HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas now, the day after and forever more...

I can hardly believe that Christmas has come and gone already.  While hoping that you all had the nicest Christmas, I must say ours was very relaxed and quiet as this year we decided not to do any invites on the day itself. After having redecorated the house, I felt we needed a break.  
The Midnight Mass celebration was beautiful, a lovely memory to keep.  In the morning, we got to chat with our dearest son and his lovely girlfriend over skype (wonderful invention) and gifts were opened then, it was as if they were right there in the room with us : )
And it was indeed a lovely Christmas day too, we even managed to watch a few Christmas movies together, that is my husband and I and our daughter.
And now today, the day after Christmas, I can hardly believe Christmas has come and gone already!  But as I mentioned on my radio show earlier during this season, we should keep Christmas with us all through the year.

Here are the words from the Sesame Street crew from their Christmas special...words to keep in mind...

When Christmas time is over and presents put away, don't be sad  
There'll be so much to treasure about this Christmas day and the fun we've had 
So many happy feelings to celebrate with you  
And, oh, the good times hurry by so fast,  
But even when it's over there's something you can do to make Christmas last
 
Keep Christmas with you All through the year,  
When Christmas is over, You can keep it near. 
Think of this Christmas day When Christmas is far away.
 
Keep Christmas with you All through the year,  
When Christmas is over, Save some Christmas cheer. 
These precious moments, Hold them very dear 
And keep Christmas with you All through the year.
 
Christmas means the spirit of giving 
Peace and joy to you, 
The goodness of loving, 
The gladness of living; 
These are Christmas too.
 
So, keep Christmas with you All through the year,  
When Christmas is over, Save some Christmas cheer. 
These precious moments, Hold them very dear 
And keep Christmas with you All through the year.

Blessings to you all this Christmas 
and throughout the coming New Year

4th Sunday in Advent

Today we light the 4th and last candle on our Advent wreath as we celebrate the fourth Sunday of Advent.  Our preparation for Christmas is almost finished...THE BIRTH OF JESUS is now imminent. Very soon we will be celebrating the memory of that great event. Today’s Mass prepares us for the Christmas celebration. It is appropriate that the readings for this Sunday are so pregnant with hope and anticipation; they mirror and magnify the excitement that comes with true waiting, knowing we are on the cusp of experiencing God's unlimited love made manifest to us once again.
Today the Pope in his Sunday Angelus spoke of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin, Elisabeth – the episode narrated during the Gospel reading for the day. 
The Holy Father focused on hospitality as he said, " Wherever there are those who welcome one another, where there is careful attention, wherever there are people who make room for another,” he said, “there is God – and the joy that comes from Him."  
“Let us imitate Mary in the Christmas season, visiting to those who are experiencing difficulty, especially the sick, the imprisoned, the elderly and little children,” prayed Pope Benedict, “and let us also imitate Elisabeth, who received her guest as God, Himself.” The Pope concluded by asking the faithful to pray that all men might seek God earnestly, and find that it is God Himself who comes first to visit us.” 
 

Pope Benedict XVI on Gaudete Sunday

This third Sunday of Advent is called "Gaudete Sunday" -- "Rejoice," we are called to rejoice because the Lord is near. . . the "nearness" of God is not a question of space and time, but rather a question of love: Love is near! Christmas will come to remind us of this fundamental truth of our faith and, before the crèche, taste Christian joy, contemplating in the face of the newborn Jesus the God who drew near to us for love. As we renew our hope in Jesus and look forward to His coming, may we experience in our lives the deep joy of His salvation . . . who in His birth brings God's benediction to men.
Pope Benedict XVI

3rd Sunday of Advent ~ Gaudete Sunday ~

Today we celebrate the third Sunday of Advent, also known as "Gaudete" Sunday, which means "Rejoice!" Today also the 3rd candle on the Advent wreath is lit, it is usually a pink candle different from the other purple ones, a little lighter as we are now more than half way this Advent towards Christmas which makes us rejoice. Let us continue to prepare ourselves with prayer and repentance for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2nd Sunday in Advent

