I book marked these two little projects a while back with the intention of using up some of my pretty paper stash, but they both involved Mod Podge which I had never seen in craft shops here. I asked in my local craft shop if they could recommend anything that might do the same job, they mentioned that one of their suppliers had it and they could order it for me. Once I got my hands on it, I dug out the links for the paper projects and got to work.
I’m just back from a fantastic weekend break in Clare which completely changed the way I think about perfume, but before we get to that, I need to tell you about our shopping trip to Ennis. Despite living about half an hour away from the town I had never actually been to Ennis before so I was more than pleasantly surprised to find a large town full of boutiques, restaurants and independently owned bookshops. I brought home four new books, a vintage sewing book, a vintage diet book, a biography of John B. Keane and a novel by Joseph O’Connor all for €17. I also stopped into Crazy Crafts and stocked up on pretty papers, a new stamper and ink pad and some ribbon. We also manager to fit in lunch in The Town Hall which I would highly recommend.
Then it was onto Lisdoonvarna to stay at the Wild Honey Inn. At €45 for B&B per person it was fantastic value for money. It was spotlessly clean, lovely and bright and very toasty. We had dinner in the bar and lunch the next day, both were excellent and it’s clear that the chef and owner Aidan McGrath has taken great care to create an attractive menu using local produce cooked simply but beautifully.
So, to get back to the point of this post I have to tell you about the Burren Perfumery. It’s a bit of a trek to get to it but it’s so worth it, as soon as you step out of the car you can get this gorgeous scent wafting through the air. Inside the shop the staff will talk you through each of the perfumes and anything else you are interested in. The perfumes are a million miles away from the commercial perfumes you buy in department stores, they smell like real things, for example fennel, mint, lavender, flowers and herbs. Most of which comes from their own herb garden. The perfumes don’t contain any parabens or any other ingredients that might be bad for your skin. My personal favourite is their botanicals range which consists of Spring, Summer and Autumn inspired scents, these are very reasobably priced at €35 for 100ml, I bought the Spring scent in keeping with the season that’s (almost) in it. They also sell a range of handmade soaps, scented candles, creams and balms. You can read all about it on their website but trust me, you wont be completely converted until you go there.
Here’s a picture of my new mug, ordered from here. It looks lovely beside my Orla Kiely mug.
Also, here’s where the magic happens, as in, that’s the table beside where I sit on the couch. Most of my day to day craft supplies are in those boxes. The lamp is from Ikea.
I have actually been crafting all week but the light is so bad in the evenings that there’s no hope of getting a decent photo until the weekend.
I know that some people are cynical about Valentines Day and my other half has the noble opinion that you should tell the person in your life you love them every day, not just once a year. I know he has a point but I love any excuse to add a few decorative touches to our living space. And of course there are hundreds of ideas for Valentines day crafts. I didn’t exactly out-do myself this year it has to be said but these little felt hearts were so simple that if I had the time, I would have made hundreds and dotted them all over the apartment.
I simply cut out a heart shape in pink felt, then cut out a smaller heart shape in pink gingham (I used my new pinking shears so I didn’t have to sew them) and fastened them together by sewing in a heart shaped button. They are accompanied on my mini Valentines display by a Love Bug Winnie the Pooh and the cards we exchange on Sunday (that is if my other half isn’t too “noble”) will go here too. By the way, my Love Bug beanie was a gift from my Mother in Law to be, not my other half 
The cards we exchange on Sunday will be our eighth set of cards. Here are the others that I have received…..all hand made I might add. Each one pretty much documents what I was interested in every February for the past seven years. From left to right; an anti-hallmark theme, Paul Smith, my first blog, Sex and the City, The West Wing, The Sopranos and last year the theme was craft. Each one has the same general lay out and says “The Insert Interest here Valentines Card for Maz”. I love this idea but I have been assured that the mould has been broken and that my eighth card will be different…..watch this space.
I’m off to Dublin tomorrow for the Knitting and Stitching show…….woohoo! It should be a craft nerds dream.
Buying ribbon is one of my favourite things about being a craft enthusiast. I love how it is stored on giant spools and I swear, I get butterflies when I see it being measured out. Oddly I prefer to buy ribbon in yards rather than meters. The imperial system seems austere and grand compared to the mathematical metric system.
Here is a shot of some of my ribbon stash.
