Out Of The Office

Hi all, sorry for not posting anything for the last week, I am currently on a road trip in America having an amazing time! I am taking LOADS if photos and visiting some cool places so will post when I'm back. But for now here are some wild turkeys filling up at the local gas station in Big Sur. We had to wait our turn!

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1938 DISNEY REJECTION LETTER

A friend of mine posted this to me the other day, it is really quite extraordinary to think that a rejection letter could be for this reason or possibly worded in this way in our day and age, but apparently in 1938 it was standard. Thank goodness things aren't the same today or all us poor girls!

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LIMONCELLO GIN COCKTAIL

Image care of Fine Cooking

This is the perfect drink to make alongside a BBQ as the thyme tastes great once it has been grilled for a few mins!

YOU WILL NEED (per cocktail)
2 large sprigs fresh thyme; more for garnish
1/2 oz.  fresh lime juice
1-1/2 oz. Jensens of Bermondsey Gin
1/2 oz. Limoncello

METHOD
Prepare a gas or charcoal grill fire for direct cooking over medium-high (500°F) heat. Grill the thyme sprigs until fragrant and lightly charred, about 15 seconds.

In a mixing glass or cocktail shaker, gently muddle the grilled thyme with the lime juice. Add the gin and limoncello and fill the shaker with ice. Stir well. Strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with fresh ice, garnish with thyme, and serve.

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NEW ORLEANS FIZZ COCKTAIL

Image care of PopSugar

Also known as a Ramos Fizz, the New Orleans Fizz was created in the late 1800's by Henry C. Ramos in New Orleans. The cocktail became so popular that by the 1915 Mardi Gras celebration Ramos' 35 "shaker boys" could not keep up with demand.

This classic cocktail is one to add to your list of drinks to know but remember to shake it really well to make sure the egg is completely mixed. In fact, your best fizz comes from shaking until it hurts.

YOU WILL NEED (per cocktail)

1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 oz lemon juice
1 1/4 oz simple syrup
2 oz milk, half & half, or cream
1 small egg white
2 dashes fleurs d'orange (orange flower water)
Club soda

METHOD

Place all of the ingredients except the club soda into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake vigorously (more than normal to ensure the egg and cream are well mixed). Strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Top with club soda.

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BLACKBERRY BRAMBLE COCKTAIL

Image care of crepes of wrath

The Blackberry Bramble is a modern classic and behind every classic there is a story, as it goes it was created in 1984 by U.K. bartender Dick Bradsell. The feature of this enhanced gin sour is the crème de mûre, a blackberry liqueur. Though this liqueur is not a common bar ingredient, it is nice to have around for drinks such as this. The Jensen Bermondsey Dry Gin is the perfect accompaniment to this creation.

YOU WILL NEED (makes 2 drinks)

to make the berry syrup:
2 cups blackberries/blueberries/raspberries
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves

for the cocktail:
6 oz Jensens of Bermondsey gin
juice of 2 lemons
2 ounces simple syrup
Procecco

METHOD
Place your berries in a small saucepan and add in the sugar, water, cinnamon, and cloves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then simmer for 8 minutes, until the berries have softened (but not disintegrated) and the sugar has dissolved. You will have extra if you’re not making drinks for a party, so these will keep well in their syrup for up to a week.

In a cocktail shaker, combine your gin, lemon juice, and syrup. You can use some of the syrup from the berries, if you want a really fruity drink, or you can just use regular simple syrup. To make plain simple syrup, just boil 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water until the sugar dissolves. Easy!

Add ice to the top and shake well, for at least 10 seconds. Use a strainer (so you don’t have any lemon pulp) to pour the cocktail into two ice filled glasses. Drop a spoonful or two of berries into the drink, drop with club soda, and add a straw. Allow your guests to stir the drink themselves;, beautiful and tasty!

This is an edited version from the Crepes Of Wrath blog.

