with matching brads
- 1x Pad of Jennifer Ellony Floral Papers
- 1x Pack of Flower Fairies craft accessories pack
- 4x Papermania Handmade toppers (1 pack)
- 32 Sheets of 6x6 pretty paper pad
- 1x Simply Gorjuss, Gorjuss Girl Rubber Stamp
- 30x Coloured and foiled card sentiments
- 10x White doilies.

a Rafflecopter giveaway