My ladybird trim was a birthday gift from my friend Mary B, the ladybirds on the pink ribbon were a gift from my friend Margaret. Most of the rest of what you can see in the photo came from a gorgeous shop in Dublin called Rubenesque. You’ll find the shop on South William Street and you’ll know it by the ribbons hanging from the door and railing. It was like a wonderful, colourful sweetshop….only with ribbons instead. Easier on the hips!
Here’s a closer look at that canvass ribbon with the crafty theme.
Am I the only one who loves wrapping presents? Maybe that’s why I love Christmas so much……..anywho I just wanted to share a picture with you of the wrapped version of the baby blanket I posted about recently. It’s pretty hard to wrap soft presents nicely so I just used some tissue paper and tied a ribbon around it. I can’t decide if it looks messy and silly or cool and casual……what do you think?
These beauties weren’t exactly made by me but they were grown by myself and my Significant Other so I decided to show them off here on the blog. Growing your own veg has because super trendy in the last year or so but when you’ve only got a tiny balcony you’re very limited in what you can grow. I’ve been growing stuff on my balcony for nearly three years now but this year we managed, beetroot, various lettuces, chives, flat-leaf parsley, bay, coriander, thyme, tarragon, rosemary and mint. We also have a basil plant on our spare room window
My friend (and extended family member ) Laura at Newbrowne has created a food themed meme and I’ve been tagged! Although not strictly craft related it does refer to things I make so I’m sneaking it in here.
The Foodie Confessions Meme
IN THE KITCHEN
1. My trademark recipe: Lamb Tava (Tessa Kiros)
2. Kitchen gadget or accessory I couldn’t live without: Meat Thermometer
3. Biggest kitchen handicap: I can’t make an omelette (I have tried and I ALWAYS end up with scrambled egg!)
4. Dish/technique that I want to learn: Same answer as Laura - I would love to be better a cutting meats and preparing fish.
5. My top cooking tip: If you use tinned tomatoes for anything, add a sprinkle of sugar too, it makes a huge difference.
INSPIRATION
6. Favourite cuisine/food style: Probably Italian. Lorraine from Italian Foodies opened up a whole new world to me when she revealed that Italian food is more than pasta and pizza
7. Favourite cook book: Clodagh KcKenna’s new one - Fresh from the Sea
8. Favourite chef: I still love Jamie but for innovation it has to be Heston Blumenthal
9. Favourite food programme: see the above
10. Favourite food magazine: I don’t buy any, there’s plenty of excellent stuff on blogs!
11. Favourite local restaurant: The Market Square Brasserie
INTERNET FOR FOODIES
12. Favourite foodie website: I don’t have a favourite
13. Favourite recipe search: Twecipe – same
14. Online recipe binder: same
15. Favourite food blog: Italian Foodies and I’m loving I can has Cook? at the moment! (I only read Irish food blogs)
FAVOURITE RECIPES
16. Main course: Changes all the time but at the moment it’s Lakeshore Pork (from the Avoca Book)
17. Quickie: Sweet and Sour (even made from scratch takes no time at all)
18. Soup/salad: Broccoli, Feta and cherry tomato salad from the Avoca Book
19. Baked treat or dessert: Mars Bar Mousse
20. Self-invented (or adapted): I usually on invent recipes on “use up everything in the fridge day”
I’m not going to tag anyone but feel free to answer the meme if you fancy and don’t forget to stop by and say hi to Laura.
I’ve been tagged by Ruth from Nice Day designs, I haven’t done a meme for ages so here goes
Seven Things I Like:
Getting parcels in the Post
Things being tidy
Vintage China
Shoes, pretty pretty shoes!
Red Wine
Hoodies
Yarn
Seven Things I did Yesterday:
Had Breakfast with my Parents and Fiancé
Had Lunch with my Fiancé and his Family
Watched an Episode of the Wire
Put fresh sheets on my bed
Re-arranged my jewellery and cosmetics
Painted the frame of my jewellery holder and added new paper to the background
Did out a meal plan and shopping list for the week ahead
Seven Things I Wish I could Do:
Arrange Flowers Properly
Sew, as in make things, not just sewing buttons and hems
Make Lace
Design Websites
Make the perfect Risotto
Pull a Pint of Guinness
Take beautiful Photos
Seven Things I don’t Like:
Pears
When the Phone rings late at night - it’s always sad news
Traffic
Hearing about the Economy - I prefer denial
When things are out of place
Forgetting things
Being Irritable
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