Sometimes I get crafty . . .

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty."
~Dieter F Uchtdorf, Secound Counselor in the First Presidency



I have always loved this quote by this wonderful man who is a leader in my church. I am a very creative person and I can oftimes be found with glue, scissorss, paint brushes or pencils in my hands, not to mention needles and threads!

I had wanted to make something beautiful for on our mantle for Valentines Day. I often visit other blogs and am blown away by the creativity of their writers and the way they decorate their homes for each and every holiday. I have never really done that since I moved over here to the UK, but it is something that I often used to do when my children were growing up. Now, here in our new home, I feel the urge again to do these things. Its taken me ten years, but I am finally nesting and feel settled, I suppose! (Too bad there won't be any eggs to sit on!)



I saw these lovely paper machier letters at Hobby Craft the other day. I had gone in to pick up some wall and floor papers for the doll's house, and ended up walking out with some of these letters as well. I wanted to do a word collage for our mantle in the living room.

With Valentines day coming up, it just made sense to pick the word "LOVE!"



I think it turned out really nice, if I don't say so myself, and it was ever so easy to do.

I took each letter and painted them all over with several coats of acrylic paint. I used a rose colour, but you could use whichever colour you wanted to. Before I had painted them I had carefully traced them out onto plain paper so that I had their shapes.



While the paint was drying, I carefully traced the letters out onto scrap book papers. I used Hallmark Country Companions, Lover's Lane papers by Docrafts. I love Country Companion anything and fell in love with these sweet papers.

Once I traced out all the letters, I carefully cut them out. I brushed one side of each of the dried and painted letters with some Mod Podge and applied the letters. I then let them dry. Once they were dry, I trimmed any edges that needed trimming and then applied a coat of Mod Podge all over them . . . back, front and sides.



I still thought they looked rather plain though and so then I went through the papers and cut out some of the sweet figures on them with my sharp little scissors . I traced around their edges with a brown marker to give them some definition, and then I put puffy glue pads on the backsides of them. I applied these in a sort of a 3D effect here and there on the letters and gave them a coating of Mod Podge as well.



I still thought it needed more. I had some Papermania 3D floral borders with roses, butterlies and lady bugs on them, that went perfectly and so I got one of them out and cut it into sections which I applied here and there.



All in all I think the project turned out perfect! I just love it, and Todd thinks I'm really clever. It was so easy to do and I am thinking now of doing one to have there on display all year round, and one for Christmas as well!



I am so proud of this that I think I'll add it to Jen of Tatertots and Jello's Weekend Wrap Up party! Click on the picture below to take you over there where you will see the links to all sorts of beautiful creativity!



Here's a quick and easy dish to make for supper when you are starving and want something lickety split! I am a real noodle nut. Todd, not so much, and he's not fond of "foreign food" either, but he suffers it once in a while so I can indulge myself! He's a sweetie pie!




*Noodles with Pak Choi*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

I'm a real noodle nut. This is a tasty stir fry, which makes a quick lunch or tasty light supper. There is no meat in it, but if you are really missing meat, you could add some chicken strips if you wanted to.

1 tsp clear honey
1 tsp grainy mustard
a generous splash of soy sauce
1/2 pound chestnut mushrooms, sliced
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 pound of thick noodles (The cooked ones that come in a pack)
1/2 pound of pak choi, sliced lengthwise

Heat a work or large skiller over medium high heat. Add the honey, mustard and soysauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms. Season with some salt and pepper and then stir fry for several minutes until tender. Add the noodles and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, giving them a good stir to separate them. Stir in the pak choi and ccntinue to cook and stir until wilted. Serve immediately.




Cooking in The English Kitchen today, a traditional Welsh Bara Brith.

A Christmas for Emily

Emily is ready and waiting for Christmas, all dressed in her best Christmas dress, complete with a pretty red net crinoline underneath.



She's holding a lovely brown felt teddy bear, which is completely jointed with moveable arms and legs,button trim and adorned with a red satin bow.



Her hair is hand styled and composed of brown worsted yarn, and tied into pigtails with torn fabric bows which match her dress.



The dress is made of Tilda Fabrics, 100% cotton in a pretty red and white print, with lace trim around the edge of the skirt, hand gathered to create a ruched and scalloped hemline, which showcases the underskirt.



The neckline is graced with a hand crocheted lace collar and a pretty white pearlized and red button cameo adornment.



She has red and white striped ticking legs and black painted shoes, as well as white onasberg pantaloons beneath her slip.



Her pretty little face is hand blushed with beautiful hand painted blue eyes and black lashes.



Completely hand sewn of superior materials she would make a beautiful decoration and collectable. She is not intended as a play toy.

The asking price is £30.00. Please contact me on MarieAliceJoan at aol dot com if you are interested. Will ship first class, and insured to anywhere in the world upon receipt of payment.

Look who's for sale . . .

Just listed in my Etsy Shop, the sweetest Bear Angel, just in time to grace your Christmas Tree, or standing on her own. Crafted from 100% Warm and Natural needled cotton quilt bat with a hand sculpted head and face, a pretty cotton dress in a holly print with red machine embroidery and silver ruffled lame trim, real feather wings, and adorned with a lovely gold and silver metallic ribbon heart. She is truly one of a kind



You can see her in her entirity HERE on my Art page, or check her out in my Etsy Shop!