Keep calm and "cosy up" your life this winter...

Feeling pretty chilly, I decided to "cosy up" my life as much as I could and thought I'd share a few of the ideas I've tried -

please feel free to add your own cosy up ideas here.

 

1. PJ's on the radiator...

A really easy way to feel toasty warm - pop your PJ's on the radiator when you get in from work and after tea snuggle into them while you lounge on the sofa with...
 

 

 

2. Blankets, eiderdowns and scarves...

 

All of last year I "thrifted" tartan bits in preparation for the winter, Tartan scarves/shawls, blankets and a ruby red eiderdown were all squirrelled away into my loft last summer - ready for wintry evenings -

Now if I get a little chilly - I just snuggle under one of the blankets on my sofa -

D R E A M Y!

 

 

3. Play in the snow until your hands/paws are numb...

 

I love to wrap up really warm and go foraging in the woods with my little jack russel (Mr Harry Grimwood).

On our walks, we collect kindling and rose hips (well, I collect kindling and rose hips - Harrys far too busy snuffling!), and I make silly things out of the snow until I am really cold.

Then, the minute you step through the front door it just feels sooooooooo good to be home!

 

4. Light an open fire...

(5. & 6.) and make homemade bread and soup...

I use the kindling foraged from the wood to light an open fire

(and sprinkle on some pine needles I saved in a tin from the Christmas tree - fills the house with a lovely fresh pine smell).

Then maybe I'll get down to making some proper, wholesome. REAL, soup and home baked bread.

One of my favourite winter soup recipes is Carrot and Chestnut soup -
try it - you'll love it

 

 

Ingredients:

1 large onion chopped
2tblspn Olive oil
3 sage leaves (plus more to garnish)
200g (7oz) of chestnuts (vac packed) - chopped
500gms (1lb) carrots peeled and chopped

800ml (1pt 8oz) vegetable or chicken stock

3 Tblspns creme fraiche

 

Put all the ingredients (apart from the garnishing sage leaves and creme fraiche) into a pan and bring to the boil.  patially cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Pass the whole lot through a food processor until thick and smooth. Add cream to taste and serve with chopped sage leaves on top and freshly baked bread.

 After not having any success with baking from scratch in the oven (I think due to the fact that we always seem to live in drafty old houses!), I invested £10 in a bread maker at a car boot sale a few years ago - it's kind of cheating, but we've had some lovely loaves from it and once you get the hang of it you can make all your own flavoured breads.  

Just remembered that many years ago I made a tomato flowerpot bread which was heavenly - baked in a terracotta flower pot - must look out that recipe -

D E L I C I O U S!!!

 

7. Invest in a pure wool rug...

I was amazed at the difference a wool rug made to our lounge - not only does it look warmer, its soft and toasty underfoot rather than cold laminate flooring or wooden floorboards

 

8. Save electric and cosy up with candles...

 

The room always feels warmer with candles - sometimes I gather as many as I can find together and squeeze them all onto the mantle shelf!

 

9. Craft some winter warmers...

Visit sites like http://www.craftster.org/blog/crafty-diy-ways-to-keep-warm/

were you will find loads of tutorials on how to get crafty and keep warm at the same time - sewing, knitting and lots of other craft ideas to keep you occupied and warm for when it's just too cold to venture outside!

 

10. Check on older relatives and neighbours...

If you have elderly relatives and neighbours - pop in to see if they are warm enough. There are lots of government schemes to help older people or families on low incomes with heating bills etc.

Perhaps you can make a trip to the shops for them or help them to cook a meal?

 

Oh and don't forget the birds this time of year - put your scraps out for them (apple/pear cores, oats, cereal, etc) or any nuts left over from Christmas as a real treat.

 

Helping others always makes you feel cosy and warm inside.

 

KEEP TOASTY :-)

 

 

 

Alternative Bridal Bouquet....

Hi everyone! just popping by the blog to show you what i've been making whilst relegated to the sofa through illness!

I am going to be making a collection of heart shaped bridal bouquets and this is the first one...

 

 I used a florist heart garland and covered it with netting - i then painstalkingly sewed on each individual mother of pearl button and diamante brooch!

