Getting crafty at the Make and Mend Festival

I've always thought of myself as quite a creative person; trying to find the best solution to a problem or making something look pretty. Although I wasn't really into crafts when I was younger, as I've grown up and got my own space, I'm always keen to do a bit of D.I.Y. Last month, I was invited to go along to the first-ever Make and Mend Festival, set up by two lovely ladies with a passion for creativity and mindfulness.

Held at Preston Hall Museum, the event brought together craft lovers from across the Tees Valley to take part in a number of workshops where we created some gorgeous and hand-crafted goodies. We were down on the morning to take advantage of the three different workshops we'd been booked on to. First up was glass engraving held in a classroom down the Victorian Street.

Led by Bloom in Art, the class allowed each participant to make either a pendant or a key ring. We each had to think of something that meant a lot to us, or that we want to be reminded of on a daily basis. I chose to etch 'Explore', as I love to travel and I want to do it a lot more. The process involved adding sticker stencils to you piece of glass, covering it in an acid paste and leaving it for around 15 minutes until the glass around your stencil had gone cloudy and your words remain clear and smooth. Once the acid was washed off, it revealed your design and we followed this up by drilling out a hole to then attach to our chosen fixing.

It was a very creative class which involved mediums I'd never used and methods I had never done. Although it was great to create my keyring, I don't think I'll be breaking in glass etching anytime soon. 

After this, we had some lunch from The Sitting Room in Guisborough's pop-up stall. They offered a number of gorgeous salads to be accompanied by meat or halloumi. I chose the tabbouleh with bulgar wheat, tomato, onion, parsley and mint, and the spicy tomato, onion and chickpea salad with a side of grilled halloumi and a dollop of mint yoghurt. It was so delicious and filling. I followed this up with a cheeky brownie but I ate this too quick to snap a picture.

After our lunch, we had a little bit of time before our next session which we used to wander around and have a nosy at what everyone else was doing. A few of the classes we spotted were brush lettering, floral painting and papercutting which all looked very interesting. Our second class of the day was embroidery which was led by Make and Mend's own Rachel. We all had the chance to embroider our own hoop which was pre-marked out with the words 'choose happy'. Rooting through Rachel's box of threads, all of our hoops came out very different due to the varied colours we chose. As I'd already done a bit of embroidery, this was familiar to me but it was great to be able to do more and practise the stitches I'd already learnt.

The final class of the day took place in the conservatory which was unfortunately like a sauna as it was an extremely hot day. Nevertheless, we got stuck into making terrariums with Hoes & Ditches. As I'm not very green-fingered, it was great to have the chance to put together my terrarium adding stones, soil, picking the plants I wanted and then adding the finishing touches with pebbles and moss. I was really proud of my final effort which wasn't as hard to put together as I first thought.

I was extremely pleased to have been invited along to Make and Mend festival to try out all the exciting classes. There was a great turnout of advanced crafters and beginners, all wanting to learn new skills. Holding this in Preston Hall Museum was a fantastic idea and the venue worked wonderfully for what they needed. This was the first event that Make and Mend had run, and I'm hopeful they will organise others so I can try more crafts. If you want to keep up to date with Make and Mend, see if they decide to run further events or purchase one of their craft kits, follow them on Facebook or keep an eye on their website.

Dancing down the aisles at my first ballet experience

I'm back in the swing of normal life now after a whistle-stop stay over in Leeds last weekend to celebrate Mum's 50th birthday, again... We had afternoon tea at Acklam Hall on her actual birthday, but as her gift from me, I bought her tickets to see the ballet in Leeds.

Neither of us had actually been to see the ballet before, but I'd remembered that Mum had expressed a want to go and see a performance. The only one playing around the time of her birthday was Casanova performed by the Northern Ballet. Before I gave her the tickets, I was apprehensive as to what she'd think of my gift. Would she actually want to see it? Or would it be a waste of money?

Turns out she was very happy when I handed her an envelope to open saying we'd be off to Leeds in less than a month's time. Yesterday we boarded our train with a bottle or two of Prosecco in hand and trundled along to Leeds.

