Birthday Cupcake...

Delicious passion-fruit cupcake

Iced with passion-fruit butter cream icing...

Decorated...

with sweet fondant  and sugar pearls! 

Who needs a cake when you can have a birthday cupcake?

Blue fondant butterflies...

Gorgeous paper case...

 On a beautiful antique plate...

This plate is 'Paragon'

Pretty, don't you think?

Fine bone china, made in England.

Birthdays are a time to celebrate...

With a cupcake made with LOVE!

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#cupcakebirthdaycake #cupcakebirthdaycakeideas

Pink flowers....

In love with pink?

Mia Bella Gardens has gorgeous pink blooms...

Papery pink cornflowers...

A lovely contrast with the grey foliage...

Shocking pink fuchsia buds...

Pink orchids...

Sweet pink camellias...

More buds of pink...

With gorgeous green... 

Morning dew drops...

Asters in pink!

Stamped Gourd Bowl...

On my previous post about painting the back boards on the bookcase/shelf, 

you may have noticed the decorated gourd...

Many have asked me how this was done...

Here's a quick tutorial:

Paint the whole gourd (Cutting into a bowl comes later!)a base colour. 

 Here I have used cream.

Then stamp (I used a large shell stamp from the 'Stampin Up' range) 

using permanent black ink,

 spacing the shell stamps around the gourd as you go. 

 I guestimate everything...no rulers used!

Wait for it to dry.

Use a very sharp cutter to cut around the top of the shells, 

thus creating the bowl.

Paint the inside of the bowl.

Then using a sponge swipe contrasting colours of paint randomly around the gourd.

I used a bright yellow, brown and a gold.

Do your detailing.

I painted a border of brown.

Touched the shell stamp design  up with some bright yellow, 

and painted bright yellow around the cut edge of the gourd.

Join the shells and accentuate the top border using a permanent black marker pen.

When completely dry coat with clear varnish.

And there you have it.

Have a go if you can source a gourd.

They are so much fun  to paint and decorate.

#gourdart #gourds