How to make a kanzashi flower...

I bought Making Magazine for the first time back when it released it's September edition...I couldn't resist all the Japanese styled crafts...it's not often I drool over a pincushion but they well and truly had me hooked! Less than an hour after sitting down with a cuppa to read I moved onto trying their Kanzashi flower tutorial. They suggested using them as a brooch but I had them in mind for a decoration to form part of my nieces birthday present. Once I started I just couldn't stop!

I tried with different fabrics, I found stiffer fabric worked best for me as it held it's shape well. I think they're so pretty, I want to try to make a garland from them next!

Here's how I made it...

What you need:

Fabric (I used 100% cotton in these photos)

Scissors

Measuring tape

Iron

Pins

Needle and thread

Glue

Button (optional)

1. Cut out 5 squares 12cm x 12cm

2. Take one square and fold into a triangle (right side facing outwards). Press with the iron.

3&4. With the folded edge facing you bring the right and left outside corners up to the top corner and press the edges.

5&6. Turn the diamond over and bring the outside edges into the centre.

7. Fold in half and hold in place with a pin.

8. Trim the end with the raw edges.

9. Repeat with the remaining squares of fabric.

10&11. Feed the thread onto the needle, and thread each petal onto the thread (make sure they're facing the same way!) and tie both ends of the thread together.

12. Next ease each petal into your desired shape.

13. Sew the petals together on both the top and bottom side of the flower. Trim the thread.

14. Next cut a circle of fabric and glue to the behind of the flower (not pictured). Next decorate the centre of the flower, for this one I simply glued a little circle of the fabric but a button would look sweet!

You will get different effects depending on the type of fabric you use, how many petals you have and how you decorate it. Here's the first one I made...

The things you could do with these are endless, They'd make cute hair accessories or brooches, or additions to handmade bags or home accessories...I made two which I added to a cushion...but more on that in a different post!

Have any of you read Making magazine? I've struggled to get hold of it and am thinking about taking out a subscription...the craft ideas were so contemporary and beautiful.

Have a great day!

D.I.Y. painted terracotta pots...

I picked up these mini terracotta pots from Nest at Burwash Manor (if you're ever in the Cambridge area it is well worth a visit, it's a really sweet collection of shops with a lovely deli and tea shop). The pots were too good a deal to turn down so of course I bought far too many of them! I mentioned in my last post that I meet up with some friends for craft evenings so I thought it would be fun to decorate these together. I thought I'd share what I made today. It was slightly addictive and I carried on into the next day...it's had been ages since I last picked up a paint brush and I found it so therapeutic! One is currently housing my make up brushes, another is on my bedside cabinet next to my jewellery tray and I think I might use the other to hold some craft supplies.

I painted two of the pots and used decoupage for the other. I haven't really dabbled in decoupage before but I found this gorgeous paper in hobby craft so I wanted to have a go! I love how it turned out.

To make: simply cut up small squares of paper (you can use any paper but thinner paper will give the best result, I used specific decoupage paper) and glue to the pot. I applied mine in quite a uniform fashion which when looked at close up means the separate squares are quite evident. Next time I think I'll add them at different angles and overlap them more...what do you think? Once the whole pot is covered with the paper apply a layer of glue over the pot to smooth down any loose edges, leave to dry. Next I painted the inside of the pot, leave to dry between layers.

I painted two different patterns. I used electrical tape to mark out the patterns on the pots. Admittedly that was because I didn't have any masking tape but the electrical tape peeled off really easily so I would definitely use it again...just make sure you leave the base coat to dry before sticking the tape to it. I painted two layers of paint for the triangles and 3 layers for the cream base coat and bronze stripes.

I still have a few pots left, any idea on what else I could do with them?

Have a great Thursday!

Autumnal notes...

I feel like Autumn is quickly giving way to Winter so I decided to change up what I was going to share today so that I could share this cute D.I.Y. whilst some leaves still remain on the trees! A couple of times a month I meet up with some friends to get crafty together. It's so much fun trying out new things whilst having a good chinwag :)

My friend Lenny shared this idea for Autumnal lanterns. I think they're such a sweet way to bring a touch of Autumn into the home...plus it is a really simple but lovely D.I.Y.

Lenny collected loads of gorgeous leaves and then dried them in the airing cupboard. I just came onto the scene once the leaves were already dried so it was an even simpler project for me :) The only issue was deciding which leaves to pick!

What you need : dried leaves, glass jar, PVC glue or modge podge, glue brush

What you do: Simple apply a thin layer of glue to the jar and adhere the leaf to the jar. Brush glue over the top and edges of the leaf until it lies smooth against the glass (this might take a little patience!). Repeat with each leaf. Leave to dry and then finish with a top coat of glue.

This leaf was particularly mischievous, it felt like it took me forever to get all the edges to stick!

