Silver Swift - Spirited Spritzers

Come rain come shine, weekday or weekend there will always be time for a drink or two at The Amazing Blog. If it’s a celebration in the office, then we like to make life easy by finding a chilled spritzer style mixer stashed away in the fridge. In our search for this very type of tipple, we discovered Silver Swift Spirited Spritzers.

Rose Unwin, the founder of Silver Swift Spirited Spritzers, created this when she (like us) was looking for something quick, ready mixed and unique. In 2017, her mission was to make a delicious ready-to-drink spritzer for those wanting a sophisticated British made cocktail. Since then, Silver Swift has already gained recognition by being awarded a silver for the vodka-based spritzers in the Global Speciality Spirit Masters 2018 and shortlisted for the Great British Food 2018 and for ‘Best Newcomer 2018’ by Speciality Food Magazine.

Silver Swift Spirited Spritzers come in four vibrant flavoured cocktail combinations, and each contains a high-end distilled spirit. The first flavour we tried was Basil Blush Vodka which is a blend of sparkling water, award-winning Brittains Vodka (a Doncaster premium vodka), strawberries and fresh basil. The drink has a sweet pepperiness to the finish and beautiful blush tint in the glass.

Tipsy Iced Tea Vodka also contained Brittains Vodka it is light sparkling drink made of gooseberry, elderflower and earl grey. We like the twist with earl grey which gives it a subtle smoky taste and a tang of iced tea.  

Wild Rose Gin is composed Two Birds’ Old Tom Gin, sparkling water, blackberry and raspberry, rose and a dash of lemon. I think this was our favourite we liked the lingering floral rose flavour.

Lastly, Orchard Pear Gin Tonic is a new addition to the spritzers range. As the name suggests, it is made up of sparkling tonic water, a juicy pear and elderflower with a dash of lemon. The drinks are best served chilled or over ice with bits and pieces of real fruit and a slice of lemon. It reminded us of a classic ‘Gin Fizz’ with a shot of elderflower.

Make no mistake, these Silver Swift drinks are no ordinary spritzer drinks. The drinks are low in calories (from 85 to the highest of 98), they are made with country garden flavours, vegan free from gluten and other nasties and are made with Britain’s award-winning spirits. You’ll also be glad to know that each of their drinks only has a low alcoholic percentage of just 5% abv. These four drinks not only look pretty they are very palatable and unusual, we think they’re great for drinking alone or pairing with food. The bottles are 250ml  with a price point of £2.55 each, to purchase see here, Cheers!

L’Erbolario - Albero di Giada, Jade Plant Perfume Mignon

Fragrance is definitely our thing at The Amazing Blog. We always try to find new scents that excite! We were thrilled to try a perfume from a new discovery brand for us L’Erbolario, which is intriguingly made from the jade plant blossom.

L’Erbolario was started in 1978 in Lodi in Italy and  was founded by Franco Bergamaschi and his wife Daniela Vila. Over the years, L’Erbolario has not lost its unique and original philosophy of respect, and nod towards nature combined with the latest technology and knowledge. L’Erbolario has also implemented its zero impact project with energy savings, short production chains and vegan recipes.

They have recently launched a new face and body collection: Albero di Giada, which is made from jade plant flowers and this Jade Plant Perfume Mignon is among them. The Jade Plant Perfume comes in an elegantly designed, slender jade green packaging. The perfume is a feminine fragrance with a floral and citrus scent.  It is made up of jade plant flowers with notes of bergamot, yellow rose, white tea, exotic verbena and amber.

It is a super fresh fragrance and smells like a mix of wild flowers, and different green plants with a hint of zest and sweetness combined with well-brewed green-tea. Neither of the scents overpower each other giving a really refreshing green fragrance.  We recommend spritzing and then waiting for a few minutes, for that subtle and unique floral scent to sweep over you. This is an all-year-round fragrance with its intoxicating botanical mix.

L’Erbolario Jade plant perfume has no animal ingredients or animal testing. It has been tested for seven metals, (nickel, lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, antimony and chromium) ensuring that it suitable for use even on the most sensitive skin. It is GMO free with recyclable paper packaging. We also like the 15ml bottle because of its versatility and can fit in any bag. The Jade Plant perfume 15ml is £18.50 or 30ml for £33.50. Purchase your Jade Plant Perfume Mignon here.

Fushi - Sea Buckthorn Oil

We love oils, whether they are for the face, body or taken orally. We don’t leave home without incorporating at least one into our daily routine. At The Amazing Blog, today we are featuring one of our preferred brands Fushi - an ethically sourced health and beauty brand. Previously, we’ve featured their Bio Vedic Skincare range and Fushi Pomegranate Oil, here we’d like to introduce you to one of their latest products, the Sea Buckthorn Oil.

