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!

This week is Woolly Hat Week in the UK!

The campaign has been launched by the Sailors’ Society, a charity that helps merchant seafarers on board ship and when they step ashore in port.

The society claims to be among the largest and most comprehensive international seafarers’ support charity and they are calling on the British public to wear a woolly hat this week to raise awareness for the world’s 1.5 million sailors who brave the high seas.

As part of the week, the interdenominational maritime charity is asking for small donations as well as woolly hats. Each year the Southampton-based organisation gives out 15,000 woolly hats knitted by volunteers.

The fundraising director, Jan Webber, said that seafarers battle with the elements regularly and that a hat is appreciated, especially by people who come from warm climates and are unprepared for the less than tropical climates of the UK.

Now here at Ulster Weavers, we don’t necessarily have any woolly hats for people to wear but we do have a vast array of children’s chef hats. From Robot and Farmyard-themes, to London 2012 and Treasure Island, there is a plethora of choices available to let the kids practice baking in the kitchen.

Dress the little ones up in cute aprons and matching hat and encourage them to have fun and play the part of being a professional chef! Why not make some delicious cupcakes that have anchors decorated on with icing?

The common colour associated with seafarers is blue and our Pride The Lion Child’s Chef Hat is just perfect to display British pride. So get involved in Woolly Hat Week by donning some gorgeous homeware and cooking up a storm in the kitchen. And you can carry on the trend outside the home to keep your ears warm in such blustery cold weather.

It is a bizarre dedicated event, especially with it being winter time, but this Sunday is National Hat Day.

Whether your head is suffering from the harsh cold weather and in need of a great solution, or simply your little ones enjoy fancy dress, get involved on Hat Day with the help of Ulster weavers.com.

Why not devote the day to spending quality time with the family baking cakes, sweets and cookies in the kitchen. The kids can dress up and act like a professional cook in one of our cute children’s chef hats.

We have a vast array of child’s hats to choose from to suit all ages and genders and you can even start getting excited for the London 2012 Games with our mascot themed Olympic child hats.

Dress the little ones up in matching aprons to avoid any nasty spills going on brand new clothing they were given for Christmas; and have fun stirring, mixing, decorating and baking lots of scrumptious food this weekend.

Please be cautious though of any hot plates coming out of the oven when the kids are running around in the kitchen. Cover any scalding tableware with tea towels to ensure no fingers get burnt.

And after everyone has had fun pretending to be a chef wearing special hats, wash the delicious grub down with a piping hot cup of tea with the help of Ulster weavers china mugs.

Better still, all the children’s chef hats are only £5.50 so you can join in National Hat Day for a bargain!

Home Sweet Home Child's Chef Hat

Treasure Island Child's Chef Hat

Mandeville Child's Chef Hat

We are already a week or so into 2012 and although the majority of the world has celebrated it already, it isn’t until 27^th January that China commemorates its New Year.

The Chinese zodiac year of 2012 is the Dragon.

Astrology is very important to Chinese communities and this year is said to be extra special because the dragon is so revered. In Chinese astrology the dragon is seen as a powerful almighty king because it is made from different parts of animals such as an eagle, snake, fish and tiger and so it holds superior significance.

Even today, people from China associate the dragon symbol with power and wisdom and therefore if one is born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon they are said to be wise, powerful and have a certain aura about them.

A dragon can breathe out fire and has a long sharp tongue and this reflects in a person’s personality who is born in the zodiac year in that they can be a hothead and be quite sarcastic. But with regards to the celebrations, regions across the UK with large Chinese communities will be throwing fun and fantastic festivities including dances, parades, fireworks and rides.  

Why not join in the events by donning some Ulster weavers.com PVC aprons and making dragon arts and crafts?

Entertain the children by making your own dragons to celebrate the Chinese New Year with paper and coloured pens and use colourful bits and bobs to make it as bright and flamboyant as possible. Try using red tissue paper to create a lively dragon that is breathing fire and colour him in with crayons.

If the kids really want to get involved, pass the hours by on a horrid rainy afternoon by making dragon masks that the little ones can wear and role play around the house. Or why not make a dancing toy paper dragon using paper, chopsticks and lots of glitter. Just simply fold a piece of paper in half length-wise and fold it over to create a bendy effect that will form the animal’s body.

Check out Ulster Weavers today for gorgeous aprons that will protect the children’s clothing during arts and crafts.

Most parents will understand how difficult it can be to keep the kids entertained during the festive holiday.

The blustery British weather can be really cold so with the children cooped up indoors, they can get bored and start getting under your feet.

But to amuse the little ones it doesn’t necessarily mean to put them in front of the television for hours on end, or to keep them quiet by giving them some computer games to play with. Kids can be mentally and physically stimulated as they would be outdoors by taking part in some exciting arts and crafts.

