Is it the start of summer?

Upside Down Apple Cake

Mother's Day!

Upside Down Apple Cake

Sorry that it's not a great photo but I only had my phone to hand!

Recipe:

3 Tablespoons of brown sugar

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced

4 Cups of plain flour

4 Teaspoons of ground ginger

225g Butter

2 Cups of sugar

4 Tablespoons of golden syrup

2 Teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda

1 and a half cups of milk

2 Table spoons lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 170 C. Lightly grease a deep 20cm cake tin and line with non stick baking paper

Sprinkle the lined tine with the brown sugar. Arrange apple slices to cover the bottom of the tin. Sift flour and ginger and rub in butter. Add sugar, golden syrup, and bicarbonate of soda dissolved in milk. Mix well. Add lemon juce.

Pour mixture over apple slices in tin. Bake for 60-75 minutes.

Turn cake onto plate with apples as the topping. Carefully remove the baking paper.

ENJOY!

Make Up

In Blue!

I was experimenting with my MAC eyeshadow and decided to go for a blue theme to match the nautical style outfit i was wearing!

Here are a few snap shots!

I'm off to Switzerland!

I'm off to Switzerland for two weeks so i'll update the blog once i'm back! :D

Recipe of The Week!

This week I have chosen to share a cake known as Parkin/Moggy Cake/Ginger Cake

My friend made this cake a couple of weeks ago and it was soo good! So i've given it a go (it was the first time i've ever made it ) luckily it tasted really yummy! :D This is the recipe that my friend gave to me, i'm not sure where it came from but its a really good cake - especailly served with cream

Recipe :

250g self raising flour
2 eggs
2 teaspoons ground ginger
200g sugar (I used dark brown for a more treacly mixture, but you can't sieve it)
113g margarine (I used TREX)
Half teaspoon bicarb soda
2 tablespoons golden syrup
240 ml boiling milk (I didn't let it bubble and melted the TREX into it)

Method :

Sieve together flour, sugar, ginger, bicarbonate of soda into mixing bowl. Cut margarine into pieces and slice on top of ingredients. Put treacle on top of margarine then pour boiling milk on top, over all ingredients and beat well. Then add egg and beat well again. Place in greased and floured tin (worth doing this) and bake, 45 minutes to 1 hour at 180 degrees C, Gas Mark 4.

(The mixture is quite sloppy, so don't bake in a tin with a loose base!)

ENJOY!

Recipe of The Week!

I really love baking and cooking - especially baking! It's a real passion of mine. I've decided that I'll try and have a 'Recipe of The Week' to share with you all, be it a pudding, cake or savory dish.

So this week I have chosen fairy cakes which I found in Negella Lawsons : Nigella Express

They are really quick, easy and can look great with a bit of decorating!

So here is the recipe :

Ingredients:

125g soft butter

125g sugar

2 eggs

125g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of almond or vanilla extract

Icing sugar

food colouring of your choice

Method:

Oven 200 C/gas mark 6 . Line a 12 cake tray with cupcake holders

Cream the butter and sugar either in a bowl by hand or with an electric mixture.

Once light and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time with a bit of the flour (to prevent curdling) mixing as you go.

Mix in the rest of the flour, adding the bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and then the vanilla or almond extract. Mix well

Spoon the batter into the cupcake holders

Put them in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cupcakes are cooked and golden on the top. A good way to check is getting a wooden or metal skewer and dipping it in to the cakes - if it comes out clean then they are ready (this technique can be used when baking most cakes)

Once they are all cooled :

If you want to make butterfly cakes : cut out the mounded peak - or dig out a disk, cut it in half. Fill the holes with butter cream (butter and sugar mixed together into a creamy texture) then fill the holes placing the 'wings' on top.

Cupcakes : make a thick icing sugar mixture with any food colouring of your choice. Decorate with edible decorations of your choice!

ENJOY!

New year new blog...even though its a month late!

I know it's been such a long time since I've last posted a blog, but i've been really busy with uni since starting back after Christmas. Speaking of Christmas, I went up to spend a week with my family aunties and uncles,cousins,grandparents etc... (about 13 of us in total) Other than getting a stomach bug on Boxing day it was good overall!

I was really lucky - recieving a gym membership from my mum and dad and a beautiful Pandora bracelet from my boyfriend :D

After Christmas I went up to Edinburgh& the Highlands to celebrate New Year! It was really great, the third time i've been for New Year (Hogmanay as the Scots call it) in Edinburgh. They have a huge street party with live bands, singers and dancing! (And of course amazing fire works) It was seriously cold getting down to about -8 whilst we were standing out waiting for the midnight count down - it took ages to get warm!! But it was worth it! IF you have the chance to go up, then i'd definitely recommend it.

