Share some #LoveAtFirstLight with this French Toast Recipe

IMG_2347Everybody needs a little lift now and then and Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion to share the love! I’ve got a nasty cold at the moment and in the midst of feeling supremely sorry for myself I heard a knock at the door. Imagine my delight when the delivery man (who was probably shocked at my unkempt, ill appearance) gave me a Valentine’s hamper from Co-operative food. I had no clue this was coming and the surprise (along with the contents) really lifted my spirits! It reminded me how seemingly small acts of caring can really mean a lot to the recipient. So this Valentine’s Day show whoever you love (partner, friend or just yourself!) how much you care by taking the time to enjoy a wonderful breakfast or #LoveAtFirstLight

The co-op have partnered with Fred Sireix from First Dates to help Britain share the love. Pop over to >www.co-operativefood.co.uk/breakfasts to find a wondrous selection of romantic breakfast recipes. I’ve shared my favourite below.

 

frenchtoastFrench toast

Ingredients:

Strawberries

5 Loved by Us medium eggs

Nutella Hazelnut Chocolate Spread

5 tbsp caster sugar

6 slices of The Co-operative farmhouse bread

8g Loved by Us Scottish butter unsalted

70ml Semi-skimmed milk

Equipment:

Baking tray

Large bowl

Skillet

Spatula

Heart shaped cutter, knife or scissors

How to make:

Step 1 – Mix the eggs, milk and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until well blended.

Step 2 – Dip each slice of bread into the bowl, allowing it to soak up some of the mixture.

Step 3 – Melt a knob of butter over a large skillet on a medium heat and add the slices of bread. Fry until golden brown on both sides, flipping when necessary before plating up.

Step 4 – Using a heart shaped cutter, knife or even clean scissors, carefully cut  the toast into heart shapes.

Step 5 – Spread Nutella on each slice of toast and top with strawberries. Layer each slice on top of the other into a mini french toast mountain and tuck (back) in.

 

Make a unique Valentine’s Card with Bostik!

The birth of Venus cardIt’s half term week here in Derbyshire and the kids have been here, there and everywhere! It might have been easy to forget Valentine’s Day but we’ve managed (just!) to fit it in. But who wants to make a boring old Valentine card? Certainly not us! So this Valentine’s don’t just give your loved one any old shop bought gift, give them a masterpiece of classical art (in card form). Make a unique Valentine’s card depicting the birth of Venus!

How better to say I love you than with the Goddess of love herself. The idea is all my own and I’m very pleased with it. However all the products used in this card creation were provided by the lovely folks at Bostik as I’m a Bostik Craft Ambassador in association with the Tots100.

Considering that you’re giving cardboard life to a Goddess this card is actually surprisingly easy to make and great fun for the kids. Of course I leave it up to you just how clothed you’d like Venus to be, plus the card can be as accurate or inaccurate (and fun!) a depiction of the great painting as you like. Ours is more of a loving homage 🙂

What You’ll Need:

1 Paper plate

Plain white thin cardboard

Bostik Micro Dots

Ruler

Stick on Decorations (eg foam hearts, jewels, Bostik Glitter Pens etc.)

I’ve made a little video to show you just how the card is made, but if you’d prefer text instructions then take a look below.

Step 1 – Start by taking one paper plate and folding it carefully in half.

Step 2 – Cut a triangle shape out from each end of the fold in the plate, to give the plate a shell shape.

Step 3 – Cut a piece of thin card 10cm X 1 1/2cm. Fold the card in three places: after 1/2cm, 2cm & 7cm.

Step 4 – Using some Bostik Micro Dots cut two short lengths to stick onto either end of the strip of thin card. Remove the clear backing to reveal the sticky dots.

Step 5 – Stick the card strip onto the back of the plate to make a platform and hinge for your pop-up figure.

Step 6 – Draw your pop-up figure, I drew a (naive) version of the Goddess Venus holding a heart. Of course she could look however you’d like. Colour and cut out your figure.

Step 7 – Using a long strip of Micro Dots stick the figure to the pop-up hinge on the plate.

Step 8 – Cut a strip of thin card 3 1/2cm X 1 1/2cm. Create two folds, the first after 1/2cm, then again after 2cm. Cut some Micro Dots and attach to the smaller 1/2cm fold.

Step 9 – Attach a pop-up decoration to the larger 1cm fold, I used stick on foam hearts. Pull off the clear backing from the Micro Dots and attach the decoration to your plate. Make as many as you like!

Step 10 – In the original painting a Cherub flies in the air above Venus, I used a Cherub shaped hole puncher with sticky back plastic to create my own versions. I added glitter using Bostik Glitter Pens and jewels and hearts using Bostik Glu Dots.

Ta-Da one gorgeous and very unique Valentine’s card!

If you do decide to make your own plate masterpiece then please do send me an email and tag me in the post, I’d love to see how they turn out!

Valentines craft and card tutorial with Bostik!

Today I’m bringing you my first Valentine craft and card tutorial as part of the Bostik Craft Bloggers Network. Every month Bostik send members of the network a pack containing crafty materials and challenge us to create something to share with our readers!

Bostik sent me:

IMG_6828

A tube of Bostik Glu & Fix all purpose glue

Blu Tack foam pads

2 blank white cards

A foil heart shape box

Foam heart shape

2 silver pom poms

A4 of red card

A4 sparkly red felt

IMG_6859

I enlisted my children and together we created two lovely cards and a tiny personalised book as a gift.

IMG_6840Badge Card

Adding a badge onto a card creates a wonderful 3d element plus it doubles as a small gift.

IMG_6832Start by cutting two heart shapes from the red felt and gluing them together using the Bostik Glu & Fix. Next attach a badge back or safety pin through the back of the felt.

IMG_6833Cut another heart from the red card and glue onto the top right hand side of your greetings card. My daughter made the heart into a balloon and drew a woman holding it.

We then used the Blu Tack foam pads to attach the badge onto the top of the red heart on the card.

IMG_6844Foam Heart Card

My youngest son made this card on his own by sticking the sparkly foam heart onto the front of a card using the Bostik Glu & Fix. Then he decorated the card using felt tips. Finally he used the Blu Tack foam pads to attach the two silver pom poms to the front.

IMG_6846Love Tiny Book in Gift Box

My eldest son folded some plain white paper together to make a concertina and then we made a book cover from the red card and glued the concertina inside.IMG_6836

Next he drew all the things that he loves inside the book and placed it inside the foil gift box to present to his Daddy. 🙂

IMG_6845

The kids had a fabulous time getting creative and Daddy is sure to love his gifts come Feb 14th!

bostik