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Saturday 27 September 2014

Tori & Mish | Dundee Flower and Food Festival 2014

Dundee Primary School's Art Attack!
We can't personally believe how quickly this year has gone by. Mish knew time was flying when she saw road signs advertising the Dundee Flower and Food festival 2014, it seemed like only yesterday it was last on. Sadly we missed the early bird ticket prices but a quick trip to Dundee city box office meant we didn't have to que up on the actual day. A lifesaver when both us were bursting for the loo when we finally arrived! (TMI? haha) Anyway, enjoy the post guys and let us know if you attended!


Mish's worst nightmare: Giant Leeks!
After forgetting which junction to take mid way through the journey, we finally arrived at the majestic opening to Camperdown park. A long drive winding through woodland (imagine what you see in Jane Austin adaptations on T.V.), before it emerges onto the largest public park in Dundee. The steward guides us to our parking space and it soon becomes clear that the 'Mish Wagon' does not like bumpy surfaces, we were bouncing along as if on horses. Jumping out of the car we make our way to the festival. A brisk two minute walk later, we hand our tickets to another steward and we're in!

 The legendary Arbroath Smokies
The area where the festival is held is only a small part of the park beside the 'big house'. It consists of 6 tents spread out over the area and stalls in the open spaces for people to eat, speak to charity groups, purchase goods and basically enjoy the atmosphere of the festival. The air is filled with the competing aromas of cooked food such as the comforting smell of Arbroath Smokies and wafts of BBQ buffalo burgers.




We spent a couple of hours trudging round in our wellies (it WAS muddy and we seemed to be in the minority- inappropriate footwear galore!) indulging in a whole lot of window shopping. There were candles, art works, skincare, ornaments, treen, pet supplies, clothing, you name it- they had it!
There was something to tempt everyone. One of the busiest tents was dedicated to gastronomic delights. We drooled over artisan confectionery, sauces, jams, spice mixes and were impressed by the wide variety of high quality veggies, meats and dairy products.Every day a special guest would cook something in the main tent. (Paul Hollywood attended last year).
Although Tori didn't indulge in any of the latter given her recent conversion to something between vegetarianism and vegan-ism, she was reliably informed that the buffalo burgers were to die for.


Yes, Jampionship is a real glorious thing!
Click here to see the this years winner! 


JAM HEAVEN


If ever she has come close to regretting her decision to go plant-based, it was at the Food and Flower Fest. Mish's parents had visited the festival the day before us and purchased some crazy-good strawberry chilli jam, doggy treats and were tempted by some of the outdoor furniture.

If you didn't manage to get to the festival this year then we would highly recommend you pop in for a look next time round. It was a lovely family friendly affair and there was some top-notch local produce on offer!



Representing the Salmon returning to a Highland spring from the sea.

So many tatties

Each little garden section was designed by a local group.
This was designed by Dundee & Angus College

Such a cute Wendy House.

Beside each flower display was a stall selling plants and flowers shown.

Bonsai: Simply stunning.

Created by a local Brownie unit, celebrating 100 years of Brownies

Pretty Ugly Plants and Tori agrees. 

We're a sucker for all things Bosnia

We were lagging a bit by this tent, but when this sight greets you its hard not to smile.
The smell was amazing.

Yes that is a Rice Krispies bowl you are seeing.
It became Mish's favourite flower presentation for the whole festival.



So did you visit the festival? Or do you have similar festivals in your area? 
Leave a comment below we love hearing from you!

P.S You know you have been to a Garden festival when you come away with one of these bad boys. There actually really nifty.


Monday 22 September 2014

Mish | Candle Week 2014: The Humble Tea Light


The humble tea light.

The tea light.  More than likely your first introduction to a candle. I always have fond memories of placing one in my freshly carved pumpkin for Halloween then letting my dad light it.  No doubt most homes across the world have either plain white candle sticks or some tea lights floating around, normally saved for the power outage that never occurs.

It may seem strange to start Jute, Jam and Joy's Candle Week off with something so small and simple, but we are not all about the brashness here. Tea lights have certain quaintness about them but can also portray a powerful message. Although used for keeping pots of tea warm and melting cheese, the tea light also creates an aura of peace.

"The lamps are going out all over Europe, 
we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime."
Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary. 

