Truflles for the Pink Ladies on Monday

COINTREAU TRUFFLES

60g (2oz/1/4 cup) unsalted butter chopped
75ml (2.5oz/1/3 cup) thick cream
220g (7oz) plain chocolate chopped
1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons of grated orange peel
2 tablespoons Cointreau

In a small saucepan over a low heat, combine butter and cream, melt butter and when the cream starts to bubble around the edge, remove from heat. Add chocolate and cover let the chocolate melt, once melted mix to a smooth consistency. Stir in egg yolk, then add orange peel and Cointreau, mix well. chill until firm in fridge.

When firm form into small balls and roll in cocoa, place into small foil or paper cases. Store in the fridge in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Show and Tell Monday

Been a busy week doing my lists for shopping etc and the 'Things To Do List' seems to grow by the minute. Have posted off the Christmas Cards and Gifts have one order left to complete.

Networking lunch on Thursday, have got to get a move on with the truffles and making up the favour boxes.

My contribution for show and tell this week is the cushion cover above, made this to take with me to Craft Fairs as the chairs can be uncomfortable after a while thought the idea of the company name gives it a more personal touch, also a good advert for any orders for customers own names.

Check out the other blogs on Make Mine Pink for all the latest nes.

Show and Tell Monday - Christmas Has Arrived

Christmas has arrived and the decorations are up, the lights are lit and the gifts wrapped.

CHRISTMAS IS COMING
Anon (This is an early Christmas Poem)

Christmas is coming,
The goose is getting fat,
Please put a penny
In the old man's hat,
If you haven't got a penny,
A ha'penny will do,
If you haven't got a ha'penny,
Then God bless you!

The Pantomine season is almost upon us and the Coke advert is on TV, must be Christmas.

Wishing you all have a very Happy Christmas from the Nash household.

check out the other Blogs on MMP for more Show and Tells this week.

Christmas Fair

Attended a Christmas Fair on Saturday, attendance was low as was the spending, on the positive, however, I met another forum member and also had a good chat with some other stallholders, exchanged business cards with a view to having a fair co-operative in 2009.

Also spoke to a wonderful watercolour artist and she persuaded me to join the Liphook Arts and Crafts Society, they meet on the first Tuesday of every month and have exhibitions of members work twice a year. This is exciting, as some of you know I am planning to take my business back to the grass roots doing what I love best, sewing and embroidery etc. So 2009 will give me the opportunity to research, design and make my new line. I have always wanted to include a clothing range preferably one off creations, so watch this space.

Don't forget to check out the other MMP blogs with all the news of the Pink Ladies.

Show and Tell Monday

Last Tuesday had the first Gift Party of the year at my Sister's all my goodies went down well and the wine flowed freely. The dogs were well behaved and joined in the fun.

After a successful evening relaxed on Wednesday and started to plan for the next event, my Open House on the 18th November, also booked another fair at The Royal Girl's School at Hindhead on the 22nd November. Busy busy at the moment having a break tomorrow as my Birthday, another year older and I don't think I have got any wiser.

Check out the other Show and Tell Monday offerings at Make Mine Pink or follow the links shown at the side of my blog. The Pink Ladies always have some lovely blogs to follow.

Show and Tell Monday

It's that time again, Monday morning and I hope all the pink ladies are ready for Show and Tell. Stop by the pink blogs to see what everyone has been up to last week.

I have an Open House in a week and am sewing and beading night and day here are a few of my latest creations.



Delicate bluebell flowers on a sterling silver chain, red glass crystals with a feather and a cappuccino bracelet.

As you can see my mind is all over the place and each piece is different, I tend to flit like a butterfly when creating and always have several projects on the go at once. My lists of things seem to do grow daily and I have to be very disciplined to complete the lists often finding that the it has grown, items have been made but they were never on there in the first place.

Hoping to do a craft fair at the local girl's school, DH has been firm and said I have got to earn the money first, so here's hoping my sister's event is successful.

Weather is sunny, the badgers are still visiting, the leaves are falling and the trees are turning into a wonderful array of colours. Just a taster this is from my home office window, love Autumn and the anticipation and magic of Christmas.




Just to prove I am working really this is the mess (whoops organised chaos) in my workroom.

Show and Tell Monday

It's Monday again with another Show and Tell from the Make Mine Pink Ladies, check out the blogs for the latest offerings.

The Big Cat live series started on the BBC again last night and I understand is showing every night this week. If you enjoy watching the tales of Toto and Kike take a look at Bob Eveleigh's photo's of the stars of the show, taken on his many trips to Kenya. Safari's are his passion and he captures the true essence of the big cats to compliment the TV series.

