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Slow Living Scotland

Your guide to slow living in Scotland

events // escapes // stores
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12/12/2024

✨ DECEMBER EVENTS✨

A bit later than I’d hoped but here they are… my recommended events for the month of December!

As we are already 12 days into December (how?! 🥴) we’ve missed so many great events; creative craft sessions, Christmas markets, winter workshops and seasonal feasts… and of course our FESTIVE FAYRE which was featured in very own recommended December events! 🙌🏼🙌🏼

But fear not, there’s still a few goodies out there that you don’t want to miss before the month (and year) is out!

🪵 12.12 - 15.12 & 19.12 - 22.12 | A winter pop up store at

🌲 13.12 - 15.12 | Christmas Market 2024 plus a drop in wreath workshop with

🪴 14.12 | Festive pop up with our friends &

🥧 15.12 | Learn how to make your own festive mince pies at the Cook School

🎄 20.12 - 21.12 | Christmas pop-up with

🧘🏻‍♀️ 21.12 | Winter Solstice Yin Yoga & Herbalism workshop with &

🔥 21.12 | Learn about some of our winter solstice traditions at the

More information on each of these events plus all the links you need to book, can be found over on my website slowlivingscotland.com/events 🙏🏼

Well that’s it for 2024! I’ll be back in January with more events so if you’d like to be listed, just get in touch!

Have a wonderful Thursday 🧡

Rachael x

09/12/2024

✨ WHAT A WEEKEND!! ✨

Thank you so so much to everyone who came to see us at the this weekend! I hope you enjoyed your winter spiced tea on arrival and all the gorgeous smells and beautiful things to see as you browsed our wonderful small businesses!

We had such a great time at this new location and I am thrilled you all seemed to enjoy it too!

Thanks again to our small businesses who travelled out to be part of this event…

And .co who couldn’t be there but who we love anyway!

And finally, thank you to my dear friend Autumn of for her support throughout this whole event. Her design work on the Festive Fayre images, all her advice and the photos she has gifted to me for this post are so very much appreciated! 🙏🏼🧡

Please continue to support our friends by giving their pages a follow and spreading the word about how wonderful they really are!

So, now we’ve got a cool new venue sorted… who’s up for a spring market?! Let me know in the comments below! 👇🏼🧡✨

06/12/2024

✨ TOMORROW!! ✨

It’s here! It’s market weekend! 🌲✨

We’re all set up at the and ready to welcome you tomorrow morning from 10am!

It’s looking like it’ll be a bit of a dreich day but fear not, we’ll have the fire on and cosy winter tea for you to enjoy whilst browsing our small businesses’ stalls.

Join us from 10am to 4pm tomorrow, Saturday 7th December and again on Sunday the 8th of December for our FESTIVE FAYRE - natural products, sustainable ingredients and materials made using traditional artisan skills. You’re going to love it!

SEE YOU TOMORROW!! 🧡✨

FESTIVE FAYRE | SAT 7TH & SUN 8TH DEC | 10-4PM | MILTON OF CRATHES, BANCHORY

05/12/2024

02/12/2024

✨ MEET THE MAKERS ✨

It’s here! The FINAL set of makers we’ll be hosting at our FESTIVE FAYRE on the 7th & 8th of December!

| Saturday & Sunday | Laura, a skilled silversmith, crafts thoughtful jewellery using recycled precious metals with each piece being carefully handmade by Laura herself. Her creations often feature uplifting messages, encouraging us to slow down, trust the journey, and stay true to our path. She also incorporates genuine crystals and gemstones into her unique designs. Laura will join us with a stunning jewellery collection, including necklaces, bracelets, scented rollerball lockets, and more.

| Saturday & Sunday | Yogi Oils’ mission is to create products that bridge the connection between the ancient wisdom and symbolism of plants, nature, the seasons, and stories related to the land we live on. Handcrafted by Katrino, each essential oil and plant-based creation is designed to immerse you in the wild beauty of nature and ignite your senses. Every item is thoughtfully crafted with its unique story. From candles and oils to mists and incense, let yourself be enchanted by the pure magic of her creations.

| Sunday only | Deliciously indulgent dark chocolate treats handmade by chocolatier Rachel in her solar-powered cocoa kitchen. Inspired by her family’s food intolerances, Rachel set out to create a range of “better-for-you” chocolates free from all the nasties. Her chocolates are dairy-free, gluten-free, and 100% plant-based, and she uses eco-friendly packaging, too. With rich, delicious chocolate made from natural ingredients, how could we possibly resist?

| Saturday only | Hairy Highlander celebrates the magnificence of beards and the power of organic, natural ingredients. Founded by Josh and inspired by the rugged beauty of the Highlands, their beard oils, balms, and grooming products are crafted without fragrances or synthetic additives. Instead, they use the finest natural ingredients to support male hormones and promote healthy beard growth.

