Wednesday 6 July 2016

WOYWW 370

I haven’t had much studio time lately, being very busy with other things, but I have managed to open up my new Infusions paints and start playing with them, using a masking technique that I’ve used with Dylusions spray inks in the past, which produces some lovely backgrounds as well as some useful flower pieces. You can see more details here.

Here’s my desk today.

WOYWW 370 6-7-16

On the left you can see the flower background I created, and underneath it is the leaf background. I am currently working on embossing the leaf shapes, and you can see the flowers that I’ve already done, in the black plastic pot at the back. Beside that are the sheets of card from which I die-cut the flower and leaf shapes, and I am planning to use these pieces as stencils or in other projects in some way. To the right of these you can see the new transparent 3-D gel mediums I bought last week, which I haven’t yet opened – these will have all sorts of uses, and I am looking forward to experimenting with them in combination with the Infusions paints, which you can see in their little bottles on the right of the desk. In front of those is the Heartfelt Creations stamp and die set which I used to make the flowers and leaves for this current project, together with my heat gun. This is a brand new heat gun – my other one recently gave up the ghost, and as it appeared to be completely impossible to open up, I was unable to see what was wrong, so it couldn’t be fixed. Oh well, I’ve had it a good few years.

Moving On After Cancer

Yesterday we had the penultimate session of this excellent course, this time dealing with two topics: “Thinking, Feeling and Doing,” and “Body Image and Self-Esteem.” You can read full details by clicking on the page tag for Session 4 at the top of my blog. It was a fascinating insight into exactly what “thoughts” are, and how powerful they are in influencing our emotions, and in consequence, our actions. Most of the time we don’t even think about thinking – we just do it – and understanding exactly what’s going on in this three-sided interaction, we can begin to take control of our lives in a way I’d never really thought about.

Again, I took in some nice home baked goodies for us to snack on in our tea break, and as usual they went down very well – particularly the new coconut macaroons I made, filled with chocolate ganache – this was a sort of hybrid recipe I devised from 3 existing ones, one of which was from my new “Bake Off Crème de la Crème” book. Though I say it myself, these were truly delicious and I’m not surprised they elicited expressions (both facial and verbal) of supreme enjoyment on everybody’s faces!!! I also made lemon drizzle cake, that I’d never made before, and it was a roaring success too. It’s a good thing I prepared for all this by having a very late breakfast and no lunch, or my diet would be truly up the spout. I also took in some of the almond slices I made last week, and a new batch of chocolate chip cookies (a recipe I’ve made many times and could practically do it in my sleep now).

Almond slices:

Almond Slices 27-6-16

Lemon drizzle cake:

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Coconut macaroons filled with chocolate ganache, and chocolate chip cookies:

Coconut Macaroons and Choc Chip Cookies

A selection:

Baking Selection

Is your mouth watering yet?

The adjustable baking frame that I bought recently on Ebay is proving very useful and is very easy to use, and enables me to make perfectly shaped squares and rectangles with nice straight sides. It has a removable divider.

Adjustable Baking Frame June 16

The only problem with it is that it is very difficult to clean because it keeps opening up into a huge square and it’s all pretty flexible, and it’s a bit like wrestling with an octopus. (Not that I’ve ever attempted such a thing, of course.)

One of the ladies on the course is a neighbour of mine, and we are starting to get on very well together. She’s a great expert on the bus service in Torquay, and we travelled back together via B&Q where we made a quick visit. For some reason the route to the Lodge at the hospital (where our course is taking place) is relatively simple, with one bus change, but the return journey is different, and it either necessitates two changes, or a long round-trip incorporating the centre of town! No doubt I shall get the hang of it eventually! Not having got out and about much at all on my own since we moved here, finding where all the shops are in town is a new adventure for me, and it’s interesting seeing how the different bits of town all connect with each other. When you’re being driven, you don’t really think about it, and I’m ashamed to say that I really don’t yet know my way around, even after living here for 2 1/2 years!

Have a great week, everybody, with lots of creative time. Happy WOYWW!

16 comments:

  1. Hi Shoshi, my those looks delicious. And how very clever is that baking frame. What a brilliant idea. Good that your course has been so helpful. Nice as well to see you finding a little time for some crafting, I've read a lot of good things about those Infusions. Have a lovely week my friend, love & hugs to you both, xxx Shaz

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  2. Your goodies do look very delicious! I hope you get the bus system figured out. I've never seen an adjustable baking frame, loved your analogy of cleaning it! Hope you have a great week!
    Carol N #26

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  3. The baking frame sounds like a good idea - I've never seen anything like this before! And to answer your question - yes my mouth is watering - for the second time today!