Back to the boring bit, only joking, what a week, warm sun, freezing cold winds and now rain, the full spectrum of the British weather has been thrown at us within a week, all we need now is snow and I think we have had it all.

I have been doing my usual making bit, tied to the sewing machine or bent over a beading mat, what I do for the love of my craft. Just a couple of offerings made this week.

Show and Tell Monday

Finally finished the order for some gym bags, I supply a local Girls' school. They are made out of curtain remnants all different colours and patterns. Delivered on Friday. Now onto the next project, my friend and neighbours promotional bag, or perhaps not got distracted..........



Not wanting to waste the offcuts have started to make some more totes, hopefully they will prove popular.

My mind is buzzing at the moment and I have so many ideas, just finished designing and printing patterns for my next projects. Dear Sister has booked a Christmas Gift Evening in October so need to make, make, make for that.

Wedding anniversary today (29th Sept), 29 years, have a lovely day planned, with breakfast at Maison Blanc then a home cooked meal, Sea Bass with a prawn and cream sauce with oven roasted potatoes, DH's favourite. Supposed to be going to a Ladies Networking event in the evening, do not think this will happen as will be over the limit with the wine, have to stay in a watch Captain Jack Sparrow munching through some chocolate heaven fruit centred truffles. Can just about force myself to sacrifice the networking for the truffles, hard decision! NOT!

Check out all the other blogs from Make Mine Pink and catch up on the tales of daring do at 'The Retreat' last weekend, probably with loads of pictures of chocolate.

Whoops posted early!

Show and Tell Monday

Making some promotional bags for this year, what with everyone buying the 'bag for life' thought this would be a good idea for my own version. Practical and a good advert at the same time. I am going to make the tote as shown and a smaller book size, the fabric is unbleached calico, strong but I like the texture and slightly off white colour.




Also made a selection of small jewellery bags with pockets and organza ribbon drawstrings finished with beads at the end of the ribbon. I think several of these in a decorated basket will look extra special on my craft stall at Christmas.

Check out the other blogs on my list to see what the members of Make Mine Pink have been up to this last week.

Christmas crafting is finally underway here in Lindford have made two stockings so far and posted them to my website. More ideas planned for next week.

Went to a Record Fair in Reading today DH managed to find 3 singles that he has been looking for, for some time. This gave me the excuse to visit the local hobbycraft and spend an hour perusing the craft supplies. I was very good and only walked away with a picture frame, which I needed to finish a Christmas Gift for DH's cousin. She is really into Winnie the Pooh, so completed a cross stitch last week with her initial, this is the first Christmas gift made for this year, now onto the next one.

Check out the other blogs in my list for more 'Show and Tell Monday' offerings.

The Great British Craft Tour

Have just found details of this on a craft forum, check out their travels. Have put in a request for a visit to be included in their tour, check back to see if I have been successful.
The weather this week has been fine if you are a duck but for us humans and a golden retriever, who hates getting wet, has been no fun. Got my self organised to post all my products to my website on Friday, had posted 3 items on Thursday to check okay (shown above). Friday morning comes and nothing works cannot add text nor paypal to my photos, thought I was having a senior moment. Then remembered an upgrade, after email to the software company it appears that they are aware of a problem and are working diligently to correct. Typical, hope this is corrected soon as wanted to post all my Christmas items, still kept busy as my friend dropped off her years worth of accounts to keep me occupied.
The car goes for a service tomorrow, will need a stiff drink after its is picked up when we see the bill. DH has agreed that I can go to Marks and Spencer for a look round and coffee, how the other half live! Then off to the garden centre, half of our plants have taken a real battering with the rain and the baskets are not worth mentioning, looking for some colour to takes us into proper Winter.

UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE!

Website now working, received a fix beta but still works have just spent the last 2 hours loading everything up along with the paypal buttons.

A trip to the sea

Went to Brighton today, DH to visit a record fair and me to stroll along the front, nothing like the bracing air of the sea to clear the cobwebs away and refresh you for the week ahead. Huh as you can see from the photo the weather was appalling and I only took the one shot from under cover, bracing was not the word, the umbrella ended up inside out as we shot up the road with the wind behind us. Things were a bit calmer when we stopped for coffee by the duck pond at first the ducks were in shelter but then the sun came out and so did they.

Finished my machine embroidered picture, hopefully will get a frame this week, another project done.

Was going to download picture of a card I made but my camera has now decided it will not work, will try again next week. Oops got it working now I think the USB is a bit dodgy.

Show and Tell Monday

Been a busy weekend making cards and knitting finished another neck scarf, this time in a mohair/silk mix. Cards were hand stamped with a water colour technique. All posted to Dawanda shop.

