tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23647005298014447262024-03-14T02:13:16.580-07:00The Pasture TimesA blog about a love of London, crafts, cooking and tea.Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.comBlogger141125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-38268895999615252992014-04-09T12:47:00.002-07:002014-04-09T12:47:23.907-07:00Moving again...It seems like only last week I moved to Somerset... where it has actually been 2 years! I am moving again, and this time I have bought my own property, a three bedroom fixer-upper. So I will now be creating a new blog documenting my progress in turning a house into a home. So please check out my <a href="http://thehome-madehome.blogspot.co.uk/">new blog</a>... there will be some up-cycling, crafting and DIY. <br />
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<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-45980052744285564252013-08-25T09:16:00.000-07:002013-08-26T08:27:41.030-07:00A vintage skirt<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EtEoK0gDpkk/UhotM-FQvpI/AAAAAAAACeU/_NbIgq0611I/s1600/2013_0826August0097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EtEoK0gDpkk/UhotM-FQvpI/AAAAAAAACeU/_NbIgq0611I/s320/2013_0826August0097.JPG" width="240" /></a>On Friday I popped into town and went to a vintage shop. Whilst browsing, and I was only going to browse, I found some fabric (1.30mx1.35m for £6). Well, that was a bargain I couldn't refuse... so I brought it without having a project in mind. When I got home and saw just how much fabric I had, I decided to make a skirt. I got the basic pattern from Sew Serendipty book (which my lovely parents got me for my birthday) and then used my dress making knowledge to make it.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ljx3rNh15q8/UhotTMG1JSI/AAAAAAAACec/5ls7xdbMfko/s1600/2013_0826August0099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ljx3rNh15q8/UhotTMG1JSI/AAAAAAAACec/5ls7xdbMfko/s320/2013_0826August0099.JPG" width="320" /></a>I lined the skirt, did french seams, hemmed it, made belt loops and put in a zip. Yes, I spent the whole of yesterday creating it (I finally finished it at 11pm), but for just over £9 I think it was worth it. I was actually impressed at how much I remembered from my dress making course, its like making a LEGO model, you have to follow it step by step but eventually you don't need the instructions anymore and it is just done by intuition. <br />
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Anyway, here it is...<br />
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<b><span style="color: purple;">Cxxx</span></b>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-28171750919905424802013-08-06T02:28:00.003-07:002013-08-06T02:28:50.725-07:002 years of bloggingI know I havn't been blogging much lately, which is really bad of me! I can't even use the excuse that I have been working hard because I am in the middle of an 8 week school holiday (lucky, lucky me!).<br />
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Recently one of my friends has had a baby and so I had the exciting task of creating a baby quilt for her. The best bit was choosing the fabric, how cute is baby fabric these days? I made a raggy quilt which I have never done, and actually didn't like the look of them. But, after making one I am in love with them and wish I had one!<br />
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<span style="color: purple;">Cxxx</span>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-21791362135480171432013-06-01T14:15:00.002-07:002013-06-01T14:15:37.647-07:00Yet another Winnie the Pooh embroidery I know that I have made three already, but I love doing them. My next one shall be a big picture, so for now here is my latest. This is pretty much the story of my life, I am endlessly getting lost, but I just keep on driving anyway. <br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><b>Cxxx</b></span>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-8396990378221739322013-06-01T11:49:00.001-07:002013-06-01T11:49:16.523-07:00Barrington CourtSadly half term is over, but here are two pictures which I took today which I am quite chuffed by. Today I went to Barrington Court (another national trust property) and spent the day taking photos, my aim is to take a better photo than my dad could ever take, but as he has been published in The Times for his photography I doubt this will ever happen...<br />
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<b><span style="color: purple;">Cxxx</span></b><br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-37498275143970005702013-05-29T07:14:00.000-07:002013-05-29T07:16:46.173-07:00After six weeks of dressmaking...After a six week dressmaking course I have finished my dress. The day after the course I went to work in it and was really chuffed when staff and students told me how nice it was and asked me where I got it! The look on the kids faces when I told them I made it was priceless. Unlike most pieces of clothing I make, I think I will actually wear this on a regular basis. So here are the pictures of my new dress on my manikin, one by itself and one styled up.<br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Cxxx</b></span></span>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-60876697500691712072013-05-28T13:13:00.000-07:002013-05-29T07:16:54.711-07:00Bring me... my glasses. I need a new glasses case. I made one a few years ago and to be honest it is just a bit too girly for me now. So after watching my Morecambe and Wise boxset I drew inspiration from my comedy heroes (I would put my dad in the comedy hero bracket, but as he stole all his jokes from Morecambe and Wise I don't think I can!). So here is my glasses case:<br />
