Meringue Pops

Meringue Pops

So I thought I would try something new this week and Meringue Pops were the choice. Not to self...do check you have converted farenheit to celsius before baking! ( the pics show my second attempt...my first one checked the smoke alarm worked!) Aside from that, I think they turned out quite nice. What do you think? 

4 large egg whites
115g caster sugar115g icing sugar1/2 tsp cream of tartarCake pop sticks - ones that are happy to be bakedGel food colouring piping bag and tip

Optional: clear bags and ribbon, sprinkles

Method

Preheat the oven to fan 95 C. Line 2 baking sheets with smooth grease proof paper (the one thats slightly waxy).

Separate the 4 large egg whites - be very careful not to get any yolk into the whites. Put into a large clean mixing bowl (not plastic). Beat them on medium speed with an electric hand whisk until the mixture becomes foamy, then add the cream of tartar. 

Beat further until the mixture resembles a fluffy cloud and stands up in stiff peaks when the blades are lifted.

Now turn the speed up and start to add 115g caster sugar, a spoonful at a time. Continue beating for 3-4 seconds between each addition. It’s very important to add the sugar slowly at this stage as it helps prevent the meringue from weeping later.  When ready, the mixture should be thick and glossy.

Gently fold the icing sugar into the mixture. Don’t over-mix. The mixture should now look smooth and billowy.

Paint the inside of your piping bag with your gel food colouring in four or five stripes from top to bottom. Gently turn bag the right way. Stand your bag in a jug and fold the edge over the rim to load the meringue mixture. Squeeze down the bag until full and try to avoid air bubbles. 

Place your sticks on your baking paper trays and pipe from the centre of a ring outwards smoothing off the last bit quickly.

I also made some little meringue kisses with the extras.

Bake at 95 degrees celsius for 1.5hrs or longer until the meringue can peel easily away from the paper. 

(The meringue pops will now keep in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks)

  

Quick and easy Quiet Book DIY

If you have a toddler then you'll understand the eternal quest for five minutes of quiet...not the suspicious kind where you're thinking...hang on a minute what is going on....but the ahhh and relax kind. I love crafting but I am not as time rich as I used to be.. see above! Here's a quickly constructed quiet book that is really simple but will hopefully keep your toddler amused long enough for you to drink that hot cup of tea!
























What you'll need:

9 sheets of foam A5 size - If you want to make the exact same book then 2 pale blue, 1 dark blue, 1 green, 1 white, 1 orange, 2 pink and 1 purple.

3 sheets of yellow felt
2 sheets of dark blue felt
2 sheets of green felt
1 sheet red felt

7 felt flowers

pack of foam sea animals - 6 minimum

pack of wooden birds - 5 minimum

A person shaped card/foam/ felt

Foam Faces with different expressions - match size to person shape

Tiny cards and envelopes or gift tags etc.

double sided sticky foam

velcro/ hook and eye tape

glue gun

imagination : )


optional bag

Please choose child friendly materials and ensure that things are large enough to avoid being a choking hazard.


I built the book free hand with simple shapes so I am afraid I don't have templates, however the pictures should be really clear and if you have any questions comment below. Enjoy!

Why Crafting Is Great For Your Brain: A Neuroscientist Explains

by Dr. Sarah McKayJune 24th, 2014

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Knit one. Purl one. Knit one. Purl one. Knit one. Purl one. The rhythmic and repetitive nature of knitting is calming, comforting and contemplative. It’s not a stretch for you to imagine knitting as a mindfulness practice, or perhaps a form of meditation.

I’m delighted to report that neuroscience is finally catching up on brain health aspects of the trend some have called "the new yoga."

Research shows that knitting and other forms of textile crafting such as sewing, weaving and crocheting have quite a lot in common with mindfulness and meditation — all are reported to have a positive impact on mind health and well-being.

In an online survey of more 3,545 knitters, by Betsan Corkhill, a UK-based knitting therapist who has done research on the therapeutic effects of knitting, more than half of respondents reported that knitting left them feeling "very happy." And many said that they knitted solely for the purposes of relaxation, stress relief and creativity.

The study found a significant relationship between the frequency of knitting and respondents’ perceived mood and feelings. Frequent knitters (those who knitted more than 3 times a week) were calmer, happier, less sad, less anxious, and more confident.

Corkhill’s study concluded, “Knitting has significant psychological and social benefits, which can contribute to well-being and quality of life.”

Interestingly, the study also found that people who knitted as part of a group were even happier than solo knitters. Knit-ins, stitch ‘n bitch groups, and even scrapbooking parties have many keys of mind and brain health covered.

