Candy Cane Dip

Those who know me know I am an avid Pinterest follower, so… when asked to make 70 gifts for the Sunday school teachers this year that was my first stop. 

I came across a Pin for Candy cane dip that looked amazing. Only problem, we live in NZ and the Marshmallow cream is very difficult to buy and very expensive so…. I figured out how to make my own.

So here is my recipe ;

Candy cane dip

• 2 Packet (500g) Cream cheese
• 3 egg whites
• 500g Light corn syrup/liquid glucose
• 2 cups of Icing sugar (sifted)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 12 crushed candy canes

Beat cream cheese until soft.

Marshmallow Cream

Gently warm the corn syrup so it is easy to pour but not too hot.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until starting to foam add corn syrup, and salt.

Using your electric mixer on high speed, mix for approximately 5 minutes or until the mixture is thick and volume has almost doubled.

Reduce your mixer to low speed, add icing sugar and mix until well blended. Add vanilla extract.

Take a couple of large tablespoons of your marshmallow and add to the cream cheese. Gently fold through adding more marshmallow as you go.

Be careful to fold the mix not to stir it as you will loose volume in your marshmallow.

At the end add your crushed candy canes and fold through.

I have some large piping bags that I put my mix into and then piped it into my jars, much easier than trying to spoon it in.

You will need to store in fridge as the cream cheese needs to be chilled.

Hope you enjoy

Louise

Advent Calendars

For those that follow my blog this is an article I wrote for our church Christmas magazine that I thought would be good to post here so everyone can easily access the links.

Well my friends it is Christmas time again. I like a lot of you, have a love hate relationship with Christmas. I love that it is a time to remember the birth of our Saviour, but I have an extreme dislike for the commercialism that comes with it.

When I was asked to do a craft for the Portal I wanted to do something that would help refocus us as families (with or without little ones).

These advent calendars are super easy to create and can be used year after year.

I have created a quick mini envelope calendar. You can create your own mini envelopes like I have here out of velum, or you could just buy some small gift cards with envelopes and use them. I stamped numbers on the front but you could just write them or print numbers on your home printer then cut and stick to the front of the envelope, grab some string and some mini pegs and your all done.

The next one is done with match boxes. I just wrapped them with brown paper and I added some washi tape (decorative tape) I wanted a simple look. You could use Christmas paper if you wanted it more colourful. I glued on some numbers and attached the boxes to some frayed fabric. I hot glued some Velcro dots to the fabric so I can remove the boxes for easy storage. I made a pocket on the top for some dowel to go through using some iron on hemming tape, so no sewing!

 

The notes I put in my calendars are ones that will help you reflect on this past year and focus on Birth of Christ, I also wanted this year to be super simple. I love doing crafts and looking at lights, the list goes on, but for me if I pull it out of the advent calendar and can’t do it that day, I feel like I’ve failed, so this year it is purely a reflective calendar.

Here are some suggestions for what you could put on your cards if you wanted an activity advent.

1. Act out the Nativity & read the Christmas story
2. Make homemade hot chocolate
3. Christmas movies & popcorn
4. Make & decorate sugar cookies
5. Go Christmas shopping as a family
6. Drive to see Christmas lights
7. Go ice skating
8. Have snowman pancakes for dinner!
9. Make paper snowflakes & hang in windows
10. Write letters to family
11. Deliver treats to neighbours & friends
12. Make & decorate gingerbread houses
13. Invite friends over for a Christmas sing-a-long!
14. Baking Day!
15. Spot the Nativity (How many Nativity scenes can you spot today)
16. Deliver treats to local fire stations
17. Go to Jesus Birthday Party
18.  Go for a Summer walk
19.  Stuff & stamp Christmas cards
20.  Gather friends to go Christmas carolling at a local nursing home
21. Make Christmas crafts
22. Make a sandman (I’ve adapted this from a US web site J
23. Family Game Night!
24. Make snowman soup! Hot choc with snowman kisses(mini marshmallows) stirred with a candy cane
25. Secret Santa night
26. Attend Christmas concert, play, or performance
27. Decorate Christmas tree
28. Go to library and check out Christmas books
29. Attend Christmas party
30. Make handmade ornaments

Here are a couple of web sites where you can download the cards for your advent calendars. There are lots of others around too just ask the google!

http://playfullearning.net/wp-content/uploads/Family-Reflections-Advent.pdf

http://simplykierste.com/2014/11/25-days-of-family-christmas-activities.html

http://www.1dogwoof.com/2012/11/scripture-advent-calendar.html#_a5y_p=1040244

http://idealistmom.com/2013/11/advent-calendar/

Have a wonderful Christmas

God Bless

Louise

Perfect Blend

Perfect blend and Perfect pennants are the perfect blend!  Sorry couldn't resist.

I've pared these stamp sets with the Beautifully Baroque embossing folder, after embossing I have gently brushed a sponge over to add some color and make the image pop.

There is something therapeutic about sitting in front of tv coloring and cutting the coffee cup.

Add a little colour around the edged and some ribbon and your done.

Happy Stampin'

The Retirement list is out!!

Louise Hopman
09-537-1555 or 027-589-8662
louhopman@xtra.co.nz
Visit My Site

Hundreds of stamps and accessories from the 2012–2013 catalogues are retiring, and this is your chance to get them before they’re gone. Many products are only available while supplies last, so be sure to get your orders in early! Some items have amazing discounts! Visit My site for details

You can now order direct from my Stampin’ Up! web  site, www.louhopman.stampinup.net.