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<li>First embroider your fabric with what you want. I wrote 'glasses' on one side and stitched Morecambe's glasses on the other side. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li>Now, cut the fabric into your required size, mine ended up being 5"x8". Cut out 2 pieces of inside fabric the same size in a similar colour and some wadding. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li>Now it is time to start stitching. Piece the inner fabric and wadding together, right sides facing out and stitch four lines down them to keep the wadding in place. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li>With right sides together of the inner fabric, line them up and stitch round three sides leaving one open so you can turn it out.Turn it out. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li>Line up the outer fabric and with right sides together again, sew round the same three sides. </li>
<li>Cut away excess fabric (I lost about an inch) and carefully place the inner fabric inside the outer fabric so you have a rough glasses case.<br />
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<li>Fold over the top of the outer fabric so you have a clean seam and hand stitch it to the inner fabrics. </li>
<li>Finally add a popper (or your glasses will fall out)!</li>
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Cxxx</b></span></span></div>
Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-33719366892707830282013-05-12T07:10:00.001-07:002013-05-29T07:16:35.790-07:00Winnie the PoohI love Winnie the Pooh. I grew up a stones throw (or a pooh stick!) away from the Ashdown Forrest - where Winnie the Pooh was set. My childhood was spent on the forest looking for heffalump and woozle tracks, playing Pooh sticks and having picnics near the enchanted place.Anyway, I have decided to create lots of Winnie the Pooh embroidery so I can decorate one wall in my apartment with them. Here is my latest, I especially love it as it also reflects my dyslexia!<br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Cxxx</b></span></span>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-74908865949643763862013-05-12T06:50:00.000-07:002013-05-29T07:17:04.621-07:00Stitching along...So my dress making course is coming along really well. I have cut out the pattern, stitched the main elements together, made darts, learnt how to make french seams and put my sleeves in. All I have to do now is put in the consealed zip, make the alterations and hem it. So I thought I would put up a picture of my progress up on my blog. It was especially exciting this week (as it was my birthday) I received in the post a dress makers manakin. Here is my dress (pinned into place as the back is still not sewn together).<br />
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And here are some pictures of the details:<br />
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Only a few more weeks and it will be finished! Now I have a manikin I am onto thinking about what I will make next...<br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Cxxx</b></span></span>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-7095692892650702752013-04-12T09:42:00.000-07:002013-05-29T07:17:19.374-07:00Raspberry Marshmallows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I decided to play with my KitchenAid, one of the reasons I brought it was so I could make things like Italian meringues and Marshmallows. Today I made <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/raspberrymarshmallow_86118">raspberry marshmallows</a>. The only alteration I made to the recipe was to swirl in a bit of red food colouring just before they are put in to the fridge to rest. <br />
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I must say that I am really chuffed with the outcome and will be making hot chocolate tonight to pop a few in. I might even make them for my kids as an end of term treat!<br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Cxxx</b></span></span>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-42216401852693044372013-04-11T09:06:00.001-07:002013-05-29T07:17:26.532-07:00Time to stitch!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So it is now spring (supposedly) and we are rushing into the summer term at school, this one is going to be a busy one! Not only am I going out every Thursday (like I usually do) but I am running a school cookery club and now decided to go to a dress making course on a Tuesday night! No, I am not jumping on the trend of The Great British Sewing Bee, it just occurred to me that I now have some income I can have fun with and I have a beautiful Singer Sewing Machine just waiting to be used. So I am going on a 6 week evening course to make a dress and even though I will miss dinner (or at least eat much later than normal) I am very excited! So check back for updates, hopefully I will soon be in the procession of a beautiful dress and some very handy sewing skills. <br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Cxxx</b></span></span><br />
<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-70777320390031045772013-04-07T12:01:00.000-07:002013-05-29T07:17:34.468-07:00Wibbly, Wobbly, Timey, Wimey… stuffWell it is that wonderful time of year again when Doctor Who is back on our screens, yes I am a little bit geekish about it. Doctor Who is a British institution like tea and bunting, I grew up listening to my dads stories of The Doctor. He didn't retell stories from the show, his memory will never be good enough for that but he did tell the same story, of how he met The Doctor over and over again. My nan used to work on the rehearsal set serving tea (see how important tea is to our family!) and as a result she not only met the cast, including yeti's, cybermen and the odd daleck, but she was allowed to take home the used scripts as scrap paper. Actually I'm not sure if she was allowed to take them home, or she just decided to. Anyway, my dad being knee-high to a grasshopper at the time was taken along to my nans work every now and then and as a result met the main characters and went inside a daleck and the TARDIS.<br />