Some lovely sparkles on here from Victorian to modern day.

A one of a kind bouquet that you can keep forever as a momento of your special day. If you cant live without it it is £98 and can be bought from my website www.anniefloribunda.com

Did you miss me?

Hello to all my followers - this is just a short blog to let you know why I haven't blogged recently.

I've not long been out of hospital and was diagnosed with diabetes - so am just getting my head around it all 

- my next blog will probably be about diabetic recipes as I am trying desperately to make some nice tasty meals that aren't high in sugar or fat.

Very difficult for me as I love chocolate and nice rich (fatty) sauces on my food and I'm not too keen on vegetables!

So watch this space!

If any of you are diabetic and have some recipes then please feel free to add a link to this blog :-)

Today I'm making spicy sweet potato soup (apparently sweet potatoes have less sugar/carbs than normal potatoes) and stuffed mushrooms :-) -

Depending on how they turn out I will post the recipes.

 

Black & Ivory Wedding

I absolutely loved being involved in this wedding and also met a lady called Lindsey who did all the beautiful stationery - we've decided to work together on future weddings as our styles sit nicely together...

We have pooled our resources and can now offer you...

 

Wishing Tree hire - a lovely idea, instead of a guest book. Originated in Holland, and very big in the States now. All of your guests get to write their wishes for the bride and groom and tie their wish tags to the tree.

 

Or how about hiring an aluminium post box, colour co-ordinated with ribbons to match your colours? Your guest can have fun "posting" their cards to you.

 

We also offer a full range of table decorations, again decorated to your wedding colours - candelabra, vases, fresh or artificial flowers, feathers, or frou frou!

... you decide.

 

Classically styled stationery, invitations, table planning, place names, menus, etc - all handcrafted using good quality materials and fabulous attention to detail.

 

 

Also available and made from feathers, buttons, vintage jewellery, Victorian lace/trim etc are bouquets, matching buttonholes, corsages, handbag decoration and hair accessories...

 

This bridal bouquet contained vintage jewellery and Victorian beaded lace trim alongside foam roses - a posy that will last long after the special day.

 

 

We also make bunting, button balls and chair decorations -

 In fact, we can help with most wedding requests - and we'd love to hear from you with your special themed ideas or traditional ways - we offer a friendly and reliable service - just ask!

 

Visit us at facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anniefloribunda/107524221727?ref=hl#!/pages/Anniefloribunda/107524221727

 

https://www.facebook.com/anniefloribunda#!/DesignsbyLindsey?fref=ts

 

 

 

 

Happy Vintage Christmas

I've been busily decorating the house today for Christmas :-)

Christmas songs blaring out and a little glass of my home made cassis

all added to the occassion and now I'm getting ready for the first

Christmas party of the season tonight.

 

Thought I would put all my "vintage" christmas dec' finds together ths year and mix in some new one's too on the kitchen plate rack - enjoy!

 

 

 

The china choir boy and the plastic Father Christmas are my favourites.

Can't wait for Christmas - it's the only time I use my special 1950's crockery :-)

Another easy Christmas Craft...

Cinnamon Christmas Tree

You will need:

Scraps of felt, buttons/embellishments, ribbon, cinnamon stick, scissors, glue.

Cut two triangle Tree shapes from the felt and put one to one side.

Play around with some embellishments for your tree. I used vintage buttons and ribbons – they also look great with broken jewellery and a sparkly ribbon.

If you are using ribbons – make them slightly wider than the tree so that they can tuck around the back of the tree and be stitched or glued down.

When you are happy with your design stitch or glue the items in place.

Add a thin ribbon folded in half to act as a hanger for your decoration.

Place the cinnamon stick on the plain tree shape and add some hot glue to it and to the edges of the tree. Place the decorated tree shape on top and press firmly down.

I normally give these a squirt of Christmas room spray to bring out the cinnamon smell – they make great festive air fresheners!

 

Hankerchief to bed quilt!

I'm having a sort through of all my vintage scraves and hankerchiefs today.

I have been collecting the hankies all year and wanted to make something out of them.

 

All so pretty and all so different,  from the Victorian era right through to the 1960's.

