Masala Zone

One of my favourite Indian restaurants is Masala Zone. The traditional Indian 'Thalis' are super tasty and taste almost as good as mums food. I have only been to 'Masala Zone' in Angel and Covent Garden' and the decor in both are mesmerising, quirky and colourful just like a bollywood scene.
I came across these photos which were taken last year and thought i would put them up.

Ceiling of Masala Zone Covent Garden

Ceiling of Masala Zone at Covent Garden

Ceiling of Masala Zone at Covent Garden

My 'Thali'

Rose Soap

I have recently made a batch of rose soap with lashings of shea butter coloured with pink clay and scented with rose and geranium essential oils.

This is the first time that i have layered the colours, i usually just go for the whole block of pink then top with rose petals, but this time i wanted to do something a little different.

Rose soap has finished curing and is listed for sale in my Folksy shop.
 

 This soap is fully cured and is available to buy from my folksy shop
Bobbins & Balms Folksy Shop

May 2012 - Soaps

Just a few quick photos of soaps i have been making recently

Left to Right, Rose Soap, Goats Milk & Honey Soap, Goats Milk, Oat & Lavender Soap

Spice Soap- coloured with Madder root and scented with bay leaf, cinnamon & clove essential oils

Soap Samples - Pink Salt Soap & Gardeners Soap

Pink Salt Soap

Freshly Cut Soap - Pink Salt Soap, Spice Soap, Gardeners Soap

Goats milk, Oat & Lavender - Just Poured

Goats milk,Oat & Lavender Soap just poured into my mould. 

Its made with cocoa butter, coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil and caster oil and fragrances with lavender essential oil. Cut slices will be put up soon.

New Soap Stamp with my Logo

A few weeks back i decided to order a soap stamp with my logo from Lasercutz.co.uk. 

The stamp is made from acrylic (perspex) which gives it good compressibility. 

The soap came through the post a few days back and i have only tried it on my new batch of 'Rose & Geranium' Soap but I'm already in LOVE with it!!! 

These are a few pictures taken soon as i sliced the soap.  I was instructed to make a batch test and stamp at different stages throughout the curing process, however my first attempt proved success full so i just stamped away.

Honey Oat Fingers

'Honey Oat Fingers' are one of my childhood favourite recipes, i have always loved making and eating them and at times i have had terrible cravings for them. They are really quick and easy to make (within 30 minutes, if you have all your ingredients ready)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup plain flour
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup dessicated coconut
1/4 cup raisins
125g sugar
1 tbsp honey
125g butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

Method: 

mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl 

melt butter and add to the dry ingredients

thoroughly mix the ingredients together and press firmly into a lined tray 

bake in a moderate oven (gas mark 4, 180C) for 15 minutes

remove from oven and cut into slices whilst hot

allow to cool
....and enjoy with a nice cup of tea :)

Soap Packaged in Lace

I have a million meters of lace which i have been saving especially for packaging soaps, it gives a lovely vintage & feminine look. I love wrapping special occasion soaps with lace especially wedding, christmas and eid soaps.  Here are a few i have wrapped for christmas fairs this year.

Cream 5" wide lace which i sewed into little pockets to give a good firm wrap and square edges

White 2" lace from my mums old lace collection, the size was perfect to wrap around once, just like cigar packaging

Cream 2" lace from my mums old lace collection

Purple 3" lace which was wrapped around the soap twice