Celebration Favours 5 Ways

Saturday 27 September 2014
Hello There!


image courtesy of www.littlebits.co.uk


I've been asked a lot for ideas for unusual celebration favours over the Summer whilst crafting with hens on the countdown to the big day.

Favours are the pretty little extra you get at your place setting or in your party bag to say a lovely 'thank-you'. People use favours at birthdays, baby showers, parties as well as weddings. Usually it's a chocolate, scratch card or miniature. So you can see why my girls want something bespoke!

tea, cake, craft
Make your own bunting, why not try your favours?

So over the last few weeks I been looking for some vintage inspirational favours, so you can provide something a little more creative.

Here are five ways to make yours stand out and make your guests extra happy.

Bake It!

Release the Bake Off champ in you! There are a whole stash of favour baking books on the market. My favourite has to be this book due to gorgeous photography and easy step by step instructions.

biscuit, cookie, bake, sweet
Bake it yourself, biscuits can be made up to a week before your party!


The shortbread hearts are a great idea and can be hung up with pretty ribbons. The recipe is really rich as it uses a egg yolk keeping the whites back for French macarons. 

How beautiful a little handmade biscuit with a personalised ribbon threaded through it? 

You can alternatively use a shortbread recipe similar to this one. The secret is to rest your dough in the fridge for max. fluffiness. After icing with some ready roll, you can decorate with a choice of sprinkles, wrap in food safe bags and store in an air tight container for up to a week.

Stitch It!

Pretty little keepsake hearts with vintage typed messages are a super lovely gift for your female guests. I've had these in the past from Weddings and I have hung them up in the home as a reminder of the day and well... it's handmade. 

Sounds a little bit cheesy but your guests will appreciate the work. If you don't have time, then round up the ladies in your family. I am sure they will be delighted!

thread, needlework
Say it with a stamp on a little tag!


Paint It!

Visit a painting workshop and stamp or print on pottery pieces as a reminder of the day. The studio usually do all the writing for you, you just do the fun bit and stamp away! For a baby's first birthday these little pendants were a treasure.

christening, pottery
Little tiny feet to keep


Cheat and Order It!

If you alternatively want to order in ready made favours and let's face it, sometimes it nice to reward ourselves with a little time off. I really recommend Little Bits of Loveliness.

Based in Nottingham, they produce handmade personalised tiffin favours. Wow! The tiffin can be ordered for place settings or why not order you whole dessert table, a table full of tiffin treats! Yum.

Favours for your celebration the www.littlebits.co.uk way


Hannah and the team have an easy ordering process including details on wrapping and presentation. With seven tempting favours on offer including Ginger and Cranberry (maybe for a Festive Wedding) to Lemon Meringue (gorgeous for a Baby Shower),there is a wide selection for all your guests tastes.

buscuit, favour
A heart shaped bespoke favour
And there is more, your tiffin can be sliced or moulded into heart shapes and wrapped in vintage sweetie shop candy bags with individual stamps, photos and messages on. My husband loves tiffin (like, really loves it) and has been hovering as I'm posting.

favours
Perfect for children's parties

Pop over to see Little Bit of Loveliness at these events this Autumn for a tasty cheeky sample!

I hope this has inspired you,

Happy Saturday,

Samantha x

5 blogs to follow on Bloglovin

Monday 8 September 2014
Follow my blog with Bloglovin


I love Bloglovin as it's the place to find all your favourite blogs. Over the last year I've discovered some inspiring bloggers. My feed comes through each morning about 5.30 a.m. so it's here just in time for read before the rest of the family gets up. I make a cup of tea and read what new in vintage, crafts and food.

Here are a few of my favourites -

A Beautiful Mess 

Elsie and Emma's crafty, DIY blog is so inspiring. If you love your craft a little arty, fresh and totally retro you will love A Beautiful Mess. With over 100 000 followers you will find everything from how to concrete your kitchen work surface to how to trim your fringe (bangs) and everything in between. Awesome!

Oh Joy
Feeling-french
A lifestyle blogger with style, Joy brings together homewares, crafts and fashion whilst being a busy Mummy and Mum-to-be. A fantastic inspirational look book of trends week by week.

Live it. Love it. Make it.

                  

H and Sammy provide up to the minute craftiness from the UK. They try new crafts, visit new stores and work with designers on new projects.Very British and lots of fun! 

The Villa On Mount Pleasant  

vintage

Tamsyn's blog about vintage upcycling and restoring her house is a great read with some beautiful photography. It will make you want to flick through each shabby chic and stylish post. Believe me, you will be itching to go to your next car boot or flea market after Tamsyn has inspired you, even if it's not your thing!
                                                
Do you have any good blogs to recommend?