We can’t wait to see you there! 🧡

FESTIVE FAYRE | SAT 7TH & SUN 8TH DEC | 10-4PM | MILTON OF CRATHES, BANCHORY

01/12/2024

✨ ONE WEEK! ✨

It's official! There's only one week to go until our
FESTIVE FAYRE at Milton Of Crathes!!

We'll be back with a selection of FANTASTIC local makers all with a common theme... SUSTAINABLE products, NATURAL ingredients and created using TRADITIONAL artisan skills.

We're a Christmas Market with a twist!

Join us next weekend for a very special and unique shopping experience and support our local businesses and their families this Christmas!

FESTIVE FAYRE | SAT 7TH & SUN 8TH DEC | 10-4PM | MILTON OF CRATHES, BANCHORY

✨ PLUS FREE ENTRY FOR ALL! ✨

29/11/2024

✨ MEET THE MAKERS ✨

Here we are, just over one week away from our FESTIVE FAYRE!

As we get scarily close to the main event, I am delighted to announce the next set of makers joining us on the 7th & 8th of December!

Re:treat Aberdeenshire | Sunday only | Award-winning organic skincare, therapies, and apothecary based in Aberdeenshire. Kathryn, the founder and creator, has been crafting natural skincare for many years. In 2020, she launched her own skincare line, offering clean, cruelty-free products made with 100% natural ingredients, free from harmful chemicals. As an expert in natural skincare, I’m thrilled to have Kathryn join our market and share her knowledge and wisdom on clean cosmetics.

Seven Chaga | Saturday & Sunday | Founders Autumn and Jackson from Aberdeen craft small batch wellness products using consciously foraged wild Scottish chaga. Their passion for health and wellbeing inspired them to start the business in 2020 and has been driven by a desire to support their family’s health using natural and holistic methods. Specialising in chaga and natural healthcare, Autumn is a wonderful addition to our event, sharing her expertise in herbal and alternative remedies.

Swedish Candle Logs Aberdeen (Touckswood) | Saturday only | Sustainable woodland, Toucks Wood is an 88-acre, sustainable woodland just outside Stonehaven. The team will be joining us with their wooden homewares, all of which are locally grown and handcrafted in Aberdeenshire. Using a blend of traditional methods and modern equipment, Touckswoods creates stunning wooden pieces for your home and garden. Candle logs, furniture, chopping boards and candle holders are just some of their beautiful creations that will be available to take home.

Our final set of makers will be announced next week, but until then, please give our friends a follow and join me in welcoming them to our market in 8 days' time!

FESTIVE FAYRE | SAT 7TH & SUN 8TH DEC | 10-4PM | MILTON OF CRATHES, BANCHORY

28/11/2024

NEW RECIPE: CHICKEN STOCK + BONE BROTH

The wonderful Autumn of has kindly provided us with the most delicious chicken stock and bone broth recipe to get us through the winter!

When she shared photos of her stock on her Instagram stories earlier this year, she was inundated with recipe requests, so we figured it had to be added to our recipe collection, too!

Packed with vitamins, protein, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients, this is an essential recipe for any home cook 👩🏻‍🍳

Add the stock to soups, sauces, curries, gravies, risotto, and more as a delicious meaty base, or simply dilute the bone broth with some water, season to taste, and sip for a tasty light lunch.

For the full recipe, visit the recipe tab on my website slowlivingscotland.com 🧡

24/11/2024

✨ MEET THE MAKERS ✨

Delighted to announce the next set of makers we will have the privilege of hosting at our FESTIVE FAYRE in two weeks' time!

—Originally from Romania, Bea is a talented artist, sea glass collector, and (most importantly!) mum. She will join us with her beautiful botanical monoprints, sea glass art, jewellery, and “small moment” illustrations. For everyone who loves simple, cosy art, this one is for you! Bea will be there to discuss how she creates her natural art and what inspires her to do so.