This year on August 4th The Royal British Legion asked everyone in Britain as a moment of reflection, to turn off their lights and place one small candle in their windows to mark the centenary of the start of the First World War. I and countless of others used a tea light. Those small lights represent a peace that is long wished for around the world and a single tea light flickering in the dark has become synonymous with the symbol of hope and respect.

But let's not dwell on sadness; tea lights also have a fun element to them. I know they are my most bought type of candle as it's normally cheaper to buy them than a standard sized candle. It's an easy option if you want to try a new scent and perfect for placing in awkward places. A full sized candle wouldn't fit anywhere in my bathroom and a tea light sits nicely on the corner of my bath tub.

I have never been happier taking photos.
The scent coming of the candles was scrumptious!

I have loved the range from Ikea recently. £1 for a pack of 100 unscented tea lights: bargain. There scented tea lights really pack a punch and at £1.50 - £2 for a pack of 30 you can't go wrong with that. As a matter of fact Ikea do have a lovely range of candles from large blocks to dainty little pots, so check them out next time your visiting a store.


JUTE, JAM AND JOY!
I have always wanted to write something with tea lights, now's my chance!

So there we have it the humble little tea light. Small in size but big in impact!

Enjoyed this post? Leave us a comment below we love hearing from you!
Do you love tea lights as much as us? Have any favourite brands?
And stay tuned for more exciting posts!





Disclaimer: All photos property of Mish at Jute, Jam and Joy, 2014. All views are my own, I have no connection with any company talked about in this post.
Please use common sense when using candles. Never leave a lit one unattended. Always use a proper holder, the first photo of the tea light was used solely for the photo and extinguished properly 30 seconds after being lit. Also never play with matches/lighters! Nobody wan't to be the kid with scorched eyebrows.

Sunday 21 September 2014

Jute, Jam and Joy Candle Week 2014

Welcome one and all to our 2014 Candle Week here on Jute, Jam and Joy!


























Starting Monday we will be blogging about some of our favourite candles and accessories. 

We love a good candle here at the three J's and have searched high and low to find our perfect ones. As always get in touch and let us know of your favourite candle brands. We love hearing from you and hopefully we can all discover some fabulous new brands and scents. 



Love Tori and Mish xx






Saturday 20 September 2014

Mish | Nails on Saturday

I have been missing being on holiday this week, so to cheer myself up I thought I would recreate the look I had whilst in Chicago. Just to note my main camera has broken so I was using my mobile to take these photos. They turned out not too shabby however trying to get a non-blurry photo of my actual nails was near impossible so apologies in advance for the slightly blurry look.

The colours I used where Formula X for Sephora in Massive (see my review here) and Formula X in Liberty.
I used Leighton Denny Under cover as my base coat and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri as my top coat.

Massive & Liberty by Formula X

I won't go into too much detail about Massive but just to say it's one of my favourite colours. Liberty caught my eye whilst wandering around Sephora. As it was July whilst I was in Chicago I'm guessing it tied in with the 4th July celebrations and can I just say what a party we have here. 



It's not a glittery top coat, more specks of red, white and blue particles (was going to say plastic but sounds a bit dodgy). The specks definitely have a shimmer to them which twinkles nicely when it catches the light and I have never had so many complements about my nails before in my life. I really love this top coat and decided to pop back to Sephora to purchase a spare bottle, but sadly they had sold out. I did see on Sasha Says Nails that Sally Hansen has practically the same top coat so that would be worth trying out if you couldn't get your hands on Liberty.




One final thing I will say about Formula X is I do adore their products, but the website. Sheesh you try to search something, it never comes up so I was left trailing through the photos to try and find Liberty. Once I found it my fears were confirmed. I think this is just produced for 4th of July, so people next July run down to Sephora and nab yourself a bottle. You won't be disappointed!


So just a quick nail post this week. 
Hope your all having a lovely weekend. Got any plans? 
Painting your nails, then what colour? 
Leave us a comment below, we love hearing from you all!




Disclaimer: All photos property of Mish at Jute, Jam and Joy, 2014


Mish & Tori | Music To Our Ears

Sometimes in life you just need a song to get you going. The music market is saturated with songs concerning womanhood and its power, some good, some should never have seen the light of day, but one song stands alone in its greatness! We cannot think of any other song which gets us singing and dancing as much as this one does. Can we also say how kick ass is this video, Shania you rock!