“As the journey of Advent continues, as we prepare to celebrate the nativity of Christ, John the Baptist's call to conversion sounds out in our communities. It is a pressing invitation to open our hearts and to welcome the Son of God ... (read more... http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2012-12-09

"...The 'voice' of the great prophet asks us to prepare the way for the coming Lord in the deserts of today, internal and external deserts, thirsting for the water of life which is Christ.” — Benedict XVI

Advent and the Advent Wreath

This coming Sunday is the start of Advent and I'd like to share with all my followers this special page that explains this tradition.  Read this page for lots of interesting information as well as prayers that can be said during this special time.  I suggest you print out this page and have it handy to read out from just before every evening meal. Towards the end of the page is a link for prayers for very young children.

http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/adx/adwreath.html

ENJOY!

Almond and Chocolate Pie (Torta tal-Marmurat)

This is a traditional sweet/cake made mostly around Christmas time in Malta. Click on the recipe for a sharper image.

Treacle Rings Recipe

This is a traditional sweet enjoyed throughout the year in Malta but mostly at Christmas time. This Maltese speciality dates back to the 15th Century and may be enjoyed with wine or as a dessert or even at tea time. Some people also like to call this sweet 'Honey Rings'.  I made this recipe a few years ago and I was very pleased with the result...maybe I'll give it a go again this year : )
                                                                                  

Ingredients

For the filling*:                                                         

900g (2 lb) treacle                                                       

An equal amount of water                                            

Zest of tangerine, orange and lemon                             

A small amount of candied peel (optional)                    

A pinch of cloves

2 tablespoonfuls jam

400g semolina

For the pastry*:

800g flour

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon butter

Water to bind

* You can use half the amount if you only plan to make 3 rings.  Adjust amount of all ingredients accordingly.

Method

Sprinkle the baking trays with semolina. Put aside.

For the filling

Place all the filling ingredients, except for the semolina, into a saucepan.

Bring to boil and thicken with semolina.  Add half the amount at a time and stir, then add the remainder ingredients.  Cook for a few minutes.  Let cool for several hours, preferably overnight.

To make the pastry

Sieve the flour, rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.  Bind with egg yolks and water.  This pastry will keep well, wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator.

Divide the pastry into six pieces, and roll out one piece at a time into rectangles. Again out of each rectangle cut out rectangles,  10cm(4") wide x  18cm(7") long.  Depending on how thin you roll out the pastry you will have several strips now ready for the filling.

To make the treacle rings

Take a dessertspoonful of the stuffing and place it on the cut rectangle, shaping it into a sausage shape 3-4cm (ab.1 1/2") thick and as long as the pastry rectangle.  Dip your fingers into semolina, sprinkled on the board to help you shape it.  Fold the pastry over - there's no need to dampen the edges.

Bring the two ends of  the folded pastry roll together in order to form a ring.

As each ring is ready place on the prepared baking sheets. Do not let the rings touch each other.  When they have all been prepared, cut five or six slashes on top of each ring with a sharp knife, lifting the pastry gently so as to let the stuffing show through.

Bake in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is only slightly coloured. Let cool.  You can wrap these in cellophane to give as gifts.  The fresher they are the tastier of course!  Enjoy!

Veteran's Day ~ Poppy Appeal Sunday 11th November

I may have already posted this bookmark but here it is in any case, hope someone can use it. Click on each for a better image to save to your files...the second one has space at the top for a tassel.

