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Wishing you health and happiness here on the longest (or shortest?) day of the year.
I hope you have a lovely festive season, however you celebrate it. Looking forward to seeing you again in a few weeks.
Stay safe and well,
Melissa
p.s. a recipe + links for some sweet treats are below...
I love making small sweet treats at this time of year, to package up and give to neighbours + friends, or even just to surreptitiously snack on to keep the energy up as days get busier and busier.
This year, I tried making chocolate 'salami' again. I had tried it a few years ago and suspect I ate too much at the time and abandoned the recipe for a while! But it's super easy to make and you can tailor the additions to suit your taste (or what you have already in the pantry). Once you've mixed all the ingredients together, you form a roll, wrap it in paper and refrigerate until firm. Then you only need to slice it very thinly to serve. This recipe makes two medium-sized rolls.
You could also make it vegan, I think, by using dairy-free chocolate and coconut cream, though I haven't tried that yet.
Here is my recipe:
Chocolate salami
200 grams chocolate with a good percentage of cocoa solids (I used Whittaker's Dark)
1/2 cup cream
50 grams butter
Place these three ingredients in a double boiler (or microwave-safe jug) and melt together slowly. Then stir until completely melted and smooth.
Now, add your choice of treats. I used:
200 grams dried cranberries (lightly chopped)
1 small box of rose-flavoured Turkish Delight, cut into thin slices
1/2 packet of plain biscuits (I used Milk Arrowroot), cut into small pieces
1 cup of mixed nuts, roughly chopped - I used pistachios, hazelnuts and cashews
A good splash of rosewater
Stir these additions into the chocolate mixture and mix together well. Place two pieces of waxed paper on a flat surface, wash your hands, then divide the mixture so you have half on each piece of paper. Use your hands to shape into a log, then roll up in the paper and twist the ends to secure.
Place chocolate logs in the fridge for at least a few hours or longer. When set, remove and roll in sieved icing sugar. Cut into thin slices and package for gifts, or serve up with a cup of black coffee.
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Other recipes for Christmas treats you might like:
Lucy Corry's caramelised oat fudge (vegan or dairy option)
Apricot balls (vegan)
Pepperkake (gingerbread biscuits)
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We're nearing the end of December. How can that be? I hope you are doing well, despite what is probably a busy time of year, wherever you are.
I've found myself making some Christmas gifts this year - something I don't always do. Somehow planning and making these gifts has brought me a lot of joy and I've even had Keira join me for some projects, which is a rare thing these days.
Anyway, I've included above some photos of things I've been making (along with a pic of a peach poppy from the garden, just because):
+ + Some crochet squares using leftover 4ply yarns from other projects. I have gathered a stack of these now, and one day (probably far in the future) I'll make them into a blanket.
+ + A little knitted set for a new baby in our friend-circle. For this, I used some lovely lightweight cotton-merino yarn in an undyed colourway. The vest pattern is a free one on Ravelry, and is called the Louise Vest. The little slippers are from a Debbie Bliss book I own. More details on both patterns can be found here on my Ravelry project page.
+ + Like all the other makers in the world, I've been sewing up lots of masks. I've tried out a few patterns now but also revert to the good old seam-down-the-middle plain design. I've made a few from vintage embroidered linen too, just because.
+ + Handmade perfume, lip balm and eye pillows! Keira has been helping me with the homemade cosmetics and it's been fun to try our hand at these! I've published posts with tutorials for each project here on the blog:
I've also updated the links list to the left of this post, with lots of past projects, patterns and tutorials. Most of them are of the older variety, but I hope you find them useful!
I feel I could write another whole post about music, books and other things I've been enjoying lately. I'll try and do that before logging off for a few weeks over summer. Take very good care of yourself!
Lots of love,
Melissa
It's been a really hard year. I decided to make some small luxuries as end-of-year gifts and I think all my friends deserve (at the very least) a lovely relaxing eye pillow to encourage them to lie down more often! If I could, I would send them all copious amounts of chocolate, magazines and wine too.
I have been making these for a few years now but I've only just started sewing up separate covers for them. These new eye pillows have two parts - an interior case that holds dried flowers and grains for weight - and an outer cover that is easily removable for washing or re-using with a new insert once the original one loses its scent.
I thought I'd share how I make them, in case you'd like to make some for your friends too. They're super easy and you might already have the materials to hand!
Lavender eye pillows
You'll need:
Linen and cotton fabric - this can be recycled from old clothing or simply leftovers from your other projects. You can anything, but I think natural fibres that are smooth and cool to the touch work best: linen, cotton, silk, fine wool, etc. I used some fine cotton for my interior case and sturdier linen for the exterior.
Dried lavender buds (I bought mine from a market in Nelson but you should be able to find some online if not locally).
Some sort of dried grain or pulse that will add some weight and structure to your pillow. I used pearl barley but you could also use small lentils, mung beans, rice, linseed... or anything else you might have in the pantry.