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Doctor Who is truly in my family, whenever we went on the Underground, my dad would tell the other Doctor Who story he knew, one from the show about Yetis. As I am quite mischievous when I was 16, I actually convinced a friend that Yetis were real and living in the underground, a cruel prank, but funny nevertheless. <br />
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So here it is, my Doctor Who geek craft... a stitched picture of the Cybermen in front of St Paul's Cathedral. <br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Cxxx</b></span></span>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-41218213241050844712013-03-27T13:04:00.000-07:002013-05-29T07:17:56.851-07:00Montacute HouseI love Jane Austen, which is good as I live near Bath. I also love Jane Austen film adaptations which is why I often go to Stourhead, but recently I went to Montacute House where Sense and Sensibility was filmed. Here are some of my pictures from the day. <br />
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There was a very nice cat which was walking around the house, we made friends. <br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Cxxx</b></span></span>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-71375416987408483612013-02-16T12:30:00.000-08:002013-05-29T07:18:04.964-07:00It's been a while...So I have been really bad at keeping up with this blog since working 5 days a week. Yet this week I had half term, so I spent half of it entertaining my family and the other half trying to relax and the best way to do this is by doing a spot of embroidery. So here are my pictures of what I got up to this week...<br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Cxxx</b></span></span>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-49642817534474030912013-01-18T06:30:00.001-08:002013-05-29T07:18:16.799-07:00A Winter Tarte Tatin<br />
This morning I woke up and there was snow everywhere! After calling my boss and deciding it was too dangerous to drive I had to decide what to do with my day, and of course baking came to mind. I thought about baking this at christmas, but ran out of time and as it is lovely and snowy I wanted to bake my winter tarte tatin. Yum!<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
<ul>
<li>200g of plain flour</li>
<li>200g of butter</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon of salt</li>
<li>a pinch of sugar</li>
<li>Ice cold water (I did think of using snow, but there are a few cats around my neighborhood so I quickly ruled it out)</li>
<li>75g of butter</li>
<li>75g of caster sugar</li>
<li>4 apples</li>
<li>Cranberries</li>
<li>Raisins</li>
<li>Cinnamon </li>
</ul>
Method:<br />
<ol>
<li>Put the plain flour on a clean surface, make a well in the centre and tip the cold cubed butter and the salt into it.</li>
<li>Now using one hand, scrunch the butter into the flour and <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KxOXhyJK8AE/T7kS8AXd-0I/AAAAAAAABKo/7pY3gjXLKrg/s1600/2012_0521May0002.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5744643621787663170" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KxOXhyJK8AE/T7kS8AXd-0I/AAAAAAAABKo/7pY3gjXLKrg/s200/2012_0521May0002.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a>keep doing this until most of the butter is Incorporated yet there are still some visible flakes.</li>
<li>Add in the ice cold water (enough to bring the pastry together).</li>
<li>Now roll out the pastry into a long rectangle.</li>
<li>Fold
the pastry into three and give it a quarter turn. This is the first
turn, now roll it out once again and fold into three. Wrap the pastry in
cling film and rest for half an hour.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tNuoHdEc22g/T7kTFR-A-OI/AAAAAAAABK0/Gu3wQLzBfgo/s1600/2012_0521May0003.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5744643781131565282" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tNuoHdEc22g/T7kTFR-A-OI/AAAAAAAABK0/Gu3wQLzBfgo/s200/2012_0521May0003.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a></li>
<li>Now do this again (turn it twice) and let it rest for another half an hour. </li>
<li>Pre-heat the oven to 180c.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, peel and slice the apples and cover them with lemon juice so they don't brown.</li>
<li>Melt the butter and sugar in a pan together over a medium heat (do not stir it). This will take about 5-10 minutes until it<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5ZFoTPviUwc/T7kTPSFInwI/AAAAAAAABLA/LKAS2oBCe48/s1600/2012_0521May0009.JPG"></a> becomes an amber colour. Take it off the heat.</li>
<li>Now lay the apples, cranberries and raisins over the caramel and sprinkle the cinnamon over the top. </li>
<li>Roll out the pastry to just over the shape of the pan, lay it on top then tuck the edges round the side to stop the caramel from escaping. </li>
<li>Cook for 25 minutes. </li>
<li>Once the pastry has cooked get a large plate, turn out the tarte (minding the caramel doesn't burn you). </li>
<li>And serve with cream or ice cream... yummers! </li>
</ol>
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Cxxx</b></span></span> </div>
Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-25243551898556075362013-01-13T09:42:00.002-08:002013-05-29T07:18:34.581-07:00Venison, black pudding and redcurrant casserole with a wild garlic mash. <div style="text-align: center;">
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I don't want to toot my own horn but I have to say that this is probably the best casserole recipe I have ever created. It is full of deep flavor and is very seasonal (the wild garlic mash is not seasonal... but I made wild garlic butter last spring and froze it). So here is my smashing version casserole. <br />
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Ingredients (casserole):<br />
<ul>
<li>1 onion</li>
<li>1 clove of smoked garlic</li>
<li>Butter </li>
<li>500g of version </li>
<li>Chantenay carrots</li>
<li>Fresh rosemary and thyme, chopped</li>
<li>a large glass of red wine </li>
<li>1/2 a teaspoon of mustard powder</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of cinnamon </li>
<li>1 tablespoon of tomato puree</li>
<li>1 pint of beef stock</li>
<li>1 tablespoon of beef bisto</li>
<li>1 tablespoon of redcurrant jelly</li>
<li>a good glug of Worcester sauce</li>
<li>30g of dried cranberries</li>
<li>60g of fresh redcurrants </li>
<li>Bacon lardons</li>
<li>Black pudding</li>
<li>Button mushrooms</li>
</ul>
Method:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Pre-heat the oven to 170c. </li>
<li>Dice the onion and crush the clove of garlic. Soften on a low heat, in butter, in a heavy base saucepan. Add in the chopped fresh herbs. </li>
<li>Flour the venison (and season it), then remove the onion from the pan and seal the venison. </li>
<li>Now add the onions back in and pour in the wine. Let the alcohol cook off. </li>
<li>Mix the mustard powder, cinnamon, tomato puree, redcurrant jelly, and Worcester sauce into the stock then add it to the pan. Sprinkle a tablespoon of beef bisto into the pan. </li>
<li>Take the storks off the redcurrants and add them into the pot with half of the cranberries. </li>
<li>Pop a lid on the casserole and cook in the oven for 2 hours. Stir occasionally, and for the last hour add in the button mushrooms, bacon lardons and black pudding. </li>
<li>Serve with mash potato (I just added the wild garlic butter to the potato) and green veggies. </li>
</ol>
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Cxxx</b></span></span> </div>
Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-52371274202182644252013-01-06T07:12:00.000-08:002013-05-29T07:18:46.268-07:00Slow Cooked Meatball Ragù With Homemade Pasta<div style="text-align: center;">
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This recipe came to me when I was having a creative day just sitting over Christmas and thinking of recipes. It was my first time making pasta, and I think it was a learning experience. The most important thing I learnt was to flour the pasta when putting it through the machine so it doesn't stick. Anyway the ragu and meatballs were lovely, even if the pasta needs a little work!<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
<ul>
<li>1 onion, diced</li>
<li>400g of lean minced beef</li>
<li>2 cloves of smoked garlic</li>
<li>1 slice of sliced bread, chopped into breadcrumbs</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>Cinnamon </li>
<li>Herbs de Provance</li>
<li>Worcester Sauce</li>
<li>3 tomatoes, diced</li>
<li>1 glass of red wine</li>
<li>salt </li>
<li>sugar</li>
<li>500g of passata</li>
<li>Fresh basil</li>
<li>300g of '00' flour</li>
<li>3 eggs</li>
<li>a big glug of balsamic vinegar </li>
<li>Parmesan to garnish</li>
</ul>
Method:<br />
<ol><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-geBo9NlNE6s/UOmT1r5FY2I/AAAAAAAACSA/cdM9Bg7LRis/s1600/2013_0107Jan0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>
<li>Pre-heat the oven to 160c. </li>
<li>Use a quarter of the onion and chop it finer as this will be added to the meatballs. Break up the beef and mince in a bowl and season. </li>
<li>Add in the herbs de provance (enough to your liking), one clove of diced garlic, a sprinkle of cinnamon, a glug of Worcester sauce, 1 egg beaten and the breadcrumbs then scrunch all the ingredients together with your hands. Make into balls then pop into a frying pan on a medium-high heat just to seal them. Remove them from the pan and allow them to cool until needed. </li>
<li>In a saucepan, soften the onion and garlic. Once soft, add in the diced tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. </li>
<li>Add in a glass of red wine, a pinch of salt and sugar and a good glug of Worcester sauce. Allow the alcohol to cook off. </li>
<li>Now add in the passata a handful of fresh basil. Bring to the boil then transfer it to a heavy bottomed ceramic dish, pop in the meatballs, put a lid on and cook for 1 hour 30-45 minutes. </li>
<li>Now make the pasta. In a large bowl put the flour and make a well in the center. </li>
<li>Break the eggs and using a fork bring the flour into the egg mixture very slowly. Continue doing this until all the flour is included and a dough is being formed (finish it off with your hands). </li>
<li>Knead it until smooth then pop it in the fridge in cling film for 30 minutes. </li>
<li>Occasionally stir the meatball ragu. </li>
<li>Once the pasta dough has rested divide into three then tackle each 3rd at a time. Put the dough through the fattest setting on your machine and then fold it over and put through again. Do this 8 times. </li>
<li>Now work your way down the settings until it is the thickness desired. Pop it through the linguine section and then lay it out on a tea towel until ready to use. </li>
<li>Put the pasta in boiling water with a little olive oil and cook for 2 minutes. </li>
