We love Amy!

This week on Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you some gorgeous handmade treasures using Amy Butler's fabric with these gorgeous pics. Check back soon for some more of the most inspirational photographers on Flickr.

Some beautiful shots from my Flickr favourites (clockwise from top left):

• The adorable dolls in two amy butler by Ravenhill designs
  
• The pretty handbag in IMG_3111 by Aggieray 46
  
• More cute dolls in Frøken B and Frøken C by Ravenhill designs
• The sweet hand bag pin accessory by Xnickerx
  

Have a great day!

Butterfly packaging

Packaging

You will need:
White sweet bags
Tonic Studio Butterflies Accent Punch
Tonic Studio Edger Punch 3
Tonic Studio Border Punch System
Cavallini butterflies rubber stamp tin
VersaColor Small Stamp Pad - Pink
VersaColor Small Stamp Pad - Seafoam

1. Place the paper bag centrally onto the border system
2. Move the left and right markers to 3.5cm
3. Place butterfly punch into system
4. Make the first punch and then move the bag left so that the edge of the outer butterfly matches the centre line of the marker, and repeat all the way to the edge
5. Repeat the last step in the opposite direction
6. Place edger punch 3 into the system and do as steps 4 and 5
7. Stamp butterfly pattern onto bag and leave to dry

For the gift tags I used a pop up butterfly punch.

Have a sweet day!

Strawberry rose cupcakes

Strawberry rose cupcakes (makes 12 cup cakes)

Ingredients
125g (4 ounces) butter, softened
200g (7 ounces) caster sugar (superfine)
3 eggs
300g (10.5 ounces) Gluten free self-raising flour
140 ml milk
150g fresh strawberries, diced
1/2 teaspoon rose essence
pinch of salt

Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F)
2. Line baking tray with paper cases
3. Beat butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour
4. Stir in the eggs and salt and mix thoroughly
5. Stir in half the flour
6. Stir in the strawberries, rose essence and milk
7. Stir in the remaining flour
8. Spoon mixture into cases
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes
10. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool

Cream cheese Frosting

Ingredients
250g (8.8 ounces) cream cheese
150g butter (5.2 ounces)
400g icing sugar (14.1 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Cooking instructions

1. Beat cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and vanilla essence for 30 seconds

Decorating the cakes

You will need:
Cream cheese frosting
Roll-on icing (sugar paste)
Pale pink food colouring paste
Rolling pin
Butterfly cutter
Small paintbrush
Piping bag and nozzle
Sieved icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

1. Fill piping bag with cream cheese frosting and pipe in peaks on top of the cakes
2. Dust work surface with icing sugar
3. Place roll-on icing onto surface and gradually add food colouring to roll-on icing with a cocktail stick (as it is very concentrated), and knead colour in. Keep adding food colouring until you get desired colour
4. Roll out icing so it is about 5mm thick, and cut out butterfly shape using cutter
5. Place on top of cake, and with a damp brush lightly paint the top to bring back the shine

As I have to have a gluten free diet, I substitute the self-raising flour for gluten and wheat free self raising flour.

Blush butterfly cupcake cases

Have a sweet day!

Felted cute

This week on Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you some needle felted treasures with these gorgeous pics. Check back soon for some more of the most inspirational photographers on Flickr.

Some beautiful shots from my Flickr favourites (clockwise from top left):

• The sweet mouse in needlefelted Lucy by Ola Smith
  
• The adorable acorns in IMG_31235 by truluxe_truluxe
  
• The cute look in Are you my mommy? by Kit Lane
  
• The pretty Natural white felted flower brooch by Jane Bo
  

Have a great day!

Butterfly sugar cookies

Sugar cookies (makes about 30 medium and 10 small cookies)

Ingredients
227g ( 8 ounces) butter, softened
390g (13.7 ounces) gluten free plain flour
200g (7 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tsp vanilla essence

Cooking instructions

1. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder, and set aside
2. Beat butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour
3. Add the eggs and vanilla essence and whisk until combined
   
4. Add the flour mixture and whisk until you have a smooth dough
5. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and leave in fridge for one hour
6. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F)
7. Lightly dust work surface with flour
8. Roll out dough so it is about 1cm thick. Turn continually so dough does not stick to surface
9. Cut out desired shapes with a lightly floured cookie cutter
10. Transfer to baking sheets
11. Place unbaked cookies in fridge for 15 mins
12. Bake for 8-10 mins
13. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool

As I have to have a gluten-free diet, I substitute the plain flour for gluten and wheat free plain flour.

Decorating the cookies

You will need:
Roll-on icing (sugar paste)
Pale blue & pale pink food colouring paste
Rolling pin
Butterfly cutters
Small paintbrush
Sieved icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

1. Lightly dust work surface with sieved icing sugar
2. Place roll-on icing onto surface and gradually add food colouring with a cocktail stick (as it is very concentrated), and knead colour in. Keep adding food colouring until you get desired colour
3. Roll out icing so it is about 5mm thick, and cut out butterfly shape using cutter
4. Lightly dampen underside of icing
5. Place on top of cookie, and with a damp brush lightly paint the top to bring back the shine

Butterfly cookie cutter

Butterfly cookie cutter set

Printed butterfly bag instructions coming soon............

Have a sweet day!