Doing homemade projects like making Christmas cards or tree decorations is a fantastic way to get the whole family together to have fun, as well as keeping the monsters busy on a low budget.

HAND MADE CARDS

Our kids aprons are fantastic to wear this season because they are jolly- themed and practical to protect the clothing. A personalised card can really put a smile on someone’s face because it shows effort and care, so why not encourage the children to write their own Christmas cards to their grandparents?

They can use coloured pieces of paper, felt tip pens and glitter to make them as merry as possible. Stick cotton wool to the card to make snow and show them pictures of robins, Christmas trees and Santa Claus so they can replicate them. Or to make it easier, trace an outline of a drawing and let them colour it in with paint!

DECORATED CANDLES

For another craft, why not decorate all the candles around the home with pretty ribbons, buttons and sequins? Make sure to supervise the kids throughout the whole process for health and safety and do not light the candles until finished and until the candles are aware from child’s harm. The project will only take around an hour to complete but let the kids imaginations flow and urge them to be creative with their designs.

Follow some of these brilliant arts and crafts ideas to keep the kids busy this Christmas when they are off school and for further top tips on homeware and giftware, go to Ulster Weavers.com.

Painting Child's PVC Apron

Home Sweet Home Child's Cotton Shaped Apron

Jack Child's PVC Apron

One of the biggest traditions at Christmastime is to deck the halls with some festive decorations!

Many people choose to hang holly wreaths on the front door, suspend mistletoe above the doorway and embellish each room with bright and colourful tinsel.

Try to choose one main colour scheme and convey this through the whole house; popular favourites are green, red and gold.

Get the whole family involved by adorning twinkly fairy lights wrapped around the Christmas tree, spraying snowflakes onto the windows and tying little replicate robins in the plant pots. Don’t forget to put the traditional figurine on top the tree whether that is a pass-me-down fairy, angel or shining star; and hang a stocking for each family member on the fireplace mantel.

Why not treat the kids by decorating the kitchen with advent calendars crammed with scrumptious chocolates? But you can save money and make your own decorations this year with the help of Ulster Weavers. Money is tight for many Brits but that doesn’t mean you cannot fill the home with some festive cheer!

Entertain the kids as well as create some home-made trimmings at the same time with some imaginative arts and crafts. It is a perfect project for a snowy day. Just make sure you wear PVC aprons to protect your clothes and ensure that the scissors are child-friendly.

Stockings

Have fun this year and knit your own stockings! They are easy enough to make and the possibilities of shape, size and colour are endless. To make the classic stocking just get two pieces of fleece and cut one piece from each material.

Take care that the toes match up and point in the opposite directions to each other and then pin it together before stitching it in place. Just make a cuff on the top and then go to town decorating it with cotton wool, glitter and felt tip pens.

Tree decor

Make your own ornaments to hang off the Christmas tree and let the creativity flow with anything from snowmen to Santa. Parental supervision is recommended at all times though. To make a mini tree knick-knack all you need is a lolly stick, some sequins, ribbon and craft glue.

Why not cook and glaze some Christmas cookies that remain inedible; or if you want to make some baubles, choose from Santa designed, festive polka dot or glitter. Use any old light bulbs and recycle them for the basic shape but be careful in case the glass breaks.

This week is National School Meals Week!

Run by the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA), the theme of the week is to promote the benefits of a healthy school meal.

From 7^th-11^th November parents, pupils, teachers and governors are being encouraged to endorse healthy school meals. And what better way to encourage children to eat healthily than give them some cute kids aprons and let them go wild in the kitchen?

The LACA and ParentPay survey revealed that 97% of parents want children to learn to cook at school; so don some homeware and get them practicing today with wholesome and nourishing recipes.

The poll of 10,000 parents shows that 89% are satisfied with their child’s school meals but that 80% would like more information about what their children are eating for lunch. This indicates that the majority of parents have become more nutritionally savvy and eager to keep tabs on their little one’s diet.

Sarah Teather, Minister of State (Children and Families) said: “Healthy school meals help make sure that pupils are well nourished, develop healthy eating habits and concentrate and learn in school.”

Give your kid their 5-a-day in fruit and veg and show them how to cook healthily with Ulster Weavers aprons.

Educating pupils about the importance of a balanced diet is key to avoid childhood obesity and the saying goes that you learn things best by doing it yourself. Let the kids get their hands dirty and have fun cooking dishes from different countries.

Enhance youngsters’ cooking skills by showing them how to make salads and cook vegetables and how to use knifes safely. Learning about healthy lifestyles can be interesting and creative with quizzes and cooking demonstrations- just make sure you protect the clothing with quality PVC aprons.

