Christmas Cake Recipe....

Ingredients: * 2 cups flour * 1 stick butter * 1 cup of water * 1 tsp baking soda * 1 cup of sugar * 1 tsp salt * 1 cup of brown sugar * Lemon juice * 4 large eggs * Nuts * 1 bottle wine * 2 cups of dried fruit Sample the wine to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the wine again. To be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the wine is still OK. Try another cup... Just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 eggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Pick the frigging fruit up off floor. Mix on the turner.. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the wine to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Check the wine. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or some fink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window. Finish the wine and wipe counter with the cat. Bingle Jells!

First Christmas Card

I don't believe it I received my first Christmas card today and its only the 2nd! I know I have posted some due to them having to go to Australia but obviously too many people have too much time on their hands. Well I suppose I better get writing otherwise I will never get there, so how many of you have sent yours out already, just to make me feel guilty. I still have a birthday to get through first before I can even think about putting up decorations and wrapping presents!

Tomorrow.....

Hopefully I'm off to the Hobbycraft show at the NEC to have a browse around and see what goodies I can resist on buying, although I do have a birthday coming up so maybe I can get round it that way!! I can't wait I'm all excited, who would have thought with all the crafty bits I have and do! Will keep you posted.

Jewellery Samples

Here are some samples that I made for my jewellery demo in October, hopefully more to come in due course.

Almost another month gone

Where has August gone? I have been on holiday for the last 2 weeks, running my Vanessa to and from tennis as usual but she's doing really well in semi finals in both u12's and u14's, so fingers crossed for the rest of the week, although we could do with some better weather for me to sit and watch her rather than being huddled under an umberella.

Ashley should be out of plaster this week after suffering from a hairline fracture and chip to his left foot, feel sorry for him, as he has been on crutches for the last 3 weeks, at least he will be out of it before he goes back to school next week!

Just got a few days left before having to go back to reality next week, if only I could have more time off, but hey ho its back to work next week, but at least I've got a Bank Holiday weekend first.

Happy Bank Holiday everyone and hope to see some of you soon.

Helen

More news & Christmas cards

My son, Ashley passed his Grade 2 Drum exam with 76% giving him a merit, I am so pleased for him! Well Done!! Also here are some of the Christmas cards I made for my demos in July.

Where does the time go?

Well yet again I can't believe where the time has gone - the kids are now breaking up from school for the summer holidays!! Since last been on here we had a lovely sunny week on holiday at Centre Parcs in Longleat, we celebrated our 21st Wedding Anniversary also in June, we attended a Wedding and I took my daughter to Bournemouth for the weekend so that she could represent Somerset in the County Cup. So far this month (July) I have run up and down to Exeter three times for Vanessa's tennis tournaments in the evening and not been getting home until nearly midnight three nights in a row, we were both exhausted!! I have also had a couple of demo's this month and was shocked to see that I was demonstrating christmas cards - gulp where does the time go, but as one kind customer pointed out its only 5 months to Christmas, oh the joy!! I don't think!! Well hopefully I will try and get on here more often now that the summer has hit, or rather the rain at the present time! Just in case I don't have a wonderful summer Helen

Some of my favourite cards

Herewith some of my demo cards for May:

Double Diamond Card

Envelope Fold Card

Slider card

3D Butterfly punch

Where does the time go?

Well I can't believe where the time goes what happened to Easter it just seemed to fly by but then I did do three trips to Exeter for my daughter who was playing tennis down there and won both her tournaments, see attached photos, plus won the tournament at Wells as well. Winner of U12 tournament, Exeter Junior Open

Winners of U14 Doubles tournament, Exeter Junior Open

Winner of U12 tournament, Wells I have been really busy over the last few weeks/months what with trying to get my case studies done for my college as I have my exam coming up soon, gulp!! and also trying to get ready for my demonstrations for May, one of which is this weekend in Swansea. I have loved playing with the new products from DO and can't wait to show them off as to what I have made, I must take some photos, so that you can see them. Have a good Bank Holiday weekend, whatever you are doing Helen

Wishing you all a Happy Easter

Just want to wish you all a Happy Easter and hope you enjoy the holidays, despite the weather. My son is have a sleepover in the tent tonight and my daughter is having her sleepover on Monday, and yes I can hear you asking "in this weather - well too right, they wanted it no matter what, so in the rain they will be!" Happy Easter Helen

Very Proud ....

My daughter, won the Under 14's tournament recently, bearing in mind she is only 11, so I am very proud of her, pictured below!

Daisy, Pickles, Onions & Bubbles

Here are some of my favourites:

Hope you like them.

Helen

Great News for me

Its just been confirmed that I am now a designer for Debbie Moore Designs and that I will also do some demonstrations for them. Apparently a package of new products and crafting bits and pieces is winging its way to me so that I can make some cards for the show on Ideal World in April. I'm so excited to have been asked. Helen

Well he did it ..............

My 13 year old son, had his hair shaved off in order to raise money for Air Ambulance that rescued his friend Elliott. He managed to raise approximately £250 on his own and with other members from his Tae Kwon Do group they managed to raise over £4,000. I am sooooo proud of him.

And some more!!!

Finally took some photos ......

of my recently made cards from my last couple of demos, I know a bit on the slow side, but better late than never!

Thanks to everyone at the Range

Just a quick note to say thank you to all the lovely ladies that I met at The Range in Cardiff last Saturday, you make my visit so worth while and I love the fact that you all keep coming back to see me. Hope to see some again in March. Helen

Where does the time go?

I can't believe where the time goes, the kids break up from school today for Half Term, it feels as if they have only just gone back, let alone breaking up again!!!

Soon Easter will be with us, what with Easter Eggs already in the shops, I know they say time goes faster as we get older but this is ridiculous.

Anyway have a lovely half term holiday whatever you are up to, lets just hope the weather is better than it has been over the last few days, from snow to flooding whatever next!

Bye for now

Helen

Elliott's Funeral - 21 Jan 09

Can you all please pay your respects for Elliott's family today when his funeral is due to take place at 2pm today, Wednesday 21st Jan 09. Many thanks Helen

Really Sad News......

Things have been a bit hard at home for my son, Ashley, as last week his best friend Elliott was killed while he stood on the side of the road waiting for the school bus to collect him. Elliot was only 13 when he was hit by a car, some of you may have seen it on the news last week. There is a memorial service for him at school tomorrow (Wed 14th Jan) and then we have to wait to find out when the funeral is before my son can finally put it all behind him, so to speak!! We took some flowers and a card down to where it happened at the weekend, so that Ashley could pay his respects. I hope that your thoughts and prayers can be with Elliott's family and friends at this difficult time.

Regards Helen