We’ve all seen them dotted around our family and friends houses. Some are adorable quotes about the family household and love and happiness, while others are just simply hilarious.

As Bank Holiday weekend is approaching  with many of us planning to kick back and stay out of the kitchen, opting for some much need rest and relaxation time, we have found the funniest kitchen signs which you can post on your door to show that this cook is off duty!

1. Kitchen Closed – This Chick Has Had It!
2. Ring My Bell For Maid Service…If No Answer Do It Yourself!
3. Martha Stewart doesn’t live here!!
4. I’m creative; you can’t expect me to be neat too!
5. So this isn’t Home Sweet Home… Adjust!
6. I clean house every other day…. Today is the other day!
7. If you write in the dust, please don’t date it!
8. I would cook dinner but I can’t find the can opener!
9. My house was clean last week, too bad you missed it!
10. A clean kitchen is the sign of a wasted life.
11. COOK CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!
12. I came, I saw, I decided to order take out.
13. If you don’t like my standards of cooking…lower your standards.
14. You may touch the dust in this house…but please don’t write in it!
15. Apology…Although you’ll find our house a mess, Come in, sit down, and converse. It doesn’t always look like this: Some days it’s even worse.
16. A messy kitchen is a happy kitchen, and this kitchen is delirious.
17. If we are what we eat, then I’m easy, fast, and cheap.
18. A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
19. Thou shalt not weigh more than thy refrigerator.
20. Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused.
21. A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
22. Help keep the kitchen clean – eat out.
23. Countless number of people have eaten in this kitchen and gone on to lead normal lives.
24. My next house will have no cupboards, just vending machines.
25. Gardening forever… Housework, never!
26. Dull women have immaculate houses.
27. I am sorry your opinion wasn’t in the recipe.

Whatever you have planned this Bank Holiday weekend make sure that you aren’t working too hard as this is the last public holiday until Christmas and we all know that this festive holiday isn’t exactly a quiet one!

Olive Sandwich cotton bag by UlsterWeavers.com

Instead why not head out shopping or out for a day out with a trendy Olive Sandwiches cotton bags on your shoulder from Ulster Weavers.com. The fantastic collection of bags is great for those women who are making their stance in the kitchen and opting for a weekend of fun and relaxation instead. The adorable Olive Sandwiches collection has three fantastically designed cotton bags as well as some creative and fun linen tea towels which will certainly look fabulous in your kitchen.

For more information visit UlsterWeavers.com.

Eurocucina is a yearly international event for new kitchen trends. From laminates to wood, to metal, masonry and laquer – besides the finest furnishing accessories – the trade show allows kitchen furnishing companies from around the world to showcase their latest products and designs to all.

The four day exhibition held in Milan this April saw over 300,000 visitors view hundreds of cutting edge kitchen designs from some of the leading kitchen manufacturers around the globe.

And Eurocucina 2010 saw six key kitchen trends come into play which are likely to take shape in kitchen design over the next few years.

Kitchen/Living Room combination

The open plan kitchen/living trend is set to continue in the home. With technology and hi tech gadgets transforming the kitchen space into a clean and inviting environment, this trend is set to grow stronger. Kitchen appliances are almost silent nowadays and designed to sit in a social environment, for example cabinets that close softly making it ideal for an open plan living environment.

Spotlessly clean surfaces

Materials in the kitchen appeared to be a lot more textured than in previous years. The wood, in oak or walnut was rich and textured in a refined way.

Glass was popular at the trade show with high gloss surfaces replaced by a rich matte, non-shiny texture.

All-steel kitchens were a common trend; however stainless steel was often seen used for finishing details.

Smart lighting

Moving into a more open kitchen plan and cleaner surfaces era there is a growing need to improve storage space for all kitchen appliances, food, cutlery and crockery.

Due to this, lighting has improved with a clear trend for LED lighting which was used for both practical and ambient purposes.

Even though modern kitchen appliances are stunningly designed, most of the refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers were hidden in cabinets.

The kitchen sink

There were a few interesting solutions to the kitchen sink at the trade show. One was with thin Corian lids covering the sink, with the lids featuring metal inserts on the back to allow a safe resting place for hot pots and pans. Another interesting feature was a smooth stainless steel sliding cover to cover the sink when the kitchen was not in use.

