Pollycraft Monday Challenge # 104 Paula's Sketch

Oh my goodness it's Monday again!   How did that happen so quickly?

This week for the Pollycraft Challenge Paula has a fabulous Sketch for us!  When I first saw it, I thought it would be really hard, but then when I started making my card it all came together so easily!  I'm definitely going to use this sketch again.  Head over to the Pollycraft Monday blog and check out all the amazing cards from the DT.  It's so cool that they all look so different but are all based on the same sketch!

Here's the sketch:

And this week's prize is 10 digis from the Pollycraft store!  Awesome!

Here's my card:

This gorgeous wee fellow is called Chester in Love.  I am totally in love with Chester at the moment!  He is coloured with copics (see details below) and I have added Stickles and Glossy Accents to his heart.  The papers are from October Afternoon and My Mind's Eye.  The ribbon is from The Ribbon Girl.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Come and Get it Challenges: Anything Goes

Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge #100: Any type of creature
Happileigh Scrappin Challenge #33: Anything Goes
Hooked on Craft Challenge #4: Cute and Cuddly
Paper Creations Ink Challenge #6: Stitching

These are the copics I used:

Happy Monday!

Arabella Chickie in Glyfada, Greece

Hang with me...

It's Sunday and I can't believe how fast our weekend has gone by!  I didn't get any card making done yesterday as we went shopping and then for a drive to Marathon instead.  Hopefully I will remedy that today.

Here's one I made a wee while ago and didn't get around to posting yet...

This image is called Monster Balloons and is available from Little Miss Muffet stamps.  I have coloured him with copics (see details below).  The papers are from Echo Park (I think) and the ribbon is from my stash.  I have added Glossy Accents to the balloons and googly eyes to my monster.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks: Get your Bling on

Sew Many Cards # 62: Anything goes

Totally Papercrafts Challenge # 77: Bling it up
Craft Us Crazy: Anything Goes

Here's a close up of Monster Balloons:

And here are the copics I used:

Happy Sunday!

Arabella Chickie in Lavrio, Greece

Meet Peggy Sue Hatter...

Yay it's Friday!  How about that?  We get the whole weekend off this weekend... I'm so excited!  I have loads of cards to make, so it should be fun!

Today is the second day of New Release inspiration from the team at Little Miss Muffet stamps.  Today on the Little Miss Muffet Challenge blog we are featuring cards using the lovely new Miss Peggy Sue Hatter and Miss Quinceañera Daydream.  You can find all this week's new releases at the shop.  And don't forget there is still one week to enter the current challenge which is an easy one... Summer (or anything goes if you use a Little Miss Muffet stamp).

My card today uses the lovely Miss Peggy Sue Hatter:

I have coloured Peggy Sue Hatter with copics (see details below) and used a mixture of papers... October Afernoon, Crate Paper and some new paper that arrived today from Crafty Emma's Store.  The ribbon is from The Ribbon Girl and the diecut flourish is from Make it Crafty.  The sentiment is an SRM sticker.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Mad for Markers: Sketch Challenge

The Paper Shelter Challenge #24: Anything Goes

Deep Ocean Challenge #4: Ribbon

Party Time Tuesdays Challenge #26: Anything Goes

Top Tip Tuesday Challenge #44: Make it Girlie

Here is a close up of Peggy Sue Hatter:

And here are the copics I used:

Happy Friday!

Arabella Chickie in Lavrio, Greece

Another Hatter Sister from Little Miss Muffet Stamps!

Happy Thursday!  It's new release day at Little Miss Muffet stamps and Barbara has created some adorable new Little Misses to add to the collection.  You can see all four new releases (Melba Flora Hatter, Camila, Quinceanera Daydream and Peggy Sue Hatter) here in the What's new section of the store.

For my card today, I used Melba Flora Hatter.  I just love the Hatter girls!

The papers I used are from October Afternoon and Crate Paper and this is one of the few occasions where I chose the paper before I started colouring the image in (with copics).  I have to say that I think I prefer to do it the other way around.    The chipboard embellishments are from Make it Crafty, the seam binding is from The Ribbon Girl and the crystal drop is from Maya Road.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Ambers Crafts and Stuff Challenge #20: Use patterned paper

Crafts and Me Challenge #45: Ribbon

Little Darlings Challenge #4: Girly

Papercraft Star Challenge #55: Anything Goes

Here is a close up of Miss Melba Flora Hatter:

And these are the copics I used:

I used the grey W1 to tone down the reds in the feathers on her hat a bit as they were very bright.

