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Free Resources Handmade Recipes Tutorial

How to make Vietnamese spring rolls

A family recipe handed down from my Mum who was born and lived in Hanoi, Vietnam. It’s a lot of preparation, but I promise, once you try these, no other spring rolls will come close.

With help from Miss Crayons with all the instagram-y bits.

Vietnamese spring rolls, made the way my Mum taught me.
Recipe makes around 30-35 rolls. Don't forget the veg cooking oil!
Soak and then cut glass noodles into small inch sections (use scissors).
Add the salt and pepper and fungus to cook with the pork and onions in step 2.
Add about two tablespoons of fish sauce.
This size would make around 30-35 spring rolls.
Wraps can be purchased from Asian supermarket or large supermarkets in freezer section.
Pastry wrap gives a crunchier roll, traditional rice paper is chewier and harder to work with.
Deep fry for 5-8 minutes until golden. Serve with rice noodles, fresh green crunchy salad with fresh mint and coriander.
Correction: 1/4 ml of cold water. Sweet and tangy sauce to be drizzled all over the dish.
Flower carrots garnish to go into the sauce. The way my Mum made them.
This is the SECRET ingredient. This is what gives our spring rolls a sweet flavour.
Categories
General Graphic Print Design Handmade Showcase

Geeky and nerdy Valentine’s cards with a difference

This year I have designed some cards featuring my best selling floral (doodle) design as well as some quirky (and I hope) funny valentine’s cards.

You don’t have to be sloppy and all loved up to show your affection for someone. Sometimes, it’s fun and good to be brutal.

Most designs can be personalised with a name or phrase to make that little bit unique.

ORDER ONLINE

Bat shit crazy about you valentine's day card

Cute and a little bit nerdy valentine's day card

dorkface valentine's card

love u html valentine's card

you're a weirdo valentine's card

ORDER ONLINE

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Handmade Showcase

Personalised illustrated cards for new baby twins

I was asked the order day if I could produced some ‘new baby’ themed cards based around the same theme as the popular floral heart cards.

I thought about some possible shapes that I could use and when I found out that the babies were twins I immediately thought ‘socks!’. So here are some ‘socks’ doodle illustrated floral design cards (try saying that with a mouthful of cake!).

New Baby Floral Heart Illustrated Card

Available in the Shop soon.

Categories
Clients Handmade Showcase

Rosettes by Little A Designs

I received the most amazing package of goodies the other day. I had asked the very lovely sewing and hand stitching goddess that is Marna of Little A Designs for some special rosettes.

I knew they were going to be gorgeous, but I was blown away at all the attention to detail, from the washi tape ribbons to the hand made ‘little a’ ceramic buttons to the authenticity certificates. Beautifully presented and all made with love. When you commission something from Marna, expect something very special indeed.

My only dilemma is that I want to hang my HQ rosette in the middle of my monitor so I get to look at it all day long, however, this makes is a tad difficult to do any actual work.

I look forward to wearing my ‘nobber’ and ‘cakeface’ rosettes with utter pride.

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Handmade Showcase

Geek IT Unusual Valentine Cards

I love sketching and illustrating especially with simple black pen. I like the crispness of a black and white design. Sometimes I toy with the idea of introducing colours into my designs but invariably I always return to the black pen.

The other day I received an order for a ‘Love u’ code card and from someone in Canada (I love the idea of being international). I subsequently found out that the buyer found my card via a google search using keywords ‘Science Valentine Card’. How awesome is that? Just goes to prove that it’s worth updating your website content and blog.

So, today I am mostly wrapping up A2 periodic table of elements posters and illustrating geeky, nerdy and IT related valentines cards and the sun is shining AND it’s Friday.

If you would like a card, please go to the online shop where there are a few geeky designs to choose from. Have a great weekend 🙂

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Handmade Showcase

28 Drawings Later: Day Sixteen

Boy angel to go with my angel from day seven of the challenge. They are going to get framed as a set and go in the mini Crayon’s bedroom. Pastels on paper.

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Handmade Showcase

28 Drawings Later: Day Fifteen

Very quick cartoon sketch of the kiddes. Pen and pencils on paper.

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Handmade Showcase

28 Drawings Later: Day Fourteen

I am afraid that I have missed a few days over the weekend. Surprising really as the weekends are supposed to be when you get lots of free time?!

Here is a quick one for today, not technically a drawing or a painting. But I got bored while painting a rather large wall. Matt emulsion on wall.

Happy Valentine’s Days everyone. Have a couple of slices of cake on me!

Categories
Handmade Showcase

28 Drawings Later: Day Ten

Not a drawing challenge without the good old ‘one a day’ still life. 25 minutes pastel done at kitchen table with 6 year old daughter copying along. Pastels on paper.

Categories
Handmade Showcase

28 Drawings Later: Day Nine

Dinosaurs! Created using the finest artist tools – kids watercolour block palette, sharpie pen (black), giant pavement chalks. How posh am I?