Eco Friendly

A strong emphasis was put on sustainability. Recycled materials as well as materials that can be recycled without losing their properties and materials that can retain value for a long time.

Bright and Bold

And for future colour trends the Eurocucina 2010 saw a variety of bright kitchen colours creep in. Pink, yellow, red and green, were a few colours that cropped up however they didn’t take the centre stage, with the natural palette the common trend, featuring white and black, blonde and ebony as the most common colours for the kitchen.

View some more pictures from the Eurocucina Trade Show 2010 featuring many of the inspirational trends by visiting Contemporist.com – an architect and interior design news website – by clicking here.

Times have changed in the kitchen. From our eating habits to how we prepare our food, over the years we have adopted a new approach to the kitchen which we can safely say works better than the rather strange rules and rituals they had in the past.

If a person from the Colonial times – during the 15^th- late 17^th Century – were to step in to our modern kitchens, they would find us rude if we were talking at the table and think it was Sunday if we were eating beans. Slightly confused? Well here are a few historical kitchen trivia facts that are sure to have you baffled.

• In Colonial times children had to follow a set of very strict rules which forbid them to move their mouth with any noise while eating and the same for other body parts.
• Children in the Colonial times were not allowed to sit down. And if they enjoyed a meal they weren’t allowed to say that it was a good meal.
• During the winter there wasn’t much milk so colonists used their sweetened cider thinned down with water. And sometimes they even soaked their bread in it.
• And if you were not as wealthy as your neighbours you would hide your fish in the cupboard when they came to visit as you wouldn’t want them to know you ate fish cheaply.
• On Sunday’s colonial families ate baked beans. The mother would begin baking the beans on a Saturday night. Molasses and a piece of salt pork, along with beans into a pot called a bake kettle. The beans would be left on the fireplace all night and ate the next day.
• In the 1850s, Joel Houghton patented a wooden machine with a hand-turned wheel that splashed water on dishes, it was hardly a workable machine, but it was the first patent.
• In the 1500s those with money had their plates made from pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food which caused lead poisoning and death. This happened most often with tomatoes and for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
• Bread in the 1500s was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle and the guests got the top or ‘upper crust’ as it was most commonly known.
• During the 18^th Century in England, the tea towel  was seen as a special linen drying cloth used by the mistress of the house to dry her precious China sets. Servants were considered too ham-fisted to be trusted with such a delicate job, although housemaids were charged with hand-hemming the woven linen once their main duties were completed.
• Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky in the 1500s. The two combined would knock some people out for days. Many people would mistake them for being dead and prepare them for burial. They would be laid out on the kitchen table for a few days and the family would gather around together to eat and drink and wait to see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a ‘wake.’

So be grateful that we have plenty of cows supplying milk and that there are more exciting meals than beans, because the old way of living doesn’t sound like too much fun.

Can you think of any other strange or bizarre kitchen rules from the past? Feel free to add your facts on our blog today!

When fresh cherries are on sale it’s a sure sign that summer is here.

Sitting out in the summer sun – although it doesn’t appear too often in the UK – drinking cherry juice, with your cherry pie, there is nothing more perfect that the delightful tasty fruit; and better still it is very good and healthy for you too.

There are thousands of cherry recipes that you could cook up this summer while the cherry season is still going strong, and we at Ulster Weavers have come up with a few tasty treats for you prepare for your family and friends or even for yourself!

Cherry Grilled Sweet Pepper Salad 

This beautiful and super healthy salad is perfect for those summer evenings when you are sat outside with a glass of wine enjoying the summer sun. The recipe is simple and easy to cook and won’t leave you feeling too guilty to have another glass of wine as this salad dish is fat free.

Cherry Pork Wrap 

If you are in need of some healthy and tasty finger food for your guests then these cherry pork wraps will do the trick. Easy to make and great as snack food for a social gathering or BBQ, your guests will be super impressed with your creative new take on finger food!

Surprise Cherry Bundles 

These adorable cherry bundles will go down a treat at any meal. The cute little desserts are delightful to look at, super tasty to eat and won’t leave your guests over stuffed as the surprise cherry bundle is simply full of cherries!

