Heart Shaped Picnic Hamper

Ashley Thomas at home


I thought I'd share an insight into the development of my picnic collection for Debenhams.
One of my favourite pieces is the heart shaped hamper. Lined with my S/S16 ditsy floral print this hamper comes with everything you need for the perfect picnic including; 2 x ceramic plates, 2 x stainless steel knives, forks and spoons, 2 x plastic glasses, 2 napkins, 1 x corkscrew, 1 x condiment set. Above is a sketchbook snapshot of the hamper, a watercolour version of my ditsy print and the final product which you can now buy Exclusively in Debenhams.


We're all going on a summer holiday...

Ashley Thomas at home
This time of year, for me is full of hope and optimism with plans of getting away to sunnier climates and daydreaming of exploring new corners of the world. Packing normally fills me with dread. I have no idea what to take and normally pack way too many clothes and don't end up wearing half of it!
I've put together this holiday checklist to help with packing the holiday essentials, to help take the stress out of it all. And here are my top tips on the perfect packing...

Less is more, with clothes you will not wear as much as you think, so pack for half the time you are going. You can always wear something twice or team it up with something else to make a new outfit.

Roll don't fold, most of the time you will not need to worry about ironing things when you get there if you roll your clothes instead of folding. And this saves so much space too.

Always put toiletries in a plastic bag or washbag, if it explodes in your suitcase this is a mess that will take forever to clean up and will take the joy out of arriving at your destination.

Take two pairs of sunglasses, they always break on the first day for me so take a spare to save you searching every local shop for a new pair.

Don't stress, you can probably buy items you forget when you get there, it's always hairspray for me! 



Print this holiday checklist to help with packing the essentials.



Beach towels exclusive to Debenhams 

Queen’s Birthday Cake

ashley thomas


This cake is a really fun way to celebrate the Queen’s Birthday on 21st April and is the perfect excuse to throw a garden party. It’s a sticky and nutty carrot cake base, one of my favourite English summer cakes with a classic Vanilla cream cheese frosting. With Great British berries to make the union jack flag.


You’ll need…

For the Cake…
8oz self raising flour
5oz muscovado sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 carrot
2 bananas
2 large eggs
150ml sunflower oil
2oz walnut pieces

For the topping…
2oz butter
4oz icing sugar
6oz soft cheese
Blueberries and Raspberries to decorate 

To make...
Sift the flour, sugar and baking powder into a large mixing bowl
Grate the carrot into the bowl and mix thoroughly
Mash the bananas and beat into the mixture
Beat the eggs and add to the bowl along with sunflower oil, mix together really well until smooth
Smash up the walnut pieces in a bowl and stir in well
Line a rectangular cake tin (18x25cm) with baking paper. Pour the mixture in and level the surface
Pre-heat the oven to 180oC
Bake for around 25 mins or until golden brown.
Leave to cool, meanwhile make the topping


Warm the butter in a microwave for 30seconds until half melted
Sift in the icing sugar and add the soft cheese, mix together until smooth
Leave in the fridge to chill for 15 mins
Once cooled spread icing over the cake and decorate with blueberries and raspberries to resemble the union jack flag.


All products photographed are from my exclusive collection for Debenhams.
Browse the collection online here.
Red contrasting printed double apron glove, £14
Set of three red printed teatowels, £14

Picnic Collection

ashley thomas
My Picnic collection at Debenhams has now launched. This years collection is better than ever with the edition of the cutest picnic hampers, baskets and even a cool bag to compliment the range.
As all my collections for Debenhams the range is only available in their stores whilst stocks last, we are already working on next years designs so grab these before they are sold out!

Start your collection online...

Set of 4 Melamine Dinner Plates, £18
Set of 4 Melamine Side Plate, £16
Melamine Cake Stand, £20

Set of 4 picnic tumblers, £10
Set of 4 Ditsy Highball Glasses, £16
 
Ditsy print lidded picnic basket, £25
Two person heart shaped picnic hamper, £70

Ditsy print picnic backpack, £40
Ditsy cool bag, £25
Ditsy Lunch tote, £12.50
 
 Shop the full collection exclusively at Debenhams

Easter Egg Cupcakes

ashley thomas
These Easter cupcakes are so much fun to make, and they are so so easy even the kids can join in too. They look really impressive and you really can't go wrong even if you are a beginner baker.


You'll need...
4oz butter
4oz caster sugar
2 free range eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
4oz self-raising flour
1tbsp milk
12 paper cases

For the icing...
5oz butter
10oz icing sugar
1 tbsp milk
vanilla extract
icing bag and large nozzle
100g plain chocolate bar
1 x bag of mini eggs (or 2 bags if you want to scoff them whilst you bake!)


To make...
Chop the butter into cubes and put into a large mixing bowl.
Add the sugar and mix well until combined.
Beat the eggs and add slowly to the mixture, mixing in as you go.
Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
Fold in the flour slowly and add the milk to make the mixture a good consistency for dropping into the paper cases.
Take the paper cases and add to a 12 hole muffin tray. Spoon in the mixture equally into the cases. They should be around ¾ full.
Bake for 15mins or until golden brown (mine went a bit too golden! Never mind they still taste great)
Once baked allow to cool completely, if you are impatient like me put them in the fridge and make your icing.


