Gift Taggs

I have to admit here in Chez Taggs we like the odd glass of wine, on a recent visit to South Africa the highlight of the trip was the time we spend in the Winelands. So the idea of doing a wine tour in London has always appealed.

This weekend, we decided to devote some time to visit Vinopolis on the Southbank. There are 4 different type of tour you can take we opted for the Spirit of Vinopolis tour, which included the ‘How to Taste Wine’ session, 5 regular wine tastings, a tasting notebook and special Bombay Sapphire cocktail, as well as tasting of rum, whiskey, absinthe and beer.

We started with a demonstration about wine tasting, this 20 minute talk explained to use your senses to try wine, explaining about notes, corking and legs. Then it was on to the “tour.” Included with our tickets where a number of vouchers that could be exchanged around the complex, strangely the wines we liked the most were from the “discover table” originating in Greece.

Cocktails at Vinopolis

At the end of the tour is the wonderful Bombay Sapphire bar, which looks like it belongs in a trendy boutique hotel, here we had a choice of cocktails – none of which tasted like gin! We then had vouchers for the “spirit” bars, at any stage you can upgrade your tickets to get more vouchers or even some tapas in the Wine Wharf.

If you find you like any of the wines you can buy bottles (or cases) at the Wine Merchant on site or via their website. They also have an amazing Whisky Exchange with over 1,500 single malt whiskies, and a wide selection of other spirits including over 150 Vodkas.

If you have thought of going to Vinopolis but been put off the idea thinking if is for hen parties or wine buffs, I refer you to their own explanation…

Vinopolis is very successful at de-mystifying wine by offering an experience that can be enjoyed by enthusiasts at all levels enabling them to learn in a fun and engaging way.

Tags: spotlight, things to do in London, vinoplis

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When I started this blog, I said I hoped it help introduce me to more bloggers in the UK, that is why I was so excited when I discovered the DomeDomestic Sluttery blog. The site is the prefect mix of recipes, reviews and shoe porn!

The team of bloggers believe it is more important to work, go out and have fun than spend hours in the kitchen! As they say “We basically live our lives and would rather shag than do the dishes“. I couldn’t agree more.

Afternoon Tea reviews at Domestic Sluttery

Each day they post a blend of product review or spotlighting companies covering everything a domestic slut would be interested in, clothes, home decor, food and beauty products. But the main reason I love reading this blog, they seem to be as obsessed with afternoon tea as I am.

Tags: blog spotlight, Domestic Sluttery, spotlight

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I was over the moon this weekend to read that etsy are planning on opening a new Lab in Berlin – hopefully making etsy accessible in Europe. I love etsy – I am purely a buyer on there, I do not think I am talented to sell any of my creations!

However, my biggest complaint about etsy is the trying to find local sellers. Don’t get me wrong, I have now objection buying handmade products from overseas, I would just prefer to buy handmade items from people in the U.K.

To mark the opening, etsy are devoting this weeks voter to European sellers – go vote!

Further Reading:

• Etsy News
• UK Etsy Street Team
• UK Etsy Challenge Flickr Group
  

Tags: buying, company spotlight, etsy, spotlight

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Following on for my card making, I opted to try and do a little sewing with the felt I purchased. Hunting around online I found this super looking tutorial on the Purl Bee blog, although it involves some sewing the photos and instructions make it look so easy!

Felt Flower - Tutorial by Purl Bee

Sure enough in a few hours I had these some beautiful roses, I was planning on sewing them onto a hairband to add a little glamour to my hair – but opted to attach a brooch clasp to them so I could alternate wearing them in my hair or on my coat.

Back of Felt Flower

After I had sewn the clasp to the flower, I used a circle of felt (using a five pence as a template) to back the brooch for a more professional finishing touch.

Tags: felt, sewing

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So I finally found some time to sit down and work with the felt I brought last week. I thought I would start with a simple Easter card – I have to ease myself into the sewing!

