We’re All Mad Here!

~ Welcome to our Mad Tea Party! ~

Follow the winding path through the mystical woods…



to an enchanted garden where a magical tea party awaits.



Pull up a chair amidst the majestic foxgloves and rambling roses.







Join us for tea and a huge slice of the Queen of Hearts’ Strawberry Tart…



and if you’re still feeling peckish there are plenty more goodies!



Nutty Date Cookies



Chocolate Halva



and Pecan Pie Cookies.



Thanks for stopping by our Mad Tea Party 2010! I doubt we’ll need to eat again for the rest of the weekend after all the delectable raw desserts we’ve gorged on this afternoon lol! Please leave a comment so I can visit your blog too.



Finally, a huge thank you to the wonderful Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist for organising today’s event – the entire list of mad-partyers is available there.

Take Me Away

I rarely listen to music while creating jewellery as I love just chillin’ to the sound of the wind in the trees and the birdsong! On those all too rare occasions when I dig out my paint brushes it’s a different story, as the right blend of music has the power to transport far away to a magical realm…

International Fairy Day (June 24th)

This Thursday is International Fairy Day – an annual celebration for everyone who believes in the magic of fairytales and lovers of all things fae! The Fairy Day website has some lovely ideas for bringing a little faerie enchantment into your life including a great article exploring fairy fashions, tips on fairy-style décor, and using found objects to create an altar to honour the fae.

Fairy power is said to be at its height during the Summer Solstice (June 21st) and I couldn’t resist posting this wonderful video of ‘The Fairy’s Song’ by Maite Itoiz and John Kelly. According to John, the fairy’s solstice song is a magical spell that awakens the ancient forests. The ethereal location for the video is Zugarramurdi forest in Navarra (Northern Spain), once a meeting place for sorceresses during the Middle Ages.




Join in the fairy magic on June 24th!

Chocolate Almond Fudge Cupcakes

The Chocolate Almond Fudge Cupcakes below are based on another wonderful recipe from ‘Ani’s Raw Food Desserts’ (Almond-Goji Cacao Chip Cookies p117). These cookies are delicious just as they are, but I couldn't resist converting them to a cupcake with a chocolate frosting and a sprinkling of raw cacao nibs on top for a little extra crunch.

I tweaked the proportions of Ani’s original recipe to give it a softer, fudge-like consistency and only made enough for 2 cupcakes, which I totally regretted later on as they tasted amazing!




Cupcake mix:
3 heaped dessertspoons almond butter
2-3 dessertspoons raw agave nectar
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt
½ cup almond meal
Handful of goji berries
1 dessertspoon raw cacao nibs
(Stir together in a mixing bowl).

Chocolate frosting (enough for 2 cupcakes):
¼ cup almond meal
1 tsp raw cacao powder
1 dessertspoon raw agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp water
(Stir together in a mixing bowl).