New years day we went up into the Scottish Highlands. I have not seen so much snow for a seriously LONG time! It was really picturesque - everywhere looked as if it could be seen on a postcard or calendar.

Here are some photos :

I really do love Scotland, it's like being somewhere in Canada,French Alps etc or even some people have compared it to places in Japan!

After coming back from Scotland it was soon time to go back to uni. I really didn't feel like going back, especially since i'd not done any work...But i had been really busy before we finished for Christmas so i didn't feel too bad :p

So...Is there anything of interest that I can think of since being back at uni?

Well it snowed , and it's been really cold the last month and now February is off to a cold start

I've got interviews/porfolio viewings for all my university choices! My first being next week at Wimbledon! Fingers crossed they all go well!

Been to Cambridge a couple of times - went to the Fitzwilliam Museum (supposidly the most comprehensive museum in Europe for it's size) this last weekend, saw a good sculpture exhibition - lots of organically inspired sculptural forms, alot being made out of iron! Saw the french film Prophet - it was good but sooooo long! (just like this entry now is!)

So I think it's time to finish the entry for now, i'll definitely try to write more frequently!

xxx

Must See Exhibition

Anish Kapoor

Exhibition at Royal Academy of Art

-11th December 2009

Beautiful

Inspiring

Amazing!

University Choices

Confused. By Mushy Pea

Which university to chose?!

I'm in quite a dilemma really, i'm just in the process of getting my personal statement and ucas sorted. However i'm not too sure on which degree course to chose or even which type of art to chose from: fine art or fashion/textiles....urgh

My dream is to go into fashion journalism, but all the great fashion degree courses are so unbelievably competitive, that its sooo hard to get onto any of them! So...getting onto a fine art course may be easier, then I could possibly consider doing an MA in Fashion or Fashion/journalism.

I enjoy fine art and fash/textiles equally, that its driving me mad! However after speaking to tutors it seems it'll be easier to incorporate textiles into fine art rather than vice versa. So that could mean the best of both :)

Any ideas or advice that anyone has would be greatly recieved!!

Make over!

This evening my sister and I were trying to do everything other than work! So we had make up to hand so decided to give each other make overs!

I decided to go for a "smokey-eye" "night out" look for my sister, here are a few photos:

It's quite a heavy, dark look. It is definitely a going out looking rather than a day time look due to the colours. Alternatively several different colours could be used to match eye colour, a dress, accessory etc.

I really enjoy doing make up, i guess it's just another form of art!

Great Facial Cream!

I will soon be reviewing a new facial cream that i have found : Creme Fraiche by Nuxe

Stay tuned!

Life Drawing!

Over the last few days i have been doing life drawing as part of the art course that i am doing.

It has been a real eye opener for sure! It has been the first time that i have done anything like this before, and i really enjoyed it! The human body form is really amazing and there is so much to be learnt from studying it.I have been able to relate life drawing to fashion designing. I've found that it has helped me to understand the shapes and forms and styles of clothing that designers have to make for different shapes and sizes of bodies, that there is more to designing clothes. Not only does a designer have to create a beautiful garment but it has to fit like a glove on a body, therefore there is a great need to look at the structure of bodies - something like human architecture!

Today is my day off so i thought it was a good chance to update my blog and reflect on the last few days! After getting over the initial shock of drawing,painting etc... a naked lady, I found myself looking at an amazing form made up of all kinds of shapes,curves, lines that I had never seen before ( I can't say i study my body in such a way)

Long time no post!

It's definitely been a while sine I last posted!

Things have been so busy the last few months....

Going to Ibiza, trip away with my boyfriend,starting art school,my sisters 21st etc... I've met so many great and interesting people over the last few weeks/months.

Anyway!

Summer has been and gone, and i'm actually pretty happy that it's autumn/winter! I love the colours and sights that autumn brings. Especially studying at the biggest campus in Europe there is so much to see in the way of beautiful trees.

I get pretty excited when i look out of my window and see that its getting a bit chilly and windy outside so that i can pull my knits and boots out my wardrobe! I definitely have a much larger autumn/winter wardrobe than summer. I really enjoy layers and the different textures with knitted fabrics.

United Colours of Benetton

All Saints Gilet

I am definitely a fan of gray,brown,purple and black, but always with a touch of colour - accesorising with scarves, broaches, a coloured layer - something on those lines!

This last weekend i went to Oakham and Uppingham in the smallest county in England : Rutland. Both places are so quaint and despite the chilly weather a real delight to visit with endless cute boutique shops, tearooms, restaurants and country pubs! And with Rutland water near by there is plenty of walking,cycling & sailing near by or if you just fancy looking at the water from the comfort of a luxurious restaurant/hotel then Hambleton Hall is perfect! (if it's recently been pay day!)

