Clandestine Cake Club (Flirtatiously Fruity and Succulent Savoury)

Hi everyone!


Apologies for the absence of posts, I have been catching up on coursework and studying for exams and such, so have been avoiding going on the computer, as once I get on, I cant seem to tear myself away from all the fabulous blogs I read regularly, so I thought it would be best to avoid it altogether and go cold turkey!

Although I still have tons of coursework to do before I finish the course in a couple of months, I am somewhat caught up, so today I decided to break away from the books, and have a lovely day of blog reading (and posting!) and YouTube surfing whilst snuggled under a duvet on the sofa, drinking big mugs of coffee and eating homemade cake - perfect Sunday afternoon in my opinion!

Yesterday my sister and I had a fabulous afternoon at Clandestine Cake Club - a secret once monthly  gathering of cake bakers and guests at a secret venue in Leeds, with the exact location only revealed by email a week or so before the event.

Bakers each have to bake and take along a 'proper' cake that can be sliced into 10-12 good slices (no cupcakes, buns or cookies allowed) and there is usually a theme for the cakes (this months theme was 'healthy' Flirtatiously Fruity and Succulent Savoury - as the venue was in the Leeds Healthy Living Network building in Armley!)

I First heard about CCC by another WI member at a meeting a month or two ago, and joined up, but was unable to make the last one in the end (boohoo!) but I made sure I cleared my diary for this one! As the theme for this month was 'healthy' (yeah, right!) Kaila and I decided to go with fruity rather than savoury, and we baked two (so there was enough to go round) Lime and Coconut loaf cakes (a first attempt at this cake meant that we also made a banana and walnut cake too as a back up, just in case!)

Luckily they turned out just fine, and tasted lovely! (If anyone is interested in the recipes I used, just mention it in the comments box, and I will post the recipes)

There were some really stunning cakes, and some fantastic combinations of ingredients brought along: Roquefort, pear and walnut cake, courgette cake, peach upside down cake, rhubarb cake, orange, rosemary and polenta cake, banana and walnut cake (lucky I didnt take mine!) Dorset apple cake, Toffee rhubarb cake, apple and cinnemon tea loaf, beetroot and stout cake, tropical fruit cake, peach, bluberry and ameretto cake, lemon drizzle cake, nutty apple loaf and raspberry layer cake, to name but a few!

There was a lovely selection of teas available, lots of herbal or fruit teas, as well as tradtional tea, all served in lovely cups and saucers :)

The idea of CCC is you and your guest turn up with your cake, display it prettily on the table with the other cakes, get yourself a cup of tea and a plate ready, and when given the ok, join the queue and take a slice of as many cakes as you would like to try, and then mingle and chat with the other bakers.
There was a nice mix of peaple with about 40 in total, as each baker brought along a guest, and I was suprised to find that at least a 3rd of the bakers were men! Who said baking was just for girls?!


Its a really nice way to spend a couple of hours, meeting new people with a shared love of cakes (Though I have yet to meet somebody who DOESNT love cake!) getting new recipes and trying out new combinations of cakes that you wouldnt normally try (the beetroot and stout cake was delicious!)
Our table decided that we would try as many cakes as possible, but sharing a plate so we had a small taste of each cake, rather than a slice, so we could all fit more in!
                                                     This is the first plate:

                                                         And the second!

Two hours later, our plate looked like this!

We had a lovely time munching our way through lots of yummy cake, and chatting with some lovely people (I even managed to recruit some new WI members-to-be!)
When it was time to clear away around four o'clock, the leftover cakes were divided up, so each person got a selection of cake to take home too!

I definately recommend attending a Clandestine Cake Club event if you havnt yet, as they are so much fun (and cost nothing, except the cost of your cake ingredients,) and as there seems to be events popping up all over the place, there may well be one near you!
Have you been to a Clandestine Cake Club event?

Leeds Midnight Walk in aid of St Gemma's Hospice

Hi everyone!