Live on air this morning...at Radio Elenjani 95.8FM

I'll be on air this morning from 9.30 up until 11.45 if you'd like to tune in. My programme is Kreattivita ma' Doreen (Creativity with Doreen). So tune in to today's show and listen in to talk about creativity, how to be more creative at work, at home and anywhere. Enjoy some interesting quotations and great music too. Get your pencil and paper ready for a great recipe and more. The show is mostly in Maltese with some quotes in English...enjoy the music too!
I am half way through this season's programmes : )
Visit my Creativity by Doreen FB Page for more recipes and great crafts ...http://www.facebook.com/CreativityByDoreen

http://www.livestream.com/radju_elenjani

November Delicacy - Dead Man's Bones

Here is the Recipe for the Ghadam tal-Mejtin (translates to Dead Man's Bones) which is a sweet pastry with almond filling and is totally delicious...of course the shape of this pastry is that of a bone but I can assure you it is delicious in whatever shape you decide to make it : )

These bones are a special delicacy in November when we honour our dear departed ones.

I must thank my very dear friend Miriam Borg for generously sharing her recipe with us, thanks Mir : ) Your pastries are always so delicious!

Ingredients for pastry dough

480grs.self raising flour

200grs.margarine

120grs.sugar

1 egg yolk

Grated rind of 1 lemon

Vanilla essence


For the filling :

300grs .ground almonds

300grs.sugar

Grated rind of 1 lemon

Egg white

Almond & vanilla


How to make the pastry:

Sieve the flour into a large bowl,holding the sieve as high as possible, so that the flour get a really good airing, add the margarine cut into small lumps, then rub it into the flour using fingertips only .

In a separate bowl mix the sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and lemon rind mix well.

Add the mix.to the flour work into dough.place the pastry in a polythene bag and leave in fridge for 30mins.



How to prepare the filling :

Mix the ground almonds, sugar and lemon rind. Whisk the egg white and add the vanilla & almond.

Combine and mix with the almonds, sugar and lemon rind mixture .


How to make the “bones”:

Roll out the pastry thinly and cut several 15cms x 10cms rectangles.

Take spoonfuls of the almond filling and place down the middle of the pastry rectangles, dampen the edges with water. Roll the pastry and form into wide strips, close the edges and shape into bones .


Baking Procedure:

Bake in a moderate oven for some 15 or 20 minutes .
Let cool completely before decorating.

Decorating the bones:

Mix icing sugar in some water (the mixture has to be thick).

Spread and paste the mixture on top of the bones.

Enjoy!

Sandwich Spread Recipe (with variations)

SANDWICH SPREAD (for lunches and parties) ...

 Ingredients
4 hard-boiled eggs
6 soft cheese portions (I use La vache qui Rit or similar)
3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons light plain yogurt

Peel off the shell from the hard boiled eggs and cut up egg into very small pieces, do not mash but use a fork and knife to cut up into fine pieces. Open cheese portions and add to eggs plus Mayo and yogurt. Mix everything together with fork. If you see that the mixture is too runny add some more cheese, if the mixture is too thick, then add mayo or yogurt.

This is basically the spread which you can use as is or you can add other ingredients to make it more appetizing like tuna or salmon (drain first from oil or brine). With these you can add some cucumber cut up into small pieces and some lemon juice.

OR If you have some left over chicken, cut up into very small pieces and add to basic mixture. Carrots or Edam cheese grated into fine pieces can also be added to this mixture. Use this mixture up within 2-3 days especially if you are using left over chicken. Always cover and store in refrigerator.

You can use this spread on sandwiches, in wraps, on brown bread, small or large rolls or crackers...I will leave it to your imagination to come up with other ideas. Some people like to add some mustard but from my own experience, if you are making this for children, most kids don't really like the sharp taste.

Prepare this spread a day ahead and then spread onto rolls for parties...yummy and they go so fast!!! Top up with shrimps if you have a basic tuna paste or with ham or cheese if you have a basic cheese paste.  Add chives, tomatoes, cucumbers or parsley for colour and variety.

Enjoy!

 

Pictures from shared files.

 

 

*NEW* Creativity by Doreen FB Page

I am trying to get as many LIKES on Facebook on my Creativity by Doreen page which I have just recently set up.  Please go to http://www.facebook.com/CreativityByDoreen and LIKE my page, check my page often for new projects and crafts as well as recipes.