<li>Remove the ragu from the oven and mix in a good glug of balsamic vinegar. </li>
<li>Mix in some of the ragu to the drained pasta and then lay the meatballs on top. Dust with grated Parmesan. </li>
</ol>
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Cxxx</b></span></span> </div>
Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-73324144599781931932012-12-31T16:00:00.000-08:002013-05-29T07:18:58.169-07:00A new challengeNew years eve 2012, my parents and I sat down to watch Julie and Julia it seemed like the perfect film to watch at the end of my baking year. This being the first film my mum has watched this year and it also showing my dad that I am not the only person to get huffy whilst baking (hopefully he will learn for next time, not to poke the bear!). Anyway as we ring in the new year in England after having a brilliant 2012 it seems only appropriate to tell you what my next challenge will be.<br />
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I love baking, but I love cooking just as much, in fact at one point in my life I had a serious plan to become a chef. After two days of work experience in a 5* hotel I realised that I could not cut the pressure. And so cooking went back to being a hobby, a way to relax after a long day at university, to help me relax after an argument, or just to let me show my creative side. Anyway, I wanted to have a new challenge, something just as fun but also difficult, because what is life without the odd struggle? So here it is, my next challenge: To create a new recipe each week. It could be baked, boiled, fried, roasted, smoked or steamed, it just has to come out of my head and onto a plate. <br />
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So here is to 2013... a year of creating new things (and playing with my new Kitchen Aid Artisan Mixer)!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Cxxx</b></span></span> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-41965963258832244862012-12-31T06:29:00.000-08:002012-12-31T06:29:10.153-08:0052 Bakes in 52 Weeks. 52 bakes in 52 weeks. That was the plan. The whole reason I thought up this baking challenge was because I had been technically unemployed for 9 months, was working in my parents business and felt, to be honest, really crap that I had nothing going for me. After about two months of my bakes, I was off to Somerset for an interview at my dream job working with children with dyslexia. I got the job, passed my driving test and moved to Somerset in the space of a month. Things had changed quickly. And yet, I still carried on baking. At the start I did it to have something positive to look forward to each week, being jobless, living with your parents and stuck in the middle of nowhere was kind of depressing. It was a great challenge, I got to spend hours thinking about baking, time to sit and create recipes and I have to admit, the best thing really was the praise I got. The comments on this blog have be absolutely lovely, I have also had amazing comments from my friends on Facebook and of course the praise from the B&B guests and my work colleagues (and the kids I see!). <br />
<br />
So enough with the serious stuff! What has been my favourite bake... probably the Eton Mess cake. I cannot tell you how happy I was when eating it and how sad I was when it was all gone. I loved creating recipes like the Eton Mess Cake and the Reblochen Quiche, and of course my feeble attempts at sugar-craft. I only burnt myself 4 times (which I think is pretty good considering how clumsy I am) and have even spent nights dreaming of baking! I have spent way too much money on baking equipment which I probably didn't "need" and even enjoyed a day out at The Cake and Bake Show. <br />
<br />
So what next? We first I must say to anyone who decides to do a year of baking or cooking, how great and fun it is. But for me personally, I will not be doing another year of a different bake each week, it has served me well but I am slowly running out of ideas. Instead I will be doing a new and possibly harder challenge... but you will just have to wait until the new year to find out that one!<br />
<br />
So here it is, my final bake. Number 52. And of course I have set myself a big 'showstopping' challenge: Croquembouche.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<ul>
<li>200g of plain flour</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon of salt</li>
<li>150g of butter</li>
<li>6 eggs</li>
<li>250ml of double cream </li>
<li>3 tablespoons of icing sugar</li>
<li>300g of caster sugar</li>
<li>150g of 70% dark chocolate</li>
<li>150ml of cream </li>
<li>Royal icing</li>
<li>100g of butter, softened</li>
<li>100g of caster sugar</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of vanilla essence</li>
<li>100g of self raising flour</li>
<li>25g of coco powder</li>
<li>150g of milk chocolate</li>
<li>chocolate transfer paper</li>
</ul>
Method:<br />
<ol>
<li>Sift the flour onto a large piece of greaseproof paper. This will get air into the mixture. I halved this mixture for ease.</li>
<li>Put
the salt, butter and water into a saucepan and and gently heat until
the butter is melted, then quickly bring it up to boiling point.</li>
<li>As
soon as it boils, take it off the heat and pour in the sifted flour
then beat it! The mixture will be a mess at first, but keep beating
until it becomes a heavy dough.</li>
<li>Put the pan back on the heat and keep beating for 2-5 <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yrslhCcI1yw/TzvvNZ9YKxI/AAAAAAAAArc/KzA8cTzAUhU/s1600/2012_0216Feb0022.JPG"></a>minutes, until the dough comes into a ball and when you press your finger into it the dough it is greasy.</li>