I recently got a car so we're trying to visit all the nice places near by to where I live, so we can tick off Oakham and Uppingham!

We had a really great lunch at really sweet cafe near the Castle in Oakham :

Castle Cottage Cafe

Highstreet in Uppingham

Cambridge ♥

Got back from a few days in Cambridge yesterday evening! I had a really great time spending a few days with my boyfriend :D However the weather was soooo hot...too hot really (well for England!!) It's definitely been a heatwave for sure....

Despite all the hot and sweaty weather we had a wonderful time exploring the beautiful city of Cambridge - as you can see in the following photos!

The iconic and world famous Kings College Cambridge

Punting down the Cam!

One of the splendid parks!
There is such a relaxed feeling in park's like these:BBQ's, people playing badminton,picnics,people playing music,sunbathing - all in such a cosmopolitan environment! Students from literally all over the world,coming together to socialise.

I really loved this street, the houses were so cute! Especially this one pictured here. The front gardens were so perfect but a cottage garden -perfect. I don't remember what the name of the street was, the area where these houses were, was a bit like a maze really! I would definitely have got lost if i hadn't had my personal tour guide lol

So this shall be one of my many residents in the future? ;)

Cafes,shops,art galleries
Cambridge is a haven for boutique,designer,high street stores

Places of Interest

• King's College Cambridge & all other Cambridge Colleges : Visit the college and it's beauitful grounds (Clare College is just next door - it has stunning gardens) King's College Chapel holds services during the week but the Sunday Eucharist is what i would personally recommened seeing - the choir is amazing!
  
• La Mimosa : River-side family run Italian restaurant. Great pizza and AMAZING pudding!!
• Grand Arcade : Perfect for all your shopping needs under one roof if you prefer a mix of shopping centres and high street shopping
• Aunties Tea Shop : Just around the corner from Kings College Cambridge. Seriously the best afternoon tea of scones& tea + everything else quaint essentially English!

Blazing Weather and Vivid Colour!

SUMMER

I can't believe this weather wow-wee! One minute it's pouring rain and the next its blazing sunshine, but i guess that's just typical British weather right? However! I am LOVING the fact that it finally feels like summer :D I am now able to wear summery clothes without feeling under-dressed :p Hopefully everyone is slapping on pleanty of sun creme to protect their skin with the Met Office issuing a heatwave alert amid warnings of extreme temperatures over the next few days!

Top tip - drink plenty of water and stay out of direct sunlight during mid-day! (I've learnt from past sizzling experiences.. :S)

With all this great weather it is a great excuse to rush out to the shops to get the latest summer must haves...of course! Here are a few that I've had my eye on recently :It's all about colour!

Neon nail polish





Essie nail polish

Statement sunglasses



Protect your eyes from the sun with a great pair of statement sunglasses
Manish Arora specs will be a key piece to any capsule closet. They may put a hole in your pocket but being hand crafted they should last a while! Coming in 22 different colours you'll be spoilt for choice!

Leopard print dresses- go wild with colour!



Robertor Cavalli colourful leopard print dress : cool and floaty

Rose-esque Pearls


Jeremy Hoye pearls are a perfect accessories to go with any summer dress/outfit

Flat gladiator sandals (dig them out your cupboard from last summer)

I love Alexander McQueens flat gladiator sandals

Beach/Summer Bag



To stick your towel, sun cream, mag,ipod in I would chose this vibrant Lanvin bag

Madonna for Louis Vuitton

How airbrushed does Madonna look??

I was just doing some fashion catch up and came across this...

I think Madonna looks genuinely great for her age, there aren't many women her age that have the great figure that she does .However I think that there is growing old gracefully or being airbrushed to the max that the person is almost unrecogniseable to their 'natural' self!

I realise its something that ALL celebs seem to do with their ad campaigns etc but what type of message is it sending out? Where's natural beauty going?

LV Winter Collection 09

I realise it's the general style that LV does for example with Scarlett Johansson but they don't look real,both Scarlett and Madonna could be mannequins advertising the bags (which are absolutely divine!!) to be honest...

Also in magazines for example i find it quite amusing when a celebs photo has OBVIOUSLY been airbrushed/photo shoped, but the celeb denies it,saying its their natural self...when it's blatantly not...make-up is truly a god send but it isn't that magical

Autumn/Winter 2007
Louis Vuitton Monogram Motard Alligator Biker

An example of celeb photo shop denial

Stretching the truth...just a tad
Anyone remember her reality show : real women? bit of a hypocrite..