Sarah & Teeken's 25 days of tea!

I have experienced first hand just how lovely it is to receive something that has been handmade especially for you.  

One of my best friends called me and gave me strict instructions that I had to come over and open a present on December 1st. As any sane person would act when forced to open a present, I willingly obliged. 

Sarah and Teeken had made me my own advent calendar, but with a twist. Every day contained a different variation of tea bag with a hand written quote. The girls had made the whole thing themselves and obviously put a lot of time into it, which almost made me cry! {I'm very soppy these days}

You will need:

• MDF or lightweight wood panel. You could upcycle an old floorboard? 
• Nails and a hammer 
• Rope {thin but strong enough to hold the weight}
• Pouches- they got theirs from Amazon.
• Black paint and thin paintbrush- acrillic 
• The fillings of your advent calendar
• Your choice of material to cover your wood
• Drill

How to make:

Cover your wood in your choice of material. The girls used Indian newspaper for me- to go with the tea theme and my job! If you are using MDF, PVA glue should do the job if you are covering it in paper. 

Mark out 25 points to hammer your nails into and give them a good old bash!

Sarah individually painted the numbers onto the little bags. Fill the bags with the contents of your choice. Little chocolates maybe? 

These calendars are also perfect for kids or adults {you're never too old for a advent calendar} who can't eat chocolate. Another nice idea would be to fill each bag with lego or something they can collect over December. 

I've got a collection of crystals, I believe that each crystal has a healing property. So that would also be a nice idea, fill each bag with a different crystal {you can pick them up for a few quid} and the properties they contain. 

My calendar is hanging on my wall, the girls drilled two holes in the top and attached thin rope through the holes. 

Like I said, this was Sarah and Teeken's creation so my instructions are a little ropey!

Thanks girls, they cheer me up every morning! 

Have a lovely weekend! H xxxx

Nordic Bakery and honning hjerter {honey hearts} recipe

Nordic cooking is something I know very little about. I wandered past the Nordic Bakery after meeting for lunch with a friend and felt drawn to the place. I decided that I should learn more about Scandinavian food so had a little chat with Miisa Mink, the proud owner of Nordic Bakery and author of the Nordic Bakery Cookbook.

Meet Miisa Mink (Creator and Author) 

Miisa has a background in branding and design, which comes across in the interior of the bakery. The panelled wood walls and minimalistic tables and chairs gave the place an effortlessly styled feel. Miisa became a partner of Nordic Bakery in 2008 when she decided she needed a break from the branding industry. She had two words in her mind- beautiful and silent, two words that wouldn't usually spring to mind in a busy bakery... but somehow she has achieved just that. 

I was intrigued to hear what Miisa's childhood was like in Finland, she smiled: "I grew up in a foodie family. My parents made everything from scratch. We did our own fishing, picked berries, mushrooms and foraged. Nothing was out of a packet"

Her Dad has his own mill to make bread, he even travels to France to source the grain. The idea of a ready meal in the house was practically a sin, which explains her incredibly healthy {and rather inspirational cooking and eating style}

Miisa has hopped from Poland, Holland, Finland, Belgium and Switzerland until she made London her home in 1999.

The Nordic Bakery Cookbook

I feel I can speak for most people when I say that one year olds can be tricky. Now double that {Miisa is a mum of twin boys} and throw writing a cookbook into the mix! Miisa's cookbook came out in 2011 and is filled with sweet and savory Nordic recipes. She would invite her friends and family over for parties and get them to sample her food, one of her aunt's recipes is even in her book! I really have no idea how she does it! 

Tell me about Nordic food

I held my hands up and confessed that I knew very little about Nordic baking or cooking. She reassured me by saying it was actually very easy {this is a girl who struggles to make a decent boiled egg}. Nordic food is hearty and fresh. 'No nonsense cooking' as Miisa put it. I liked the tradition behind it, Miisa told me that everyone has their own take on the cinnamon bun and no one knows who came up with the original recipe, it is property of the Nordic people. Inspired by Miisa's baking and cooking, I thought I would give it a go!

{My honning hjerter}

Honning hjerter {honey hearts}

These biscuits can be traced back to the middle ages, which I think is pretty awesome. They are very simple {as my recipes always are} and go perfectly with cup of tea to warm you up over the winter months. They also make lovely Christmas tree decorations, just add a hole in the top before baking.  

You will need:

• 500g Honey {I used runny honey}
• 3 Eggs yolks 
• 600g plain flour 
• 2 tsp Baking power
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 300g dark chocolate 

How to make:

Pre heat the oven to 170 degrees. Mix the honey and eggs in a bowl. I find the best way to separate the egg yolks is to crack the eggs and pour it onto my hands, letting the egg white drip through my fingers to I'm just left with the yolk... yummy. 

Add the spices and raising agents. Gradually add in the flour- you will need strong arms for this bit! 

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. 

You will need to COVER the surface with flour, I also found that the dough can be a little wet, if you kneed it onto the heavily floured surface it should do the trick. 

Roll the mixture onto the surface, you want a 1.5cm thickness, make sure to keep turning it and keep adding flour to the surface or it will stick. 