Felt Easter Card

I used my Easter Egg cookie cutter to shape the felt “eggs” and then used a single hole punch to randomly cut out some holes and decorated the egg with the leftover “holes” (I am still finding these all over my house). I am hoping to co-ordinate these cards with some matching yellow and orange cookies.

Tags: cards, easter, felt

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Last week I mentioned the Sweetopia blog and it’s amazing tutorials, so of course I had to try them out. I used the recipe from the blog, it worked perfectly – I don’t understand the science behind leaving the dough to rest in between preparing and rolling – but it seemed to work.

Bouquet of Cookies

I used the shop brought royal icing sugar rather than the recipe online and it seemed to work well, the only issue I had was with piping the icing, I brought a kit from a local cooking supply store and the smallest tip was a No. 2, which seemed to work but wasn’t that accurate. But for a first attempt I was pleased and so was my mum!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Tags: cookies, cooking, mother's day

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Over the past few months I have seen some amazing projects in Blog-land done in felt, I am not much of a seamstress, in fact I would go so far as to say I cannot sew, it is my Kryptonite of crafting. When I knit I pick projects with minimum stitching. I avoid the cross stitching section in John Lewis, and I am almost scared of sewing machines. However, I am determined to overcome this crafting weakness!

Tags: felt, sewing

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Gift Toppers

I actually found this tutorial before Christmas when looking for interesting gift wrapping ideas, but hadn’t had a chance to use it until now. Bugs and Fishes by Lupin uses a variety of brooches and badges on her gifts, from antique brooches to felt flowers (which can be brought in her store).

This got me thinking about all the varieties I could try – using only brooches and badges I found in my own home I was able to achieve all these different looks. I am going to start hunting around charity shops in preparation from Christmas.

Tags: gift wrapping

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Whilst hunting on Flickr for inspiration for Easter cookies, I came across the Sweetopia blog, and spend the next few hours reading past entries, looking at photos, wanting to try the tutorials. 

Margarita Cookies by Sweetopia

Sweetopia, includes the recipes for both the cookies and icing (I have real problems getting my icing just right), As well as tutorials on practical things like how to post cookies or remove air bubbles from your icing, these are some of the most in-depth tutorials I have seen on the Internet). As well as the array of decorated sugar cookies is an amazing selection of gingerbread houses – for all seasons not just Christmas.

Gingerbread Houses by Sweetopia

Sweetopia is amazing at turning simple images into edible art (by using her KopyKake machine), from a polar bear on the ribbon to tissue paper or even the Mascots for the Winter Olympics. Obviously now I want a KopyKake, however I think I need to practice a lot more!

Olympic Mascot Cookies by Sweetopia

Tags: blog spotlight, cookies, cooking, spotlight, sweetopia

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I cannot believe it is March the 1st already, the weather is even changing here in the London that it feels like spring is around the corner. (My bulbs are even flowering in their window boxes).

I seem to be on top of things in the spring cleaning department due to the Grand Cleaning Plan. After my lack of crafting over Valentine’s day I wanted to make up for it in March! I seem to be ahead of things regarding the upcoming birthdays and anniversaries! However, Mother’s Day (in the UK) is just a few weeks away and Easter is just after that.

So today, I have been looking for ideas for Easter. Instead of buying eggs this year, I think I will make cookies and cupcakes

1. Easter Bunny Cookie by Sweetopia, 2. Spring Chicks by The Frosted Cake n Cookie, 3. Easter Basket Cookie by Cakejournal,

4. Vanilla Easter Cupcakes by mejika, 5. Easter Cupcakes by freakgirl, 6. Easter Cupcakes 2 by rouvelee,

7. Easter Cookies by sweetcaques, 8. Easter Egg Cupcake Cups  by save the date for cupcakes, 9. Easter Cookie Collection by Cupcakes & Cartwheels

Tags: cookies, easter, mother's day, organisation, spring cleaning

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