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Distractions


Crescent shaped Christmas biscuits - Kourabiedes and Vanillekipferl
Greek Kourabiedes and Austrian Vanillekipferl were a feature of Advent in my childhood. Little did I know they are related!

Julia


On the Christmas tradition of wreath making
Making your own Christmas wreath is such a creative and rewarding activity, and doubly so if you do it with friends.

Julia


Gift wrapping the sustainable way
In the age of abundance so much is consumed and quickly disposed of. Wrapping gifts sustainably can make a very small but important difference - choose the right gift wrap and ribbon and learn a new wrapping technique that can reduce waste.

Julia


Crescent shaped Christmas biscuits - Kourabiedes and Vanillekipferl
Greek Kourabiedes and Austrian Vanillekipferl were a feature of Advent in my childhood. Little did I know they are related!
Dec 18, 20254 min read
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On the Christmas tradition of wreath making
Making your own Christmas wreath is such a creative and rewarding activity, and doubly so if you do it with friends.
Dec 5, 20257 min read
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Gift wrapping the sustainable way
In the age of abundance so much is consumed and quickly disposed of. Wrapping gifts sustainably can make a very small but important difference - choose the right gift wrap and ribbon and learn a new wrapping technique that can reduce waste.
Nov 20, 20255 min read
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The great mince pie taste test
I participated in a mince pie taste test this week - it was more difficult than I thought it would be and the result was quite a surprise!
Nov 11, 20252 min read
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Spiced pumpkin and chocolate chip biscuits
Who would have thought that you could make something so delicious from a tin of pureed pumpkin, but these biscuits are so delicious they will become a staple in our home every autumn. Because pumpkin puree comes in 425g tins, this recipe makes rather a large batch of biscuits, but I prefer that to having half a tin of pureed pumpkin left over that I wouldn't know what to do with (other than blending it into a vegetable soup). Having said that, the batter freezes very well and
Oct 9, 20252 min read
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How to preserve Autumn leaves
Nature has been very generous this year, giving us an abundance of berries, nuts and acorns. And who doesn't love a conker when it first pops out of its shell, all shiny and smooth? The leaves are also about to fall down from the trees in all shades of red and brown, and they can make a beautiful table and window decoration. There are various ways to preserve leaves : Press them Dip them in wax (beeswax or paraffin) Soak them in glycerine The first method dries out the leaves
Sep 21, 20254 min read
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Why are arts and crafts so therapeutic?
I used to work in a busy corporate job in London, and would sometimes go to life drawing classes after a long day at work. What struck me every time I went was how much this activity helped me to switch off from my day at work. The life drawing sessions always followed the same structure: In the first part, the model would change positions every 2 minutes and we had to sketch very quickly. The aim of this was to encourage us not to overthink what was in front of us, but to ge
Sep 15, 20253 min read
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Three quick crafts for Advent
Crafting at Christmas is a must in my family. But the run up to Christmas can also feel hectic, so here are some quick projects that you can turn to if you are itching for some pre-Christmas crafts.
Aug 26, 20254 min read
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