After a day of food and shopping in Leeds, we went to our hotel, freshened up and were on our way to the ballet for it to start at 7.30pm. Performed in the Grand Theatre in Leeds, it was literally 3 minutes away from the Travelodge we were staying in, which was super handy. We squeezed into our seats in the Upper Circle and got ready to see the show.

We made the error of only getting the programme at half time, as neither of us knew the story of Casanova, we didn't quite grasp everything that was going on. When reading through the programme, it gives you the story of his life and what was happening in each scene. Even without knowing what was going on in the first half, I was secretly pleased that we'd made the decision to come and see it.

After reading the story and understanding what we were about to see after the interval, we could follow more easily the story that was being told through the performance.

Every aspect of this production was put together so beautifully and oozed decadence. From the front curtain that had been painstakingly painted to the moving Venetian podiums that formed the mainstay of the background for the first half, to the stunning wardrobe that each and every dancer wore - it all came together to make the performance what it was.

Of course, the 'star' of the show was Casanova, singled out by his white hair, dazzling the audience with his spectacular talent, but the rest of the cast was just as amazing. They each seemed to outdo the last as they told the story of Casanova through ballet.

Going into this performance, I was unsure of what I would think of it. I thought it wouldn't be 'my thing', but I was wrong. Sitting in such a grand theatre taking in the music, the dancing and the sheer beauty of everything that was happening on stage, it was fantastic. It was so relaxing to sit in silence, be serenaded by the music whilst watching the beautiful dancers and their storytelling.

I already know I want to go and see The Little Mermaid when it's on at the end of the year. I hope to see you all there too...

Spa life | Ramside Spa, Durham

I'd never visited a spa until I was kindly invited along to try Ramside Spa. Going to a spa had always been on my list to do, but with the cost and the time associated with it, I had just never got round to booking an experience.

When an email dropped into my mailbox to go along with other local bloggers to try out the luxurious Ramside Spa, I instantly responded saying YES, please!

Opened last year, the spa was part of a £16M redevelopment of Ramside Hall bringing a whole host of added extras for guests and locals. The spa boasts five pools, one of which is a full size 25m swimming pool, a wellness spa, 14 treatment rooms with a long list of gorgeous treatments available and a number of thermal suites.

We were given a tour around the facility by membership co-ordinator, Jasmin, who showed us the extensive gym which has a number of fitness classes daily as well as the latest technology, gave us a tour around the spa with highlights of a gorgeous manicure/pedicure hub and dreamy treatment rooms then walked us back through the spa's on-site restaurant, Fusion, serving Pan Asian cuisine.

When the tour was complete we had a few nibbles and then got our robes and flip flops to enjoy the spa. I think the spa is like a playground of adults, full of interesting parts which you want to try out as soon as possible, getting excited as to which one you will start with. Myself and my friend, Kirsty, got into our swimsuits and started in one of the UK's largest hydrotherapy pools testing out the numerous massage jets. It was such a relaxing experience that we could have spent all night just in that pool alone, but we knew we had more to try out!

From the hydrotherapy pool, we ventured outside searching for the outside vitality pool which was lit up like a disco. It was cold outside but once emerged into the pool it was boiling! A lovely experience to be in a warm pool surrounded by a cold breeze, this was another great pool. Although the pool was lovely, it got a little too warm for our liking so we braved the cold to go back inside.

Now it was time to try out the different steam/sauna rooms of which there are 5! There is a Herbal Sauna, Himalayan Salt Steam, Aroma Steam, Tepidarium and a Sunken Amphitheatre Sauna. We experienced all of these different rooms apart from the Tepidarium as we couldn't get the door open.  To save our embarrassment, we passed on that. They were all brilliant but my favourite was the Aroma Steam. I think because it was similar to other steam rooms I'd been in before but much more modern in comparison.

Finally, we topped off our visit with fruit water and another dip in our favourite, the hydrotherapy pool. After some more chatting, we went to get showered and set back off to Middlesbrough. I must add that the locker room and showers are top-notch. I could have stayed in the shower all night, and with the addition of ESPA products to use whilst in there, it was brilliant.

