beeswax

Have A Crafty Christmas

~ Of Cabbages & Kings ~ Leave a comment

Handmade Christmas gifts draw on the popularity of craft and offer the opportunity to give unique and memorable presents. From making your own handmade Christmas decorations or Christmas cards to giving people the knowledge and tools to explore their own craft journey, craft can bring people together and is fun for all ages.

Our DIY kits encourage more sustainable use of materials and can often be personalised with the help of a little imagination. Explore this crafting trend with our selection of make your own Christmas ideas and turn this Christmas into a Crafty Christmas. 

Origami Decoration Kit by Ola Studio
Create beautiful handmade festive decorations with these Origami Decoration Kits by Ola. This kit contains everything you need to create 3D origami ornaments using Ola’s iconic pattered papers. The Benita pattern is inspired by the female designers of the Bauhaus; Anni Albers, Gunta Stolzl and Otti Berger. The geometric pattered papers come in two colours, navy and ochre. Each kit contains materials and instructions to make eight patterned decorations, as well as a link to Ola’s video tutorial which will walk you through the process, step by step. 

You’ll start by learning to make a sonobe module, a traditional Japanese origami pattern. The module is then put together to create two different decoration shapes – a pyramid and bauble – both of which will look beautiful either hung on your Christmas tree or adorning your home.

Once you’ve mastered the techniques, you’ll be able to use these skills year after year (we especially like repurpose used gift-wrap to save it from the recycling bin!)

Unleash your artistic side and create your own Christmas cards with this Screen Printing Kit. By making festive stencils out of card or freezer paper you can print your own designs and send unique and personal messages this Christmas.

Simple to use, this kit contains a screen, squeegee and water-based printing inks in black and white. It is ideal for creating your own t-shirt or tote bag designs or printing on to A4 paper. This screen is designed to print an area of 210 x 297mm (A4), but is also available in A3.  

Learn how to screen print with stencils on the OC&K Blog.

A4 Screen Printing Kit by Hunt The Moon

Lighting scented candles is a great way to create a cosy atmosphere when it’s dark and gloomy outside. What’s even more fun is making those candles yourself. This little DIY, Make Your Own Candle Kit is an enjoyable way to spend a relaxing few hours and is a perfect gift for candle lovers. Available in four scents: Christmas Spice, Orange Blossom, Rose Geranium and Fresh Fig.

Each kit contains everything you need to create two scented candles: Soy wax flakes, fragrance oil, glass jars and wicks, and the simple instruction leaflet explains exactly how to make your candles with ease. The small votive candles will burn for roughly 15hrs each. A thoughtful gift for any creative person.

All Parkminster products are made in their Sussex workshop. They source all of their ingredients and packing from UK suppliers and recycle or re-use all packaging and boxes.

Make Your Own Candle Kits by Parkminster

Candle rolling is a fun craft for the whole family, no need to melt wax, just simply roll and enjoy. The relaxing natural scent of beeswax and the gentle craft of candle rolling creates candles with a warm golden glow and a homely atmosphere perfect for Christmas. Each Beeswax Candle Rolling Kit contains all you need to make four candles: Four sheets of 100% natural beeswax in two sizes sustainably sourced in England, your sustainable hemp wicks pre-waxed in natural beeswax, instructions and safety card.

This kit is made out plastic-free ingredients, sourced and made in the UK. Completely biodegradable and all natural.

Beeswax Candle Rolling Kit by Pretty Bee Fresh

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Introducing Pretty Bee Fresh

~ Of Cabbages & Kings ~ Leave a comment

“The journey of a sustainable future starts with a conscious decision everyone of us has to make, followed by small changes to our lifestyle. Our mission is to encourage people to live a more sustainable life, respecting nature and the invaluable resources Mother Earth provides. We believe in giving back to our planet and want to contribute in every little way we possibly can. It is now more important than ever to protect our vulnerable ecosystem, especially trees which have supported and sustained life throughout existence and are paramount to our survival. We’ve therefore chosen to work with Trees for Cities, supporting them in their incredible work, planting trees on a national and international scale in an effort to tackle climate change!”