<li>Tip the dough out into a mixing bowl and allow to cool, until it is just warm. </li>
<li>Pre-heat the oven to 200c.</li>
<li>Now using an electric mixer slowly add the eggs in a bit at a time, mix well in between each addition. Once it is all added <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tn0aqtKAKwM/Tzvvx7sSM6I/AAAAAAAAAro/fiL3_8VbQ00/s1600/2012_0216Feb0029.JPG"></a>the
mixture should look like a shiny paste and be liquid enough to be able
to pipe. If you need to make it easier to pipe, break another egg and
slowly add it until you get it to the right consistency. It should fall
off a spoon slowly. </li>
<li>Now pipe the mixture with a wide circle nozzle onto a greaseproof paper. Pipe circles about 2-3cm wide.</li>
<li>Bake
for 15 minutes without opening the oven door. Then reduce the oven
temperature to 180c and open the oven door to let the steam out. Cook
for another 5 minutes to dry them out. </li>
<li> Remove them from the oven and poke a hole in them so that they can dry out and you can pipe them later. </li>
<li>Now make the chocolate cake presents. Beat the softened butter with the caster sugar, then gradually add the eggs and vanilla essence (basic cake recipe here). </li>
<li>Fold in the flour and coco powder then pop in a pirex dish and microwave for 3-4 minutes. </li>
<li>Once cooled break up the cake into cake crumbs and mold them with a little butter and icing sugar so that they stick together (like cake pops). </li>
<li>Mold them into present shapes then leave them in the fridge to cool. Meanwhile melt the chocolate, then drizzle it over the cake pops on a cooling rack and cover the chocolate with cut up squares of the chocolate transfer paper. Let these harden then peel off the transfer paper to revel 'wrapping paper'. </li>
<li>Once all the choux rolls have cooled (it should make around 180-200) whip the cream with 2 tablespoons of icing sugar and using a small nozzle pipe the cream into the hole you made in each choux. </li>
<li>Now melt the sugar with 4 tablespoons of water to create a light coloured caramel. </li>
<li>Start creating the croquembouche by making a circle of profiteroles in a 25cm circle and 'glueing down' with the caramel. Continue building up and inwards. Be VERY CAREFUL of burning yourself on... I burnt myself badly on my finger 5 minutes from the end of a year of baking, typical! </li>
<li>Once you have built the tower pop it in the fridge so the cream doesn't turn and make the chocolate genache. Warm the cream in a saucepan until you can just keep your finger in it, then remove from the heat and break the chocolate into it and melt it by stirring. </li>
<li>Let it cool slightly and drizzle over the Croquembouche (I piped mine which I regret as I don't think it looks that good). </li>
<li>Finally, roll out white royal icing and cut out stars to decorate. Spray with silver icing spray then using the caramel stick the stars to the croquembouche and you are done!</li>
</ol>
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I actually found myself rather sad at the end of this bake, a year has passed and in the end I have achieved a lot. But that's just it, it is an ending. However the one thing I have been craving all year is a Kitchen Aid Mixer, well thanks to some money for Christmas and me saving up I have been fortunate enough to buy myself on in the sales! So I now have a Candy Apple Red Kitchen Aid Mixer, which means its not really an ending but a beginning... Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-33822295184848639252012-12-19T11:25:00.000-08:002012-12-19T11:25:27.948-08:00The penultimate bake.<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Week 51, Bake 51. </b></div>
<br />
On the 13th of December it was my brother's 25th birthday. Sadly he spent the day where he lives in London, so I couldn't bake this for him on his actual birthday, which annoyed me as I was super excited about creating this bake. Anyway, I digress. I decided to create a themed cake as I am rubbish at novelty cakes and wanted to do something a little bit special. When we were kids we used to always get Lego for Christmas and our birthdays. To be honest, we were obsessed. Each year going to the Lego convention, being 'Gold' members of the Lego club and even getting VIP tickets to Lego land before it opened. The love of Lego has never gone away, and so I decided to create a Lego cake for him to help him remember his childhood (plus it would be so much fun for me!). I created two cakes to create a tier effect, the lower tier is a chocolate cake and then the upper tier is a vanilla cake. So here it is my Lego bake.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
For the chocolate cake:<br />
<ul>
<li>200g of butter</li>
<li>50g of milk chocolate</li>
<li>350g of plain flour</li>
<li>400g of caster sugar</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda</li>
<li>50g of coco powder </li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>200ml of milk with a splash of lemon juice in it.</li>
</ul>
For the vanilla cake:<br />
<ul>
<li>200g of unsalted butter, softened</li>
<li>200g of caster sugar</li>
<li>3 eggs</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of vanilla essence</li>
<li>250g of self-raising flour</li>
<li>3 tablespoons of milk</li>
</ul>
<br />
And everything else!<br />
<ul>
<li>Icing sugar</li>
<li>200g of butter</li>
<li>splash of milk</li>
<li>Jam</li>
<li>Royal icing</li>
<li>Assorted food colouring</li>
<li>Lego men </li>
</ul>
(Be prepared... this may take a while!)<br />
<br />
Method:<br />
<ol>
<li>Pre-heat the oven to 170c. </li>
<li>Melt the chocolate and butter together making sure not to burn. </li>
<li>In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, a pinch of salt, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder together. </li>
