Kitty's Mince Pie's

Well, since I'm at home here with a broken leg (tripped over a drain last week and broke my foot) I decided it might be a good idea to make some yummy mince pies for the lads in my house when I get back on Wednesday.


Kitty's Mince Pies Recipe.

I made 24 lovely pies and still had a little pastry over, so this recipe is handy enough if you are doing a big amount.

Pastry:
1lb of  plain flour.
 8oz cool unsalted butter, diced.
 4oz icing sugar,
3 egg yokes,
3 tblsp cold water
1 tspn lemon/ orange juice
1/2 the rind of a lemon or orange.

Filling:
1 jar of shop bought mince pie filling.
1 apple stewed
3 tblesps Jameson whiskey
1 tblesp soft brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinemon. 


Method:

1.Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Sift in the sugar.

2.Lightly beat the egg yolk with 1 tbsp cold water, juice and rind in a seperate bowl . Add to the flour mixture bit by bit. Gather together to make a soft dough. 

3. Roll into a ball, cover in cling and leave in the fridge for at least an hour.

4. Mix all the filling ingredients together in a bowl (add a little lemon or orange rind to this if you like) and allow it to stand for a few minutes.

5. Line 24 greased bun tins with round cookie cut peices of the pastry, fill with one teaspoon of the filling, cut a star shape and place on top. 

6. Place in the oven for 30 minutes at 200°C (400°F) , until the pies are golden brown on top. Remove and shake a little fine sugar over them while they are still warm.

 

 

enjoy!

John Lewis Christmas Ads

I always know its Christmas time when I see the John Lewis Advert on TV.
 I don't know what it is about them, they just always seem to get the feeling perfectly. Last year I actually shed a tear to the one with Ellie Goolding sing "You Song". I don't know why, I don't even really like that song (mainly down to the fact I associate it with Moulin Rouge). The ad was just really sweet though.
See for yourselves:

 I also found a bit on the making of last years video.

So you can imagine how I felt when I saw  the new ad for Christmas 2011, with a Smiths song playing in the background. Grant it, Morrissey letting a large company like John Lewis use a cover of a song of his is a bit hypocritical, but in fairness, its quite tastefully done. There is something quite 1980's about the ad, the clothes, housing, the mum in the kitchen. Its actually kind of similar to the context of Morrissy and Marr. I love the way its not in your face Christmasy, like Coka Cola or Marks and Spencers. It seems to be more about giving a gift then the product itself. I like that.

 Lovely. I feel lovely and Christmasy now!

It would help if we actually had John Lewis in Ireland though!

Owed to Benefit Cosmetics

  The prettiest packs, the dinkiest displays, original names and long lasting, comfortable make up. I'm in love with Benefit Cosmetics

My Top 5 Products.
1. Erase Paste




I think this stuff is genius. I've a birthmark on my face and I find it hard to cover or tone down with something that will last ages. I got this in a pack last year for my birthday and its been bril! It stays put, its not heavy or cakey and it doesn't separate. Great gift!

2. Some Kind-a Gorgeous Foundation.

It goes on paste and drys to light powder. Like Erase Paste its excellent for covering blotchy skin and uneven tone and its not heavy or greasy. It also matches to your skin tone, so there's no orangeness to worry about!

3. Poise Tint Cheek & Lip Stain.
It's shimmery, it smells nice, it works for your lips and cheeks. Thats all good in my book. The only little thing I would hold against it is its a bit runny and can separate as a lip stain. I'd like to try the darker one as I think it would suit me better as I have pale skin.




  



4. BADGal Lash Mascara


Maybe its just me, I don't seem to do well with mascara. Its thick and dark and it covers very well, but getting a mascara again it would not be my first choice. Its nice for a night out, as you don't come home with smudges under your eyes (unless some fella's just been a bastard to ya!). But id say all day it wouldn't work.







 5. Smokin Eyes.


Again, a present. I love presents from benefit, but I have only used this twice. Unfortuatly I looked like a Panda after I tried to do the smokiness, so now I only really use the brow kit.  I think with a little more practice I might get better.

I haven't posted in ages!

So what have I been up to?

• Started studying Graphic Design in Marino College. Its a lot of work, but its very interesting. I'll stick up some of my work soon.
• i've broken my foot. its not fun. so there will be a lot more stuck up here.
• I;ve made friends with the nice lady at the Benifit Counter in Clearys. I love Benifit Cosmetics. Their displays always give me lots of cool ideas.
• Im starting work experience tomorrow in the Graphic Design department of the place my sister works. It should be interesting.

