DIY Gift: Photo Frame

I made this as a present to one of my favourite gals, and guess what... she loved it!!

Honestly, DIY gifts carry so much more sentimental than bought gifts.

This Personalised Photo Frame is super easy peasy to make too...

What you'll need:

• Photo Frame
• Photographs & quotes
• Glue (I used Pritt stick)
• Scissors
• Craft accessories like stickers etc...

Step 1) Find cute pics & quotes which you know your friend will love. I printed the photos on 5x7 photo paper for a more professional finish.

Step 2) Organise & glue your chosen photos onto some cardboard, the same size of the glass for the frame.

Step 3) This part is completely up to you, you can keep it simple with just photographs or make it more rustic and personalised with accessories & decor. I used train tickets, stickers, feathers and pattern card.

Step 4) Assemble the glass and the backboard of the frame once the glue had dried.

Step 5) Take pics for insta of how tumblr your frame looks

(or you could wrap it for the recipient of the gift of course... probably the better choice)

Festive Chocolate Brownies

If you're tired from super sweet candy canes or bored to death of cinnamon spice (and all things nice) then this recipe is for you! Trust me I was so close to adding a dash of mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice, but I controlled my urges for the sake of keeping it simple and classic.

With all the unhealthy foods being digested this holiday, you'd expect this one to be too. HOWEVER, you are mistaken!  Sweet potatoes are incredible: they're bursting with nutritional goodness with all their antioxidants, and their anti-inflammatory properties, as well as being awesome blood sugar-regulators. Furthermore,  raw cacao is also a superfood as it is such an insanely rich source of antioxidants, one of the best in the world, as well as being packed with a number of other beneficial nutrients: manganese, which helps oxygenate the blood; magnesium, which helps maintain healthy bodily nerves, muscles and bones; and sulphur, which builds strong nails and hair, and promotes beautiful skin.

Not too sweet or spiced this brownie is:

• Gooey
• Soft
• Moist
• Squidgy 

*This recipe is adapted from Deliciously Ella

Ingredients: 

Mixture: 

– 2 medium to large sweet potatoes (600g)

– 2/3 of a cup of ground almonds (80g)

– 1/2 a cup of buckwheat or brown rice flour (100g)

– 14 medjool dates

– 4 tablespoons of raw cacao

– 3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup

– a pinch of salt

Optional Additions:

- Handful of chopped brazil nuts

- Handful of cranberries

- tsp of pumpkin seeds

- tsp zest of an orange

You'll also need a peeler and sharp knife. Preheat oven to 180C Fan.

Peel, chop and steam both potatoes until they're soft

In a separate bowl (while the potatoes are steaming) add the dry ingredients, then the maple syrup and mix well. 

Once the sweet potatoes are soft, add them to a food processor with the dates and blend till a smooth, rich paste is formed.

Add in the wet mixture to the dry chocolate bowl and combine together.

Add in the extras (I'd recommend) and stir in.

Add brownie mixture to a baking tray and smooth with a damp spatula. Then bake for 25-30 minutes until crisp on top. 

Once cooked, cut into 10 squares and dust with icing sugar & serve.

I found these went really well paired with some ice cream!

Hope you try out this recipe, have an amazing christmas and dig in...

DIY: Candy Cane sugar scrub

DIY Christmas presents are the best. They're thoughtful and personalised. This was one of the funnest, most rewarding one i've made. This sugar scrub looks expensive and professional and the smell is to die for!

What you'll need:

• 1/2 cup (4 oz.) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (2 oz.) coconut oil, melted (preferably organic)
• red food coloring
• peppermint extract 
• rose essence/extract 

I used this as rough guide, and altered it as i went along. If you need more of anything just add a little at a time.

Melt the coconut oil in the microwave and pour over sugar.

Stir then separate into two bowls. Add the food colouring to one of them and throughly mix in.

I popped the bowls in the freezer for 3 minutes just slightly set the mixture.


After 3 minutes start layering each colour in a jar. I used an old glass coconut oil jar.


Fill all the way to the top alternating every time.

I finally added a M as the person i'm giving this to is called Molli. Adding an initial makes it personalised and a much better gift in my opinion. I was super happy with the result and hope she likes it!

If you try it out be sure to send me a picture
Jess
x

DIY - Tumblr inspired notebooks

Jazzing up your back to school supplies by personalising them with your favourite tumblr posts!

I've seen tonnes of back-to-school Diy's over the internet lately so i decided to try my own!

So let's turn this boring old notebook into a fabulous fun one!

First things first, go on tumblr and find your pictures. I went through my 'hearted' ones and also searched 'overlays' to get the cute accessories.

Now cut them out exactly around their edges to give a finished and professional look.

You will now want to place the pictures around and see how it looks. Switch them up to make it to your taste. You want to leave a section in the middle for your name or subject.

Next, you want to glue them down! The overlays look really good when overlapped on your bigger pictures.

Make a place card with your name or subject on. I just did my name because i don't use notebooks for classes. I used pretty card for the background and stickers for the letters.

Finally, i used washi tape around the title to make it stand out. Now we're done! It was so easy and i'm in love with it!

Hope you liked this post
See you soon
Jess
X