What I'm Loving: August 2014

The end of August usually signifies the end of summer, even for those of us who aren't really affected by the whole "back to school" vibe in the air. This year is no different, although I have to say I'm actually really looking forward to Autumn - jumpers, layering, and exciting new ventures. Here's what I've been up to in August...

Thrifty Finds - No 4

If my recent haul of clothes/books/homeware (mostly books) is anything to go by, I've obviously spent a lot of time shopping in the past few weeks. What you're seeing here, is truly the crème de la crème of my recent buys, because there was a lot for me to choose from. Although I love all of my recent buys so much, I would quite happily post them all here!

Liebster Award Nomination

So, this week, the lovely Jill from Owlish Dreams (go and check out her amazing blog) nominated me for the Liebster Award. If you haven't heard of it before (where have you been?), here's the deal: The Liebster Award is aimed at spreading the news about up and coming bloggers, and gives recognition to newer blogs. Along the way, nominees have to share a few facts about themselves, as well as answer a few questions. So, here we go!

Mid-Week Treat: Barry M's Matte Topcoat

I'm probably behind the times here, but in my opinion, nail varnish should be high-shine. Nothing says polished like a glossy nail colour. However, when matte-finish nails emerged onto the nail scene some time last year, I was intrigued to say the least. I quite liked the idea of a matte topcoat that could be used to give a matte option to my (vastly oversized) nail varnish collection. At that time, the only matte topcoats available were more pricey ones, and I wasn't sure that I wanted to invest in a product that I might not even use very often. So, I waited, and sure enough, Barry M recently delivered a Matte Topcoat. Better late than never, I decided to try out the £2.99 budget offering.

Recipe: Lemon Drizzle Custard Creams

I wish I could come up with a snappier name for these biscuits, but when it comes to describing them, nothing quite says it like 'lemon drizzle custard creams'. Custard Creams are my all time favourite biscuit, and here I've added a twist to the British icon. The surprise is the lemon drizzle flavoured butter cream which sandwiches two biscuits together. Perfect for a mid-afternoon snack.

1st Blogiversary Giveaway

As promised earlier this week, here is a giveaway to celebrate Awake + Make turning one! I've had a lot of fun putting this selection of goodies together, and hope you guys like it as much as I do. For more details on the prizes, and the all important entry detail, read on...

What I've Learnt from One Year of Blogging

Today marks exactly one year since I started writing here at Awake + Make. The time has just flown, and although it barely feels like I've been blogging for a year, now I cannot imagine not blogging. So, put on a party hat and help yourself to a slice of birthday cake, because today I am celebrating one year of Awake and Make!

Recipe: Earl Grey Squirrel Biscuits

A lot of the time, when I'm cooking, I like to combine two things I love into one end result. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't, but it's fun experimenting all the same. That's how these Earl Grey Biscuits came about - trying to combine biscuits with the flavour of my favourite blend of tea. It actually worked a lot better than I expected, as the Earl Grey flavour was distinctive, but without being too overpowering. I bought the squirrel biscuit cutter on a whim, and used it here purely for the pun on grey squirrel. Because if there's anything I love just as much as baking, it's a pun.

My Crafting Stash

Roll up, roll up! You are cordially invited to a whistle stop tour of my crafting stash. I like clearing out my crafting stash on a regular basis, where I get rid of anything that isn't being used, or anything that I cannot see myself using. During my most recent clear out, I took some photos of some parts of my stash, just for you guys to have a nose around. Because everyone loves a nose through someone else's cupboards, amirite?

Craft Books I Love: Chloe Tells You How To Sew

Being a serial bookworm, it was a tough decision to make, but I have decided that if I could live inside a book, I would like it to be Chloe Tells You How To Sew, by Chloe Owens, please. Don't pretend you've never thought about it either (we all have). Sure, it was a difficult decision to make between some of my all time favourite books, fiction and non-fiction, but quite simply, none of them are as stunningly beautiful as this book.

How to: Sew a Wire Headband

As you might have guessed, I'm still trying to find ways to use up my stash of fabric remnants. It's pretty hard to come up with ways to use oddly shaped remnants - especially those really long, thin pieces that you end up with at the end of pretty much every sewing project. Yet, when it's a fabric I love, I'll still find myself holding onto any remnant, no matter how big or small. This is a great stash buster for long, thin remnants, and is also super fun to wear!

What I'm Loving: July 2014

Well folks, we're officially over halfway through another year, which is super scary to say the least. But also really exciting, because I'm (hopefully) starting a few new things later on in the year. Before I get ahead of myself though, let me talk you through all things July...