I realised that I haven't posted anything jewellery-related for a while (okay, I haven't really posted anything for a while, but especially not anything jewellery-related), so I thought today I would :)

A few weeks ago I discovered that there is an amazing bead shop in Birmingham called the Birmingham Bead Shop (what a creative name).

The shop sells pretty much everything jewellery-related almost at wholesale prices and the staff are so friendly :)

It's located in the Custard factory next to the water fountain.


Some things I've recently bought from the bead shop. The big white rose is actually a giant bead.


These glass cabochons are tiny!


These pendants are so cute ^^ the pages are attached with jump rings.


These are double-sided pendants, I think it's a brilliant idea :)


I thought I'd let you all know that I opened my jewellery joy shop today. Well actually I opened it 2 months ago but I put my first items in today :)


Loppy x
I did say I'd write this post a couple of weeks ago but I've been quite busy lately, and when I was free, the things I needed hadn't come throught the post yet :(
(I usually leave Christmas presents until the last minute anyway!)

This is how I created my stocking fillers for friends this year :D


I bought some candied chocolate hearts from ebay. The black and white ones cost about £1 for a bag of 100, the silver ones cost £2 for 100.


I bought some plain flat-packed wedding favour boxes, decorated them with paper (I think that's called decoupage!) and filled them with the chocolates. The boxes cost me £1.50 for 10.


I bought a box of 15 candy canes for £2 and put one candy cane in with each present (there's loads left over for me!) ;)


This pack of candles cost £2 from Primark. I put one or two in with each present depending on how much I'd bought the person who was receiving it.


The chocolate ice lollies are soap and the lollipops are bath bombs :)
These were 50p each at Birmingham's discount La Senza.


Here's the whole pack with the main present included, I'd be happy to receive it :)
The stocking fillers without the main present cost me less than £1!

Loppy x
Yes, you read the title correctly; hot chocolate on a stick. I only found out about this incredible idea a few hours ago when I was searching for unusual hot chocolate flavours on Ebay (I'll explain later).

I spent quite a while (without luck) trying to understand how this was possible, in the end I searched the internet for a recipe and found that it is one of the easiest things in the world to make.

I didn't actually measure out the ingredients because I'm just testing out the hot chocolate and I'm too tired to make it properly. I also didn't use the correct ingredients; I forgot to add salt, I used cheap chocolate and I used drinking chocolate rather than cocoa because my local Co-operative doesn't sell cocoa anymore.

This is the correct recipe;
  • 250g good chocolate (at least 70% cocoa is recommended)
  • 60g icing sugar
  • 30g cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
You will also need;
  • Lollipop sticks, disposable tea stirrers or disposable spoons (I'm using lollipop sticks)
  • Decorations (optional)
  • Packaging (optional)
  • An ice cube tray or mini silicone moulds


First melt the chocolate until it is smooth.



Then sieve in the cocoa, icing sugar and salt and mix until thick and smooth.


Sorry about bad picture quality, my macro isn't working properly.

Spoon the mixture into moulds (ice trays are preferred but I didn't have any). Shake or tap the mould to even out the chocolate.


After a minute or two, you can place sticks in the chocolate. The sticks should stand by themselves.


Once set (after about 5-10 minutes), remove the chocolate from the moulds.
If you aren't decorating them, they are ready to use :)



I've chosen to decorate mine with mini marshmallows. To decorate, simply melt a little chocolate and use it the glue the decorations on.


To use the hot chocolate sticks; heat 3/4 of a cup of milk and stir the chocolate in until completely melted.


Then enjoy! ^^


I'm going to be making these as Christmas presents, as part of handmade mini hampers (which is why I was looking for unusual hot chocolate on Ebay, I was going to make hot chocolate and mug gift sets).

I shall be posting tutorials for the rest of the items in the mini hamper within the next week or so :)

Loppy x

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