Cherry Margarita 

What perfect way to start the night than with a few cherry margaritas for everyone to enjoy. These super delicious fruity drinks will go down a treat with all your guests just make sure you don’t make it too strong as the tequila could send the night cherry mad!

If you are a lover of cherries then you need to take a look at the stunning cherry homeware range from

Cherry Linen tea towel from Ulster Weavers.com

 UlsterWeavers.com. Established in 1804, the Royal Horticultural Society is now the UK’s leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting good gardening – The society’s aim is to promote gardening the world over. Since the foundation of the ‘RHS’ members have undertaken studies of domestic and exotic plant life. These studies have resulted in an enormous archive of detailed drawings showing every sort of plant and flower. Ulster Weavers take these detailed drawings and transfer them onto textiles which appeal to plant, garden and flower enthusiasts everywhere. 

The stunning Cherries collection features a muff tea cosy, PVC small, medium, large and shoulder bag, linen tea towel, pot mitt, double oven glove, PVC and cotton apron, tea cosy and gauntlet.

To view the Cherries Collection visit the UlsterWeavers.com site today.

It’s coming towards the end of the summer holidays and you are probably finding that your kids are getting super bored with all this free time they are having off school. So much so that their day to day games and playing with friends has become somewhat of a bore to them, that they are getting much more pleasure annoying you instead. Sound familiar?

A great way to get your children involved and kept thoroughly entertained is through creative arts and crafts. Getting them involved in creating their own gifts and crafts allows their imagination to explore and for them to be proud of something they have achieved on their own. Nowadays there are many arts and crafts shops across the UK which invite children – as well as children’s parties – to come along to design and make their own crafts. From ceramic mugs and egg cups to ornaments and jugs kids can create their own crafts that they can take away to give to their family and friends.

If you know that your children will love the idea of crafts then we at Ulster Weavers have put together a fabulous ‘make your own mug’ plan that you can do in your own home with your children.

Things you will need

• Pre-glazed ceramic blank white mug.
• Light blue grease pencil.
• Ceramic mug paints or markers.

TOP TIP: YOU CAN PURCHASE YOUR PRE GLAZED MUG FROM A VARIETY OF ARTS AND CRAFTS STORES AS WELL AS ONLINE STORES. THEY AREN’T EXPENSIVE AND MANY COME IN A PACK CONTAINING PAINTS AND MARKERS FOR YOU TO DECORATE YOUR MUG.

1. Firstly lay out an area where you and your children can work. Make sure that you cover the area so that no mess is made on the carpets or furniture. Get your child to wear a PVC apron to make sure they don’t get their clothes messy.

2. Sit down with your child and talk about the design and pattern they want to create. This will get their brain thinking about things they like and things they like to draw and paint. Allowing them to jump in feet first with their paints and markers may mean they design something they don’t like and they won’t be able to start again. Maybe get them to draw the design on paper first so they can work against something when drawing onto the mug.

 TOP TIP: GET THEM TO THINK ABOUT THEIR HOBBIES, INTERESTS, FAVOURITE TELEVISION SHOWS, FRIENDS, FAMILY AS WELL AS PLACES THEY HAVE BEEN, FAVOURITE ANIMALS, THE LIST IS ENDLESS. THE MORE YOU GET THEM THINKING, THE MORE CREATIVE THEY WILL BE WHEN DESIGNING THEIR MUG.

3. With the grease pencil get your child to sketch their design onto the mug. Wipe away any mistakes and revise designs with a damp cloth. Let your child know that they don’t need to rush and that they should draw lightly with the grease pencil as pressing too hard will make the grease harder to get off.

4. Paint and draw over the design with ceramic mug paints or markers. Work from left to right around your mug ifright-handed and from right to left if left-handed. This will prevent the design from smearing.

5. Once they are happy with the design bake the mug(s) in the oven at about 300 degrees Fahrenheit on a baking tray for about 15 minutes so that the paint and ink will set. Make sure you use an oven glove and explain to your children the importance of keeping safe when near kitchen appliances such as the oven.

6. The mug is now ready and dishwasher safe to use.

 Sit down with your children and have a little tea party full of treats as well as their newly designed ceramic mug that they can drink out of.

And it’s not just paints and markers that can get your child creative. Many online sites allow you to upload digital photos online, arrange them on to a ceramic mug to be printed and sent direct to your home. These make ideal gifts for friends and loved ones and don’t cost too much either.

