DIY: Birthday Cake Bark Recipe

Make every day feel like your birthday with this delicious Birthday Cake Bark recipe! 

I finally got my hands on some vibrant sprinkles - I've been after these for ages and had to order them online (in the UK we only have bland coloured ones, no doubt because of naughty E numbers!) And to celebrate I've whipped up a fresh batch of Birthday Cake Bark :D A ridiculously easy diy that's bound to bring even the grumpiest of people a smile...

In America there is so many awesome boxes of Funfetti cake batter - thats how everyone is making adorable cakes with sprinkles in them. Multicoloured happiness in a box! Unfortunately here, we don't have such a concoction. Our cake batter is a yellow colour for a start as the ingredients haven't been bleached (truth!), so if you try sticking sprinkles into a standard batter, it'll probably turn out tinged green and a little bit sad. I've only heard of sad tales from friends and thus have been royally put off!

Needless to say, I'm not going to give up on bringing some funfetti joy into my life :P In the spirit of chasing rainbows, this little recipe is quick, easy and definitely very Vivid!

You'll need:

100g White Chocolate

1 heaped tablespoon cake mix (sifted)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence (add more as you go along if you have a sweeter tooth!)

I thought it would be best to start you off with a small batch *I say you, I mean me - I won't be sharing* but this recipe is easy to make for people in their hundreds by doubling up :) Do your worst!

To make, break up the white chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl over boiling water (a bain-marie). Stir until the chocolate has melted and take off the heat. Add in the cake mix (I used just a regular sponge mix, nothing too fancy) and stir until mixed well. Finally, add in the vanilla essence and give it another good stir. The mixture might be a little bit grainy, but it shouldn't have any lumps or anything in it (sifting helps!). Have a little taste to see if you need a little more vanilla or cake mix; mine is pretty sweet already, but it depends how big your celebration is ;)

Once you're happy with the flavour, pour the mixture out onto a tray lined with a baking sheet. Using a spatula, spread out the mixture till it's 0.5 cm thick (I like my bark like shards!) and go WILD with those sprinkles! Give them a gentle pat down when you're done to make sure they're stuck in and set aside to harden in a cool place (takes around an hour)

*TA*DA*
It's like Jazzies! Now all you need to do is eat it :B Cute, sweet and oh so darling - definitely a treat worth ordering sprinkles for!

Happy Making!

PS! If anyone fancy's sending me some of that Funfetti cake mix, I'll trade you a print :B

DIY: Confetti Lined Envelopes

oOoh! Pretty! Being a total sucker for anything confetti, I thought I would share a cute and simple diy to spread the love. These envelope liners are a great way to bring a pop of sunshine; the best part is it'll never be expected. Post and confetti - life doesn't get much better than this!  

For this tutorial, I've used some of that clear plastic that you used to use on your school books; it's adhesive on one side and glossy on the other, like tape. You can get it in most craft and stationery shops and it's usually pretty cheap. You'll also need scissors, a pencil and plenty of confetti! 

To create your lining template, use your pencil and trace around the envelope on the paper side of your adhesive plastic. To make the envelope look totally filled with confetti, I've traced to just below the bottom flap. This will make it easier to slot in and line up correctly (and will save on wastage). 

Once you've traced, take about 5mm off each vertical side; the flap will fit perfectly as it is, but you'll need to trim the sides so it will fit in. Test it fits before proceeding to the next step.

You've probably found that the plastic wants to roll up all the time. To combat this, blue tack the glossy side of the liner to your table and peel off the paper backing. This will hold it steady for you :) Next have a little celebration and throw down all your confetti ~ hooray!

As you'll see, I've left a little rim all the way round where there is no confetti; you won't need to glue in the lining this way, the adhesive is strong enough to hold it all in place. 

The easiest way to stick down in is to line up starting at the top point; remember to leave some of the envelope glue free so it shuts, then press it down to stick and slide your hand over it to smooth down the rest...

Tuck in the bottom half and give it a good press too...

Lovely! 

Now, carefully fold over the flap so it lines up closed properly and give it a hard press. It'll crease the plastic lining inside and be ready for action!

*TA*DA*

Now you've got the prettiest stationery on a shoe string budget! What I love about these linings is that you can customise them to match party colour schemes or use metallic confetti if you're feeling particularly lavish!

