Rediscovering a vegan-friendly lifestyle store: Jan de Vries blogger event

Sometimes it seems as if some stores are new to the scene, when in fact they have been around for a long time. My bus route takes me past the big Holland and Barrett store on the East End of Princes Street and I pass by their smaller store on Shandwick Place all the time, but little did I know that Jan de Vries was just around the corner on Queensferry Street.

Re-creating high fashion: dressmaking project with fabric from Tissura

We get inspiration from all around us for creative projects and sometimes seeing something you like but wanting to change it to suit your own style is the most straight forward way. Years ago when I was avidly catching all the premier designer fashion shows, I was also watching out for the celebrities to see what they wore. Sometimes what’s on the front row is just as good as what is being paraded down the runway!

There was one such Asian celebrity who wore what I thought was an interesting gown. It was made with textured rose pink coloured fabric, was short-sleeved and was the length of a coat, but was in fact a dress with a short zip of around 6 inches which meant the celebrity had to wear shorts underneath. Somehow the length and style of the dress really fascinated me. In Scotland, you wouldn’t catch me wearing the dress with short shorts underneath, but it was one that definitely stayed in my mind!

Another vegan pasta recipe: kale pasta

I like to take inspiration where I can for quick and easy meals to cook at home. With the OH being a chef who also likes some variety in what we eat (unlike me who’s quite happy to stick with the same ol’ meals day after day), it’s a nice challenge to know what else I can rustle up for lunch or dinner on a whim.

A lot of friends have commented how celebrity chefs like to share meals that are ‘quick and easy’ and oh so simple to make in 5 minutes, but it never works out that way. Derek and Chad Sarno of Wicked Healthy are great for sharing quick and easy recipes like this pasta dish below because when they say it’s quick and easy, it really is.

Quick and simple vegan recipe hack: linguine mushroom bolognese

Nothing excites me more than seeing the abundance of vegan options being offered at restaurants and supermarkets now, especially the Wicked Kitchen range that’s gaining momentum in Tesco stores across the UK (see my review of the products I’ve sampled so far here), but the OH and I do enjoy cooking our own meals at home too.

I loved the idea of using mushrooms as a vegan alternative to minced beef and instead of using soy mince. We try not to cook with processed foods too often preferring to cook our own meals with whole foods and enhancing flavour with herbs and spices. Trying my hand at making a dish similar to the Wicked Kitchen Nana’s linguine mushroom bolognese was so fun and simple, I really enjoyed making it myself.

The Creative Craft Show and Scottish Quilting Show, SEC Glasgow

Fancy getting creative in 2018? Then a trip to The Creative Craft Show and The Scottish Quilting Show is a must.

The co-hosted shows are back at Glasgow’s SEC on March 8 – 11 bringing together over 100 exhibitors showcasing artisan, handcrafted gifts, supplies and inspiration and demonstrations for crafters and quilters.

Vegan fashion directory part 2: where to buy vegan-friendly handbags

As much as finding a pair of shoes, boots or heels is a personal choice (you can read all about my post on brands that offer vegan shoes here), as women, we like to carry stylish bags that define our personal style. So where do you go for that perfect arm candy, for work or for going out?

Hopefully this blog post will have you sorted and as with my post on vegan shoes, there will be something here to suit everyone.

Homemade three-layer vegan berry cheesecake: the recipe

A lot of non-vegans are usually worried about missing out on foods they enjoy, “but what do you do about protein?”, “how do you eat enough to feel full?” and “I’ll miss the taste of (insert dish here)”. What non-vegans don’t realise is that not everyone was born vegan and there are a lot of dishes that we missed as well when we decided to make the switch.

This is something I can confidently say whenever I’m told non-vegans will miss out on this dish or that: being vegan and missing a non-vegan dish means that whatever you think you’ll be missing out on, another vegan will have also missed it and come up with a vegan version that tastes just the same, if not better.

What do apples have to do with sustainable luxury vegan fashion?

One pervading thought that still lingers in people’s minds about the lifestyle is that vegan fashion is a little behind when ‘luxury’ materials like leather, suede and exotic animal skins aren’t used. This is something innovative individuals who are environmentally conscious and animal lovers are quickly picking up on and filling the gap for. I will talk more about some of my favourite brands later, but walking through Harrods recently, I noticed how apart from Stella McCartney, there were no other designer brands that were vegan friendly and without paying through the nose for luxury fashion. happy genie is looking to bridge that gap in the market.

The Tartan Carrot fundraiser event for Lotus Animal Sanctuary

Hope everyone had a great weekend! I’ve had a pretty busy week eating lots and exploring new (and visiting old) vegan eateries and enjoying every morsel, so expect lots more restaurant reviews appearing on here soon! In the meantime, you may remember I wrote about the intentions to build an animal sanctuary for all animals, including those who are rescued from slaughter (see my previous post here). It seems like so long ago the amazing people at The Tartan Carrot set this date for the big fundraiser to build Lotus Animal sanctuary in central Scotland – and here it is just over 2 weeks away!

The Craft Scotland Summer Show 2017 is here!

If you’re like me and like to support local businesses and like unique pieces of jewellery and crafts, hearing the story behind the designs and how the makers created the piece, you’re in the right place. The Craft Scotland Summer Show is back for the 70th Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Designed as a calming escape from the hustle and bustle of the Edinburgh Festival, 33 of Scotland’s most talented makers and designers have been given the opportunity to contribute to the Craft Scotland Summer Show.