Elderflower Cordial

After the huge success of the lemon and barley cordial amongst family and friends. I decided to branch out a try Elderflower cordial, as suggested by Anne an ICA member.

Here’s how I got on….

I actually don’t like the smell of fresh elderflowers so I wasn’t expecting very much despite what others had told me about its pleasing fragrance. But after steeping the flowers in water almost immediately the kitchen was filled with this beautiful aroma and the longer it was left the more fantastic it smelled.

Unlike the lemon and barley cordial this mixture need a bit longer to ferment  and different recipes called for mix to be left for different time periods, from as short as a few hours to as long as three days. I tried all of these time frames and in between. I found the time frame most suited mine and my family’s pallet was when the mix was left to ferment for 24 hours.

I personally recommend drinking this with sparkling water, ice and some mint. Refreshing! 

For more information on cooking demonstrations, or ICA recipes, books and advice contact the ICA at admin@ica.ie, 01 668000 or An Grianán at admin@an-grianan.ie, 041 982 2119

DIY Face Masks

With the warm weather here I tend to go for a fresh-faced look, and to keep my skin in check I decided to try some DIY face masks found in the new ICA magazine.

Here’s how I got on…

The first mask, an oatmeal and banana scrub, exfoliates the skin with almonds and oats while the honey and banana moisturizes. How gritty and thick you need or want your mix to be is entirely up to you. I personally added more almonds to the mixture to add to its exfoliation powers. Perfect for tanning legs, this mix is not only fab on the skin but makes a very tasty smoothie.

The second mask, a skin calmer with avocado and natural yogurt, does exactly what it claims! It calms the skin while providing a boost of moisture. This mix is even more effective when applied straight out of the fridge and is a great sunburn soother.

I’m definitely going down the natural route and making my own face masks from now. Aside from the fact that this is a cheaper alternative, the benefits of natural ingredients to your skin are tenfold over the chemicals found in commercial products. There’s also the added bonus of knowing exactly what you are putting on your skin. Both masks will keep for 3-4 days when kept in the fridge.

For more information on holistic skincare courses or the ICA magazine contact with the ICA at admin@ica.ie, 01 668000 or An Grianán at admin@an-grianan.ie, 041 982 2119

Sun Catcher

Summer is here, the sun is out and there is no better way to play with its rays then with a sun catcher. I found a simple and innovative way of making one for the window or garden on the ICA’s Pinterest page and all you need is some plastic beads and a non-stick pan.

I have quite a selection of beads at home, so I experimented a bit, even adding glitter to one of the disks. Not all of the beads melted at the same time or temperature - some didn’t melt at all and different beads created different textures and finishes, so just keep an eye on the oven for this one. Once the disks cool, they fall quite simply out of the pan with no extra pressure needed.

I found that the plastic beads usually found in a child’s beginners beading kit create a smoother and more transparent finish than the others, but unlike the other two disks that could be threaded easily through the unmelted beads, this one had to be hammered. I found this quite difficult, with the disk breaking, but this was easily fixed with some superglue

I really enjoyed this craft, so many more possibilities! Await a jewellery blog with these disks in the future.

For more information on ICA crafts get in contact with the ICA at admin@ica.ie, 01 668000 or An Grianán at admin@an-grianan.ie, 041 982 2119