January Makes Challenge part 2

Hello everyone, hope you are enjoying your Saturday.

Well, this week marked week two of the cake decorating class I have joined.  The challenge this week was to model a seated person from Regal Ice.  After almost 2 hours, a lot of concentration and a bit of luck, here is the result

Here he is in a little more detail

I have to say that I am quite pleased with him!  I have popped over to our local chocolaterie/cake decorating shop this morning to buy different colours of Regal Ice for our challenge next week - will post about it (if it turns out ok!!).

Have a great weekend

Helenxx

Edible treats from lands quite far away

Hello!

Those of you that read this little blog regularly will know that I have a real love of Middle Eastern food (my mouth is watering just thinking about it).

On a recent trip to Manchester I was deliriously excited when I spotted this in one of the little shops I go to when visiting "up north"

Falalfel mix with a free falafel mould There are 2 packs of falalfel mix - and the whole lot cost less than 3 quid!!!

Here is the mould in more detail, it comes with a little spatula as well

I was also lucky enough recently to receive some lovely Arabic-style coffee - real rocket fuel this

And last, but by no means least, a box of scrummy, delicious baklava

All the way from the beautiful Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.  I love the pictures on the box.  I have been fortunate enough to have visited Petra - what can I say?  Words and pictures simply cannot come anywhere near describing how awe-sinspiringly beautiful it is - to say it is breathtaking is the most massive understatement.

Dont think any of these treats will hang around very long...

Helenxx

January makes challenge part 1

Hi everyone!

My "proper" January make can't be revealed just yet as it is a pressie for a reader of my blog, but I can reveal something I have made.

My lovely friend Sue persuaded me to go to a cake decorating night class which started last week.  We have so been looking forward to it, and it sure lived up to expectations!

I thoroughly enjoyed our first class - the amount of concentration that goes into making Regal Ice animals is phenomenal!

So, here we go with my first attempts...

First of all we have this (hopefully) friendly looking teddy

And here he is with his friend, Jess the cat

My eldest son said that they reminded him of the Wallace and Gomit models, which I was quite chuffed about!  And even my not-very-creative DH said they are "quite good" - a massive compliment methinks!

I think I like teddy best, Im rather pleased with him!  Apparently Regal Ice has a really long shelf life.  BUT will I have the heart to eat him....after all I am the person who refused to eat chocolate easter bunnies when I was little as I thought I would be killing them....

This week we are having a go at modelling a sitting figure, again out of Regal Ice.  Depending on how this turns out, I will reveal all asap!

Helenxx

And the Winner is....

Morning!

Wow, what a response to the Moonstruckcreations Birthday Giveaway - thanks so much to all of you who joined in.
So, this morning, my trusty blogging secretary (darling daughter) listed all the entries and put them into a bowl. 

She shuffled them about thoroughly

And drew out the winner...

Who is....

Well done!  I hope you will like the little treats that will wing their way to you asap. 
BUT... then we got to thinking...so many lovely bloggers joined in the fun, why not draw out two more names and send them a teeny surprise treat?  So DD drew out two more names - who are:

 and

Well done to you all!  Please email me at moonstruckcreations@hotmail.co.uk with your contact details and I will get the goodies in the post to you asap.

Thanks again to you all for joining in - Ive been overwhelmed by the response. 

I will be holding another giveaway in a while when I creep up nearer to 100 followers so watch this space!

Have a wonderful weekend - Im off to Manchester shortly to visit family and have a meal at a fabulous Middle Eastern eatery - falafel sandwich and fatayer for me, yum yum yum!

Helenxx

Last call for the Moonstruckcreations Birthday Giveaway!

Morning all!

Just a quick reminder that today is the last day for you to enter my Birthday Giveaway.

To have a go at winning these goodies, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog and leave a comment!

Thanks so much to all of those of you who have entered already, Im delighted that so many of you have joined in the fun! 

Good luck, and have a great day!

Helenxx

PS will have something new to show you all over the weekend as I have just started an evening class and bought home my first makes - all will be revealed!
PPS Have made my January Make for Annie's monthly make challenge, but wont be able to reveal until after Feb 1st as it is a present for a special young lady who follows this blog!

Cakes for tea

Hello everyone

In honour of some birthdays recently (mine and my dear brothers, but no, we are not twins!) my lovely daughter put on her apron and got into baking mode

She is quite a talented baker, these were chocolate orange cakes, frosted with a homemade dark chocolate ganache, yum yum

all gone now of course!

Helenxx

PS while still on the birthday theme, there is still time to put your name in the hat for the Moonstruckcreations birthday giveaway - it closes on 20th January.  No, there wont be any cakes included - sorry ;)

Lucky me!

Hi everyone

Last week I was lucky enough to win a giveaway over at Chalky's World - and today, during a very difficult day at work I was so chuffed to receive this lovely parcel of goodies - beautifully wrapped:

And in just my sort of colours too!

