We spent a really enjoyable evening last week with Bea and Clarie, the women behind Make Do and Mend. They invited journalists and bloggers along to the amazing 40 Winks Hotel to sample some crafts and launch their creative workshops.
We started the evening with a tour of the amazing 2 bedroomed hotel owned by interior designer David Carter. Set in Stepney East London, the four storey Queen Anne townhouse is an eclectic mix of old and new and exudes an air of elegant luxury. Used as a location house for many years, David recently opened his two spare bedrooms to paying guests and encourages anyone in the creative and fashion industries to use it as a base when staying in London. We would love to use it as a base while living in london and would happily have moved in. Guests are required to remove their shoes and don a pair of fluffy slippers at the door, which made us feel instantly at home.
After a good look round (we felt like we were on Come Dine With Me!!), we tried out some cup cake decorating and corsage making. Claire and Bea explained that the workshops are available to groups of women to host either in their own homes, or in venues like 40 Winks. They will provide all the materials and tutition in the crafts of your choice. So far, they have proved popular for Hen parties, birthdays, office parties and simply just as a nice thing to do with a few friends. They are especially popular with women with high powered jobs as a refreshing alternative to their daily lives.
We came away very proud of our amazing cup cakes and full of resolve to make them at home. Melen, the Make do and Mend cake decorating expert, told us Cakecraftshop.co.uk is the best place to buy all the essential decorating equipment.
