On My Desk

peek-a-boo I see you

This is my creative space, my little desk/bureau, and that would be Alys hiding behind my sewing machine, covered in the dust it has collected since it returned home from being repaired. I haven't felt very creative recently, my mojo has run away, if you have seen it please let me know I'm ready to post a reward if found and returned. I did however manage to make a little card for a friend's birthday, so maybe my crafty mojo isn't completely gone just very good at hiding.

I best go make some lunch for H and myself, and there is only a week and a half before school stats again, I think my crafty mojo may return by then, and if not at least Alys is there to keep my sewing machine company.

harlequin card

80's Fantasy Movie Craft Swap

I do not own the goblin King he owns me

Partners for the swap are as follows:

Amanda S and Kathryn
Amanda C and Apryl (starts to worry)
Vonnie and Christa
Amiee and Caroline
Megan (Vv) and Carmen
Becca and Kirsty

there are still a few people that I'm waiting to hear from... but its us for now.. I'll start emailing everyone and have started a flickr group too. I'll sort out blog links later....as I need my coffee now!

and the winner is......

and the winner (picked by asking H to tell me a random number between 1 and 12) of the little painted page is ....


Talia

who said said...

Hmmm...amusing...

How about the fact that despite owning a pair of shoes with 5 inch platform heels, I fall over when I'm not wearing any shoes!

Also, apparently I get very Bristolian when I've had a drink, and that tends to make everyone around me a) giggle and b) try and imitate it!

----------------------------------------

there is still time to sign up for the 80's Fantasy Movie Swap.. and I will have some more giveaway's soon.. sorry I have been most remiss and absent in my blogging recently... two more weeks and the summer holidays are over and I can get on with my crafty ways!

a little giveaway

"masked" vintage book page illustration

I know I keep promising to do a giveaway and I keep forgetting and forgetting to but this time I mean it. The giveaway is the above original illustration on a vintage book page, the book was a tattered and torn copy of Alice Through the Looking-Glass. It would look lovely in a little frame, and is much nicer in reality, as the light is poor and my photography skills are hit and miss at the best of times.

All you need do is leave a comment telling me something amusing about yourself, and I will draw names out of a bowl this Friday (21st)... or call on the very helpful random number generator. And this little piece of art could be yours.

p.s. there is still time to sign up for the 80's Fantasy Movie Craft Swap on the post below this!

1980’s Fantasy Movie Craft Swap

1980’s Fantasy Movie Craft Swap
*******sign up date and send by dates extended*******

Legend, Labyrinth, the Last Unicorn, Flight of Dragons, Dark Crystal, LadyHawk, The Company of Wolves, The Neverending Story, all these movies and more from the 80’s have been among my favourites have inspired me to draw endless unicorns in the margins of my homework, to day dream of being Sarah finding my way through the Labyrinth, finding a dragon’s egg, befriending small goblins and shining unicorns.

Did you dream of flying on the back of the Luck Dragon? Finding One Eyed Willie’s pirate treasure to save your family home? Did you want David Bowie to give you shiny bobbles and tainted peaches? Sing dragons to sleep? Fight Rodents of Unusual Size? We may not live in the movies (quite as much now as we did, and we may possibly torture our offspring by making them watch the Labyrinth again and again...er where was I? ) but we can still craft them. So why not join my 80’s Fantasy Movie Craft Swap? You know you want to make a blue haired worm, or a Conan book cover!

inspiration: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fantasy_films:1980s


Here is how it works:

1. SIGN UP by Monday, August 24th! (the final date for sign ups may be extended depending on interest in the swap) Email me at meridianariel@hotmail.com with the following information:
-Name
-Mailing Address
-Website or Blog Address (or even your flickr photos so that your partner can stalk you:
-your favourite 80’s Fantasy Movie:
Your favourite candy/chocolate/movie treat:

*Swap partners will be chosen randomly by me, and I will email your partner’s details on Monday the 24th if August(though if there are more than 50 or so participating I may need to rope someone in to help me sort out partners)

2. Your parcel should contain:
*Candy (or chocolate) to eat while watching 80’s fantasy movies
*Handmade crafts with the fantasy theme.. (For example The swap can be as simple or as extravagant as you wish, just make sure that the things you send are something you would be happy to receive yourself.
*craft supplies

You don’t need to sell your baby brother(pardon the pun I couldn’t help myself) but make sure you and your partner spend roughly the same amount. I would say spend around £20 ($30 ish)


3. Mail your package by Monday the 5th of October!

4. Take a picture of your swap parcel once you receive it. Upload your images to the 80’s Fantasy Movie Craft Swap flickr account (I‘ll start one soon). More information will be in your confirmation email once you sign up.


Say your right words.....

Return of the Coconut Flapjack

Coconut Flapjack
(granola bars)

2 cups porridge oats
4 tablespoons demerara sugar
4 tablespoons golden (light corn) syrup
1/2 cup butter
pinch of salt
1 cup dessicated coconut
1/2 cup dark chocolate melted

set the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4

Grease a shallow baking pan.

Put the butter, syrup and sugar into a medium sized saucepan and melt together over a very low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Do not let the mixture boil.

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the oats, salt, coconut, mixing everything together well.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin and press down with the back of a spoon or a plastic spatula.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave and then drizzle over the flapjack.

When the chocolate has cooled and set cut the flapjack into squares, but leave in the tin until completely cool before removing.

cook's notes: This is a recipe that I have been playing around with for a while now I am really happy with the result, and so is everyone else as it doesn't seem to stay in the house very long before its all disappeared into happy bellies.