Weather has been up and down and the rain is getting a bit too much now. DH watching the Olympics to the extent that I wake at 4:00am and he has gone to catch more events.

Dragged the dog to the vet last week, not his favourite place but his annual check up was overdue. They have given him a steroid jab so now thinks he is 13 months not 13 years young.
Mind you his mental age has always been questionable.

BIL birthday on Friday have bought him a lovely samurai figurine and of course made the card, a nautical theme.

DH going to Brighton next Sunday for a record fair, if the weather is good I will walk along the front, normally quite busy and with it being a bank holiday weekend expect to see the crowds.
I enjoy this part of Brighton as quite eclectic part of the English seaside. will have a picnic on the way back, parking at Storrington next to the duck pond. Photos to follow!

Check out the other Make Mine Pink blogs to see all the things the ladies have made, collected and been up to.

Show and Tell Monday

Another Show and Tell Monday, only offering is a tassel bracelet, used seed beads had to be careful that none got on the floor, otherwise they would have been sniffed up by the dog.
Spending the next two weeks planning new designs for my Christmas Fair and Open House, so many ideas do not know where to start.

I was tagged this week by Inka from Inkings Designs, had to list 7 things you may not know about me, quite difficult this, so check out the other MMP blogs for the Pink ladies offerings.

Have just got out my bead looms so watch this space for some sample work also plan to do some roses in petit point.

The sun is now shining, after the torrential rain last night it makes a welcome change, planning a picnic on the front at Southsea with MIL on Tuesday, heres hoping the weather stays fine so that we can take a stroll along the front, finishing with an ice cream. Very summer.

7 Things you may not know about me

I've been tagged by Inka from Inklings Designs here are 7 things you may not know about me:

1. I love working for myself from home and would never go back into being employed by anyone else. Hate office politics and everything else this brings about.
2. Favorite food is salad, cous cous and chicken
3. Favorite colors are pale lilac and pink
4. Books have to be murder mysteries, ideally set in a Miss Marple type village. Quintessentially English
5. I drive a mint green Mondeo estate usually with a Golden Retriever in tow.
6. Love 60's music and new age
7. Addicted to fabric, lace and bead collecting.

Here are my tags may have duplicated apologies in advance:
cottage violets
janets creative pillows
jorabeels
Lyndunes Tassel
mamas pocketbook
manic for mosaics
pale pink and roses

Show and Tell Monday

Have just posted my first entry onto Dwanda
This neck scarf is my offering, something a bit different but I though a good idea for summer.
The colours are bright and cheerful. Gathered in the centre and decorated with glass beads, becomes a scarf and necklace in one.

Check out the other MMP blogs full of lovely goodies

Show and Tell Monday

Not much to show for last week but did manage to complete my husband's Christmas card, need to do the envelope now and that is finished ready for the 25th.

Check out the other Make Mine Pink Blogs and the lovely show and tells from the Pink Ladies

Show and Tell Monday

Well another Monday and another start to a new week. Thought I would include a postcard received re a fabric sale at Sue Foster fabrics in Emsworth, a lovely coastal village about 17 miles away. I thought this represented MMP well.








The blue and white bag is this weeks make. Made in the shabby chic crazy patchwork style, embellished with lace, butterfly sequins and a flower with a blue heart bead for the center.



These were a find at the local car boot sale, thought with repainting and distressing, perhaps filled with flowers and pot-pourri they would be transformed.

Show and Tell Monday

Here are my latest creations a rose scented cushion, filled with pale pink foam roses in an Angel and Rose fabric edged with lace and guipure trim.

A box shaped like a book which I have made with a title 'A Book of Roses'. This is again scented with rose pot-pourri and covered in rose print paper and decoupages with a bouquet of roses.

These two items have been posted on my ETSY shop along with a clutch purse and the open rose pin from last week.



Check out the other Make Mine Pink blogs for further Show and Tell Monday items.
Now I am off to plan for next week, this is exhausting but very rewarding, as the weather is good I think a cup of coffee in the garden will help get my creativity flowing.

Blue and White with Roses

A new week and the blue and white quilt is finished, just have to decide where it will be found a home.
The squares are machine embroidered and the whole quilt has been backed with sky blue cotton fabric.

One of my new samples of an open rose brooch, using hand dyed ribbons. An added embellishment of a bee to bring 'good luck'.
This item will be added to my ETSY shop this week.









A new week with new ideas think a rose's theme will be prominent this week, the MMP Pink Friday (4th July) inspired this train of thought. Visit the MMP boutiques for some lovely gift ideas, some of my favorites are shown on the right all my MMP sisters are very talented and will always give you a good welcome.