Murder Mystery - deciding a starter

I have finally decided the starter im going to serve at my murder mystery party - spinage and herb roulade. This is a vegetarian dish so will save me having to prepare two separate starters and can be made in advance and heated up before serving. The recipe comes from The Hamlyn All New Colour Cookbook and I shall be blogging about my atempt after the party.

Scrapbook Sunday - Orlando

One place I had always wanted to go was Walt Disney World in Florida, I never thought I would realistically get a chance, due to the expense, getting a group together and that there are so many other places I would love to visit on my bucket list. So when one of my best friends said she was taking her clan and would I, along with some other friends, like to join them, I jumped at the chance. We went in July / August 2013 for a fortnight and it was just as magical as people told me it would be and without a doubt the holiday I have ever been on.

I am a bit disappointed with myself for not taking half the amount of photo’s I thought I would while we were away, mainly because there was so much to do and there wasn’t the time to stop and take pictures expect when you are queuing for rides! That being said, between all of us I have got more than enough photo’s to make several scrapbooks. I have made two so far, one each for my best friends for their birthdays earlier in the year. They were slightly different as we didn’t spend the all our time in one group so saw and experienced different things. I also wanted to make a complete scrapbook one friend but leave enough photos left for my other friend to make her own scrapbook as she bought one while we were away. I still would like to make myself a scrapbook but I must admit I am a very slow, so I think this will have to be a task to be put aside until I have moved and finally got myself a proper desk to work at.

Most of the pages I have used templates and some I have scraplifted because I loved them so much I give it a go.

Take Take tickets

Woo hoo! Tickets for Take That at the o2 arena booked for next June.

What's on my desk? Part 1

My resistance was low this weekend and  the shops were calling. In The Works I found these miniture glass bottles. I don't know what I will use them for yet but they are too cute and they found their way into my shopping basket. 

I also bought a set of 4 stretched canvases, 5 x 7", for on £3. I'm thinking of something bright, beach theamed and simple for my bedroom when I finally move.

While in M&S I found bright red foil ribbon in their christmas section. I love to use brown paper to wrap presents and use bright tags and ribbons to finnish them off. This will be perfect. 

Flannel 'Cupcakes'

This is another idea I have seen again and again at craft fairs. I made this batch for a charity craft fair this Christmas. To make the ‘cakes’ I have used flannels but I have also seen this idea socks and lollipops for the ‘cherry’ and I would have loved to try this idea out with bright Christmas socks – there is always next year.

For this batch I used:

Flannels

Scrap paper

Paper drinks cups

Bath pearls

Ribbon

Card labels (I added the safety info from the bath pearls on the back of the label)

I simply cut the bottom of the paper cups and covered the case in scrap paper to match the ribbon and bath pearls I had. 
To give the flannel a piped icing effect, fold two opposite corners of the flannel into the centre and then fold the same edges again to meet in the middle.

Then fold in half again.

Roll the flannel up and pop in the case.

Place a bath pearl on top for the ‘cherry’ and tie the ribbon and label on to finish and Voilà.

Altered Whiskas Container

This was just a bit of silly fun. I decorated a used Whiskas temptation container, using pink acrilic paint on the base. For the cat face drew around the lid on white card, cut it out and cut out black markings to match my cats and stuck these onto the white card. I also drew on the mouth at this stage. The card fit neatly in the lid without glue. I then pierced  holes in the lid and pushed through pipe cleaners for the whiskers, the pipe cleaners helped keep the card in place. a heart sticker for a nose and a pair of goggley eyes finnished it off. 

Murder Mystery - Chocolate Bombe

The murder mystery part kit I was given is called Death By Chocolate. The story is set in Paris, on Easter Sunday just as an international exposition is opening. At the Hotel Paradiso we gather for dinner, however the hotel is rocked by an explosion, the famous chocolate manafacturer, Billy Bonka, has been murders by an exploding easter egg, in his hotel room.

I have been raiding my cookbooks for a chocolate pudding to bake, but instead have found the perfect dessert to buy from Cook, on their website.... a double chocolate bombe. All I need now is a sparkler to finish it off.

http://www.cookfood.net/menu/puddings/cold-puddings/Double-Chocolate-Bombe/

Who done it?

I do love a good fancy dress party and for my birthday last year I was given a Inspector McClue murder mystery dinner party kit. I have been saving it for my birthday this year and now is the time to start sorcing my costume and planning my menu. Even though the kit included recipes suggestions, I think I will addapt the menu. Got to get my thinking cap on now...

Santa's Magic Key

I have seen many different variations of santa keys on the net over the years, this my take on them. I bought the mdf keys from eBay years ago and they have been sitting in a box ever since. I am determined, this year, to use up a good chunk of my stash and these are something which have been begging to be used.

More Halloween Goodies.

The perfect spooky snack to accompany Hocus Pocus on TV. Yum.