Shania Twain - Man! I feel like a woman.










Disclaimer: Jute, Jam and Joy claim no rights to this video.

Friday 19 September 2014

Tori & Mish | MUSIC TO OUR EARS

Most nights an episode of Sex and the City is on at least one TV channel in the U.K. Last night one of my favourite episodes "Anchors Away" was being aired. As Carrie talks to the handsome sailor Louis Leroy at the end of the episode, the strains of Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness" filled the air. The way in which this song slowly builds up to its climax is perfection (more musicians need to learn the fine art of this) and Redding's voice is simply divine.

Otis Redding - Try A Little Tenderness












Disclaimer: Jute, Jam and Joy claim no copyright to this video.

Wednesday 17 September 2014

Tori & Mish | MUSIC TO OUR EARS

I am sure we have said this before, but some songs just deserve our presence on the dance floor. Really can't say much more about the greatness that is...


 The Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight











Disclaimer: Jute, Jam and Joy claim no rights to this video.

Saturday 13 September 2014

Mish | Nails on Saturday

It's been a busy few weeks at Jute, Jam and Joy and we simply haven't had the time to keep up with regular blog posts. However I decided it's high time to get another Nails on (whatever day I remember to post) post up. I painted my nails (well, nail wheel), with a Sally Hansen polish, snapped my photos and started preparing my notes for this post when one word hit me like a steam train.

Discontinued...


Pink is called Byte (09)
Blue is called Spectrum (14)


Not going to lie, had a little gasp to myself (possible a little tear, then another little tear fell realising how pathetic I am weeping over nail varnish). Yes my beloved Sally Hansen HD Nail Colour is no more. I bought these two babies whilst in the good auld U.S.A a couple of years ago and have loved them ever since. I love intricate nail art/styles but don't have the time to do it, so both these polishes appealed to me. Basically it looks like you have spent ages completing your manicure, when in truth you haven't, the shimmer is beautiful and does actually have a HD affect to it, making your nails look utterly gorgeous.  Both colours are vibrant; they attract attention but in a somehow classy way. If you were going to an event or work where crazy nail varnish is not allowed this would somehow be acceptable, I don't know how but let's just say they would.


Both bottles contains silver shimmer mixed with another colour, Byte has blue and Spectrum Pink


Nail polishes tend to have a high turnover in terms of new ranges replacing older ones. Sally Hansen does suggest her GEM Crush would be a prefect replacement (even thought I love them as well) I'm not convinced. The bonus the HD had was that the polish set smooth, there is no drag if you swipe your finger over it, as with some other shimmer polishes. Gem Crush on the other hand, man do those scratch if you don't apply at least two top coats.

I always apply three thin coats when using this product. You are then left with a stunning high shine, shimmer design which is turns opaque, the thing I love most about it. So many shimmer polishes are so darn streaky, not the problem with this.


One coat

 
Two coats
       
Three Coats
The photo doesn't really show a difference between the 2nd and 3rd coat, but the colour does appear deeper in the flesh.


I guess this post is turning into an ode to Sally Hansen HD Nail colours (apologies if I'm rambling) Its discontinuousness also does not help the reasoning I use all the time of don't worry the product still be there next month to purchase, you can buy it later...

So now I turn to you great Blogging Community, is there a dupe for the HD range?
 Or is there a better replacement to fill the void in my over filling nail polish box? 
Please let me know!



Discaimer: All photos copyright of Mish at Jute, Jam and Joy 2014


Sunday 7 September 2014

Tori & Mish | JOY TO THE WORLD # 25

Oh it's been a while, hasn't it!

We've been very busy at Jute, Jam and Joy this week; topped off with a lovely day at Dundee Flower and Food Festival today! Stay tuned for lots of exciting new posts about our adventures and purchases.

To keep things ticking over here is a brand spanking new Joy to the World to keep you going. Have a lovely Sunday everyone! 

Also massive Thank you to all our new followers on Blogger, Bloglovin' and Twitter, it really means the world to us!


Bryan Adams - Summer of 69












Disclaimer: Jute, Jam and Joy claim no right to this video.

Monday 1 September 2014

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Photo copyright Tori at Jute, Jam and Joy, 2014