Follow Us On Bloglovin!

on Sunday, June 30, 2013


Hello Google Reader fans!
As you will all know, Google Reader is closing down on 1st of July. That means you'll no longer get our new blog posts straight into your inbox. Boo! But never fear, you can follow our blog on the fabulous blog reader Bloglovin We've been using it for ages and think it's totally awesome for keeping up to date with our favorite bloggers. Phew! I feel like I've written that word 200 times already! Blogs rock, you know? Anyhoo, we'd hate for you to miss out on all our DIYs and awesome posts...
Come play! 
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Last Chance To Order Before We Go!

on Friday, June 28, 2013

Hello lovlies

Today is your last chance to place an order with us before we go away on holiday!

Our Storenvy shop will be closed till the 29th July, and our Etsy shop will have a 4 week lead time on all orders, meaning you can make a purchase, but it will not be sent out to you until we come back at the end of July.

So, if you'd like to order a treat for yourself or need a birthday / anniversary / "hello I miss you" gift before you go, please order today to avoid a long wait!

Thanks so much for all your support
xox

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I LOVE IT : Postino Music Video


Secretly, this is me! Hahaha! A fun little video for you today by Postino (watch out, it's repetitive, catchy and will get stuck in your head!) Gotta love those costumes... If anyone out there wants to make me one, I'll totally star in a music video for you :D Happy Friday! Enjoy xx
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Oh snap!

on Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Oh Snap! 
We've renamed Wordless Wednesday, but it's still remaining the same :) A little selection of pictures from my phone... enjoy!




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little plans....

on Tuesday, June 25, 2013

We've only got a few more days till we go away on our next big adventure, but we've barely even started getting ready for it yet! Things have been pretty crazy over the past few weeks so we're truly looking forward to a little break. Can you believe we're almost half way through the year already?

I just had a look through the goals we set out back in January, and I think it's fair to say we've had a good crack at them so far. We've been secretly working on our new website, which we're hoping to launch shortly after we come back and we're really excited about that. We've spent a lot of time on the new design and layout, I think you're going to love it!

Along with the new site, I think we might change up our blog a little too. We've been tweaking the look a little recently, and I've been itching to switch up our posts a bit. We'll still be doing plenty of DIYs and sharing lots of awesome stuff, but I think it would be nice to get a little more personal :) I've been wanting to share some of our little collections and we've got big plans to decorate our apartment so I'm hoping to share little insights as we go along.

(new packaging!)


Another thing we're hoping to do is reshoot our products and refresh the look of our online shops. I'm contemplating getting some decent lights as it's not the brightest location to photograph in, but I've got a feeling we're going to be on a limited budget when we get back! We've done a lot of work on our product packaging recently, so it will be fab to update everything with the new look and find out what you all think!

So, whilst we're currently in a state of flux, there is a lot of great things on the horizon for our little blog and shop. It's been a really challenging year so far but we're hoping for some really positive changes over the next few months. We hope you're looking forward to all the new things as much as we are :)

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DIY Ikea Hack!

on Monday, June 24, 2013

I'm really delighted with today's tutorial because it's officially our first ever Ikea Hack! I've had my pastel pink Malm Ikea drawers for some time now, and whilst I love them dearly, I felt they needed a little update. Being obsessed with scalloped patterns, it seemed like the perfect way to refresh my furniture with a vintage twist. Cute, huh? 


I've been reading up online to find out the best way to do this... as you'll know as a crafter there is a lot of 'right' solutions out there! After a little bit of debating with David, we decided simple was best. As we're only going to be adding white scallops, the job shouldn't be a tricky one...

You'll need:
sanding paper
primer (we used this cupboard makeover primer )
a really fat masking tape
a compass
a scalpel (or exacto knife) with a sharp blade
a small paint brush


Start off by cleaning where you're going to paint. Some primers tell you not to sand your laminate cabinets, but as it's a shiny surface and we want to make sure the paint sticks, we recommend giving a light sanding over where you're going to paint. Nothing hardcore, just enough to see it's made a mark.


Cover the top of the drawers (or where you're going to be adding your pattern) with the fat masking tape. As we're going to create a wide design, we need the masking tape to be really deep. You could try layering up thinner masking tapes if you're really struggling to find a large one, but bare in mind these might create a little inconsistency in your pattern and will be harder to remove as there are several pieces. 


Work out how large you want your scallop pattern. You can do this by measuring the length of the unit and calculating how large each semi circle needs to be to fit a specific amount in propperly, or you can do what we did; guess. Haha! And it turned out on the money too :) Winner! Use a compass (with graphite or a pencil attached) to mark out where each semi circle will go.


Then, using your scalpel cut out each circle individually by tracing around the pencil markings. Make sure your blade is sharp so you can do this by only pressing very lightly; you don't want to make a deep cut and damage your units. Slowly and gently, pull off each semi circle of masking tape as you go.


