Crystallized: Pamela Love A/W11

I am in love! ♥
After viewing Pamela Love's collection of autumn/winter line jewellery I went in search of some crystallized wonders of my own. I found quite a few gems on Etsy which I shall be showing off as they are delivered through the door... Unfortunately Pamela's collection isn't available for purchase at the moment but I'll be keeping watch as I am very much hoping to get one of the titanium quartz bracelets, fingers crossed!
Anywho have a look at some of the crystal cluster pieces in particular, their stunning...

♥

I ♥ Pepe & Friends

♥Just stumbled across this set of Pepe & Friends oil and vinager pourers and I just love them. Next month you shall be mine :)

Love Comes Close

I miss you ♥

The Cat Returns

Cats never takes a back step - only in the face of more cats. ♥

APOLOGIES FROM SWEDEN

Dear Reader,

After nearly 6 months of non responsive activity I've decide that just giving up isn't good enough! I'm hoping that now I've got a temperary laptop (hence why I've stopped blogging as I broke my last one) that I shall try to keep up with my posts.
♥
I am curently in sweden visiting family and taking a breather from busy london life. I've been working on a few portraits at the moment which I would love to share with you soon as I'm done. I feel that it changes my perspective when I'm away from home, as an artist I've been finding it hard to consentrate creatively on any one idea at a time, yet I find as soon as I venture out of london I seem to be inspired... I've just got to find a way to funnel some of that enthusiasm into my day to day life ♥

Tried and tested: Nutella Cupcakes

Adapted from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook ♥


You will need:

100g plain flour

200g cocoa powder

140g caster sugar  
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

40g butter

120ml milk

1 egg

ICING

250g icing sugar, sifted

80g butter

25ml milk

80g Nutella

Preheat the oven to 170ºC / 325ºF / Gas 3.

1. Put the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a bowl and handheld electric whisk if you wish you owned a KitchenAid mixer, but sadly have nowhere to keep one).

2. Beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.

3. Slowly pour the milk into the flour mixture.

4. Add the egg and beat well.

5. Spoon the mixture into 12 muffin cases and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when touched.

6. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

7. For the icing: add the butter to the icing sugar.

8. Beat together on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.

9. Turn the mixer down to a slower spped. Slowly pour in the milk, then when it is all incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed.

10. Continue beating until the icing is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten the longer you must wait for a finished cupcake the fluffier and lighter it becomes.

11. Warm the Nutella a little in the microwave to soften it

12. Add the Nutella to the icing and stir in by hand until evenly mixed in.

13. When the cupcakes are cold, spoon on the icing. You also could finish the cakes with a few whole hazelnuts or chocolate drops on top. I used white chocolate mulltesers ♥

Enjoy ♥

p.s. you'll be left  with enough icing to do another batch, you find it's so yummy that you'll want to make something else to put it on (^_^)

Something to listen to while your baking up a storm.

♥

Tried and tested: Vanilla Cupcakes

Adapted from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook ♥

I had a rare day off last week and chose to spend it doing some sort of fun activity with my seven year old brother. So I said to him "I think we should make something together, now I think you should choose as it's your day, which means we do whatever you want" He says to me " I think making something is a good idea.... but what shall we make?" Now the previous week he'd been bugging me to make sushi with him as he loves the whole process of rolling and making patterns with the vegetables, so I naturally thought this would be the first thing to pop up out of his make believe thought bubble, then he says " I want to bake some cakes"

So I gave him three of my baking books and asked him to choose anything he wanted... His little smile is worth all the mess he'll probably end up making later on ♥

Vanilla cupcakes were his choice: We make all our cakes gluten free as we have a celiac in our household but I find it doesn't differ much at all to wheat based flour... that is if you know what your doing!

♥ Makes 12♥

120g Plain flour

140g Caster Sugar

1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder

a pinch of salt

40g Unsalted butter/ Margerine- not too cold

120ml whole milk
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
cupcake decoration of your choice
&
1 quantity vanilla frosting: at the bottom ↓

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas mark 3.

Out the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer (I personally like to use a good old electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you geta sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until milk is just incorporated.

Whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk togetherin separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not overmix.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the vanilla frosting on top and decorate with whatever you wish.

♥ For the vanilla frosting:                                            

250g icing sugar, sifted
80g unsalted butter, at room temperature
25ml whole milk
a couple of drops of vanilla extract

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.

Turn the mixer down to slow speed. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a separate bowl, then add to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time. Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed.

Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.

Add food colouring to desired amounts...

Have fun!