Join in the fun of being CREATIVE!

Fall Back ~ on time!

The clocks go back at 2am on Sunday 28th October 2012!

Don't forget to put your clocks back 1 hour, that is if you live where this happens in most parts of Europe ~ the moment when the clocks go back signals the move into autumn and winter, marking the end of Summer Time and the return to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Enjoy your extra hour of sleep or partying if you're out but don't make this an opportunity to drink more AND Don't drink and drive or ride with anyone who has too much to drink! 
It will be nice to wake up to light in the morning but I don't like it when it gets dark so early, yes I know you can't have everything!  At least the temperatures are going down! 
Whatever you may be doing, enjoy the rest of your weekend and God bless!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Psalm 107:1

To all my Canadian family and friends, 

best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving !

and on this special feast I always like to add...

"God bless us, every one!"

Tiny Tim ~ A Christmas Carol

by Charles Dickens

MY FIRST RADIO TRANSMISSION ON RADIO ELENJANI

If you would like to tune in to my first show, Kreattivita' ma' Doreen will air on Friday 28th Sept. 2012 at  9.30am.  

Here is a direct link to live streaming on Radio Elenjani 95.8 FM

http://www.livestream.com/radju_elenjani

Being Creative ON AIR!

I will be hosting a new show Live in the coming weeks on Radio Elenjani  95.8FM

This all came about when my nephew asked me casually if I'd like to host a show of my own about Crafts, he knows how much I love crafts : )  My first thought was, "Oh no!"  but then the thought kind of grew on me, and now I am in training and getting my show all set up.

So soon my creativity will be going on air and I will actually be talking about Creativity.  This is my very first experience so wish me well : )

My show will be called "Kreattivita' ma' Doreen" which translates to "Creativity with Doreen" and it will air every Friday morning.  I will give you more details as to when the programme will start very soon.
Thanks for stopping by : )

Rejoice in Hope ~ Tag ~

Lately I seem to enjoy Computer graphics more than making my usual crafts, well it is still a kind of craft.

Today I made two new bookmarks which I have shared on my Whimsical Blog.

This evening I was going through some pictures I have taken in the past and found one I really liked and turned it into an Inspirational Tag/Tile.

Hope you like it! What do you think?

Housewreath with a difference...

Today I'm featuring a wreath with a difference. My friend Joann of the "Holiday Year-Round Tree" and "Holiday Room" fame has shared her creativity with me again. So with her permission I am posting it here today, hoping it may inspire others to try this lovely, novel and stylish idea.
This could have been a Wordless Wednesday post as the pics are very self explanatory but I had to give credit to my friend.
Thanks again Joann : ) Well done!

As an added footnote I'd like to add that Joann took last year's wreath and just re-arranged the flowers and added the numbers. The numbers are foam and she got these at the Dollar Store. We might need to get ours from a hobby store which would be more expensive or try to cut your own from stencils downloaded from a stencil site on your pc. She coloured the numbers and stuck them onto the wreath with glue dots and toothpicks. Have fun trying to make your own : D

Decorating for Year Round Holidays

My online friend Joann has given me permission to showcase some of the pictures she has sent me which show how she decorates her family room for Memorial through Labor Day. These are some lovely special touches with the red, blue and white colours and red stripes on white as well as white stars on blue. This same effect, which she incorporates into her Bears corner, brings harmony and warmth to the room while setting the pace and the place into holiday mood!








This White Christmas tree was bought as an after Christmas bargain and is being used as a Holiday Tree. It was already set with white lights and so red and blue lights were added to complete the holiday effect. Joann made all the beaded ornaments and added some store bought ones acquired from the sales after Christmas. That is a brilliant idea, don't you think?



Thanks Joann for letting me share these lovely pictures and wonderful ideas : ) God bless!

With God all things are possible Mark 10:27

As you may have, or maybe not, noticed I have not been doing anything with my blog for quite some time. No, I have not disappeared into cyberspace nor fallen off the edge of this planet! But I feel as if I am slowly melting away in this heat! I wish it would melt away my extra kilos (wishful thinking)!

