It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas :)

YAY - all the presents have been bought.... (including mine - a kindle touch YAY!!!!) Food shopping is done (apart from the fresh seafood and fruit on Saturday but that is just down the road - no big shops!) Alcohol (yes essential!) delivered yesterday :)Fridges are cleaned out and ready to go even Chionia's room has had a clean out Phew!!!!! and my scrap room!!! I am ready - bring it on!!!!!!! :) Although this Christmas will be quieter than previous ones I am really looking forward to it - no where near as much stress or $$$ - my lot are coming over Christmas eve and Christmas day is being spent with good friends and the pool! Today's plan is to cook up the Choc Chip Peppermint Pavlova (recipe below - so easy and yummy trust me!) and I have even made some special homemade Christmas cards.. :)

A few weeks ago Jen Crossley came to Perth and taught some pretty cool classes - I went along to the Etched metal book class and I LOVED IT!!!!!!! So much so have bought all the chemicals and when I got home I wanted to play a bit more - so using up my scrap pieces from the class I created some very special brass Christmas Emporium tags :)
using Graphic 45

Christmas Emporium stamps and stazon :)

You then neutralise them, sand them and I swiped some paint paint over the top to highlight certain area's

Then all I had to do was pop them onto some cards - using the Coredinations Graphic 45 Core dark card sets and some yummy Nestabilities I created some special cards for family this Christmas (Riss - yours will be in the post today rofl!)

and yes I have been busy hehe - another project for you today as well - Advent calendars come in many forms nowadays and I have at least 7 in the house rofl but had to make another using the new Twiddleybitz Christmas Countdown kit

and yes I did cut and sandpaper that fence!!

Mel’s Peppermint Choc Chip Pavlova

Tips

just turn the oven off and let it cool in the oven - I make mine at night and leave it till the next morning

Eggs at room temperature

Meringue ingredients
6 egg whites (at room temperature)
2 cups of caster sugar
2 tspn white vinegar
1 tspn vanilla essence
0.5tspn peppermint essence
1 tbspn cornflour
200gr chopped chocolate (I use the Nestle choc chips that don’t change shape when cooked!)
300ml whipped cream

Instructions
Preheat oven to 140degrees celsius
Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl and whip with an electric beater until soft peaks form.
Gradually whisk in 1 cup of sugar and beat until the mixture is very stiff and glossy looking.
Gently stir through the remaining sugar, vinegar, vanilla, peppermint essence, cornflour and chocolate.
Line 2 baking trays with non stick paper and draw a circle on each about 20cm in diameter on each sheet.
Heap the mixture inside the circles and place in oven - after 5 minutes turn oven down to 120degrees celsius and bake for another 55 minutes (total of 1 hour cooking). Turn off oven and leave the pavlova to cool completely INSIDE the oven WITHOUT opening the door (otherwise it will crack and flop!)
Once cool place one layer on a serving plate - top with half the whipped cream place strawberries or any fresh fruit on top, place next layer on top and repeat

Now EAT YUMMO