My Liz Taylor Hair.

It never worked out in the end :(

Beaux Bows

 Oh God! You have to see this shop!

www.facebook.com/BeauxBows

It's located in the Georges Street Arcade, Dublin. Located here.
I think the shop isn't open that long, but it sells a very wide range of 1940's and 1950's inspired clothes. It is extreemly femine, but in a classy elegant way. I love the attention to detail in the furnishing and display. The girl in the shop was lovely too and let me take a few snaps to sho you.

I can see myself going there next pay day!!
please check it out.

Liz Taylor Hair.

 I'm giving serious consideration to trying to styling my hair in an Elizabeth Taylor sort of fashion. My hair is currently shoulder length and fuzzy, so it need a bit of attention.
I know a girl who has amazing 1950's style and dose fab stuff with her hair, I really want to get a similar look. I'm going to try a bit of pin curling and I'll see how it goes.

found this on youtube, so it may help.

More Recent Work.

Baby Boy Card.

This card was made for my new little cousin Sean. I tried to do something a bit different from pictures of cribs and prams. I love working with buttons, so here is something with them.

I used light blue from the Core'dinations 6" x 6" (15.2cm) card stock, ink the edges using light blue ink and stick a smaller piece of  yellow and blue floral pattered paper from Papermania Summer Bloom 12x12 .
Print on a small square of cream paper your sentiment. I used these. Back this with a slightly larger inked blue card and attach using Prit pads. Cut another rectangle in cream, back with the inked  blue card and fix a strip of blue ribbon along the centre. Then use alternative blue and yellow buttons and attach.

Mammy's Birthday Card,

My mum celebrated her birthday quite recently and this is what I did for her. (she loves flowers!)

I used a cream square based card, covered it with script style paper from K&Co Conservatory 6x6 pk. I then sanded it with a file and inked it with dark brown ink. I then cut a smaller square from Websters pages Spring Market 6x6 pk. I inked this again and stuck it down. I cut a strip from the Prima Paper Madeline Pk , which I inked again and covered with a blue strip of the K & Co card, which I used a rub on sentiment on.

To make the flowers on the side I punched different sized flowers in the script style paper with small Xcut Flower punch . Each of these were inked with blueish ink and aranged on top of one another. I bent each of the petals on the top ones slightly to give a 3d effect, and used a bigger punch for one. I put a pearl sticker in the centre. 

My recent work.

There seems to be high demand recently in my family for card. I've a few birthdays and my cousin has just had a little boy, so I've had to spend a bit of time making cards. It took me a bit of time to get settled into my new house and it was hard to get inspiration, so I wasn't hugely happy with my work. But some of it is nice, so here it is.

1. Mam And Dad's Anniversary Card.

This card is made on Anita's Square base card. I covered this with a slightly smaller base card in a turquoise colour from Co-ordinations card stock.  Using pattered paper from Prima Flowers Madeline 6x6 pad fit it on top of the turquoise card to create a frame and then glue thick strip of the turquoise card in the centre horizontally.
For the centre panel I used a square of the turquoise card, topped with maroon card which has been embossed using a polka-dot embossing press . I used Me To You Alphabet Silver Stickers on white card for the sentiment, these are handy because they are small and easy to manage. I then attached flowers from Papermania red hot capsule collection. and also small roses I bought in a haberdashery shop.

2. Green and Lace Thank You Card.

Very simple card to make, using cream base card, which I got in Tesco. Make a smaller square of Core'dinations 6" x 6" (15.2cm) cardstock in redish pink. On this put a smaller square of dark green paper, which has been embossed with a dry folder in a floral patteren. This paper can be bought anywhere, as I used an old scrap book.
Place a strip of antic lace across the green and pink square and secure using thin double sided tape. I got quite a good selection in Hickeys fabric and dress making store on Henry Street, Dublin.
 Cut a smaller rectangle of cream card and, using small floweral stamps , lightly print a few flowers in green in. Allow to dry and rub on "Thank You" with Doodlebug’s rub ons.  Stick this to a larger peice of pink card and attach this to larger square. Job Done!


I'll add more later...

Electric Picnic time!