Sewing machine and thread, ruler, scissors, embroidery thread (if you fancy a bit of decorative stitching)
Optional: Other scents, such as chamomile flowers to mix in with the lavender, or essential oil to add extra perfume
Method:
Note: all seams allowances are 1/4'.
Make the interior case for the dried lavender and grains: Cut a piece of fabric 7.5" X 9.5". With the right sides together, fold in half lengthwise and sew down the long edge and across one of the shorter edges. Clip the corners, press stitching then turn right-side out. Fold down the opening edges by 1/4" and press inside the pouch.
Fill this case with dried flowers and grains - about five spoonfuls of each, or more if you like. You don't want to over-fill it though, because it's nice for the eye pillow to be somewhat light and flexible. Once you're happy, securely sew the case closed where you pressed the folds.
Next, make the exterior case. Cut 1 piece of fabric 4.5" X 10" and another so it measures 4.5" X 11.5".
Take one of these pieces and fold one of the shorter edges back by 1/4", right sides together, and press. Fold by another 1/4" and press again. Stitch this fold in place. Repeat with the longer piece of fabric.
Now is your time to add embroidery to these pieces or just one of them, if you fancy it.
With right sides together, place the longer hemmed piece on a flat surface and then put the shorter piece on top, with the unhemmed short edges lined up together. Fold back the extension of the longer piece so that the two rectangles match. The hemmed edge of the shorter piece should be parallel to the folded edge of the longer piece. Pin along the three other sides and stitch together, leaving the folded edge. Clip corners, zig-zag or overlock edges if you like, then turn right side out and press.
Place the interior case inside the outer case, tucking its edge under the folded flap.
These can be popped in the freezer for half an hour or so for extra-sore eyes, or in the microwave to warm them up. Hope you enjoy!
The gift-making continues around here, and after our perfume adventures, Keira and I decided to make some lip balm, too.
For our first batch, we used a recipe we found online but it set much too hard. So we scraped out the little pots and re-melted everything and made a second and then third batch. I can't tell you the exact measurements for our lemon + honey lip salve, but we're pleased with the final product!
The ingredients we used: beeswax (not too much), shea butter, almond carrier oil, 1 tsp of manuka honey, 5 drops of lemon essential oil and 5 drops of sweet orange essential oil. We melted this mixture slowly in a double boiler until smooth, then poured into little pots.
For our second batch, we were more careful to keep track of our measurements. Here's our recipe for rose-geranium lip balm, in case you feel like making some too:
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Rose geranium lip balm - makes three little pots
Into a microwave proof jug (or double-boiler on the stovetop), measure:
2 tsp carrier oil such as jojoba or sweet almond
1/2 tsp manuka honey (for sweetness - optional)
9 grams beeswax, grated or chopped
2 Tb coconut oil
2 Tb shea butter
2 thin slices from a commercial lipstick (for a little colour- but this is also optional)
5 drops each of rose and geranium essential oils
Melt in the microwave at 20-second intervals and stir well to combine. When the mixture is completely melted and smooth, pour into your pots or tubes. Leave to set for half an hour.
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I've been keen to try mixing my own scents for a while now, so I enlisted the help of my daughter Keira and we got started! It turned into a lovely activity to do together and we're both really happy with the perfumes we made for ourselves. We made some roll-on oil-based perfumes, and a few solid perfumes too. We plan to make some as Christmas gifts for our friends, next.
My favourite thing about these little perfumes is that they're small and easy to slip into the little pouch I have in my handbag for lip balm and hairclips - and re-apply any time throughout the day. The soothing scent of my little bottle of lavender and rose goodness is almost like a rescue remedy for me as I go about my busy day. I love knowing it's in my bag.
I shared this idea on Instagram the other day and had a few questions about my method in general and where I got my ingredients from. So here are a few notes. Please know that I am a total amateur at perfume making, but I intend to keep practising because I'm obsessed with beautiful scents. Another thing to keep in mind is that the scent of this perfume doesn't last as long on the skin as a synthetic perfume does, so a few applications throughout the day might be necessary. But that's not really a hardship!
Also, please remember that you'll want to do a patch test first to ensure your blend won't irritate your skin. Essential oils should never be applied in their undiluted form. Keep out of reach of children. Some oils should not be used during pregnancy.
Roll-on perfume
You'll need:
Neutral carrier oil such as jojoba, apricot kernel or similar. I used organic sweet almond oil from Kereru Natural Products
Essential oils you love - I used a blend of three, also from Kereru
Small bottles - I used 10ml amber glass bottles with metal rollers and screw-on lids (found on TradeMe)
Label + pen or paper and glue stick to make a label
Cotton pads or scrap fabric, and an eye-dropper (optional)
1. First, decide on your oil blend. Do this by testing out blends on your cotton pad or scrap fabric until you get a combination you love.
You can choose three different essential oils, focusing on top, middle and base notes. Here is a chart to help work out which particular oils are top, middle and base types. You can weight the different oils accordingly (base notes = 20%, middle notes = 50%, top notes = 30%) if you like, but I don't think it matters too much.
