Red Brolly

Enter Now- Cabbages and Roses Give-Away.

I was taking a bit of a break the other day and weeding the garden when I thought...

 

 

"It's about time we had a give-away on the Blog!"

 

 

Our First Give-Away on the New Red Brolly Blog.

So for all of you who love roses -I have this truly gorgeous Cabbages and Roses fabric- a whole Fat Quarter Pack- of more than forty fabrics to give to some lucky person. 

I love all the Cabbages and Roses fabrics.

It always looks so pretty in whatever project you make.

If you love the new Vintage look of soft muted colours and faded roses- you'll love this range of fabrics.

 

There's enough fabric in the Fat Quarter Pack to make a beautiful quilt- or several smaller projects.

The Red Brolly Sewing Accessories Clutch and Le Jardin Quilt would look stunning in these fabrics.

 

  The Cabbages and Roses fabrics go beautifully with the new Tilda Summer Fair and All That is Spring Fabric ranges.

But....... there's so much more in this give-away.

There's not only a Fat Quarter Pack of beautiful Cabbages and Roses fabric to win- but with the fabric is a copy of the gorgeous Cabbages and Roses book- Home-Made Vintage to be won as well.

 One lucky winner will receive not only a copy of the book Home-Made Vintage, with over forty beautiful projects to make- but also the Cabbages and Roses Fat Quarter Fabric Pack.

  This is a really beautiful book with loads of gorgeous photos,easy to follow instructions and hand- painted diagrams.

  If you know Christina Strutt's books- you'll know the quality of her presentation.

This is a book you'll want to refer to again and again.

To Enter:

Just leave a comment in the comment section at the end of this post.

Anyone can enter- I post the prize anywhere in the world.

  You have until Sunday 6th April, 2014 to get your entry in.

The give-away closes at midnight on Sunday 6th April, 2014 .

  The winner will be announced on Monday 7th April,2014.

 

Good luck to all!

 

I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Sanchia who has been in the background of the Red Brolly Blog for quite some time now- but with the growth of the Blog- I'm finding it hard to keep up with everything- so Sanchia has agreed to work in the Red Brolly business full-time.

Sanchia comes with a wealth of experience in Layout and Photography and as an ex-teacher is proficient in copywriting and pattern design.

It is also her birthday this week. Happy Birthday Sanch!

 

 

 

Photographing your craft | Change perspectives to take great shots

We've discussed natural lighting, changing backgrounds and adding props to your photos to improve the shots of your handmade craft item. Sometimes though a well-lit shot and great set up just aren't enough, sometimes you need to add a little extra.

It's all in the details!

When selling on the web, whether it be your online shop, on Etsy or Ebay, try to include as many shots of your handmade product as you can. Buyers like to see as much of the item as they can. You may think that your product is extra soft and cuddly, well try and convey this message to the buyer. You may have sublime stitching...well show the buyer this. Do a close-up shot of your stitching. Maybe there is a really cute applique design, take a photo and show the buyer. Hosting sites such as Etsy and Ebay give you lots of options to upload plenty of photos.

Consider what makes your item special. What makes it better than anyone elses? Is there a cute little pocket? Are you excellent at sewing in zippers or sewing button holes? Is the fabric you've chosen really special? Is there a particularly difficult embroidery stitch you want to show off? A delightful button? Take photos of what makes yours better than anything else that is available and include them in your product page. Highlight what makes your item special.

Close-ups are great, but another way of adding interest to your shots is to change the perspective or the angle of your shot. There are 3 main different points of perspective; eye-level, overhead and vertical/horizontal.

You can frame your photo either vertically or horizontally. Experiment taking your photos different in different positions. Set up your photo, take a shot vertically, then change positions and take it horizontally. See which position shows off your product best.

Another easy way to add interest to your composition is moving around your subject and taking photos from different viewpoints. Walk around it, move the table around- keep it fresh and provide your buyer with a new way of seeing your product.

When selling items such as quilts and other large items, it's useful to try and take a shot of the full image. Quilts are particularly difficult to get a full-shot of. Try shooting from overhead (or High View Point)- straight down onto your subject. Lay your quilt out on the floor and stand on a stool, table or step-ladder and shoot your photo from overhead. Take particular note of anything special- a pretty design, great applique- anything that you want your buyer to see. Shooting from overhead is a great angle if you want to show a lot of things at once.

It's also a great way to fit in your product and props all into one frame and it takes away different height variations in your setting.