- Newton Dee is a Camphill community based in Aberdeen, which offers home, meaningful work and opportunities for personal development to adults with learning disabilities and other special needs. Their onsite bakery is just one of the many places some residents choose to work. Using their very own organic flour, the bakers create beautiful award-winning bread, pastries, and traditional bakes every week, which are sold in their bakery and the Newton Dee Store With baking being one of the oldest traditions in Scotland, the bakery team will be happy to chat about their organic produce and how to bake the perfect bread.

Leaves and Snails —Tea lover Milla will join us with a selection of her very own tea blends and some samples to try. Combining her love of foraging and tea drinking, Milla creates all-natural, seasonal teas that taste great and good for us too. Foraging has always been a traditional skill in Scotland, but few of us nowadays have the knowledge to do so. Fortunately, Milla will be on hand to tell us how to forage our ingredients and create our very own tea blends.

More makers will be announced in the coming weeks but until then, please give our friends a follow and join me in welcoming them to our market in December!

FESTIVE FAYRE | SAT 7TH & SUN 8TH DEC | 10-4PM | MILTON OF CRATHES, BANCHORY

23/11/2024

🌿 7 of the Best Botanical Inspired Workshops this Winter 🌿✨

As the days grow shorter and the temperature drops, winter may seem like a time to hibernate.

But for those passionate about plants, the cold season offers a unique opportunity to dive deeper into the world of botanicals. Scotland, with its lush landscapes and rich horticultural history, is home to a variety of workshops that embrace the beauty of nature even in the frostiest months.

I’ve scoured the internet and found you the 7 best botanical-inspired winter workshops available this side of Christmas.

At the time of writing, all classes have places available and can be booked via the links in each description.

I’ve found you everything from classic wreath-making to botanical cocktail-making to get you into the festive spirit!🌲

Head over to my website journal now for the full lineup and links to book! 🧡

📸 Images 1 and 7 courtesy of .beattie

20/11/2024

✨ MEET THE MAKERS ✨

Delighted to announce the first set of makers we have the privilege of hosting at our FESTIVE FAYRE in two weeks' time!

✨ .co - Florist Emily will join us with her range of sustainable and seasonal wreaths, posies, and gifts. Inspired by our Scottish landscape, Emily will bring the wild indoors for Christmas! Emily will be there to chat about sustainable floristry and will also be taking orders for wreaths and bouquets throughout December and into the new year.

✨ CarnieBees - Run by Anna and her daughter Kaya, CarnieBees is a small, family-run business passionate about natural health. Specialising in crafting honey infusions and other natural bee products such as bee pollen and candles, Anna ensures only the best quality honey is collected in the most sustainable way possible. Anna will be there to answer any questions you might have about beekeeping and using honey as a natural medicine.

✨ Shearing Crafts - Shearer, rug maker and knitter, Pam, founded Sharing Crafts in a bid to create beautiful, cruelty-free free and sustainable rugs and accessories. Using wet felting as her technique, Pam creates the most wonderful wool products using 100% biodegradable and renewable surplus wool. Pam will be showing us how she goes about creating her rugs using methods that date back to the Bronze Age!

I am so excited to have Emily, Anna & Pam joining our event! More makers will be announced later in the week but until then, please give our friends a follow and join me in welcoming them to our market in December! 🌲

FESTIVE FAYRE | SAT 7TH & SUN 8TH DEC | 10-4PM | MILTON OF CRATHES, BANCHORY

19/11/2024

🌲CHRISTMAS MARKETS… 🌲

It’s that time of year again when everybody and anybody is hosting a Christmas market! ✨

Of course, we can’t attend them all, so I’ve saved you some time and whittled the list down to my top 10 festive markets, which I recommend you visit this year.

🌲 Every Friday until Xmas -INDIE FRIDAYS
✨ 21.11 Christmas Shopping Evening
🌲 22.11 - 24.11 Whitekirk Hill Christmas Fair
✨ 28.11 Christmas Market
🌲 30.11 Winter Market
✨ 06.12 - 08.12 Christmas Fair
🌲 07.12 - 08.12 FESTIVE FAYRE
✨ 07.12 Advent Fair
🌲 12.12 - 15.12 Winter Store
✨ 13.12 - 15.12 Christmas Market &
🌲 19.12 - 22.12 Winter Store

Of course, we are a tad biased and thoroughly recommend you visit our FESTIVE FAYRE on the 7th and 8th of December! We’re back at , this time in the cosy old sawmill.

