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Welcome to my blog!


If you ask me what my very favourite thing is I would not hesitate to say my family. I came into motherhood quite late on, and was immediately overwhelmed with how amazing it is. Now I would like nothing more than to be a Domestic Goddess, and surround my family in love, good food, beautiful things and lots of happy memories. And like the majority of families these days, we need to do it on a budget!

I firmly believe we all have a little bit of the Domestic Goddess inside us, just waiting to break out. Whether that is knowing how to make a roast chicken feed a family of 4 for a week, being able to make, repair or recycle clothes, hunting down a bargain, or simply turning everyday, simple things into pretty or useful items, with a little bit of imagination we can all dip in to the Goddess inside and make our lives that little bit more interesting.



I hope you enjoy reading my blog as much as I enjoy sharing my (challenging) journey into Domestic Goddessness!



Sunday, December 11, 2011

Let it snow!

Well I'd rather it didn't to be honest, I'm not one for the cold really. But that's the theme for a couple of challenges I'm entering this week. And since it's less than two weeks to Christmas (OMG!!!!!) and I'm not working this year (thanks to still being on maternity leave) and don't really need to leave the house particularly, well it might be nice to have a bit of white around for the Big Day. Be nice for the kids, anyway (that would be Caoimhe and Tim, since Teaghan's a bit little yet!)

I have a couple of contributions to Handmade Monday this week. First of all a couple of dozen mince pies, which, once shared around didn't go very far at all!

I'm not a huge mince pie fan, I can take them or leave them. But Tim loves them, and I think he'd have me making them every week if he could. I made these at my mum's. as I've discovered baking is not easy with a toddler AND a baby to entertain. So it was a case of 2 pairs of hands being better than 1. It also meant I got to play with my mum's new *gadget* - a pastry cutter, and I will be buying one as soon as I possibly can!

I also discovered this week that my lovely woolly hat is on it's last legs. For some reason it decided that it wasn't happy with being washed last time and became all big and mishapened, far too big for my head and not really much use at all. Not sure what happened, as it has been washed before, at the same temperature etc etc with no problems. But it meant that I had nothing for my poor cold head. I had a quick dig into my stash and a couple of hours work (over 3 nights) came up with this:


Saved a few quid and I now have a warm head!

So on to the challenges. I have my friend Sharon to blame thank for introducing me to the wonderful world of craft challenges and swaps. Cos I needed something else to spend my very limited free time on! In all fairness, it is a great way to get the old creative juices flowing, and is making me work the grey matter - not that I have much left now! I enjoyed making them, and that's what it's all about!

The first is for ATCs With Attitude, who have an Anything Goes theme. I wanted to do a wintry theme without it being Christmassy. I used some silver ink across the cardstock for the base and stamped on two snowflakes from a Christmas stamp set (free with a stamping mag last year) in red distressed ink  I added a bit of cardstock with a snowflake theme and some silver ribbon and rhinestone embellishments.


I have also entered this card into the Less is More challenge for a  Let it Snow theme.


I used the same inks and snowflake stamp, and added a stamped greeting.I had to stop myself from adding more to it but actually when I stepped away and went back to it 10 minutes later, I decided I like it as it is.

Don't forget to visit Wendy and see what everyone else has been up to, and I'll see you next time!

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful ATC. Thank you for joining us this fortnight over at ATC's With Attitude xx

Penny said...

I'm not mad about mince pies either, but come on over to Planet Penny and try the Frangipane Mince pie recipe. If you're like me you'll be converted, although it's not doing my waistline much good!

Donna Mosley said...

Mmm! the mince pies look so yummy. Love the gorgeous atc and card too.

Donna x

Sarah said...

Gorgeous ATC and you're right think winter and you automatically think Christmas, nice to see something different. Thanks for joining us at ATC's with Attitude. Sarah x

Fiona said...

|Great LIM card. Love the effect the DI has made, it looks quite batik-y.

lovetartan said...

The mince pies look yummy. Great hat! You have been busy this week! Mich x

Jan said...

Love the ATC, I need to check out ATC's with attitude in the New Year.

I prefer my mince pies with cream or custard.

Jan x

Chrissie said...

It sometimes takes a lot of will power to stop adding things to a card. I was so interested to read that you actually felt pleased that you stopped when you did! Great job.
Thanks so much
Chrissie
"Less is More"

Carolee Crafts said...

Less can be so elegant and as Chrissie said sometimes hard to stop. Love the mince pies did you make your own mincemeat.

Helen said...

Penny - i did read your blog last night and thought your mince pies sounded gorgeous :) Have never made frangipane, maybe that's my next project?
Caroline - didn't make my own mincemeat- maybe one year I will! I actually used a brandy and apricot one from Aldi and it was one of the nicest I've had!

Jam Dalory said...

I love mince pies but never really make my own I just eat other peoples! Don't like shop bought ones though, they have to be homemade. I love the snowflake stamp and did you really do that hat in just a couple of hours? it looks really good. x

Kathyk said...

Lovely hat, mince pies, ATC and LIM card - a very busy couple of days for you then!

Kathyk

fatmonica said...

It's a fab ATC for the ATCs with Attitude challenge.So glad I didn't have to nag you to join in!Love the LIM card too!

Christmas Pie Crafts said...

Like you, I love mince pies - in fact, I think right now might be a good idea. Love the hat - very smart.

Anonymous said...

Phew, you have been so busy. Lovely hat. You will wear that with pride. I also made mince pies last night but yours look more appetizing than mine. poo. Never mind, they will get eaten. Loved your ATC I wonder how y ou got on with the challenge?

Caroline Lovis (Redneedle) said...

Love your ATC will have to investigate that link. How wonderful that you could just dip into your stash and whip up a hat in no time - looks great too.

Jane Wetzel said...

yum, the mince pies look good! LOVE your atc and glad u joined in at atcs with attitude!

Marrigje said...

starting at the bottom, I really love your LIM card. Really beautiful, sometimes it is very difficult to stop adding things.
The ATC is great too.
And I should make some mincepie, I never did before.

Beverly G said...

Great use of your freebie stamp, thanks for joining in at ATCs With Attitude this challenge. You are one busy gal, Happy Holidays.

Kat Shenton said...

Yum yum yum.

The hat is really sweet.

The snowflake card has to be my fav though. Really like the highlighting with the silver!

Aileen said...

You've been very busy. Lovely Lim card. x

Mrs A. said...

Helped myself to a couple of mince pies. Hope you don't mind as they looked so good.!! Can 't make my mind up as to whether your hat is knitted or crocheted? Hugs Mrs A.

Helen said...

Haha help ypurself :)
The hat is crocheted. I've now been tasked with making my mum one lol
Caroline- you haven't seen my stash. I could probably open a shop.

Mandi said...

Well done on resisting to add more
Super card, really cool!

Many thnaks
mandi LIM

Your Friend Susie said...

The hat is so sweet, I never wear hats (it's much too warm here) but I always admire them. I love love love the snowflakes! I need to drag out my stamps and see what I have, I haven't even thought about them in ages. I just love what you did, very very inspiring, so pretty.

Pickle Lily said...

Love all the things you've made - very impressive with three children!
Jo x

itsamistry said...

No snow here either thank goodness but very windy and wet.

I like homemade mince pies and yours look very tasty.

Joanne said...

What a lovely snowflake ATC. I love the gems on the ribbon. Thanks for joining us over at ATCs with Attitude this fortnight.
Hugs Joanne xx

Rachel said...

Helen, my two are desperate for snow. We have a snow update everyday as soon as they get up and they are so disappointed that we have not had any yet xx