It has been named as Britain’s greatest invention and it is the most popular lunchtime meal of all time; the sandwich.

The sandwich, other than being a town in Kent, England, can be dated back over 300 years ago to 1762 when the 4^th Earl of Sandwich created the very first ‘sandwich’ comprising of cuts of beef between slices of toasted bread, all so he could continue gambling while he ate. This was the moment the great British culinary invention was born and since it has gone from strength to strength; and now Brits consume over 11.5 billion sandwiches each year.

Whether you make and eat your sandwich at home for your lunch box, or purchase it at retail, celebrate the food produce this week from 16^th-21^st May 2011.

Fill your sandwich with whatever satisfying stuffing or contents that you desire with the help of Ulster Weavers. Our cute Aprons will ensure that your clothes don’t get dirty or messy when you have fun buttering the bread, cramming it full with fillings and munching away.

And don’t worry if it isn’t quite as good as the record most expensive sandwich ever made by chef Tom Bridge. His Lancaster Cheese Sandwich sold on eBay in 2006 for £345.

What is more, try not to fret if it isn’t as big as the world’s largest pre-packed sandwich by Roberts Bakery in Norwich which was 2.5 metres long and encased with Marmite, Princes Tuna & Hellmann’s Mayonnaise and weighed the same as 1,000 loaves.

Need some help in what to put in your sandwich with? Chicken remains the number one most popular filling in sandwiches bought outside the home whereas, ham and cheese are the favourite filling’s in home-made sandwiches.

According to a survey of multiple sandwich retailers issued by the British Sandwich Association for British Sandwich Week 2011, the top sandwich fillings are…

TOP 10 SANDWICH FILLINGS

1. Chicken
2. Cheese
3. Ham
4. Egg
5. Prawn
6. Tuna
7. Bacon
8. Breakfast
9. Combination
10. Other meat

So have fun making the British sandwich for your dinner this week with our cute PVC Aprons!

Yikes it’s three days until Christmas Day!

I’m sure there are plenty of you out there who are getting super excited for the holidays and now that the kids have finally broken up from school, you can really spend some quality family time together at home.

Arts and crafts are a brilliant past-time to get the children creative, imaginative and have fun.

Knitting, although it can be tricky, can be quickly picked up by beginners and is fantastic for making homemade Christmas time decorations or presents (well, apart from the reindeer jumper your gran knits you every year!)

Why not weave some striped stockings to hang over the fireplace this Christmas instead of simply buying them from a store?

Try making some Pom Pom Snowmen for decorations on the mantelpiece that will bring a homely flair to the house; or try crocheting a robin nest to put in the Christmas tree?

Whichever arts and crafts you decide to make, you can always wear Aprons to protect your clothes.

Before you get started, here are some knitting abbreviations and terminology to help you along the way;

ch = chain
st = stitch
slst = slipstitch
dc = double crochet
tr = treble
tog =together
dk = double knit

Crochet Robin Nest

This craft is perfect to add some family tradition to the Christmas tree. Once it is made you can hang it up year after year.

Instructions

Pom Pom Snowmen

You can be creative and knit you own scarf and hats for these snowmen to make it that extra little bit Christmassy.

Instructions

Snowflake and Striped Stocking

What’s fantastic with this art and craft is you can do whatever colours you like to suit your Christmas theme in the house. Traditionally, red, white and green are the most iconic colours associate with the holiday season.

Instructions

With only two weeks to go before Christmas Day we can imagine you are frantically running around trying to get those last minute presents, decorations and bits and bobs.

But no matter what store you go into, sometimes it can be impossible to know what gift to give your Auntie you only see twice a year; your nana who just moans about everything all the time; or your mum because quite frankly you don’t have much pocket money to spend.

A homemade present is a fantastic Christmas idea to give a love-one this season. It takes time to make rather than just handing over cash at a checkout and so shows love and care, a perfect gift which would be greatly appreciated.

So if you are struggling to think of what to get this year why not grab your apron and make a baking jar?

They are a scrumptious idea which will taste delicious to tuck into over the holiday period and you can decorate them the way you want, making them look pretty and personalised.

And they are super cheap to make, a definite positive for those who are cash conscience. Simply buy an empty clip-top jar from your local shop, cook whatever you want to fill the jar and decorate in ribbons, or glitter, paint, stickers or feathers.

