Talk Like A Pirate Day

We celebrated Talk Like A Pirate Day on Thursday and Friday this week, as the flu is making the rounds at our house and so Lucas was in much better spirits on Friday. We didn't get to do some of the activities I had planned, but we still had a fun couple of days.

First up was a Pirate Breakfast- Lucas didn't eat much of his due to feeling sick though.



The rest of Thursday's activities didn't happen- I had planned a Treasure Hunt with gold coins but Lucas was in full on man-flu mode!

Friday was slightly better, and so we decided to do a special Pirate Dinner. When my husband got home, we dressed up in pirate gear and played a game while dinner was in the oven.



I had this super cute Canvas Party Game from Stuck On You that was perfect for Talk Like A Pirate celebrations!



The canvas game comes with some parrots that you have to stick on the pirate's shoulder, and the game can be played over and over again. It is also customisable so you can put any sentence or name on the top of the game. We used a dress up pirate blindfold and away we went.



Lucas got the hang of the game quite quickly- we had two parrots each and had to spin around before placing them on the canvas.



It was very close- but the general consensus was that my husband won the game with his orange parrot!



Even Adam got into the Pirate spirit- he makes a cute Captain.



We settled down to eat homemade fish and chips and watch a great Pirate Movie- Peter Pan.



Did you do anything fun for Talk Like A Pirate Day?

Baby Bear

I have found a couple of new blogs for challenges, and I am having so much fun thinking of ways to incorporate two or three challenges together in the little spare time I have.

My good friend and I had our first babies together an hour apart on the same day- and they are quite the couple! It has created such a string bond between us and our children. She has now had her second baby and I can't wait to meet him once my two boys have gotten over the flu.

A special friend ( and a special baby!) needed a special card. As usual, I turned to the web to see how I could be inspired.

One of my new favourites is Dynamic Duos. This week their colours were perfect for a baby card!

I am also playing along with another new find, Mojo Monday, and their sketch.

 

 

Lastly, I am linking up to An Inky Situation. How could I resist that teddy bear?

 

 

Here is my card based on the three challenges.

 

This was my first time doing punch art, and I can't decide if the teddy bear looks cute or slightly creepy! It was also my first try at using alphabet stamps.

 

Supplies used:

Close To My Heart: Laughing Lola Assortment, Urban Alphabet stamp set.

Creative Memories: Circle Maker, Mini Circle Maker, Mini Heart Maker, Corner Rounder, Butter cardstock, Primary Paper Ribbon, Black Fine Tip Pen, Black cardstock, Espresso cardstock, Discover Baby Boy Photo Mats.

Making Memories: Pastel Mini Brads.

Stampin' Up: So Saffron marker, Pistachio Pudding ink, Pistachio Pudding cardstock, Itty Bitty punch pack, Soft Suede cardstock, Polka Dots embossing folder, Adorning Accents Edgelits.

 

 

True Friend Notecard

Today is just a quick post to show you a fun note card I made for a friend who has done a lot for me lately.

I usually take inspiration from challenges to make my projects, and this one was no exception. I am playing along at CASology, where the theme is:

I looked through my stash and came across some cute chevron arrow stamps that I haven't opened yet, as well as a sentiment stamp I have never used. The white stitching rub-on is from a pack I have had floating around for at least two years. I went the whole hog and used an unopen inkpad and cardstock pack as well! This way, I can also link up to Use It Tuesday's theme of Friendship. I am not really a pink person, so using pink card and ink was a challenge in itself but at least I have managed to use them for the first time.

Please forgive any smudges- it was also my first time using clear stamps and blocks, and I had a few issues. I think I am converted though, it was so much easier to get the arrows lined up straight using a clear stamp.



Supplies used:
Close To My Heart: Reel Life stamp set
Creative Memories: Mini Circle Maker, Foam Squares.
Stampin' Up: Primrose Petals cardstock, Raspberry Ripple ink, Loop To Loop rub-ons, Punch Bunch stamp set.

Giveaway Winner

The winner of the $50 Westfield Gift card has been drawn.

The winner is:

a Rafflecopter giveaway Congratulations Amy! I will be in touch via email to arrange your prize.

Woodgrain Wishes

It has been a while since I participated in a Merry Monday challenge, but this week I am back and ready to get my Christmas on!

I love my woodgrain embossing folder, so I pulled it out as well as some neglected Christmas embellishments, and went to work.



Very simple- and it first glance it doesn't look too festive, but the sentiment and bird are both from Christmas collections so I think it still counts as a Christmas card!

I inked the sentiment in three different colours to create a gradient effect on the writing, and the bird and frame are popped up on dimensionals.

I am also entering this into the Just Add Ink Frames challenge.

Supplies used:
Creative Memories: White cardstock, Noel Paper Embellishments, Shape Maker System, Square Punch Cartridge, Foam Squares.
Stampin' Up: Always artichoke cardstock and ink, Soft Suede cardstock and ink, Gumball Green ink, Woodgrain embossing folder, Many Merry Messages stamp set.

Purple Birthday Wishes

A lovely lady had her birthday on Wednesday, and so the usual homemade birthday card was a given! I know she likes flowers and the colour purple, so I incorporated these three challenges into my card.

Case Study: I was really drawn to the purple flower and the striped background.

Seize The Birthday: An anything goes birthday challenge with an optional "topping" of monochromatic- I chose purple.

Just Add Ink: Frames Challenge.

Here is what I created using the above challenges:



Supplies used:
Creative Memories: White cardstock, Lilac cardstock.
Stampin' Up: Elegant Eggplant cardstock and ink, Wisteria Wonder ink, Reason To Smile stamp set, Itty Bitty Banners stamp set, Rhinestone Basic Jewels, Stripes embossing folder.

Kid Friendly Lamb Biryani

Eating food from different cultures is a great learning experience, but sometimes the spices can be a bit intense for 3 and 1 year old palettes. We all enjoy spicy food in this family, but Indian flavours were something that the boys generally tended to dislike. I changed up my favourite Lamb Biryani recipe to make it more kid friendly. It is a great one pot meal with minimal prep time, perfect for a busy family!



Kid Friendly Lamb Biryani (adapted from this recipe)

500 grams lamb mince
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, cut into thin slices
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, preferably basmati
2 3/4 cups water
1/3 cup raisins
1 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup sliced almonds (optional- I only put these on the adult portions)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
fresh coriander, to garnish

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and rice. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. 

Add the lamb to the pan. Stir in the water, peas and raisins. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the rice and lamb are almost done, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, until the rice and lamb are just done, about 5 minutes. Stir in the almonds if desired, and serve with yogurt and fresh coriander.

Linking up with Kitchen Fun and Crafty Friday!