#CraftBlogClub: The Big 'Notebook Challenge'

Well, Tuesday is here, which can mean only one thing...it's time to unveil our #CraftBlogClub Challenge notebooks!

What I really enjoyed about this challenge, was the amount of variation I've seen, so far, in the results; I think it's fantastic that everyone has ventured out and tried new things! Please please please link your notebook posts up below - I think this challenge is something we should all be really proud of - fantastic work and a huge thank you to everyone who took part!  If you have time too, have a stop by a few blogs and show them a bit of #CraftBlogClub love for their wonderful efforts in the challenge!

The Overlord's Challenge Unveil...
So, for my notebook challenge, I decided to try a bit more applique, as I enjoyed doing my anniversary picture so much.  I wanted to spend as little as possible and work with fabrics and scraps that I had lying around.  Here is the result...

I bought a plain page, hardcover notebook from Wilkos for £3 and started by measuring out some navy and white striped fabric (I'm Breton-mad), and some fusible fleecing to add extra cushioning to my cover.

I ironed the fleecing and fabric to fuse together.  To make my applique poppy,

I freehand cut a green felt stalk and red poppy shape and, in keeping with a 'shabby' theme, I stitched the felt to the striped fabric using black thread.  I love how the black contrast creates a sweet outline of the poppy.

I found an old black button, with gold edging, in my extensive collection of long-lost buttons, so decided to sew this on as the poppy's middle.  The result was simple but effective - I toyed with the idea of doing several poppies, but I decided that one looked much nicer, for this project.

To attach the fabric to the notebook, I simply folded the edges in and attached using strong bonding glue.  As the fabric edges weren't tidy, I covered with a peach-coloured piece of paper for a clean finish.

I was really pleased with my notebook - I've had so many ideas for more applique and notebook-covering projects.  I think this has been a great challenge, to prettify and personalise something as plain as a notebook!  I hope you've all enjoyed it as much as I have - and I can't wait to launch October's challenge!

October Challenge
Well, without further ago, I shall unveil our challenge for October!!  It didn't take too long to decide that I wanted to launch something with a Halloween theme!  And with the success of last month's notebook covering, I thought something quite malleable will work for us all!  So here it is..

This October - the #CraftBlogClub Challenge is to create a Halloween decoration, using a crafting form YOU HAVE NOT TRIED BEFORE!

Get your thinking caps on - this is a great opportunity to try a new craft, if you have any questions or need any help - give us a shout on Twitter!  The same rules apply - I will put up a linky for us all to post our results!  The deadline is Tuesday 29th October for this challenge!  

Stay Crafty and get linking up now....

E x 


play along with us

A Very Peachy October Update!

Well, here we are!  September is drawing to a close and Life is Peachy HQ has been mad busy, as usual, with lots of planning, exciting partnerships and features and even a bit of press for the now-weekly #CraftBlogClub.  At the beginning of September, I wrote an update celebrating my 3 month Bloggiversary and I'm so pleased to tell you that October is looking like another really busy month!

So what have I been up to?? Well, aside from linking up with some fab new bloggers and meeting some amazing people; I posted some great recipes with a cosy, autumnal feel and a hint of the 'frugal' in mind.  I also celebrated my two year anniversary with Mr Peachy, by unveiling my First Applique Illustration; which I gave as a gift to him.

I talked a little about finding your own personal post-pregnancy style when I decided to Ditch The Jeans and linked up with the lovely Sophie Rosee for her spending ban.  I also reviewed my first recipe book as a Book Buddy for Parragon Books and introduced the stunning work of Rodology

I was lucky enough to feature on some amazing websites this month.  Check out my piece for Nurturing Mums about finding time for creativity and my piece for the wonderful Vintage Shopper, which is about vintage shopping with a post-pregnancy body.

Last month, I also decided to launch a Twitter chat hour for craft bloggers and lovers of craft.  #CraftBlogClub launched one Tuesday at the start of September and, I have to say, I remain completely overwhelmed with the amount of people who have joined in week by week.  I think we have created a really friendly, atmosphere with our Twitter chat and I'll be continuing to run it - with lots of plans for the future too! 

So what am I doing next?

Change Is Gonna Come...
This month, I've given my blog a little bit of an overhaul and, although I'll still be posting three times a week, my Friday posts will now become 'Creative Fridays'! I will be mixing up my weekly recipes with craft tutorials and craft WIPs.  Wednesday posts will continue to be #CraftBlogClub roundups and news and my Monday posts will be a mixture of fashion features, reviews and small business features.  