Ulster Weavers Charlotte Bone China Mug

If you are getting in on a slice of the creative action and want to create your own mugs, take a little inspiration from the collection of Bone China Mugs at UlsterWeavers.com.

You are sure to find a wide range of inspiration from their fantastic collection including the Charlotte Bone China Mug a beautiful vintage rose design that is back in fashion in a big way. The collection comes complete with a Charlotte coasters, double oven glove, placemats, small and large tray, pot mitt, tea cosy, small, medium and shoulder PVC bag, PVC and cotton apron, linen tea towel, gauntlet, 2011 calendar tea towel, tea cosy and PVC packable bag. The beautiful collection is the complete collection you need to make your house a home.

Silver Studded Blue Butterfly

August is renowned as butterfly month. As you wake up to a sunny morning or relax in the garden on a warm evening, there is nothing nicer than seeing butterflies flying around amongst your flowers and plants.

During the August season around 59 species of butterflies can be found roaming around our back gardens, fields, lakes and rivers.

However this is on the decline as more and more butterflies – particularly the rare species – are in danger of becoming extinct.

A campaign called the Big Butterfly Count launched last month encouraged the public to help track the UK’s butterfly populations in a bid to understand which species is in need of the most help.

Almost 75 per cent of the 59 species found in Britain are in decline. Butterflies such as the Holly Blue and Gatekeeper were once a common species yet are now believed to be joining the list in need of protection.

The campaign encouraged adults and children to stand in their gardens, woodland areas, fields or parks for just 15 minutes and make a record of the butterflies and day-flying moths that they could see.  

The campaign finished on August 1^st and the results are eagerly awaited to help scientists get a better picture of the fortunes of UK butterflies.

The past three years have seen a huge decline in butterflies due to lack of hot weather as well as the development of gardens and the practice of cleaning up parks and roadside verges.

Holly Blue Butterfly

The Holly Blue is thought to of moved north amid the rising temperatures, while the Blue Butterfly – once only common in the south – has started to colonise in Edinburgh over the past few years.

Richard Fox, surveys manager at Butterfly Conservation, said, “Reports suggest numbers of the many garden species and common or widespread species are down so far this year but the warm weather will have benefited them.

“This year by recent standards we had a long hot spell for the whole of June which, compared to the last few summers, was amazing and will have benefited the butterflies that were out and about at the time.

“I am sure that the various fashions for gardens not being green have not helped. For example the building of houses in gardens but also the trend for gravel or decking and paving over gardens for parking space.”

If you want to do your bit to help bring beautiful butterflies into your garden, there are a few simple steps you can take to attract numerous butterflies to your garden each day. The whole process is simple and the rewards are truly stunning as you do your bit to help protect endangered species and the environment.

• Caterpillars that morph into butterflies need specific types of plants that they can feed on. Monarch caterpillars for example love butterfly weed – often called milkweed which can be found through members of the Asclepias family of plants.
• Swallowtails love herbs such as fennel. A bronze fennel is a truly gorgeous plant that can grow into massive plantings as well as parsley and rue. If you can, plant as many native plants in your garden as well. Doing this automatically establishes a habitat garden that is good for butterflies as well as bees and songbirds.
• Adult butterflies need nectar plants to feed upon. Annuals such as pentas, petunias and zinnias work perfectly. Perennials such as Black and Blue salvia and coneflowers are also ideal. Coral and blue porterweed tender annuals in many locations and can bring beaucoup butterflies as well as hummingbirds.
• Butterflies need various sources of moisture. Place a shallow dish of water or a birdbath which can give them the minerals they need.
• Add fruit such as bananas, melons and grapes that are too ripe for you to eat to entice them into your garden.
• Butterflies only live a few weeks so make their lifespan as long as you can by keeping your garden as organic as possible without using pesticides and toxic chemicals which can kill them.

Butterfly Blue Small PVC Bag by Ulster Weavers

If you truly are a butterfly lover and miss having the dainty creatures in your garden, why not take a trip to UlsterWeavers.com the online home textiles store which has just launched a beautiful Blue Butterfly range to their already extensive collection. The bright and beautiful design of tropical blue and gold butterflies will really stand out in your home. With linen tea towels, coasters, placemat, gauntlet, pott mitt, tea cosy, small and large trays, cotton apron, an oven glove, packable bags ranging from shoulder to reusable bags, the Butterfly Blue is a fantastic blend of fashion and homeware for every age.