How do you see in Autumn? I'd love to hear any seasonal craft projects you've completed.

Happy Monday!
(You can see how to make a handle for your glass jar over on the post I shared last year on making decorated hanging jars)

Marshmallow and ginger cake...

I have managed to get so behind with my little blog! I have lots of craft projects to share with you but I just can't seem to find the time at the moment to sit down and write a post! Life feels a good sort of busy though, I have just started to attend some lectures run by my husband's college so much of the time I would usually set aside for blogging is currently spent reading for those instead. So bear with me, things might be a little quieter around here for a while...or, more likely, my house will be neglected so that I can do the much more fun task of blogging instead of, say, the washing up :)

Anyway, I'm pretty sure you didn't click on 'marshmallow and ginger cake' to hear all about my busyness...so let's talk cake.

I went round to a friend's last week to watch the final of Great British Bake Off. I have a confession, this is the first bake off that I have watched. I am so ridiculously bad at following a series but I finally managed this year! Of course, it would be completely wrong to watch the final without eating cake...right? I had seen this gorgeous recipe in my latest Good Food Magazine which I knew would be perfect for such an occasion :)

My photo really doesn't do it justice, the marshmallow icing in the magazine has been toasted with a blowtorch and...it has sparklers coming out of it - so amazing! I searched for an online version of it but there isn't one on their website so you'll have to make to with the photo of my version!

The only significant changes I made to the recipe was to make the butter icing less gingery by excluding the stem ginger and syrup that they recommended. It resulted in a lightly spiced sponge and icing balanced with the sweetness of the marshmallow icing (which is really meringue not marshmallow)...it's a keeper for me!

Toasted Marshmallow and Ginger Cake (from Good Food magazine Nov 2013)

For the cake:

100g butter or margarine

100g soft dark brown sugar

100g black treacle

140g golden syrup

225g plain four

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2tsp ground ginger

1tsp ground cinnamon

1/2tsp salt

125ml whole milk (I used semi-skimmed)

3 medium egg yolks (keep the egg whites for the icing), whisked.

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius and line a 2lb loaf tin.

1. Melt the butter, sugar, treacle and syrup in a saucepan, whisking continually until smooth. This will only take a couple of minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

2. Mix the flour, bicarb, ginger, cinnamon and salt together into a bowl. Pour in the warm syrup mixture, milk and the egg yolks, whisking until well combined and smooth.

3. Pour into the tin and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.

4. Leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes and then use a sharp knife to slice of the top (to give an even surface) and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the ginger butter icing:
140g butter, softened
200g icing sugar, sifted
1/2tsp ground ginger
(optional, add 4 balls of stem ginger, finely chopped, and 1tbsp ginger syrup to stay true to the original recipe)

1. Combine all the ingredients in the bowl and beat until smooth.

For the marshmallow icing:
3 egg whites
175g caster sugar

1. Put the egg whites, sugar, 1tbsp water and a pinch of salt into a heatproof bowl. Place this over a pan of boiling water (keeping the base of the bowl away from the water). Whisk (I suggest an electric whisk to save your wrists!) together over the heat for about 4 minutes or until the meringue reaches the ribbon stage - this is where the whisk will leave a trail that remains visible for at least 3 seconds.
2. Take off the heat and continue to whisk for a further 3 - 4 minutes until the icing has cooled slightly and stiffened.
3. Transfer 1/3 of the icing to a piping bag fitter with a large round nozzle.

To assemble:
Slice the cake into 3 layers (lengthways). Using the widest layer as the base, reassemble the cake spreading the buttercream evenly between the layers.
Next cover the outside of the cake with a layer of marshmallow icing. You can use a palette knife to draw vertical lines up the cake sides.
Take the piping bag and pipe spikes of meringue over the top of the cake.
At this point, if you have a cook's blowtorch, you can lightly toast the meringue - sadly I don't have one of these yet!

It went down a treat :) What did everyone think of the final? I was cheering on Frances so I was happy that she won! They were all so good but her creations were always just so beautiful, and she seemed really down to earth...I guess she proved Paul wrong with the whole boring business of 'style over substance' :)

Happy Monday! Stay safe if the storm reaches you.

D.I.Y. inspiration - party decor...

Everyone loves a good party right? I never seem to think far enough ahead to plan amazing decor but I have been drooling over these beautiful ideas! So I thought I'd kickstart the weekend by sharing my favourite garlands and wall decor ideas!

1. Beautiful scalloped fans and bunting from Oh Hello Friend.
2. A really fun and colourful honeycomb garland by Oh Happy Day.
3. A Christmas themed 'Joy' fan banner by Somewhere Splendid
4. This gorgeous flower wall by Lovely Indeed
5. A really fun but simple idea of scattered balloons featured on Confessions of a Wisconsin Housewife

Do you have a favourite? I can't decide!
Have a great weekend :)