GREAT EASTER EGG HUNT!

Over the past 2 weeks there has been cards, garlands, jewellery, nappies and lots of other gorgeous items up for grabs but today is my turn in the GREAT EASTER EGG HUNT and you can win this super cute hand made little Easter chick

So for more information on the EGG HUNT please check out http://www.greategghunt.blogspot.com/

Hope you enjoy my turn and find something that takes your fancy in my shop, http://www.noahsarkcrafts.folksy.com/

xxx

Cheeky Chick Competition winner

Thanks to all that entered my giveaway. I'm pleased to announce that Grace pulled out a name from the hat this morning and it was.....

So from now on she will be known as Daisy Chick, thank you Ang, I hope you like her.

You can also find Daisy Chick now on my folksy and etsy shops ready made (custom order)

xxx

Tuesday Tip

I thought I would add a few tips, tutorials, techniques to my blog so will start to add them slowly, if there is anything you would like to see, know, ask then please leave a comment and I will try to get through as many as I can over the next few weeks, I can't guarantee I can answer them but I will give it a go and I can also ask people in the know too, just remember these are not the only way to do things but they are my way and I'm willing to take advice on things too.

So my first tip is due to me making carrot cake on Sunday, my dark brown sugar had gone really hard, now most people would throw it away but sometimes, just sometimes this trick can work. Put the sugar into a microwaveable bowl and put on defrost for short bursts of time after a while it should start to soften back up! Now I can't guarantee that this will work every time but its worth giving a try before running out to the shop to buy some more!

xxx

Cheeky Chick Competition

I get ideas at all sorts of times and places but quite a few of my ideas come when I first wake up and in the shower and this morning was one of those times. My head was all fuzzy with a slight cold and full of a to-do-list that is getting longer and longer but still an inspiration came to me that just had to be made.

So here she is Cheeky Chick as she is known as at the moment. She will become a kit as soon as I can get the photos taken and the instructions printed (already written!), just in time for the Easter holidays hopefully. I will let you know as soon as she enters my folksy and etsy shops but before then I will be giving away the one you can see here!

"So what do I have to do to win such a fantastic prize?" I hear you ask, well its simple, you need to leave a comment on here saying what you think she should be called and why.

The rules are easy: only 1 comment per person please, I must be able to contact you through your comment if I can't then another name will be drawn, I will ship internationally so all are welcome to join in. You have until Wednesday 17th March Midnight (GMT) to enter and the winner will be announced on Thursday 18th March.

Good Luck

xxx

Sunday Recipe 8/2010

One of my favourite cakes has got to be carrot cake and this is my take on Delias Ultimate Carrot Cake

CARROT CAKE

Ingredients

200g grated carrots

110g chopped walnuts

175g dark brown soft sugar

2 large eggs

200g self-raising flour

150ml sunflower oil

1 tbsp ground mixed spice

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

grated zest of 1 orange

110g sultanas

Syrup Glaze

Juice of 1 orange

75g dark brown soft sugar

Icing

250g mascarpone

200g low fat fromage frais

1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp golden caster sugar

Preheat Oven to 170C (Gas Mark 3)

You will need 2 x 20cm sponge tins, lightly greased and bases lined with baking parchment

Method

1) Whisk the sugar, eggs and oil together until all the sugar has dissolved

2) Sift in the flour, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda and stir gently

3) Add 75g of the chopped walnuts and the rest of the remaining ingredients

4) Divide the batter between the tins and bake for approx 30 mins

5) They should feel firm and springy to the touch and show signs of shrinking away from the sides, if not give a few more minutes

6) Meanwhile make the icing by whisking all ingredients together and then chill until you are ready to ice the cakes

7) Make the syrup glaze by whisking the sugar and fruit juice together

8) When the cakes come out of the oven, stab them all over with a skewer and quickly spoon syrup evenly over the cakes

9) Now leave to cool in their tins, once completely cold remove from their tins

10) Spread one third of the icing on a cake and then layer the other cake on top, then spread the rest of the icing over the top of the cakes

11) Finely chop the rest of the walnuts and sprinkle on top

Hope you enjoy, please leave a comment if you try this cake

xxx

Sign of Spring

Now that February is all over with I decided to put some colour back into my sewing, so I bought some gorgeous colours of wool felt with an idea in mind, I had no idea if it would work but decided to make 3 all at the same time in different colours, all the same. So I did a bit of sketching, a bit of pattern making, some cutting, some blanket stitching, some assembly and some more stitching and this is what I came up with.

This is the pink one but I'm also making one with the bright blue and one with the pistachio green. Perfect as a Summery bag for everyday use and especially to brighten up the cloudy days, ideal as a gift for Mothers Day. They will be for sale in my Folksy and Etsy shops.

xxx

Friday Favourites 9/2010

I had to give my cat a bit of a tidyup this morning, he can't reach round to his back to keep clean so he always gets a bit of a matted area, unfortunately he isn't the nicest of cats for being picked up so it took both Rob (in his bike leathers and gloves!) and me to cut the matted area out.

Anyway as I had to do the cat this morning I thought that it was a perfect opportunity to invite you to see some of my favourite cats.

First up is Sarah at theothermousie in her other disguise as Cirque de Chassettes, how cool are these, I'm just waiting on a trapeze artist to send to my cousins little girl in the Dominican Republic as they own the Circus of Dreams out there.

Second is Pussy Galore! Lovely cute and now in kitty form. She also gives some good advice on her blog.

And lastly some cats that aren't all soft but are just as cute from Gabrielle at Moobaacluck, maybe if my cat sat still like these I wouldn't have a problem with grooming him!

xxx