Blog Awards

I was lucky enough to be awarded 2 awards recently - The Versatile Blogger award and the Lovely Blog award. As they both call for 7 things about you - I hope no one minds if I kill 2 birds with one blog?

7 reeeally interesting things about me:

1. I'm pretty short (4"11)

2. I love disney - I sing disney songs (badly) when I've had too much wine

3. Christmas is my favourite time of year - I plan it all year long.

4. My husband proposed at disney land at christmas time (how well does he know me?!) 

5. If I'm in a bad mood - watching The Vicar of Dibley is the ONLY thing that cheers me up

6. I've had 16 piercings (but don't wear many anymore)

7.  My dream is too build my own house, which looks old  - but technology makes everything happens as if by magic (it's the closest to Hogwarts I'll get!)

The Versatile Blogger

Rules:

1. Link back to the person who gave the award to you : Thank you to Martha, Harriet and Claire

2. List 7 random facts (see above)

3. Give award to 7 other bloggers:

 I'd love to nominate these blogs for the versatile blogger award:

Bits and Blobs

Raindrops n roses

Always have a plan B

Beautiful Things by Claire

Craft and Cupcakes

Dreamstar Diary

Goblin Dreams

One Lovely Blog Award

Rules:

1. Link back to the person who gave it to you: 2010's Housewife

2. Write 7 things about yourself (see above)

3. Nominate a whopping 15 blogs!

The Victorian Rabbit

The Crafty CPA

Suburbs Mama

Handcrafted by Picto

Martha After Hours

Ali's Craft Studio

Pickle-Lily

Ballderdash and Bunting

Red Needle Sewing

It's an Alien Life

Kazies Magical Design

Dorset Girl

Little Harriet

Chasing Art

Silver Paw

Phew! That's a lot of awesome blogs!

 Please have a look at a few, because they are all really lovely.

Hope you've had a good day.

Anna xx

Handmade Monday

Happy Handmade Monday

Hello friends! Hope everyone's had a great week. Would just like to start by saying thank you again to the people who gave me awards - I was over the moon! I know I need to pass these on, and thought I'd start by looking at all the lovely blogs on Handmade Monday first.

For those of you who were so helpful when I had the issue with the customer a couple of weeks ago, I received the glass back this week :(  From that not very nice experience I have decided to send customers pictures of any personalisation before I post - and that has been working really well. Thanks to everyone for the advice. 

Here are a couple of makes from this week:

Mother-in-law had a friend pass her maths degree and asked me to do a glass. It took me ages to come up with something that I thought both her and her friend would like. But this was what I settled on:

And here is an extra large glass I did for a friend to give another friend. I'm not sure how much money to ask for - do you charge friends less than usual?

And just for comedy value - here is my cat proving that he really does eat anything:

What you looking at?

Thank you for reading. Don't forget to check out Handmade Monday xxx

Blog Awards

Well, I think blog awards must be very much like buses because 2 just appeared! Thank you soo soo sooo much to the lovely people that awarded them to me. 

Thank you to Martha the lovely glass painter and Little Harriet my favourite bookmark creator for the versatile blog award:

And a big thank you to the lovely Tracy at 2010's Housewife for the Lovely Blog award:

I have lots of amazing blogs to look through now, and decide who to pass the awards on to . So watch this space!

Anna x

Chocolate Chip Crumble Muffins

This recipe is based on one from Home Baking, the best baking book I've ever had. Although it does bug me when books don't have many pictures - so I may end up sticking mine in as I work my way through the recipes!

Makes 12

Cake
250g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
50g cold butter cut into pieces
100g light brown sugar
150g milk chocolate chips
2 eggs, lightly beaten
225ml milk
2 tsp vanilla

Topping
50g plain flour
1-2 tbs cocoa powder (depending on taste)
40g cold butter, cut into small pieces
3 tbs caster sugar

1. Preheat oven to 200c/ 400f/ gas mark 6 and line a 12 cup muffin tin.

2. For muffins, mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Rub in butter to create fine breadcrumbs. Add chocolate chips and sugar. 

3. In a jug mix eggs, milk and vanilla.  This seems like a lot of milk - but it gives a lovely flavour. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until combined. 

4. Spoon batter into cups. 

5. To make topping, sift flour and cocoa powder. Rub in butter to create coarse breadcrumbs and stir in sugar.  Sprinkle on top of the muffins so that they are well covered. 

6. Bake for 18 minutes. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. 

They are best when the chocolate chips are still a bit melty as this goes really well with the sweet crunchy top.

Enjoy, friends! Thank you for reading xx

I'm linking to 'Show Me What Ya Got' , 'Handmade Tuesday', These Chicks Cook and Cast Party Wednesday

Handmade Monday

Happy Handmade Monday everyone!

