Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Tuesday 22 December 2020

Movies to Watch

 



As the weather turns cold for winter, and the pandemic means the majority of us will be indoors, we thought we could recommend some great movies for you to watch. Whether you are watching a film alone or with friends and family, we think you will enjoy these suggestions. With Christmas quickly approaching around the corner, what better time to snuggle up in your pyjamas with some treats and put a movie on.




Here are some of our festive recommendations which you can find on Netflix: 

  • Holidate
  • The Princess Switched: Switched again
  • Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square
  • Operation Christmas drop
  • A Bad Mom's Christmas
  • JingleJangle A Christmas Journey





If you do not fancy festive or just need a break inbetween for a different genre, we have some suggestions for other movies available on Netflix which are full of drama and suspense: 
  • Rocks
  • The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
  • Rebbecca
  • Enola Holmes
  • To all The Boys I've Loved Before
  • 13th 
  • The Queen's Gambit



Last but not least, you can not beat a classic at Christmas. Here are our recommended classic movies for this winter:

  • Love Actually
  • Home Alone
  • The Grinch 
  • Elf
  • Holiday Inn
  • It's a Wonderful Life
  • Miracle on 34th Street
  • The Holiday

Give these films a try and let us know what you think! Tag and mention us on your Instagram stories.

Images from: https://pixabay.com

Sincerely Madia & Matilda 

Friday 27 November 2020

Black Friday History

 


Shop Madia and Matilda a black-owned business
                                                              

Black Friday is here. The most popular shopping day of the year, where brands sell their products at discounted prices for customers, encouraging customers to purchase Christmas gifts. A range of retailers participate around the UK. 


However, behind the day of discounts and shopping galore, there is more to Black Friday that meets the eye. There are many speculations on the internet regarding the truth behind this particular day. There have been reports that during the 1800s, Black Friday was a day named by plantation owners, as they bought slaves at discounted prices after the celebration of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving originated from the Harvest Festival, which ended before winter and families would need additional work and required slaves, therefore, these theories are based on a certain element of the truth.



Although these reports are not confirmed and are supposedly labeled as theories as there are no credible sources of evidence. These theories should still make people think about this day twice. It is important to look at Black Friday as more than a millennial shopping day, reflecting and looking back on history is something we as a brand encourage.




The Black Lives Matter movement holds huge importance to our brand. We are a proud black-owned business, in full support of equality. Through our brand we hope to bring love and support in a time of isolation amongst the country. Therefore, it is key to look into the history of days such as Black Friday, ensuring that we continue to educate ourselves and our peers about Black History in the recent light of the Black Lives Matter movement. 




Images from: https://pixabay.com/images/search/black%20lives%20matter/

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Friday 20 November 2020

How To Turn Your Lockdown Walks More Fun




During lockdown the comfort of your home might start to feel a bit confining and your everyday walk too monotonous. Lucky for you, we have a couple of ideas to help make your daily stroll more exciting!


Image from: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/1346992-how-to-make-good-conversations-a-walk-in-the-park 




  1. Have a chat with your loved ones. Maybe suggest your mom, dad, sibling or friend also go for a quick hike and give you a call. That way it feels almost as if you are walking together! It is also a good way to check in on how they are doing. Talking through your emotions and thoughts can help a lot with the stress you might feel during the lockdown.

  2. Try out photography! It doesn't matter whether you think of yourself as a good photographer or not - this is the time to practice. You can just use your smartphone and look out for interesting things to capture during your walk.

  3. Make up lyrics - keep your mind busy by making up new lyrics for a tune you like or even try to write a poem in your head.

  4. Listen to podcasts. There are tons of podcasts and audiobooks on the internet that will definitely make your walk more interesting.

  5. Play counting games. Take in your surroundings by counting things like how many types of dogs, flowers or shoes you see on the way.


   

Remember, walking is one of the best ways to both reduce anxiety and keep yourself active. We hope this list will help you to do so!


Sincerely Madia & Matilda 




Friday 6 November 2020

Christmas Waste Report & How To Do Your Part



Christmas is one of the most awaited times of the year, especially because of the food and presents that come with it

Image from The Irish Times https://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/christmas-shows-our-approach-to-climate-change-is-crackers-1.4089553 



Sitting down with your loved ones and celebrating - it all seems picture perfect. However, there is a side to this beloved holiday that is nothing but the opposite of perfect. As The Sunday Post reports: “We throw away a shocking amount, from six million Christmas trees to over 227,000 miles of wrapping paper. Our crimes against festive food are even worse. We chuck out approximately two million turkeys, 74 million mince pies and 17.2 million Brussel sprouts.” 



