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People have been making marmalade with oranges for centuries. And in all that time, not much has changed in the marmalade recipe. The Romans were some of the first people to make what we’d call marmalade today, with one recipe noted down in the first century. But it wasn’t until the 18th century that the orange marmalade recipe was fixed in its most familiar form. English cookbooks of this period are the first to mention the familiar ‘jelly’ that’s a central part of modern marmalade. From here, it wasn’t long until orange marmalade became the staple of the breakfast table that it is today. How to Make Marmalade Making marmalade with oranges requires very few ingredients and even less equipment. For this recipe you’ll want to have these ingredients to hand: 1kg of Oranges Juice from 2 Lemons 2kg of granulated sugar Firstly place the oranges and the lemon juice into a pan. Fill the pan with 2 litres of water, ensuring the oranges are fully submerged. Now bring the pan to boil, and leave it covered and simmering for a couple of hours. If you can easily pierce the orange peel with a fork, that’s a sign they’re ready. [...]

Candles are one of the easiest and most satisfying pieces of home décor you can create yourself. Candle making is an extremely rewarding activity, allowing you to design home décor items that are attractive, practical and easy to customise. Making your own candle can save money, allow you to choose interesting ingredients, and is better for the environment than many store-bought brands. A homemade candle has a wide range of uses, from lighting in the event of a power blackout to ambient lighting to set the mood for a romantic evening. Best of all candle making is very easy, great as a hobby, to sell or for gift giving. Here is our guide to making your own candle at home. Ingredients A package of candle wax. A package of large candle wicks. A bottle of fragrance oil. Spatula. Heat-proof container. Double boiler pot. Thermometer. A pair of chopsticks or pencils. Making Your Own Candle Before you begin making your candle, ensure the surface you intend to work on is flat and clean. Lay down a protective covering such as newspaper if necessary and make sure your work surface is clear. Measure out the correct amount of wax you need to [...]

When purchasing a bottle in the liquor aisle, sloe gin might not be your first choice. But it's a wonderful drink when you make your own or receive a bottle of this homemade liqueur. Sloe berries come from the blackthorn tree and are also known as blackthorn berries. Gin generally has beautiful herbal flavours with bright floral notes. Made with juniper berries, the alcohol content averages around 40% ABV. Sloe berries are slightly tart, and they balance the flavour of the gin with a light almond taste. The ABV of the finished sloe bottle is usually in the region of 25% ABV. This type of gin is often spiced up with some cinnamon and vanilla. Sip it warm on a winter's day and it's like heaven in a glass. Hence it is often associated with Christmas and makes a thoughtful Christmas gift. Present it in a good quality spirit bottle, and you have a beautiful gift idea. What You Need 1 lb (450g) of ripe sloe berries 1 lb (450g) of granulated sugar 1 litre of gin (the quality depends on your budget) 1 sterilised 1-litre glass bottle 1 tight-fitting plastic screw cap How to Make Sloe Gin at Home [...]

Sparkling mead is a delicious beverage at any time of the year. It makes for a refreshing cool drink in the summer months and can feel warm and inviting in the winter. The other great thing about mead, sparkling or otherwise, is that it is easy to create at home. All you need to make excellent homemade mead is the right equipment and ingredients. Here is our guide to creating your own sparkling mead at home. What You Need A container such as a carboy for fermentation. The container should have an airlock with a drilled rubber stopper. A second large container. Hydrometer Siphoning hose. Strong bottles for handling carbonation, such as beer and cider bottles. Strong bottle seals such as Champagne corks. 12 cups of distilled or spring water. 1.4kg of honey. 5g of yeast. 1/2 tsp of yeast energiser 1/2 tsp of yeast nutrient 3/4 tsp of Potassium Sorbate   How to Make Sparkling Homemade Mead Sanitise all equipment. Avoid using bleach as this can ruin the fermentation process. Add four cups of hot water to your container followed by 1.25kg of honey. Mix the honey and water well. Add eight cups of cold water to the mixture [...]