– Katharina, Founder of Pretty Bee Fresh

Founded by Katharina Rauch, Pretty Bee Fresh is a London based beeswax wrap company. Producing natural beeswax products with a strong ethos in sustainability. As a business, they try to reduce their carbon footprint as much as they can and reuse/recycle materials instead of ditching them after first use, while also supporting other organisations and charities.

They have partnered with Plastic Oceans UK who are experts in plastic pollution. Plastic Oceans UK help to reduce the reliance on plastic and educate about ocean health through teaching, collaboration with science and partnerships with business. Pretty Bee Fresh have joined the Plastic Oceans Re-circle Programme, showing their support and core values for this pressingly urgent issue.

They have also partnered with Trees for Cities by donating a percentage of their takings to help plant trees in urban areas. Trees for Cities work with communities to cultivate lasting change in their neighbourhoods – whether it’s revitalising forgotten spaces, creating healthier environments or getting people excited about growing, foraging and eating healthy food.

Beeswax wraps are a great addition to your kitchen. They are reusable, washable, environmentally friendly and biodegradable – a sustainable alternative to plastic and tin foil.

This medium size wrap is available in five different pattern designs. Measuring 260mm x 260mm it’s ideal to cover larger open bowls or wrap your sandwich for lunch. All wraps are handmade in London from 100% pure cotton, organic jojoba oil, pine resin and beeswax from local bees. They are washable in cold water and last up to a year.

How To Wrap: Wrap and fold around any food or bowls using the warmth of your hands to create a breathable seal. Due to the natural antibacterial properties of the beeswax, jojoba oil and pine resin, your food will be kept fresh for longer. Suitable for fridge and freezer.

Beeswax Wrap – Green Monstera Print – £8

Beeswax Wrap – Blue Leaf Print – £8

Beeswax Wrap – Tree Blossom Print – £8

Beeswax Wrap – Seagulls Print – £8

Beeswax Wrap – Boats Print – £8

If you would like to learn how to make your own beeswax wraps, we also stock Pretty Bee Fresh’s DIY Beeswax Kits.

These kits will teach you how to make your own wraps at home. The contents include three cotton squares along with beeswax, brush and instructions to send you on your way to creating a sustainable alternative to cling film.

Contents

  • 3 pieces of pure cotton fabric in the sizes: 130mm x 130mm, 170mm x 170mm, 250mm x 250mm.
  • A piece of parchment paper.
  • A wooden brush and 4 cubes of the finished wax mixture.
  • Full instruction card on usage and care.

All you need is a cheese grater and a baking tray.

DIY Beeswax Wrap Kit – Floral – £15.90

DIY Beeswax Wrap Kit – Leaves – £15.90

DIY Beeswax Wrap Kit – Maritime – £15.90

Following on from the success of their wraps, Pretty Bee Fresh have also produced an Organic Nut Milk Bag Kit. Ideal for making your own vegan milk at home.

Explore the world of making milk at home with this Organic Nut Milk Bag kit. This DIY straining bag by Pretty Bee Fresh will help you create delicious vegan drinks and milks in your own kitchen. It can also be used for whipping up cold brew coffees, broths, juices and even vegan cheese. A great and fun way to reduce plastic waste and a fantastic alternative to store-bought drinks.

Contents
One medium-sized organic GOTS certified cotton nut milk bag in natural colour. Size 260mm x 360mm. 
A small recipe booklet for some inspiration to get you started in the kitchen. 

Organic Nut Milk Bag – £11.90

One last bee friendly kitchen item that can’t ‘bee’ missed is the The Bee Friendly Tea Towel by Stuart Gardiner.

Bee lovers rejoice with this tea towel. Listing an array of bee friendly plants perfect for encouraging more bees into your garden. A beautifully designed organic cotton tea towel, illustrated with flowering plants to help you choose year round colour. Don’t have a garden? You can still help the bees! A 75p donation is made to Friends of the Earth with each tea towel sold.

The Bee Friendly Tea Towel – £12.00

Follow my blog with Bloglovin