For more information visit Ulster Weavers.com.

We all have a friend who makes sure their home is kitted out with the latest gadgets and accessories. From the George Foreman Grill to the latest Henry Hoover you are sure to find that they have the latest high-tech equipment which puts your cheese toasty maker to shame.

To give them a run for their money, why not consider sprucing up your home with a collection of clever kitchen gadgets which is sure to make them go green with envy. And to give you a head start in the battle of the best gadgets, we at UlsterWeavers.com have found our favourite kitchen appliances out there on the World Wide Web which are sure to make you smile.

Corny Gadget

This cool gadget allows you to whip up some tasty homemade popcorn just in time for that film on Channel 4 you fancy watching. Just make sure that you add the right ingredient when whipping it together, you don’t want salty popcorn when you are a sweet tooth!

Herbs and Spice and all things nice

If you love your cooking with all your herbs and spices then you will love this Herb Keeper. It can keep herbs fresh for weeks and comes complete with a removable tray that suspends stems in the water and then drains the herbs when you are ready to use them.

Bendy Chopping Board

This makes preparing food easier to manage. Cut your food on the chopping board then bend it to pour into any container or pan.

Ice Cream Scoop and Stack

Be the hostess with the mostess by serving tasty and perfect ice cream treats. This clever twist and lift gadget scoops even the hardest ice cream into cylinder block shapes that fit into standard jumbo and waffle cones.

When it comes to decorating your kitchen you can take a whole load of inspiration from all over the world.

From the Italian bistro to the French country kitchen the world is full of culture, history, climate and a myriad of factors which can truly make your house a home.

It is always interesting to walk into a room and immediately become part of another world and what better room to decorate than the kitchen which is the most commonly used room in the house.

You can even decorate your whole house around one country or each room could individually carry its own style. And it really doesn’t have to be expensive either. A simple stroke of paint and a few added accessories can really make a whole load of difference.

To get you started into created a well-travelled home; here are a few inspirational ideas to create a new world in your home.

Victoria Mug by UlsterWeavers.com

English - When it comes to an English style kitchen think no further than a traditional country theme. Comfortable and homey stripes are ideal in creating an English country style kitchen. Use warm colours such as honey, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon or paprika to set the background for a country style. Paint your cupboards and furniture to a lighter shade.

Decorate with floral home textiles such as tea towels, place mats, aprons and oven gloves which match the English country trends. A home textiles trend that truly fits the English country bill is the Victoria collection by Ulster Weavers.com. A traditional floral design with a fresh, modern twist. With bright blues and floral colours the collection is ideal if you are looking to incorporate a English country theme into your home. The collection comes complete with a Bone China Mug, cotton apron, muff tea cosy, double oven glove, gauntlett, cotton tea towel and pot mitt.

Italian – Inspired by nature. Rustic Italian countryside and farmhouses play a major part in Italian interior furnishings. Tiled floors and wall murals as well as stencils are very prominent within Italian decor. Pear, olives, ivory and gold are prominent colours around an Italian home providing a warm, lived-in feeling to your house. Dependent on the size of your kitchen you may opt for darker wooden furniture, however if your kitchen is small you may opt for rustic wire racks to hang pots and pans. And like every Italian home, you need a wine rack as the perfect finishing touch to your Italian kitchen.

Mexican – Mexicans are all about bright colours. Sunny yellows, cobalt blue, antique white, verdigris, terracotta and mango orange are all cheerful and warm colours for your Mexican kitchen interior designs. Wrought iron candlesticks, bold coloured tiles, bird and fish motifs are very popular for a Mexican kitchen. Maybe throw up a fabric wall hanging if you have a bit of room featuring bright primary colours to add a bit of colour. Vinyl table cloths with fruits and flowers are fantastic for a Mexican style kitchen. Furnishings tend to take on a feeling of a crumbling old Spanish hacienda which can abode well with the bright bold colours of your interior textiles and furnishings.

