An ebay purchase that is so beautiful, this tea set its one of 5 I own now and the collect is slowly growing and taking over my flat. I can’t wait to see them all set out and being used at my wedding, they look so delightful. I need to decide what I’ll put flowers in on the tables. I’m not sure whats going to match, I’ve thought of celery jars, old bottles or white jugs so far. Feel free to give suggestions.

There is nothing better than a morning looking though peoples old junk. After spending a good hour at my local car boot sale I uncovered a few bargins, my favourite being this lovely china cup.

I am on a mission to collect as much vintage china ware as I can for my wedding next year. I want to make the day as personal as possible, and feel a lovely afternoon tea will do the trick. Who can beat tea and cakes on a summer afternoon.

I am hoping to turn my collect into a business venture in the future, hiring out to people for birthdays parties and summer teas.

What to do on a breezy summer afternoon, bake brownies!

This has to be one of the best chocolate brownie recipes I have ever tasted, and I have made quite a few. They are always to runny, to set or just plain crunchy. This is perfect bitter sweet goodness!!!!

Its easy to make and only slightly messy, you’ll need;

150g Butter

150g Dark Chocolate

2 Eggs

1tsp Vanilla

175g Caster Sugar

100g Plain Flour

1 large spoon of powdered chocolate

Tiny bit of salt.

White chocolate chips (Optional)

Ok, this is what you need to do;

On a low heat melt the butter and chocolate and set aside to cool slightly. Next beat the eggs, vanilla and sugar until creamy. Sift the flour, chocolate and salt into the sugar and eggs, and lastly mix in the chocolate and butter (Don’t beat it).

Scrape it all into a low tin and bake on Gas 4 for 20 mins. Making sure you check it after 10. It is done when the top is pale and cracks have started to form. Now let it cool before cutting into squares and enjoying.

After working at a school with many staff from the NZ and OZ, I’ve had my eyes opened to all number of yummy treats. One of my favourites is Afghan biscuits, they’re tasty chocolate and cornflake treats, generally topped with chocolate icing and walnut pieces, I believe they are a real Kiwi treat.

This is my recipe, so I hope you like it?

225g Flour

75g Castor Sugar

200g Butter

25g Coco or Chocolate Melted

50g Cornflakes

All you need to do is soften the butter and add the sugar, flour and coco. Mix well and add the cornflakes.

Place them in rough blobs on a tray and bake for 10/15mins at 180c or Gas Mark 4. I like to take them out while they are still sticky in the centre.

Top them with icing or frosting of your choice, and enjoy.

My second recipe is Filo Parcels filled with mushroom, red onion, tomato and ricotta;

Easy to make, you layer you filo alternate ways in a baking tray or cake papers, then brush the edges with a little oil. Next fry the onion, mushroom, and add salt & pepper, before mixing the tomatoes in and removing from the heat. Mix all with ricotta cheese and add the the centre of each case and cook for 30 minutes of Gas mark 4. It is important to keep checking the pastry!!!

Wedding planning, a massive time consuming job. Planning a whole theme can be scary, looking at so many colours. Enjoyable though, looking through blogs, reading posts finding flowers and dresses.

After looking through many sites I have decided on a English Country Summer theme for my summer wedding next year. I love the idea of wildflowers and growing my own, though this could be hit or miss with my past successes.

I love these pinks, purples, blues and touches of white. (Not reds) I want to place them in mismatched pots, jugs and glasses on the tables. Small but perfect arrangements.

I love the following mood boards; with a few more touches of purple and less blue I think I may have decided on our wedding colours.

I am now awaiting for bridesmaid dress colour samples from http://www.luellasboudoir.co.uk/ bridal shop in Wimbledon village. They have lovely dresses in many shades of green.

Its a sunny thursday afternoon and having spent the morning drinking homemade lemonade on Wimbledon Common, and reading a great book, I though I’d post a picture that sums up summer!

A long awaited holiday, Cornwall in the best place in England. Though camping isn’t everyones idea of a holiday, add electricity and it seems a little better. The weather could have been better, but it is England and we all know you can’t rely on British weather.

Walks along the beach and cliffs, surfing and cream teas are what summer is about.

I often dream of being able to live in Cornwall, inspiration on your doorstep and an endless sense of relaxation.

I now have a few more weeks off work and plan on creating some Cornish inspired art, maybe branch into a few small paintings. Watch this space!

A long weekend off work and feeling a bit under the weather. I decided that we should go for a little drive, and ended up in Farnham, Surrey. A nice spot with some good charity shops and a lovely Art/Craft gallery, where I spotted these cute products being sold.

They are by a company called yoyo ceramics. All of the products are lovely, and I’ll be adding some to my Christmas & birthday lists.

I have the best recipe for rich dark chocolate cakes, I have teamed this off with bitter dark chocolate buttercream and they are yummy!!!

The Best Yummy Chocolate Cake

This is one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve tasted, moist, spongy and tasty, it possible to make with dark or milk chocolate.

You need:

1 tsp Vegetable Oil
3 tbsp Cocoa Powder (Dark if you have it.)
100ml Boiling Water
50g Dark Chocolate
½ tsp bicarbonate of Soda
100g of unsalted butter
175g Soft Muscovado Sugar
125g Milk (or condensed Milk)
1 Large Egg
150g Self Raising Flower
1tsp Baking Powder

Instructions:

• Rub the oil inside you preferred cake tin, and line with baking parchment, (Large cup cake are an option.) and preheat the oven to 180c/350F/gas 4.

• Stir 3 tablespoons of cold water into cocoa until you have a smooth paste, whisk in the boiling water. Straight away stir in the chocolate and the bicarb, and leave to melt and fizz. Add a touch of red food colouring if you’d like a nice red velvet colour.

• In another bowl, beat butter, sugar, milk and the egg until very smooth.

• Sift together flour & baking powder, beat half of this into the egg mixture, fold in the chocolate mixture, beat in the remaining flour until smooth.

• Scrap into the baking tin and cook for 40 – 45 minutes. Put a knife or skewer in to see if its cooked, take out and leave in the tin to cool. Turn out once cold.

Topping:

25g (1 oz) cocoa
About 4 tbsp boiling water
100g (4 oz) margarine
About 300g (12 oz) icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence – optional

Instructions:

• Blend cocoa with a little boiling water in a mixing bowl, then blend in the margarine.
• Sieve the icing sugar and beat it into the margarine a little at a time.

or I use warmed dark chocolate.

I am thinking of taking these lovely little cakes into work with me.  My GCSE Art pupils have finished there exam and I want to say some kind of thanks for there hard work, a little tradition I started a few years back.

Well,it might be spring but who knows! Only four days ago I got up to this,

Londons freak weather conditions over the past year never fail to amaze me. Who would have though snow and now the sun is out and spring might finally be here. I started in the garden today, first by making my easter present of a mini green house and second planting my first batch of seeds for the year.

I’m not planting as much as last year, as we are hoping to move house and don’t want to transport masses of vegatables along on the ride. After last years success, I’ve stuck to the sames things, outdoor cucumbers, gardeners delight tomatos, rocket, basil, courgettes and little gem lettuce. Along with these I’m going to get radishes, beans and peppers, but I’m not sure how they’ll grow in my garden as I don’t get full sun allday.

I’m starting everything off from seed, though not inside, and am worried this could hinder the growth process of my plants, I guess I’ll have to wait and see.

Other things coming up in my garden are tulips and I have found a use for my old car tyres, plant pots! Though I need to line, fill and plant on warmer weather.

Lets hope the weather continues to get better!