Stay Tuned for the Big Unveil! #CraftBlogClub

#CraftBlogClub Challenge Unveil 
This week I will be unveiling my notebook challenge result AND setting up a linky for everyone's challenges,  October's challenge will also be unveiled, which I'm really excited about, so keep your eyes peeled and your fingertips tapping away on Tuesday evening, between 7-8pm.  And check this amazing mention of #CraftBlogClub over on the lovely Hobzy Blog

The Frugally Fabulous Year 
Since I had such lovely feedback about my most recent outfit posts.  Not to mention the success of my spending ban; I've decided to try living 'Frugally Fabulous' for a year.  I want to try and refrain from buying clothes (for myself, Daisy not included) from high street stores for A WHOLE YEAR! Since I've become a bargain-hunting queen, I want to really promote the art of my 'trash and treasure' theory.  There is nothing I love more than finding real gems in charity shops and eBay and, aside from the essential undercrackers, I believe anything can be sought to look fabulous for less!  I'm hoping, over the next year, to develop my dress-making skills and continue to shop vintage and upcycle pre-loved items!  I'll be updating the blog with outfit posts and works in progress as I stay 'frugally fabulous' well into 2014!

Peach and Daisy
Last month, I took quite a few orders for my knitted Yuletide Gnomes, which was an amazing response and, rest assured, I'm beavering away with my knitting needles as often as I can.  I have 2 or 3 spots left for gnomes to be made before Christmas, so if you are thinking of ordering one - please do email me at missemmaberry@gmail.com and snap up a spot!  

I am still planning to launch Peach and Daisy as a craft store in the near future - but at the moment I've been lucky enough to be so busy with freelance writing projects, that crafting items for my new shop have had to take a backseat! I want to make sure I can fulfil all my gnome orders and other project work, before I launch this lovely idea! 

I've got lots of exciting posts, reviews and features coming up this month and am so proud of how far Life is Peachy has come in such a short time!  

So, for now, let me just say a huge heartfelt thank you to everyone who reads, comments and follows Life is Peachy - I really hope you continue to enjoy reading these musings from Peachy HQ and look forward to a very peachy future! E x

I am always looking for projects to take on as a freelance writer/copywriting - please email missemmaberry@gmail.com and make sure you check out my Freelance Writing section, for examples of my work!  I would love to hear from you!

Friday's Kitchen: Frugal Fall 'Zesty Chocolate Orange Ganache Cake'

I'm not going to lie - if any of you were following my feed on Twitter or Facebook yesterday, you would have noticed a not particularly pleasant Miss Peachy.  I had a bad baking day - we all have them!  But, never one to be easily defeated - the second attempt was a slow but sure triumph! Not bad for my first attempt at ganache..

You may be aware that today marks a great charity event by Macmillan, The World's Biggest Coffee Morning.  Everyone is encouraged to take part in a coffee morning to raise money for Macmillan - whether it's a local community or just having a few friends round to your house.  I decided to donate a cake to be sold in aid of Macmillan at my friend, Beth's, Kiosk in Sherwood.  She will also be donating a percentage of her drinks sales to the charity.  

I wanted to bake a really simple crowd pleaser - something that would work with Beth's lovely creations but would be a surefire hit to raise money.  So I came up with a recipe for a Zesty Chocolate Orange Ganache Cake.  A rich, chocolatey cake with hints of orange and a think ganache frosting.  The results (second time around) were really fantastic!  I hope you decide to give it a try - and if you are free, why not pop along to a Macmillan Coffee Morning event near you?

Ingredients
280g Caster Sugar
200g Self Raising Flour
80g Salted Butter
Pinch Salt
2 Large Eggs
80g Cocoa Powder
240ml Semi-Skimmed Milk
Zest of Two Small Oranges
250g Dark Chocolate
300ml Double Cream 

Method
Firstly, in a saucepan, melt your double cream and 200g of chocolate (chopped) until combined.  Remove from heat and whisk until the mixture begins to thicken.  The ganache should look smooth and glossy - set aside in a bowl to cool and thicken for covering later.

Preheat your oven to 180C and, in a mixing bowl, mix your sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt and butter in a mixing bowl until it resembles a sandy consistency (by hand or using a mixer).

