Cake Autumn: Number One

I am part way through three weeks of consecutive cake making at the moment. I made the cake for the lovely wedding of one of my school friends in Wiltshire last weekend. It was a nice one to make as it involved lots of sugar flowers which are always fun.


I know some of you have asked about how I make the roses before. At some point I will do a tutorial but in the meantime there is a brilliant set of demo videos on YouTube which I have followed in the past. Here is part one to whet your appetite:



I am making a Christening cake this week and a wedding cake the week after so more cake posts to follow!

Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness

Picture from www.goodhousekeeping.com

Sorry for my extended absence. It wasn't planned but rather a lot has been going on recently including a family member being taken into hospital and I have been running around like a blue arsed fly with every intention to post and not a second to spare to actually do so!

While I have been away the seasons have changed spectacularly. My last post was about my camping trip. We were using suncream and seeking out the shade that weekend. Now I am looking out of the window onto trees with yellow leaves and a bright chilly Autum day.

This is my favourite time of year full of magic and festivity. Halloween is just around the corner with bonfire night hot on its heels and (dare I say it this early) the promise of Christmas is beginning to get me all excited. It's a time for making preserves and hearty soups, for lighting candles at night, for wrapping up warm and kicking up leaves with fur lined boots.

It also means that we are on a race against time to get our kitchen finished before Christmas. We have finished painting the units and have ordered reclaimed oak worktops from Lidster and Son in Devon. We have a new sink and tap, oak flooring, new tiles and wallpaper all waiting in the wings. What we don't have is time so we have a local handyman coming round to quote for doing the rest of the work which means with any luck I should have some proper before and after pics to post. Very exciting!

A Spot of Camping

Well we finally dusted down my parents old tent from the 70s and took it on a trip to Sussex. It was just a one night taster to see how the old girl fared and I have to say for a tent of her age she stood up remarkably well. I slept extremely soundly after a night sitting with friends and drinking wine under the stars. I hope to take her on some more trips very soon.

Here are a few pics from the weekend (given the authentic poladroid treatment!)

Our tent in all her retro glory
Mr Crafty taking a break

Another fine retro tent belonging to friends

Our very cosy sleeping area

A couple of members of our merry band

Lighting of the lamps
And they all gazed happily into the sunset

Wings of Desire

I have mentioned my love of anything featuring our feathered friends before, although I know I am not alone among bloggers. Right now I am seriously coveting these cushions by peekboutique on Etsy. They are homegrown in blighty (Brighton to be precise) and the cheery colours make my heart sing like a bird.

Lytham St Annes Wedding

Once again I realise I have been a bit quiet of late. I have been busy baking cupcakes for the wedding of two gorgeous friends that I attended this weekend gone in Lytham St Annes, near Blackpool. It was a wonderful day and the happy couple looked absolutely made up. Thankfully the cakes survived the seven hour drive from South East London!

Garage Booty

We recently cleared my parents garage out for them and whilst the majority of what was in there went to Freecycle or the recycling centre, there were a few gems that have now joined the queue of furniture to be revamped in our flat. My favourite two pieces are below, but I also kept an old child's school desk that used to be mine (the sort with an ink well and a flip up lid), a wooden sledge, a 1930s wooden toy theatre and a little wooden child's chair. These have gone in the attic in the hope that one day there will be a Crafty junior to make use of them!

I love the shape of this desk:

I think I am going to paint it cobalt blue and give it some new pretty handles. It will fit in just beautifully in our sitting room as a home for our laptop.

And this was my grandmother's trolley:


She used to keep her sewing machine on it and threads etc. and I may just do the same. I think this will probably end up yellow and I will probably use some wallpaper on it as well.

Goodness knows when I will find the time to finish them but I am really looking forward to seeing them revamped. I grew up with both of them so it will be lovely to have them in my own home.

Little fireplace update

A while back I posted about my discontent with my fireplace and the lovely Eden Rose suggested that perhaps a turquoise glass vase might be the ticket. I wholeheartedly agreed and have been keeping my eyes on eBay for one I liked to come along. I was delighted when I managed to bag this fella for a mere £6.

I really think he makes all the difference along with my new white candlestick - found in the bargain corner in Paperchase for £3.