We've already discussed taking close-up shots of your fabulous craft item- let's now look at eye level. Taking photos at eye-level allows your customer to connect to your product: it's like making eye-contact with them.

Eye-level works great when you are trying to take a shot of a tall item and is great perspective to showcase the height of something. It allows you to position yourself close to your product and get a close-up shot. Try and remember the story you are trying to sell. What are you wanting to say in your image?

One more thing to mention is  distance. You may get a perspective that you are happy with- experiment with distance. Changing the distance will also change your shot. Take your shot and then take a few steps back and take it again. Experiment with what works best.

Remember, experiment, experiment, experiment. You can decide later when you are processing your shots which ones worked the best.

If you'd like more tips for taking great photography shots of your craft you can read more here.

Organic Home | DIY moistursing Strawberry skin cream

As part of the new category on the blog-"Organic Home-" I'll be sharing with you hints and tips on how to live organically and lead a more simplified life. Part of the Red Brolly "Make life beautiful" campaign!

This DIY strawberry skin cream is all natural and chemical free. It's made using anti-oxidant packed strawberries, which are known for their cleansing, anti-aging and blemish banishing properties. This skin cream is intensely moisturising, beautifully creamy and smells divine! It's perfect for applying after a long soak in your evening bath. Wrap it up with a bathrobe or a luxury towl to make a great pamper gift pack for someone special this Valentine's Day.

Makes about 400 grams

 

1. In a bain-marie, or in a double boiler of barely simmering water, place the oils, shea butter and beeswax.

2. Gently melt eerything together and remove from heat. Leave to cool until room temperature.

3. Place the strawberries in a food processor and pulse until they reach a very smooth consistency. Push through a sieve to remove all of the seeds. You will need about 100ml of strawberry puree.

4. Mix the rose water and benzoin tincture together. Pierce the vitamin E capsules and squeeze into the rose water mixture.

5. Add the strawberry essence.

6. Scrape the oil mixture into the processor and process for 1 minute on top speed. With the motor running, pour the strawberry mixture slowly into the oil mixture.The tip here is to remember to pour slowly as it's a bit like making mayonnaise- you need to make an emulsion.

7. Spoon inot cold, sterilised jars. Seal tight and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Mmmmmm....lucious and creamy and will leave you smelling like sweet strawberries!

Till tomorrow....

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Eat | Grandma's raspberry, white chocolate and almond teacake

Grandma always knew best...right? This time she has definitely got it right. A soft, vanilla flavoured tea cake with pockets of raspberries and chunks of white chocolate morsels, topped with a crunchy roast almond topping. This cake is super moist, not too sweet and will last (if you're lucky) for about a week in an airtight container in the cupboard.

Almonds are one of those super foods and make a great snack- even if you are on a diet. These versatile little nuts are packed full of protein, vitamin E, cancer fighting properties and plenty of favour. Almonds can be eaten raw, toasted or roasted. They're available as a flour, slivered, flaked, crushed, whole, as an oil, a butter or even as a milk.

It's recommended by dietitians to include a handful of almonds in your diet every day and fortunately for us, they are readily available throughout the year and can be used in both savoury and sweet dishes. Just one handful of almonds contains 1/8th of our necessary daily protein.

Lots of great rasons to start including almonds in your daily diet. And if you needed any more reasons...here's one last thought to consider...

SERVES 6

150g (5.3oz) softened, unsalted butter- chopped

2/3 cup (150g/5.3oz)) caster sugar 

2 eggs

1/2 tsp almond extract

50ml milk

1 cup (150g/5.3oz) self-raising flour, sifted

150g  (5.3oz) almond meal

3/4cup (135g/4.75oz) white chocolate chips

150g fresh or frozen raspberries

2/3 cup (50g/1.8oz) flaked almonds- lightly toasted

icing sugar, to dust

Double thick cream, to serve

 

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 F). Grease and line base and sides of a 20cm cake pan.

2. Beat the butter and caster sugar until thick and pale.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. Add the almond extract and milk, then beat to combine.

5. Fold in the flour and almond meal, then fold in the chocolate chips and raspberries.

6. Spoon into the pan, and smooth flat.

7. Bake for 50 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

8. Cool cake in pan for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

9. Sprinkle generously with a layer of toasted almonds and dust with icing sugar.

10. Serve with a large dollop of double cream.

 

Now there are lots of good reasons to enjoy your cake this weekend!

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