Happy reading,

Samantha x

Crafternoon Jam

Sunday 7 September 2014

jam making


I've had a glut of raspberries this Summer and decided to make jam as I was told it's simple and really rewarding. I have always wanted to provide as much Derbyshire made Crafternoon teas as possible.

I've never ventured into jams and chutney's ..until now! (*drum roll*) but after being told by my most trust worthy sources (my family) that it was easy, I wanted to have a go. Previous nightmare stories I had heard included un-cooked jam, burnt jam and messy jam filled kitchen nightmares! I felt brave and here's my story with not a sniff of burnt jam insight!

Firstly I bought some Kilner jars with the click open lids instead of having to use paper, greaseproof and string as on conventional jam jars. You can buy a great range also from Ikea as well, this meant I wasn't spending my jams hunting for spare jam jars and filling the cupboards with them.

To get started, you need to sterilise the jars, simply wash them in warm soapy paper and then put them in the oven at 140C or similar. Roll them in on their sides in the middle of the oven ideally and leave for ten mins.


I followed this recipe as it was so simple and used a super jam thermometer from Kitchen Aid. Highly recommended. A great tip is to freeze a few plates to check the jam sets! I froze three plates for my first batch and tested a teaspoon of jam on each plates to triple check.



A day later, we tested the jam  in sponge cake and on toast (just to double check, of course) and it was lovely.

So I'm really please to announce...we now have Derbyshire raspberry jam!

If you have any more tips for jam making would love to hear?

Bye for now,

Samantha x

Creative and Crafty Blogger Meet Derby #ccbloggers

Really excited to announce that ....

I'm co-hosting the creative and crafty blogger meet in Derby this November with Kat after our fun filled meet last January in Nottingham.

We will have a mix of craftiness including a brillant social media and web savvy clinic. Plus a crafty try it session and a chance to celebrate one of the cities newest design led stores birthday! Phew!

If you are interested in coming, venue and start time tbc (late morning most likely) email me at here . The meet is a bijoux affair and we aim to get a great mix of crafty creative bloggers for you to meet on the day.

More information to follow, 

Bye for now,

Samantha x

Jam Making in 30 mins

Saturday 6 September 2014
Homemade Jam

                                    jam making


I've had a glut of raspberries this Summer and decided to make jam as I was told it's simple and really rewarding. I've never ventured into jams and chutney's ..until now! (*drum roll*) but after being told by my most trust worthy sources (my family) that it was easy, I wanted to have a go. Previous nightmare stories I had heard included un-cooked jam, burnt jam and messy jam filled kitchen nightmares! I felt brave and here's my story with not a sniff of burnt jam insight!

Firstly I bought some Kilner jars with the click open lids instead of having to use paper, greaseproof and string as on conventional jam jars. You can buy a great range also from Ikea as well, this meant I wasn't spending my jams hunting for spare jam jars and filling the cupboards with them.

To get started, you need to sterilise the jars, simply wash them in warm soapy paper and then put them in the oven at 140C or similar. Roll them in on their sides in the middle of the oven ideally and leave for ten mins.


I followed this recipe as it was so simple and used a super jam thermometer from Kitchen Aid. Highly recommended.  A great tip is to freeze a few plates to check the jam sets! I froze three plates for my first batch and tested a teaspoon of jam on each plates to triple check.



A day later, we tested the jam  in sponge cake and on toast (just to double check, of course) and it was lovely.

So I'm really please to announce...we now have Derbyshire raspberry jam!

If you have any more tips for jam making would love to hear?

Bye for now,

Samantha x

I'm a #handmade100!

Thursday 4 September 2014


Have you seen the #handmade100?

Hello!

I'm super excited about the upcoming The Handmade Fair in London later this month. It's a mix of the lovely Kirstie Allsopp's craftiness spread over three days. How much craft can you fit into three days - a lot!

Tonight Kirstie held her first #handmadechat on twitter and there was a real buzz about the upcoming event. I even met a fellow Derbyshire crafter whose first show is The Handmade Fair - wow! Little Tins of Loveliness produces craft kits and I wish them all the best, it's a really great start to showcase as such a high profile event.

And I have news...I'm proud to be a #handmade100, I'm officially a twitter crafter and I'm in great company! Thank-you to everyone who voted for me. I am totally over the moon! Follow me on twitter at @createitsam  for all my crafty, vintage and mamma tweets.

Bye for now,

Samantha x