There are several reasons why I am not on here as often as I'd like to, for one thing, I really like to choose the subjects of my posts and I have not had much inspiration lately, again I will blame that on a muddled brain due to this excessive heat. Another reason is that I do enjoy sitting more on our rooftop in the evenings enjoying the occasional breeze rather than sitting down at my pc and, I really can't imagine me sitting here much during the day either, I'd die! I have a fan at full blast at my back and I still don't feel like doing much. Whenever I'm on my pc at some time during the day, I find myself dozing off...can you imagine! My head just drops! No, no way, can't allow myself to do that so at least for the time being, I will just browse and if I do find something interesting I will be on here, not to worry!

Well, that gets me to the reason why I have actually come here...I have found a rather lovely image to share with you all.



Mert, who is an on-line friend of mine from my Craft Forum shared this beautiful presentation she made for her church ... it's a summer bulletin board she made using a Silhouette Cameo cutter. I loved the way she presented this lovely quote from the Bible (Mark 10:27) including the added butterflies and flowers. Well done Mert! You have done an excellent job!
Thanks Mert for giving me permission to share this on my blog : )

I'm sure by now you've figured out that we don't own an A/C.
And...I'm praying for some Northerly winds, for 'With God all things are possible!' I would even be praying for winter but I know that "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven" Ecclesiastes 3:1

I wonder how it is on your side of the world, my friends.
I'm off to take another shower! Stay cool and have a happy and safe summer : )

Blessings,
Doreen

Update: Since posting this last night, we have been having some rather pleasant and most welcome winds, it's lovely to feel a light breeze blowing or to feel a cool wind caressing your face, I do hope the lower temperatures will last for a while : ) Yes I do most certainly believe that 'With God all things are possible' and my prayer has been heard!

Happy Mother's Day!

May your day be happy,
filled with fun and laughter,
may you share cherished memories, and
make new ones to treasure ever after.




HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY
from
DOREEN

♥Make a Mother's Day Gift Basket ♥

I made a quick search for something different, yet simple and quick to make for Mother's Day and found this lovely idea. I hope it will inspire some of you : )

St.Joseph The Worker

Today we celebrate the feast of St.Joseph the Worker. St. Joseph has two feast days on the liturgical calendar. The first is March 19 ~Joseph, the Husband of Mary. The second is May 1~Joseph, the Worker.

We know very little about the life of Joseph and very little is written in Scripture about him but still, we know that he was the chaste husband of Mary, the foster father of Jesus, a carpenter and a man who was not wealthy. We also know that he came from the royal lineage of King David.

From his actions recorded in scripture we see that Joseph was a compassionate man, and obedient to the will of God. He also loved Mary and Jesus and wanted to protect and provide for them.

Being a carpenter he must have been patient, very creative as well as diligent. Can you imagine how St. Joseph must have worked from early morning till late at night in his carpenter shop repairing dinner couches, building tables and shelves for the people of Nazareth? He also taught his trade to Jesus who must have worked alongside him until the time He started His public life.

Because St. Joseph was a humble carpenter, he is regarded as the patron saint of workers everywhere. The feast of St. Joseph the Worker was established by Pope Pius XII in 1955 in order to Christianize the concept of labor and give to all workmen a model and a protector.

Pope Pius XII expressed the hope that this feast would accentuate the dignity of labor and would bring a spiritual dimension to labor unions.

Here is an interesting link to a site about the Feast of St. Joseph which includes prayers, recipes and other interesting information.

Pictures used in this post are from the above link.

Here's also a link to my other blog where you can read a prayer/poem to St.Joseph which I wrote in 2011.



The first of May is also May Day which is a traditional spring holiday in many cultures. There are many traditions associated with May Day among them is the dancing the maypole dance and crowning of the Queen of the May. In the Roman Catholic tradition, May is observed as Mary's month, and in these circles it is customary to have Mary crowned as The Queen of The May. I remember this Crowning as a special celebration at my school which is still celebrated to this day. Fading in popularity since the late 20th century is the giving of "May baskets," small baskets of sweets and/or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbours' doorsteps.