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LAVENDER COLLINS COCKTAIL

picture care of Brides Magazine

Its the beginning of the summer and to celebrate I am releasing a new cocktail every day this week on the blog using my favourite local Gin company Jensens Bermondsey Gin. So heres my first offering, a delicious treat for an evening in the garden, the Lavender Collins is a delightful and refreshing mixed drink. Try out this collins and you may not go back to the Tom Collins.

YOU WILL NEED (per cocktail)
1 1/2 oz Jensens Bermondsey Gin
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz lavender syrup ( method below)
3 oz club soda

Sprig of lavender for garnish

To make the lavender syrup:

1 cup water
3 tbsp fresh or dried lavender flowers
2 cups sugar

METHOD

Firstly to make the lavender syrup, bring water and lavender to the boil in a saucepan, using a wooden spoon stir in sugar until it is completely dissolved  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins. Remove from the heat and allow to cool with the lavender, once cooled strain flowers away. This will store for 1 week in the fridge.

To make the Lavender Collins, transfer all ingredients except club soda into a cocktail shaker and mix. Pour into a long glass full of ice. Top up with the club soda and a sprig of lavender to decorate.

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All-a-glow in my Uniqlo!

So I was delighted to discover the new Cabbages and Roses & Celia Birtwell collections in Uniqlo. I must say this isn't a store I have shopped in that much in the past, but when I saw a pair of pink toile de jouy shorts in the window I was beckoned in! My eyes were lit up with the simple chic shapes and inspirational prints, all super cheap! T-Shirt dresses from £12 & shorts £14.99. Well I am going to look terribly English on my American road trip next month...I even match my wallpaper now!

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Macmillan's Really Good Night In!

When I wrote Girls' Night In, I had no idea the timing would fit so perfecly with a charity event I hold so close to my heart. Macmillan are simply and incredible & essential charity, they provide support & advice, funding & fundraising, as well as researching for a cure for those who suffer or are effected by cancer. An incredible 33% of us will suffer from cancer once in our lives, which means this charity hugely is important. Having my grandmother & two close girlfriends fathers die from the disease I have direct experience of how destructive it is. So lets do something positive, have a Really Good Night In!

This event is on Friday 26th of April, but if you cant make that date I'm sure you can do another! The concept is simple, to raise at least £100 for those who are affected by cancer, whilst hosting a night in with your friends.

There are details here for how to get involved, you can sign up and you will be sent a Night In Kit full of bits and bobs and ideas, including easy ways to raise money. I love that they have a crafty "make and do" section to their website including Knit and Natter & Cupcake Heaven. You are also welcome to use any of the free projects on the GNI website to support your evening, click here.

I urge you to back this charity, these are incredible people fighting for other incredible people.

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GIRLS' NIGHT IN LAUNCH PARTY

Last friday the 12th April, I hosed a friends and bloggers party for the launch of GNI at my home in South-East London. Now, this is the first time I have ever hosted a Launch Party, but my experiences of  hosting countless ones for my friends put me in good stead!

About a month ago I got in contact with some of my FAVOURITE bloggers, Craft Candy, Torie Jayne, the Craft Cafe, Bo Belles WI & Laura Ashley to name but a few & lucky for me they accepted my invitation. All my closest girlfriends and family made it too & I even had a friend fly in from Berlin especially, which made it all the more wonderful for me. I had about 40 people coming to the evening.... eeek!

Two days before I began the baking marathon, I was determined that everything I laid out I had made myself, which was kind of the point. I two large cakes, the Peach Melba Leggy Frill Cake from the book and a new invention the Strawberries and Cream Coconut Cake, which both went down a treat, it seems that by sprinkling decimated coconut around a whipped cream iced cake really works, the cream absorbs all the flavour if you leave it in the fridge overnight, yum. Next I made a stack of 50 profiteroles  I have never made them before individually  there is a recipe for the Paris Brest in Girls' Night In so I followed that, but on a larger scale. Then I also scaled up the Mini Spinach and Ricotta Quiches by making two full large ones. Oh and the cupcakes, 30 Lemon Curd and 30 Strawberry decorated with fresh flowers... Like I said it was a marathon!!