Now all we need to do is find more pen pals who appreciate surprise post :D

Happy Making!
xox

DIY: How to make Boozy Gummy Bears

I've been seeing a lot of these Boozy Gummy Bears pop up on pinterest and I couldn't resist having a shot to see how well it actually turned out! For this DIY I decided to trial a few different kinds of spirits and worms as well as bears to see what came of it. The bears are just your standard Haribo variety which I can tell you now work a treat. Marks & Spencers' Colin the Caterpillar (my favourite kind of wiggly worm) didn't take to this at all... It must be something to do with the gods of gelatine, so if you're a veggie and wanting to give this a shot, try and get as close to the real thing as you can :)

Many of the tutorials involved flavoured vodka, which I can imagine works super well and is defo worth trying out. I opted to hark back to my past and bought a bottle of Apple Sourz; not only does it remind me of my student days, but I'm totally addicted to that fake apple taste. I figured if I was going to make alcoholic candy, I may as well go all out and make it real classy ;)

Whilst my main batch of bears was soaking in that, I also tried a few cocktail options to see how they came out. A few lined cupcake cases work perfect if you fancy testing out a few different combinations without breaking the bank. So, all you need to do is pop your bears in a bowl or jar, put in enough booze to cover them all, clingfilm / saran wrap closed and sit them in your fridge for 2 to 3 days till the alcohol has virtually gone. I found that it was good to give them a stir each day so ensure each one got good coverage and I wasn't left with a big gummy lump at the end!

Cocktail Flavours:

Orange Bears + Sailor Jerry

Raspberry Bears + Hendricks Gin

Pineapple Bear + Chambord 

The Verdict? These bears have got some kick to them! The Apple Sourz ones turned out really well, the flavour is perfect for those of you with a sweet tooth and a love of candy. I really enjoyed the Sailor Jerry flavoured ones too, but their not for the faint hearted. If you're not into strong spirits I would say this flavour is not for you. Being a lover of our local Hendricks Gin, I couldn't resist giving this a bash; it's still quite a strong kick, but I foreseeing these being made again in the future. Unfortunately our Chambord bears weren't as successful as the previous flavours. I'm pretty certain this is to do with the consistency; it's quite a thick liquor and therefor harder to be absorbed. They still taste lovely, but there was a lot of left over alcohol from the trial. I do like how the clear bears are now pinkish though! That is a top tip for next time - maybe a little flavoured vodka and some food colouring for themed parties!

Taste aside, the sweets themselves have definitely grown in size and are still quite gummy in consistency. They're more jelly like when you first bite into them and then get more chewy towards the centre. Good times if you ask me!

Overall, I'm really pleased with these and will defo be making them for adult parties in the future. They're a great throw back and really novel, but remember not to put these on the table if there's going to be anyone under 18 / 21 in the room! 

Also, I think they look totally fab when in a jar - wouldn't they make a great hostess gift? Or how about whiskey ones for your boyfriend on Valentines Day... or even your dad on Fathers Day... Oh! Gin on Mothers Day too :D As you can switch up the flavours the possibilities are endless. I think I might try popping some in a glass of lemonade to see how that turns out. How fun!

We'd love to hear what combos you think are worth trying!

Remember to eat your candy responsibly.

Happy Making
xox

DIY Round Up: Gift Wrapping & Party Inspiration

Whoa! Time flies when you're having fun! We've been busy prepping for the holidays and getting ready for the big party tomorrow, so I thought it would be lovely to do a DIY blog post with a round up of gift wrapping diys and party inspiration for you all. Tis the season to be generous with washi tape after all! Here you'll find some free Christmas gift tags to print out, a diy showing you how to make little gift bags out of wrapping paper, some cute constellation cards and even a little pom pom flower garland amongst others... May your Christmas Eve be craft-tastic and full of merry joy!  

washi tape feathers

Christmas gift tags

how to make a gift bag and washi tape bows

washi tape stickers

pom pom flower garland

constellation cards 

confetti and envelope diy

Hope they come in handy sweeties! 

Happy Making 

xox

DIY: How To Make Giant Candy Table Decorations

This year I've decided to create some fun new table decorations to brighten up our festive get together. Roll on the giant candy ornaments! If you're on a tight budget and are looking for a playful and bright way to bring a little fun into your home, this is the DIY for you. My favourite thing about these is they're great props, cute tree decorations and they're not too seasonal; they'll be a sure hit for birthdays, easter and high noon tea party celebrations too :D 

To make your own set of these lovely sweetie decorations all you'll need is some cheerful baubles (these cost me only £1 in a local shop for 6!), some clear cellophane as used by local florists some cute string and your favourite pair of scissors...