A reed diffuser is a wonderful way to fill your indoor space with alluring scents and aromas, without the risk that open flames pose. Many reed diffusers available on the market come with a hefty price tag. However, there is a simple way to make a good quality homemade reed diffuser that works just as well as any store-bought one. Here is our guide to making your own homemade reed diffuser.   Materials Needed To make your own reed diffuser, you will need the following: A bottle with a narrow opening to slow down evaporation, such as our Cubic Diffuser Bottle with Silver Lid. Mineral oil such as almond oil or safflower oil. This will form the base fluid for your diffuser. Essential oils for fragrance. Make sure your oils are pet safe before usage. Diffuser reeds are made from bamboo or rattan.   Making Your Homemade Reed Diffuser Pour the mineral oil into your decorative glass bottle in half-cup increments. Add between 30 and 50 drops of essential oils for each half cup of mineral oil into the glass. Stir the oils to mix them in thoroughly. Insert between five and eight diffuser reeds in the bottle. Flip each [...]

Bottles make a great gift idea, especially if you have filled them with your own homemade wine, jam, or reed diffuser. A decorated bottle can be an excellent way to enhance the look of your gift. Not only can they make gifts look even more special, but they can also be kept as a keepsake or reused. Here are a few of our ideas for wine bottle decorations. Lace Trim Bottles For a touch of elegance, add some lace-trim fabric to your bottle. This makes for a great centrepiece at social gatherings and weddings. Simply wrap the fabric around the bottle, secure the ends with glue, and cut it to the length and shape you prefer. You can enhance the look even further by adding white paint to the inside and creating a streaky effect on your decorated bottle. Glitter Wine Bottle Decorations Give your bottle a sparkly makeover with some gold and silver glitter. Scrub your bottle with sandpaper, then get some paper, lay out your glitter mix, spray adhesive onto the bottle, and roll it over the glitter until completely covered. Do this until your bottle is completely covered in eye-catching glitter. Add a Wine Bottle Stopper to [...]

Too many people end up throwing their glass bottles away when they are finished using them, however, there is no need to waste this good quality glass since you can reuse them in a number of ways. So, here is our guide to some creative glass bottle ideas for craft enthusiasts. Homemade Decorations Apply some paint, Epsom salts and glue, and you can turn your old bottle into a piece of homemade décor. Just follow these steps: Have an empty bottle ready with any labels removed. Paint your bottles in any colour you choose. Aim for two coats to avoid streaking. Once the paint has dried, apply crafting glue to your bottles. Pour Epsom salts onto some paper and roll the bottles over the salts. Add branches, candles, or other decorative items to your new homemade decorative bottle. Oil Lamps This simple idea turns your old bottles into homemade tiki torches. To achieve this, follow these steps: Fill an empty bottle with crafting pebbles up to a third of the way full. Insert a tiki refill wick into a brass coupling of size 3/8” or 1/4”. Fill the rest of the bottle with tiki fuel. Insert the coupling with wick [...]

For a drink that truly embodies the season of spring, elderflower champagne is at the top of the list. This bubbly and lightly alcoholic beverage has been a favourite for generations due to its delicate yet refreshing taste. It doesn’t take much to brew your own elderflower champagne at home. So, to get you started, here is our guide to making elderflower champagne. What You Need for Making Elderflower Champagne Around 7 to 8 clusters (1 pint) of elderflowers. Double this amount for small clusters. 2 tbsp of white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. 2 large lemons. 1 tsp of wine tanning. 2½ pounds of sugar or honey. 1 tsp of yeast nutrient. 1 sachet of champagne/wine yeast. 4 cups of boiling water. 12 cups of cold water. Adding Your Ingredients Gather flowers from an elderflower tree. Make sure to avoid picking elderflowers from a tree near the road as these may be contaminated. Also, avoid any elderflowers near the ground just in case animals have marked their territory there. Gather all your ingredients together. Do not wash your elderflowers as they have natural yeast that aids in the fermentation process. Simply remove the flowers from the stalks and [...]