Egyptian – The striking beauty of Egyptian furnishings can look stunning in your kitchen. Simple furnishings, accompanied with marble and gold inspire an Egyptian style kitchen. Hieroglyphic and parchment types of art can bring the ancient world into your kitchen. You could even incorporate home textiles featuring cats which were a major part of Egyptian culture. Oranges, blues and whites are also perfect colours for an Egyptian themed home.

African – You don’t have to spend a lot of money to recreate an African style theme in your kitchen. Plants, animal prints, tapestries, exotic fabrics are all a great way to incorporate African culture into your home. And if you are going the whole way terracotta tiled floors, ceiling fan, African masks on the wall are great additional accessories to add to the overall design. Deep colours like reds, oranges and yellows are great for an African kitchen. Fabric is very important so make sure you incorporate a variety of home textiles which take on the African theme.

Greek – When we think of Greece the most common images that spring to mind is the cloudless blue skies, sun-baked earth and sparkling sea. Greek decoration combines white stucco walls, stone floors, woven wall hangings, bare windows and rustic style furniture. Everything is clean cut and minimalist with natural clay pottery, tile accents and wrought iron furnishings. 

For more information visit UlsterWeavers.com for all your home textiles collections which can truly make your house a home.

Drinking a cup of tea is only good if you make it. Whether you like it milky with three sugars or strong with no milk, if someone makes you a cup of tea you are more than likely to receive a cup of tea the exact opposite to how you like it.

And if you leave it you run the risk of offending the tea maker which is possibly the last thing you want to do, so you sit there drinking almost a pint of sweetened milk when you prefer your tea super strong with no added sugar.

If only everyone had their tea the same way and there was no other way to make it. How easy would that be?

The famous George Orwell in his time had a set of tea rules that he lived by that no one should dare depart from.

George Orwell’s tea rules

• Use tea from India or Ceylon (Sri Lanka), not China
• Use a teapot, preferably ceramic
• Warm the pot over direct heat
• Tea should be strong – six spoons of leaves per 1 litre
  

  George Orwell and his famous tea rules

• Let the leaves move around the pot – no bags or strainers
• Take the pot to the boiling kettle
• Stir or shake the pot
• Drink out of a tall, mug-shaped tea cup
• Don’t add creamy milk
• Add the milk to the tea, not vice versa
• No sugar!

Orwell said that tea was one of the “mainstays of civilisation” and completely ruined by sweetening. He said that anyone flouting his diktat on shunning the sugar bowl could not be called “a true tealover.”

That’s us told!

Not only did he have a weak spot for a good cuppa, he also had distaste for scientists, so in 2003, to mark the 100^th anniversary of Orwell’s birth, the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) broke down his 11-point formula to rubbish a good many of his ‘golden rules.’

And Dr Andrew Stapley – a chemical engineer at Loughborough University – found a number of Orwell’s points were wrong.

Orwell’s six-spoons of tea per pot were found to be just far too strong to drink. The RSC research found that just a single spoon of leaves was sufficient.

Pouring milk after the tea was made was seen as a no go because according to their research;

“At high temperatures, milk proteins – which are normally all curled up foetus-like – begin to unfold and link together in clumps. This is what happens in UHT (ultra heat-treated) milk, and is why it doesn’t taste as good a fresh milk,” says Dr Stapley.

 “It is better to have the chilled milk massed at the bottom of the cup, awaiting the stream of hot tea. This allows the milk to cool the tea, rather than the tea ruinously raise the temperature of the milk.”

 And this whole malarkey about no sugar isn’t backed up by the team as sugar “acts to moderate the natural astringency of tea.” In other words it just makes tea less bitter.

This would clearly anger Orwell who said that “Tea is meant to be bitter, just as beer is meant to be bitter.”

 Well whatever your tea style we at UlsterWeavers.com follow these fabulous tips to ensure that all of our staff get a decent brew every day of the week.

1. Make sure the kettle is clean and well maintained. Water contains minerals and limescale that can build up at the bottom of your kettle overtime. De-scale and rinse your kettle regularly especially if you live in a hard water area.
2. If your water tastes good then half the battle is complete. Tap water is usually fine but filtered water can be a better option as it has a high amount of oxygen circulation throughout. Try to avoid using distilled or previously boiled water as the kettle prefers pure water.
3. Whether you are using a teapot or a single cup, give the tea at least 2 minutes to brew. A good tip is to ensure that the water stays hot and this can be done with either tea cosies or simply placing a small plate on top of the cup. This keeps the heat in giving you a steaming hot cup of tea every time. Be careful not to burn yourself on the boiling water.
4. If herbal and speciality teas are your thing then let the water in the kettle cool a little as finer teas taste better at lower temperatures.