In a separate jug, whisk your milk and eggs until combined and add most of it to the dry mixture.  Once combined, add the remaining milk mixture and mix until smooth.

Add in the zest of one orange and the remaining chopped chocolate to the mix.  Pour into a prepared cake tin and bake for approximately 25 minutes.

Once the sponge is baked through but springy, remove and place on a wire rack to cool.  When cooled, using a palette knife, spread the chocolate ganache evenly on the cake top and sides until completely covered in an even layer.  Sprinkle the remaining orange zest on the top.

Happy Baking! As ever - I love hearing your thoughts and feedback, and if you give this recipe a go, be sure to upload your results onto my Facebook page! 

Peachy Review: Parragon Books 'Make, Bake, Cupcake'

At the start of the month, I mentioned that I was going to be a Book Buddy for Parragon Publishing - mostly reviewing some of their fabulous cook books.  I was really excited to receive my first book a few weeks ago and, well, what a book it is! 

Make, Bake, Cupcake! is a fabulous baking book, featuring lots of novelty cupcake recipes; from cocktail inspirations through to cute animals and gruesome Halloween ideas.  As someone who used to bake cupcakes for a living; this book could not have been more perfect for me, in terms of injecting some much needed fun into cupcake baking again!

The book has a really great look about it, with fun clear images of the finished cupcakes themselves and a few 'process' shots to guide you along the way.  The book is divided into five chapters; 'Cocktails and Mocktails', 'Feisty Flavours', 'Fun and Frosted', 'Scary Cute' and 'Hidden Surprises'.  Each section is separated with a cute cupcake divider and the book itself is really fun to navigate, whilst you're getting your ideas together!  

Each recipe is fairly simple to follow and the cake baking itself is pretty straightforward.  Much of the cake decoration requires ingredients such as candy melts and food colourings, so planning in advance has to be a must.  Nevertheless, the decorations are so much fun - it's difficult to choose which to do.  

As part of the review, I thought I would try my hand at one of the recipes and decided to try the 'Belly-Up Bear' cupcakes, just in time for Mr Peachy's nephew's First Birthday!  This was one of the easier recipes to follow and only required some basics for decorating.  I found the recipe (and believe me, I've followed hundreds in my time) really simple to follow and the results, even though I was very pushed for time, the result wasn't too bad (not my usual uber-perfectionist standard) and I loved the fluffy effect of the dessicated coconut.

Overall, I love this book, it's a real welcome addition to my brimming recipe book shelf and has really introduced some exciting ways to decorate cupcakes.  The big question is, what do I do next?  I'm thinking some Squished Witches for Halloween, followed by some cute Dabbling Ducks!

Make Bake Cupcake by Love Food, Edited by Parragon Books is available to buy now! 

Disclaimer: I was sent this book by Parragon Books to review for this blog, all opinions in this review are my own.

#CraftBlogClub: Crafty DIY SOS #1

Well, another week and another exciting edition of #CraftBlogClub has come to a close.  I'm in Twitter jail again, damn it!

As usual, I was completely humbled by the amount of people who joined in my twitter chat and I would like to take another opportunity to thank you all for following, getting involved and retweeting!  We saw some fab new faces tonight and I can't wait to get to grips with some more new blogs and hope to see you all again next week!

Tonight, as it is nearing the end of our first #CraftBlogClub challenge, I thought we would do a DIY SOS (minus Nick Knowles, of course), to give everyone a chance to voice any crafty issues they might be having.  This is probably something we will introduce once a month, especially as tonight's was really great, lots of debating and top tips on offer from our lovely crafty lot! 

It certainly seems like we are an ambitious bunch - the general feel of the chat was that we all simply don't have enough time for ALL the crafting we want to do!  Far from my expectations of crafty tweeps voicing a few issues, we talked more about time management and losing our mojo - it was fantastic!  Here are just a few points from tonight's chat!

Well first of all, let me introduce our now 'Resident Glue Dab Hander' in the form of wonderful blogger Rascal And Roses who, and I quote, dubs PVA glue 'The Best In The World'.  A must have for our notebook challenges I believe!

I couldn't write this post without noting some of the great lighting tips from #CraftBlogClub newcomer Homemade With Love who suggested lining a box with white paper and creating a 'mini photo studio' for small items.  Thank you for your tweets - they were so helpful for those of us who are pretty much armed with just a phone!