Hope you've had a great weekend. Here's a few things I've been up to:

Father in law is a keen birdwatcher, and spends alot of time at a nature reserve where the logo is a kingfisher. It was his birthday this week so to go with his bird box with infra red camera I made him this pint glass:

It was also my friends birthday, and she's doing her new kitchen in green so I made her these wine glasses. Sorry...it's butterflies again. I think I may have a problem. 

It's hard to see the detail in the pictures, but the cat liked them...

Glass aside. Thought I'd share the cakes that I made for father's day:

These were all new recipes I tried, which I'll put up some time in the week. I obviously had to taste them all to check they were ok.

and finally, here are what my class came up with when I let them create their own cookies this week:

They could add anything they wanted, 

although I did have to step in when one group tried to add chewing gum. 

Thank you for reading.

 Don't forget to check out Handmade Monday!

Super Scrimpin' Boxes

I saw on Super Scrimpers recently, someone cover a sweets box with wrapping paper. But I've found something better! These boxes started life as boxes containing washing powder liquitabs.

                                            Remove the labels (not always the easiest of jobs)

Measure the sides (including the bottom and lid if you like) out on to your favourite wrapping paper. I added an extra cm to measurements as it's better if it overlaps slightly.

                                                                    Cut out the pieces...

Glue to the outside of the box. I used Mod Podge so that it would be hard wearing, and a sponge to apply it so that it covered easily.

I then covered the boxin a layer of Mod Podge to make the paper more durable and hard wearing.  

and here it is all shiny and finished.

along with it's bigger brother

And the best thing about them, is that even though I made the larger one over a month ago - it still smells amazing every time I open it to retrieve some of the paper scraps that I keep in it.

I hope you enjoy giving some new life to your washing powder pots!

Thank you for reading.

I'm linking to Boost My Blog , Fun to Craft , and It's a Party

Hangers For Fat Days

It's my best friends birthday next week, and she's about to move into her first place. As I seem to paint a glass for everyone for their birthdays, it doesn't feel right to do it for her. I'm also very conscious of that female feeling of wanting to pick everything yourself that goes into the house. So, it's going to be mostly vouchers. But I wanted to make her something small.

I spotted this blog a few days ago, and thought it would be a great idea to make her some hangers. That way they are personal, and if they don't fit with her colour scheme - no one needs to see them!

Here's what  I did:

These hangers were 3 for £1 from the good old pound shop.

I lightly sanded them, focussing mainly on any gnarly bits. 

I cut some pretty paper from the scrap box, to fit the area I wanted to write on and stuck in on. 

I found odd litte bits to add such as images of buttons. Then Mod Podged the hanger so the paper was well fixed and the hanger had a varnish-y finish. 

When the Mod Podge was dry, I added some messages. 

Then, just to finish them off, I added some lace around the top.

So there you go. I think they look awesome enough just with a message as seen on the original blog, but I hope she likes the bit of extra effort and that they make her smile when she is having one of those evil fat days that we all get from time to time. 

Have a lovely weekend, and thanks for reading. 

I'm linking to The Saturday Morning Blog, Making It with Allie and Creative-ly U

Anna xx

On a Purple Pedestal

I've admired pedestals that other bloggers have made for some time, so I though it was about time I had a go. It was quite the learning curve!

From the TK Maxx sale I got 2 purple plates (1 large, 1 medium) and a glass candle stick holder.

 This came to £4.

I measured the centre of the largest plate and glued the candle stick holder to it. I then glued the smaller plate to the top. Going well so far!

 I quickly realised my mistake...the glue dries white. Oops!

Luckily for me, the candle stick is glass, and I had some sparkly purple glass paint. So I painted the base - which would have been alot easier before it was stuck to the plate!

So, here it is. My first pedestal. Just need some cakes to put on it now.

I'm always on the look out for purple items for our dining room, and I've always meant to make one of these so I'm pleased with how this has turned out. I'm sure you can just picture the expression on my husbands face as I told him it's the first of many!

Thank you very much for reading xx

I'm linking to Sugar and Spice and Whatever Goes Wednesday

Handmade Monday

Happy Handmade Monday everyone!

Hope the rain hasn't ruined your day. I for one was very happy to see it. Firslty because the lawn is yellow, and secondly because it's horrible going back to school on a lovely sunny day - wishing I was back in the yellow garden!

I had lots of things I wanted to show you...but I've left my camera at school. Doh!

Here are a few things I have scrabbled together from my crafty half term week:

Cocktail Glasses

Do you remember the enormous glass I showed you last week? Here's how it looks now. 

Finally, in case you didn't see this on my blog at the weekend, here's a sign I made for my cat. You can read the story behind it here.

Don't forget to check out the other blogs at Handmade Monday. Thank you for reading, and I really appreciate any comments you leave.

Anna x