Christmas cards 2021

 Christmas cards are coming in slowly. This one is from A World of Snail Mail - Penguy. 

An Iris fold card and beautiful penmanship on the envelope 

Thanks Penguy

Mangoes and early Christmas cakes

Wow its been awhile since I posted, life has been so busy lately with working 2 jobs and loving both of them, if I had to chose one job I couldn't, they are both unique in their own way and enjoyable.

After a two week holiday over Christmas and New Year I had some days left and yesterday I baked and scraped and preserved Christmas cakes and Mango Chutney - the spicy type. I had soaked the fruit in September intending to cook these cake for Christmas 2019 but ran out of time, so now I am early for Christmas 2020 LOL.

Now I notice my cakes have cracked in the middle, can any experience cook out there tell me why its cracked? I left it in the pan to cool before I took it out.

18kgs of mangoes de-seeded and grated down to 9kgs, that will last me a year or two I hope LOL. I eat it like its going out of style. I also use it to marinate my prawns, this year I'll try and use it to marinate other meats and see what happens. I use spices I buy from the shops. I have never made the spices from scratch yet. 

Thats my husband lending a helping hand, he's a gem and a keeper, which was awesome as I now have arthritis in my wrists and this process of grating is really taxing on my hands. I need to find a food processor to do this as I make these every year. 

This is called Mango Kuchela and is spicy, made with mustard oil and Indian spices.

EDITED: Did some research and my problem was the position of the rack. See Alice's Rules

In case the link doesn't work:

So many finicky details make the difference in baking. The position of the rack in the oven is almost as important as the baking temperature! And pan rotation is important for even baking too. Too many recipes don’t even mention rack position or pan rotation. Go figure.  

Here are my rules for racks and rotation (for non-convection gas ovens) when recipes don’t otherwise specify: 

To bake cake(s) on one rack: Position the rack in the lower third (just below center) of the oven. If baking more than one pan on the rack, rotate the pans from the front to the back a little over halfway through the baking time. Exception: I bake a single thin sheet of cake for a jellyroll, in the center of the oven.

To bake a single sheet of cookies: Position the rack in the center of the oven. Rotate the sheet from front to back a little over halfway through the baking time.

To bake cakes or cookies on two racks:  Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Rotate the pans from upper to lower and back to front a little over halfway through the baking time.

For electric ovens: I use the same rules, but when the electrical element is exposed in the oven, I consider the bottom of the oven to start on top of the coil rather than under it, and I position my racks accordingly: thus the center of the oven is midway from the top of the coil to the top of the oven and the lower third is one third of the distance from the top of the coil to the top of the oven, etc. Got it?

How not to overcook your Christmas Cake 

Question

It's that time of year and I'm busy in the kitchen preparing Christmas treats galore, however, I'm having trouble achieving the perfect Christmas fruit cake. After it's cooked, I find that the bottom of the cake is burnt and the top of the cake has large cracks in it. Can you tell me what I'm doing so wrong?!

Answer

It sounds like all of your problems have been caused by a very hot oven. Fruit cakes will burn on the bottom or crack on top if they're baked at too high a temperature. Make sure you set your oven to the exact temperature given in the recipe. The burnt bottom can also occur if the cake is wrongly positioned in the oven. Or if the pans are lined incorrectly. Fruit cakes require protection during long, slow baking times. Cakes that are 22cm or smaller require three thicknesses of baking-paper lining. Larger cakes need one or two sheets of brown paper and three sheets of baking paper.

Christmas Cards All Year Round- February

The February Challenge for 

Christmas Cards All Year Round

is Red and White and shades of these with no other colours.

February Challenge
Enter your card to win a prize

I used StampinUp Cherry Cobbler and vanilla cardstock, and Glimmer Red paper. Impression Obsession Merry Christmas DIE106-S. Jemark Forever Stickers. Very easy simple card to make if you are doing multiples and lots of. Die cut the Merry Christmas die on white cardstock, adhere the glimmer red paper to the back and attach all onto Cherry Cobbler red cardstock. Adhere pearls.

I also made a purple version-well I didn't read the challenge brief too well and made that as a mistake but it turned out well and another version of a Christmas card to create. Take a look at it HERE.

