2 Months to Go!

Until Handm@de Cambridge!
I have been taking lots of applications from talented crafters since Christmas and its shaping up to be a really wonderful fair. I will also be having a stall at the fair which is generally a bit of a rarity as I don't do many craft fairs, come and see my work in the flesh.

Also, the first 200 visitors to the fair will receive a free goodie bag packed with lots of lovely handmade samples, discount vouchers and crafty goodness. If you are a seller at the fair or make and sell anything handmade send us your samples, business cards, postcards, vouchers, anything to do with your work and we can put them in the goodie bags.
See the handm@de website for more info.

4th April 2009 - put it in your diary :)

www.handmadecraftfairs.co.uk
www.handmadecambridge.blogspot.com

xx

Sweet Treats

I think I'm a bit half way on Valentines day, on one hand I don't like the commercialism of it all - just another excuse for the shops to make a bit of money but then on the other its nice to have an excuse to curl up on the sofa with a bottle of wine on Valentines night and exchange cards and presents :)

Valentines has clearly been affecting my work lately anyway, suddenly I am reaching for pinks, reds and anything sweet and feminine! I have lots of romantic jewellery in my shop and also some simple jewellery which is perfect for a classic gift that your Valentine will keep forever.


Amongst them is my Sweetheart range, earrings and a bracelet. The bracelet has already sold but I will have it in stock again soon, once I receive more wire (the trouble with being solidly creative for a week is that I get through my supplies so quickly!). This range is unashamedly girly, feminine, sweet, sugary, romantic and bright!

I hope you enjoy my new pieces, I will be also listing more spring like jewellery in the next few weeks, the emergence of snow drops in my garden has made me yearn for daffodils and tulips!



xx

Fellow Brits

Just to let you know I have updated my Folksy shop with some new pieces, they are all ready and in stock to buy in Pounds Sterling!

New listings include my new Lemon Balm Earrings and new signature piece - Wave Necklace.

xx

Foodie Find

I'm a bit of a stroopwaffel junkie, I love them so, and I'm a bit obsessed with them. I found my favourite kind in a health food shop (!) in Cambridge this weekend and I am so pleased. These are flavoured with honey and are so so yummy!
If you've never tried them you really must, they are great with all hot drinks - you warm them on top of the cup to melt the caramel. Yum.

I'm off to grab another...

(I should mention also that I recently gave up sugar in my tea but i do seem to be substituting it with biscuits, hmmm).

Much awaited..

I am a busy bee at the moment, there are lots of new designs coming up for the shop, I have listed two that I am very excited about today.

The first is my Paired Lockets necklace. This is a follow on from my Two Lockets necklace which has been my most popular item. I wanted to try something new with these lovely teardrop lockets and matching them with sterling silver has really worked very well. I do like the combination of brass and silver, it feels very classic and elegant. I am hoping for this to be one of my signature pieces, like the Two Lockets necklace, I hope you like it too!


My second are named 'Scotch Bonnet Earrings'- they are as fiery as the name suggests, amongst some of the best beads I've found. I only have 2 of these beads so this design is a one off design, not to be repeated again. These earrings also feature long brass hooks which I have handformed myself, they are hammered for strength and the ends filed down for comfort. The beads are a good, true red, unfortunately my camera picked it up as orange, but they don't have any orange in them in the flesh.
These are show stoppers, perfect for a valentine who doesn't like pink!



xxx

Free Shipping

Fairground Earrings

I am offering free shipping to all customers in my Etsy shop for the rest of January!

Dare I mention Valentines day? Find a gift for the one you love :)
All purchases come gift wrapped in a gift box tied with ribbon.

I will be listing a new locket necklace later on, very classic and simple - two brass teardrop lockets on a sterling silver chain. Pictures to come once the weather brightens up!


xx

Much promised..

At last, the much promised crispy pork noodle recipe :)

During our visit to Jimmy's farm just after the New Year we popped into their butchers, they are famous for their rare breed Essex pigs. I've been hearing lots about cheaper cuts of meat such as oxtail, pork hock and pork belly (don't worry this isn't going to be a post about the 'credit crunch' or whatever else you would have heard it called recently) so we came back with some wonderful pork belly and also some 'Suffolk Farmhouse' sausages. The pork belly was a very reasonable £3 for 2 large slices, probably about 400g.

The pork noodle recipe is taken in part from Jamie Olivers cookbook, Jamie at Home, which was a much awaited Christmas present. We are planning on getting stuck in to some proper vegetable growing in the summer and it has some great tips.

This recipe requires wonderful long slow cooking of the pork belly in a spicy marinade, so the otherwise tough cut of meat tenderies and becomes melt in the mouth and very aromatic.

Ingredients
(serves 2)

2 slices of pork belly- remove some of the rind, debone and cut into chunks

For the marinade:
2 tbsp clear honey
4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp cranberry sauce (leftover from Christmas, not very authentic but lovely!)
1 clove of garlic
small onion, roughly chopped
small piece of ginger, roughly chopped
1/2 fresh or 1 1/2 tsp dried chil
Juice of half a lime

For the noodles
Medium noodles (I get mine from the chinese supermarket, which are so much tastier than the supermarket ones, Sainsburys do stock a brand 'Clearspring' which is good too)
Coriander
Spring onion
Limes to serve

Whizz up the marinade ingredients in a food processor, pour over the pork, make sure it is thoroughly covered. If the mixture seems a little thick or dry, add a little bit of water. Put into a low oven (gas mark 3) for 1 hour and 30 mins.
When the pork is ready, heat up some sunflower or vegetable oil in a wok and cook the noodles.
Fry the pork and the marinade in the wok until the pork is crispy on the outside.
Then add the noodles, coriander and mix well.
Serve with spring onions on top and lime wedges on the side!


:)

Freeze

Poor birdy, originally uploaded by lazygiraffe.

We've had a bit of a freeze this week, I don't want to call it a big freeze really because British weather is really quite tame compared to other countries. But its been very January like, plenty of ice, a bit of snow and today lots and lots of fog.

I've been watching the birds hopping about outside my office window looking quite chilly. I'm not much of a bird watcher but its been nice to see them going about their way. So far we've had the obligatory blackbirds, a robin, wrens and best of all, a woodpecker! I'm hoping I see it again on a day that I have a camera.

For now, here is a picture of the robin (I think) looking chilly.

Being productive

I've been most productive over the last week or so, and there are new designs in my Etsy shop for your perusal (and hopefully purchasing too). Finding that my mind is still in winter time, hopefully I will be feeling a bit more spring like soon and able to also include some spring designs as well as winter ones.


Back to the daily grind today, feels like the week went very quickly last week. We had snow during the night, hoping to catch some pictures later before it all melts away.

(the photos are clickable thumbnails leading directly to the Etsy listing).



xx