Fushi’s Sea Buckthorn Oil has marvellous benefits and is 100% pure, virgin, organic and cold-pressed; it’s composed primarily of rich berries sourced in Germany. One of the things that we liked the most is that it is food grade. Its bright orange colour tells us how rich it is in lycopene and carotenoid.  Sea buckthorn oil is also incredibly rich in Omega-3, 6, 7 and 9 fatty acids and vitamins B, C and E. These ingredients help to heal, form collagen, nourish and act as anti-ageing factors for your skin (i.e. with sunburn it immediately helps with skin repair). Another little-known fact about this oil is also very beneficial for your nails, hair and scalp. Mainly because it is so rich in antioxidants, it strengthen your nails by stimulating the production of collagen and nourishing the cuticles. It will also hydrate your hair making it grow faster and healthier combating breakage. Even more surprising, is that it is much richer in vitamins than most fruits (such as oranges), it has omega 7 which contains vitamin A and contributes to enhancing eyesight, maintaining good skin. And let’s not forget the blood, brain and even supports the digestive system! This really is a super food.

In fact, this is a powerhouse amongst all oils with its endless benefits. To take it, just ingest 1 or 2 teaspoons on a daily basis with your meals or directly massage it onto your skin. This is definitely a gold mine for a radiant skin and body. As the saying goes, you are what we eat, so don’t miss out and get your 50ml Fushi Sea Buckthorn Oil here for £25.

Smith & Sinclair - Lick Your Sent

Anyone else has a bathroom drawer full of half used perfumes? At The Amazing Blog, we all came to the conclusion that it can take years of accumulating different scents (even layering them) before you find your true signature fragrance. However, we tracked down Smith & Sinclair who have given us the most fun fragrance of the season! Regular readers may remember that we featured the Smith & Sinclair Cocktail Pastilles, It would seem that Smith & Sinclair have endless creative ideas, bringing us the craziest innovations. This time is edible fragrance. Yes, you read it right; their line of products Lick Your Scent which certainly made our heads turn in the office.

Smith & Sinclair describe themselves as, “alcohol and confectionery innovators, or the Willy Wonka for grown-ups,” and we think they couldn’t have phrased it better. It all started with Mel and Emile, the founders of Smith & Sinclair. A while back, they hosted a series of single events and they noticed that instead of falling in love with each other, people were falling in love with the alcoholic confectionery they were offering. Bingo! Out of trying to bring people together for love, they created Smith & Sinclair, to bring people together through new ways of sharing.

Featured in the Sunday Times, You Magazine, and Cosmopolitan, among other outlets, Smith & Sinclair are revolutionising the beauty and beverage industry. Their edible fragrances are crafted to up your “cocktail” game. “Cocktail” in quotation marks because the Lick Your Scent range is not only designed to liven up your fragrance but tantalise the taste buds, as they are also lickable! Different, you might say…. You can pick from a range of flavours: Pear & Vanilla, Cherry Blossom & Mandarin, or Watermelon & Citrus.

We chose the Pear & Vanilla scent because it works perfectly for autumn. Fear not, even though it is edible, it’s not sticky, the formula is created to be suitable to spray it on your skin as well as flavouring your drinks. The main ingredients are: Vodka (30%), calvados (30%) - this means it is an adult’s fragrance, it can only be purchased if you are over the age of 18 - citric acid, glycerine and pear and vanilla natural flavouring, making it 100% vegan. The question is do you store it in the bathroom or the kitchen? With the fruity and flowery scent/taste and bright packaging, your bathroom drawer will certainly now have a new addition with a difference. Set the trend this autumn and purchase your 50ml edible fragrance here for only £10. Warning: Please lick responsibly.

The Upholstery Workshop

Today at The Amazing Blog we’re giving you an opportunity to escape to the country and learn another new creative skill. The Upholstery Workshop offers you just this, all set in the rural countryside on the Herts/Worcestershire borders.

The Upholstery Workshop is set in a 15th century red brick and timber farmhouse at Huntlands Farm, a rural retreat with wonderful views of the countryside. They have rooms to rent at the farmhouse from as little as £75 a night for a double bed – so you won’t have far to travel for your workshop!  Founders are Lucy and Stephen, Lucy Brodie holds a qualification with the Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishings having been trained in the use of modern and traditional materials and methods.

There are a choice of workshops either during week or at weekend workshops. We’re suggesting their two-day course where both traditional and modern upholstery techniques are taught. The course mainly entails working on small furniture project, such as a drop-in seat for a stool or a bed headboard; all incredibly useful for giving your home an uplift. On the curriculum you’ll learn anything from a simple furniture repair to handling fabrics and tools correctly, and the health and safety guidelines. It is recommended that you bring with you a piece of furniture, some tools (they will suggest what you need), an apron, your own fabrics.  You may also want to bring a camera to record the stages of your work among other things. Don’t panic if you haven’t any furniture to bring there are many local resources nearby to nip out and get some.

The course starts from £180 including home-made lunch and snacks. You'll benefit from seeing a variety of works be completed alongside your own project. They offer a reduced rate for accommodation at £60 a night and an extra £20 if your partner wishes to join you. The cost is not inclusive of the materials used and will be charged at the end of the workshop. See here to look at available dates and book your retreat and enjoy what the countryside has to offer.