The piece de resistance was my giant Melted Brie, honestly if you only make one thing for a party make this, girls' love cheese, especially when sprinkled with nuts, thyme and lashings of honey, then melted in the oven to be perfectly gooey & served with french bread.  There was one point where ALL of the girls' were in my kitchen digging into the 50cm wheel before I hosted my first demo, they literally had to be forced away! When they had gone, it had gone! Girl Gannets...

I decorated the house with the props I had made for the book, including the Felt Pom Pom decorations (as featured in You and Your Wedding) and the Leggy Bunting. I also placed my original illustration over the mantelpiece in the living room. 

April being April, the weather was somewhat unpredictable  with sun then rain then hail stones!!! I thought it was wize to put a gazebo up in the garden to hold the food and cocktails as I wanted to use the kitchen for some demonstrations & the living room for guests. I found an amazing one in Ikea of all places and it was a bit of a saviour, no matter how much I preyed it wouldn't rain, it did, by the bucket! When myself and my husband were erecting the trent we were hailed on...

Over the course of the evening I hosted two nail design workshops, which were great fun.

I also held a cocktail making competition, Jensen Gin had kindly donated a few bottles to the GNI cause (new recipes coming soon). The entrants drinks ranged from the good, the bad and the darn right ugly! The cocktails were judged by myself, Christine Leech ( co-author of Alice & Oz) and Zoe from Craft Candy, with a little help from my aunt Georgina. The entrants were judged on appearance and taste, they were asked to stick their names on the base of the glass so it was a blind test.

Jane came in 3rd place for her Pina Colada, Rebecca & Laura 2nd & Juliana came in 1st place, although being Brazilian she did have an unfair advantage! Everyone loved her cocktails!

There was also a noted special commendation to Larha for her cocktail April Showers for its elegant design and Tiff & Georgie for their Mule Grashopper for its general green appearance & mouthwash taste!

All the effort was well worth it, I had SO MUCH FUN, quite honestly it was the best Girls' Night In this girl could hope for!

Girls night in is available to buy here. There is also a fabulous website with lots of free stuff here.

You can also read other bloggers photos and versions of this event; Cos I Like Making Stuff, ( more will be added this week)

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Girls' Night In Launch Competition

WOWZERS!

GIRLS' NIGHT IN LAUNCH COMPETITION,

WIN A LUXE VINTAGE HAMPER FILLED WITH DESIGNER GOODIES.

We've decided to launch the Girls' Night In book in the appropriate style and give away an incredible Vintage Hamperfilled with highly luxurious products, so you and your girlfriends can have the Girls' Night In you deserve. The contents of this bounty are worth £200 including brands such as Nails Inc, Forelli, Portmeirion, Aroma Home, Arran Aromatics and Osprey. All products have been chosen by Hannah to provide one lucky winner with her essential kit for a fabulous Girls' Night In, all items are listed below in detail. 



WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

We want to see a photo you and your girlfriend's at your very own Girls Night In. It could be a shot of you diving into a cake from the book, a silly Photo Booth photo, all of you making a craft project, perhaps you are hosting a beauty night and you all have face mask on? Or simply dancing around the room. We would love to see at least one of you holding a copy of the book in your photo. Be original and grab our attention! You can upload your photo here & check out all of the prizes!



*Competition ends 31st May 2013 open to UK only. You can purchase a copy of Girls' Night In here

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LAUNCH DAY, PINK LADY COCKTAIL RECIPE! Girls' Night In book

Well its actually here, the official launch day of the Girls Night In book, tonight I am hosting my very own party to celebrate at my home, I'm very excited!

This gin based cocktail is synonymous with the cinematic classic, Grease in which a group of girls' name their gang "the pink ladies". Also favoured by the gorgeous Jayne Mansfield, who was said to have one before every meal. For full written instructions please click here

Lucky for me a local gin brand Jensen of Bermondsey are helping me out with sponsorship for the event so there will be lots of these on the menu, more cocktail ideas from them soon...

Check out the stunning Girls Night In Website here & buy your very own copy at a discount here.

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Spring Trends from Liberty! £30 OFF OFFER!