Here are 10 ways crafting with friends may improve mind and brain wellness:

1. Mental challenge and problem solving
2. Social connection
3. Mindfulness
4. Development of hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness and fine motor dexterity
5. Learning and teaching
6. Focusing attention and thoughts on a task

7. Encouraging active creativity 
8. Gives a sense of pride and achievement
9. Teaches patience and perseverance 
10. Facilitates memory formation and retrieval 

According to her paper, “The skills and feelings experienced whilst knitting and stitching can also be used to facilitate the learning of techniques, such as meditation, relaxation and pacing which are commonly taught on pain management courses, or in the treatment of depression.”

“Using knitting to achieve a meditative state of mind could enable a much wider population to experience the benefits of meditation, as it doesn't entail having to understand, accept or engage in a prolonged learning period of the practice. It happens as a natural side-effect of knitting.”

Others have likened crafting to entering a state of "flow," what positive psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi describes as “a state of concentration or complete absorption with the activity at hand and the situation. It is a state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter.”

And, according to Corkhill, even Albert Einstein was reputed to have knitted between projects to "calm his mind and clear his thinking."

Neuroscientists are beginning to understand how mindfulness, meditation and experiencing "flow" impact the brain. Research shows these practices improve depression, anxiety, coping style in the face of adversity, improve quality of life, and significantly reduce stress. All vital for maintaining brain health and well-being.

Dr Sarah McKay 

Source 

7 Reasons Why We Should Be Giving More Hugs

 03/27/2014 08:42 am ET | Updated Mar 27, 2014

7k

Lindsay Holmes Deputy Healthy Living Editor, The Huffington Post

AMBRE HALLER VIA GETTY IMAGES

Admit it: Nothing gives you comfort quite like a warm hug.

Whether you’re wrapped up in the arms of your partner or greeting a friend hello, hugs have a way of making us feel warm and fuzzy inside. But aside from making us feel protected and loved, this touching gesture can also do wonders for our well-being. So whether it’s a simple squeeze, a big bear hug or some cute cuddling — there are plenty of reasons why we should embrace the act of, well, embracing someone. Below, find seven reasons why we should be giving more hugs.

They make us feel good.

The simple act of a hug isn’t just felt on our arms. When we embrace someone, oxytocin (also known as “the cuddle hormone”) is released, making us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The chemical has also been linked to social bonding. “Oxytocin is a neuropeptide, which basically promotes feelings of devotion, trust and bonding,” DePauw University psychologist Matt Hertenstein told NPR. “It really lays the biological foundation and structure for connecting to other people.”

More hugs = lower blood pressure.

The hormones that are released in the body after a hug aren’t just good for happy feelings — they can also help your physical health. When someone touches you, the sensation on your skin activates pressure receptors called Pacinian corpuscles, which then send signals to the vagus nerve, an area of the brain that is responsible for (among many things) lowering blood pressure, NPR reported.

They may alleviate our fears.

In a study on fears and self-esteem, research published in the journal Psychological Science revealed that hugs and touch significantly reduce worry of mortality. The studies found that hugging — even if it was just an inatimate object like a teddy bear — helps soothe individuals’ existential fears. “Even fleeting and seemingly trivial instances of interpersonal touch may help people to deal more effectively with existential concern,” lead researcher Sander Koole wrote in the study. “Interpersonal touch is such a powerful mechanism that even objects that simulate touch by another person may help to instill in people a sense of existential significance.”

Hugging can be good for our hearts.

Embracing someone may warm your heart, but according to one study a hug can be good medicine for it too: In an experiment at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill , participants who didn’t have any contact with their partners developed a quickened heart rate of 10 beats per minute compared to the five beats per minute among those who got to hug their partners during the experiment.

Adults can benefit from hugging the most.

According to researchers at Ohio State University, hugging and physical touch becomes increasingly important with age. “The older you are, the more fragile you are physically, so contact becomes increasingly important for good health,”University psychologist Janice Kiecolt-Glaser told USA TODAY. Studies have shown that loneliness, particularly with age, can also increase stress and have averse health effects. By hugging someone, we instantly feel closer to that person and decrease feelings of loneliness.

Hugs are a natural stress reliever.

Feeling strung out? Go give someone a squeeze. When we embrace, we immediately reduce the amount of the stress hormone cortisol produced in our bodies. Hugs also make our bodies release tension and send calming messages to the brain.

Well-hugged babies are less stressed as adults.

Want to do something for future generations? Hug them when they’re still little. An Emory University study in rats found a link between touch and relieving stress, particularly in the early stages of life. The research concluded that the same can be said of humans, citing that babies’ development — including how they cope with stress as adults — depends on a combination of nature and nurture.

