cupcakes, cupcakes and more cupcakes!

So as most of you know (I THINK) i LOVE baking, cupcakes mostly!  i've made quite a few cupcakes over the last year (oops...2 years) and haven't shared so now you are going to be photo bombed by these sweet little bites!  

strawberry lemonade

"under the sea" for a mermaid themed party for twin girls

mini "strawberry" cupcakes (white cake, strawberry icing and a fondant leafy things)

&

mini "lemon blueberry" cupcakes (white cake, lemon icing and a blueberry filing)

chocolate cupcakes "superbowl party"

carrot cupcakes with cream cheese icing and fondant carrots

 

white cake with a buttercream almond icing

cupcakes for my mom's wedding

almond cupcakes and chocolate cupcakes 

decorated with pastillage flowers and pearls

i also made the cupcake tower myself ;)

i had this in my drafts and totally forgot to post it!  

rainbow "merci" card

So i'm really loving using the watercolor technique on cards.  3 weeks ago i went away for a week-end with a friend of mine.  My husband's friend was really gracious in lending us his cottage for the week-end .  it's a really cute little cottage by a lake.  we made fires at night and roasted marshmallows, saw some deer, went to Mont Tremblant for an afternoon (it's about 40 min away) and got bit by ALOT of mosquitoes! 

We also did a lot of sketching, brush work for words and brainstorming that week-end.  This is the Thank You card i made to thank him, we left it on the counter along with 2 bottles of wine.  I loved making this card so much that i made 2 more for the kids teachers this week, i stuck in a gift card on the inside along with a nice message of course. (i find it so hard to think of teachers gift for year end, they get so much!)

This card is SO simple to make.  it is a bit long though because of the drying time for the masking liquid and then again for the watercolor but i just do stuff (like prepare supper) in between.  Simply stamp your sentiment, paint it carefully with masking liquid - wait for it to dry, do your watercolor - wait for it to dry, glue some sequins and your done!  see: easy peasy :)

watercolor paper, gelatos, Lawn Fawn (Quinn's ABC), masking liquid, sequins

thanks for stopping by!

Bella

ps: apparently he thought the cards was store bought!  that makes me feel quite good :)

watercolor card using a stamped image

Here's a card i made to say THANKS to student teacher who worked very closely with Brady this year.  She finished her practicum.

I stamped the image using a light Distress ink color (antique linen, i think) then i painted it using other distress inks.  i finished it by adding some sparkle with my new Stella Wink pen and a banner that i created and cut on my Silhouette.

Watercolor card

I just came back from a family reunion weekend in the Charlevoix region. Very nice place. We were celebrating my grandmother who is turning 87 this week. I was in charge of making the card and I wanted something soft with a handmade feel. I saw a great tutorial from k. Werner on YouTube using distress inks as watercolor and decided to try it myself. I've never watercolored before so I tested all of my watercolor type mediums and decided to do the card with Gelatos (it made it look more dreamy). So the background is made with Gelatos and the sentiment is hand written with Copic white opaque paint. i also added some shadow to the lettering with a soft grey pencil.  It's big... 9x12 (we were 9 to sign it) 

 I LOVE how it turned out and I'll probably be making more cards in this style.

At the time I made the card I was registered for the "watercolor for cardmakers" but the class only started today, I can't wait to learn new techniques!

new photos are up!

i just posted some pictures i took of my old babysitter's daughter.  can you believe my babysitter is now a mom!  geez i've know her since she was 16!

go see all of them on my photography blog 

New project life spread

Here's the first project life spread from our trip to Cuba, I have a few more pictures I want to use so I'll be making another.

little princess

this summer i did a photoshoot with my friend's daughter who was 20 months old.  She is so beautiful and so easy to photograph.

you can see all the pictures on my other blog.

new card and a layout

hello people!

i have to say i'm quite impressed with myself this week, i've made a card, a layout and 2 new videos (not edited yet...)  dare i say that my mojo has decided to come back! (i probably just jinxed it...)

anyways, i created the new card and layout for the Hip Kit Club DT call (which i'm really hoping to get on) their kits are so so yummy! and being on a DT pushed me to create on a regular basis since there are deadlines.  Send good vibes my way, would you please? i'm keeping my fingers crossed!

for this layout i figured i'd hit 2 birds with 1 stone and was inspired by the creative scrappers sketch #260

i made a video of the process of making this card and another on how to color your own ribbon.  i'll be posting these shortly.

thanks for stopping by!

Isa

Project Life

so last year i decided to do project life and bought and album and a pack of 50 page protectors and 2 digi project life kits, do you think i actually started?!  NO! of course not! why?! cause i'm a professional procrastinator!  I wasn't putting too much pressure on myself, i never planned on doing a spread per week, i wanted to do it to remember special weeks, vacations or events.  Last January i actually did my first spread of Charlie's birthday, i don't really like it it's too simple...i might tweek it some.  Then during March break i went to visit my friend Mel B in Ottawa and drooled over all her fantastic project life spreads, when i came back home i created one for myself and i LOVE it!  Mel is always such an inspiration to me.  I wished you lived closer!!! my layouts would be so much better with your artistic mojo around me ;)
So  i thought i'd share what i've done so far.