This is what the first parcel contained, the photo doesnt really do them justice, the detail on these little buttons is amazing:

 More buttons, with amazing butterfly and dragon fly shapes included amongst many others:

I love all things heart-themed, just look as these little sweeties:

Then this fantastic hand made notebook, complete with fabric heart on the front:  the cover is made from handmade paper too.  Sadly the light isnt great for taking photos, but there are little fronds of fern in the handmade paper

And then look what emerged next - a vintage crochet book!  Published at about the time I started crocheting, 1969

And just look at these fabulous crocheted wrist warmers (kindly modelled by my daughter)

Linda has really gone to a lot of trouble to check out my blog to see what I like,  Thanks so so much Linda for your kindness in sending all these wonderful goodies to me.

Helenxx

Birthday Giveaway

Hello!

Well here I am blogging away on a laptop that actually works at a decent speed - so often have I cursed blogger only to find out that in most cases it was the old laptop that was to blame... although the fancy anti-virus software is stopping me from commenting on some blogs so still a few bits to sort out...

Moving swiftly on...

I promised yesterday that I would give you more details about the moonstruckcreations birthday giveaway (the birthday of both the blog and yours truly are just one day apart date-wise, but several years time wise!) so here we go:

There is a nice little hexie-print case for bits and bobs, crochet hooks would go a treat in here but Im sure you could find other uses

An organza corsage made by me

a vintage-style purse

A little notebook

some cute owl stickers

The January edition of Inside Crochet Magazine

And finally a fabric-covered button brooch made by my lovely daughter - she insisted on adding this as she loves reading your blogs as much as I do! 

If you would like to put your name in the hat all you need to do is be a follower of my blog and leave a comment by 20th January.  I will do the grand (!!) draw on 21st January.

Look forward to hearing from you!

Must dash as my dear brother is coming around with my darling mum for dinner - its his birthday today so my lovely daughter and I have made a batch of chocolate orange cupcakes!  DH is cooking up a delicious roast dinner we are all really looking forward to it!
Helenxx

Moonstruckcreations is now 1 year old!!!!

Hello everyone!
Im so excited, not only was it my birthday on Thursday, this little blog is now 1 year old!

In order to celebrate I am having a

BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!

I will be posting pics of the goodies asap but in the meantime if you would like to join in its all very simple - all you need to do is be a follower of my blog and leave a comment!  The giveaway is open until 20 January.

Hope you will join in!

Helenxx

2012 Photo Scavenger Hunt

Well, Im going a bit nuts here in blogland - I've signed up to another 12 month project - the 2012 Photo Scavenger Hunt organised by Kathy at Postcards from the P.P. 

I watched this with great interest last year on some of the blogs I follow and promised myself that I would join in if it ran again.

These are the things I need to take photos of during January:

soft

2

blur

in season

in my bathroom

mess

information

company

warning

odd

in the distance 

entrance

I will be posting the photos at the end of the month hopefully.

Thanks so much Kathy for organising this - Im really excited about having a go!

If you fancy trying it yourself, check it out!

Helenxx

Monthly Makes Pledge 2012

Hi everyone - well its back to normal now with people going back to work etc.

So what better time to start off with something new for 2012?  I have taken the plunge and joined in with the 2012 Monthly Makes Pledge organised by the lovely Annie at the Felt Fairy blog.

I feel pretty excited about this as I havent done anything like this before.  So as Im entering into my second year in blogland I thought I would give it a go!

Check it out if you feel like joining in!

Helenxx

Celebrations

Good morning - I hope that you all enjoyed your New Year celebrations and that 2012 has got off to a great start.

We saw in the New Year with Sue and her lovely family - we had such a great time.  As usual, if the weather is good for one of our get-togethers round at her house (she has the most amazing and large garden) we had a bonfire (made of some of our old no-longer repairable IKEA chairs - this by the way is not a piece of negative feedback for the chairs but one of our sons has a tendancy to swing back on them and over about 8 years they finally gave up the ghost)

add some fireworks into the mix...

Then it was back inside for party nibbles and non-alcholic bubbly.  All in all a fantastic night with a fantastic bunch of people.  We used to be of those that spent a boring night in front of the TV on New Years Eve until 3 years ago when we decided to do something a bit different.  Neither family drinks alcohol so a night out on the town isnt quite our thing.  So this is absolutely ideal - big garden for bonfire, fireworks and for the kids to run around, and then be treated to Sue's awesome catering!  We didnt get home until 2am!!!! But on our way out we checked the fire again, its was still glowing

Thanks again Sue for such a lovely time.

Helenxx

A New One Just Begun...Happy New Year

Hello everyone - Happy New Year!

I hope that 2012 sees the realisation of your hopes and dreams and brings you the best of health and happiness together with your loved ones.

 much love, Helenxx