Sugared Rose Petals

A pretty treat for a high tea

The other day a friend of ours commented how she needed to make some cupcakes for a kitchen tea, but didn't really know where to begin. I promptly volunteered to make them, because... well if you haven't gathered by now, I Love Baking!

I decided to do something a little special and since this is the year of experimentation in the kitchen, I thought I would try my hand at making some delicate sugared rose petals to decorate the cupcakes with. This is how I did it:

Ingredients:

• Roses/rose petals (roses that smell yummy will taste yummy)
• 1 egg white lightly beaten
• 2 Tablespoons of sugar (don't use castor sugar, its too fine)

Method: 

Take the  petals off the rose bud and nip off the white bit at the end. They don't taste very nice.

• Brush the egg white on both sides of the rose petal
• Sprinkle both sides of petal with sugar.
• Place on baking tray with baking paper on it and let dry, this will take a few hours.
• Store in an airtight container.
• These rose petals can be frozen. I froze mine for two days. They did not look as fresh but still looked very pretty.

All the ingredients ready

Pick the white nib off the tip of the petal

Brush on the egg white

Sprinkle with sugar

If preferred transfer to a clean tray for drying

Gorgeous decoration for cupcakes!

These are vanilla cupcakes with butter cream icing piped onto them. They have gold sugar sprinkled on the icing, finished with the rose petals.

To make the cupcakes look that extra bit elegant, use patty cases with a lovely floral design on them.

What do you think? Look yummy?

Have Fun!

Renee x

Lifestyle and Beauty Honestly: Making Jam...Beginners luck?

Lifestyle and Beauty Honestly: Making Jam...Beginners luck?

Making Jam...Beginners luck?

Mulberry and Blackberry Jam.

Its summer, and recently we have had a nice crop of Mulberries from our backyard tree, so I decided to make some jam. I have never made jam before now so I have looked up countless websites on how to boil, pot and store the jam. I decided hat I could take a lot of my time up researching how to make jam and never get around to doing it. So I kinda mashed a few recipes together and hoped for the best. I didn't have four cups worth of Mulberries from our tree so I bought and thawed some frozen Blueberries from the Coles freezer section

Ingredients
4 Cups mixture of Blueberries and Mulberries
4 cups sugar 
pectin
lemon juice
dash of water.

Wash the jars in warm soapy water and simmer the lids in water until ready to use. Special preserving jars are best. They have a lid and a ring. I bought mine from Coles for $3.00 each.

Boiling the lids

Heating up berries

50g of Pectin

• Thaw the berries and mash them up a bit in a big pot, heat them on the stove top. Don't boil it yet
• Add half the sugar and half the packet of pectin, stir it.
• Add a table spoon or so of lemon juice
• Add 1/4cup of water. 
• Boil it for about a minute
• Then add the rest of the sugar and stir. 
• Boil for another minute.
• Keep stirring if you feel to, so the jam doesn't burn at the bottom

Spoon in iced water

Testing the jam

To check if the jelly will set the way you like:

• Put a metal teaspoon in iced water
• Scoop up half a teaspoon of jam and let it cool to room temperature.
• If the jam is still runny add more Pectin one teaspoon at a time until it is just right.
• Keep testing with the iced spoon trick.

To bottle the jam.

• The lids must sill be hot and the jars completely dry.
• Carefully bottle the jam to 1/4 of an inch to the top
• Wipe off any mess you may have made.
• Put the sealer and the ring firmly on the jar

Bottling the jam 1/4 inch to the top

Sealing the Jars

• Boil a large pot with about 2 inch of water in it. Reduce to a simmer.
• Gently place the jars in the pot.
• Put the lid on the pot and let them simmer for about 5-7 minutes.
• Take the pot off the heat.

Boiling the jam jars

By this time the jar lids may have 'popped' (sealed) if not, that's OK because mine didn't seal until they had been sitting out of the hot water for ten minutes. Place the hot jam jars somewhere they wont get knocked overnight. 

Once they have cooled label them. This jam will last about six months in a sealed jar.

Keep them somewhere safe overnight while they cool.

Enjoy your yummy jam, friends!

Delicious and decorated.

Have Fun

Renee x

DIY Countertop Jars

Reuse and Recycle!

