How To Make Your Mug Rather Snug

For my girlies I made very special Christmas presents...
The Cuppa in a Jumper...(with a Gingerbread man)

What you need to make this:
Some paper
Outside Material
Inside Material (for the jacket lining)
Wadding
A button
A Mug

And this is how..
Firstly, use paper to make a template like this: (make sure the mug handle can fit in the hole & that there is about 4cm extra length after wrapping around the mug)

Then pin & cut this shape out in the Inside Material (the tartan in my pictures), the wadding & the opposite way round with the Outside Material (the white material). Important: Make sure you don't cut the handle hole out of the Inside & Outside Material, just cut an X.

Next, place the wadding on top of the Outside Material & pin into place. Then pin the excess material from the Inside Material that is around the handle whole over the wadding.

Separately, pin the excess material of the Outside material to itself.

Then place the Outside material onto the Inside Material & Wadding, sew around handle hole.

Next fold & pin in all the edges of the materials.

Check it fits nicely around the mug. Make alterations accordingly.

Sew together.

Fold over edges & pin.

Sew on the edges a pretty quilted pattern (i.e. stripes)

Pin around mug & sew on a button.

As an option, you can use Porcelain Pens (as previously blogged about) to add lips & a beauty spot/some individual personality to the mug...

You can also add a Gingerbread man if you like... (recipe has also been previously blogged about).

But most importantly, use a variety of fabrics & styles to make each cosy mug as unique & quirky as your soon to be very happy friends...

xxx

Paint Your Own Porcelain Presents with Pens!

For my cousins' Christmas presents I made some fun and unique porcelain sets!
It's quick & easy to do, all you need is some porcelain & these pens.
They are great because you draw straight onto the porcelain and the paint sets without baking. Plus, you get about 30 seconds before the paint drys where you can easily wipe off any mistakes.

The first set I made was a Breakfast Set (Plate, Bowl & Mug):
For this I drew snowflakes inside all the pieces & a fun cartoon alpine scene on the outside.

The second set was a Tea Set (Tea Pot, Sugar Pot & Milk Jug).

For this I drew green & silver stripes. I also drew a quilted pattern on the tea pot to make it look like it had a Teapot Cosy on. 

They appear to have liked them, and I certainly loved making them!

Have a go :)

xxx

Merry Christmas!

I hope you have all had a lovely day! Tomorrow I will start to shed some light on this years Christmas crafts!

Merry Christmas
xxx

Gingerbread Decorations

As you may have guessed, most of my recent crafting endeavors have been for people's Christmas presents. Therefore, I won't be blogging about them quite yet!
However, today we put up out Christmas Tree (quite late, I know!).. so I made some yummy & pretty Gingerbread Tree Decorations:

How to make them:
Ingredients:
350g plain flour
175g soft brown sugar
1 1/2 tsps ground ginger
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 tbsps golden syrup
175g butter (leave out of the fridge to soften)
1 egg
Writing Icing
Sweets to decorate
Ridiculous amounts of  flour to stop the dough sticking!!!
String

Recipe:
1. Breadcrumb the butter, ginger, flour & bicarbonate of soda until crumbly.
2. Mix in the egg, golden syrup & sugar until a firm dough.
3. Refrigeration for 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees & pour flour oven baking trays.
5. Using a rolling pin (covered in flour on a flour covered surface!), roll out the dough until about 3cm thick.
6. Cut gingerbread men shapes, pierce a hole at the top (for the string), put on oven trays & cook for 10 minutes (until golden brown)
7. Place gingerbread on cooling rack & wait until cooled.
8. Decorate the gingerbread with writing icing & sweets (use the icing to stick to sweets on).
9. Tied string through the hole of the gingerbread.
10. Place on tree & feel proud.

:) Christmas is getting near... xxx

Pudding for our Christmas Feast

Tomorrow night my boyfriend & his flat mates are hosting an end-of-term Christmas Feast. With my invitation, I have agreed to make some yummy puddings!
Here is what I've made:

Mince Pies, Apple & Cinnamon Puff Pastries & a Berry Crumble!!

All very easy to make! 

The Mince Pies:

My mum made the mince meat for these, so I won't be taking credit for them (I'll just eat them!)

