Tuesday 13 November 2012

DIY Swarovski Sparkle!

I have been having some fun making sparkly Swarovski earrings again, I think these might feature heavily in my Christmas giving!

They are so simple to make, using the headpin bending technique brilliantly shown at My Girlish Whims, then attaching the crystals to jump rings, other crystals etc depending on the look you want!







These are all watermarked Coo Creations because I have started a facebook page to try and sell some of the crafty things I love making. So, if you are looking for some small Christmas gifts have a look!

Right, no more time wasting, time to empty the kitchen in prep for the new flooring coming on Friday!!




Monday 5 November 2012

Sugar Overload!

Is it possible to have a sugar hangover? If so I think I have one:)

We had family round on Sunday for a bonfire and fireworks (the 5th November is Guy Fawkes night in this part of the world so we were a day early).
It started as a 'pirate ship'...

and ended up a blazing inferno!

I made toffee apples and treacle toffee and my Uncle brought more toffee apples so there was no shortage of sugar in our house!



I made the treacle toffee by dissolving 450g of demerara sugar in 150ml of water over a low heat then adding 100g of golden syrup, 100g treacle, 1/2 tsp of cream of tartar and 85g of butter and letting it boil until it reached 270F. I then poured it in to a grease proofed and buttered tin and waited until it had set.

The toffee apples were made in the same way but I used 200g of syrup and 100g of butter. When it had reached 270F I dipped the apples in and put them on a nonstick tray to set.

The recipes are based on those in James Martin's Great British Winter Cookbook which is brilliant!

A warning though, toffee is not good for conversation or those with wobbly or false teeth:)







Linking up to some of these fab linky parties!