Arabella Chickie in Lavrio, Greece

Anyone for Sushi?

I can't believe it's Tuesday already!  We just got back at midday today from a 5 day guest trip with young 20-something year old guests on board this weekend... somewhat predictably we spent most of the trip at Mykonos.

Today I have my last card as guest designer for Karber Digital to show you....  The image I chose to use this week is in a slightly different style than the ones I used for the last 3 weeks...

This image is called Love Eat Sushi and she was so much fun to colour!   I based this card on an old sketch (#112) from Unscripted Sketches.  The papers are from Crate Paper and I stamped the flourishes and added Stickles to them.  Did you see the sushi charm?  I found this at Telfords Direct (where I get all my card bases from).  Here's a close up of the charm:

The sentiment stamp is from Pollycraft and the ribbon is from The Ribbon Girl.  I have coloured the image with copics (see details below).

Here is a close-up of the image:

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

Daisy Doodles Challenge #38:  Anything Goes, but use a digi stamp

Simon Says Stamp and Show: Anything Goes

Kaboodle Doodles Challenge #77: Stitching (Real or faux)

Here are the copics I used:

Happy Tuesday!

Arabella Chickie in Lavrio, Greece

Pollycraft Monday Challenge # 103 Christmas in July

Good morning!  It's Monday again... boy does Monday come around fast lately!  Welcome to Challenge #103 at the Pollycraft Monday Challenge blog!  This week Paula is releasing some totally gorgeous new digis for Christmas and so the challenge is Christmas in July!

The prize this week is a £10 voucher to Crafty Emmas store!

For my card today, I decide to use Chester's Letter.  Paula has left the letter blank for us to put whatever sentiment we choose on... what a great idea!

How cute is he?!  I followed the July I{heart}2stamp sketch and coloured Chester with copics (see details below).  I wrote on his letter with a copic multiliner.  The buttons are from my stash and the ribbon is from The Ribbon Girl.  The papers are from October Afternoon.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

I{heart}2stamp July sketch for you to try

Jellypark Friends Friday Challenges: Christmas in July

Polka Doodles Week 29 Challenge: Christmas in July

Simply Create Challenges: Christmas

Delightful Challenges: Christmas in July

The Rubber Cafe: Christmas in July

Here are the copics I used:

Happy Monday!  Check back tomorrow for my last card as July guest designer for Karber Digital!

Arabella Chickie in Paros, Greece

Please don't forget Madeleine McCann... her parents need her home again.

Hi 'chickies'... I'm never exactly sure what it is about this missing child that moves me so terribly... thousands of children go 'missing' each year in our oh so civilized world...  perhaps this child is just the 'light' that calls the missing children to my mind so vividly.

It's every parents worst nightmare. 

Please remember to look into the eyes of every child you see.  Her hair is probably died, but her eyes are unmistakable.  Sooner or later, one of us will spot her.  This is my prayer.

April Blackbird

A wee fairy

Hello!  We are once again anchored in Mykonos rocking and rolling around in all the swell created by the many boats passing by.  The kids went out last night and only went to bed at 7.30am, so we are not likely to see any sign of them until much later this afternoon.  In the meantime we are all tip-toeing around trying to be as quiet as possible while we go about our duties.

Anyway... I thought I would take a break and post this card I made a few months ago for a Lilypad Lucy's Lovely Lines sketch but didn't post in time to enter it.

The image is from Lili of the Valley.  I think she's supposed to be a fairy, but I think she could be just a little girl having some fun and playing fairy dress ups.  Don't you love her pink wig?  I think she probably stole that from her Granny's closet.

I have coloured the image with copics (see details below) and added Stickles.  The main background paper is from Crate Paper.  The sentiment is a rub on.

I really loved this sketch... Lucy's cards are always so lovely and clean and simple and beautiful.  I think I will definitely use it again.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Lili of the Valley challenge # 106: Fun and Games

CAS-ual Friday's challenge CFC12: Must use a rub on

Do you Stack Up challenge #29: Wings

Here is a close-up of the little lady:

And these are the copics I used:

Happy Saturday!

