Inspiration Update - Feast Watson Re-Love Project 2014

The fun is underway at camp Vintage Movement!. My sawdust strewn pad is gearing up for some creative DIY'ing over the next week and I wanted to share some of my inspirations and ideas in the lead up to revealing my up-cycled coffee table and tripod as part of Feast Watson's 2014 Re-love Project. If you haven't checked out the line up for this year you can find all the details here.

For those new to Feast Watson, they offer a fab selection of wood finishes, treatments and paints... you know those floor boards you see in interiors like this - yep, they provide it all!.

Image courtesy of modern maggie

So, as introduced last week these are my chosen pieces. The tripod is an old telescope stand... it's a bit rusty and the wood is worn and the table is an old factory pallet sometimes also described as a railway pallet - I think?. I'm definitely going for an industrial vintage theme using a monochromatic colour pallet of grey, lime wash and black. 

and this pic featured in Real Living Magazine has been a great source of inspiration. I am loving the colour pallet used here and the patterned parquetry floor - thinking a chevron/striped patterned top for the table would be nice using wood stains. This way the wood is tinted with pattern but not completely covered in an opaque block out colour... the tripod will also be stained.

Here are my chosen tools of trade!

xx

Vegan Peanut & Cashew Butter Chocolate Dessert Recipe

I am absolutely loving Instagram... The recipe today is heavily influenced by Wildy Raw an amazing instagrammer committed to raw, low sugar and vegan sweets!.

This is such a simple recipe that allows you to make truffle like chocolate vegan treats with pantry ingredients. Most of the ingredients I used were organic but the cocoa was unprocessed dutch cocoa not raw cacao... must get some raw cacao this week.

Vegan Peanut and Cashew Butter Chocolates

You will need:
Coconut Oil
Desiccated Coconut
Maple Syrup
Stevia
Cocoa/ Raw Cacao
Peanut Butter
Raw Cashews (150g)
Almond Milk
Baking Paper

1.Start by placing 1/2 cup of coconut oil and 1/2 cup cocoa in a bowl. If your coconut oil is quite solid you can melt it slightly before adding to cocoa so you can mix it well.
2.Now add 1/4 cup maple syrup to the cocoa/coconut oil paste and a few drops of Stevia to sweeten. Taste and add another 1/8 cup maple syrup to suit your taste if it isn't sweet enough for you.
3. Using a spatula spread the chocolate paste onto a sheet of baking paper to about 2-3mm thick and place in the freezer to set.
4. While the base is setting make your cashew butter by placing your cashews in a mixer with 1-2 tsp of desiccated coconut and 1 tbs of almond milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla then blend and add a bit more almond milk to make a nice thick nut butter. Leave aside
5. Once the chocolate base sets in the freezer (5-10 mins) take it out and spread the nut butters over as shown below... do this for the peanut butter and then make another disk of chocolate by mixing the above quantities (in step 1&2) set it in the freezer and spread the prepared cashew butter over.
6. Now take the rest of your chocolate mix and gently heat it in the microwave (20 secs) or over a double boiler to a runnier consistency (like double cream) then smooth a layer over the nut butter and top with a light sprinkle of desiccated coconut. Freeze for 10-15 mins till set.
7. Cut your chocolates into shapes using a cookie cutter or slices with knife and serve chilled. Store extras in the freezer.

 

cashew butter

xx

Industrial Vintage Upcycling - Feast Watson Re-Love Project 2014

I love the way blogging inspires me to be more creative and over the years my home has definitely reaped the benefits of DIY-ing. I also love the challenge of taking something old and breathing new life into it, giving it a new purpose and having it look like it just left the workshop floor. So when I was invited to be a part of Feast Watson's 2014 Re-love Project I was thinking you had me at "Dear Tina"!!. 

The project runs for the next month and a half with the challenge of taking an old and unwanted item and re-loving it up to its future glory!. I've chosen to upcycle an old reclaimed factory pallet and a vintage tripod and my fellow participants have chosen fabulous items and I can't wait to see the fruits of their labour in the coming weeks!. 

Feast Watson will also be auctioning off the upcycled items with the proceeds going to the Salvos Stores commencing 24th of July - love it!.

So for me it's time to get creative... over the next week I'll be sharing my inspirations and ideas for my design and posting my journey and "how to" as the project progresses. I'm excited - wood finishes are a new endeavor as I'm usually a paint and go upcycler so this will be a fresh DIY challenge for me!. 

This image is definitely serving as inspiration at this early stage... I'm loving the Industrial Scandi aesthetic and the overall colour pallet of greys/white/black...mind ticking, more to come!.

xx