02/10/2016

DIY CHALKBOARDS


DIY  CHALKBOARDS

Today I decided to make chalkboards. One for myself, and the other one to use on display at a hairdressing salon.
I bought 2 lovely frames at a second hand shop.



I wanted to make the first one in some girly colour so I mixed two paints red and blue.

But to be honest I wasn`t happy with the final effect because it was too dark (now I am thinking that maybe I should have used a bit of white )



At the end I decided to use a ready colour, and I was more than happy with the final colour.





To give it a final touch I used clear spray paint.









The next frame was easier because I decided to just use white spray





when the frames were drying I had to paint the boards with charcoal paint.
The next step , put it together .....and voila :)










At first I tried to write on my chalkboards with ordinary chalks but I wasn`t happy with the effect, even when I made them wet I couldn`t write small letters. Then a friend of mine told me about chalkboard pens. I bought one  6mm chalk marker pen on e-bay from HaberCrafts and the result was amazing as you can see on the photos :)



I hope that you liked my post :)

P.S.

When I was working outside I had a very curious visitor

04/07/2016

Summer Waffles



The summer holidays have just started , my boys have just transformed into eating machines and I had no idea what to make for a Sunday dessert....then bingo.... I just recalled that in the cupboard is forgotten waffle maker..... 



Here is a simple recipe 

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoon white sugar
3/4 cups milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 egg white
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or cinnamon







Preheat the waffle maker.
Whisk egg white with sugar until it`s fluffy. Add the rest of the  ingredients and continue to whisk for around 2 minutes.
Spray the preheated waffle maker with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the mix onto the hot waffle maker. Cook until golden brown,








Enjoy :)

26/06/2016

Rosemary


Rosemary


I would like to talk today more about the well known herb - rosemary.
It is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen and native to
 the Mediterranean region.
On the one hand coniferous and dry on the other - aromatic and captivating.
It is an effective antidote to a poor diet.
The smell of rosemary essential oils can actually reduce cortisol levels;
 cortisol is known as the stress hormone.

Infused in an oil and applied to the skin, there is evidence that rosemary
 can stop hair loss. It can also be used to treat muscle pains and arthritis,
 reducing inflammation while improving circulation. It is useful on skin
afflictions like bruises and eczema too.

Finally, rosemary preparations - like tea- can be taken internally. Digestive
 problems and headaches can  be soothed like this.


How to store rosemary:
-freezing
You can freeze whole sprigs of rosemary . When needed, you can easily remove as
many leaves as you want , by moving the thumb and index finger down the twigs .
 Keep in mind that frozen rosemary has a more intense flavor than fresh rosemary .

-Drying
After washing place the rorosemary sprigs on a kitchen towel and leave them
for one or two days. Later, bundle them together, tie them up at
their bases, and hang them in a well-ventilated  shady area to air dry.
The drying period depending on the conditions can last from few days
to about two weeks.
 Rosemary can also dry in the oven, in case there is a lack of space or if the conditions aren`t right.
Place the sprigs on a baking sheet and set the oven on  the lowest temperature possible.
After drying. the herbs should be inserted into a closed container.



Rosemary hair rinse
Take 2 or 3 tablespoons of dried rosemary leaves . You can also use 2 or 3 fresh sprigs.
Place them in a tea cup, pour boiling water and wait around 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes pour the mixture (with no leaves) into a clean bottle ( you can use for example
a 2L coke bottle). Add tap water . Use this water as a rinse after shampoo or conditioning.

Rosemary bath

A herbal bath is a very simple and fast way to relax . Just soak dried herbs in warm water
intended for bathing .
 The herbs will not only cause the pleasant smell of the water for bathing , but it will also make you feel better and you will gain strength .

Shred a handful of  fresh or dried rosemary leaves , add half a cup of sea salt.
 Stir , pour it into the tub just before taking a bath. The nice fragrance soothes the senses,
and the oils that rosemary contains can make your skin smoother.
Relieve rheumatic pains , improves circulation and rosemary a bath can relax a tired mind and body .




:)


14/06/2016

Fruit Cake

Fruit Cake



Summer is coming, the days are getting longer... It`s really nice to spend the time off outside with family and friends..
I decided to share with you a simple recipe for a budged friendly, quick and yummy fruit cake...
You can use any fruit mix you like... 





Ingredients
I measured the ingredients with a 250ml glass

2 glasses of flour
1 glass of sugar
0,5 glass of water
0,5 glass of cooking oil
2 teaspoons of baking powder
fruits


First prepare the fruits and ingredients







mix the ingredients together 




when the mix is nice and smooth you can add the fruits or place the mix into a baking tray and then just place the fruits on top


For this cake I usually use  a bigger baking tray which measures around 9"x13" (23cm x 33cm) 
Bake in an oven set to 180 C 
baking time : around 1 hour but it`s better to check if it`s baked with a stick because the time of baking depends on the fruits which are used, sometimes if they are more juicy the time of baking might be longer













Hope you will enjoy it :)