So what needs using up this week???

After having to think what to do with the huge amount of grated cheese I found myself with last week (thanks for the ideas - in the end I froze most of it so that the pressure to use it all up quickly wasn't so great LOL), this week I found quite a few carrots in the bottom of the fridge which whilst still edible were getting to that stage where they needed using.

So, today I made Carrot Cake with scrummy frosting on top. Yummmm. I'm not sure that the kids will eat it (the idea of carrots in a cake doesn't appeal to them) but that's fine 'cos it just means all the more for me.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.....

This post has nothing to do with lemons but please bear with me.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade ........ so ........ when your husband brings home from work a 2kg bag of grated cheese which is almost on its sell by date ............ make cheese scones.... make cheese straws ..... and .....

Yep, tonight in an attempt to use the huge bag of grated cheese currently sitting on the top shelf of the fridge Lara and I made cheese scones and cheese straws (very 1970s cocktail party).

They both came out of the oven looking very tasty and having tried them I can vouch that they do taste as good as they look.





So tomorrow what should I make? Cheese & Bacon Flan? Cheese Souffle? Macaroni Cheese? Cauliflower Cheese? All suggestions gratefully received.

Pinks and Lilacs

A couple of nights ago I stumbled upon The Ribbon Girl blog. The blog provides lots of inspiration as well as challenges, giveaways, etc. I'm really pleased I found the blog because it is overflowing with inspiration.

This month they are running a 'pinks and lilacs' colour challenge and as those colours are right up my street (I blame my daughter LOL) I thought I'd have a go.

I came up with this little birthday card using a gorgeous girlie Lili of the Valley stamped image which I coloured as usual with Promarkers.



The papers were from the Papermania Henbury Lane Collection. I also used lace from Hobbycraft, beautiful Pink Organza Roses from MeiFlowers, Heart Pins from Ebay, Self Adhesive Pearls from The Hobby House, lace and ribbon from my stash and some leaves punched with a 3 leaf punch from L.em.

Scrapology - May Card Challenge

This months card challenge on Scrapology has been set by Zoe Pierson.

For my card I using a cute Lili of the Valley 'Thomas - Letter For You' stamped image which I coloured with Promarkers.



The papers are from BasicGrey's Nook and Pantry Collection. I also used Bazzill cardstock, ribbon, flowers and brads from my stash as well as some very old letter stickers from K&Co which I recoloured with Promarkers to get the right colour.

Here is Zoe's original card......



..... and the sketch.



Please do have a look at the other Design Team cards over on Scrapology and enter the challenge.

Book Review - Mum on the Run by Fiona Gibson

Amazon Description: Laura Swan was dreading the school sports day Mum’s race - but whoever would have thought it could be quite so life-changing?

Sports Day at her children's school is a nightmare for Laura because of the event she dreads – the Mums' Race. She knows the other mothers have been in training for at least three months – even though they're trying to pretend that they haven't. Laura's vowed never to take part, but the morning of the School Sports Day she makes a fatal error and promises her daughter that if she eats her Rice Crispies, she will run. With no escape, Laura is forced to take part and as she moves towards her inevitable humiliation, she is horrified to spot her husband Jed flirting with Celeste the delectable French girl who works with him.

Determined to put up a fight and to show Jed there is still plenty of spice left in their marriage, Laura decides it is time to give her body the work out it has been desperately crying out for. But when Laura makes a special new friend at the running club that she has joined, she gets much more than she bargained for.

From buying sexy lingerie displayed alongside the gherkins at Tesco to struggling into the last playsuit in Topshop, this novel is full of humour and Laura is a true heroine for our times. A sparkling, witty novel, that fizzes off the page.

This was the first book by Fiona Gibson that I've read and I really enjoyed it. Mind you I've said that about all the books I've read recently! LOL. Fiona Gibson's style of writing really made me want to keep reading and I found it hard to put the book down.

Full of humour the book had me chuckling and also cringing as the main character Laura went from one embarrassing situation to another like making a fool of herself by spectacularly falling over in the parents race at her children's school sports day, being caught rifling through the bedroom of Celeste the beautiful woman who works with Laura's husband to try and find a hairdryer to dry her wet dress after not quite making it to the toilet in time at Celeste's birthday party, getting stuck in her stomach reducer girdle thingy and having to get husband Jed to cut her out of it with a pair of scissors.

I really liked Laura and loved how her character evolved through the book. This really was a great read and I can't wait to read more of Fiona Gibson's books.

Scrapology - V is for Vine

As promised yesterday, here is my May Design Team layout for Scrapology.



The layout for this month's scraplift challenge was created by Liberty Chance.

I used patterned papers from Bo Bunny's Peacock Lane collection, Bazzill cardstock, flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts, Letter stickers from Adornit and some lace.



The Vine was handmade using this tutorial from Gabrielle P. It was incredibly easy to make using some paper flowers and some florist tape.

Here is Liberty's original layout and sketch.

Do pop over to Scrapology and see all the Design Team's layouts and perhaps have a go yourself.

Scrapology - April Card Challenge

Over on Scrapology we have a card challenge going on at the moment. As many of the Design Team are also card makers it was decided to introduce a monthly card challenge to the blog too.

Elaine from Quixotic Paperie set the challenge which is to incorporate charms into a card design, either as a focal point or to accent the design. The challenge is running until the 15th May when Elaine will choose a winner. The lucky winner of this challenge will win a £10 voucher to spend at Quixotic Paperie.

I decided to make an Easter Card using an image stamped with a Magnolia Tilda Bunny Stamp. I used Papers from Basicgrey, Flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts, punched leaves, a scrap of purple trim leftover from another project, A 'Happy Easter' sentiment and of course a charm. The stamped image was coloured with Promarkers and stickled.





Do pop over to Scrapology and see all the cards created by the Design Team and maybe have a go at designing a card yourself. The closing date for entries is 15th May which gives you plenty of time to get creative.

Our new monthly scrapbook challenge was launched on Sunday too ...... but more about that later.