Source

MINDSHIFT - MOTIVATIONAL VIDEO

Needing a little nudge in the right direction for 2017...7,825,815 views and counting. What do you think?

GUIDED SLEEP MEDITATION TALKDOWN - Insomnia - Relaxation

Struggling to sleep...try this...had me out like a light in about 4 minutes. 7,150,246 views...I can see why.What do you think?

Christmas Crafts To Chill You Out....

I am a massive fan of making things, as I find it so relaxing and it allows me to switch off whilst (hopefully) making something beautiful. Here are a few Christmas Crafts to inspire you:

1. Mini Wooden Christmas Trees

I love the colours of these... currently my favourite colours. I think they would make part of a lovely table display. You can find the link here:

Mini Wooden Christmas Trees

2. Hot Chocolate Sticks

These taste delicious in hot milk and are a really cute gift wrapped in cellophane bags with a bow.

Hot Chocolate Sticks

3. Thankyou Cards

Call me old fashioned but I love sending proper thank you cards. These are so simple. I would do them as flat cards though and on lovely textured card so give them a high quality finish.

To get the instructions click here:

Thankyou Cards

Have fun!

How To Hygge: Embrace the Cosy Danish Concept

14.10.16

Emily Bird

Inspiration

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The winter nights are drawing in on a world which seems to get busier and more hectic every day and the need to sit back, relax and enjoy the small things in life has never been more prevalent. With stress levels rising in many countries across the globe, the Danes have established themselves as lovers of calm and in turn, consistently top the polls as the happiest people on earth along with many other Scandinavian countries. It is frequently argued that this is all down to hygge. The concept of hygge is one which graces every walk of Scandinavian people’s lives, and news of  this lifestyle has been spreading quickly for the last few years, crossing international borders to spread warmth wherever the idea touches.

Image courtesy of UGG

What is Hygge?

Pronounced ‘hoo-ga’ or ‘hue-gah’, the word is becoming increasingly recognisable and was originally a Norwegian term for wellbeing. Developed into a concept and way of living by the Danish in the 18thcentury when it first appeared in writings of the time, the country hasn’t looked back since. Applicable to any time and space, hygge traverses both winter and summer but the idea really comes alive in the harsh and bracing cold season Scandinavia is renowned for. These bleak winters demonstrate the power of hygge even further, as even in the depths of the country’s coldest months when there is very little daylight, Denmark’s inhabitants remain the world’s happiest people.

Image courtesy of James Brindley

Frequently described as ‘cosiness’ or ‘togetherness’ in English, the term has no literal translation, making it almost impossible to pinpoint exactly what hygge means. Largely defined as more of a feeling or mood more than a specific word, the concept can be interpreted as a mental state rather than a physical one. Simple words like cosiness just don’t do it justice with countless moments from slipping into a hot bath, to enjoying your morning coffee with a fragrant scented candle lit nearby just two of many examples of hygge. You can hygge with a good book curled up on a sofa or with friends around the fire or dinner table, even places can be hyggeligt (hygge-like), demonstrating just how far the notion reaches.

Image courtesy of Amara

Hygge is the art form of creating intimacy in any given moment. Normally a social occasion for loved ones to get together to experience the comradeship, warmth and contentment of the event, it can also be enjoyed alone to calm the nerves and sooth the senses. An idea which not only breaches weather and seasonal barriers but also social ones, it is something everyone in Denmark partakes in and it has spread through to every aspect of Scandinavian living to become a part of the national consciousness. Appreciating the small joys in life at all times, hygge followers have tapped into a source of happiness which the rest of the world can greatly benefit from in an ever-evolving technological society.

Tips to Hygge in the Home

1. Invest in Candles

Rumoured as one of the largest consumers of candles in the world per capita, Denmark and other Scandinavian countries have embraced the power of the warming glow of candlelight. Whether scented or unscented, candlelight transforms the clean, fresh style of classic Scandinavian interiors into a flickering escape from winter’s chill and a simple lit candle is seen as one of the most fundamental hygge moments to achieve. Danish brand Skandinavisk have even developed a Hygge fragrance with notes of brewed tea, baked strawberry cake, rose petals and wild mint for the ultimate hygge experience.

2. Add Texture

When you think of cosy and warming interiors to create the perfect relaxing moment the mind instantly goes to lusciously soft textures which add another dimension to any interior – think chunky knit cushions, faux fur throws and fluffy woollen rugs. Made from the softest of materials from merino wool to cashmere, textured accessories are a huge trend of the moment with the layering of different tactile surfaces creating a styled look in any room and when combined with a roaring fire or soft candlelight, there is no setting more hygge.

Image courtesy of Amara

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