~~ Blend ideas ~~
For headaches: peppermint, lavender, lemongrass
To promote relaxation/calm: bergamot, lavender, ylang ylang
For clarity and focus: rosemary, peppermint, sweet orange
Earthy floral blend: lavender, geranium, rose, patchouli
My favourite blend for happiness: rose, geranium, sweet orange, lavender
2. Remove the roller ball from the bottle and drop in your essential oils. For a 10ml bottle, you will need to use about 40 drops altogether. For my favourite blend (as listed above) I used 20 drops of lavender, 10 drops of rose, 5 drops of sweet orange and 5 drops of geranium oil. Swirl the bottle to mix.
3. Using the eye-dropper, add your carrier oil until the bottle is half full. Replace the lid and shake to combine. Then remove the lid again and add more carrier oil until the bottle is nearly full.
4. Replace the ball roller and lid, and add a label so you remember which blend is inside. Enjoy!
Solid perfume
This is a nice way to carry a little perfume with you wherever you go! You can collect little lolly tins or lip balm containers for this. I've found it lasts a little longer on the skin than the roll-on scent.
You'll need:
Two small pottles or tins (I used old lip balm tins, washed and dried, but you could also use lip balm tubes if you can find them)
42 grams of neutral carrier oil (I used organic sweet almond oil)
7 grams of grated or chopped beeswax
Approx. 15 drops of essential oils you love (you could use one or a blend - see above for ideas)
Digital scale
Small glass jug and a wooden iceblock stick or similar
1. Decide on your oil or blend. You can use a cotton pad or fabric to test out blends before mixing them together.
2. Place the oil and beeswax in the jug (I used a digital scale to get the quantities exact) then melt together in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time, stirring with the popsicle stick in between. If you don't have a microwave, sit the jug on a pot of boiling water and stir until melted and smooth. Add in your essential oils and stir again.
3. Carefully pour the mixture into your little pots and add lids and labels when cooled and set.
Kia ora, hello!
I've been absent from here for over a month - maybe the longest stretch ever! My apologies if you sometimes check in and found there was nothing new. It's been a busy one, but no more than usual, if I'm honest. In any case, it's lovely to be back here again today and I've set myself the goal of writing shorter but more frequent posts next year - maybe a once-a-week kind of arrangement.
I thought I'd share some of my recent projects and news. It's rose season - as you'll see here in this post. We recently went wild-rose-hunting with Tom's mum Clare and found some beauties - she's a heritage rose specialist and has shown me some interesting spots around the older parts of Wellington. This latest rose mission coincided with a beautiful gift from my friend Lizzie in Melbourne. She included in her package Mary Oliver's 2015 collection Felicity, and I've snapped the poem Roses for you in the photo above. I feel deeply its reminder to live more like a plant - be in the moment, focus rather than scatter my thoughts and energies everywhere. At least, that's what I take from the poem. You might have a completely different reading.
I finished my Soul Craft Makealong project bag - I talked about it in a few posts back. It was really enjoyable to make and I loved the suggestion to patch together small pieces of linen for it, rather than embroider on a larger piece. This approach allowed me to use some test pieces of avocado-dyed linen. I embroidered various plants and patterns on each patch, in black and white thread.
For the lining, I used some checked cotton cut from an old shirt of Tom's that had worn around the cuffs and collar. And some brown linen on the back of the back, and black cotton tape as a drawstring.
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Recently on Instagram, I shared a little d-i-y project: handmade cleaning cloths and spray. They're both things I make quite regularly and I never buy these products anymore as I think the homemade version is much nicer!
In case you don't have your own method, here's mine:
Best cleaning cloths: cast on 35 stitches using 4mm needles + DK cotton yarn (I used some great 100% cotton recycled from old textiles!)
K to last 2 sts, slip 2 with yarn in front (for a neat edge). Repeat till you have a squareish shape, cast off, weave in ends.
Kitchen spray: in a reusable bottle, place a good splash of white vinegar, a decent squirt of dishwashing liquid, a few drops of essential oils (I use lavender + tea-tree), then top up with warm water and shake together. Never buy this stuff again, feel virtuous!
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Another project I've finished recently is a blanket for a friend's new baby. For this I used leftover yarns from other projects - most of them were DK weight wool + alpaca blends. I worked a finer border, in grey alpaca, around the edge to finish it. I love these light and soft blankets and intend to have one on the go at all times, now I've finally learned to crochet!
What are you enjoying listening to and reading at the moment?
I've always been an Aldous Harding fan but at the moment I'm loving her track Old Peel through the headphones, as well all things Noname (check out this wonderful Tiny Desk concert!)
Another piece of music I love very much is My Friend, The Forest by Nils Frahm. If you're looking for something deeply calming and beautiful for your headphones, look no further!
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I hope you're well and safe. See you again soon. XX