Create the card with Cosmo Cricket Earth Love!

If you haven't gotten your hands on the March 2010 issue of Card Trends, it's now on sale and packed with some great card inspiration.

One of my favourite lines in recent months has been the Cosmo Cricket Earth Love Collection and it's been a winner with cardmakers.

In the March 2010 Card Trends magazine, Laura Craigie has created a beautiful card using Earth Love papers, Earth Love Ready-Set Chipboard and Earth Love Ribbons. Check out Laura's blog http://evidenceofagoodlife.blogspot.com/ to view her amazing cards!

The Earth Love Mini Deck which contains 36 Earth Love papers (2 of each of 18 styles) in 6" x 6" (a perfect size for cardmaking) is in stock, and together with the Earth Love 12" x 12" Ready-Set Chipboard and the Earth Love Ribbons you'll have plenty to create this card and more. Check out the full range here!

Cupcakes at TheScrapbookStore.ie

As it's nearly Easter and it's practically the law to indulge in sweet things around this time, I've decided to devote this post to cupcakes!

I know lots of you are fans of these small cakes, so how about creating some to give as Easter gifts for friends and family? Right now we have in stock the cutest cupcake cases and presentation gift boxes! The boxes come in packs of three and are available to hold 1 or 4 cupcakes.



Now all you need is the cupcakes! I found a really good recipe recently in, of all places, the Aldi catalogue (you know, the free one that comes in the door every couple of weeks). Here it is:

For cupcakes:

175g butter, at room temperature

175 caster sugar

3 large eggs

250g self raising flour

3 tablespoons milk

1 lemon, zested finely chopped

half a vanilla pod, seeds only

Method:

1. Line the cupcake paper cases into a cake tin. Pre-heat oven to 170c.

2. Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale in colour.

3. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mixing well between each stage.

4. Gentle fold in the flour a little bit at a time.

5. Add the milk to loosen the mixture up slightly.

6. Split the mix in two and add zest to one half and vanilla seeds to the other half.

7. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before decorating.

For really scrummy toppings, you can't beat Martha Stewart's recipe for Mix and Match Cupcakes.

You make a basic Vanilla Buttercream by beating 4oz of unsalted butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Then, putting the mixer on medium speed, beat in 12oz of icing sugar, 4oz at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in half a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. Increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

To create a Raspberry Buttercream, use the recipe above and at the end beat in 3 or 4 teaspoons of seedless raspberry jam.

To create a Chocolate Buttercream, use the recipe for Vanilla Buttercream. Then melt 4 ounces of dark chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until smooth. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. Then beat the cooled chocolate into the buttercream.

Spread the frosting on top of the cupcakes with the back of a spoon or a butterknife and finish with a swirl.

Enjoy!

Take a look at what we made at our March Workshop!

Many thanks to everyone for coming along to our March Workshop last week in Whitehall. It was a great night with plenty of laughs and I think everyone was very happy with their layout(s) and card(s)!

Here's a look at what we did. During the first half of the evening we made this 12" x 12" layout using the new Quite Contrary range from My Minds Eye. These papers are so colourful and would suit lots of different types of photos. The diecut title was "you are sooo cute" and some of you used the diecut as a template to create your own original title to suit your photos.

We have couple of paper sets from the Workshop available in the shop if you fancy making the layout and cards. Click here to see the set.

We made an Easter card from the scraps of the Kit at the Workshop but you have enough leftovers to make all three cards shown here and more.

The font is called Curlz and I printed it onto White textured Bazzill cardstock and cut it to size. I inked the edges of the card with Ranger Distress Ink in Antique Linen and I think it really suits the papers.

Our next Workshop is in Whitehall Parish Centre on April 22nd when Mina will be teaching her Painting with Distress Inks technique. There is a waiting list for class places and if you'd like to be added to the list or if you'd like to come along to crop please email us at workshops@thescrapbookstore.ie
TFL

Sneak Peeks of March 18th Workshop!

I hope you all enjoyed and are still enjoying the St. Patrick's Day festivities.  Wasn't it great to get the good weather too!

We're looking forward to tomorrow night's Crop and Workshop and thought we'd share a couple of sneak peeks:

If you're interested in coming along to the Workshop, there are two places left!  Email workshops@thescrapbookstore.ie to make a booking or text 086-2065346.

You'll need to bring along four or five 2.5" x 3.5" portrait format photos with a white border or you could use two 4" x 6" ones instead.  You'll also need a cutting mat, ruler and craft knife, paper trimmer, glue, foam pads and a scissors.  If you don't want to use the title "you are sooo Cute" on your layout just bring along a piece of cream or white cardstock and use the diecut title as a template to create your own title.

The Workshop costs €25.00 and includes a full kit, tuition, refreshments and a cropping space.  The Workshop normally takes about 2 hours and starts at 7pm and then you're free to crop for an hour.  If you'd like to come along and Crop only then the cost of a crop space from 7pm to 10pm is €10.00.

Check out this month's Newsletter!

Our March Newsletter is out now! Packed with all the news, including new products and Workshops

New Primas now in stock! Crate arriving this week!

I've just finished unpacking the new Primas and they are beautiful.  And at prices from €3.75 to €4.95 they won't break the bank either! They're in stock and shipping now so get your hands on some before they're gone!

Starting with the biggest blooms you have the Dianthe Lulu and Dianthe Mercado.  They measure approx. 3" in diameter, are made from lovely thick fabric and have beautiful frosted detail on the ends of the petals.  They also have a carnation type centre to give them a beautiful finish.

 

They've released tons of new roses too and we've got Cameo Roses, Lilliput Roses and Tea Roses all in stock.

 

Finally there's the Innoscence Collection with beautiful daisies and pearl centred flowers

 

All of the Prima flowers can be found here!  Enjoy browsing!

Watch out for the new Collections from Crate Paper arriving this week!  Brooke, Pink Plum and Paper Doll in fab colours and designs, there's sure to be one (or more!) to suit you!