Ulster Weavers have found some fabulous recipes that take no time at all to make and are really easy to follow, ideal for those cooking beginners.

Cookie Mix Jar

This only takes 10 minutes to prepare; why not add fragrant spices to the cookie mix to flavour it up? You can adapt the recipe too around your tastes, instead use white chocolate etc.

Recipe

Christmas Cookies in a Jar

With layers of vanilla chips, oats and dries cranberries, this tasty cookie mix looks gorgeous. For a sweet special gift, tuck a jar in a pretty basket.

Recipe

Or why not make some brownies or gingerbread muffins and fill the jar up with them?

For more present ideas visit www.ulsterweavers.com

Timber Cotton Apron

Make sure that you don’t miss these amazing deals at Ulster Weavers.com!

We’re offering you fantastic clearance offers with huge reductions on selected items.

With massive special offers and prices dropped on our kitchen textile and homeware ranges you are sure to pick up a bargain or two via our dedicated online store.

As well as the seasonal Christmas ranges and full current lines, you can find brilliant savings available to buy today.

Ranging from oven gloves, gauntlets, cotton aprons, tea towels, pot mitts, tea cosies, shoulder and PVC bags and many more homeware items, you are sure to find a few bits and pieces to spice up your home for Christmas that suits your style and taste.

Or why not take advantage of the perfect opportunity to grab a few last-minute Christmas presents for your family and friends.

With prices as low as £2.49 you would be mad to miss out these fantastic deals and you’ll still have some money left over in your pocket!

And we’ve got different discounted kitchen textiles, PVC & canvas bags every week so bookmark the webpage and snatch up the offers while stocks last.

Happy Christmas Waffle Weave Tea Towel

Visit Ulster Weavers Special Offers today to get your hands on these amazing savings.

It is only a couple of days until the start of December, oh my hasn’t the year gone by quickly!

It means people can officially get into the festive spirit and start getting decorations, presents and food for the holiday period.

A tradition which takes place every year, especially to get the kids excited, is advent calendars.

You can buy these calendars from many retail stores, with a variety of popular themes to choose from; Disney, cartoon, chocolate brands etc.

It involves a calendar made of cardboard full of chocolates hidden behind windows and pouches, with every date of the month on, up until 25th December.

But where did the seasonal practice originate from?

HISTORY

The German tradition can be traced back to the 19th century and was a way of counting the days between the start of Advent and Christmas Day. The Protestant Christians would keep track of the days by making marks on their doors with a piece of chalk, which would then be rubbed off one by one as Christmas approached. Other practices were burning a candle or putting up a small religious picture to mark each day.

Why not make your own calendar this year? It is a great way to get the family to spend time together having fun and it’s a fantastic past-time to amuse the children on these cold winter nights.

Here at Ulster Weavers we have found some great ideas for all your family, so grab your apron, get making and countdown to Christmas!

ENVELOPE ADVENT CALENDAR

Why not create 25 envelopes and hang them from the tree or above the fireplace on some string, rather than making a calendar? It is really easy to do and allows the kids to design them however they want. Get imaginative with colours, stickers, glitter, fabric and ribbons; really make them festive!

Instructions

PRINTABLE CALENDARS

Why not find a design on the Internet, print it out on to paper and colour it in! You can get designs to suit all ages such as Rudolph the Reindeer, Christmas trees, a Wreath, Santa Claus or general Christmas themes. And it takes no time to assemble them together with some glue for the kids. You can even find recycled tin calendars to create an earth-friendly advent calendar.

Instructions

ADVENT CANDY TREE AND POEM

Instead of creating a paper calendar version, try making this candy tree that you can include a poem inside. This might be best suited to children over five years old, as scissors and painting is required. Please remember to use glue that is child proof and to supervise the young ones when using scissors. Plastic scissors can be bought for children to ensure safety.

Instructions

It’s almost a month to Christmas!  

You can tell winter has most definitely arrived, with the icy roads and snow on the roof tops.  

It is perfect weather conditions for the kids to go sledge tobogganing, make snowmen and have snow ball fights.  

But it can be extremely cold, even with your hat, scarf and gloves on; so to ensure you don’t get ill it might be best to stay wrapped up warm inside.  