Easter Blessings

This lovely Printable is from One Dog Woof

May the glory
and the promise
of this joyous time of year
Bring peace
and happiness to you
and those you hold most dear.



May the Risen Christ bless you most abundantly.

Beaded Crosses for Easter

Here is what I have been busy with these past few days...I made these beaded Crosses for Easter to give to my family and friends. Thanks Cathy in Mt for the lovely beads you sent me recently. I also used some shimmering ribbon which my future Daughter-in-law had given me : )

I made these crosses using this pattern. However I altered the tops and tails as instead of the lanyard as a holder, I just made a knot in the ribbon to create a simple circle. The bottom I tied with one Uni knot similar to this method but again I adjusted this to suit my project according to the ribbon I used and added a small tassel to finish it off.





These are great tokens to give to friends, workmates, children in Catechism classes or even made for fund-raising.

In case anyone wants to try making these crosses, I started off with a length of about 90cm. of ribbon. To finish off the tassel tie an extra piece of ribbon, fold in two and tie to the 2 ends to create a tassel with 4 pieces. Maybe the instructions are not too clear but I finished these off in the best way according to how my work proceeded so maybe you will find another way to finish off yours. Have fun trying these out! God bless!

Roasted and Spiced Almonds *

I wanted to make a low fat, no cholesterol, sugar-free snack/appetizer with the bag of almonds I bought this week and found some healthy recipes on line which I adjusted since we are on a low sodium diet so here I am sharing my 'adjusted' recipe with you...

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350 °
  
• In a medium baking dish place 200 grms almonds spread evenly and bake for 8-10 minutes until almonds are toasted, stirring twice.
  
• Let cool.
• In a skillet over a medium to high heat, pour 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, coriander and cinnamon powders, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and a dash of salt (I put very little salt),
• Stir over high heat until well blended, then add the roasted almonds tossing to coat well. Stir for a few minutes. Take off heat. Let cool for a few minutes. Then scoop up the almonds and place on a tray lined with paper towels to absorb the extra oil. Pat the almonds, replacing the towels if necessary.
  
• Place in a bowl and when totally cool, store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

You could, if you like, prepare the almonds by coating in the combined spice mixture and olive oil and bake directly in the oven for about 10-12 minutes but I prefer to pre-roast the almonds and then toss them over into the skillet as I think this gives them a better cooking time and a richer flavour and lovely crunch!

* 1 Tablespoon serving (about 15 almonds) contains about 80 calories.

So if you're nuts about nuts and want to make sure you are getting your "handful" this is one way to do it! It is recommended that we eat up to 1.5 ounces of nuts daily or one and a half times a "handful" unless, of course, you are allergic to nuts!

This is also a lovely Easter treat especially for adults while the kids are enjoying their Easter Hunt!

Enjoy!

♥ LENT ♥

Yesterday Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of the season of Lent. It is a time of reflection, prayer and sacrifice...it is a time for change. But change comes at a cost and that is what we pay when we try to change our old ways and try to make ourselves better persons. In doing so we are changing the world.

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
― Leo Tolstoy

Our life today can be very busy and pressured with all the duties and commitments we have to face daily. This is a time when families and communities can try to make time for each other. By taking a little time out for prayer and communication, we reconnect with God and with God's creation.
Rather than just giving up chocolate, we can use the money saved on candy and sweets to buy a box of chocolates to give to a needy family at Easter. We can put that box, or buy some groceries with that money, to donate to the community hampers that parishes give out during special seasonal celebrations as a sign of solidarity to needy families.

How about thinking of doing one act of generosity or kindness every day? It does not need to be anything that takes up too much of our time or even cost anything. Here are a few ideas...

• Say something nice about someone behind their back.

