Easter is on its way.  It’s the time of year for indulging in our favourite chocolate eggs, hot cross buns and steaming cups of tea, and maybe even making an egg hunt for the kids. It is also the time of year that tells us winter is over… and that is reason enough to celebrate!

There are so many different activities you can do over Easter. Egg painting for one, keeps the kids happy and away from chocolate for a short time! Once the eggs have dried you can keep them cosy and warm with our gorgeous egg cosies. We have shaped egg cosies in different animal designs – Bunnies, Chicks and Owls to name but a few and they all come in very handy packs of 4.

After an exciting morning of egg decorating and Easter egg hunting you may be ready for a steaming cup of tea and some relaxation time. So have our tea cosies at the ready to keep your tea pots toastie warm.

With the onset of spring and the thought of the dreaded spring clean looming, why not jazz it up with our funky, shaped aprons to make you feel that little bit more glamorous as you clean. Our gorgeous floral PVC aprons will help keep you clean and dry.  If you’re doing a massive spring clean you might be thinking of re-decorating or updating your style – why not share your tips with us…? We’d love to hear about any great home improvement ideas you may have.

As it’s almost Easter we thought we’d share a classic, favourite recipe with you that kids will love.

Easter Chocolate Krispie Chick Recipe

Ingredients:

For egg:  175g Milk Chocolate  (add a little extra for decorating)

50g Rice Krispies

To Decorate:

2x50g Mini egg bags

2x White Chocolate Buttons

250g White chocolate (melted)

50g Golden Marzipan

Method:

• Break chocolate into pieces; melt in bowl over pan of boiling water. Stir until smooth and take off heat. Stir into the Rice Krispies.
• Put ½ mix into each egg mould, the put in fridge for no more than 5 minutes.
• Carefully take the rice krispie mix out of the moulds and stick together with melted chocolate. Leave to set.
• For the eyes of your Krispie Chick, paint chocolate circles onto the white chocolate buttons and stick onto egg with melted chocolate.
• Spoon melted white chocolate into a pipping bag and decorate wings and a beak onto the chick.
• For the chicks feet roll marzipan onto a sheet of greaseproof paper and cut out feet, big enough for the egg to sit on. Place the chick on top of feet.

Enjoy!

It’s Mother’s Day this Sunday so get the kids involved, kitted out with their PVC aprons and chef hats and start baking! We’ve found a couple of recipes you could try to help ensure your mum can put her feet up for the day and get pampered.

Baked Dippy Eggs (simple recipe, ideal for kids to make):

Ingredients:

1 Large slice of ham

8 Small spinach leaves

8 Cherry tomatoes

4 Eggs

Cheese

4 slices of toast

Method:

• Ask a grown up helper to switch on the oven to 180c/gas mark 4.

• Cut ham & spinach into strips and share between the ramekins.

• Squash the cherry tomatoes into a bowl using your fingers. Add a small amount to each ramekin dish.

• Break the eggs one at a time into a separate bowl (scoop out any shell) and then tip carefully into the dish on top of the spinach and ham. Repeat with the 3 other eggs.

• Grate and sprinkle a little bit of cheese on top of the egg.

• Put in oven for 15-18 minutes (get a grown up to help).

• While the eggs are cooking, toast the bread and butter. Then cut into soldiers.

• Serve in bed with orange juice.

Or why not spoil your mum with this delicious recipe of Rhubarb and Ginger Muffins (for those of you who are slightly more advanced in the baking department!):

Ingredients:

350g plain flour

1tsp baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

325g brown sugar

½ lemon

250ml Milk

Zest 1 orange

2 pieces stem ginger

1 large egg

100g butter (plus 1 melted tbs)

300g rhubarb

Method:

•  Pre-heat oven to 180°c/350°f/gas mark 4.

• Line muffin tray with muffin cases.

• In a large bowl place flour, baking powder, salt and 225g brown sugar. Mix and make a hole in the centre.

• Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into the milk.

• Place orange zest, 1 stem of finely chopped ginger, 1 egg, 100g melted butter and milk into a bowl and beat thoroughly. Then fold in the chopped rhubarb.

• Spoon mixture into cases (about 12) and fill to the top.

• In small bowl place remaining 100g sugar, extra tbs of melted butter and the rest of the finely chopped ginger, mix and sprinkle over the top.

• Bake for 25 mins.

Enjoy!

