Achica - A Review

A couple of weeks back I was invited to review Achica.
ACHICA is the members-only luxury lifestyle store offering you up to 70% off leading home, kitchen, garden, children, baby and fashion accessories brands - all year round.

It’s free to join ACHICA and, as a valued member, you can get your hands on luxurious items for your home, garden and lifestyle every day of the week. They run exclusive daily shopping promotions - each lasting up to 72 hours only. As their sales are time limited, you have to be quick to get your hands on the best. ACHICA members also receive advice on seasonal trends, interior design tips and inspirational ideas.

As a member, you receive a choice of either weekly or daily emails at the opening of sales, with sneak previews of what will be on offer. Their promotions start at 6.30am every day, with late-night shopping promotions kicking off at 6.30pm every Thursday.

It was quick and easy to join and I immediately fell in love with the silver framed cork board. I had been looking to make one like that for ages but why make one when Achica sells the perfect one at such a good price!

So I chose to spend my £40 voucher on the Gallery Brighton Large Corkboard in silver £28, RRP £48.

"Combining the beauty and glamour of a traditional frame with the practicality of a cork board, the fantastic Brighton Corkboard is a must have ? perfect for keeping you organised and your home looking glamorous!"

I ordered the corkboard on the 20th November and it had an estimated delivery date of the 14th - 21st Dec, but it arrived early! As soon as it arrived I unwrapped it and got it hung up on my wall in my craft room. Now I have the perfect place to pin all my inspiration! Thanks Achica.








Please note that my opinions are my own and I am not paid for these reviews. I was given a free £40 voucher to spend at Achica for the purpose of this review. As always, my opinion is nothing but honest.

Have a sweet day!

Glamorous dessert table

Image: Jenna Rae Cakes

As Christmas gets closer and closer it is now time for me to get in my kitchen and bake, bake, bake! Inspired by all the touches of gold in these gorgeous glamorous sweet treats, edible gold leaf is now on my must have list!

Handmade tinsel swizzle sticks

Golden and sweet

Pearlized macaroons with edible gold leaf

Ombre frilled Cake

White-chocolate zabaglione pyramid truffles

Have a sweet day!

Chocolate bark

Last Christmas I made chocolate bark with crushed candy. It went down such a treat that I have already had requests for it this year!

Chocolate bark (makes about 20 pieces)

Ingredients
200g dark chocolate
300g white chocolate
Crushed, broken candy canes


Cooking instructions

1. Coat a 38cm x 30cm, 1.5cm deep rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, and line with baking paper
   
2. Melt the dark chocolate in a bain marie or in a microwavable bowl in the microwave on low power.
3. Pour into the baking tray and spread out to get an even layer, leave to set
4. Melt the white chocolate in a bain marie or in a microwavable bowl in the microwave on low power.
5. Pour into the baking tray over the dark chocolate and spread out, immediately sprinkle chocolate with crushed candy canes and leave to set
   
6. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
7. Peel off baking paper, and break bark into pieces.

Here they are on last years Christmas Winter Wonderland dessert table...





Have a sweet day!

My Guest room dressing area

A couple of weeks back I showed you my designs for our guest room

"Due to the shape of the room I decided that a wardrobe would be too imposing but I still wanted to provide my guests with some hanging space."Why don't I make the little foyer at the top of the stairs a little dressing area!" I found the perfect answer in a white finished solid pine storage unit with four coat hooks and three baskets with cut out handles for easy access to contents. I could hang it from the wall placing a monks bench style laundry bin below, that also conveniently doubles up as a seat. To add colour, comfort and interest I'm going to make a comfy patterned cover cushion for the top of the bench."



The Solid Pine and Wood 3 Basket Storage Unit with 4 Coat Hooks from Argos came pre assembled and was super easy to hang on the wall using the fixings at the back. I love how it provides a little storage space and doubles up a shelf to display my printed tins and boxes on.

Spray painted hangers, fabric covered hangers

The monks bench style laundry bin came flat packed but I found it quick and easy to assemble. I then measured up the top and had foam cut to size. I made a slip cover using one of the same tea towels I used for my Pom pom trim boudoir cushions and some scrap fabric for the underside.

Love bird cup and saucer

Honeycomb balls, Emporium print, Pretty spools of ribbon, Mini printed shelves

To see all the before and after photos of my Guest bedroom check out my Facebook album, Guest bedroom- A Transformation.


Have a sweet day!

Honeycomb balls and "Emporium"

White honeycomb ball, Mint & grey honeycomb balls

The Glorious Emporium giclee printI fell in love with at The Country Living fair from Sideshow Design

Mini printed shelves

Yesterday I showed you the pretty spools of ribbon hanging on my guest room wall. Today I wanted to show you how that corner of my guest room is looking! I love how the hanging pom poms and Emporium print give the room a sense of fun!

Have a sweet day!

Pretty spools of ribbon

Good morning! I have been busy putting my guest room together and on the odd dry day getting outside and painting furniture, spraying picture frames and like!
I originally bought the wire spool holder for my craft room but I changed my mind and sprayed it white to hang in my guest room. To match the rest of the decor in my guest room I wrapped my wooden spools from Jane Means in ribbons and trims in shades of lilac, lavender and mint and have sat them on the spool holder which I have hung on the wall next to my mini printed shelves.




Have a sweet day!

Fabric covered hangers

Yesterday I showed you my spray painted hangers and a glimpse at my fabric covered hangers for my guest room. So today I am showing you how I made my fabric covered hangers using the scraps of tea towels left over from my Pom pom boudoir cushions.

I am making a lot of my Christmas gifts this year but I don't want to ruin the surprise for my friends and family so I will be sharing the tutorials in the New year. However I think these hangers would make a super cute gift!


Fabric covered hangers Tools and Materials

• Wire hangers ( Dry cleaners)
• Double sided tape
• Scraps of fabric
• PVA glue

Fabric covered hangers, How-to step by step


Start by laying strips of double sided tape on to your scraps of fabric. Carefully cut out your strips of fabric along the edge of the tape so your strips are entirely covered by the tape. Peel back a few centimetres of the backing tape and attach end of strip on to the hanger. Wrap the strip tightly around the hanger, tape side down.



Continue wrapping tightly until you run out of fabric. start up again, always disguising the end from the previous strip.
When you get back around to where you started, wrap the strip round the"hook" of the hanger. Trim off any long loose ends and tie a bow with ribbon at neck.





Here they are with my spray painted hangers...






Have a sweet day!