Interning in Liverpool

Now, in my second year of history of art and museum and studies lucky for us they are already putting on the pressure to think about proper grown up jobs when we leave in about a year and a half...


I now intern at The Bluecoat Display Centre. The BDC is one of the earliest Craft Galleries in the UK, And I am in love. Its a registered Arts and Culture Charity as it is a non profit organisation aimed at recognising contemporary craft and design of living artists both locally and internationally. 


They even have an online application form for craftspeople wanting to apply to sell their work!  Since its an internship, I'm working for free in exchange for the experience and knowledge the lovely staff are sharing. If I was paid, ALL my money would go straight back in and I would end up with a student house full of ceramics, glass works and jewellery. I don't even wear jewellery! The work is just THAT gorgeous. Anyway, here is a little look at some of the artists work the BDC sells.

Ruth Ball

Jessica Briggs

Clara Breen

Michael Brennand-Wood

Bob Crooks

Tony Gant

Teresa Green

Hattie Grimes

Colette Hazelwood

Laura Anderson

Kate Hodgson

Anna Howarth

Adeline Joubert

Walter Keeler

Gilly Langton

Dan Stafford

Caroline Scully

Sarah Thirwell

Poppy Treffry

I could happily work at the BDC until my house is bursting with beautiful things, shame I need to be able to travel light, and I already fail at that.

Paper Frames - Bargain Crafts

So making paper frames as a craft would be amazing to share, but first I will have to take one apart, let me get back to you on that one.. This was more a bit of a bargain than an upcycle. In fact it was a complete bargain. 


The outcome...

The unnecessary story...

I was in B&M, a bargain household shop I have only ever seen in the north of England; when I found a pack of TEN paper photo frames for 19p, YES that's less than 2 pence each! Then I stumbled across some foam stamps in the kids craft/books and stationary section for 69p a pack, including ink! Man, was I excited. I'm such a child. 

I got a bit over excited and got 2 packs of plain white frames, 2 packs with stripes on and 2 packs of stamps and ink. Total cost for an evenings crafty entertainment and some sweet photo frames for my wall  = £2.14.


I grabbed my paint and brushes and went to town.

And just to show off the glitter, sparkle, details and imperfections lets get up close and personal...

 Oh hey blurry.

 Hey scruffy.

 Helloooooo glitter.

I will update when I find the perfect photos and they make the wall :)


 After being on pinterest for a month or so now I think I will also look how to make my own stamps but these were just SO cute who could resist?


And the moral of the story today- crafty purchases don't have to cost a fortune or be bought from a craft shop. Oh and kid craft and stationary sections of shops are AMAZING for fun buys.


Happy Stamping! 

Easy Glazed Doughnut Muffins

This week I was inspired by sweetpeaskitchen's glazed doughnut muffins, I HAD to make them. I have adjusted the recipe to what I did; most of it accidentally because I get too lazy to read instructions after a while. It also means my baking isn't pretty either!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup melted Butter
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup Caster Sugar
1/3 Brown Sugar
2 large Eggs
2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 & 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 & 2/3 cups plain flour
1 cup Milk

Icing
3 tbsp melted Butter
5 tbsp Icing Sugar, sieved
1 & 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract


Makes
18


Muffin preparation
Preheat the oven to gas mark 7/425 Fahrenheit/220 Celsius. Place muffin cases into chosen tin. Beat together the oil, butter, caster sugar and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon. Add both eggs and 1 cup of flour and combine. Then add the baking powder, salt, vanilla extract and cinnamon and mix until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of plain flour and 1 cup of milk. Stir in the final 2/3 cup of flour last, and carefully. Spoon the batter into the tins filling the cases to the brim. Bake for 15-18 minutes rotating half through baking time, until a pale golden colour. Cool for 5 mins in the tin the 30 mins on a wire rack before icing.

I tried heart doughnuts, they tend to round off so it was wasted effort!

Icing
Whisk the melted butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth, dip the cooled muffins tops into the glaze and refrigerate for 10 minutes, dip a second time and refrigerate again for 10 minutes. Then Enjoy!

I should have added water to the glaze as they look like pure butter when double dipped. Also, I don't have a whisk and forgot to sieve the icing sugar so there are extra sugar lumps on some.

Yes, they look a mess. But they taste SO good.

Happy Baking!

Loo Roll Flower Art

Hello Bloggers and Pinners! Welcome to My Blog, stick around a while and lets be Blogging friends. Leave me a comment of your site so I can be nosey too.


Moving into our new university house we were greeted with a rather grim looking living room with that bobbly, textured wallpaper. We cannot paint, paper or use blue tack to hide the abomination they call decoration. However, it hasn't been repainted as promised in at least a year and there is painted over blue tack stuck to the wall so we decided to use it too anyway. (Especially as its where a fire place should be and pins are ridiculously hard to get into brick...)


I got the old Loo Roll Flowers trick out of my small bag of crafty makes and set to work (again) on the peacock inspired flowers I started ages ago and forgot about!


This being the inspiration: CLICK!


And here are a few photos of the finished product. 


Close up you can see rather than sequin centres, the flowers were brushed with glitter glue.

 The angle from the chair. You can see a cheeky pink butterfly and all the leaves.

And finally the view from the sofa is the decorated wall head on, floor to ceiling.

 

Its amazing what toilet roll centres, glue, paint and a little patience can achieve.

Happy Decorating!

Weekly Inspirations 4 - Beautiful Photography

Today, after a year on our university course we discovered how to get onto the roof of our building. It was such a beautiful, warm Autumn day with views to match. Here is some inspiring photography to help you feel as we did walking onto the roof. Its really quite uplifting. And of course the actual view... 

Liverpool Photo Credit: Elena at artwondereveryday.blogspot.com

I need my camera on me at all times...