Add the butter to a small mixing bowl and microwave for 30seconds.
Sift in half the icing sugar and mix together well. Add the vanilla extract and sift in the other half of the icing and then the milk to loosen it up. Mix together really well until smooth and creamy.
Turn your piping bag inside out, whilst holding the end and spoon in the icing mixture.
Twist the end and squeeze onto the top of the cooled cupcakes.
Chopped the chocolate into flakey pieces.
Add three mini eggs to the centre of the icing and decorate with the chocolate flakes.
Ta da!


Kitchen textiles exclusively from Debenhams

Set of 3 Bunny Tea Towels, £14
Bunny Apron, £15

Bunny Bonkers

Ashley Thomas at home
Are you ready for Easter? This year it seems early on in the year so it may catch you by surprise.
I really love Easter, it means spring is officially here. Bring on the country walks through fields of baby lambs, flowers starting to appear in the garden and we can start to plan a lovely summer ahead.

Easter bank holiday is a great chance to have a nice long weekend with family and friends and stuff yourself on chocolate of course! Get your table in ship shape and ready for all the family coming over on Easter Sunday with my new collection exclusively available at Debenhams. The range is all the key pieces you need such from the essential bunny egg cup (be quick these sold out very quickly last year) to the stunning bunny cake stand. As well as a few gift ideas too, a gorgeous tea for one the perfect hostess present if you are going somewhere else for Easter lunch or a very beautiful bunny money box which is a great alternative gift to chocolate for the grown up kids.

 
Bunny tea for two

  
 Bunny Egg cup, £4

Chocolate & Guinness Cake

ashley thomas


This cake is perfect to celebrate St. Patrick's Day this week (17th March).
It's a gorgeously sticky, rich and totally delicious cake which reflects the look of a freshly pulled pint of Guinness with it's dark body and fluffy creamy topping. Give it a go with the recipe below it will be very popular with friends and family!

You'll need...
For the cake...
250ml Guinness                  
250g Unsalted Butter (cubed) 
75g Cocoa Powder 
300g Caster Sugar
100g Soft brown sugar 

1 x 142ml sour cream 
1 tbs bourbon vanilla extract 
2 medium eggs 

275g plain flour 
2 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 

For the topping...

300g Cream cheese
150g icing sugar
125ml whipping cream 


To make...
Preheat the oven to 180c 
Butter the sides and bottom of a 23cm springform tin then line the base with baking parchment. 
Firstly, place the butter and Guinness into a saucepan and melt the butter into the Guinness gently over a low heat until the all butter has melted. Combine the caster, soft brown sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl (no need to sift the cocoa), then whisk these into the Guinness and butter mixture in the pan. While this mixture is cooling, place the sour cream, eggs and vanilla essence into a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Now add the the Guinness mixture to the sour cream mix and whip gently until incorporated. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into the bowl and beat until all ingredients are combined. Pour into the prepared springform tin and bake in the centre of the preheated oven. Bake for 45 to 60 mins. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean when put into the centre of the cake, cool in the tin until cold (it may crack a little and sink slightly in the middle but this is fine).
For the topping, whisk the cream cheese and then sift in the icing sugar a little at a time, add the cream and whisk gently until mixture is fluffy. Frost the cake with this mixture until it resembles a lovely pint of Irish goodness.




Cake stand exclusively from my collection at Debenhams

Country Living Fair, London

ashley thomas
 I'm off to the Country Living fair in London's Islington next week, 
come and visit my little pop up shop on stand: MF26

Come and browse my range of handmade cushions, limited edition tea towels, British made notebooks & cards, unique sewing kits and conversational embroidery hoops. All made in England.

For discounted tickets use my unique code: EX16S34 
and you will receive £1 off the advanced ticket price. 

To book, please visit - www.countrylivingfair.com


Studio Sneak Peek: Part 2

studio

 Part 2 of my studio sneak peek shows more of an insight into the design process. After the doodling is done my illustrations and paintings are scanned into the computer...


Then they are manipulated into patterns or compositions, filled with colour and the fun begins.
The possibilities are endless. I spend a long time tweaking colours, experimenting with patterns and repeats. Every tiny detail in a design is hand drawn, each pattern collage is originally for example a flower drawing which has been re-coloured, repeated, re-scaled and experimented with.


The above photo shows an initial design "The Bakery" from my bakery illustrations next to a finished product, a bakery cookie jar. This is a product from my SS15 collection, exclusive to Debenhams




New Stockist: Flossy Teacake

ashley thomas

Flossy Teacake is a mixed media designer maker based in Tideswell, Derbyshire.
Her super sweet old fashioned shop is also a studio and hosts community classes!

Pop into the flossy teacake shop and you can see her unique pieces being made, other British Designer Makers work (like mine) for sale and also a range of Haberdashery for your own projects including fabric, buttons, ribbons and much more.

They also host regular workshops and a monthly Make and Cake session where you can learn a new technique or bring your own project along.