I havent posted up many of my cards lately as I have moved away from home and am now back in maynooth, sans un laptop! The card making is a bit slow too, as I dont have as much room to do it. But I'm heading off to electric picnic this weekend, so there will be pictures from it very soon!

here are some good tunes I'll be enjoying over the weekend!

 

 

    

                                        

 

Not to mention some of this stuff.....

 

should  be a fun aul time!

This is were I have been hiding out for the last few days!

Some of my recent card creations....

1: Golden Tickets Card.

This card I made quite simply, using Anita's 135mm square cards in cream. I used dye on the edges with gold and a coppery brown ink. The green pattered paper is from 7 Gypsies Conservatory Double-Sided Paper Pack 6 X6.  I used the gold ribbon off a chocolate box for the side, this went over a piece of torn cream paper, inked again with the gold and coppery brown dye and pattered with a floral graphic clear stamp in a mossy green. One thing though, get a larger ink pad of gold, silver and black, these are the ones I use more then the others.

Following this, I stamped 2  pieces of scrap brown card with a ticket clear stamping the same brown. .

Now, here is the tricky bit, the flowers. I used 8 circles of  Anita's Pearliest A4 card in Ivory, cut with X-Cut Punch Scallop Circ 5/8" . Scrunch them up. Then take 4 and one by one attach it to an ordinary gold brad (the ones you get in any office shop). Edge this with Gold ink.
The bigger flower is made with stencil made from chipboard pri-used stickers. The paper used is old green card from a scrapbook bought in a pound shop. I used a button, from my own random collection for the centre. The little brown flowers are brown card punched from EK Success small daisy.

2. Daintree Jade Card.

Daintree in Candem Street in Dublin is one of my favorite shops. It has so many pretty things! I recently purchased a "lucky bag" there in which I found this lovely Jade paper.

To make this card I used some Anita's 135mm square cards in white. Then made a smaller square of jade Core'dinations Card . On top of this I put a slightly smaller square of white card, which had the strip of cream and jade pattered paper (abouth and inch and a half wide) stuck to the fronto of it.

I used a small rectangle of the jade card, in the bottom right corner with white happy birthday stickers on it.

I then tied some jade organza ribbon over the card square. It's extreemly pretty!

Here is a simalar version in green, again paper from Daintree.

 

3. Big Blue Gem Flower Card.

For some reason flowers are very popular on cards, so heres another type of one.

Again, pretty easy to make. Use an 135mm square card.in cream.Use some of the Core-ordination card in a dark yellow or orangey colour for a smaller inside square. Edge this square with an orangy brown ink.I then put a smaller inked square of poka dot paper ( from Papermania Paper Pack - Happy Birthday To You 6x6 ) Follow this with a blue paper rectangle, again inked, on top and then an inked green strip across the middle.

The flower is made from light pink scrapbook paper. 2 flower shapes are cut out using the stencle of chipboard and then inked with some pastel pink ink. Then, using the Xcut 3D Daisy Sillouette punch, make one daisy out of pale cream card and another from the oranngy core-dinations card, as used before. Ink these with the orangy ink and stick one on top another and then on the 2 pink flowers. In the centtre I used a big blue gem I got in a pack I found in Lidl, but a button or large brad works well too. In the left corner I stuck 3 little matching blue gems.

 I used leaves from a chip board sticker set I got, very pretty and 3d.
The letters are again stickesr. I find it always handy to have a good supply of letters, they are the things I run out of quickest!
 




I think thats enough instruction for the moment. I'll leave you with a selection of other cards I have made of late. hope they give inspiration to anyone wanting to make some cards.

Some random cards I've made recently

All these were made for certain people or events, so I had somthing to base them on. But often I just make general cards for birthdays or weddings or as a thank you.

Snaps from Birr Craft Fair.

Here is a mix of the lovely bits and bobs on sale at the Birr Vintage week craft fair, in Birr, Co. Offaly, Ireland.

 

Any questions?
Everything was so pretty and cute.
Heres a few links which you might find handy if anything takes your fancy.
Birr Vintage Week, Co. Offaly, Ireland.
The Bag Ladies, Birr, Co Offaly
Birr Castle
I also visited a beautiful shop in the main street called Hedgerows, main street, Birr. Tel: 057 91 22478. (pics 3, 4, 8, 12 and 14) full of gifts, clothes, jewellery and household stuff. So worth a visit!