Christmas card club

Every month I hold a card club at home and I make 3 cards with a lovely group of ladies - this month we made 2 cards and a little key ring using the Holly Berry Bouquet Speciality papers (124004).

I have used Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Real Red, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, and Wild Wasabi card stock.

The card below is using the Contempo Christmas ( 118734/120594) set

The little keyring I have used the Fancy Flower punch ( 118073) and Owl Builder punch (118074).  I have added wobbly eyes and key ring, purchases from ebay.  I finished off the key ring with a little pearl on his heart (119247) and Crystal Effects (101055) to protect him!

For this card the stamps I have used the snowflake from the Winter Post set (111780) and sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370)

I have used the Big Shot Dies - Top Note (113463) and Fun Flowers (121812)

The flowers have been embossed using the Vintage Wallpaper (120175) and punches used are Modern Label (119849) and Word Window (119857).  I have used Linen Thread (104199) and Regal Buttons (119744) to finish off the centre of the button.

Thanks for looking and Merry Christmas!

Hugs Sarah x x 

Christmas cupcakes - School Gifts

Christmas gifts - for the staff that work with Jack and Sam at their schools.

A mixture of red velvet and vanilla cupcakes

Finished off with SU ribbon and Waltzing Mouse stamps.

Thanks for looking

Hugs Sarah  x x x 

Christmas Cupcakes - Vanilla

Vanilla cupcakes - with a little bit of Xmas sparkle!

Xmas gift cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes - and a very special Xmas gift - individual cupcake stands!

Thanks for looking!

Hugs Sarah xx

Birthday cupcakes

Its been a long time since I've updated my blog - and I promise that next year I will update it more regulary!!  These are some cupcakes I made back in August for my Birthday

Vanilla cupcakes - with lovely edible flowers!

with a pale lilac frosting

Lemon cupcakes - with lemon frosting and lemon curd in the centre!

Finished off with lemon zest on the top!

Malteser cupcakes - so rich and so not low fat - but so yummy!!!

and finally strawberry cheesecake cupcakes - complete with a little strawberry bonnet!

Thanks for looking......and drooling!

Hugs and cupcake kisses

Sarah x x x

Time to say goodbye!!

Its that time of year again!! Many of the SU stamps are going in to retirement - Boo hiss!!! But it will make room for lots of new stamp sets and I've had a sneek peek of a few and they look fab!!!

Please look here for a full list of the retirements

You can place an order with me at anytime - these sets are only going to be available until the end of September and when they are gone they are gone - so act quickly!!

Please email me at sarah-e-wilkins@hotmail.co.uk

If you would like a new catalogue due to be launched on the 1st October I can let you have one for the reduced price of £3.50 (Normally £4.95) - this includes P&P - this price is only valid until the end of September. As soon as I receive them I will post one out to you!

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Hugs Sarah x x x x

Limited offer for August from Stampin Up!

Limited offer - please email me @ sarah-e-wilkins@hotmail.co.uk

Circle Circus and Cottage Garden

Two of my favourite stamp sets and often over looked in the catalogue.

Circle Circus (115778) is also for scrapbook pages too! I have used Wild Wasabi, So Saffron and Early Expresso. Soft Subtle Designer Buttons and Flower Brads. Sentiment is Heard from the Heart (w - 111644/ c - 120006).

and below is Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight and Early Expresso. Cottage garden (w - 117068 / c - 120003). I have used colour combination Perfect Plum, Marina Mist and Crumb Cake.

and below colour combination Crumb Cake, Rose Red and Elegant Eggplant. And both cards have been finished off with some pearly bling!

See you again soon

Sarah x x x

Malteser Cupcakes!

I made these devine cupcakes for a group of lovely ladies that came to my Stampin Up workshop last night - there were only 5 of us and we made 2 cards (photos to follow). We had a lovely evening, lots of laughs (some yummy Goats cheese and chill jam tarts from Catherine), cups of tea and Malteser Cupcakes!

This is the first time I have made these cupcakes and the recipe is from my new Hummingbird Bakery cook book - Cake Days

They are rich, moist and total devine and have about a zillion calories!!!!!!!!! But they are so yummy!

Malteser Cupcakes.

For the sponge.

150ml sunflower oil

75ml whole milk

75ml buttermilk

1 large egg

1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

240g plain flour

25g cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

330g caster sugar

150ml boiling water

Preheat oven to 190 oC (350 oF)

Using a hand held electric whisk beat together the oil, milk, buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt, then stir in the sugar.

Add a third of the dry mixture to the oil/milk mixture and beat in slowly until evenly incorporated.

Beat in a third of the boiling water, followed by another third of the dry mixture and continue with this until all the mixture is combined.

Divide between the paper cases - I found this made 12-14 large cupcakes!

Place in oven and bake for 20 mins.

Allow to cool completely before adding the frosting.

For the frosting

200g dark chocolate chips (minimum 70% cocoa solids)

240ml double cream

115g malted milk powder (Ovaltine)

50g full-fat cream cheese (Philadelphia)

35g caster sugar

Maltesers to decorate.

Melt the chocolate chips in a bowl (either by setting over a saucepan of simmering water or in the microwave). Set aside to cool.

Using the electric whisk, whip the cream with the malted milk powder until in forms soft peaks.

In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese with the caster sugar until combined, add the cooled chocolate and mix again.

Carefully fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, adding half the whipped cream mixture at a time.

Divide the frosting between the cupcakes. Decorate with Maltesers.

Trust me - you will not need a huge amount of frosting on each cupcake - it is very rich!

I got a large bag of dark chocolate chips from Hotel Chocolat - expensive - but worth it!

Enjoy!!!!

Hugs Sarah x x x x

New Catalogue!!!

and its amazing!!! - Look here!!!

Gift Box

Chocolate box - a fab gift for Mothers Day! I can't take all the credit for this as Hayley first showed me this - I just adapted it to hold my chocolates!

Start off with a A4 piece of cardstock and trim the shorter side to 6", then score both of the long sides at 3/4". Flip over and score down the length of card at 3" and then 6" - this will create your 'card' and then score at 1 1/4" 4 sections and the last section will be approx 1" (this will create your box).
on the 2 top 3" sections (card section) trim off the 3/4" card that you scored and then cut the flaps on the rest of the sections which create the box. Flip over and on the middle section of the scored boxes (you should have 5 smaller scored sections) stick some Patterned paper the size I used was 1" x 4".
Make the flaps a little shorter on this section as you will not be able to get the circle punch in close enough to punch the holes. Punch 2 holes using the 1" punch - look here at Hayley's blog for better photos and direction!!!
On the top scored section - use doublesided sticky tape or another strong adhesive and roll up the sections to create the box.

I used the cottage garden stamps and I have used crystal effects on my flower.

my box size was perfect to hold 3 Lindt choccies!!

I have used colour combinations - Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip and Whisper White. As always some pearly bling to finish it off!!

Thanks for looking

Sarah x x x