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Thank you for stopping by...

Thank you for visiting me today, I hope you see something here that you like. I love colouring digital images and I am on a few Design Teams.I am taking art classes with Kit and Clowder, and Make it Crafty. I hope maybe you will get some new ideas here or you can leave comments and links so I will be picking up new ideas from you. Anyway I will put on the kettle and have some cupcakes at the ready...

Friday, 29 November 2013

Busy Little Elf (2) Lemon Curd




This little elf is another from Rick's Busy Elves Sheet 1 to be found at his Zibbet shop here. I thought this little fella went perfectly on the tag I had made for my homemade lemon curd. I printed the digi onto neenah and coloured him with promarkers in shades of lime green and citrus yellow. A bit of festive frantage round the edges. The adorable scorable tag cut with my cricut. The ribbon a great buy from Lidl's.
So, the recipe...
3 large juicy unwaxed lemons
4 large eggs plus 1 extra yolk
9ozs caster sugar in a bowl
5ozs unsalted butter, cut into small cubes in a bowl

 2 kilner jars 
some peace and quiet

Put a small, deep pan of water on to boil. It should be of a size that will comfortably support the bowl you are going to beat the curd in without its base touching the water. Try a few out before you go any further.
I always prepare all the ingredients in bowls before I start then I can take my time, this is not a quick throw together of ingredients but a beautifully scented time spent quietly musing whilst stirring.
Grate the fine yellow zest from the lemons into a bowl taking care not to remove the white pith with it. Now halve the lemons and squeeze them into the bowl with the zest.
Crack the eggs into a heatproof china or glass bowl then add the extra yolk. Avoid steel bowls...they get too hot. Add the sugar and whisk until the mixture thickens. Now mix in the lemon juice, zest and butter.
Place the bowl over the boiling water, turn the heat down to a fair simmer so that only a little steam pushes around the edge of the bowl, then start gently stirring. This is not something to be rushed. Take your time, daydream a bit, and make figure-of-eight stirring motions in the 'custard'. The point is not to try and rush things, when there is a much higher chance of disaster.
At first nothing much will happen, then the butter will melt, then, eventually, the curd will start to thicken. You want it to be heavy on the spoon, but it must still be able to drip off it. It is worth remembering that it will set more on cooling. Having said that, this is not a solid curd, but a voluptuous one. Once the curd starts to thicken, pour it into the clean warmed jars, cool slightly, then seal with a lid. Yummm!!!

I am trying something new this Christmas...there is a Creepmas bloghop listed on my sidebar (I'm The Nanny) so I will be posting something a bit creepy every other day in December.

I would like to enter this into these challenges
 http://ilovepromarkers.blogspot.co.uk/       Anything goes
http://4kraftygirlzchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/     Anything goes

Sunday, 24 November 2013

Busy Little Elf & Christmas Chutney

One of my first tags for this Christmas. Rick has a whole sheet of busy little elves here and this one goes perfectly with my home made chutney, especially as one of the buckets has Spice on it and one has Sugar.
As always the image is printed onto neenah and coloured with promarkers. Fran-tage around the edges adds a bit if ageing and 'snow'. I made the tag with my cricut using adorable scorable card.
And so to the recipe

Tomato and Onion Chutney

2 lbs tomatoes
2 lbs apples (peeled weight)
1 lb onions
12 ozs sultanas
1/2 pint of vinegar
1 level teaspoon mixed spice
12 ozs soft brown sugar
pinch of salt

Top and tail and peel the onions, cut each onion in half, and leave cut side up away from your working area. This will lessen the chance of tears.
Place the tomatoes in a large bowl, I use my plastic mixing bowl. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, this will loosen the skins. Now prepare the apples and cut into smallish chunks. Place apples into a very large saucepan. Cut up the onions into roughly the same size as the apples and place with the apples in the saucepan. Very carefully tip the water out of the bowl-it could still be fairly hot. Fill the bowl with cold water to cover the tomatoes. Peel the tomatoes, this is a bit messy but fairly easy,  chop the tomatoes and place with the apples and onions. Add the vinegar, mixed spice and salt.
Simmer over a low heat with a lid on for about 35 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and the flavours are starting to blend. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve, bring to the boil stirring frequently. Should take about another 20 to 30 minutes, just keep an eye on it so it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan. When the chutney is thick with no extra liquid take the saucepan off the heat. Let the chutney cool slightly and, if you can, tip it into a very large jug.
Prepare the jars...rinse and fill them with hot water. Tip the water out of the jars and fill them with the chutney. Place a greaseproof or waxed disc on top of the chutney (personally I don't do this but perhaps I should) when cooled put the lids on the jars. Label and date.