Jack Child's PVC Apron

Patchwork Cats Child's PVC Apron

Mandeville Child's Cotton Apron

Image Courtesy of ginnerobot and reused under the terms of the Creative Commons Licence.

From the 17^th October 2011 the week is dedicated to getting Britons into the kitchen to cook and bake!

It has been said that baking makes people happy which is probably why recent figures show that there has been a surge in the number of people baking.

Baking with children is great family fun and the delicious smells that spread throughout the house and pure heaven.

Another reason to encourage Brits to bake is that it is far healthier to make your own food as well as cheaper, which during such difficult economic times is essential.  A hand-made recipe that is bursting with goodness will make a tasty and hearty meal to share with all the family.

Join in the activity and bake at work, school or at home this week and rest assured if you have never done it before, or if you are an expert, there are hundreds of recipes to try for all culinary skill levels.

Why not club all the office colleagues together and bake cakes to raise cash for charity? Or simply inspire the kids to keep them occupied during the Christmas holidays?

Get involved in National Baking Week and don some cute PVC aprons. No matter how messy the kitchen gets with flour, eggs or chocolate your outfit will remain clean and immaculate. So have fun mixing, kneading, mashing, decorating, beating and stirring and let the kids take part by wearing their very own childrens aprons.

We have a wide variety of aprons with just about every style you can think of from the very plain to the shapeliest retro designs, all with matching coordinates. Check out the vast array of designs available at Ulster Weavers.

Master Chef Cotton Apron

Cakes PVC Apron

Cakes Child's PVC Apron

We all have to tighten our purse strings at the moment, especially in the run-up to Christmas but that doesn’t necessarily mean we have to compromise when it comes to shopping for gifts.

Here at Ulster Weavers we thought we’d give you a helping hand by selecting a range of fabulous products suitable for any occasion all for only £10 or even less!

So if you know someone who is celebrating their birthday this October, don’t short change them of the perfect present; treat them to something extra special and unique.

For her, why not buy a cute V&A Strawberry Thief Travel Card Wallet? It is the ideal accessory to put a passport in if you are going abroad on a winter holiday. Or why not purchase The Rules linen tea towel to decorate the kitchen with which includes humorous instructions such as “The FEMALE always makes THE RULES.”

Is your mum a bit of a style casualty? Have a look at our gorgeous Fashion Victim Medium PVC Bags; or simply treat her to breakfast in bed to show her you care with our Coffee Cups Cafetiere Cosy.

For him, check out our massively reduced gauntlet, oven glove and mens’ apron ranges which all come in masculine colours. Treat your old man to a Union Jack Bone China Mug In A Tin and make him a piping hot cup of tea for his birthday; and if he is fond of agriculture, have a look at our dedicated Gardeners Calendar or Landrover Linen Tea Towel which are only £6.50. Bargain!

For the little monsters, you can still give them a great birthday but without breaking the bank. Our childrens aprons and chef hat ranges are just adorable, so spend the day baking cakes in the home and then blow out the birthday candles.

So select one of our wonderful gift ideas listed above or have a look on the website for the vast array of other ranges on offer all for under a tenner. And have a great birthday this October!

Fashion Victim Medium PVC Bag

V&A Strawberry Thief Travel Card Wallet

The Rules Linen Tea Towel

Shiver me timbers, it is Talk Like A Pirate Day!

The recognised holiday encourages all Brits to inject some pirate-themed words and noises into everything you say and do today.

OK it may be taking it a little bit too far to go into work dressed like a pirate with an eye patch, hat and toy parrot; but you can decorate the home in swashbuckler textiles with Ulster Weavers Treasure Island ranges.

The kids can spend the day making each other ‘walk the plank’ and roaring ‘yarrrr’ whilst they dress up and play games. Go wild with creativity and create a treasure hunt for the children to do with the goal of some buried treasure. They can get excited searching around the house and garden solving clues, like a real-life adventurer!

After the kids have worn themselves out running all over the place, have fun baking pirate cakes and cupcakes in the kitchen with Ulster Weavers Treasure Island Child’s PVC Aprons.

All our childrens aprons are super cute to ensure the little monsters don’t dirty their clothes when cooking but our Treasure Island range is perfect for the special day. And our cotton apron in the range is great for any cheeky monkeys!

Finish off the whole pirate chef look with Ulster’s Treasure Island Child’s Chef Hat, so they really feel like the top buccaneer. So gather your hearties round to the house and have fun this Talk Like A Pirate Day with our fabulous homeware!

Treasure Island Child's PVC Apron

Treasure Island Child's Chef Hat

Treasure Island Child's Cotton Apron