Overall I had an amazing first experience at a spa. It was so relaxing and turned into a really fun evening. I'd definitely visit another spa, and would definitely consider it being Ramside Spa. Although I don't have much to compare this against, Ramside Spa was super clean, very modern and offered all you would need for a relaxing time at the spa.

Exploring Sunderland's foodie scene - Sunderland Restaurant Week 2016

Trying new restaurants and new types of food is my favourite hobby. If I could eat, eat and eat and not get fat, I definitely would. I love cooking at home, but you can only do so much until you fancy someone else cooking up something fabulous for you.

I was recently invited to a 'Safari Supper' which involved a food-laden tour around some of Sunderland's brilliant eateries. In preparation for Sunderland Restaurant Week, Sunderland BID invited local bloggers down for an evening of delicious food.

For the 'Safari Supper,' we had the chance to eat at five different restaurants/bars sampling what they had to offer during Restaurant Week. I've never been to Sunderland so having the chance to visit and see what amazing food places they had was brilliant. We started off in Cafe Purple which was a stunning bar filled with luxurious seating and extravagant lighting. In here I met up with all the other local bloggers, finding pals Tasha and Sarah amongst the bunch, and we enjoyed lots of different cocktails with an enormous cheese board! The variety of cocktails that were brought out was staggering, they pulled out all the stops for us. I, of course, loved the Cosmopolitan but I was definitely also a fan of their gin-based cocktail too.

From Cafe Purple, we headed next door to Port of Call. This bar was right up my street as it was decorated all nautical with lots of ship memorabilia adorning the walls. Here we were plied with more cocktails and other nibbles including mini cheeseburgers which were the cutest and tasted really good. We didn't spend long here before we were carted off to the Funky Indian for our first course.

Situated underneath a Prosecco Bar, the Funky Indian serves up Indian street food in tapas-style. Our guide at the restaurant spoke about how at the Funky Indian they wanted to do things a little different and take inspiration right from India with a twist of cultures that have over the years found their way into the food. We were given some delicious food consisting of masala fries, spiced chicken poppers, Bombay pav, deep-fried cauliflower and seekh kebab. It was all utterly gorgeous and I'm dying to go back!

When we'd pulled ourselves away from our Indian food, we walked along to Angelos Ristorante where we were served some great pasta, pizza and meat dishes fresh from England's top Italian chef, Nello who works as their head chef. There was a mushroom pasta dish that we tried which was absolutely beautiful, I'd definitely have it if I visited again.

After all our savoury food, it was time for the sweet! We walked again to Sweet Tooth Delivery, which we actually also have in Middlesbrough. There was cake galore in their display case in all different colours and flavours. We all chose a piece of cake to try, I decided on Chocolate Mud Pie. As it was getting late, I opted for mine to go and had it at home. It was lovely, just what I needed with a cup of tea after the drive back from Sunderland.

Having the chance to try so many fabulous places in Sunderland has definitely wet my appetite for going back in the future. If I can spare the time, I'll be popping up in Restaurant Week when I can get more for my money!

Ladies Afternoon Tea at Crathorne Hall with Butterwick Hospice Care

Having afternoon tea is one of my favourite things to do. I love the savoury and the sweet all mixed into one tasty little sitting. Luckily for me, I was invited to a special ladies afternoon tea recently at Crathorne Hall, organised by Butterwick Hospice Care. I arrived at 1pm on a sunny Thursday in February with some work colleagues and we browsed the few stalls that were set up. There were people selling many different things including jewellery, cakes and little bits and bobs. A stall that caught my eye was the Gingerbread Mam, selling lots of ginger related products including ginger wine, ginger syrup, ginger parkin and of course gingerbread men! Later on, in the event we got to hear from Liz, the Gingerbread Mam, about her 'ginger' journey to where she is now! She has come so far attending lots of farmers markets across the North East and now she is even stocked in Fenwicks Newcastle and York. I've picked up a ginger syrup sponge which I had a little taste of at the event and it was yummy! I can't wait to have it with some ice cream. After we heard from Liz, Adam Prest, a local renowned florist, took the spotlight to do some live arranging and talk us through his career up to now. He has travelled all over the world working at prestigious weddings and events. His arrangements are so unique and different to the normal run of the mill as he uses only flowers that are in season and really pays attention to what his clients want and brings his own ideas to the table.

