#InternationalWomensDay

With International Women's Day being yesterday, we thought we would take the time to celebrate all things Female. Here at Madia & Matilda, we believe women should relish in the achievements of each other and celebrate our beauty and uniqueness as individual women and our clothes are designed to celebrate that.

Alicia Mini Skirt

Each lovely lady in your life - be it your gal pals, your mum, a sister or aunt, or even a celeb you look up to - is important in shaping who you are, and we want to celebrate YOU! To do this, women should support each others strengths and weakness and relish in our individuality and unique beauty.

Love Your Body. 

Why not try some of our Lola's Apothecary scented candles to make loving your body just a little sweeter? A beauty label Loved by Emma Watson our Girl Crush and inspirational ethical advocate.

Another option would be to treat yourself, or a lovely lady in your life, to something from our new collection, available today. Can't choose? Why not pick up a voucher and choose later?

Phoebe Skirt

We are all about the good vibes! 

Lets keep it going! Help us celebrate International Womens Day today by posting a selfie on Instagram with the hashtag #madiamatildababes #InternationalWomensDay and tagging @madiamatilda_insider for a chance to be featured on our Insider Instagram later this week!

Be proud of who you are!

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

AREA CODE - Curious in Cardiff

Today we want to celebrate the lovely city that is Cardiff, which is where our showcase is taking us next! Why not join us on the 10^th and take the time to enjoy some of these awesome opportunities at the same time?

1)    Cardiff Bay

Cardiff’s waterfront offers loads to do for all ages and interests. Not only is it home to various eateries, boat trips and cultural attractions, but it is enough to keep you occupied all day, and night. The Cardiff Bay barrage holds a wicked kids’ playground to entertain any little ones you might have with you, and boat trips are available if you prefer to see the Bay from a little closer up. Our particular favourite has to be Mermaid Quay bars and amusements though, so keep an eye out for those!

2)    National Museum Cardiff and St Fagans National History Museum

The National Museum Cardiff is one that’s fun for all the family, as it is home to the likes of Impressionist paintings and dinosaurs and the world’s largest Leatherback Turtle and a skeleton of a Humpback Whale! They even offer a Guided Tour daily from 12.30pm that last approximately 35 minutes.

St Fagans Museum is also another top 10. Not only is it one of Europe's leading open–air museums and Wales's most popular heritage attraction, but admission is also free! The Museum has been open since 1948 and is still going strong, with various events taking place on site throughout the year. Check out what they have to offer here.

3)    Cardiff Castle



A must-see for any history buff you are bringing along with you! Explore the stunning blast-to-the-past and history within the castles walls.

4)    Farmers Market

This is perhaps our number one on our list of Cardiff to-dos! Not only is the food all locally sourced, something we here at Madia and Matilda are very passionate about, but they also support local businesses. The Market is celebrating its 19^th year this year and is sure to be another incredible year. Check it out here.

5)    The Cardiff Story

The Cardiff Story is a good way to start your own Cardiff story of explorations! It is housed in the beautiful Old Library Building in the middle of the city and, quite literally, tells the story of Cardiff! This includes the transformation of Cardiff from a small market town to the cosmopolitan city we know and love nowadays. Find out more here.

Don’t just listen to me, take a sneak peek at what these Cardiff bloggers have to say about the EPIC city here.

Have a great trip!

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

NEWS - Competition Time With Oh Comely Magazine!

We collaborated with Oh Comely Magazine to bring you an amazing prize, £200 voucher code to spend online on our clothing. 

 Check out our new season here 

To be in with a chance to win simply click here and fill answer the question before midnight on 13 April 2017. 

Good luck!

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

AREA CODE - Dreaming of Durham

Following the success of our little excursion to Chelsea last month, we will be heading to the lovely town of Durham shortly and wanted to give you guys some ideas of what you can get up to in Durham when the shows finished!

Go Stargazing at Hamsterley Forest

Why not join local amateur astronomer Neill Sanders, former volunteer at Kielder Observatory and member of the Go Stargazing team, between 28th March until 30th March for an evening of fun for all the family stargazing at Hamsterley Forest through large telescopes.

Open Treasure - Beasts

Who needs a trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter when Open Treasure at Durham Cathedral exists?! This is an exhibition of the weird and wonderful beasts and monsters which have fascinated people from earliest times and is sure to amaze any HP fans in your life, big or small!

Available now until 10th June with various opening times (see website for more details).

Durham Castle: Family Fun Tour

Bring the whole family to Durham Castle Tours on 31st March and enjoy a family-focused tour around Durham Castle, with activities for children throughout the tour.

Please note that charges do apply for this.

Bishop Auckland Food Festival

For the foodie's, Bishop Auckland Food Festival taking place 1st April to 2nd April is the obvious choice. Not only is it the region’s biggest food event, growing year on year hosting a whole programme of events and activities including celebrity chefs, cookery demo’s, street entertainment and a demonstration kitchen, it is also hosted in Auckland Castle - stunning food, stunning venue, what more could you possibly want?!

North Pennines Observatory Open Evening: Jupiter and its Moons

For something a little more romantic, join experienced astronomer Graham Relf on 7th April (Open 19:00 - 22:00) at North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Ireshopeburn where he will lead a talk about the planet Jupiter, and if the skies are clear you may be lucky enough to see it yourself through a telescope!

After a giggle? Why not hit The Gala Theatre on Friday 14th April for their Funny Bones Comedy Club! A monthly dose of funnies with a mix of seasoned stand-ups and new comedic talents ready to have you laughing your socks off.