That was the first of this Christmas's recipes from Peck Towers.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges
 http://4craftychicks.blogspot.co.uk/                  anything goes
 http://creativeknockouts.blogspot.nl/                 snowflakes
 http://panpasteluk.blogspot.co.uk/                     mix it up
http://thepapershelter.blogspot.co.uk/                  Christmas is coming
http://abcchristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/        W for Winter Wishes

Thursday, 21 November 2013

A Stitch in Time

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I just thought 'what a cute image' then as I was colouring it I suddenly realised (lightbulb moment)... it does what it says on the picture. Honestly, at least no one has ever accused me of being brainy!  Anyway, I'm loving this busy little chap and will certainly know of someone who may like to get this in the post. You can find Rick's digi A Stitch In Time here at Rick's Zibbet store.
Image printed onto neenah (on my wishlist for Christmas) coloured with promarkers with neon yellow promarker for his hi-vis jacket...'elf and safety doncha know. Brickwork made with a fiskars embossing plate. Backing papers by mcs colour changed and embellished.
I have just received  this month's newsletter from Rick...the most beautiful ballerina mouse digi for free (my favourite price) Please do sign up for the free newletter as every month you will receive a very nice surprise.
I would like to enter this into the following challenges
http://onestitchatatimechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/         Anything goes

Saturday, 16 November 2013

Happy Elf Snooze

   

Well...who could resist this little chap? You can find Rick's Happy Elf Snooze here I was going to use this image as part of the diorama which wouldn't behave for my camera so I have lots of little elves scurrying around finding other jobs. He was so easy to colour with some crosshatching to show where the shadows would be. I then used mcs to make the frames and the little letters to Santa, which I think turned out quite well.
I am entering into the following challenges

 http://cardsformen.blogspot.co.uk                   Merry Christmas for a man or boy
http://craftingbydesigns.blogspot.co.uk             Anything with a twist of Christmas
http://www.pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/    Add a sentiment

Thursday, 14 November 2013

Holiday Cottage Scene

I think this beautiful Holiday Cottage Scene image by Rick is the digi I have had the most fun with...I have put together a diorama with this lovely cottage and the elves but taking photos have really not done them justice. If you can imagine your 'snowy' images..Santa, Elves, Snow people, Winter Faeries...they could all be at home here. I cut out the windows and put a battery tealight behind the image and it really looks beautiful.
You can find this digi here on Rick's Zibbet site. Printed onto neenah, coloured with promarkers, crystal glitter and ice diamond snow. Frame and greeting by m.c.s.

I am entering this into the following challenges

http://ilovepromarkers.blogspot.co.uk/     Red and Green

Sunday, 10 November 2013

Midnight Watch

Well, a bit spooky........ this was so much fun to colour I built up a scene using three digis from Rick available from his Zibbet shop.. you can find the Ghost Town Church in the background here, the Graveyard Phantom Rest (tombstones) here and the Midnight Watch (scary chap) here. Printed onto neenah, coloured with promarkers. The sky was coloured using chalks and the sentiment and background was manipulated in my craft studio.

Tuesday, 5 November 2013

Mama Mumba Voodoo Woman

This wonderful lady drawn by Rick St. Dennis is called Mama Mumba Voodoo Woman and can be found here on Rick's Zibbet site. I was unsure about using digital images as I thought my colouring really shouldn't be seen outside my craftroom. But with digital images you can resize them, flip them horizontally or vertically (perhaps not with this image...but you get the idea) and place them on a background of your own choosing. Of course you can buy background images, resize them and use them time and time again with different main images.
Anyway...printed as always on neenah, coloured with promarkers, sky made with blending chalks. The frame by my craft studio as is the backing paper.
I will be entering this into the following challenges



For those who know about Colin...Yesterday we had an appointment at the hospital where they checked Colin's bloods. This time everything was as it should be and Colin was able to have chemo. I had been so very worried last week when they had said the chemo was too toxic for Colin's liver and I was frightened that the cancer had spread but this week is a good week and we're back on track. Thank you for your kind wishes.   

Friday, 1 November 2013

Priscilla Pilgrim


Isn't this an absolute cutie! This is the November freebie from Rick which anyone can have just by signing up for the free newsletter. There are several new mouse digis on Ricks site and they are all adorable.
This has been printed on neenah and coloured with promarkers. I have used my cricut to make the leaves round the image...love that toy! The design team have been colouring up this image so if you pop over to the Sparkle and Glitter blogsite you will see loads of inspiration also a challenge for items made with this image.
I am entering Priscilla into the following challenges

http://chocolatecoffeecards.blogspot.co.uk    Bugs and little critters
http://ilovepromarkers.blogspot.co.uk            Anything goes
http://lejdesignschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk  Anything goes