Ros Davidson, Independent Stampin' Up!® demonstrator, Melbourne, Australia

Friendship books

I was contacted recently and asked to make some friendship books. The brief was the colour blue/purple and the recipients names. They are currently on their way to Thailand as I post this. I hope the girls like them.

 

Close ups

I used the big shot multipurpose adhesive sheets (12 sheets, 12 x 12 in size, $29.95) and it certainly made it a breeze to stick down the individual letters. Each 12 x 12 sheet is like a big sheet of sticky strip that you adhere to the cardstock before die cutting your shapes or in this case lettering and you remove the backing piece and adhere onto your creation. Simple as!

Materials list:
Stamps: Calendar alphabet and numbers
Ink: Basic black
Cardstock: Rich razzleberry, whisper white, crumb cake, pacific point
Designer series paper: All retired stock, cottage garden, pacific point patterns
Big shot: Timeless type alphabet, simple letters alphabet, scallop circle 2, multipurpose adhesive sheets
Accessories: Circle scissors plus
Other: Chipboard, bind-it-all machine

Never fail chocolate cake recipe

Remember my post here about the birthday roundup where I mentioned all the cakes I cooked. Here's is another recipe. This one we call the Never Fail Chocolate Cake as it, never fails.

Never Fail Chocolate Cake Recipe                                                       
375ml can evaporated milk   
1 ½ cups plain flour               
1 tsp vinegar
½ cup cocoa                           
1 ½ tsp bi carb soda               
1 ¼ cups castor sugar
140g butter melted                
2 eggs                                     
1 tsp vanilla essence

1. Preheat oven to 180° and grease, 2 x 20cm cake tins
2. Add vinegar to evaporated milk to sour it
3. Sift flour, cocoa, bi carb soda and sugar together
4. Pour in melted butter ½ soured evaporated milk and mix for 2 minutes
5. Add remaining ingredients and beat for further 2 minutes
6. Pour into prepared tins and bake for 30 minutes
7. Allow cakes to cool before removing from tins
8. Spread icing or whipped cream between layers and ice top of cake

For Nikki's birthday cake (as pictured above), I used 9" tins, almost 4 family kit kat blocks and 1.5 bags of M & M's to decorate the cake.

Ornament kits

When I made my kits for my ornament class recently, I got ornament happy and made some spares! :D Each kit includes all materials required to make one ornament and step by step instructions will be e-mailed upon purchase.

ONE complete kit including postage (within Australia) $10

TWO complete kits including postage (within Australia) $17

THREE complete kits including postage (within Australia) $22

Ornament kits

One ornament kit $10.00 Two ornament kits $17.00 Three ornament kits $22.00

Big shot blog hopping

Our October blog hop theme this month is the big shot. The big shot, is an amazing tool and can cut through so many different materials. Paper, cork, fabric and metal just to name a few. I've used the mini milk carton die (found on page 160, $59.95) and expanded it. I simply die cut a second milk carton and cut off the extra two panels (sides) I didn't need. Sticky strip works great for joining the two mini milk cartons together!

View of the top of the milk carton

Click here to see Tina's creations.

Other ladies blog hopping today are
Ros Davidson http://www.rosdavidson.typepad.com <-- me
Tina Gillespie http://scissorspapercard.blogspot.com/
Nikki Sadler http://www.inkyart.com.au
Sue Madex http://www.madexcreations.com
Kathryn Ruddick http://www.katlodesigns.com
Judy May http://www.judymay.typepad.com

Materials list:
Stamps: Perfect punches
Inkpads: Real red, old olive
Cardstock: Old olive, whisper white
Big shot items: Mini milk carton die
Punches: Scallop circle, 1 38/" circle, 2 1/2" circle
Accessories: Real red 1/8" taffeta ribbon, multi purpose adhesive sheets

November classes

Techniques class*, November 4, 7pm - 10.30pm

Join me and learn the faux quilting technique. You will create a sample card (with step by step instructions) and two finished cards with envelopes.
Cost $20 

Envelope book *, November 5, 2pm - 5pm

 

Join me to create a fabulous envelope book using Stampin' Up! open ended envelopes and designer series paper. Class fee of $40 includes a pack of designer series paper of your choice (RRP $18.95)

To see more upcoming classes, visit here

*Bookings and pre-payment are essential as spaces are limited and to allow for kit preparation and ordering of supplies. If you have to cancel for any reason, I am happy to provide you with your kit so that the cards can be made at your leisure.

Birthday round up

My two middle-est kids celebrated their sixth and seventh birthdays this month. We had a very busy 8 days celebrating 4 times! It was exhausting and I spent a lot of time in the kitchen. Nikki had an afternoon tea party with some school friends (remember the invite I posted here), we had a family celebration with all families combined and then celebrated on each of the kids birthdays. I made cupcakes for school twice, a sponge cake for Nikki's actual birthday, chocolate cake for her afternoon tea party, white chocolate mud cake for the family celebration and hungry caterpillar cupcakes for Drew's actual birthday. The kids loved their cakes but to be honest, I am a little caked out. I've included some photos of the cakes... My next step to work on is the icing and finishing off of the cake, it still needs some work.