To begin, trim off the ribbon loops from your baubles - if you're feeling particularly thrifty you can use these remnants for tying later too.

Next, cut out a large rectangular piece of your clear cellophane wrapping. It needs to be long enough to wrap all the way around your bauble and wide enough to leave a few inches excess at the sides.

Making sure your bauble is sitting so the holes are facing the ends, twist both sides of your cellophane wrapping so it's all tucked up inside as shown above.

Next, cut off two little bits of string and tie each side securely closed. You'll need to double knot them so they don't unravel. Once you're happy with your knots, trim off excess string and you're good to go...

How darling!

 *Ta*Da*
What do you think? Given my massive sweet-tooth these are pretty much my idea of heaven. I think they're going to be a great focal point at dinner too!

We hope you have fun making some for your celebrations. With so many beautiful baubles available you'll be able to work them into any colour scheme and any occasion. Sweeeeet!

Happy Making!
xox

DIY: How To Make A Glitter Fabric Pocket Mirror Cover

I've been pretty obsessed with this glitter fabric for a while - my bling DIY pencil case get's a lot of lovely compliments! So I decided to branch out and make a little cover for my pocket mirror too. Not only does it look super trendy, but it's pretty practical and a snitch to make too! I've had a couple of requests for these as Christmas gifts already, so I thought I would share the magic with you too.
Ready to get your stitch on? You won't believe how easy this tutorial is...

fabric        mirrors

All you need is some glitter fabric, embroidery thread and scissors. You can alternatively use oil cloth material or felt for this project - these materials are all great as they are fairly stiff so they keep good shape and don't fray easily so you don't need to hem them. They all also have a soft 'inside' or reverse, meaning you don't need to line anything. Brilliant!!

Start by cutting out two circles that your pocket mirror will fit in, leaving a 0.5cm edge all around. As a guide,  I've cut out two circles at 7cm in diameter to fit our mirrors. 

Tie a knot in one end of your thread and thread it through on the inside of the material. Sandwich the two circles together and start stitching (all the way through both pieces.) Your little knot will be hidden inside :)

Keep a steady straight stitch going 3/4s of the way around your circles. You need to leave a gap that's large enough to fit your mirror in, but closed off enough to hold it in so it doesn't slip out. This will need to be around 5cm wide from edge to edge.

*Ta*Da* 

Looking great, huh! Mirror fits in like a glove :D I've decided to finish the stitching all the way round to make it a little more neat. If you're doing the same, remember you're not stitching the fabric together so you'll need to do one rim and then the other. To keep it tidy, keep your knots tied on the inside like how we started...

ooOOooh!

aaaAAAaaah!

What I particularly like about this tutorial is that you can change the colour of thread to match or totally contrast. Super cute and super stylish :D These are going to make amazing stocking stuffers for Christmas - and they'll cost less than £5 for the mirror and material to make them! Fabulous darling!

Happy Making...

xox

Vintage Life Magazine Feature!

HOORAY! Our oil cloth lunch bag tutorial has been featured in this month's Vintage Life magazine and we are absolutely ecstatic about it! I'm a big fan of this magazine and have been reading it since I stumbled upon it at the first Hemingway Vintage Festival around 3 years ago. Back then it was quite a little magazine, but jam packed full of retro inspired goodness and a real inspiration to me. It's come a long way over the years and I'm totally delighted that I got to be a part of the November issue!

Some of you early fans might remember that I used to make and sell these in our Etsy shop, but as time went on our product range developed and moved away from the sewing side of things. It's never an easy decision to retire a product, but we just felt it's time was up. When I got asked to come up with a vintage themed DIY, this seemed like the perfect time to re-incarnate it and give it a new purpose!

It sounds a little silly, but seeing our wee faces lined up with all the other contributors was a real kick for me. I'd totally love to be a regular for a magazine and I'm really proud that we got the opportunity to get involved. It's really put fuel in the fire and made me want to do more. Once we're back from Renegade I defo want to get back into doing more projects for our blog. It's been tricky recently with so much going on, but I have a few ideas in the pipeline - it's just a matter of time!

If you're a fan of the magazine you'll spot our sneaky little voucher code in there too... Readers get a special Etsy discount through November (lucky beans!) Perfect in time for those of you getting presents ready for the holidays :)

Rosie The Riveter

We'd like to say a big thank you to Vintage Life magazine for getting us involved in such a fabulous issue - it's got the prettiest wedding dress I've ever laid eyes on, a great article on Rosie The Riveter and a tasty recipe for French Biscuits too... The perfect treat for this achievement :)