I've decided that I am going to stitch them together, crazy patchwork style and make either a duvet cover for the spring or a tablecloth for all those al fresco meals next summer.

I've seen this done with the blue and white stripy mens hankerchiefs and it looks fab!

It will depend how impatient I get - if patience runs out, it will be the tablecloth.

Until then, I shall carry on thrifting for them,
lovingly wash them, press them and squirell them away...
until I have enough of them to create something wonderful.

The art of thrifting...

Thought I might start to write a book...

 on the art and joys of thrifting!

 

After a serious morning's thrifting...this is what I've found today...

 

 

• A boxful of vintage glass Christmas decorations. I went into one shop and saw a similar box but they wanted £19.99 for them! This box cost me just £1.49
• Mother of pearl and assorted buttons :-) (You know how I LOVE my buttons!!)
• and a pure silk spotty and striped silk scarf 

 

So many people say to me "I never see anything like that when I go in there". So perhaps there is the need for a book devoted to the secrets of good and fruitful foraging/thrifting and squirrelling!

Watch this space!

 

Shabby Chic pressie to myself...

I wanted a nice shabby chic looking, floral chair for my sewing room and rather than spend a fortune on one, I decided to make one as a gift for myself, for all my hard work over the last year!!

 

 

 

I took one of our old Bentwood chairs that had some water damage on it and was in desperate need of a revamp... I covered it in napkin decoupage.

 Then I coated it in several layers of matt varnish...

 

I got the napkins from Tescos, although I think they look quite Kidstonesque!

Anyway, this is my homemade Christmas pressie from me, to me.

A chair for my sewing room :-)

What do you think of it?

Blogs are like buses...

I don't know about you - but for me blogs are like buses,

You don't get one for ages and then

three come along all at once...

 

Thought I'd share with you my latest paper and vintage button flower bouquets that I made today... -

 

Red and Gold hearts

 Making some more Christmas decorations. These are made from Fimo clay which air dries, so no need to bother with heating it/cooking it etc.

I rolled out the fimo clay onto a piece of greaseproof paper and then cut out the heart shapes with a cookie cutter.

I made a hole in the top of each one to thread my hanging ribbon/wire through and left them to dry. On two of them I made a small indenation (not going all the way through) so that I can add a pretty button (and shank) later.

 

When they had dried I painted them with some left over sample paint I had in a deep red colour.

I painted both sides and when dry, lay some odd scraps of lace ontop of them

 

I then sprayed the surface with gold paint and lifted off the lace. Some lace works better than others. I experiemented until i found a particular pattern that i liked and then used this "Fan" piece of lace to do most of them.

 

 

then I added some buttons and thin ribbon to hang.

 

I'm going to add these to some of my parcels this year, but they look equally as good as a tree/home decoration.

Thinking they would look great for a wedding gold or silver on white/ivory background??

Go share the love!

For a Nordic looking theme with this idea,

leave the hearts white and spray the lace red :-)

 

Easy Recyclng Christmas Craft ...

 

This cute little Christmas Wreath is soooooooo easy to make - just had to share it with you!

Use an old curtain ring and glue around its edge.

Then tightly wrap some ribbon or fabric around it.

Cut out some holly shapes from some felt scraps and add these with

a red button or two for the berries.

Make a matching set or all different!

Try decoupaging the ring, or gluing buttons all around!

So many ways to use this simple idea!

Watch this space for more recyling christmas crafts!

So much sparkle!

Waiting for some inspiration...

I'm drowning under "pretties".

I have way too many buttons, beads, lace and silks

Need to use up some of what I have before I buy anymore!

 

Made this Christmas/Wedding decoration from some of my gold buttons...

 

This one's sold :-)

 

so am looking forward to making something out of this lot...

 

I feel a real vintage sparkler of a bridal bouquet coming on...

Watch this space!

 

FREE Training for Small Businesses!!!

Hi Everyone!

Those of you who know me, know that I wear several caps in my working life... So with my trainer/tutor cap on...

 

Several of you have taken advantage of the free courses I've been organising. If you missed the first round of funding to train small businesses, you can now reapply for this lot.
Must be a small business (sole trader up to 250 employees)

in the North Kesteven Area, over 19 years of age.