Quick tip: cut out your shape, give it a wiggle on the surface. Use a pallet knife to slide it under the cutter and bring it over to the tray. It just stops the dough sticking. 

Evenly space the biscuits and pop in the oven for 12 minutes. You want them to be slightly golden with a spongy texture when they come out, the honey then hardens them as they cool. 

Let the biscuits cool until you can touch them without burning your fingers, then peel them off the greaseproof. You will need to do this before they cool completely because they will stick to the paper. 

Leave them on a cooling rack. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over boiling water in a pan. 

Traditionally you cover the whole biscuit with chocolate, I decided to put my own spin on it. Using a spoon I drizzled the biscuits with the chocolate and spinkled them with golden sugar specks {sainsburys!}

Once again, the guys from work were my taste testers and they got the thumbs up! 

Enjoy xxx

Popping the collar on Karen Fox

I think one of the coolest jobs in the art industry is jewellery making. To make something unique that someone {or yourself} can wear is like carrying around a piece of their creativity- and that is a very special thing. 

I bought my beautiful ring from Karen Fox, a very talented jewellery maker based in North London. Karen's projects tend to have a historic angle, she finds the Elizabethan era fascinating, with its fine detailing, opulence and dramatic scale. Her 'Ruffle' range is inspired by Elizabethan collars.

Meet Karen Fox:

Karen grew up in a family of engineers and artists in Devon. After moving to London, Karen found herself working in a job which stifled her creativity. After realising that she needed an artistic outlet she enrolled on an evening class at the City Lit in Jewellery and Silversmithing. 

Once Karen's children had started school, she completed a BA (Hons) in Silversmithing and Jewellery at The Cass, London Metropolitan University. Since 2011 Karen has been building up her jewellery business by taking part in shows around the country and selling her work through shops and galleries.  

  

When I asked Karen what her favourite part of jewellery making is she said when things turned out the way she imagined them to be. She talks about making jewellery as being both a physical and mental task and that you are very much in the moment. The handmade techniques of forging and soldering on each piece means that they all have individual quirks. 

As well as making stunning jewellery, Karen enjoys sewing. Her degree show collection was made from pleated and sewn stainless-steel mesh cloth.

" I used to knit, crochet and sew as a teenager- I've made a fair few curious jumpers and trouser shirts in my time!"

Karen's words of wisdom for budding jewellery makers:

"I would advise anyone going into the jewellery business to develop their own personal style and build up their CV as much as possible. By that I mean entering competitions, applying to take part in exhibitions and apply for work experience with established artists."

Karen explained that most of the jewellery makers she knows work in part time jobs elsewhere to support themselves. She said not to expect to make money straight away! She told me how practise is incredibly important and can sometimes provide inspiration.

She's given me the motivation to get my jewellery making box out... 

Have a great week! H xxx

How to do brush embroidery {a quick trick for super pretty cakes}

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you had a lovely weekend. I drove up to Diss, Norfolk- a much needed get away! It was my great aunt's 80th birthday so I made her a cake...

{The gorgeous hotel that was my home for the weekend}

{Everything on the cake was handmade. To know how to make the roses, check my sugar rose tutorial for a step by step guide}

You will need:

• Flower cutters (or the shape you want to use)
• A piping bag and size 2 nozzle
• Royal icing 
• Thin paintbrush 
• Pot of water 
• Kitchen roll or cloth

How to make:

This is a pattern that gives cakes a beautiful finish and is very quick and easy (trust me!)

To make royal icing you only need a tiny amount of water. Add the water drop by drop. You want a fairly thick consistency, to test this, spoon some icing and dribble it back into the icing bowl. If the icing that has dripped off the spoon back onto the icing in the bowl holds its shape for at least 3 seconds you're good to go!

Using the cutters, push them into the cake to give an outline.

Pipe the outline of the flowers. 

Pipe another line in the inside of each petal, do this separately, and with a damp paintbrush pull the icing into the centre of the flower. Clean your brush of icing after each stroke.

Do this for each petal and pipe a centre in the middle of each flower. 

This makes a lovely and delicate pattern which dries hard, so won't smudge! You can do brush embroidery on biscuits too, they make lovely wedding favours. 

Hana xxx 

How to make lip balm

I've noticed in the past few weeks the dreaded dry skin has made an appearance. The central heating and weather change makes my skin go mental every year so I am preparing myself for the elements. The best thing about making your own balm is you can customise them however you choose! 

I'm in love with Burt's Bees products, especially as they're natural and aren't tested on animals. So I had a little scout for recipes and came across a simple one that I adapted. 

I've made tea tree lip balm for sore chapped lips, sunflower balm which smells AMAZING and also doubles up as a solid perfume, tinted rose lip balm and lavender lip balm- a calming smell for those who are prone to anxiety. 

{I invited the girls round for a making session, they really got into it!}

You will need:

• Beeswax (can buy off Amazon!)
• Shea butter (Amazon too!)
• Coconut oil (You can get this from any super market)
• Essential oils
• Petals 
• Lipstick (for the tinted balm)
• Pots- I got mine for a few quid on... you guessed it... Amazon!

