Shopping My Stash Sunday #3 - Men!

As I have said a million times I HATE don't like making mens cards! I always end up adding glitter or shimmer or just popping a couple of flowers here and there.

So Today as part of shopping my stash I have focused on making real manly cards. Without bling and glitter and flowers. I know a scary thought!

So I went through my stash. I was given quite a lot from my Auntie who was clearing though her craft room, in this was some outline stickers. I personally have only ever owned words as outline stickers but I think that shapes give the card a very masculine effect, as sometimes I think stamped images are quite typically feminine.

I then found a checked paper pad by paper cellar that I've must have owned for about 4 years so I decided to give it a bit more of a use as it screams masculine.

I also used my new Xcut oval dies, which I am very impressed with they give the same finish as my spell binders round dies but at half the price. (They are also 3 for 2 in Hobbycraft currently).  As well as some solid coloured papers from my stash.

For embellishments I used some Card Candi, some ribbon from The Works and some Paper cellar silver flat backs

This is what I came up with.

Hannah x 

Shopping My stash #2 - Chipboard!

This week I have created 3 more cards. I am still finding items from my 'free gift box'. This is where I store most of the items that are one use items from my Cardmaking and Papercraft Magazine.

I really enjoy the content and the ease of reading this magazine, but they also include some great free gifts!

This week I have incorporated many food based embellishments and papers this week, I found some kitchen style chipboards which came in the second issue I ever brought of the magazine so they are a good 3 years old!

I also used some pre printed images from the magazine and incorporated some papers from The Works ( which is my fast favourite for finding gems!) as well as some Do crafts collections.

Hannah x 

For My Dad...

As it was Fathers day this weekend I obviously made my Dad a Card!

Cards for some of the men in my family are not the easiest because they have no real hobbies! And this makes for a car, gardening or golf card to seem quite out of place, so to overcome this I decided this year I would focus on colour!

This card incorporated many bright colours which my Dad enjoys, I had seen a card almost identical to this but in neutral colours online a little while back, but for the life of me cannot remember who created it, so I apologise if it was you and I can't credit you!

I was so taken with the use of rounded corners combined with squared corners and buttons I knew I had to make one myself. I used brighter colours because I feel this was more fitting for the occasion and to what my Dad enjoys!



Products Used:

• 5x5 Base card
• Pay-per Pack Card
• Do crafts Dots and Stripes 8x8 paper in Festive
• Do crafts Dots and Stripes 8x8 paper in Bright
• Wooden button - from my stash 
• Cut out sentiment - from my stash 
• Corner rounder

Hannah x

The Fight of the Bakewell Tarts!

Recently a Costa Coffee opened across the road from my office which has made the local Sainsbury's Cafe up their game too, as they are less than a minute walk from each other!

The gluten free sections in both these places are growing and as a result I am eating more than I should!

Today I am going to compare the mini gluten free bake wells that are offered in both places

Sainsbury's have only just started to stock these and I found them in their main store too, which is great! Both are packaged in a very similar manner and look very similar, a minor complaint I have with the Sainsbury's packaging is that there is no lip to the inner plastic sleeve like the costa one so  some of the icing gets stuck to the packet, but I just pick it off!

Lets look at the basics in terms of nutrition, the calories, fat and carbs are what I tend to look at on sweet treats, these values are for the two cakes in the pack as one serving.

Calories:
Sainsbury's - 237
Costa          - 262

Fat:
Sainsbury's - 10.3g
Costa         - 9.8g

Carbs:
Sainsbury's - 34.2g
Costa          - 42g

I think Sainsbury's is the better choice if you are watching your calories and carbs but they are more or less on a par on fat. But what would you expect from a cake!

Both cakes have a lifespan of roughly a month from day of purchase so there is no need to worry about them going off. As for taste there is not really any difference I find the Sainsbury's bake well is much a softer filling and icing. So I think it is down to personal preference to whether you like a softer icing or firmer!

As the taste of them both I find them to be so accurate to 'regular' bakewells which I used to LOVE. I do find they are a very light coloured pastry which made me apprehensive but it tastes amazing, they are not crumbly and there is no odd powdery texture or aftertaste.

I will be enjoying both as I feel that this battle has no clear winner! And for the sake of 25 calories I wouldn't go out of my way to buy one or the other. They are both tasty and I think I need to stop them before I look like cherry bakewell!

Hannah x

Shopping My Stash - Brads!

Ever look at your hoard of craft items and think, some of this stuff I haven't touched in years? Well this is what happened to me. Being the sort of person that doesn't like throwing things away I have made it my goal to use these bits up!

So I started with brads.

This is the first 4 cards of the stash shopping. I also used some older papers and some new stamps and Eclips machine, as I found this was the easiest way to use things up is if you experiment with something new!

As I was a little out of my comfort zone but I don't think they are too bad!

Hannah x

Costa Coffee Lunch

Last week I went to Costa Coffee to have a gluten free lunch. For celiac awareness week Costa released a gluten free wrap. So I had to give it a go.

My lunch consisted of a decaf skinny vanilla latte, a gluten free brownie and the chicken wrap. I was honestly surprised I managed it all!

Chicken & Basil Salad Gluten-free Wraps

I was so excited by this wrap and it did not let me down! The actual wrap is very much like the a gluten free warburtons seeded wrap which I really enjoy, they are a lovely texture and not at all dry. This wrap has a good amount of filling, it consists of chicken pieces, rocket, tomato and basil mayonnaise. The flavour is very fresh but is also very filling, it is a perfect summer wrap as it is not to rich on a hot day (if we see one!) like many of the other types of 'regular' toasties they do. I found this wrap very enjoyable and would fully recommend it.

Belgian Chocolate Brownie

I have had the cherry bakewells many times in costa but I have never tried the brownie, my reasoning was purely because many places sell brownies near me. But I felt in the mood for one! And I am glad I did, this is the best brownie I've had so far, many I've tried are enjoyable but either leave a slight aftertaste or a slight dry feeling in the back of the throat, which this one did not. This brownie also had chocolate chips in it which I believe helps with the moistness of the cake. Overall I really enjoyed this brownie and feel that even people who are not gluten intolerant would enjoy it. 

Have you visited a costa recently?

Hannah x