Christmas-Recycling-Tips

Image from GPT The Waste Solution https://gptwaste.com/6-facts-you-didnt-know-about-christmas-waste/


This kind of wastage takes a huge toll on our planet! Thankfully, there are ways for us to be more sustainable. Here are some ideas:



  1. Organise your food! Don't throw out the leftovers but try to think of ways to use them in your cooking the days following Christmas or if you have bought too much food you can always do a good deed and donate it to your local shelter.





  1. Gift activities or experiences rather than material things - your present will be much more worthwhile and make a memory rather than going unused and 

eventually getting thrown away if the recipient ends up not liking it.



  1. Buy presents from sustainable brands. For example, gift your loved one something from Madia & Matilda!



Darcey - Knitted Bobble Hat

Knitted hat from Madia & Matilda

https://www.madiamatilda.co.uk/allclothing-madiamatilda/Darcey-Knitted-Bobble-Hat-p125103478 




  1. Use recycled wrapping paper!




Recycled wrapping paper from Ethical Superstore

https://www.ethicalsuperstore.com/products/natural-collection-select/recycled-wrapping-paper---tags---folk-robin-print---pack-of-4/ 






  1. Instead of buying a Christmas tree, rent it instead.




  1. Try sending Ecards or a festive video instead of a Christmas card, you could even send it with a M&M gift Voucher https://www.madiamatilda.co.uk/allclothing-madiamatilda/GIFT-VOUCHER-c14721567



Ecard from CrossCards

https://www.crosscards.com/cards/postcards/merry-christmas-bird.html




Sincerely Madia & Matilda 

Sunday 24 November 2019

Christmas Cookies - Bakes To Love






Cookies make the perfect treat and of course no Christmas is complete with out milk & cookies. Therefore we have compiled a list of easy to bake cookies.. From, gooey American chocolate chip cookies to melty shortbread, we've got a biscuit selection to please everyone.






Ginger nut - Vegan Option


Super crunchy vegan gingersnap cookies. These brown sugar sweetened vegan cookies are packed with ginger and cinnamon flavor and perfectly balanced between sweetness and spice


Ingredients
1/4 cup (56g) Vegan Butter
1 cup (200g) Brown Sugar
1/4 cup (75g) Unsulphured Molasses
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 cups (250g) All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tsp Ground Ginger
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Allspice
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
2–3 Tbsp Non-Dairy Milk
1/4 cup (50g) White Sugar (for rolling)

To cook:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).


Cream the vegan butter and brown sugar together and then add the molasses and vanilla extract.


Sift the flour into a bowl and add the baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice and cloves and mix together.


Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir in by hand until crumbly.
Add the 2 Tbsp non-dairy milk and mix. You should get a very thick cookie dough. However, if you still have crumbles and it’s not yet ‘sticking together’ then add another Tbsp non-dairy milk. Only do this if you really need it though.


Break off roughly tablespoon sized pieces and roll into balls and then roll the balls in white sugar. If you tend to make larger cookies, then you’ll need to bake them for a few minutes longer (around 15 minutes) to get them nice and crunchy.
Place the balls onto a parchment lined baking tray and press down with a fork.
You might want to do these in two batches so that your cookies are nicely spaced out on the baking tray.


Bake in the oven for 12 minutes. If you want more soft and chewy then bake for 10 minutes, if you want more snap/crunch then bake for 12 minutes. If your cookies are larger in size then bake for up to 15 minutes.


The cookies will be soft when they come out the oven. Allow to cool completely as that is when they will firm up and become crunchy




https://lovingitvegan.com/vegan-gingersnap-cookies/











Chocolate chip (that taste like Millies)

Ingredients
 

2 baking trays
125g Butter

125g Caster Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract 

225g Self-Raising Flour 
½ tsp Salt
200g Chocolate chips
1 Egg
Airtight container.


To cook:
Preheat the oven to 200°C, (fan 180°C, gas mark 4) and line 2 baking trays with baking parchment.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy then add the egg and vanilla extract and mix together well.