Last night I decided to give my bathroom a massive cleanout. I had bought a couple of baskets from the $2 shop and they held my makeup and toiletries in the cabinet, but what am I supposed to do with the huge range of brushes? How am I going to store them?
 I could buy some, but my creative streak began to show itself and I decided to recycle some old jars that we had collected for a rainy day.

1. To remove the labels I soaked the jars in very hot water for at least half an hour.
   
2. Remove any excess glue by using a scourer.
   
3. Dry the jars thoroughly.
4. Using a hot glue gun trim the jars with ribbon or lace. Whatever takes your fancy. I chose two types of pink ribbon for the first jar (it's my favorite colour) and white and pale blue for the second jar.
   
5. Display them for all to see!
   
    These jars are a simple and effective way to store your bits and bobs. The best thing is that it is all recycled materials and I dont have to buy plastic tubs that will end up in landfill. And lets be honest here, reused jars have a lot more character than plastic stuff anyway.

I hope you have a good time with your own handy project this week.

Have Fun!

Renee x

DIY Country Prints

A purse friendly home décor idea.

I Just got back from Spotlight with my mum and came home laden with bags. I thought I would share with you a new décor idea.

These picture frames were around $16.00 each and the prints inside are scrapbook pages that are $1.99 each. These pictures are a green/country theme to compliment the house and I think they look great!

Something that I really like about this idea is that it is so easy to change the print to blend in with your interior. These scrapbook pages come in wide variety of colours, textures and themes. They are found in most craft shops. What a lovely and effective way to add a bit of character into your home.

Have Fun

Renee X

Subscription Samples I Have Loved!

I Have been receiving subscription boxes for a few months now and I thought I would share with you the samples I have really enjoyed.

Now bear with me, I cant remember in particular which subscription boxes I got each product in. But thats O.K.
I'll start with the Ultraceuticals Complete Correction Cream . This tint has been my go to base for the last few months. I only have about three more applications left of this baby and I am gutted. I need to use just a small amount ( about a cotton tips worth) and it will hide redness, even out my skin tone and cover my blemishes. This product is great for everyday wear. I find it a bit tacky on my skin so I just finish it off with a light dusting of bronzer and I'm done. Simple ! This tint has changed my make up routine altogether and I don't feel like I have to wear a separate concealer because this product does it all!

ASAP Ultimate Hydration Im usually pretty stuck on my Rosehip Oil for a moisturiser but this stuff is something special. After using this lightweight moisturiser for a few days I noticed a visible difference in my skins complexion. My redness had faded and my skin tone was a lot brighter. This lotion sinks into my skin like a thirsty sponge so there is no sticky residue. I would definitely recommend you go and get a sample of this from your local ASAP seller. I just saw it at my local beauty therapist, so you could visit yours and see if they stock it and may be willing to let you try it.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Gentle Exfoliating Facial Scrub  I was a bit ho- hum about receiving this in a beautybox but decided to give it a try anyway. I was pleasantly surprised when I used this exfoliator. This contains Microfine cocoa beans that scrub away dead skin cells that can clog pores and make skin look dull. There is something truly satisfying in scrubbing away that old dead skin and revealing a new me! (not literally). I still have to get used to the very soapy smell to it, not to keen on that. But all in all I like it and will continue to use it.

When I recieved this Model Co Cheek and Lip Tint (Rosy Red) I was annoyed. Yep, actually annoyed. What am I meant to do with a tint? What a waste of space! Incorrect. I have used this tint on my lips almost everyday after receiving it. I'm not a touch up during the day kinda girl, so to be able to put on a cherry tint in the morning and not have to reapply during the day is a real treat. The colour is completely buildable from a hint of pink to a blown away red pout. Love it

ModelCo Tint in Rosy Red

I was so excited to try the Inika Lip Whip (Berry) after reading on the info card that it was vegan. On the lips you go. I'm not a vegan but I love to test out the natural products. This 'Lip Whip' smells divine and the colour is like my lips but better. This is one gorgeous gloss and well used in my makeup bag.

Inika Lip Whip (Berry)

I must say that I have really enjoyed being part of the subscription beauty box crowd. I have been able to test some really gorgeous cosmetics and makeup samples and I have been able to rely on plenty of full sized products too. I'm so excited to see what they have lined up for us next.

What items do you love?

Have Fun

Renee x