Blueberry & lemon cupcakes

Blueberry cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
125g (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened (sweet butter)
125g (4 ounces) icing sugar, (powdered sugar)
4 egg whites
50g (5.2 ounces) Gluten free self-raising flour
100g (3.5 ounces) blueberries
150g (5 ounces) ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
Zest of one lemon

Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F)
2. Line baking tray with paper cases
3. Whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form
4. Beat butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour
5. Stir in the flour, vanilla essence, blueberries, lemon zest and almonds and mix thoroughly
6. Fold in the egg whites
7. Spoon mixture into cases
8. Bake for 12-15 minutes
9. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool

Decorating the cakes

You will need:
Vanilla butter frosting
Roll-on icing (sugar paste)
Pale blue food colouring paste
Rolling pin
Butterfly cutter
Small paintbrush
Piping bag and nozzle
Sieved icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

1. Fill piping bag with vanilla butter frosting and pipe in peaks on top of the cakes
2. Lightly dust work surface with icing sugar
3. Place roll-on icing onto surface and gradually add food colouring to roll-on icing with a cocktail stick (as it is very concentrated), and knead colour in. Keep adding food colouring until you get desired colour
4. Roll out icing so it is about 5mm thick, and cut out butterfly shape using cutter
5. Place on top of iced cake, and with a damp brush lightly paint the top to bring back the shine

As I have to have a gluten free diet, I substitute the self-raising flour for gluten and wheat free self raising flour.

Blue and white spot cupcake cases

Mini Butterfly cookie cutters from here.

Have a sweet day!

Butterfly blueberry cheesecake

Blueberry Cheesecake (makes 3 butterflies)

Chocolate butterfly case

Ingredients
600g white chocolate
Blue food colouring

Cooking instructions

1. Temper and colour white chocolate
2. Coat inside of silicone mold with chocolate
3. Leave to set in fridge overnight

Biscuit base

Ingredients
8 digestive biscuits or Graham Crackers
6 tbsp caster sugar, ("superfine" sugar in US)
100g unsalted butter ( Sweet butter )

Cooking instructions

1. Coarsely grind biscuits
2. Melt sugar in saucepan until it begins to caramelize
3. Add butter, stirring continuously
4. Add ground biscuits and stir
5. Tip out onto greaseproof paper and leave to cool

Blueberry sauce

Ingredients
300g blueberries
2 tbsp caster sugar ("superfine" sugar in US)
1 tbsp water

Cooking instructions

1. Place blueberries, water and sugar in a pan and heat on medium heat until blueberries begin to soften
2. Place in cup to cool

Cheesecake filling

Ingredients
400g cream cheese
600ml double cream ( heavy cream )
6 tbsp icing sugar ( powdered sugar)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 vanilla essence

Cooking instructions

1. Whip double cream until stiff peaks form
2. In a separate bowl whisk cream cheese, icing sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract until smooth
3. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mix
4. Fill chocolate lined mould with cream cheese mixture
5. Sprinkle over biscuit mix
6. Leave in fridge overnight
7. Turn cheesecake out onto plate, by placing mould upside down and carefully peeling it away
8. Spoon blueberry mix around edge of cheesecake
9. Dust lightly with icing sugar

As I have to have a gluten free diet, I use gluten free biscuits.

Silicone Butterfly cake mould

Have a sweet day!

Butterfly themed tea & cakes

I spent this Valentine's day at my adorable niece's Christening. My sister's wedding was butterfly themed so she asked me if I could make some butterfly cupcakes in pink and turquoise with which to decorate the Christening cake. Well, how could I refuse! I adore little Molly and wanted to make the day really special for her.






As is tradition in England, the bride keeps the top tier of her wedding cake for her first baby's Christening. To decorate the cake I removed the original organza ribbon and crystal trim and replaced it with a single row of polka dot ribbon and pink rik-rak. I then attached the pink and blue iced butterflies with a spot of royal icing. My Mum made a second square cake and iced it for the bottom level. On this level I used two rows of polka dot ribbon and pink rik-rak and attached butterflies as above.

I will soon be posting the recipes and how to make all the butterfly themed goodies!

Have a sweet day!

Marianne Brandi and Keld Mikkelsen's Copenhagen home

Whist looking into DAY Birger et Mikkelsen for last month's post I came across the most delightful pictures of founder Keld Mikkelsen's home he shares with his wife, designer Marianne Brandi. I just adore the simplicity and glamor in their hallway and all the embroidered cushions and quirky accessories scattered around their home.

All images from Living etc

Have a sweet day!

Happy Valentine's day!

This week on Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you a Valentine's theme of beautiful heart cookies with these gorgeous pics. Check back soon for some more of the most inspirational photographers on Flickr.

Some beautiful shots from my Flickr favourites (clockwise from top left):

• The beautiful lace effect on these White hearts by Haniela
  
• The wonderful colour and detail in Because He Deserves It by Sweet Sugar Belle
  
• The cuteness of Love biscuits by Encore Petite
  
• The gorgeous Wedding Favour Cookie Pops by Consumed by Cake
  

Have a Happy Valentines day!

Love Hearts

Hanging heart



Beaded decorative heart



Wired 6ft Rose garland



Hanging heart lantern



Heart napkin ties

Bring a little love to your home with these decorative heart shaped treasures for Valentine's day. I am in love with the last ones and think they look so cute wrapped around napkins.


Brigitte Herrod Button Badge Heart Picture



Scrabble LOVE YOU Picture

Or hang some gorgeous Valentine's day inspired art!

Have a sweet day!

Love baking

Cookie For Two Boxed Set



A Heart in Hand



Miniamo Heart Silicone Cupcake Cases



Heart mixing bowls



Push 'n' Pop Brownie and Cake Cutter



Heart fill cake tin


With Valentine's day just around the corner I bring you a selection of heart shaped baking goodies! Why not make some of your favourite cupcakes in heart shaped cases or for a really wow piece try your hand at a heart filled cake! I am going to have a go at some hand made heart chocolates using a heart shaped silicone ice cube tray.

Have a sweet day!