Beamish Museum

Throughout the year, Beamish hosts lots of interesting events for all the family to enjoy, including The Great North Festival of Transport, a Georgian Fair, The Great North Festival of Agriculture and much more. They even host a whole season of events just for Christmas!

Experience a real sense of your past at Beamish, and discover what life was like in North East England in the 1820s,1910s and 1940s .

Why we love it at Madia & Matilda: Beamish is a living, working museum, set in 300 acres of beautiful Durham countryside. Costumed folk bring to life the Town, Pit Village, Home Farm and Pockerley Old Hall.

You are also able to experience first-hand how the Industrial Revolution transformed agricultural life in the region as the buildings you see at Beamish are not replicas, but have been brought, brick by brick, from around the region and rebuilt to give visitors a real sense of history.

Also note: Tickets to Beamish are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase for an unlimited number of daytime visits to the Museum. Visit the website for full details.

Events at Beamish Museum March-April:

Great North Festival of Transport

This hugely popular festival gets bigger and better every year. Therefore, we think it is a must for enthusiasts and  a fantastic family activity for all to get involved in!

29th March – 23rd April (Open 10:00 - 17:00).

Old Kind Coal

This five-day celebration of the rich mining heritage of North East England is a definite must-have for any history buffs you may have joining you. Not only can you join in in the banner parades, but also have the chance to enjoy performances by local brass bands.

29 March to 2 April (Open 10:00 - 17:00).

Great North Steam Fair

This is an annual steam fair with an amazing line-up of visiting vehicles and Beamish Transport, in action and on view for all to see! Please the little ones or the boys that refuse to grow up with the likes of motorcycles, lorries and much more.

6th – 9th April (Open 10:00 - 17:00).

Horses at Work

More into animals? No worries! See magnificent horses at work around Beamish museum throughout April, including ponies, carriage horses and heavy horses. We also recommend staying to watch the incredible cavalry display.

22nd - 23rd April (Open 10:00 - 17:00).

Whatever you get up to in Durham, make sure to pop along to our event! Further details to be released later this week.

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

NEWS - London Fashion Week Debut

AW17 SHOWCASE

Classy, quintessentially classic, contemporary and clean-cut... next season's style is one to watch out for.

We geared up and got ourselves down to Chelsea last week for the release of our next season's clothing and we are delighted to let you in on a little sneak peek!

Elmira getting ready to shine

The girls arrived to our location in the lovely area of Old Church Street, Chelsea at Haute Elan for an early start to get their hair and make-up done.

It's the little things

Our fab make up friend, Chloe Versaci doing Danielle's make-up pre-shoot.

The lovely Linn having a giggle with Chloe.

Economic, social and environmental sustainability is something that is very important to us here at Madia & Matilda. Our new collection initiative is designed for simple-living.

The girls wore LilyFlo Jewellery, which you can find in our curated brands, accentuating their looks and with a little cuddle and gal time before taking to the stage.

Shardarae and Elmira pulling off our AW Collection effortlessly.

Linn wearing one of our next season daily looks.

Oriana showing off our new dress collection.

Wanting a more classy look? Danielle shows us how it's done in this new top and skirt combo.

Oriana still slaying in Lilyflo's new season minimalist, urban-geometric pieces whilst having a little sit down mid-shoot.

Is it even a showcase if we don't include a classic black and white behind the scenes?

Life isn't perfect but your outfit can be.

From left: Danielle Esprit, Shardarae P, Linn B. Saeb, Oriana Findlay, Véronica McBeal, Elmira Panjavi.

 Designer & Director Shalize Nicholas, Jewellery - Lily Flo - Designer Diana Sherling, Photographer  Rosalind Rosalind Alcazar & Claire Dytham, MUA Chloe Versaci, Showroom Haute Elan

Pre-order the new collection in August.

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Pancake Day - #Foodie

Happy Pancake Day!

If any of you are anything like us, you are not a perfect replica of Mary Berry in the kitchen and just about get by with your beans on toast on the daily and pesto pasta for special occasions! Therefore, we thought we would treat you guys on this super sweet day to Queen Berry's very own easy pancake recipes. Grab your frying pan and chill playlist and get cooking!

This gif of Mary is all the convincing and support we need!

MAKES

12 thin pancakes (18-20cm each)

INGREDIENTS

• 125g plain flour
• 1 egg and 1 yolk
• 300ml milk

METHOD

1. Sift 125g plain flour into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Whisk together one egg, one egg yolk and a little milk taken from the 300ml, then pour into the well. Whisk with a little of the flour.
2. Gradually whisk in half of the remaining milk, drawing in the rest of the flour a little at a time, to make a smooth batter. Stir in the remaining milk. Cover and leave to stand for about 30 minutes.
3. Heat the frying pan and brush with a little oil.
4. Ladle two or three tablespoons of batter into the pan and tilt the pan so that the batter spreads out evenly over the bottom.
5. Cook the pancake over a medium-high heat for 45-60 seconds until small holes appear on the surface, the underside is lightly browned and the edge has started to curl. Loosen the pancake and turn it over by tossing or flipping it with a palette knife. Cook the other side for about 30 seconds until golden. Slide the pancake out of the pan.
6. Heat and lightly grease the pan again before making the next pancake. Serve the pancakes as they are made, or stack them on a plate and reheat before serving. (If the pancakes are hot when you stack them they will not stick together; there is no need to interleave them with greaseproof paper.)

TOTAL TIME:

40 minutes

Mary Berry's Complete Cookbook

p.s. Don't forget to add your Nutella!

Sincerely Madia & Matilda