It may still be icy outside, but your wardrobe doesn't need to be as grey and dreary as the London weather. Check out our spring summer 2013 women's trends roundup.

And don't forget THIS AMAZING OFFER, you can still get £30 off when you spend £150 or more using the code SPRING13 at the checkout!

1. LOVE this White parrot print shopper from Marni. A cheerful bag to bring a bit of tropical sunshine into your life! White shopper featuring a multicolour Rop Van Mierlo parrot print on a floral background; raw-edge leather carry handles; black and white stripe print on reverse; white interior and leather luggage tag with logo


Click here for more details

£200.00

2. STUNNING Black jungle leaf print silk scarf from Kenzo Accessories. Would be perfect over a black dress for the evening or wear with jeans for a more casual look. Small square silk scarf featuring a vibrant multicoloured jungle leaf print with finished edges and the Kenzo logo in 

one corner. 

Click here for more details

£90.00

3. BOLD Blue digital pansy print jacket Paul Smith Black Label. This print is simply gorgeous, would be a great item for a wedding or over skinny jeans with a clutch for a Spring evening on the town.


Click here for more details

£345

4. PRETTY Orange floral print tie-front dress from Carve. Slip-on, colourful floral print blue crepe dress featuring sleeveless styling, round neckline with button fastening and central slit, self-tie detail at the front and gathered seam at the centre-back.


Click here for more details

£270

5. GIRLY White Liberty floral print skirt Anglomania by Vivienne Westwood. Fully lined knee length skirt featuring large floral print; wide pleating at the waist; concealed back zip fastening; white waistband button fastening and two slanted side pockets.


Click here for more details

£295.00

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DAY No. 2 COUNTDOWN: VINTAGE ROLL HAIRSTYLE - Girls Night In Launch

This Vintage Roll is a look I wear a lot and I often get asked how I do it. It looks complicated but it is in fact super easy! For some reason no-one ever believes me, so here is the proof in the pudding! For full written instructions please click here

Check out the stunning Girls Night In Website here & buy your very own copy at a discount here.

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DAY No. 3 COUNTDOWN: BANANA & AVOCADO FACE MASK HOW TO - Girls Night In Launch

This rich mask is ideal for those with dry to normal skin, it is full of protein which is easily absorbed by the skin and will help protect against the elements.For full written instructions please click here

Check out the stunning Girls Night In Website here & buy your very own copy at a discount here.

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Shop Spring! With John Lewis

This year I'm defying the weather and refusing to imagine that there has been snow drifts in April! This splendid selection of bright spring shopping opportunities are keeping my mood fresh and my wardrobe happy. Here are my top picks from John Lewis, who are having a discount a day this spring, see more.

1.  THE BAG
 

Crafted from soft leather, and with a contrasting colour block band at the bottom, the slouchy style is perfect for days out at the weekend but still smart enough to carry your everyday office essentials. 

Click here

£79

2. THE PURSE

A chic practical purchase, this purse has 12 card slots and 6 compartments. The quirky slogan embossed on the front reads, 'IT'S WHAT'S INSIDE THAT COUNTS'

 Click here

£39

3.  THE SCARF
 
A lovely super soft textured scarf from our Weekend collection. Perfect for wrapping around during colder, windy days or nights. It features a textured weave design contrasted with the plain weave. Finished off with a raw edging.

Click here

£22

3.  THE BOOTS

Kensit is a chic casual ankle boot that comes in a lovely tonal browncolour. Reminiscent of spicy hot Moroccan spices, it has been crafted in a wonderfully textile suede. It features a cuban block heel with elasticated sides for comfort and a slight upturned toe.

Click here

£85

4. THE DRESS

Striking and directional, this linen dress from Weekend by MaxMara is perfect for the new season. 

Designed with a round neck, elasticated waist and flared skirt, it's ultra flattering and feminine for the new season.