<li>Break the eggs and whisk them with milk. Boil the kettle. </li>
<li>Now add the butter/chocolate mix to the dry ingredients, and whilst whisking add the eggs/milk also into the bowl. </li>
<li>Now mix 150ml of boiling water into the cake mixture. </li>
<li>Line and grease a 23cm spring pan cake tin then pour the mixture into it and cook for 45 minutes (or until you put a knife in and it comes out clean). </li>
<li>Now make the vanilla sponge. Cream the butter and sugar together until light, pale and fluffy. </li>
<li>In a jug, beat the eggs together and slowly add this to the butter/sugar mixture whilst still beating it. </li>
<li>Add in the vanilla essence. </li>
<li>Now sift the flour and fold it in. At this point you can also add the milk. </li>
<li>Line and grease two 19cm sandwich tins and divide the mixture into two. </li>
<li>Cook at the same temperature for 18-20 minutes or until slightly golden. </li>
<li>Once out of the oven, take them out of their tins and pop them onto a cooling rack. </li>
<li>Beat the butter and icing sugar together to create a butter-cream icing, use some milk to loosen this up. </li>
<li>Once the cakes are cool, cover them both with the butter-cream icing. This will help the royal icing to stick. </li>
<li>Make the vanilla cake by putting jam in the middle, like a Victoria Sponge. </li>
<li>Roll out some royal icing to cover the cakes. </li>
<li>On the top tier, slice a quarter of the icing off and peel it away. Now using some different colour icing create Lego blocks so it looks like the cake is made of Lego. </li>
<li>Make bigger Lego blocks out of the left over icing to have at the base of the cake. </li>
<li>Pipe any words you want on it and then assemble your Lego figures on it. </li>
</ol>
After all that work, all I can say is that I hope he likes it!<br />
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Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-20727733397361207212012-12-15T12:59:00.000-08:002012-12-15T12:59:08.516-08:00Time to play with my blow torch!<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Week 50, Bake 50. </b></div>
<br />
Only two more to go after this! People have started asking me what I am going to do next year... Will I continue baking? Will I start a new challenge? Will I do something crafty instead of cooking? And my answer...? Well actually I do have a good idea but I won't reveal it until January 1st 2013. Anyway, back to baking! So as I said in my previous blog, I am back home for the holidays and so decided to bake something a little different. I couldn't do it in Somerset as I don't have half the equipment (individual dishes and my blow torch). To be honest half the reason why I did this bake was so that I could play with my blow torch again! So here it is: Creme Brulee.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<ul>
<li>500ml of double cream</li>
<li>1 vanilla pod</li>
<li>100g of caster sugar</li>
<li>6 egg yolks</li>
<li>Plus extra caster sugar</li>
</ul>
Method:<br />
<ol>
<li>Pre-heat the oven to 150c. </li>
<li>Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds into the cream, chop the pod up and add it to the cream. </li>
<li>Now put the cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes. </li>
<li>Meanwhile whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together until they become lighter in colour. </li>
<li>Take the cream off the heat and pour a small splash into the eggs continuously whisking so the eggs don't scramble. Now pour the rest in gently. </li>
<li>Whisk until it becomes thicker, if it doesn't then pop it back on the heat in a saucepan and gently warm it for another minute. </li>
<li>Now get your ramekins, place them in a deep roasting tray and fill them 2/3rds full with the custard mixture. Surround them with hot water to create a ban Marie (about half way up the ramekins) then bake for about 30 minutes. They will be done when there is a slight wobble in the centre of the custard. </li>
<li>Finally, finish them off with the a tablespoon of caster sugar. Using your blow torch (yes... Blow torch!) caramelise the sugar. Serve right away with raspberries. </li>
</ol>
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Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-48229702101613537362012-12-15T09:00:00.003-08:002012-12-15T09:00:45.389-08:00End of term treats<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Week 49, Bake 49. </b></div>
<br />
No I haven't fallen at the last hurdle and given up on Bake 48... I just haven't had the time to write up my last bake entry. Since the mince pies, I have had a very busy last week of term then packed and drove up to Norfolk (250 miles) to my parents for the festive season... and now of all things I have a cold! So here is my 49th bake, cake pop treats for the kids at the end of term!<br />
<br />
(makes about 30) <br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<ul>
<li>400g of butter (at room temperature)<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qzm-TC-FEd4/T01bvQZRp8I/AAAAAAAAAxQ/u-Zbun1ZQfo/s1600/2012_0229Feb0004.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714324369615988674" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qzm-TC-FEd4/T01bvQZRp8I/AAAAAAAAAxQ/u-Zbun1ZQfo/s200/2012_0229Feb0004.JPG" style="float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a></li>
<li>220g of caster sugar</li>
<li>4 eggs</li>
<li>2 teaspoon of vanilla essence</li>
<li>220g of self-rising flour </li>
<li>2 cups of icing sugar</li>
<li>250g of milk chocolate</li>
<li>Royal icing and colouring</li>
<li>Edible glitter</li>
</ul>
Method:<br />
<ol>
<li>Pre-heat the oven to 180c and line a cake tin with baking parchment.</li>
