May Retreat, Part 1

Here is the first of a few posts about our May retreat.

The theme for our May Retreat was Beautiful Basics - a focus on using things stamps, templates, punches, cardstock in new ways.

This was our first ever 3 night Retreat and we started with 25 scrappers arriving on Thursday night. By 7pm Friday, a total of 56 lovely scrappers had joined us at Stanwell Tops for a weekend of relaxation and creativity.

Once the scraproom was full and the shop all set up, it was go, go, GO! for the rest of the weekend. Games, classes, massages, our Dizzy Izzy team were never still for long!

Thursday night scrappers had a few little treats just for them - goodie bags filled with lollies and embellies, perfect to get started, plus 2 exclusive challenge competitions.

Once everyone had arrived and settled in on Friday night, there were MORE goodies to hand out - calico bags filled with treats!

The weekend seemed to fly by, but we did manage to squeeze in a few surprises. And our scrappers even managed to surprise us!

Ange's page managed to 'Go Viral' and be scrap lifted across the room, inspiring it's own mini scrap competition and sparking an idea for a new challenge at the next Retreat!  Stay tuned for a blog post all about this to come!

Saturday night we managed to relax even more (if that was possible after those heavenly massages) and everyone dressed down for the pyjama party. The appearance of quite a few 'onesies' sparked a mini photo shoot with hilarious results.

Embellished PJ's just for the retreat!!!

Stay tuned for more Retreat Highlights!

Crafternoon Soup - Gingered Red Lentil & Sweet Potato

We have had quite a few requests to share the recipes for the soups we serve at the Crafternoons.

Here to start us off is the Gingered Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Soup from the April Crafternoon. I had never cooked this one before, and I was surprised at how simple it was to make and how delicious it turned out to be. Smooth and spicy, topped with a fried onion garnish, you are bound to love it.

I used my slow cooker (it's the best thing in the world for soups, simply prepare and then leave them to cook for you for the rest of the day) but you could easily adapt this to the stove top.  I also didn't add as much milk as in the recipe, only about half as much, so my suggestion would be to add to taste. Don't forget to rinse your lentils thoroughly before you add them and to skim the film off the top of the soup periodically as it cooks.

Gingered Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Soup

Gingered Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Soup

(from 'Ultimate Slow Cooker' by Sara Lewis)

Serves 6
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking Temp (slow cooker): low & high

1 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 t fennel seeds, cushed
4cm fresh root ginger, peeled & finely chopped
900ml vegetable or chicken stock (I used vegetable)
500g sweet potato, diced
150g red lentils
300ml full fat milk
salt & pepper

To garnish
2 T olive oil
1 onion, thinley sliced
1 t fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 t ground cumin
1/4 t ground turmeric
1 t caster sugar

Step 1

Preheat the slow cooker if necessary - see the instructions.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and fry, stirring, for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the garlic, fennel seeds & ginger, & cook for 2 minutes.

Step 2

Add the stock and salt & pepper and bring to the boil. Put the sweet potato & lentils in the slow cooker pot, pour over the hot stock mixture, cover & cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the potato & lentils are soft.

Step 3

Puree the soup in batches (I used a stick blender directly in the slow cooker, but beware of splashing) & return it to the slow cooker. Stir in the milk & cook on high for 15 minutes.

Step 4

Meanwhile, make the garnish. Heat the oil in a clean frying pan, add the onion and fry over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until softened. Stir in the spices & sugar, increase the heat slightly & fry for 5 more minutes or until golden brown.

Step 5 

Ladle the soup into bowls & sprinkle the spicy onions over the top. Serve with warm naan bread.

Enjoy!
Tracey xoxox

Adventures in SE Asia Travel Album Pt 3: Thailand

So here is my final installment in this series of my travel adventures in SE Asia. What a great trip! I can't wait for the next one. Hubby and I are thinking Vietnam in October as he hasn't had a chance to visit and there is so much more to explore!

Ticket stubbs also make great embellishments -
a lot of them will have information, the date and of
course the correct spelling of the places you have visited.

Did I say I love the WRMK page protectors! - lol.

I used the Amy Tan roller date stamp on a lot of  my pages
- it made for very simple journalling. I have also found
the Amy Tan love-struck stamps (flower & camera) to be
super versatile.

For a lot of the embellishments I cut elements from
the paper lines then added a
bit of mounting tape to the back. 

Fleur x

Washi Love

I found this funky little container at the Salvo's last week. I'm not sure what it was in its former life, but now it's going to store washi tape on my desk.
Cute!
Happy Scrapping,
Tracey* xox

Adventures in SE Asia Travel Album Pt 2: Cambodia

I loved my time in Cambodia, not only for its historical sites but also for the beautiful people we met along the way. I think that my photos tell the story here!

I tried to use kraft cardstock as my primary base, I then
grunged it up using a textured stamp.

Using ephemera such as a map helps to tell the story
of your adventure.

This is hubby's favourite layout.
 I really tried to simplify my layout style for this album,
by using simple sketches and minimal embellishments.

These papers by Bo Bunny are so beautiful - I really didn't
need to add much to them to get the effect I wanted.

Fleur x

Adventures in SE Asia Travel Album Pt 1: Vietnam

Well my Adventures in SE Asia travel album is finally done!I am really excited that I have finished a project just for me and it has only taken me about three months of grabbing an hour here and there. Not bad since I had about 3000 photos to choose from and have now ended up with a 64 page album that I feel really captures our trip. My last travel album took me over to 2 years to complete - we won't even talk about how long the first one took me!

For those of you who know me I am a 'more is less' kinda gal who loves to add as many embelli's as possible and jus' up a page - however for this album I really tried to simplify my process. Firstly I've integrated a lot of photos by using the very versatile WRMK page protectors. I have also tried to stick to just two paper lines - Bo Bunny's Serenity and Serenade which both had Asian influences.

Today I've shared a few pages from the Vietnam component of my trip. I'll be sharing more in coming posts.

I love scrapping ephemera - these were some prints
I picked up at the Ben Thanh market. 

February Crafternoon

Last Saturday was a great day to be inside and scrapping - wet and dreary - no sports or outdoor activities to distract and no jobs like washing getting in the way. Then it absolutely poured, and boy were we glad to be inside!

We braved the rain and headed to our lovely little hall at Caringbah to set up shop and scrap for  about 12 hours accompanied by some lovely scrappers.  Fleur and I even got be a little crafty!

Each scrapper received a lovely little Valentine, filled with lollies and hand made embellies. Aren't they just cute?

 Recent renovations to the hall meant that Fleur, Matt and I had to do a quick rethink as to how to set up the room and the shop, but I think it came up nicely. Do you agree?

Elaine checks out the cardstock tubs

Our sale racks for paper were full!

Of course, we had a few competitions, congratulations to Rachel and Belinda for being this months winners - as usual everyone does such lovely work its always hard to vote for just one!

Rachel won the Sketch comp!

Belinda won our Emboss or Stamp Competition!

I hope you will be joining us in March for the next Crafternoon. Email us or check our facebook page for more info!

Tracey* xo