Click here

£180

5. THE UMBRELLA... just in case

This gorgeous and chic umbrella by Fulton is perfect for brightening up those rainy days. With its stylish design , there’s finally a reason to be singing in the rain…

 

Click here

£25

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DAY No. 4 COUNTDOWN: CITRUSY CHILLI CHOC POPCORN - Girls Night In Launch

No movie night is complete without some popcorn, but we can all get a bit bored of the same old sweet and savoury varieties. Spice up your options with this surprisingly delicious recipe! For full written instructions please click here

Check out the stunning Girls Night In Website here & buy your very own copy at a discount here.

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DAY No. 5 COUNTDOWN: CUPCAKE IN A CONE HOW TO - Girls Night In Launch

A cupcake in a cone? What sort of tasty trickery is this? Trust me, its the very best kind! Yes this ingenious invention is not only filled with chocolaty deliciousness, but it is practical too: no spillage, no waste, just gorgeous…oh, and very very tasty.For full written instructions please click here

Check out the stunning Girls Night In Website here & buy your very own copy at a discount here.

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DAY No. 6 COUNTDOWN: LEGGY BUNTING HOW TO - Girls Night In Launch

Preparing your house for a party is so much fun & its great to be creative. I love bunting, but was looking for something a bit different for this book, so came up with this Leggy Bunting idea, perfectly suited to a Girls' Night In! For full written instructions please click here

Check out the stunning Girls Night In Website here & buy your very own copy at a discount here.

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DAY No. 7 COUNTDOWN: HANNAHS PARTY PREP TIPS - Girls Night In Launch

To celebrate the launch of my new book Girls Night In I have created a series of free video's as a countdown. As I am hosting my very own party at my home on friday night, here's my top party prep tips. Remember these may come in useful if you are planning to enter the amazing Vintage Hamper competition, click here to win an amazing prize worth £200! Full details to be released on launch day.

Check out the stunning Girls Night In Website here & buy your very own copy at a discount here.

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Girls' Night In, craft, cakes and cocktails for the ultimate party. Mylatest book.

So if you are a twitter follower of mine you wouldn't have failed to notice that I am launching a new offering to the book world next Thursday 11th April; Girls' Night In, craft, cakes and cocktails for the ultimate party, is my third book and first solo project ( away from the Everything Series with the gorgeous Christine Leech). As this is my first solo project it is incredibly close to my heart, it also includes many of my best friends.


Writing a book is comparable to launching a space rocket, (now hear me out) before it gets to your local bookshop or sold online there are a series of challenges one must succeeded to make it a success and launch it into the stratosphere.

Girls' Night In for me was a fairly natural progression fromEverything Alice  and Everything Oz, I seem to go for big ideas and big concepts, which is where my work as a stylist helps. This book seemed like a great way to incorporate all of my favourite things, craft, cakes, cocktails, friends, parties, beauty, games and more. ​Since I was a little girl I have loved hosting parties, and as a midsummer baby my birthday always used to be a great excuse for a big celebration. We have two main parties every year in our house; one for my birthday and the other at Christmas, I’m so glad I have a dining room and a long table (plus the garden table at the end) where I can squeeze in our guests for a meal, maximum being 23 people, shoulder to shoulder, all on random furniture from the house, garden and next door! It’s a squash, but that’s the fun of it.

The idea for a girls night in came from exactly this, some of the greatest times I have spent with my girlfriends has been at each others houses, gossip and secrets have been shared, cocktails consumed, party games played, movies watched and lots of fun has been had! The great thing about a GNI is that you don’t need to splash too much cash to have a fabulous evening, and with the boys out of the picture you can have some real quality time with your girlfriends.

My friends naturally feature predominantly in this book, I am lucky enough to have remained close to my school friends and I can honestly say there is no one else in the world I would prefer to spend my GNI with.

So inspiration for this book was not a problem. The way I work is to go away and create mood boards of ideas divided into sections of the book, these all all images found on the internet, hand drawn or scraps from magazines. This book has so many facets it was important to get the right, contents include ideas for Party Preparation Craft Projects, Boudoir Beauty, Savvy Savouries, Sweet Treats & Cocktails, as well as games, movie suggestions and more. For me it is important ideas are original, fun and interesting. As I needed to create craft projects that were designed for groups of friends to make in a reasonable time scale, achievable make-up, hair and nails designs & inspiring food.