Now you can paint! Give your tin of primer a good mix with a chopstick or something long before you start. Using a small brush, carefully paint in each semi circle; now you've taken the time to mask your pattern, you can go outside the lines without worry :) 
The key to getting good, even coverage is to apply the primer in thin layers. We recommend 3-4 coats of it, leaving about 20mins (till it has dried) between each coat. By your final coat, you're primer will be a block of white with no streaks. Perfect! Once you're happy with it, leave the final coat to dry for the recommended amount of time (ours was 2 hours)


When the drying time's up, you can unveil your incredible artwork! Gently peel off the masking tape, making sure not to go too quickly as you might damage the paintwork. Try and take off the whole piece in 1 part. There may be a few tiny pieces left (like at the skinny parts of the pattern) so make sure you're extra careful removing these pieces at the end. Fidgety but worth the effort!


*Ta*Da*
Isn't she a beaut! I have to admit, this has to be one of my all time favorite DIYs. So pretty and incredibly easy to achieve!

If you're wanting to paint your furniture a different colour, use this guidance to begin with and finish by adding your chosen colour of paint after the primer has dried. Works a dream :)

We'd love to hear any tips you have on up-cycling furniture. We've got a whole apartment ready to be redecorated with your inspiration :D

Happy Making!


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Holiday Countdown!

on Sunday, June 23, 2013

The holiday countdown has begun! We can't believe we only have a few days left till our big trip - it feels like only yesterday we were planning it. We're already into the last few days for taking orders in our shop! The final call will be on Friday 28th June. Any purchases made after we close will be dispatched upon our return, on the 29th JULY! So, if you're planning on making a purchase, please do so as soon as possible to avoid disappointment...  

visit now:
Etsy       Storenvy 

Thanks so much sweeties xox
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Style Me Friday...

on Friday, June 21, 2013
black gold & NEON.
                                   dove t shirt: topshop                           pigeon light: rume 
                                   camera: lomography                           necklace: accessories
                                   purse: paul's boutique                         nail polish: essie
                                   shoes: miss selfridge
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DIY: Malted Chocolate Honeycomb Marshmallows


It's been quite some time since we've posted a recipe, but as this was a special gift from the lovely Miss Kim of Peaches & Pebbles, I couldn't resist sharing my new favorite sweet treat with you all! Making marshmallows is something I've wanted to try for quite some time, but I've always been reluctant to do so as I thought they would turn out a disappointment. This surprise book from Kim really inspired me, especially when I saw there was Malted Chocolate Honeycomb Marshmallow to be had!



To make a batch of these, you'll need to make a batch of plain marshmallows and add all the flavouring towards the end:

Plain Marshmallow Ingredients: 
8 sheets leaf gelatine, 2 egg whites, 500g granulated sugar, 250ml cold water

Malted Chocolate Honeycomb Ingredients:
6 tablespoons malted chocolate powder (like Ovaltine), 6 tablespoons boiling water, 250g chocolate covered honeycomb sweets (eg: Maltesers or Whoppers)

You'll also need:
a good electric whisk, a heavy-based pan, a small baking tin, parchment paper (cut so you will be able to lift the marshmallows out of the tin), 2 tablespoons of icing sugar and 2 tablespoons of cornflower.

How To:

Begin by prepping your baking tin, by lining it with the parchment paper. To make sure the marshmallows don't stick, mix the icing sugar with the cornflower in a bowl. Spoon this into the made up tin and tap it around the base and sids so the dust is sticking evenly. This combination is what's dusted over all marshmallows :D

Once that's done we can get stuck in! 

Add the gelatine sheets into a bowl of cold water, one at a time so they don't stick, and set aside to soften.

Pour the egg whites into a clean bowl and using your mixer, whisk on high until they hold stiff peaks. Set aside.

Put the sugar and water into the pan and warm over a low heat and stir till the sugar has completely dissolved. I don't have a sugar thermometer, but if you do you'll want to add it in now, then bring the sugar to the boil. Allow it to bubble away undisturbed for around 10-15 minutes (until the temp reads 122 degrees Celsius).  I didn't have that luxury, but the way to check if the sugar syrup is ready is to take a small teaspoon of the liquid out of the pot and pour it into a glass of cold water. If the syrup forms a firm "toffee-ish" ball that holds its shape, it's done :D Start doing this test after 10 minutes of boiling. And, just so you know, the sugar should be clear, not brown - you don't want burnt marshmallows! Once it' ready, take the thermometer out of the pan and pop it somewhere safe to cool down. 

Whilst the sugar is cooking, you'll have time to make the flavouring. Do this by mixing the malted chocolate powder with the hot water so it forms a thick paste and set it aside. Smash up your chocolate sweets with a rolling pin, making sure you leave lots of big chunks. Yum yum!



Ok, now everything is ready to go... Hold onto your hat's!

Start mixing up your eggs again on a low speed again and slowly pour in the hot sugar syrup, mixing continuously as you pour. As soon as it's all added, increase the speed to maximum.