As most parents will probably know, it can be difficult keeping the youngsters entertained indoors. There is more to it than shoving them in front of the television or computer games to keep them quiet, it is about making sure them are as stimulated mentally as they would be playing games outside.  

Doing homemade projects like arts and crafts is a fantastic way to get the whole family together, to have fun and enjoy each other’s company; as well as keeping the little ones busy and on a low budget.  

As it is almost Christmas, why not spend time making Christmas cards for family members and friends? Sometimes receiving a personal card can really brighten up someone’s day, as that extra effort has been put in. What better way to say Merry Christmas than with a handmade Christmas card?  

You can use glitter and cotton wool for snow and coloured pens to draw reindeer, Santa Claus or robins; really go to town with drawing whatever you want. Cutting out bits and bobs and using glue to stick them down is also a great idea, be as imaginative as possible!  

Arts and crafts are great family fun but they can be dangerous. Please note that some glues are not healthy to be inhaled and may be highly inflammable; and when using scissors children should be supervised. Plastic safety scissors are perfectly acceptable for younger children.  

Ulster weavers have found some really fun card ideas for you to replicate, so get your aprons on and get creative!  

Winter Animals 

A cute little robin is really easy for the children to copy. Trace the outlined image and then colour in your own individual design; why not stick some ribbon on for its scarf and hat? 

  Messaged Cards 

Ok so this is a little bit much to ask your kids to design but it is a great way to show how you can design however you like, sticking gems and stickers on to make it unique. 

You could draw little mistle toes in the corner instead if you like. 

Winter Themes 

Winter themes are so varied there are so many ideas to flow with. A Christmas tree, a star, an angel or a navity play….explore your creativity.

Thousands of people across the world have diabetes. It’s not a disease, or a curse, it is simply a long-term condition that affects the body’s ability to process sugar or glucose.

It can have serious health consequences. Left untreated, diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, nerve damage and blindness. But with careful management, people with diabetes can lead full, healthy and active lives.

The World Health Organisation and The International Diabetes Federation created World Diabetes Day in 1991, and takes place every year on 14th November. It is a campaign with the theme of “Diabetes Education and Prevention” to create awareness and education. It is hoped that the awareness raised by the campaign will encourage healthcare systems everywhere to recognise the need to provide structured diabetes education and help establish access to skilled diabetes care as the right of every person with diabetes.

It is honoured in over 160 different countries globally.

What is diabetes then?

In people with diabetes, the level of glucose in the blood is too high. This is because a hormone called insulin is either absent from the body or not working properly. 

Glucose is found in starchy foods, such as pasta, rice, and bread. When we eat food that contains glucose, the hormone insulin helps to move it from our blood to the cells where it’s broken down to produce energy. But when the body doesn’t make enough insulin or insulin doesn’t work properly, that process is interrupted and glucose builds up in the blood. This is diabetes.

There are two main types of diabetes:

- Type 1: the body can’t produce any insulin and accounts for only around 10 per cent of all cases. It’s the most common form of childhood diabetes.

- Type 2: the body doesn’t make enough insulin, or the body becomes resistant to insulin so that it doesn’t work properly. It’s the most common form of diabetes accounting for around 90 per cent of cases.

Many people are living with diabetes that has not been recognised or diagnosed properly. These people may be experiencing symptoms that they can’t explain or they may assume that the symptoms are due to other causes, such as getting older or having a busy lifestyle.

FACTS

- 200 children every day (70,000 annually) develop type 1 diabetes.

- There are over 440,000 children living with type 1 diabetes around the world.

- Around 2.8 million people in the UK have diabetes.

Ulster Weavers has brewed up some healthy recipes you can make on the day, so get your apron on and get cooking!

With it coming up to Christmas time, why not get the kids into the festive spirit and pass the time with arts and crafts make your own masks.

Extremely enjoyable on a low budget, you can help make animal masks that the children will love to put on afterwards and play games in.

Homemade projects bring such delight to children as it gives a sense of satisfaction and achievement, and let’s face it you will have just as much fun, if not more, than they will!

What better way to make it seasonal than to portray winter animals such as a penguin, polar bear, or reindeer.