What to do when you are in a Craft Slump?  A very common theme running through tonight's chat.  Whilst a browse on Pinterest was a resounding tip for finding your inspiration again, some suggested a huge tidy of your craft area can help to tidy your mind and refocus for that next wonderful project.  The tip of having a really good amount of space for crafting also ties in with this theory.  For me, I think a quick, familiar project can be great for reinstating confidence and inspiration.  Suggestions of a crafty back-up list was also fantastic for noting down all those things you plan to do...then life gets in the way!

Confidence was touched upon as well, or perhaps more, a need to make sure things are done correctly.  I think we are all in agreement that handmade items look better HANDMADE, so a few mistakes here and there are not going to be judged!  As crafty bloggers we need to be confident in our decisions to try new things and revel in whatever the outcome is! (I say that, if my knitted gnomes could talk they would tell you a very different story)!

So what do we crafters do if, God forbid, we find ourselves BORED? It seems as if quite a few of us have the same idea - have a few projects on the go at once to avoid boredom and have a smaller project tucked away for travelling.  

Finally, we touched on Suppliers and Sourcing Materials as many of us are money conscious and want to ensure we are sourcing the right products, at the right price.  High Street haberdashery's such as John Lewis often have limited supplies and eBay can be hit and miss with postage prices getting ever higher.  I have had the brainwave of putting together a comprehensive list of suppliers with the #CraftBlogClub stamp of approval - whether it is a small local supplier or a brilliant online business! If you have a supplier you want to put forward, please give me an email and I'll start putting a list together!!

CHALLENGE
Have you got it covered?? Your notebook that is!  I am planning to unveil mine next Tuesday and put up a linky so we can all link our notebook posts together.  I put out a little tweet asking if our crafty tweeples fancied another challenge for the month of October?  Most said yes, so am planning to launch something next week.  If you would like to put forward any ideas, please email missemmaberry@gmail.com.  I'm thinking a Halloween theme might be on the cards....

The 'C' Word
It's only September...but....I've been having a chat with the lovely Amanda over at Gift Frippery about the possibility of doing 'virtual Christmas presents' over at #CraftBlogClub.  If this is something you might be interested - drop me an email so I can start collating names and ideas.  We can move from there..

And FINALLY
I thought, each week, I would give a little shout out to a couple of #CraftBlogClub bloggers and their excellent posts.  We are all fabulous, I love reading all the blogs I've come across from doing this Twitter Chat, but I thought it would be great to highlight a couple each week...

Firstly, take a look at this fab blog post about using Google+ by the lovely Icy Sedgwick 

Why not have a read of the lovely Hayley Usher 's attempts at paper marbling for her notebook covers.  The results are just gorgeous!

Finally, for this week, follow the posts of newbie blogger Katie Gets Crafty as she's new to the creative scene and wonderful with it!

That's all for now folks - next week we talk notebooks and prettifying things!

Stay Crafty

E x

 
 

Peachy Review: A Study of Rodology

A few months ago, I received an email from a somewhat intriguing man, who went by the name of 'Rodology'.  How could I NOT want to know more??!

A purveyor of all things photography, sculpture, quirky jewellery and art; all-round creative talent, Rodology is the 'stage name' of Roderick Barker-Benfield.  Just a glimpse at his Website, you are transported to a world revolving around a fascinating brand, creating wonderful and unique accessories, not to mention exquisite attention to detail, something Roderick prides himself on in his work as a freelance artist.

With a focus on his handmade jewellery, I absolutely loved Rodology's collection of brooches, pendants, cufflinks and earrings.  The designs, handmade from , are simple in shape, but really use the intricate work of cogs and timepiece 'innards' as their unique design feature. 

Mr Darcy Cufflinks from Rodology

Rodology's pieces would make perfect gifts for him or her - the 'Mr Darcy' cufflinks are a particular favourite of mine, a must-have for any dandy gentleman!  Yes, that's right too, Rodology's latest 'author collection' pieces are all named after famous literature heroes, in continued satisfaction of the 'romance' of the brand.  Having had his various forms of work regularly featured in such publications as The Guardian, I was thrilled when he sent me one of his creations; a 'Lady Emily' pendant.

The pendant itself is lightweight and subtle, with an intricate silver and gold watch design pendant - it fits perfectly with my penchant for vintage dresses and adds unique character to my otherwise (and often) accessory-less attire.   Pendant prices start at £15 and other items, such as the cufflinks, start at £30; they make perfect keepsake gifts and are sure to sit as real stand out pieces in any collection.