Saturday night was the Leeds Midnight Walk in aid of St Gemma's Hospice, and my little sister Kaila and I took part along with literally thousands of other ladies, in a women - only Midnight Walk in order to raise money for the Hospice which is respite for terminally ill cancer patients.
As the name suggests, the walk starts at midnight, and participants choose which of the two walks they wanted to do, either the 6 or the 12 mile route. Kaila and I had decided that we wanted to walk the 12 mile route in memory of our late Nan (in for a penny!) and we went to register at Headingley Carnegie Stadium at 10pm as instructed, to get our registered walk number :)

As we were there two hours before the start time, once we had all gotten our numbers, we headed over to the 'entertainment room' where they were stalls selling fancy dress items for the walk, raffles, Real Radio, a St Gemma's information stall, a live band, and a lovely lady doing face painting - so of course me and Kaila got in the massive queue to get our faces done!

Kaila went for a white tiger, and I fancied a neon butterfly:

Just before midnight, everyone had to do a warm up, and it involved a room full of women doing the silliest dancing you have ever seen! great fun!

The atmosphere was amazing as we all piled outside ready for the off, and everyone was taking turns getting their photo's next to the start line, so I was pleased to have gotten our picture on the way in!!

Both routes started the same, with everyone walking together (all 1000 of us!) from Headingley Stadium, down Kirkstall Lane, then along Abbey Road as far as Hawksworth Road, where the Six mile walkers turned off. Those of us walking the 12 mile route carried on up New Road Side, past the Esso garage and turned onto Broadway and carried on to the West Park Centre.

 West Park Centre marked the half-way point for the 12 mile walkers, and we all checked in for a well deserved (and needed!) hot drink and snack (snickers, mars bars and bananas were on offer :) before turning around and walking all the way back!

Surprisingly, we managed to keep up the same pace on the way back, and actually hit our (personal) target, and completed the 12 mile walk in four hours :)

When we arrived back at the stadium, we were greeted with a medal and certificate for completing the walk!

 

Each walker also received a goodie bag (containing a floral cup (!?) a cinnamon swirl pastry, sweeties, panda pops bottled water, Real Radio sticker, and lots of lovely bits and bobs :)

When I called a taxi to come and collect us to take us home, I was told there were non available for at least 50-60 mins, so after a sit down, a coffee and our breakfast pastry, Kaila and I decided to walk home, resulting in us walking an extra mile, taking the total to 13 miles in a few hours!

Kaila and I are still collecting sponsors, so will let u know the grand total once we have collected and totalled it all up (although if anyone still wishes to donate, please let me know!)

We had great fun, everyone (including the fantastic walk guides, volunteers, and staff, who were all amazing, offering encouragement every step of the way) were in great spirits, and Kaila and I were really proud to be raising money for such a great cause, and we hope to do it all again next year!

The Sun Has Got His Easter Bonnet On, hip hip hip hooray! :)

Hi everyone!

What fabulously gorgeous weather we have been having over the bank holiday weekend! I hope you all had a lovely Easter break, and ate lots of yummy chocolate eggs and hot crossed buns!

Simon, Lucy and I have been making the most of being off work for the Easter break, and of the lovely weather by tackling the garden, mowing the (tiny!) lawn, getting rid of the dead plants etc - well, I was mostly supervising Si and my brother Rhyes doing the garden, whilst I was sat in the sun with a lovely cold lager, a housey magazine :)

On Thursday, I also realised how unfit I am by going on a bike ride with Simon along the canal, it was the perfect day for it....

....and we had fun feeding the swans when we stopped for a rest!

On Good Friday, my sisters and I decided to drive over to Dunelm Mill, a local home ware and soft furnishing store, as I wanted to pick up some fabric, and bias binding to make some bunting to go on my stall (more on that in a mo!) and I managed to pick up some end - rolls of polka dot oilcloth for just £1.50 per metre, which may just be big enough to use as a table cloth on my stall, so I was a happy bunny!

Easter Sunday, my friend Gem brought all my fab new Stampin' Up! goodies, and we had a great couple of hours playing with my new stuff, munching on chocolatey Kinder Bueno eggs (well, it was Easter!) and experimenting with designs, patterns and colour combo's for the packaging for my handmade bath and body products, ready for selling on my very own stall at Otley's craft fair in June! 
It should be fun, as both Gem and Kerry are also having stalls - Gem selling her fabulous handmade cards, and Kerry selling vintage treasures - I really cannot wait!
Here is a sneak preview of one of the mini milk cartons Gem and I made:

How cute is this lil' box? The picture is actually one Gem took, and I have shamelessly stolen it, sorry Gem!