Purple Red glitter Christmas card

Here's my mistake card when I went to make my Christmas Card All Year Round February Challenge, but as you see no 'mistake' is ever a mistake and turned out really nice. I like making non traditional Christmas card colours. 

Stay tuned for the real version in a different colour.

Chipboard

Scrapbook Layout of Ava

Altered Shoe 

Scrapbook Layout of Ava

Christmas Card

Non traditional Christmas Card

Christmas Cards All Year round Mid Month Challenge

Here is my January Mid Month 

Christmas Cards All Year Round Challenge Card

January Challenge
Enter your card to win a prize

Using alcohol inks for the background, stamped Merry Christmas sentiment and holly and dusted with silver dusting.

Christmas Cards All Year Round January Challenge

Welcome to my first post as a Design Team Member for 

Christmas Cards All Year Round Challenge Blog

January Challenge 

The challenge is for Anything Goes 

I used bazzil green cardstock

Darkroom Door Christmas Inchies stamp

Impression Obsession Merry Christmas die Die106-S

ImagineCrafts Tsukineko Memento Olive Grove ink

Graphic 45 Twelve Days of Christmas My True Love and Swans a Swimming paper

Enter your creations HERE for your chance to win a prize from Platypus Creek Stamps 

One layer Christmas Card Challenge # 1

My first post as a Design Team Member for

One Layer Christmas Card 2015

This is my project for the challenge

On silver glittery cardstock I die cut Tim Holtz Frameworks die, placed the frame back into the card and stuck a sheet of double sided sticky paper to the back, sprinkled Ruby red ultra fine glitter.

Die cut Tim Holtz Movers and Shapers Mini Reindeer and 25 and added the Ultra fine silver glitter to the double sided sticky sheet adhered to the back of the main card-stock.

A nice quick and easy card with lots of sparkle.

Enter your creations HERE and be in the running to win a prize

Design Team Announcement - Christmas Cards All Year Round

I have another Design Team Announcement to make.
2015 is going to be one amazing year for me and I am proud to be a part
of the Christmas Cards All Year Round Challenge Blog

The first challenge is on January 6th so come back to see what we have in store for you.

This is a great way to get your Christmas cards going all year and have all your cards done by December and not have a mad rush to make them at the last minute.

There are also prizes to be won.

check out the 2015 Design Team Members Blogs

~TRACEY-DT Co-ordinator

~ANET

BRIDGET

CLAUDIA

~HAZEL

~JOAN

~KIMBERLY

SARAH
SUE

Design Team Announcement - One Layer Christmas Cards

I have more wonderful news to share today. 

I will be designing for 

One Layer Christmas Cards in 2015

Here are the rest of the Design Team Members

Bridget Larsen

Lee-Anne Cross

Kim Makortoff

Nonni Niskanen

Susan Joyce

Vicki Dutcher

Vickie Yeakley

Why don't you come a long and play, what better way to get your Christmas cards done throughout the year than to play in an all year Christmas card challenge.

Less is More Week 202 - One layer Challenge - Snow

This is my entry to Less is More card challenge this week.

A quick and easy one layer card.

Stamp It: Christmas and New Year and Holly stamps

Versa Magic: Cloud White chalk ink

Bazzill: Black cardstock
Kaisercraft: Rhinestones Red

Miscellaneous: Christmas Washi tape

Christmas Card

This is my entry for Muse Challenge inspired by Vicki Dutcher

Thank you all for voting for my previous entries.

Linking up with Muse Challenge # 96

by Vicki Dutcher

Also linking up with Kylie's Christmas Card Challenge ends 21st December

prize is a watermark signature by Kylie Purtell 

And Vandicrafts Artistry Challenge # 20-anything goes with a twist

Couture Creations Christmas Lyrics embossing folder

Imaginecrafts/Tsukineko Memento Rhubarb Stalk ink

Kaisercraft Pearls

Miscellaneous ribbon, jewels, kraft and red cardstock

Lumiere Pearl Emerald green paint.

Twiddleybitz chipboard

Swiped the inkpad across the embossed card.

Embossed kraft cardstock, swiped inkpad over cs gently. Use dauber to ink chipboard-let stand to dry. Adhere all the pieces together.

