The Versatility of Vintage Crates

 Hen and Hammock' vintage wooden crates are salvaged from apple orchards in France and we always thought they could be handy for storing fruit but realized how versatile they could be when we asked customers to send in photos of their wooden crates.

You all got really creative and turned the crates into handy storage for toys, wall shelves, side tables, bookcases and even a miniature desk!

Below are some of the photos that were sent in illustrating the different uses of vintage crates.

Wooden crate storage draws (left) and a bookcase made by stacking the crates vertically and horizontally. 

A stunning toy storage box with wheels made from a vintage crate.

The vintage crates make for a great shop display (right).

Usually the crates have old printing on them, but that is not always the case. Depending on what look you are going for you can always request either crates with writing or no writing.

We are quite excited about a new crate that we are getting in. The new crates will have a more clean and finished look as they won't be vintage but rather newly made. So depending whether you are going for shabby chic or for clean lines we have the crate for you.

Since publishing this post the new crates have landed and are available here!

Hen and Hammock's Début at Liberty London

Last week Hen and Hammock came to Liberty’s! Much to our delight as it meant trip to London and a wander round the famous department store on Regent Street.

Liberty have just set up a stunning outdoor living section on their fourth floor filled with gardening delights including our very own Gardener’s Starter Kit and Allotment Kit.

There are also various bits on sale that make spending time outdoors that much more enjoyable like the Rainbow Hammock Chair or recycled wool picnic blanket for those sunny days when all you want to do is lie outside with your book.   

To find out more about all the Hen and Hammock products on sale at Liberty click here.

One of our favourite things about the Liberty’s Outdoor Living display were all the great gardening design ideas - mostly aimed at people with limited space - it was London afterall.

Luckily we managed to snap a few photos for inspiration!

The Wool House Exhibition at Somerset House

Currently showing at Somerset House, London is Wool House - said to be the largest showcase of wool in the world!

Somerset House has turned their West Wing into a stunning display of all things woolly including wool vases, crocheted full sized bears, a traditional loom, rooms filled with wool like you have never seen before and to top it all off, real live wool or sheep as they are normally called.

The exhibition runs from 13 - 24 March and entry is free.  The 12 day showcase is to be curated by renowned designer Arabella McNie. From interiors and crafts, to the world of fashion, all aspects of wool is explored. 

The driving force behind the exhibit is The Campaign for Wool which we mentioned in 2011 when they ran Wool Week.

Their main aim is  educate people about the benefits and versatilely of wool in fashion, furnishing and every day life. This in turn supports many small businesses and local farmers who make a living from the wool industry.

At Hen and Hammock this is definitely an idea we can get  behind - we even have a whole section dedicated to wool but our favourite wool product by far is the Hen and Hammock picnic blanket which are made from recycled wool in North Wales - where the sheep possibly outnumber the humans.

So if you are looking for something to do next weekend pop on over to the Wool House and learn all about wool and get involved in some of the activities on offer including Crochet Club, Drop-in-Darning, Lace Knitting and Knit a Lamp Shade.

Outdoor Living Courses in March

So it seems that the weather has finally lost all it's marbles, today alone we had snow, sunshine, rain and grey skies. In March, MARCH! So to cheer ourselves up we have put together a quick list of outdoor living courses that sound really good. Yes it is ironic that the courses are "outdoor" considering the opening sentence to this post but being British when have we ever let a little bad weather stand in our way?

Chicken Keeping Courses for Families
Date: Saturday, 16 March / Time: 2pm - 3:30pm / Where: Hencorner, London / £25.00 (includes up to two children per adult)
The course provides good introduction to keeping chickens in an urban garden. During the course you will cover the r needs of the chick including and their daily, weekly and monthly care. You will have the opportunity to handle a hen and ask any question you might have. To book a spot or find out more click here.

Strategies for How to Set Up a Low-Impact Smallhold
Date: Thursday, 21 March - Sunday, 24 March / Where: / Price: £235 - £345 
You will be taught the theory side of starting your own smallholding, from looking at the planning and administrative considerations to visiting some local thriving smallholdings and discussing the owner's experience with them. Click here to find out more.

One Day Planning And Planting Borders Course
Date: Saturday, 16 March / Time: TBA / Where: The Cotswold Gardening School, Gloucestershire  / Price: £95.00
This exciting course is suitable for those with all levels of experience from beginners to the more experienced. The course includes a slide show with plenty of examples of fantastic planting from local gardens and those further afield. You will learn the professional way to compile and set down a clear planting plan and have the opportunity to practice this with professional guidance. To find out all the details click here.