 

 march 6-7

 march 10-17

 

 

our 10th wedding anniversary trip to Maui

 

 

 

my mom's wedding

my first video!

So i've wanted to do a video this for a while and in my fashion never got around to it.  i'm gonna try and make this a regular thing (not sure how regular but it won't be my last)

so here's my first video.  Enjoy!

the resolution when you watch it full screen isn't great... i'll have to work on that. and yes i know, i really should've taken off my nailpolish :) Also, i apologize for the shushing sound in the background...i had an portable electric heater on and didn't realize it was making so much noise.  it's been so cold here, the house can't seem to stay warm let alone the basement where my scraproom is!

birthdays

i love birthdays and throwing a party for the kids.  everytime i ask them what theme should we have for your party?  2 years ago my youngest wanted a "rainbow" birthday and last year he wanted a "winter" birthday.  I totally forgot to share some of the pictures of those parties so i finally got around to it before he has his 7th birthday in January (i think it'll be "superheroes" but we're not sure yet)

5th birthday "rainbow" party

here's the overall look of the sweets table.  i used my Silhouette to make the banner.

these are cake donuts in rainbow colors (i used the leftover batter from the cake)

rainbow lollypops!

extra stuff on the table.  oh yeah! did you notice the confettis on the table?  i used different sized paper circle punches to make them.

And now THE CAKE!!!

so very yummy!

6th birthday "winter" party

Igloo cake with a penguin and puffle

wintery marshmallow pops

"melted snowmen" personalized water bottles

white chocolate dipped pretzels (so yummy if you love sweet and salty!)

"snowball" donuts

take home "homemade hot chocolat"

thanks for stopping by!  (i promise to try and be more regular on my postings, i have a whole bunch of yummy cupcakes and crafty goodies that i've made and haven't share with you...i can't wait!)

Bella

photo session with my niece

head on over to my photography blog and check out the photo session i did with my *new* little niece this past summer.  I actually have another session i did after this one that i haven't posted yet...didn't i tell ya?! i'm a procrastinator! but i want to do better in 2014, not as be a better procrastinator but do less procrastinating...hahaha!

happy holidays!

it's that time of year again!  I hope everyone had a great Christmas with friends and family and lots of TURKEY! 

 X-mas has to be my favorite holiday and i LOVE making X-Mas cards, i think they're my favorite to create.  Here are the cards i sent out this year.  ENJOY!

i totally stole the idea for this card from here

stamps used: Lawn Fawn: Yeti Set Go, Let it Snow, Gnome Sweet Gnome, Hats Off to You, Milo's ABC,

A birdie Told Me

I got inspired by this card for this one

stamps used: Lawn Fawn: Sweet Christmas, Say Cheese, Milo's ABC, Woodgrain backdrops

stamps used: Lawn Fawn:  Let it Snow

Purple Onion Design: Willard sipping, campfire, Hugo Toasting Marshmallows

stamps used: Lawn Fawn: Let it Snow, Winter bunny

stamps used: Lawn Fawn: Making Frosty Friends

stamps used: Lawn Fawn: Winter Sparrows

stamps used: Lawn Fawn: Milo's ABC

i used the DYlusions watercolor technique i learned from this video

and the last card i made last year but i don't think i had shared it so i thought i would since i like it a lot for it's simplicity

thanks for stopping by! 

Bella

call me Perky McGlitter!

I'm skipping Halloween and going straight to X-Mas

taken from the Cosmo Cricket blog

As crafty peeps, we are the elves of the holidays.

Did you know that Santa names all his helpers, not just the ones at the North pole? In fact, he has extra special names for all his crafty peeps based on lots of things they love.

 i'm Perky McGlitter, who are you?

Maple Bacon Cheesecake

so earlier today i posted on Instagram a picture of a Maple Bacon Cheesecake that i made yesterday and i've had a few requests for the recipe.

The original recipe is from Stacey Poon-Kinney from the Next Food Network Star, a few months ago i did try to make her recipe as is and i had a few problems with the topping part and it just made a whole lot.  I did love the taste of the cheesecake mix so i just simplified the recipe and i only get great comments whenever i make it.  I do want to say that the crust from the original recipe is DELICIOUS!!!! but since i use small ramekins i don't put any crust on the bottom.
So here's how i throw the recipe together.

1 pounds cream cheese
1/4 cup maple sugar
1/4 cup greek yogurt

2 eggs plus 1 yolks

3/4 cup maple syrup
4-5 ounces bacon, cooked until crisp and roughly diced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

 In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, mix the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the greek yogurt and mix well. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time; mix well and scrape down the sides before adding the next egg. Add the maple syrup. Pour into ramekins, stopping 1/2 inch from the top.  Place ramekins on a baking sheet add a bit of water on the bottom.  Bake for 20-24 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack, top with crispy bacon pieces and a sprinkle of maple flakes or maple sugar (this is optional)

ENJOY!!!!

let me know if you try this recipe, i'd love to know how it turned out for you.

Bella