Happy Crafting

Louise

Sale-A-Bration

Every year at this time Stampin’ Up! has their annual sale. It is time to earn yourself some free products.

There is just a few days left to order from the Holiday Catalogue so get in quick. This also means only a few days left until the new Seasonal Catalogue goes live, lots of new toys coming.

Christmas

Hi all I’m finally back and up and running, well sort of not that fussed on running so doing a bit of walking instead.

Time to get some Christmas projects done, so I’m going to run a couple of Christmas classes.

First up is this cute wee tote. I will try and fill it with some fudge or hot chocolate mix and take some more photos. It is easy to make but you will need your cutter, mat and craft knife.

 

Next is a Christmas Stamp a stack, I love this technique, very easy, I love the way it looks with the stamps crossing over all the layers. We will make this card and one other.

With Stamp a stack you make 10 cards 5 each of 2 designs. $25 or $30 if you want envelopes too.

I also have a few free dates for those Christmas workshops, heaps of time to get crafting for Christmas or to buy those gifts for your crafting friends and family, or just put something under the tree for yourself!

I also do gift cards for those who just don’t know what to buy.

Class Dates

Stamp a stack Tue 20th Nov 7pm $25 or $30 with envelopes

Christmas tote Mon 26th Nov 7pm $25

Please contact me ASAP if you are keen, I am also able to do other dates to suit you and your friends just give me a call or email and I will sort a date to suit.

Happy Crafting

Louise

Sale-a-bration is here!

 

How many free stamps can you get this year?? Click HERE to see this years Sale-a-bration catalogue.

During Sale-A-Bration Stampin’ Up!’s most anticipated annual event- you can earn FREE products in three different ways!

SPEND

Earn a free product for every $120 purchase!

Host a Party

Get free exclusive products with a qualifying workshop!

During this Sale-a-bration I am not holding workshops but you can still qualify by getting your friends together to place a qualifying order. Call me to find out more.

 

Join

Take advantage of the $289 Starter kit special!

Get a free stamp set of your choice!

Have it all when you join Stampin’ Up!
Wouldn't you love to make money while stamping? How about the convenience of setting your own hours? Or supplementing your income with a successful home business? With Stampin' Up!, being a demonstrator means you'll enjoy all of this and more. Whether you want to earn additional household income, create a full- or part-time career, or simply get a discount on your stamping supplies, being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator can help you achieve your goals.

Plus, when you join during Sale-A-Bration, you’ll get a FREE stamp set of your choice!

Ok now onto a wee project I have made with my new Sale-a-bration papers.

I have made this Stepper box before but it is very cool and quick to do, and is a great way to show off some of these papers.

I have used the lovely Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Papers, they are lovely, you cant really see in these photos but the edges of the 12 x 12 sheets are distressed really well, check out the papers using the link above.

The brads and Calypso Coral ribbon come together in a pack with some Lucky Limeade ribbon too. It is a great pack and it is yours free, if you choose it, with every $120 order. The other ribbon I have used is the

To qualify for these great free products you can purchase from the 2011/2012 Idea Book and Catalogue or from the Summer Mini catalogue before the 31st March 2012.

If you need any more information or would like to place an order please email or ring me.

Happy Stampin

Louise

Open House–New Catalogue Launch

 

This Friday 23rd September, 7pm - 10pm

The New 2011/2012 Idea Book and Catalogue
is finally here so I have decided to do a Launch Party

There will be Make & Takes, every order placed on the day goes in the draw for a fabulous prize, every workshop booked gets an extra entry and I will have some of my retired sets for sale.

Cost $15 (includes a copy of the new catalogue)
Please R.S.V.P. ASAP

Looking forward to seeing those who can make it. If you are busy and would like to book a workshop I will also give you an entry into the prize draw. Just email me today.

Happy Crafting

Louise

School Art Auction Project

I just had to show you all what I have been working on this week. This has been fun to make, all be it a bit fiddly and time consuming.

We have a school art auction on Monday night and this is my contribution, although I am a little/a lot reluctant to hand it over. Might end up buying it back!

It is an Accordion mock book. All hand made with the just retired Love letters papers. Will try and make another in the next few weeks with some of our lovely new papers.

I have created this with a mixture of Whisper white, Very vanilla, Cherry Cobbler & Riding hood Red. I have sponged with Chocolate chip, Sahara sand & Cherry Cobbler.

The Lovely butterflies on the front have been cut with the Beautiful Butterflies Die on the Big Shot (Love my Big Shot!). I then embossed them with the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions embossing folder, and sponged the edges with Cherry cobbler ink. The large butterfly and the small one are cut out of the Lovely letters Papers.

This is the inside. I love the little rolled roses, the big one has a little pearl inside. I gathered the Victoria Crochet trim to put around my quote. I had a couple of butterfly halves left after I cut my big butterflies for the front, so, I thought I would use them on the inside. I used my new Scallop Trim border as a  frame, then added some bling to the corners.

I love these Beautiful wings embosslits folders, they cut and emboss at the same time!

I used my left over butterfly halves to add some interest to the sides.

These rolled roses are made from just screwing up a variety of circles and just layering them.

I thought I needed to add some interest to the corners of my frame, and I needed to disguise the corner a little. So I added some Rhinestones in decreasing sizes to them.

Well that is todays project I hope you enjoyed seeing it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Happy Crafting

Louise