Hen and Hammock at Liberty London

On Monday, 18 March Hen and Hammock will be celebrating the launch of several of our products at Liberty London! We are really excited about this venture, so excited that we will be leaving the quite country side for the bright lights of London to celebrate the launch. So why not come join at Liberty London on the Monday evening to help us celebrate?

For those who can't make it here is a taste of the products that will be on sale.

First up we have the 100% cotton rainbow hammock chair, made in Brazil, using traditional techniques which involve over a dozen steps. The cotton is picked and spun by hand, then counted off into bundles of 3500 – 4500 threads, each bundle is dyed using environmentally compatible dyes and left out in the fresh air to dry. Then begins the highly complicated weaving process, a good weaver can produce up to 10 hammocks a day.

Amazonas, the company behind the rainbow hammock chair offers more than 100 workers a secure job, which offers them and their families a steady income. In addition, they enjoy social standards which are largely unheard of in the rural areas of Brazil, such as social security, health insurance and paid holidays.

Next we have the gardeners starter kit which is filled with useful things to get that veggie patch going, including plant labels, starter pots, an oak dibber and tamper – perfect for getting those seeds sown! All of these products come packaged in a seed tray made from wood off cuts.

Last but by no means least is the veg rack, handmade in Dorset from reclaimed pine, the veg rack is a great place to store all those tasty garden offerings.

So whether you want to laze your spring days away in the luxury of a hammock or spend more time in the garden, Liberty London is the place to be on 18 March.

Christmas Decoration Ideas

With 39 days till Christmas we have put together a pinboard of various Christmas decoration ideas together to help you decide how you want to decorate your house, tree, presents and table this year.

1. Snowman string Christmas decorations: Take a look around your home and see what things you have lying around that you could turn into Christmas decorations.

2. The trees are all losing their leaves and looking rather dismal at the moment, wrapping them in Christmas lights is one way to brighten them up!

3. This sweet little gang of festive animals make a great project for kids and adults alike. The kit includes Santa Paws the Cat, Blixen the Reindeer, Timothy Turkey, Delores the Donkey and Piper the Penguin.

4.Rustic glass baubles add a touch of vintage to Christmas and are a nice change from the bright plastic.

5. These paper angels  look good on a mantelpiece or hanging from a Christmas tree. And on a table they can be used as place names. 

6. Download these stunning gift tags to decorate your presents.

7. Learn hot to make Christmas terrarium here

8. One never knows when the snow will come so make your own out of paper snowflakes.

For more Christmas ideas take a look at out Pinterest board.

Outdoor living courses in November

Winter is drawing ever nearer and we are spending more and more time indoors. So to prevent amalgamation with the couch we have found five outdoor living courses that will get your blood and brain juice pumping.

Cider making 
Date: Sunday, November 4 / Time: 10am – 5pm / Where: The Woodland Discovery Centre, Sheffield / Price: £40.00 
This one-day course is suitable for beginners interested in making cider or perry at home.  You will learn about the history and traditions of cider making, the different types apples and their uses, choice and care of equipment, milling and pressing of apples, fermentation and maturation and blending and bottling Click here for more information. 

Chicken Keeping Course for Families
Date: Saturday, 9 November / Time: 2pm-3:30pm / Where: West London / Price: £25.00  (includes up to two children per adult) 
A good introduction to keeping chickens in an urban garden. The course covers the needs of chickens, and their daily, weekly and monthly care. You will have the opportunity to handle a hen, ask questions and each family goes home with course notes, a certificate and  goodie bag! Click here for more information.

Fruit Tree Pruning
Date: Saturday, 10 November / Time: 10am – 4:30pm / Where: Willow Tree Farm, Assington / Price: £80.00 (includes lunch)
The course covers the principles of fruit tree pruning and the use of tools and how to sharpen them.  There will be practical demonstration on how to prune new trees and how to rescue old and neglected fruit trees. You will be able to practise on several trees during the day. Click here for more information.

One day gardening for beginners
Date: Thursday 15 November / Time: 10am-4pm / Where: The Cotswold Gardening School, Gloucestershire / Price: £95.00 (includes lunch) 
This course helps the novice gardener get to grips with the basics of gardening. Even the experienced gardener will find they day helpful to brush up on fundamental gardening ideas.You can bring along photos, measurements and any information about your own garden for tailored advice. If there is a specific topic you would like to be included let the school know in advance and they will cover it. Click here for more information.

Hedgelaying
Date: Saturday, 17 November / Time: 9am-4pm / Where: TBA / Price: £70.00 (includes lunch)
Learn all about hedgelaying, the traditional way of making a hedge stock proof by cutting, weaving and tying branches together creating an impenetrable fence.  This is a practical course, with only a short introductory talk so expect manual labour in the beautiful outdoors. . Click here for more information.