Remove the gelatine from the cold water, give them a squeeze dry, and drop them into the mixer. Combine them in and whisk on high speed for 10 minutes. It's ready when it's thick, shiny and almost pourable.

At this stage you can pour in your malted paste and whisk on high speed til it's fully combined. Pour in just over half of the smashed candy and gently fold it into the mixture. When you're ready, pour it all into your tin and tap the sides a couple of times so it's all level. 

Sprinkle on the rest of the candies and lightly press them a little into the marshmallow.

The last thing you need to do is pop them in the fridge and wait 4 - 6 hours (or overnight if you can stand it!) till they're set...

*** 

Woohoo! Now you have some delicious gourmet cupcakes to show off to your besties... if you don't eat them all first :D

We hope these marshmallows make you as happy as they did us :) They're just so delicious and easy to make you'll never want to stop!

Thanks again to Peaches & Pebbles and the wonderful book Marshmallow Magic for this tutorial inspiration... 

Happy Eating!
xox

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Shop & Blog News!

on Tuesday, June 18, 2013


Guess what? We're going on holiday again! This time we're off to Florida for a solid 3 weeks and we cannot wait to get some of that glorious sunshine :D We'll be staying with family and have lots of fun plans (*ahem* THEME PARKS!) and we hope to share a few photos whilst we're away!

Etsy Store News:
Our shop will be open throughout our trip, however, orders placed between the 1st and 29th July will not be dispatched until we get back. It would be a real shame to close the shop whilst we're gone, but we wanted to give you a heads up that there will be a delay on our July orders.

If you would like to make a purchase, our last date for sending out orders is Friday 28th June. Any purchases made after Friday will be sent out on the 29th July.

If you are interested in placing a custom order or wholesale order, please get in touch with us as soon as possible and we will do our best to have everything on it's way to you before we go :)


Thanks in advance peeps!
Vicky & David
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Coffee Propaganda! Cute Animation By Hyunji Aj Bae

on Monday, June 17, 2013

Coffee Propaganda from HYUNJI AJ BAE on Vimeo.

We love this retro styled animated short about coffee! Created by Hyunji Aj Bae, Coffee Propaganda  has been produced to mimic those 50's informative commercials whilst rocking a super cool space age theme with the cutest characters in town... what more could you want in life?
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Leith Festival Stall! Edinburgh, 15th June,

on Thursday, June 13, 2013

Hello Edinburgh Friends!

As many of you will know the city is currently rocking the infamous Leith Festival and this Saturday we will be participating in the big event with a stall down on the shore! 

There will be lots of awesome designers, crafters, and makers upstairs in The Granary, not to mention radio hosts from Castle FM will be broadcasting live from there throughout the day. How exciting!

Where:
The Granary, 32-34 The Shore, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6QN

When:
Saturday 15th June 2013, 12-5pm

Cost: FREE!

We're sure it's going to be an excellent day out so make sure you pop down, say 'hi!' and support your local designer superstars :)

Hope to see you there!
xx
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DIY: How To Dip Dye Ombre!

on Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Hooray for the Summer! We can't wait for festival season to be upon us. Being in the sunshine and listening to some good tunes is what the middle of the year is all about! To get in the spirit of things (and be prepared for the big day!) I thought I would share a DIY that would turn your old tees into super stylish ones in less than £5. Ombre? Oh yeah!


All you'll need is an old t shirt and some fabric dye. Cotton dye's best, but you can do this with a lot of other fabrics too like linen and viscose. Make sure to check the back of your dye packet to see what it'll work best on.


Mix up the fabric dye according to the instructions. For mine, I needed 5 tablespoons of salt and about 6.5 litres of warm water. To be able to this project you'll need a big glass bowl or steel pot for mixing your dye in, otherwise it will stain! I worked in my sink in the end... in an old tshirt in case any of it splashed on my clothes!


The best way to dye anything ombre is to work out how high you want the dye to rise to, and cover anything else in a plastic bag so it doesn't get splashed. Then plunge it into your dye and keep it moving by prodding it with a metal spoon for about 10 minutes. You want to make sure the dye doesn't get caught in any folds and inks up nice and even. 


To get the colours fading from pale to vibrant, lift a few inches of the t shirt out of the dye every 10 minutes. I went for about 4 different shades of pink, so held that T-shirt for 40 minutes. Time well spent if you ask me :)


When you're happy with the colour, you need to rinse all the dye off. Start with a good blast of cold water all over then rinse it out with warm water till the water goes clear. This took me about 20 minutes or so - you have to be really thorough to make sure you don't turn pink!


When you're done, hang it up to dry and admire your handy work! Spot on trend and you have money left to buy yourself a celebration drink. Good times and happy days!

We'd love to hear what other festival fashions you'll be embracing this year. With your ombre top and welly boots on anything could happen :D

Happy Making!
xox

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