Handmade Labels

When I was designing my bunting, aprons, bags and even my curtains, I decided I wanted to create some labels for my products. I decided on a standard sew-on label with the brand name and a label to sew into seams with my little bunting bird on it. 

Here is a step by step guide on how to make them!

1. First of all design your labels on either a graphics package if you want something complicated, or Word will do for something simple. When it comes to printing the design out on transfer paper (you can use a domestic inkjet printer) make sure you flip the design so it is backwards, otherwise when you iron it onto the fabric, it will be back to front!

2. I decided to use a mixture of cotton calico and grosgrain tape for texture to print my labels onto. For the tape, cut the labels into strips the same width as the ribbon using a ruler and pen-knife.  

3. When you are ironing the transfer onto your fabric, use a board underneath as the sticky glue can get transferred to your ironing board, not a great look on your very expensive silk top! 

4. When you are transferring, make sure that you hold the iron on for long enough, as if it is too cool, the transfer can lift off, like the example at the bottom. However don't leave the iron on for too long or it will burn. It's a very exact science obviously, but you'll get there with practice!

5. These labels are ironed onto calico, and as a result you can use up little scraps to make these. I used dressmaking shears to cut the lengths of the label and then used pinking shears for the ends, to stop the fraying. 

6. The finished labels! I made sure that I left enough space either end of the designs on the labels so you have enough space to sew them on to whatever you want to embellish or put your own special stamp on.  

6. I liked the mixture of vintage calico and pure white grosgrain trim, it gives you a choice of colours to match to your fabric of choice.

Baking and Cake Decorating 2

Having found a few more photographs of my bakes, I thought I'd share them with you over a bowl of British Strawberries and a dollop of Nutella, yum!

My Birthday Cake: Based on the design for my 21st Birthday, I decided to do a similar cake for my 22nd. The cake was a chocolate and vanilla marble flavour with a chocolate buttercream filling. I then covered the cake with white icing, and then used the flowers, leaves and decorations to create a country garden theme. I then finished it with a vintage ribbon and lace, and voila! One very tasty birthday cake!

Millionaire's Shortbread: A delicious combination of shortbread, caramel and marbled chocolate, this shortbread is absolutely delicious. We generally only make it at Christmas, however this year I made it for my Boyfriend's Birthday too. He counts himself as a bit of a connoisseur, and happened to say mine was the best he had ever tasted...! But then he would!

Cupcakes Boxes: I had a couple of requests for cupcakes to be given as presents, and bought some pretty pink gingham boxes to display them in. I decided to make simple but beautiful vanilla cupcakes and concentrate on the decoration. I used swirls of coloured buttercream, and then sugarpaste decorations and edible glitter to finish my cupcakes. 

Christmas Cakes: I made some christmas cakes for prezzies last year, and decorated them with frosted cranberries and holly. I bought some pretty gold foil starry boxes to display them in to make pretty gifts. I also made some individual ones for my colleagues, and put them into individual perspex boxes with ribbon ties.

Nigella's Sticky Chocolate Gingerbread: I made this Nigella recipe for my Grandpa's Birthday, and I think it was met with lip-smacking approval. It is a very dark and soft gingerbread, flavoured with cloves and chocolate chunks to counteract the christmassy taste of the Ginger. The icing is a mix of chocolate, icing sugar and ginger ale, and the sweetness is a lovely contrast against the sticky cake. Nigella said that this cuts into 12 pieces, however I cut mine a lot smaller, and I think a taste of this cake is really all you need.

Baking and Cake Decorating

Since I undertook the challenge to make my birthday cakes for my 21st Birthday, I have really developed a passion for baking and cake decorating, spurred on no doubt by  my favourite program ever, The Great British Bake-Off as well as my friends, family, boyfriend and colleagues, who all love cake and enjoy eating it even more. I will be posting many more piccys of my creations, just so you can see what I have been up to, but for now, here are just a few.

Nigella's Chocolate Malteaser Cake with Malteaser Decoration - Dad's Birthday

Ultimate Chocolate Easter Cake with Piped Ganache and Cadbury Mini Egg Decoration

Delia's Ultimate Carrot Cake with icing decoration and Superman Logo - David's Birthday

My Room...Finished!

Well...I will apologise first for the long time and no post, it has been a rather hectic year, but look, my room is now finished! Well, it was finished before Christmas 2012 but shhhh...! I just thought I'd share a few photos of the final room and a few of the projects that I undertook to make it all come together.

Small Wardrobe: Originally this was a plain wooden pine wardrobe, but to transform it into something pretty and worth keeping. I first of all sanded the wood, brushed the dust off and then applied two coats of primer. I then used a beautiful eggshell paint, (the same as I used for my bedside table), two coats as well, then painted the knobs in the same green as my walls. I decided to add the Cath Kidston Wallpaper to the panels to tie in with the other patterns in the room. I may also have bought the matching bedding...I'm all for matchy matchy!

Bed and Decorations: Here you can see the bed with its handmade patchwork bed runner (see previous Patchwork post) handmade embroidered bunting, wooden hand-cut and hand painted letters and hand-bought from a shop fairy lights! I love how it all ties in together but at the same time certain pieces stand out. I recently bought the bedding from Next, Ditsy print king size duvet and two pillowcases with vintage style lace edging comes in at £55.00

Lampshade: This was another piece needed because of the small gap between the door and the bed where I wanted to put my bedside table. The burnished bronze stand and cylinder lampshade came in at £15.00 and £2.99 respectively. I then used complimenting ribbon and trims to make the lampshade compliment the colours and styles of the room. I used good old PVA glue to stick the trimmings on, and folded the ends around the lip at the top and bottom to neaten it. Tip: When waiting for the glue to dry, use pegs to secure the ribbon ends, and space all the way around the braid at the bottom to stop it pinging off at inopportune moments. 

I have always had a soft spot for the shop Bombay Duck (have a look at their website - they have so many beautiful and gorgeously girly things - www.bombayduck.com) so I decided to treat myself to their two-hook floral holder. One of my mums friends made me the sign...so true!

Bookshelves: In my dream house I want my own library, end off. A place to read and while the hours away in a deep squishy arm chair in front of the fire...so until I can afford that, I have my 3 bookshelves! I love the higgeldy-piggeldy mix of colours and shapes (they were all alphabetised at one point until I couldn't fit them all on any more) and I like the idea of interspersing books and pictures. I picked up the postcards and the 'My Fair Lady Print' from the Hollywood Costume exhibition at the V&A, the vintage metal 'Vichy' sign at the Sherlock Holmes Museum in London, and the photograph is of my friend and I on holiday in France.