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  4. Shoshi, those treats look amazing! I can almost smell and taste them from here! I haven't commented on your blog in awhile, but am ever watchful from time to time. It sounds like you really have a handle on recovering from your illness (I don't like to give it a name!). You are such a positive reinforcement to those of us on the blog world, so i know you must be to those around you where you live as well! Love, love those Infusions and what they do! I am so jelly and I just have to get some of them! Thanks for sharing they technique with the flowers as well,they are gorgeous! Many blessings to you! Felicia #36

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  5. Your baking looks absolutely wonderful. It's the wrong time to read your post as I really want something sweet and there is nothing in the house! Lots of salty snacks but no sweets. Grrr. I'm glad you got some of your crafting mojo back!

    It's good to have your neighbour to go about with too. I'm glad you're working your way around the buses.

    Have a great week
    Sharon K #27

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  6. I'm so pleased to see you back in the studio and crafting again Shoshi - hope you've had fun just playing. And if you lived nearer and came to the WOYWW crops, I'd have to rope you in as Cake-Maker-in-Chief! They look delicious, I'm not surprised everyone enjoyed them so much! That dividing tin looks handy but I'm not buying any more kitchen paraphernalia, I've got too much already :-D
    Hugs, LLJ xxx

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  7. As always I love your desk. I love your treats. Don't feel bad I have lived in my home for three years and still don't know this area. Our neighbor will mention streets and I am like "Where is that?" It will be the street behind me. :)

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    1. Thank you, Aiyana! Lol at your comment about not knowing the area - I'm just as bad! I am hoping to learn more now I'm getting out and about on the buses.

      Shoshi

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  8. You've got me feeling thoroughly hungry now! I love the idea of those macaroons - I've always thought them tricky to make, rather like eclairs, so I've never attempted them, but I'm a dab hand at lemon drizzle cake! It all sounds delicious!
    You're certainly busy with the flowers and leaves - do you emboss them with the paper dry or damp, as I've not had much luck trying to shape them.
    I am so glad you are getting something from the course you are on - it sounds very supportive and useful, and I'm also sure that with your strength and positivity you are a wonderful inspiration to others who might not be coping so well.

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  9. Can't get over the fact that you made all those gorgeous looking cakes - and I bet they tasted as good as they look. Can imagine they were soon eaten up. I used to have one of those cake tins, really handy, especially when baking a wedding cake (providing it was square).
    Love the flowers you made and now I am eager to see them being used on a card or something. Those flowers and the Infusions are well worth waiting for.
    Hugs, Neet 2 xx

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  10. Hi Shoshi, you are naughty for tempting us with that lovely food Lol! Nice new heat gun, lovely. Have a great belated woyww, Angela x 16

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  11. I was almost salivating over those treats! yes our thought play a HUGE role in being happy each day. Will go and look at your post on the link.
    Have a happy day/weekend!
    Judy

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  12. Shoshi! STOP posting pictures of your scrumptious biscuits! They look soooo delicious.
    Thanks for sharing you play with the infusions, I haven't indulged as yet.
    Take care and have a good week
    Christine
    aka Bishopsmate #21

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  13. I'm running late but at least I got to read about your bin this way!
    Have a great day!
    Diane #24

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  14. now that you've made me drool! LOL If I were not striving to drop some pounds, I'd be mixing up cookie dough while the chicken is in the oven, just to utilize the preheated oven. I have no doubt, you'll get the hang of the bus line and be enjoying the adventure in the process. Creative Blessings & Hugs! Kel

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  15. Happy very belated WOYWW. I have been struggling with both my health and having lots to do with my Tarot business, so not done a WOYWW post for a couple of weeks now, but have finally started making handmade books so will be posting this week to show my progress. Was watching Create & Craft today and tempted by the new Silhouette Curio machine, but reading reviews and saw the Silver Bullet mentioned, which seems to be the replacement for your Cougar? They are a lot more expensive, but seem to have the capability that I want - cutting/embossing/sketching/etching etc. What have you done with your machine and are they worth the extra cost? Lovely to see that you are so busy (and got a new bin!). Your baking is amazing. Hungry now! Ali x

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