Sift the flour and salt and then add to the egg mixture. Mixing thoroughly until a soft dough forms. Finally stir in the chocolate chips.

Break off walnut sized pieces of the dough, and roll into balls. Place these on the baking sheets leaving space between them as they will spread out during baking.

Place in the oven and bake for 7 minutes for the ultimate Millie's experience, or 10 minutes if you prefer a crunch. Leave to cool on the trays for about 10 minutes then transfer onto a cooling wire to cool completely.

These store for about 4 days in an airtight container.


If you love this recipe, https://www.bakingmad.com/recipe/copycat-millie-s-cookies










Shortbread



The key to making easy shortbread also taste like the best shortbread is to use real butter.

Some recipes do suggest that you can use margarine in place of butter but personally for me, the rich buttery taste of the real thing is what gives this shortbread a more traditional 


Ingredients:
300 g Flour
220 g Butter (Vegan Optional)
55g/2oz Caster Sugar

Flavour tip:
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp. Salt

Only 3 ingredients are needed to turn this into shortbread, in 10 minutes to oven to cook! but you can also add a few extras if you want to add to the taste

It’s important to make sure that the shortbread doesn’t cook for too long and turn brown. If it does, it’s cooked for too long, and will be a little hard to munch on; rather than soft and melt in your mouth loveliness.



Make sure the butter is at room temperature and soft to touch. If it is too hard it will too hard to cream in with the sugar. You can use an electric mixer if you want to, but if the butter is soft enough you’ll have no problem creaming it up with a wooden spoon.

Sift the flour into the creamed butter and sugar. (At this point you can add the vanilla extract and salt to add flavour) Gently mix it all together with your hands.

A soft dough should form. If it is too crumbly add a little more butter, conversely, if it is too sticky, add a little flour.

Press the dough into a greased baking tin and press it down with your hands. I like to gently score the slices of the shortbread, as well as use a fork to make some decorative holes on the surface before putting it in the oven.
Once the shortbread has been in for about 10 minutes, take it out – make sure it doesn’t go brown or it will be too hard. Slice up the shortbread while it is still warm and soft, leaving it in the baking tin until it is completely cool. I also sprinkle a little extra caster sugar over the top.



Or if your not a cookie fan and have hardly ever seen the rolling pin. We have discovered an independent, made to order Brownie Baker - Founded by Lydia Morison 


Check them out on instagram @browniebabes



Sincerely Madia & Matilda


Saturday 22 December 2018

Movie & Shows to Binge Watch this Christmas

Movies & Shows to binge watch this Christmas



If you’re looking for some movies or TV shows to binge watch this Christmas but you’re fed up of the usual cheesy Christmas movies – look no further! We’ve compiled a list of our favourite TV shows and movies that are perfect for a duvet day!



The True Cost Film

We recently attended an event for this film to support and promote sustainable fashion. Revealing the secrets of fast fashion and shedding a light on our true environmental impact, this film is sure to enlighten you this Christmas.

Watch it here.


Small Foot

A fun animated tale that turns the traditional story of Bigfoot on its head. Migo, the friendly Yeti faces banishment from his snowy village when he finds a Human. “Migo embarks on an epic journey to find the mysterious creature that can put him back in good graces with his simple community”.

Click here for more information.


The Good Place

Eleanor Shellstrop is surprised to find herself in the good place in the afterlife. Upon realising that she isn’t supposed to be there, Eleanor enlists the help of her new found friends and frenemies to shed her old way of life in hopes of finding a new one in the afterlife.

Watch it here.


Hollywood Darlings

“In this improvised comedy, real-life friends, Jodie Sweetin, Christine Lakin and Beverley Mitchell, play exaggerated versions of themselves in their current lives navigating the ups and downs of living in Hollywood. The actresses support one another as they tackle marriage, parenting and reviving their acting careers”.

Watch it here.


Great News

Every workplace is like a family. For Katie, this gets all too real when her mum is employed as an intern. “That's just scratching the surface of this slightly offbeat team” made up of old school news anchor Chuck, millennial Portia, executive producer Greg and laid back video editor Justin. Despite their malfunctioning relationships, it doesn’t stop them doing what they do best – breaking the news.

Watch it here.