We’ll have lots of local artisans to shop from, all specialising in sustainable, natural products created using traditional skills - some of which we’ve seen being used in our country for decades.

Wherever you visit, please support local families and shop small this Christmas.

10/11/2024

✨ Only 4 weeks until our FESTIVE FAYRE! ✨

The countdown is on! Our FESTIVE FAYRE is just 4 weeks away!

I’m super excited to bring you weekend filled with traditional artisans, natural products, and some delicious festive treats. It’s the perfect opportunity to support local makers and get into the Christmas spirit!

🗓️ Date: SAT 7TH & SUN 8TH DECEMBER 📍 Location: SAWMILL @ MILTON OF CRATHES, ABERDEENSHIRE 🕒 Time: 10 - 4PM

AND… ITS FREE ENTRY!

Don’t miss out - mark your calendars and spread the word! 🙏🏼

📸 Photo courtesy of

05/11/2024

✨🎇NOVEMBER EVENTS 🎇✨

Happy Tuesday, everyone and happy bonfire night! It’s a chilly one out there so wrap up warm if you’re out seeing the fireworks this evening!

As you may already know, I’ve recently updated our EVENTS directory with all the November events I can find. I’d love to include more in my listings so please send me a link to any you are organising or any you think I might be interested in 🙏🏼

So, for now, here’s the some of the EVENTS I am recommending this November:

🎄Christmas collection launch at . Expect festive drinks, beautiful sustainable gifts and maybe even an offer or two!
🫖 Winter infusions workshop with and - make some delicious winter tea!
🧺 Try your hand at some willow weaving by making your own basket with
🌿 Learn about winter herbal remedies with
🌶️ Learn all there is to know about growing food indoors with and
🍯 Herbs, Honey & Hygge with . Get cosy and learn about herbal remedies for winter wellness
⭐️ Support the charity with and Evening of Wellness organised by the lovely
🎄 Get some Christmas shopping done at ’s Christmas Shopping Evening

More information about each of the events above can be found over on my website as well as some other events later on in the year too!

If you found this post or my directories helpful, I’d love to know about it in the comments below. As with all small businesses feedback and engagement goes a long way in supporting our ventures and making sure we are giving our customers what they want!

Rachael x

02/11/2024

✨SAVE THE DATE | FESTIVE FAYRE ✨

I am thrilled to announce that on Saturday the 7th and Sunday the 8th of December, we will return with a brand new Christmas market…. A Festive Fayre!

This new mini-festive market will be held in the old Sawmill at Milton of Crathes near Banchory, Aberdeenshire. It’s free entry for all, and we even have a new theme in mind.

After meeting so many fantastic businesses through our new directories, I wanted to showcase some of their beautiful creations in a way that is more tangible than just on paper… or on a screen as it is. This time around, our mini-market will highlight local handcrafted goods made from natural sources using traditional methods.

Our small businesses will be there to discuss how they use traditional skills such as foraging, felting, silversmithing, beekeeping, soap making, weaving, and more to create their products and how important it is to them that we continue to keep these traditions alive.

There will be plenty of stalls to shop, products to buy and fantastic local makers to meet. I’ll also be there on the day to greet you with a complimentary winter tea!

I’ve also written a wee journal post that goes into a bit more detail about the event and, of course. I’ve created a FB event page, too.

slowlivingscotland.com/journal/festive-fayre

So, save the dates, and I look forward to seeing you inside our cosy bothy market soon!

Rachael x

FESTIVE FAYRE | SAT 7TH & SUN 8TH DEC | 10-4PM | THE SAWMILL, MILTON OF CRATHES, ABERDEENSHIRE

P.S. I’d also like to thank my incredibly talented friend, Autumn of for creating all the beautiful graphics for this event. She has gone above and beyond what I asked, and I couldn’t recommend her more. Please get in touch if you’re looking for help with your business, too!

27/10/2024

NEW RECIPE: Pumpkin & Beetroot Chilli 🎃🌶️

Chef and gut health expert, Tim of nourishedandrefuelled has kindly designed us the perfect autumnal recipe.