Arabella Chickie in Mykonos, Greece

Summer Challenge at Little Miss Muffet Stamps!

Well it's time for a new challenge at Little Miss Muffet stamps and for this challenge (challenge #13), the theme is Summer (but don't forget if you use a Little Miss Muffet stamps image the theme is always Anything Goes).    The prize is two digital stamps of your choice from the Little Miss Muffet store.  Did you see the new releases this week?  I think that the new Hatter sisters must be my new favourites... they are so sweet! 

Here is my creation for the Summer theme:

This is Peppermint (another favourite of mine).  I have coloured her with copics (see details below) and added Stickles to her t-shirt and Glossy Accents to the apple on her lunchbox.  The papers are from October Afternoon and Echo Park.  I cut the tag with my Slice machine and coloured the pearls with copics.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Scrapalicious USA Challenge #12:  Anything Summer

The Paper Variety: Rainbows and grids

Bearly Mine Challenges: Use a tag

Everybody Art Challenge #151: Dots

Here is a close up of Peppermint:

and these are the copics I used:

Happy Thursday!

Arabella Chickie in Glyfada, Greece

Vanilla Creme Brulee Cheesecake and an eyelash story

Oooh I nearly forgot to post the promised Cheesecake recipe!  I did take a photo of the last piece, but I left the photo at work, so will have to update the post tomorrow.

Update:  Here's the piccy!

I found this recipe on the inside of a packet of Philadelphia cheese in NZ... and even though I don't usually like baked cheesecakes, this one is to die for!  I'll give you the actual recipe first, and then my notes on it as I very rarely follow a recipe exactly nowadays.

Vanilla Creme Brulee Cheesecake
Serves 10-12
Preparation Time: about 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes


Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups Gingernut biscuits
60g butter melted
750g Cream cheese (softened at room temp)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs lightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons custard powder
1 vanilla bean
1 cup cream
1 410g can pear halves, well drained and sliced
1/3 cup brown sugar


Method:

1. Combine the biscuit crumbs and melted butter and press into the base of a greased and lined 24cm spring form pan. Chill.

2. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth, add the eggs and custard powder, mix until combined.  Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds out into the cream, gently fold through the mixture.  Pour into the prepared base.

3. Bake in a slow oven 150 degrees C for 1 1/4 hours.  Allow to cool in the oven. Arrange the pear slices over the cheesecake and sprinkle with brown sugar.  Cook under a hot grill until sugar is melted and golden.  Chill before serving.

My notes:

1. You don't need to measure out the biscuit crumbs... just use one whole packet.

2. You don't need to chill the base before adding the topping.

3. I prefer to use salted butter in most of my baking.

4. You don't need to lightly beat the eggs first as you are going to beat them into the mixture anyway.

5. You don't need to fold the cream in as it is not whipped or anything.  Just beat it in as with the eggs.

6. I left the cheesecake in the oven overnight to cool and then put it into the fridge in the morning and didn't make the brulee topping until just before serving.

7.  I left out the pears and instead added fresh raspberries and blackcurrents to the top after bruleeing.

8.  I used a blow torch (rather than the oven) to caramelise the sugar but it didn't work with brown sugar, instead I used caster sugar.

9.  It still tasted really good the next day!

I hope you get a chance to try this recipe... it really is very good!  

And now, that eyelash story... 

When I was back home on holiday I visited my beautician to pick up some face cream that I always buy from her and she convinced me to buy this eyelash lengthening stuff (yeah, she twisted my shopaholic arm).  I was a bit sceptical, but she assured me that this stuff is so great it kept her business afloat during the recession.  So I started using it and you wouldn't believe it, but my eyelashes have actually grown about 5mm!!!  It's so weird!  My husband is blown away by it.  I got him to tint my eyelashes yesterday so I could see them properly.    

Anyway, that's it from me for today.  The guests have sprung a surprise 5 day trip on us starting tomorrow, so I probably won't be able to post much this weekend.  But we do have a new challenge starting at Little Miss Muffet stamps tomorrow, so check back for the details tomorrow!

Ciao!

Arabella Chickie in Lavrio, Greece