We receive lots lovely comments from our customers thanking us for our service or letting us know what they think about our products. From time to time we get some that really make us laugh so we thought we’d share a few of the best with you…

Bliss Apron

“The apron was sent very quickly and she loved it. Her comments were “it’s actually the nicest apron I have ever seen. It’s so lovely in fact that it would make a great dress! (If it had a back of course- a bum hanging out is never a good look!)”.”

Oven gauntlets

“These (I ordered 2 so that neither hand needs to feel deprived or dangerously exposed) certainly provide the jolly splash of colour I hoped for. I like the individual glove rather than single strip mitts design, and indeed appreciate the long gauntlet, as opposed to glove length. Safe, fit for purpose, fulfilling all the padding Health and Safety etc., etc. of oven glovvery.” 

Rooster Bag Saver

“It’s a thing for keeping plastic bags in and that’s exactly what it does, and I like chickens and it has chickens on it, happiness.”

PVC Bag

“I thought you had failed when Mattie the Postman went straight by earlier. Then there was a knock on the door & your parcel, as promised, was delivered by van within the two days.  Now Madam can have her birthday present in a lovely Ulster Weavers bag tomorrow.  Many thanks; you have just saved my life.”

It’s always good to know our products can spread so much joy (and relief in some cases!) so next time you buy something from our website, whether it be a linen tea towel or a cotton apron, drop us your comments and put a smile on our faces. You never know, if we receive enough comments we could make this a regular feature and spread the happiness!

It’s that time of year again when dogs arrive in their thousands to show off their tricks, obedience and presentation. Owners bring their dogs from as far as Canada, Chilli and Thailand, for a chance to take part in the World’s most renowned dog show.

For the last few years running the Golden Retriever has maintained its position as the best represented breed of the show. Entries for the 2012 show have shown a big increase in the Japanese Akita Inu and the biggest decrease with the Irish Water Dog. This year has been the highest entry of dogs to Crufts with a massive 28,000 dogs heading to the NEC in Birmingham on the 8^th-11^th March.

For all those dog lovers out there who will be avidly watching Crufts and wishing they had the time to train their dog that well or groom their dog so beautifully. We have a few treats that may just cheer you up.

The perfect accessory to help you wash your dog in the bath, try our Dog and Bone PVC apron, this will help keep you dry even when your dog needs to have a good shake.  Or if you just love the design you can complete your set with the Dog and Bone tea towel and PVC bags, helping you carry your doggy treats.

Or if you’re a fan of the Dachshund who won the Crufts Junior Warrent Competition last year then you will love our new range ‘Hot Dogs’ with a range from cotton aprons to Linen Tea Towels to tea cosies.

This month Ulster Weavers are celebrating their 3^rd year of trading on the internet. It has been a busy but great 3 years, and here’s too many more! This Monday 5th March we will be launching a half price sale to celebrate our birthday, so keep an eye out for lots of aprons, tea towels and bags etc. at www.ulsterweavers.com/sale. Miss it, miss out!!!

2012 Is proving to be the year for celebrations. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee was 5^th January 2012, although officially being celebrated on the first weekend of June (2-5^th June). Check out our official Jubilee Traditional and Contemporary range of tea towels, bags, double oven gloves, bone china mugs and aprons. Will you be celebrating in style with a street party with all your neighbours? Or how about a summer garden party/BBQ party? Our Jubilee apron and tea towel range would be perfect to brighten up the table and keep you free from any spillages from the BBQ. Ulster Weavers bunting will be perfect to decorate your outdoor gazebos during your BBQ’S or picnics.

Then later on in the summer between 27^th July – 12^th August the UK will be hosting the 2012 Olympics and 29^th August – 9^th September we will be hosting the Paralympics in London. Go online to Ulster Weavers and see our full range of official Olympic and Paralympics goodies. If you were lucky enough to win or buy tickets for some of the games why not turn up in style with a cotton bag from one of our many Olympic ranges.

Why not try this yummy cupcake recipe to help celebrate our 3^rd Birthday, and have it perfected in time for you Jubilee party:

Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 100g butter , at room temperature
• 100g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 100g self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• a few drops vanilla essence
• 200g white chocolate , melted
• 200g dark chocolate , melted
• silver balls , to decorate

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the eggs and flour. Divide the mix into 2 and add the cocoa to one half and the vanilla to the other. Add a drop of milk to the chocolate mix if it is too stiff.
2. Spoon into mini muffin tins lined with paper cases, making some chocolate and some vanilla. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool.
3. Dip the vanilla cakes in dark chocolate and the chocolate ones in white chocolate. Decorate with buttons or sprinkles.

Enjoy!