On to the main event, the afternoon tea! On a table of eight, we were served two-tiered stands with a selection of sandwiches and cakes. To accompany this they brought a slate tray full of normal and fruit scones as well as bowls of cream and jam! To my dismay, there were only three of everything on the stands so we didn't all get to have one of each.

I started with the sandwiches (as you do) having a cucumber one, ham and an egg. My favourite was the ham! It was so delicious and didn't have any horrible chewy bits in like some do. After I'd eaten my three sandwiches I really wanted more but alas we were all out. Next, it was on to the scones. I was pleased with my massive bowl of strawberry jam and lots of butter but a bit disappointed that the scones seemed to be a little over baked.

Last but not least it was on to the cakes. As we were all unsure of what each other wanted to take, and we were still craving more sandwiches (seriously I was on the verge of asking for more), not many of the cakes were eaten. I tried a chocolate tart which was very nice and then I had a bite of the pistachio cake which I didn't really think tasted very nutty but it was a lovely little cake. I didn't try the other items which were a berry Eton mess and victoria sponge cake but I'm sure they were lovely too as the other guests on our table seemed to polish these off! I had a lovely afternoon at Crathorne Hall and it raised money for a great cause. For £22 I think its great value and a great afternoon tea.

#CurrysIntroJuicing - Joe Blogs Juicing Event with Currys & PC World

A while back I noticed a tweet from Joe Blogs asking for anyone who'd like to attend a juicing/fitness event in the North. As I'm trying to get healthy and active I thought this would be the perfect thing for me to attend to keep my motivation up. I attended with one of my new blogging friends, Sammi, and we drove up to Leeds on a very chilly afternoon in her little yellow Fiat 500. We went prepared for yoga in our workout gear and got some funny looks as we walked to the venue.  When were got there it was packed full of bloggers! The Joe Blogs team had planned the session for Currys & PC World with five different activities around the room. There was Rocket Yoga, a play-station (for trying different juice combinations), gourmet soup (where we could fill up and have some savoury food), a mocktail making session and Shakela a nutritionist there to help us better our health.

Each station provided us with lots of useful information that we could take away and put into practice at home. As we went around the different stations I discovered:

• Rocket yoga is not relaxing like I thought it was going to be. It is very fast-paced and takes lots of effort and concentration!
• I really like juices. I don't mind drinking vegetable ones which aren't too tasty as I know they are good for me. I've started using my juicer more following this.
• There are so many supplements and natural things that you can add to juices and smoothies to make them much better for you.
• If you aren't too keen on vegetable juices you can add some pineapple or an apple to it sweeten it and make it much easier to drink.

Joe Blogs held a great event with lots of exciting things do and many people to meet and chat to. Thanks to Joe Blogs and Currys & PC World for the invite.

DYO fabulous jewellery pre-launch party!

DYO Fabulous Jewellery is a new business introducing a new concept to the fashion market. So many shops sells very similar jewellery providing not much choice for the consumer. What founder, Janet, decided was that there needed to be an online platform where people could make their own jewellery. This is where DYO Fabulous Jewellery was born. I was invited to an exclusive pre-launch party to understand the company and how it was to develop ready for its launch in July.

We were first treated to a presentation by Janet about where the idea came from, how her company was different and where she saw it going. It was great to see how the function would work to enable people to design their own jewellery. There were many pieces dotted around the room at Nancy Bordello's in Newcastle, showing what could be made from the platform online and how they would come out in real life.

After this, there was a masterclass in jewellery making by one of their employees, Laura, in which we all had the chance to make a 'princess pendant' necklace. It was a full class which meant getting to the beads and pendants wasn't an easy task but we all picked our favourite bits to make our necklaces and got to work using the guide produced by Laura with lots of help! We were all pleased with our necklaces and I can't wait to wear mine.

I'm really pleased I was invited along (thanks Amy!) and I can't wait to see how the company progresses with its official launch in July as I will definitely be designing jewellery on this site!