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).

The Dark Hedges

This spectacular avenue of majestic beech trees near the village of Armoy, County Antrim is one of my favourite stretches of country road in Northern Ireland. Known locally as ‘The Dark Hedges’, the beeches (planted in 1750) form a natural archway above the road with their intertwining branches.




It’s an enchanting place to linger, watching the ever-changing light.

(Photos: Pam)

"Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth. They do not preach learning and precepts, they preach undeterred by particulars, the ancient law of life."
~ Hermann Hesse, Wandering

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

I recently bought some silicone moulds on ebay and have been itching to try out the raw cupcake recipes in Ani Phyo’s beautiful book, ‘Ani’s Raw Food Desserts’. I can never refuse a slice of carrot cake (well, cake in general), so I was intrigued by the prospect of how raw carrot cake would compare with the trusty cooked version. Even though I’ve been having fun making raw desserts for a couple of years now, there are still a few cooked recipes I hold sacred lol!




The cupcake base is a mixture of grated carrot (with some of the juice squeezed out), almond meal, ground cinnamon, Medjool dates and shredded coconut… and it really does taste every bit as good as the baked version!

Ani’s dairy-free ‘Kream Cheeze Frosting’ is made with ground cashews, lemon juice, raw agave nectar and a little water. I’ve used this delicious cream cheese alternative before in raw desserts and it’s perfect for topping any carrot cake, raw or not.

(Photos: Pam)

New Jewels!

I added a whole bunch of lovely new necklaces and a bracelet to the Midnight Raven Artisan Jewellery website yesterday. You can probably tell that I have a thing for chunky beads and pendants at the moment! The faceted citrine nuggets below are gorgeous in person, as is the handcut bornite (aka peacock ore) and pyrite pendant.

Honeysuckle necklace (Enchanted Garden collection)

Out of the Blue necklace (Balsam for the Soul collection)
(SOLD)

Did Someone Mention a Tea Party?

One of my favourite blogs, A Fanciful Twist, has just set the date for this year's Mad Tea Party. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun and general madness - click here to find out more and sign up!

You Start Dying Slowly - Pablo Neruda

Whenever I feel in need of some inspiration (or a good kick up the rear!) I frequently turn to this beautiful poem by Pablo Neruda...

You Start Dying Slowly

You start dying slowly
If you do not travel,
If you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.

You start dying slowly
When you kill your self-esteem;
When you do not let others help you.

You start dying slowly
If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths...
If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colours
Or you do not speak to those you don't know.

You start dying slowly
If you avoid to feel passion
And their turbulent emotions;
Those which make your eyes glisten
And your heart beat fast.

You start dying slowly
If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,
If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,
If you do not go after a dream,
If you do not allow yourself,
At least once in your lifetime,
To run away from sensible advice...

Pablo Neruda

More poems by Pablo Neruda here.

Lackan Bog

I’ve finally sorted through the photos I took last month at Lackan Bog. It’s an incredibly beautiful wetland area – formerly a raised bog and nowadays the largest single block of lowland peat remaining in County Down – and also one of Ireland’s most important dragonfly sites. The path runs along a ‘bog rampart’, an old road through the bog which would have provided easy access for cutting the turf. From this raised causeway are wonderful views across the pools and wooded areas of birch and willow.

There are literally thousands of birch trees everywhere you look, so I was in my element! I hope to return again very soon, as it would be an amazing place to photograph throughout the seasons.




Continuing the birch theme, I thought I’d include this photo of a gorgeous birch grove in Tollymore Forest Park - more on Tollymore another time!

(Photos: Pam)