• Give someone a compliment or word of encouragement/praise when they least expect it.

• Have an early spring clean (one closet, cupboard or drawer at a time) and donate some items to a charity shop, animal shelter, parish bazaar...you might even find something that you borrowed, now is a good time to return it!

• Think or write a list of things you would like to say sorry for and work on a reconciliation...it could be an overdue 'sorry'!

• Give up your place in a queue to someone else.

• Offer to babysit for someone who needs that time for errands or even to go to the hairdresser.

• Visit or call someone who is housebound.

While we are cleaning up, taking stock of our lives, thinking of others, we can also consider this as a period of a personal spiritual 'cleansing' as we prepare for Easter.
If we are a little more creative by putting some more thought into how we are sacrificing and reaching out to others, it can make our Lent more meaningful.

The Greatest Love of all ~ A Valentine from God!

I've been looking for this tag/bookmark in my files all day
and have finally found it. I did not design it myself but it was sent
to me by a friend and I've had it in my files for years.
Enjoy!

Last year I also posted a similar bookmark,
click here to see it.

♥

♥ Happy St.Valentine's Day ♥

Picture from shared files/my Archives

I will not go into the history of how Valentine's Day evolved, I'm sure you can get all the details by doing a search but I will share with you one particular legend which happens to be my favourite.

There was one particular Valentine who was imprisoned and who actually sent the first "valentine" greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl, possibly the jailor's daughter, who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, he wrote her a letter signed "From your Valentine," an expression that is still in use today.

Although the truth behind the 'Valentine' legends is quite confusing, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and, most importantly, romantic figure. And so we have Valentine's Day, a particular day in which we send cards to our beloved and dear ones.

Unfortunately, the day is too commercialised as are other feasts which causes unnecessary pressure. My motto is to show your loved ones that you love them every day by making every day special, by making every day count, by appreciating each other more.

To end I would also like to share some quotes I found today...

We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.
Lucretius

A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.
Ingrid Bergman

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.
Charles M. Schulz

Mmmmm, I love the last one ☺

♥♥♥HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!♥♥♥

Making a 3D Decoupage card ~ Part 2

Preparing your card

Prepare your card by cutting out a 26 x 19cm piece of cardstock...choose a colour that will go well with your chosen 3D picture. Fold carefully down the middle of your card and score the fold to create the basic card on which you will build your 3D picture.

Assembling your picture

Once you have all the pieces of your selected design cut out (see Part 1), you can start by gluing the largest (full picture) design to the front of your prepared card.

Now you can build up each layer by taking the next design, seeing where it has to be placed and adding your pre-cut (or cut your own) double sided adhesive foam pads (square or circles), glue dots or silicone glue to stick the layers in place. I get mine from the hardware store or the Lira (Pound) stores.

The double sided tape in the example above refers to double sided foam tape.

Do not place the form pads too close to the edge of the picture. Peel off the paper from each pad and place your next picture carefully in place.

You will notice that each consecutive cut-out has part of the previous picture missing and the more pieces you add, the smaller they are – this is of course how the 3D effect is achieved. Keep layering your design until you have assembled the complete project.

Finishing Touches

You can achieve a more rounded and natural effect, for example when making petals, by curling the edges of the top layer (using a shaping tool, the back of your scissors or your fingers) before assembling your project. Wherever you notice white edges, you can cover these by rubbing the edge with a pencil, this way you will achieve a grey outline effect which will eliminate the harshness of the white edges. You could also varnish the finished project with a matt or glossy decoupage finish (you can buy this from a hobby store). This is ideal if you are framing the design. Some papers already have a glossy finish.

Here is the finished card, I'm afraid I had taken this some time ago and my camera was not what I use now so it is not very clear but it gives you an idea. I also used silver cerne relief (outliner) to outline the picture and create a framed effect.

~ I hope you will enjoy making a 3D card soon ~

Sorry for the font size and mix in fonts, don't know what went wrong but it did not look like this when I got the post ready for posting!!!