Whether you put the milk in before or after or whether sugar is your thing is a personal thing, but one thing we can all agree on is that tea needs to be piping hot.

Twitter Tea Cosy from UlsterWeavers.com

A great way to do this is through a tea cosy from UlsterWeavers.com. The home textiles company has a range of tea cosies available from their online store which would look perfect in your home and a great solution to keeping your tea super hot.

Their latest collections include the adorable Twitter tea cosy, an adorable owl themed collection. Cotton with polyester wadding and a wooden based insert, this tea cosy is complete with appliqué detail making it the perfect accessory for your home.

The collection comes complete with a double oven glove, pot mitt, cotton tea towel, gauntlet and a cotton apron, the ideal way to make your house a home.

For more information visit UlsterWeavers.com today.

Sunshine + Good Company = A great opportunity for al fresco dining.

We may not have the Mediterranean climate, but when the sun peeps its way through the clouds it’s essential that we make full use of the good weather before it disappears altogether.

If the sun is shining and you want to get the tables and chairs outside – without too much hassle and preparation – there are a few tips to keeping it simple while at the same time preparing fresh, quality food.

When it comes to the food it doesn’t have to be barbequed or include bowls of limp looking salad. A good idea would be to mix a few dishes that are simple to put together with tasty accompaniments – so that you can sit back and enjoy the party too.

If your al fresco meal is an impromptu affair, why not invite some close friends around and ask them to contribute a dish or two, a great way of sharing the work load, extending the menu as well as spreading the cost.

And with al fresco dining there is no need for the fancy cutlery, crockery and dining table furnishings. Kitchen towels double up as napkins, wine is served straight from the bottle and water comes from the tap straight into a large jug. All it takes is for you to serve up some tasty food.

If you are looking for a style of food to go for then why not consider Italian dishes, full of flavour and a favourite for everyone.  

With Italian food, there are a wide range of dishes to choose from that are sure to go down a treat at an al fresco party.

Here are a few ideas that we had in mind.

Lasagna

One of the most versatile and simple Italian dishes ever to be made and really tasty too. You would find it a bit of a challenge to meet someone who hasn’t ever tasted lasagne. The dish is really simple to make and can easily be prepared without the fuss and hassle as you only need to consider one dish rather than hundreds of pots and pans all at once.

*If your guests are vegetarian, impress them by making a vegetarian lasagne.

Full Recipe…

Four Seasons Pizza

Four Seasons pizza is a tasty meal that is full of flavour and a great dish for your guests to pick at. Make sure that they like fish before you head onto cook this tasty dish as you could see your masterpiece end up in the bin.

*Why not cook some garlic bread to go with it!

Full Recipe…

Mediterranean Pasta

Colourful and extremely healthy this is an ideal meal that is perfect as a light dish but super filling and extremely tasty. A great dish for vegetarians too!

Full Recipe…

All these dishes are delicious, versatile and fairly simple to cook for someone who is still finding their way around the kitchen.

Here are a few other tasty treats that you should consider;

• Make sure you have some Italian wine chilled and ready to drink.
• Have olives and fresh bread out before, during and after the meal.
• Garlic bread is a must at an Italian al fresco meal.
• A fresh fruit salad for your guests to pick at the end of the meal.

Sorrento Tea Towel From UlsterWeavers.com

If you want to make more of an impression when it comes to your al fresco dining then why not decorate your kitchen with a stunning homeware collection from UlsterWeavers.com.

The home fashions company has a wide range of designs including the beautiful Sorrento collection, ideal for Italian al fresco dining. The Sorrento collection encompasses a deep red design with decorative black and white floral patterns, a beautiful collection for any home.

The collection comes complete with a linen tea towel, double oven glove, PVC apron, pot mitt, tea cosy, cotton apron, PVC or cotton packable bag and a canvas shoulder bag.

For more information visit UlsterWeavers.com.