EDITED 10 Dec...thanks for voting everyone my card got Honourable Mention

Muse Challenge #95 Kiss Keep it Sweet & Simple

This weeks challenge on Muse Challenge is from Caroline KISS-Keep it Sweet & Simple

This is my interpretation of the challenge 

Imaginecrafts/Tsukineko: Memento Luxe Tuxedo Black, Memento Dye Ink Rhubarb Stalk
Docrafts Papermania Madame Payraud's : Tissue Paper
The Stencil Specialists: Adhesive Pearls
Judikins: Fuschia Botanical Stamp
Miscellaneous: black and red ribbon

Gold, Black and White Christmas Card

Heartfelt Creations Decorative Leafy Frame die in black cardstock

Schmick polka dot ribbon.

Twiddleybitz Merry Christmas Card Words chipboard

Imaginecrafts/Tsukineko All Purpose Ink Frost White

Want2Scrap Nestabling Pet Scallop Circle Small silver

Kaisercraft Rhinestones Silver

Linking up to 

Christmas Card All Year Round DT Challenge 30 Nov

Stamp and Create Ribbons and Bows Challenge 30 Nov

Ooh La La Creations Challenge #170 4 Jan

Craft Dee Bowz-Anything Goes and a Handmade Bow 30 Nov

Dream Valley Challenges - Anything Goes #95 27 Nov

Clean and Simple Card

EDITED: 26 Nov thanks to all who voted, I got top 3 featured Member for this card 

I didn't have balloons of any kind but I do have lots of flower stamps, and in Australia flowers are in full bloom at Christmas time so why not make a non tradition Christmas card.

Love these flowers by Heartfelt Creations. Colours by Imaginecrafts/Tsukineko Memento Pear Tart, Rhubarb Stalk, Pistachio and Bamboo Leaves. Pearls by Kaisercraft. Verse is a die by Couture Creations. Embossing die is by Cuttlebug Provo Craft.

This is the first time I am playing in Muse Challenge # 94, this weeks inspiration is by Marion Vagg.

Also linking up with the following:

ALBC- CAS 

Christmas tag

My friend Celina and I got together one day and created this delightful tag for Christmas, I love how we used punches to make the bird, yes it is a bird with wings, at first it looks like someone with a top hat and a high collar, believe me its a bird hahahaha

Published

I was unpacking and found these magazines that my work was published in and discovered I have never blogged them, so here goes.

Australian Paper-crafts Magazine

One of my favourite techniques using alcohol inks on gloss card and acetate 

 This was an ATC again made with alcohol inks on gloss card and grease proof paper resist

at first I didnt like that the inks didnt take in certain areas I called 'flaws' but in crafting there is no flaw. They actually turned out really good-these white space flaws. I never throw out my flaws, I leave them to rest and for me to accept them. I am a highly OCD person when it comes to crafting as you can see from my designs

The Rubber Gazette

I made these Christmas ornaments to give one year instead of christmas cards. I always felt that Christmas cards get put away and forgotten but ornaments will get taken out each year and adorn the trees. The ornaments in the middle are triangle dominoes I decorated.

Christmas with Micro Beads

What's Christmas without Micro-beads.

You probably can't see them, but the Micro-beads are translucent and cover the whole image. In real life it gives this wonderful tactile look and feel. The background was a whole sheet of paper I stamped randomly with various Christmas stamps and cut a portion of it of to use.

Pocket Book variation

Another variation of design on the pocket book I made HERE, with full tutorial on how I did it. As you can see I am following on with my Christmas theme.

Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities Decorative Elements 
Grand Decorative Circles One SKU-LF015
Spellbindeers Nestabilities Majestic Elements Radiant Rectangles SKU-S5-161
Tsukineko Memento Inks Rhubarb Stalk Me-000-301
Ribbon from Vandoros
Paper is retired stock
Sentiment is from Kazzaz

Christmas in July

 I ran the A2 Filligree Delight die through my Xyron 5" creative Station, such a great easy way to adhere intricut dies like this

I've been busy, very busy for the last month creating and playing and having fun. It's July so that is Christmas in July for creating so I can get ahead with my Christmas cards. Well it's a good excuse anyway to start those Christmas cards early.

Spellbinders Dies Nestabilies A2 Filligree Delight SKU S5-177
Kaisercraft Bling Snow Pearls SB794
Xyron 5" Creative Station
Bazzill cardstock, gold ribbon
Cheryl Lynn Merry Christmas Die