Welcome to the Jungle

“Beck is a tight-lipped bounty hunter who doesn't like to use a gun and accepts any job without asking questions. When Beck's employer, Walker, sends him to the Amazon to locate Walker's cocky son, Travis, Beck discovers a population controlled by a tyrannical treasure hunter. To survive, Beck and Travis must work together, without their affections for a mysterious rebel getting in the way”.

Watch it here.


Passengers

“On a routine journey through space to a new home, two passengers, sleeping in suspended animation, are awakened 90 years too early when their ship malfunctions. As Jim and Aurora face living the rest of their lives on board, they begin to fall for each other, unable to deny their intense attraction until they discover the ship is in grave danger. With the lives of 5,000 sleeping passengers at stake, only Jim and Aurora can save them all”.

Watch it here.


The Grinch

The 2018 remake of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, a modern animated tale perfect for the Christmas holidays. “When the Whos decide to make Christmas bigger and brighter, the disgruntled Grinch realizes there is one way to gain peace and quiet. With help from Max, the green grump hatches a scheme to pose as Santa Claus, steal Christmas and silence the Whos' holiday cheer once and for all”.

Click here for information.


Let us know what your favourite movies and shows to binge watch are!












Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Wednesday 12 December 2018

National Gingerbread House Day #Foodie



Happy National Gingerbread House Day!


To celebrate national gingerbread house day, we're sharing with you a festive recipe for building your very own gingerbread house.

We love this easy Mary Berry gingerbread recipe:
If you want to read the original more in depth recipe click here.


Ingredients:

For the Gingerbread:
375g unsalted butter
300g dark muscovado sugar
150g golden syrup
900g plain flour
1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp ground ginger


For the icing:
3 free-range egg whites
675g icing sugar, sifted
3 tsp lemon juice

For the decoration:
Boiled sweets
Chocolate buttons
Jelly sweets
Chocolates
Powder icing sugar
Cake board



Method:
Preheat your oven to 200°C or 180°C for a fan assisted oven.

In a large pan, melt together the butter sugar and syrup.

In a separate bowl, sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger together.

Make a well in the centre and pour in the liquid butter mixture. Stir it in and, when cool enough to handle, knead into a stiff dough.

Next divide the dough into five equal pieces, then divide one of those into two - so you have six pieces of dough in total.

Roll out each piece of dough out on to a sheet of parchment paper to ¾cm thickness.

Using a template, cut the pieces to make the sides and roof of the house.

Using a sharp knife, cut out the windows, doors and star shape on the back.

Place the doors on a separate tray and re-roll the offcuts to make a chimney.

Slide onto baking trays and bake for 8 minutes or until even in colour.

To make glass windows in your gingerbread house, crush up some boiled sweets (any colour you desire) and place them in the windows. Place these pieces back in the oven until the sweets have melted.

Leave the gingerbread to cool completely before decorating.




Time to decorate!

You can be as creative as you want with the decoration of your gingerbread house. It can be covered in colourful sweets or iced and decorated in a more traditional style - it's completely up to you!

To make the icing, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Using a wooden spoon or a hand-held electric mixer on slow speed, add the icing sugar a tablespoonful at a time. Stir in the lemon juice and beat the icing until it is very stiff and white.

Next, to create roof tiles, spoon the icing into a piping bag and pipe small dots on the back of the chocolate buttons and stick onto the roof of the ginger bread house.

Spoon six tablespoons of the icing over the cake board and, using a palette knife, spread the icing to cover the board with a snow effect and to create a base to stick the house on to.

Pipe some icing along the wall edges and join the house together on an iced cake board. Leave the icing to dry for a minimum of four hours, but preferably overnight.

Once dry, stick the roof onto the walls of the house. If you want your gingerbread house to look especially Christmassy, place a couple of fake tealights or nightlights inside before adding the roof. The light will shine through the boiled sweet windows and make it look like a real home.

Pipe some icing along the apex and edges of the roof to look like snow and icicles. Stick the front door in place with icing. Once you have finished decorating, dust the house with icing sugar for the final snowy touch.



The rest is up to you! Go crazy with colourful jelly sweets or make some gingerbread characters or trees to accompany the house.

This gingerbread house makes the perfect Christmas decoration, you could even give this to someone as an amazing gift!

If you decide to follow this recipe make sure to let us know by tagging #MadiaMatilda and #GingerBreadHouseDay

















Sincerely Madia & Matilda