After all the playing around with the Stampin Up! stuff, we headed off to the local pub's beer garden for a much deserved glass (or several!) of refreshingly chilled WKD apple cider, yum!

To finish off a lovely few days break from work, today I managed to finally get some herb, lettuce and spinach seeds planted, that I bought awhile ago,and have been meaning to do, so fingers crossed for lots of delicious homegrown salad soon :)

Hopefully this week will see me cracking on with my bunting, more packaging designing, and finally picking up where I left off with my patchwork quilt, (which I started ages ago, and only have a few rows sewn together - shameful!)

How have you spent YOUR Easter break?



Beautiful Bargains And Fabulous Finds #1

Hi everyone!

Despite my self-imposed shopping 'ban', I have somehow managed to acquire some lovely vintage and pin-up inspired dresses, books and nicknack's via charity shops and my good old favorite, eBay! :)
Well, its almost rude not to when the bids are so low - isn't it?!

This stunning Pin-up style red cherry dress is simply gorgeous, it was a great bargain from eBay, and with postage, came to less than £5.

The dress length is not too long (which is unusual for me, as I'm only 5''1) and the hem falls to just below my knee, which is perfect for the vintage inspired style of the dress :)
Now I just have to find some lovely vintage style cherry jewellery to accessorise it!

Another bargain, I actually got a few months ago, but I simply had to include in this post given the title:

Isn't it gorgeous? it is child size (rather than the normal adult size) in height, and I think it's so cute with the faded purple patterns (check out the cute heart!) and little frill to the 'skirt'

When I saw it in the charity shop I couldn't believe it, as I had been wanting a mannequin/dummy for ages, and when I saw that it was priced at just £4.99 I handed my pennies over there and then!
It goes perfectly with my purple boudoir style bedroom and has my feather boa's draped all over it!

I couldn't believe when I spotted this gorgeous wicker picnic hamper/basket in another charity shop for just a fiver, as I had just commented on a blog post saying I was jealous of her fab picnic basket find  - It must have been fate!
When I opened it up, all the plastic 'crockery' and cutlery was still in the plastic wrappers - brand new!

As the weather was so gorgeous last Saturday, the picnic basket had its first outing, and Simon and I took a radio, magazines, delicious food and drink, and headed to the local park, where we spread out a blanket on the grass and had a picnic with my three gorgeous nieces (all under 6!) and Lucy, who had a great time playing ball with the girls :)

I was in another charity shop (there seems to be a pattern emerging!) when I saw this amazing Toile De Jouy blanket/cover and pillow cases, which looks new, for just £2.99! I adore this pattern, so french chic!

As I always seem to have lots of 'favorite bargains', I think this may have to become a regular feature!

What are your best fabulous finds?

Stampin' Up!

Hi everyone!

Last week, I attended my friend Gem's (from makedoandgem.blogspot.com) Stampin' Up! mini catalogue launch & workshop, with the main focus being around the new 2011 mini catalogue, and the fab new shape cutting and embossing Big Shot machine:

It was fabulous! We all got to make a card, using the Fun Flowers die, Square Lattice or Spotty embossing folders, Swirls Scribbles die and Timeless Type Alphabet dies, (all of which we used on the Big Shot) and picked which gorgeous Springtime Vintage Designer paper and buttons we wanted to use to decorate our cards.

This is my first attempt at card making, which I was really pleased with:

Until I compared it with Gem's fabulous card - and its not hard to see why she is the Stampin' Up! Demonstrator!

Gem had laid out some of the fabulous new bits and bobs that can be ordered from the catalogue (some of which were perfect for my handmade bath products!) and handed round both the new mini catalogue, and the Idea's catalogue so we could have a nosy, and place orders (which, of course, I did, as I couldn't resist!)

I was so tempted to buy everything in the catalogues, as its all so gorgeous - especially the Paris theme stamp set, which I'm definitely splurging on come payday! How gorgeous are they? I'm really loving the Paris theme that's everywhere at the moment!

I cant wait until my goodies arrive later this week :)

Have you tried Stampin' Up! ?