How to make:

(This is to make 8-12 pots) 

Heat water in a pan and put a glass bowl over it- making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. 

Scoop a teaspoon of beeswax, shea butter and coconut oil and put into the glass bowl to melt. Wait until the mixture is completely melted. 

For tinted: cut off a chunk of lipstick, I recycled one I haven't used in years! Melt this into the mix.

Turn the heat off, but keep the bowl over the hot water and add the essential oil, do this to your liking. I put 5 drops in mine- you don't want it too strong!

Line up your pots ready, when you take the bowl off the heat the balm solidifies pretty quick so you've got to move fast! 

Pick up your bowl and pour your balm SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY into the pots. Use oven gloves! 

If you want to add petals, make sure they are ready to sprinkle into the hot balm. 

Leave your pots to set on a flat surface, give them at least 12 hours to set and then you are good to go!

{I gave Raz (my bestie at work) a pot of the 'pink peppermint' tinted balm. Her first reaction was "what?! how does it look so professional?!"}

Happy making :) 

Hana xxx

Hana meets Odds & Suds!

Odds & Suds

If you’re interested in starting a soap making business, these two are your inspiration. I met with the brilliantly creative couple behind Odds & Suds, a natural handmade soap company.

Jenny has been making soap now for 15 years, a business which started in a cosy kitchen and flourished into the thriving success it is today. 

The story behind the suds 

Jenny originally learned to paint with Annie Sloan and began painting furniture as well as making a furniture polish from turpentine and beeswax. In 2014 she was asked to take part in BBC 2’s Great Interior Design Challenge in Brighton. For her project she decorated a kitchen, giving it a gorgeous rustic French theme. 

Jenny decided that interior design wasn’t her calling and began to make solid hand cream, which she sold for 3 years at Tavistock Pannier Market. Soaps were a natural progression in Jenny’s mind so armed with a soap recipe book, pans and whisks- she took a step into the world of soap making! Soon enough, Odds & Suds out grew the market stall, so Jenny opened her first shop in Tavistock and has never looked back.   

Odds & Suds in the spotlight

Following the success of the Tavistock shop, Jenny opened second shop in Ashburton. The shop and their beautiful house featured in Country Living as part of a 4 page spread.

In 2009, Jenny appeared on one of my favourite programmes, Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas, on Channel 4. She taught Kirstie how to make soap in the Odds & Suds shop. Jenny told me as they settled down on the sofa to watch the show, the orders began pouring in and the website crashed!

{Jenny showing Kirstie the ropes!}

Jenny after her TV appearance: “I drove to the shop and noticed a queue of people outside. I thought that’s funny, they must be waiting for a bus or something. I then realised they weren’t waiting for a bus… they were waiting for me to open the shop. It was crazy, we literally ran out of soap.”

From there it was a change of direction for Odds & Suds. The couple worked hard to transform their horse stables into a work shop fit for producing their soap on a larger scale to enable them to sell to the wholesale market. 

After chatting with the couple about their exciting plans, I got the impression from Jenny that she missed the homely kitchen atmosphere that was once her work area. “I do miss working in the kitchen but we’ve now got the capacity to make 3000 bars a week, so it’s still artisan but just not as cosy! I think a lot of producers get to that point, you become very busy with what you’re doing and you make that leap to become a producer.”

She described any crafting business as making monsters that need constant feeding and I couldn’t agree more! 

The Odds & Suds family

Today, Jenny owns the shop in Tavistock, Kelly runs and owns the Odds & Suds shop in Ashburton, Rosy has her own Odds & Buds florist and Matthew owns a tanning shop in Tavistock called Odds & Sun and also works in theatre production. 

 

Jenny’s tip for crafters:

“Keep it simple! So many crafters fall into the trap of doing too much but actually less is more.” 

For those of you wanting to go into soap making to sell, you have to have your products tested to make sure they are safe to the general public.

Jenny and John will be at The County Living Christmas Fair (Islington's BDC from 11 – 15 November). Their shops are already stocked for Christmas and if you aren't able to swing by then check them out online at www.oddsandsudstavistock.com or telephone 01822 618111- I've already placed my order! 

Hana xxx 

Hana meets Zeena Shah! {blog hop}

I was asked by the team at Stitch Craft Create {http://ideas.stitchcraftcreate.co.uk/how-to-print-fabric-blog-hop/} to take part in a 'blog hop' for Zeena Shah's brilliant new book- How To Print Fabrics. I've given her fallen leaf tea towel design a go and free styled a bit with some napkins! 

If you are into fabric printing, textiles or creating gorgeous home accessories Zeena really is your girl. Her book is so easy to follow and her projects are for all abilities. It's full of different mark making ideas, pillows, bags, screen printing and more, which are all right up my street. 

Funnily enough, I met Zeena at Kirstie Allsopp's Handmade Fair in September and took one of her workshops! She taught us how to make lino printed stationary, which was great fun and very effective. 

You'll need to grab a copy of the book {shameful plugging of me there} to know how to make these cheeky little numbers- I've already ordered mine! Just follow the link- http://www.stitchcraftcreate.co.uk/how-to-print-fabric#.VidFcsZVhHw

Love Hana xxx