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.

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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.