Raspberry Cream Puffs...

 Creamy, berry flavoured puffs of pure heaven!
These Raspberry Cream Puffs are super easy to bake.

The first step is on the stovetop.

The second step is using a cake mixer.

This recipe makes nine large puffs.

Once cooked you slice off the tops,

 and scoop out the doughy middle to make room for that delicious vanilla-infused cream.

Fill with the whipped cream.

And fresh raspberries.

If fresh is unavailable, you can substitute a dollop of pure raspberry jam.

Share with your sweetheart this Valentine's Day...

I can guarantee he'll love you for it!

You'll find the recipe HERE.

#valentines #baking #dessert #creampuff  #raspberry

Romantic Repurposed Poetry...

Repurposed Poetry is usually done with the words blocked out with ink pen scribbles...

But today I'll show you a different technique using watercolour paint.

Why not add your sweet repurposed poem to your Valentine's Gift...

Or use your creation as decor decoration.

Here's how to create one:

This poem is one of many free ones found on the internet.

Have a search and find a love poem that you like.

Print it on A4-size paper.

Read through the poem and black out with watercolour paint the words you don't want anymore.

I used black paint, but you can use any colour you like.

 Then add a flower.
And some hearts around the entire poem...
If you need more confidence to paint, just find flowers and hearts to print off the internet to collage with glue onto the paper.

 Even with the adaption, it is still a beautiful poem.

It now reads:

The Passion Flower

The hour Love lies down
with folded wings;
His fatal arrows flings.
Not a word is heard,
only from the bridal bird
in darkness sings.
Sweet music,
soft and clear -
'Love is here!'
The moon,
bright spells and hope
gone to dream of pleasures - asleep.
Now smile;
forgetting grief,
to stars or pale moonlight.
'What beauty can the day bestow?'
Turn and tell me - for the day.
And now comes back,
Love - 
sighing like the winds 'mongst evening flowers.

Roll and tie with a ribbon to gift,

or frame and use it in your Valentine's decor.

#valentine #valentinecrafts 

A YELLOW Valentines Vignette...

This year my Valentine's sideboard decor is YELLOW!
I mean - why does it always have to be ...
pink...or red?
My old upcycled sideboard is in the darkest corner of the room,
so the YELLOW makes it POP with beautiful happy colour!


I used my Valentine collage canvas as the centrepiece.
You can find out how to create one HERE.
Then I bought the brightest yellow chrysanthemum flowers I could find.
But if you can't source them yellow lilies or gerberas are an option too.
I placed the flowers into a French inspired white tin container that my vase fitted inside.

The other side of the side board was decorated with an upcycled yellow spray painted heart.

This was hung inside a rustic white crate.

The final touch was some fairy lights.

These heart shaped battery operated lights were a 'Farmers' store find.


I'm LOVING everything about my YELLOW Valentine vignette...
Such a bright, cheery and still romantic change from the usual Valentine's colours.


And visitors to my home really LOVE it too.

#valentine #valentinecrafts #decorideas

Valentines Collage Canvas...

This collage art piece is Valentine inspired...
You could create your own picture in whatever colours you like...
I chose yellow.

You will need:
A canvas - 30cm x 30cm with a 3cm edge.
Acrylic art paint in the colour you choose and in white.
A selection of images to collage.
(I used images from the free resources at Graphics Fairy.)
Scissors
Modpodge
Paintbrush.

Step One:  Paint the canvas as desired with the colour paint and with white to create contrast.

Paint the outside edges of the canvas white.

Step Two: Let the paint dry.
Cut out or tear around the edges of your images.

Step Three:  Glue the images in a collage fashion on to the painted canvas using modpodge.


Step four:  Paint a sealer of modpodge glue over the entire collage.
Once it is dry all the images will flatten out on to the canvas.

Staple a string hanger onto back of the picture to hang,
or just stand the canvas on a book shelf or side table.

#art #collage #valentines #picture

Happy New Year Y'All! ❥

I'm hoping y'all had the most fabulous Christmas and holidays.

Now it's the New Year...

and Mia Bella Passions is back from holiday.

There's a new and exciting blog series in planning...

and of course it is all about paint!

I can't wait to share that with you.

Plus there are loads of inspirational, arty, crafty, DIY and baking temptations to share during this wonderful new year.

So let's start 2018 with a pretty inspirational...

I'm using this as my computer screensaver.

"To succeed is to try one more time".

It's a great mantra...don't you think?

❥

#inspirational #quote #artquote

Mia Bella Passions Christmas Wish & Quote....❥

Busy Bees...

Sharing today a few photographs from my Southern Hemisphere Summer garden...

 The sun is shinning, it's lovely and warm, and the bees are busy collecting pollen.

 I'm loving the bright yellow cheer of these photographs.

And thank the busy bees for my future HONEY.  🐝

#Bees #Beephotography, #nzblogger #MiaBellaPassions #photography

Mia Bella Passions: Two Little Christmas Trees...❥

I never told ya all here at Mia Bella Passions Blog -
but...

in October I said goodbye to my little white dog.

She was very sick.

And I could not make it better.

It was the hardest thing.

And since then...

Even though Mia Bella Passions rocks on in all it's creative glory,

I am numb with the grief of losing her.

And it has had an impact on Christmas.

Because...

 she is not here.

Because...

 she was a huge part of Christmas.

So I thought that this year ,

Instead of my full on Christmas I would just decorate two little trees.

One is a 'Gracie' memorial tree in white.

And one silver with birds and faux parcels.

Because she loved watching birds.

And she knew a present when she saw one.

I will miss her crazy excited parcel-unwrapping antics.

So Mia Bella Passions Christmas 

is

small

white

and full of love...

and memories...

of a wonderful friend and companion of 12 years.

Blackboard Christmas Tree Art....❥

This must be the easiest decoration to create for your Christmas Decor.

And its also a fun one for the kids to make too.

 All you need is a dollar store blackboard and some chalk.

Draw a Christmas tree in chalk.

You can also print Christmasy words around the outside of the tree if you like.

#christmasdecor #christmascrafts #cristmaskidscrafts

Berry Button Gift Tags...❥

Create the ideal adornment for your gifts...

with easy to make 'Berry Button Gift Tags'.

They are super cheery!

 All you need to create them are:
Green felt
Some dollar store ready made tags - plain or glittered.
Buttons in 3 sizes. 
Craft glue.

Cut free form green leaves.

Glue leaves and buttons on to tag as shown.

Add a tie cord.
Once dry it's ready to add to your gift!

#christmas #christmasgifttags #christmascraft #mistletoe #buttoncraft