Sponge cake

Chocolate cake (with kit kat and m & m's)

White chocolate mud cake (cake on the left)

Hungry caterpillar cupcakes

Sponge cake recipe (a simple and easy recipe and gluten free too)
Ingredients
4 eggs (at room temperature)
1/2 cup custard powder
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1/2 cup cornflour
1 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup of castor sugar

1. Sift dry ingredients (except sugar) three times
2. Separate the egg whites and add a punch of bicarb soda and beat until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar and beat until stiffens
3. Gently fold in whisked egg yolks
4. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients
5. Divide cake mix evenly between two tins and cook in a moderate oven (160C) for approx. 25 minutes or until golden and the cake is coming away from the sides of the tin
6. Serve cake with jam and cream in the middle layer and ice the top of the cake with icing

Since this post is long enough, I'll share the other recipes in a few days.

Stitched stockings card

I used the lovely stitched stockings stamp set and coordinating stocking punch to create this brick wall inspired card.

Do you like the photo I have above the mantel? It is one of I took of my crew for last years Christmas cards. Using the decorative label punch ($33.95), and a small photo, it was so simple to make the photo decoration to hang above the mantel.

See the Merry Christmas sentiment? It is part of a set of 2 stamps called Christmas Greetings. Not bad for $19.95, I say. (I used the other stamp on the inside of the card)

I was pretty chuffed with my bricks and tried to make them look as real as possible. Some sponging, wonderfully worn background stamp ($33.95) and embossing powder helped I think.

I tried to kept the inside of the card simple so I can write heaps! *Grin*

Materials list:
Stamps: Stitched stockings, wonderfully worn background, woodgrain background, Christmas greetings, baroque motifs
Inkpads: Versamark, poppy parade, pear pizzazz, early espresso, pumpkin pie,
Cardstock: River rock, very vanilla, poppy parade, daffodil delight, basic black, chocolate chip, confetti white
Punches: Word window, decorative label, bird, stocking
Accessories: Clear embossing powder, white embossing powder, mini brads
Other: DMC thread

Tea cup birthday invite

It's birthday week (8 days really) here at the moment. This week from Monday till next Tuesday is packed with cooking, celebrations and presents. On Monday, Nikki turned 7, on Friday she is having a afternoon tea birthday party with school friends, we have family celebrations on Sunday and finishing off with Drew's 6th birthday on Tuesday. Between cooking cakes, goodies and getting ready for guests, I hope you can understand if my blogging is on the light side over the coming days.

I do however, have Nikki's invite to share. As I mentioned, she is having an afternoon tea party and of course, I had to make themed invitations.

The "tea bag" pulls out to read "You're invited"

Materials list:
Cardstock: Whisper white, daffodil delight
Designer series paper: Pocketful of posies
Punches: Tag
Other: DMC thread, stapler

Are you my next mystery hostess?

Stampin’ Up! are holding a book-a-thon at the moment challenging us to hold 6,000 workshops in the week of November 1 - 8.  With the book-a-thon in mind, I have scheduled a mystery hostess workshop. Join me at my home in Skye (contact me for the address) for free make and take projects, good conversation and refreshments on November 6^th from 1pm.   

If you never heard of a mystery hostess workshop before, it’s a great way for customers to earn FREE product. Hostess benefits are awarded in the form of a draw, hence the name, Mystery Hostess.

How it works:
For each $50* spent (excluding P & H), you will receive a ticket into the draw, spend $100 and get 2 tickets etc. To receive bonus tickets, bring a friend who is not on my mailing list (earn 1 bonus ticket) or book a workshop to be held in December – February (earn 3 bonus tickets).

About the Hostess Benefits:
We have a new hostess program, and you can use your hostess dollars to purchase exclusive hostess items and/or any item from the catalogue. For example, if orders reach $600, I will draw 3 tickets (prices will be 2 x $50 and 1 x ½ price item.)

RSVP by October 31^st

Will you be my next mystery hostess?

*Spend $75 or more to fill in square/s  on loyalty rewards card

October classes

Techniques class* (rescheduled), October 14, 7pm - 10.30pm

Join me and learn the brick wall technique. You will create a sample card (with step by step instructions) and two finished cards with envelopes.
Cost $20

3D decoration*, October 22, 2pm - 5pm

Join me to create 2, unique 3D christmas decorations. Using recycled Christmas cards and hand stamped images.

To see more upcoming classes, visit here

*Bookings and pre-payment are essential as spaces are limited and to allow for kit preparation and ordering of supplies. If you have to cancel for any reason, I am happy to provide you with your kit so that the cards can be made at your leisure.