Once all my ideas were created, I went through them with the publisher Quadrille, showing them a preview of the craft projects, with the food they just had to trust me!

This book had two wonderful photographers; Tiffany Mumford for people, who shot lovely Everything Alice & is an old friend of mine, we used to share the same agent years ago & Verity Welsead for still life, who shot Everything Oz & who I genuinely think is amazing, especially to be around for weeks on end. The first day of the shoot was with my girlfriends Rebecca, Flora, Jessica and Alexia at Flora's parents beautiful & generously proportioned home in Sussex. Sadly Alexia was ill on this day so the make-up artist Nina stood in for her, lucky for me she is so gorgeous!!

From left to right; Jessica, Rebecca, Me (Hannah), Flora, Nina

Alison and Rachel also feature in this book, who couldn't take part in the above photo as they both had their first babies within a month of the shoot, they feature later on. It was fun shooting with my friends but a weird & fun experience, as I was styling, posing & art directing its quite hard to be in all places at once, you are concentrating so hard on what you are doing & I'm so used to using models, that when you look up and its one of your best friends saying, where do you want me to stand? It can be a shock! They loved having their hair and make-up done & I know I'm bias but I think they all look pretty stunning. A close friend of mine, Fiona Fletcher helped with the make-up looks creating the Vintage, Pretty In Pink and Smouldering Eye's looks, what was great was to get everyone involved, it really feels like our book.

Verity and I shot the still life between Flora's parents home and in my home studio, we both put on about a stone over the course of the shoot sampling all the food & she would come over every day saying right, I'm not going to have anything bad today, remember the food in this book is party food so more delicious than diet, but every day we would both fail, when confronted with a Leggy Frill Cake or a Rustic Pizza you've got no chance! Its a hard life...

So once all the photos have been taken, the recipe & method write ups have been done, they get sent to the publisher; edited by the lovely Louise McKeever & designed by the amazing Claire Peters. I am unusual as I get very involved in the photographic & design side of the book, most authors write the projects and may less often style them, but never get involved in the design, as Christine designed Everything Alice & Oz we worked directly together on this & this makes things look exactly how you want them, which is important to me. The photos are then selected and retouched, actually this more to do with the way they print onto the paper than anything else, often what you are seeing on your screen is not what comes out on paper.

I then sat down and created the illustrations, I really love George Petty, the original pin up girl illustrator & the pictures are a bit of a homage to his work. The front cover was actually an after thought as we thought the above photo was going to be the cover for a long time, but apparently we looked quite young? Publisher persuasion or truth?... Anyway it made it to the back & I'm glad that there is an illustrated cover as it now sits well with my other illustrations for the covers of Everything Alice & Everything Oz.

Now, you would think after this that was it. Well no, you have got to remember promotion... If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound... This project has been interesting for me as I am a strong believer in the undeniable power of the internet & not only felt it essential to design a fully fledged website for the book, which will host competitions, has a free series of videos & demonstrations, a music playlist & much more. Verity doubled up as a DOP for the filming & we shot an incredible 8 videos in a day, it was a bit of a marathon, but I am pleased with the results, you can see them all here - I think I was a little tired when it got to the Pink Lady Cocktail as I make some weird comment about Tom Cruise!

Me and my Girls' Night In book

Fiona & Verity, like the orange socks!

Obviously I only work with blondes! 

Have a look here & let me know what you think, Girls Night In Website. I am hosting an incredible launch competition give away worth over £200, you can have a look here. 

Other promotion includes working with magazines doing interviews and giving sample project to them. So far I have had a wonderful article for Living South, my local magazine, where my Cupcakes in a Jar made the front cover, & I was described as " The Cake Queen of Peckham," (love it). There will be other features coming up in a selection of great mags, I am working closely with Mollie Makes, so check out their May issue. I will also be hosting a workshop at the prestigious Make Lounge in late May, so check their website for details.

You can buy Girls Night In here on Amazon & you can keep updated on events on Facebook. Show your support and keep in touch. Best wishes, Hannah x

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