Tim is an Aberdeenshire based nutritious food caterer, blogger and recipe designer specialising in delicious gut healthy recipes.

This warming dish is everything you could want on a chilly October day; nutritious, filling, tasty and a great way to use up all the squash available this time of year.

It’s packed full of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants to help the body remove any unwanted toxins and are great for overall gut health and our microbiomes.

I cant wait to give this recipe ago and I hope you will too! You can find this recipe along with some more seasonal recipes over on our website slowlivingscotland.com/recipes 🧡

Let me know what you think of this recipe below 👇🏼 and if you do make it, tag us in your photos so we can share!

Happy cooking! 🎃👩🏻‍🍳

25/10/2024

Just added 8 more Scottish small businesses to our STORES directory! 🙌🏼

As well as some of my old favourites, I’ve also added some newbies to the list which I’ve only just had the pleasure to meet.

We are so lucky to be surround by such wonderfully, talented people here in Scotland. It’s an absolute honour to be able to meet them, hear their stories and support them along the way.

Here’s the 8 Scottish small businesses I’ve added:
🎃
🩶
🥕
🐑
🥐
🥦
🐑 Shearing Crafts
🍞 .bakehouse

Please take some time to browse the full list over on my website as well as our other directories; escapes and events.

I’ll be updating the events page tomorrow - there is SO many great events coming up so please bear with me while I get them all posted!

If you’d like to be added to any of our directories, please get in touch. I’d love to hear from you!

Rachael x

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http://www.slowlivingscotland.com/

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✨ Unpack a @napiers1860 wholesale order with me! ✨ Super excited to unpack my very first wholesale order, so I thought I’d let you guys in on it, too! I’ve used Napier’s products for years, and I love how committed they are to using natural ingredients in all their products. 🌿 Founded in Edinburgh in 1860 by botanist Duncan Napier, the company remains true to its roots in creating natural remedies, skincare, botanical beauty products and herbal food supplements in Scotland. Duncan’s dream was “to provide an affordable choice of natural healthcare for all people”, and to this day, they remain one of the UK’s leading names in complementary and natural healthcare. I’ll have a small selection of Napier’s products available to buy at our FESTIVE FAYRE and lots of warming winter tea for you to sample when you arrive! 😊 FESTIVE FAYRE | SAT 7TH & SUN 8TH DEC | 10-4PM | MILTON OF CRATHES, BANCHORY #FESTIVEFAYRE #traditionalartisans #naturalproducts #countdowntochristmas #slowlivingscotland #slowliving #artisan #christmasmarket #chrismtasevent #miltonofcrathes #banchory #aberdeenshire #napiers #napiers1860 #herbalremedies #wholesale #unboxing #unpacking #wholesaleorder

📍 Milton of Crathes, Banchory, Aberdeenshire In less than 4 weeks, we’ll be back at the @miltonofcrathes for our FESTIVE FAYRE! This time, we’ll be cosy and snug in the old sawmill, nestled at the bottom corner of the complex, overlooking Coy Burn. Our festive market will be open all weekend from 10am to 4pm, but there are lots of other things to do in the area while you’re there. If you have the time, why not make a day of it and visit some of the other small businesses in the area: @hiddenscotlandshop @themiltonartgallery @miltonbrasserie @livi.loves_dress.agency @twinpeakesflyfishing whiteskyphotographics @culterperennials Santa trains will also be available at the old Milton railway station, just a minute’s walk from our market. We can’t wait to see you there! FESTIVE FAYRE | SAT 7TH & SUN 8TH DEC | 10-4PM | MILTON OF CRATHES, BANCHORY #FESTIVEFAYRE #traditionalartisans #naturalproducts #countdowntochristmas #slowlivingscotland #slowliving #artisan #christmasmarket #chrismtasevent #scottishmakers #scottishartisans #miltonofcrathes #banchory #aberdeenshire

✨SAVE THE DATE | FESTIVE FAYRE ✨I am thrilled to announce that on Saturday the 7th and Sunday the 8th of December, we will return with a brand new Christmas market…. A Festive Fayre! FESTIVE FAYRE | SAT 7TH & SUN 8TH DEC | 10-4PM | THE SAWMILL, MILTON OF CRATHES, ABERDEENSHIRE