Monthly Archive for January, 2011

Two Hounds Brewing Co

Published on January 31, 2011 in Uncategorized. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Last summer I suggested to Martin that we try making our own elderflower champagne, with a view to serving it at our upcoming wedding this May. So out  we went & picked wild elderflower heads &, using an adaptation of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s recipe, together we brewed up 15 litres or so of the stuff.

The bottles now lie stored in crates in a dark cupboard, & we sample one every few months or so to make sure it is conditioning well. (So far the results are impressive & we’re very much looking forward to serving them at our wedding!) However, little did I know that Martin would enjoy this little brewing experience so much that a whole new hobby would be born…

the label we designed for our wedding champagne

With the help of his friends Chris & Buzz, Martin has now brewed half a dozen or so different batches of beers in our kitchen, from pale ales to porters, & all under the label ‘Two Hounds Brewing Co’. (Can you guess which pair of hounds might have inspired the label?! ) My contribution: I help pick the names, design & stick on the labels, &, well, allow it all to happen in our kitchen!!

a selection Martin’s beers: Requiem Raspberry, Cincinatti Pale Ale, Grinch Robust Coffee Porter, Fidra Bavarian Weissbier, Sunnyside Pale Ale

Of course the beer is all either for personal consumption or has been gifted to friends & colleagues. Although I’m not a beer drinker myself,  it always seems to be well received & a batch never lasts very long!

Cheers! Martin enjoys one of his beers in the custom made glass his brother gave him for Christmas

I have created a printing screen based upon the label design & used it to hand print some cotton bags. Filled with a few beers each, these made great little Christmas presents for our friends & family. & I have even had a few requests for some T-shirts printed with the same design!

combining our brewing & screenprinting skills to make Christmas presents!

Meanwhile, Martin’s brewing habit shows no signs of letting up & I believe the next scheduled brewing is to take place in our kitchen this Sunday… ;-)

Stepping into 2011 in Style

Published on January 18, 2011 in Uncategorized. 5 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

As usual, this Christmas was an excuse to spoil my dogs rotten! In addition to the usual plethora of treats & toys, & of course lots of cuddles & walks, Max & Molly were the recipients of some very stylish doggy accessories, which they wanted to share with you…

Don’t they look stylish in their new martingale collars?

Their collars were handmade by the lovely Hande of Silly Buddy (named after her beloved, but silly, dog, Buddy). Hande creates unique, one of a kind dog collars (& leashes), which are not only beautiful, but safe & durable to boot. It was a tough job choosing just one collar each for Max & Molly, as Hande has so many fabulous designs, but in the end we went for Elf Owl collars in complimentary collars: teal for Molly & mustard for Max. Hande went to extra trouble to create these martingale style collars, which are just perfect for greyhounds’ long necks & slender heads (& guarantee that the neighbourhood cat will remain safe from any of Max & Mollys’ advances!).

Handsome boy Max in his mustard Elf Owl collar

Molly looks pretty as ever in her teal Elf Owl collar

To go with their new collars, Max & Molly were also treated to some new leads, which were handmade by Kyra of The Mod Dog. Kyra custom designs dog accessories,  & I was attracted to her store because of the sheer variety of lead colours available – no more boring red, blue or black for us! After some contemplation, I chose a teal lead to go with Molly’s collar, & a chocolate brown one for with Max’s. It’s great to know that Kyra donates 10% of every sale to her local Georgia rescue, Atlanta Weimaraner Club Rescue. Both Kyra & Hande are fellow members of EFA (Etsy For Animals), a group of 600+ Etsy sellers who combine their efforts to provide charitable relief to animals.

Molly: “We’re at the park now Mum, can I get my lead off?”

Max’s brindle coat is complimented perfectly by his new collar & lead

Their new collars & leads are a fantastic addition to the previous year’s Christmas presents, which were a pair of all-weather coats handmade by fellow retired greyhound Mum, Terri of Acme Couture. These waterproof, wind-proof coats ensure my dogs can be tempted out for a walk even on the coldest & wettest of days & have been a great investment. Molly’s has suffered a few little rips here & there, on account of her tearing through the woods in it, but these have been mended with careful placement of a few girly flower patches! ;-)

Molly & Max looking cool in all their apparel

So I think we can safely say that Max & Molly will be maintaining their status as the most stylish greyhounds in Edinburgh in the year 2011! Happy New Year!