Fully funded training available in the following: 

 HABC Level II Award in Safe Moving and Handling (QCF)
HABC Level II Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace (QCF)
HABC Level II Award in Food Safety in Catering (QCF)
EDI Level II Award in Conflict management and personal Safety in the workplace.

 

All of them are FREE (funded by European Social Fund and Lincolnshire County Council). All are one day courses. Once you have completed any of the above courses you will also be entitled to a FREE First Aid Course and certificate. 

 

Please email me on anniefloribunda@yahoo.com (or comment on here)your name, name of business and course you are interested in - I will then send you more information and check you are eligible for funding.

Any questions - just ask.

Many thanks Annie

Beautiful Buttons...

Just wanted to share these beaut's with you which I gleaned from a tin of old buttons - I especially love the navy glass snowdrop ones - FAB!

 

 

Also in this "find" were some unusual carved wooden head ones. I would think these are probably from the 1930's when people were obsessed with the Eygptian tombs and other ancient worlds...

 

 

Love my buttons!!

 

 

Preparing the Christmas Cassis...

It's around this time of year that I start to prepare for Christmas.

As the days get colder and I spend more time inside,

I search the internet and my craft room for inspiration to make Christmas gifts and decorations for my family and freinds.

However, I couldn't resist buying this decoration the other day...

It goes perfectly on the dresser with my red and white china collection.

 

Today, I decided to make some "Christmas Cassis" - a blackcurrant liqueur.

A french lady taught me how to make this years ago and it has its origins in nineteenth century France.  It has many uses and can be drunk as a liquer, add sparkling water for a refreshing drink, plus it's syrupy texture makes it perfect for pouring over ice cream, tarts or meringues and a tablespoon added to a hearty beef stew will give your meal a real lift.

It is normally made with either brandy or gin, but you can also use vodka.  

To make it more "Christmassy" you can add some festive spice by adding a cinnamon stick and whole clove. (only one of each though, or it can be a little overpowering).

 

You will need:

 

450gms of blackcurrents

450gms caster sugar

600ml Brandy, Gin or Vodka

 

I use frozen black currants. (You can use fresh too, just discard all the stalks and leaves and give them a good wash).

Then into a sterilised jar, place the blackcurrants, sugar and brandy/gin/vodka.

Give it a good stir, crushing the blackcurrants as you go, then srew on the lid nice and tight.

 

Your drink will now turn a nice red colour which will darken over the next few weeks. You will need to let the fruit ferment for about a month, stirring and turning the jar two or three times a week.

After a month, you pass the mixture through a sieve into sterilised bottles and seal tightly.

At the end of October, I will be blogging about this and decorating the bottles to make a really personal gift... but first to find the bottles -keeping my eyes open for some nicely shaped ones!

 

 

Sid the hairy Scrap Slug, (tutorial)

You know how I hate to throw anything away?

Well, I was wondering what to do with the left over fabric from the sweatshirts I cut up the other day to make my cozy collar with...

there were loads of scraps from cutting out all of those circles!

I was left with the pile of scraps and some arms - I came up with this idea - 

he will probably get put away for someone for Christmas.

Meet Sid the hairy Scrap Slug...

Sid

The cat brought a slug in the other day and left it in the kitchen for me.

He was the usual, slimy type that make me shiver, 
not nice and cuddly like Sid the scrap slug.
Sid was born in my fabric cupboard, and there is nothing he enjoys more than a bit of scrap bathing (just lying about in the scraps).
He also enjoys a good game of monopoly and windsurfing at weekends.
If you made my cozy collar, and you too, now have loads of scraps - here's how you can make your own slug...

Cut slits along one of the arms

Thread the scraps through the slits and secure with a stitch or two

The more scraps you add, the hairier your slug will be
You should end up with something like this...

Turn your slug inside out and cut to the size you want him to be, tapering the edge into a tail

I stitched this seam with the sewing machine - but you can also stitch it by hand.

Then turn back to the right side, stuff well with stuffing (or more scraps),
turn his mouth under and stitch to secure.
Add two buttons for eyes and you're done!
If you are making this for a child under 3 you will need to stitch on the eyes instead of buttons to avoid a choking hazard.
Happy slug making!