In short, if you are looking for something a little different alongside lovely craftsmanship, look no further than the fascinating work of Rodology.  If you're lucky enough to live in or around London, you can often catch him selling his beautiful wares at various craft markets; when he's not busy creating or riding around on his beloved motorbike!  

Having cracked the London craft market scene - Rod will be appearing at the following in the next couple of weeks, why not head down and speak to the man himself?

Wonderhill Market, Tooting

Crafty Fox Market, Brixton 

To be kept up to date with Rodology's latest news and collections; check out his Facebook, Twitter and, of course you can purchase online from his wonderful Website

#CraftBlogClub - What Makes a Good Craft Tutorial?

Well, here's to another storming #CraftBlogClub session this evening!  I had another great evening hosting this wonderful Twitter chat, even though I had to balance baby's bedtime duty, with retweets and interesting conversations!  I aim to reply to everyone's messages as soon as possible - please bear with me!

So for this week's #CraftBlogClub, I chose a topic that I felt would really help newbie and experienced bloggers alike; What Makes a Good Craft Tutorial?  As usual, we had some fantastic feedback and opinions from twitter chat regulars and new additions to our crafty hub.  It was lovely to see some new tweeters amongst you tonight - I think #CraftBlogClub is taking Twitterland by storm and I've got lots of exciting future plans for it!

So here are a few pointers for creating a good crafty tutorial;
1. PHOTOS PHOTOS PHOTOS - the overwhelming 'must-have' for a good tutorial, is a great set of clear photographs, to accompany the text.  Clarity and good shots are for capturing works in progress and allowing the reader to follow easily.
2. Aim to explain - but don't patronise - the last thing anybody wants to feel, is as if they are back at school.  A blog, in general, needs to have a friendly and approachable tone and a tutorial is no different.  Encourage your readers through your words, don't make them feel small or lack in confidence.
3. Assuming a level of ability - this is a really sticky subject, we all want to inspire and, as someone who loves a challenge, I love really pushing myself with projects.  On the other hand, as craft bloggers, we don't want to alienate our readers with difficult projects.  The key is to find a balance of abilities in your tutorials and, hopefully, inspire your readers to try their hand at harder projects as and when.  I feel this really ties in with the tone of your tutorial - and I've managed to coin the phrase; 'if you've got the know-how, get the show-how'!!
4. Choose Readily Available Materials - to be honest, I wouldn't be likely to partake in a project that specified the need for 'yarn, freshly drawn from mountain-side alpacas in Springtime'.  In this modern age, we are lucky to have the likes of eBay at our fingertips; but ensuring that your materials and fabrics are relatively easy to get hold of, will encourage more readers to give your tutorial a try!
5. Be fresh and innovative with your ideas - I don't think there is anything wrong with classic projects, they can be great when trawling through the internet for new ideas.  But to keep your readers interested, your tutorials need to be fresh and fun!  Don't be afraid to stand out!
6. Try a video tutorial - I watch a shameless amount of YouTube videos - from tutorials to music videos and leftfield interviews.  Video and vlogging are great ways to bring a three-dimensional perspective to you and your blog.  If you are brave enough to step in front of the camera, it's a great way to bring your character and personality to life and connect with readers who might want something more visual to work with.
7. Learn from your mistakes (and include them) - as with last week, lots of people agreed that a level of showing project mistakes was great for tutorials.  Not only can you showcase how you tackled and resolved the problem creatively, you are touching upon that human side of the blogger that so many readers like to see.  Be careful though, don't give too much away, you are a pro at what you do!

There were some really interesting tweets tonight and I could go on - but I think these points cover most of tonight's conversation and I hope it's left you all feeling inspired about your next tutorial project!

Got it Covered???
Don't forget.....We have an end of the month deadline for September's #CraftBlogClub challenge.  Last week's post about this is HERE.  This month's challenge is to cover a notebook!  I've had some great ideas from people already and I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THE RESULTS!

Also guys, there were quite a few tweets about challenge ideas this evening - if you have ideas, please drop them in an email to me at missemmaberry@gmail.com - I'm always popping down plans for #CraftBlogClub and I do suffer from a horrible mixture of Sieve/Baby Brain - so I would LOVE to hear from you!

Until next week - STAY CRAFTY!

E x