The Apple & Cinnamon Puff Pastries:

Ingredients:
6 Apples
1/2 cup of Sultanas 

50g Flaked Almonds

1 tsp Allspice

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

1/2 cup of Brown Sugar

2 Ready-Roll Puff Pastry

Butter to glaze

Recipe:
Preheat the oven at 180 degrees.

Flour flour over a muffin tray (this is to stop the pastry sticking).

Peel & grate the apples. Mix all the first 7 ingredients into a large bowl.

Using the rim of a mug, cut out 12 large circles & place them in the baking tray.

Fill the pastry cases with the apple & cinnamon mixture.

Using the rim of a glass, cut out 12 small circles & place these lids over the pastries.

Using a knife, push the edges of the pastry cases together (to seal the pastry).

Spread a thin layer of butter of the top as a glaze (Optional)

Cook in the oven until golden (15-20 minutes)

The Berry Crumble: 

Ingredients:
For the fruit base:
1 box of Strawberries

2 boxes of Black Berries

1 box of raspberries

5 tsp of caster sugar

For the topping:

75g Butter
175g Plain Flour

100g Oats

50g Caster Sugar

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees

Mix all the fruits & tsps of sugar into an oven dish.

In a mixing bowl, bread crumb the butter and the flour until there are no large lumps.

Add the sugar and oats to the bread crumbs and mix.

Spread the topping mix over the fruit in the oven dish.

Bake for 40 - 45 minutes until the topping is golden brown. 

Merry Christmas 

xxx

Chorizo & Chicken Frittata

Another quick & easy dinner for your hungry hungry friends...

Ingredients (for one large Frittata which serves 2/3):

2 Chorizo Sausages

1 Chicken Breast

6 Eggs

100 ml of Double Creme

2 Potatoes

1 Red Pepper

1 Large Onion

A Handful of Cherry Tomatos

Parmesan Cheese 

Olive oil

Salad As a Side

Make sure the frying pan can be put under the grill.

Recipe:

1) Peel & chop the potatoes into biteable cubes. Boil until cooked.

2) Cut the chicken & chorizo sausages into biteable chunks & fry with the onion until meat is cooked & onions are golden. Add the potatoes to the pan.

3) Cut up the pepper & tomatoes, add to the fry up.

4) Beat the eggs with the cream. Pour over the fried food. Cook on the hob until egg is cooked underneath.

5) Grate the parmesan onto & grill until the egg is full cooked throughout the frittata.

6) Serve hot with a salad. 

My First Detachable Collar

This is my first attempt at making a detachable collar...
I've got some really pretty lace for my next attempt & I'll make sure to take lots of pictures!

However, as this was my first go, I didn't think I would be in a position to teach others how to make it..
I hope you like it, my housemate has (quite accurately) labelled it 'Grandma-Chic'

xxx

Butterflies for my boyfriend cardigan

I've been doing a bit more transferring. I think it's a really great and cheap way of vamping up your clothes.

This time I added some butterflies to a boyfriend cardigan from New Look. Simply place transfers on the fabric & iron...

And, if you want to, sew on some buttons to finish.

xxx

Birthday Cake!!

So, what do you make for your best friend's 21st when they are allergic to chocolate??
You make them a strawberry cake :D

And here's how....

Ingredients:
Sponge:
250g Unsalted Butter
250g Self-Raising Flour
250g Caster Sugar
6 Medium Sized Eggs
Topping:
Double Cream
Strawberry Jam
Icing Sugar (to dust top)
Lots of Strawberries.

Recipe:
1) Preheat the oven at 180 degrees & grease 4 cake tins
2) Cream the butter & the sugar together until smooth
3) Beat the eggs & whisk into creamed butter a bit at a time
4) Sieve the flour into mix & fold in.
5) Separate batter evenly into the 4 tins & bake for 12 mins (until golden/you can pierce with a knife & the knife stays clean). Once cooked, leave to cool on a cooling tray.
6) Whisk the double cream for about 3 minutes
7) Spread a generous amount of double cream over the first layer of sponge. Slice some strawberries up thinly & place onto of double cream.

8) Put the next layer of sponge onto. Spread a thick layer of jam onto this layer.

9) Add the next layer of sponge. Spread another generous amount of double cream & sliced strawberries on top.

10) Add the last layer of sponge. Cut the strawberries in half. Place around edge of sponge (use double cream to stick). Then dust icing sugar on top to finish.

11) Eat until your belly hurts.

xxx