Make a simple paper mask coloured with crayons or paints; or why not create an elaborate paper mache animal face complete with added textures and glued accessories such as fur, glitter and feathers. Use a permanent marker for facial details and pay close attention to your animal’s facial patterns. Once your mask is complete, punch holes by each ear and a tie a string to the mask so you can wear it properly.

Arts and crafts are great family fun but they can be dangerous. Please note that some glues are not healthy to be inhaled and may be highly inflammable; and when using scissors children should be supervised. Plastic safety scissors are perfectly acceptable for younger children.

So get your aprons on and have fun with these Ulster Weaver animal mask ideas.

Penguin

Making a paper mask is much simpler to make if you want a stress and mess free mask making experience.  They also require fewer materials and take less time to complete. Print this image out or trace the outline on to paper and cut along your outline to get your mask’s basic shape. Just put a cross through any areas you plan to cut on the mask such as eye and mouth holes and colour in!

Picture Link

Polar Bear

Similar to the penguin mask, print out this image or find one of your own in a magazine or book and trace it on to some paper; and start colouring away! Don’t forget to make holes for your eyes and nose. Why not create the white/grey affect by using talc powder or white paint?

Picture Link

Reindeer

Print and make your very own reindeer mask this Christmas! Why not use felts to colour the antlers brown and the nose red and shiny? Or draw your own reindeer out to make your antlers bigger/smaller however you want.  Or why move away from the traditional image and create a glittery fun one?

Picture link

Picture Link

Bonfire Night is a fantastic way to bring the family together and have fun; gathering around the fire to keep warm on a cold autumn evening and watching the fantastic displays of fireworks bursting in to the sky.

Many different types of local council run Bonfire Night events in the public parks, fields or city centres, putting on a carnival of rides and stalls of hot dogs and candy floss.

So what are the best recipes to stuff your face with at home, to warm you up after an evening spent watching the sky light up?

Get your Ulster Weavers apron and oven gloves on and get cooking these selected dishes!

Sweet chilli Bangers

Ready in 45 minutes, this is an easy way to turn sausages into something special. Use the sweet, sticky sauce to marinate chicken drumsticks too.

Full Recipe

Sticky Hot Dog Jackets

An easy recipe that takes an hour to cook and so what if it’s messy; it’s the perfect holiday supper! Why not have with cooked onions or try some mustard sauce to top it off.

Full Recipe

Cheesy Bonfire Bread

Best eaten fresh, this savoury bread can also be made ahead and frozen. You could stuff them with the bangers. Great for vegetarians and only takes 30 minutes to cook.

Full recipe

Chocolate Fondue and Toasted Marshmallows

Toasting marshmallows can be tricky, especially when trying not to burn them. But this recipe is ideal for those families who love to have fun and they taste so good.

Full Recipe

“Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake;

Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder’s fork and blind-worm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg and owlet’s wing,

For a charm of powerful trouble,

                               Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

                               Double, double toil and trouble;
                               Fire burn, and caldron bubble.”

In the words of Shakespeare, to cackle up a witch’s brew or gruesome recipe this Halloween it means finding a store that sells toe of frog or wool of bat; which quite obviously, is not going to happen.

So why not get your apron and oven gloves on and stir up some spooky spider webs or yucky scary snacks for your little goblins instead?

Halloween Witches Brew

A must everyone this Halloween – a recipe that looks gross but is great fun to make!

Put a fake hand in the freezer in a rubber glove and then present it in a bucket or glass punch bowl. Dress the hand up with a few Halloween gimmicks like spiders and you’ll be sure to give everyone a scream.

Full Recipe

Haunted Graveyard Cake

The perfect centrepiece for a Halloween celebration party, this cake is guaranteed to make your party extra spooky.  Easy to make and thoroughly enjoyable, make for how many people necessary and your party will be a ghostly ball.

Full Recipe

Pumpkin Pie

It’s not just for Thanksgiving anymore. What better treat for Halloween than a pumpkin pie? Pick up a special pan that’s shaped like a pumpkin in an arts and crafts store and decorate with spider and bat extras to add that special something!

Full Recipe

Halloween Cookies

Your kids will have a spook-tacular time decorating and baking these bunch of Halloween cookies. Design them to whatever you want and enjoy gobbling them down from bat and black cat cut-out cookies, they will definitely be yummy in your tummy!

Full Recipe