What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday #217

Hello from a rather damp Dorset today. The school holidays are a week old now and we have been enjoying glorious sunshine for the most part. The change in the weather gives us a chance to spend some time indoors being creative.

My girl chose textiles as one of her design taster subjects last year. She went in full of enthusiasm and came out feeling very frustrated. I’m aiming to redress the balance over the next few weeks. We started with a headband cut from an old dress.

She did a great job of sewing the slightly curved seams and turning it inside out. When it came to adding the elastic we didn’t have the right width (isn’t that always the way!) so we moved onto a bit of hand sewing. She drew out a pattern onto card, before cutting the felt. Anyone recognise the Studio Ghibli character?

I made the most of having the sewing machine out, to sew up the pieces of my purse. Just the scary gluing part to do now. More on this project another day.

I’m off to Julia’s Place to link up and see what everyone has been doing this week. Care to join us?

A Mixed Bag

I taught my last class of the Summer term last week and we made a little treat box, which I shared a sneak peek of on Wednesday.

It’s a very simple box, scored and folded from a rectangle, with a few bits cut away to form the tabs and lid. Covered with a doily and fastened with a piece of bakers twine, held in place by a cluster of stamped and punched embellishments.

Sticking with that colour scheme we tried our hand at Triple Stamping. The card looks complicated, but it really isn’t. Cutting the cardstock mats is a bit time consuming, but once that is done, the whole thing comes together very easily.

Rather than everyone having to queue up, to use the same stamps, I cut kits in two different colour schemes and everyone got to make both over the course of the class. It was a lot of cutting for me, but well worth the end results for everyone.

This is a great design/technique if you are a beginner stamper with only a couple of stamps and ink colours. I’ve used two (from the same set) in both these examples, but it could be done with just one stamp, if that’s what you happen to have on hand. It would look very striking in black and white. Why not give it a go.

Friday Finds ~ Summer Scavenger Hunt 2013 #5

I’ve been looking up at the sky…..

…..a lot…..

in the hope of spotting just the right cloud formation.

Of course, it appears when you least expect it and by the time you’ve dashed for your camera, that amazing dragon is already drifting away. Better luck next time!

Find the whole Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt list over at Rinda’s place. There’s still plenty of time to join in. If you’re already playing along already, have you spotted that perfect cloud yet?

What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday? #216

Last class of the Summer term this morning. We’re trying triple stamping this week. I cut everything in advance so that we can concentrate on the technique in hand. Each card has five layers of white and coloured mats. That’s a lot of cutting!

As well as the cards, we’ll be making a favour/treat box. I think it’s a good basic skill to have and can be adapted to fit whatever you’re giving. Want a little peek?

Sneaks of the two cards can be found on my Facebook page Angelfish Crafts. If you’re in the North Dorset (or South West Wiltshire) area and fancy joining me for some paper crafting fun, you’d be most welcome. Classes start again in Mere on September 10th and in Shaftesbury on September 25th. I’d love to see you there.

Now run on over to Julia’s place to see what everyone else has been up to this week and I’ll see you when I get back this afternoon.

Friday Finds ~ Summer Scavenger Hunt 2013 #4

Today I have a couple more shots taken on our recent visit to Stourhead.

Ariadne in the grotto. ‘Nymph of the grot, these sacred springs I keep, and to the murmur of these waters sleep. Ah, spare my slumbers, gently tread the cave, and drink in silence or in silence lave.’

A mallard beside the lake. Contenders for somebody or something taking a nap.

Short and sweet this week. There has not been much getting out and about, with the pollen levels being so very high at the moment. In the house, with the windows shut, is the best place for my boy right now. I’m hoping for a trip out next week.

Have a lovely weekend, whatever you are doing.

What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday? #215

I should probably rename these weekly sneaks at my work space. “What’s on your kitchen table Tuesday?” Doesn’t quite have the same ring to it though.

This is what was happening yesterday morning. I need a bunch of Thank you cards, so I’m taking one of the designs from last week’s class and running with it.

Embossing, stamping, die-cutting, paper piercing, inked edges. It’s all there. A touch of kraft and that script stamp. They get in everywhere. Originally, I just had the three colours in mind, but when I put it together it was lacking something, in my eyes. I added that tiny flower in blue instead of cream or kraft and it works for me.

The card I was fiddling with last week got finished in time. I know there’s not much time for clicking on links on Wednesdays, but if you’re so inclined, it’s here.

I’m joining Julia and all the other deskers today. How about you?

Salad Days and Curry Nights

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be stood over the stove for too long on hot evenings. When we have a run of good weather, that can pose a problem. There is only so much salad I can serve up, before I have a mutiny on my hands! This curry from The Hairy Dieters book is lovely and fresh and cooks very quickly.

I’ve adapted it to feed 4 people. They are generous portions so it would feed 2 adults and 3 children. In the book the sauce is thickened with cornflour, but I prefer not to.

Coconut Prawn Curry

4 tbsp medium curry paste

2 tbsp cold water

1 large onion, very finely sliced

1 orange & 1 yellow pepper

2 tbsp mango chutney

500g vine ripened tomatoes

400ml tin half fat coconut milk

300g cooked king prawns

200g baby spinach leaves

Put the curry paste in a large pan and mix in the water. Gently soften the onion for 5 minutes, then add the peppers (chopped in large chunks) for a few more minutes.

Add the tomatoes (cut into 6-8 wedges) mango chutney and stir in the coconut milk. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.*

Add the prawns and baby spinach. Continue to simmer gently for another 5 minutes.

I serve with basmati rice and sometimes forget to put it on soon enough. The curry is done in just under 20 minutes. Perfect for these sunny days we’re having.

I spent the morning trainer shopping, with a boy who has suddenly become very fussy about his footwear. Time for an ice cold drink and a catch up with The White Queen, before I get too far behind. Anyone else watching?

*If you want to thicken the sauce add your cornflour paste at this point.