<li>First
make the cake, do this by beating 220g of the soften butter together
with the caster sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.</li>
<li>Now in a jug, beat the eggs <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I63rHbOMW6Y/T01cYhQIi4I/AAAAAAAAAxo/nsNJvdfQfzI/s1600/2012_0229Feb0015.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714325078515682178" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I63rHbOMW6Y/T01cYhQIi4I/AAAAAAAAAxo/nsNJvdfQfzI/s200/2012_0229Feb0015.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a>together
and add to the butter/sugar one tablespoon at a time, so not to curdle
the mixture. Now beat in the vanilla essence into it.</li>
<li>Sift the flour and cornflour into the mixture and fold it in, so not to loose air.</li>
<li>Turn the cake into the lined tin and bake for 20-25 minutes.</li>
<li>Remove from the tin once cooked and cool until you are able to touch it.</li>
<li>Once cool crumble the cake into a mixing bowl, and make the whole cake into crumbs.</li>
<li>Now
make your butter cream, beat the remaining butter and icing sugar
together. Add this to your cake mixture and using your hands squish both
the mixtures together until everything is combined.</li>
<li>You can now shape your cake pops. Once you have done this, pop them in the fridge for 10 minutes to harden up.</li>
<li>Meanwhile
melt the packet of chocolate. Now dip a lolly pop stick into the
chocolate and inset it into the bottom of your pop and put in back into
the fridge for another 10-20 minutes. Do this for the rest of the cake
pops. To make sure they stay the perfect shape, I put them into a block
of oasis.</li>
<li>Now dip the whole cake pop into the melted chocolate to cover it then twist the pop to remove the excess chocolate.</li>
<li>Pop these back in the Oasis and allow to harden. </li>
<li>Meanwhile make the pudding decorations, a rolled out circle of white icing for the top, red balls covered in glitter and green icing to make holly leaves. </li>
<li>Now all you have to do is assemble them, using water to stick them to the icing. </li>
</ol>
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Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-80514515607465561442012-11-25T10:20:00.002-08:002012-12-17T08:47:36.338-08:00Mince Pies<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Week 48, Bake 48. </b></div>
<br />
We only have two weeks left at school (I love working in a private school). And so I have started my Christmas bakes early so my colleagues can appreciate them too! This week I have baked mince pies with homemade mincemeat and it is magic! So here is the recipe for the <a href="http://thepasturetimes.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/its-beginning-to-look-lot-like.html">mincemeat</a>:<br />
<br />
Makes approximately 22<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<ul>
<li>500g of plain flour</li>
<li>300g of unsalted butter</li>
<li>2 teaspoons of salt</li>
<li>a good few pinches of caster sugar</li>
<li>2 eggs (for the pastry)</li>
<li>milk</li>
<li>butter to grease the pan</li>
<li>mincemeat</li>
<li>an egg to glaze</li>
</ul>
Method:<br />
<ol>
<li>In a large bowl mix the flour, butter, salt, sugar and eggs together by scrunching them with your hands. </li>
<li>Add in enough milk to bring the mixture into a ball. </li>
<li>Cover with cling film and pop in the fridge for 30 minutes. </li>
<li>Pre-heat the oven to 180c. </li>
<li>Now divide the ball into manageable chunks to work on whilst the rest will sit in the fridge until needed. </li>
<li>Grease a muffin pan with butter. </li>
<li>Roll out the pastry and using a 10cm cutter and a 7cm cutter, cut out the base and top. </li>
<li>Place the base in the muffin pan and fill with the mincemeat. Fold in the edges of the base and using the beaten egg glue the top to the base. </li>
<li>Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. </li>
<li>Eat slightly warm. Yum!</li>
</ol>
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Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-66448571511126582342012-11-23T11:46:00.001-08:002012-11-23T12:14:31.720-08:00Somerset Floods<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So we have had some very rainy days in Somerset and here are my pictures of the terrible floods which we have faced. Clearly the only thing to do in a flood is to pop out and take pictures! </div>
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<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2364700529801444726.post-75602962668342460282012-11-18T09:26:00.000-08:002012-11-18T09:26:23.167-08:00Polaroid Fridge MagnetsI have been planning to make these Polaroid Fridge Magnets for ages but just have never got round to it. Well, last weekend with all the rugby on I finally sat down to make these Polaroid fridge magnets.<br />
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What you need:<br />
<ul>
<li>Get yourself a Polaroid template on Google</li>
<li>Pictures printed onto the template, your chosen size</li>
<li>Sticky magnets</li>
<li>Paint brush</li>
<li>Mod Podge</li>
</ul>
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What to do: (its very simple)<br />
<ol>
<li>Cut out your pictures and stick one of the sticky magnets onto the centre back. </li>
<li>Carefully paint a thin layer of mod podge over the pictures, be careful not to smear the ink. </li>
<li>Continue to paint layers of mod podge over the Polaroids until they are sufficiently covered. </li>
<li>Let them dry and your done! Easy. </li>
</ol>
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Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10084334120812950115noreply@blogger.com0