The importance of Valentines Day

I know Valentines Day is another Hallmark Holiday. But it's important to remember who we love, why we love them, and let them know they are Loved. A smile or an unexpected kiss may be all it takes to bring sunshine to someone else's rainy day.

I feel truly blessed to have the most incredible man who I love very much and have had the pleasure of loving for five years: who makes me laugh out loud in the most awquard places, suprises me with dinner on days I need it most, worries me senseless when he drives to Scotland and back in one day on little sleep, and all round has my best interests at heart. 

Life is busy and we can often forget to sit back and look at the little things we are lucky to have. 

For that, I love Valentines Day.

Chinese Takeaway DIY: the Best Sweet and Sour Chicken you will ever eat

Like most people, I love takeaways. The convenience, the rich taste, the lack of washing up! 

On the odd occasion we have an Indian takeaway I challenge myself to try a new dish every time. However, with Chinese I struggle. I love egg fried rice... But that's about it. Warm pineapple, tangy citrus flavours, stir fry- call me fussy, it's just not for me. 

Until now...

This recipe is probably the best thing I have ever cooked and beats our local favourite Chinese takeaway- I quote straight from Mr D! That is probably THE ultimate compliment I could receive from him. 

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

This is now my go-to dish for dinner parties/ when the in laws come around. It's easy and it tastes amazing! It's even better reheated next day! Or so I'm told... I wasn't left any! 

Find the recipe here : http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/sweet-and-sour-chicken-3/

DIY Glitter Wine Glasses

As the girls I work with all know, I'm currently going through a glitter phase. I use the term 'phase' loosely as I made these glasses about three months ago- and I'm still glittering! 

These are the easiest things in the world to make.. 

Youl need:

1. Wine glasses (or champagne glasses or similar)

2. Glitter 

3. Paint brush

4. Clear acrylic spray 

How to do it:

Cover your work area in newspaper, it will get messy!

Paint the area with glue that you will glitter:

Don't press the glitter on, but sprinkle over the glued areas. Do this over a bowl so you can reuse the fallen glitter.

Cover fully: this may involve covering with glitter a couple times 

Leave to dry overnight or for a couple days if possible

Finally, in a WELL ventilated area (outside!!), lightly spray the glasses with the clear acrylic spray. 

Once more, leave to dry. Only spray lightly or your glasses won't glitter as much. Spray a little mod for a Matt colour with a hint of sparkle.

Enjoy! X

Disney Princess Castle Cake

A Disney Princess cake brief was always going to be a fun one to fulfill. Pink, girly, full of all things Princess, and big enough for a set of beautiful twins turning 4 at a very cool party! 

The girls have these fantastic Disney princess toys; the princess is in her undies and then you have dresses which can snap or clip on and off to change their outfits. They were perfect for the cake and I knew the girls would recognise them instantly! 

The surprises didn't stop on the outside of the cake. If appropriate, a coloured sponge goes a long way! Add a little drop of colour gel to your mix; or divide your mix between a few bowls and try contrasting colours. This cake was layered pink and purple.

 

The turret was made with Rice Krispie cake, moulded into a kitchen towel paper insert. Put in the freezer so it sets quick, but compact the krispie mix tightly. 

When covered in thin fondant, the texture looks just like a dry stone wall! 

Just make sure you have a rolling pin... I didn't pack mine in the move, and 10pm the night before cake delivery when the car has a flat tyre on the drive, isn't the time to find out...

But we got there in the end! 

Duke: An Update

A little like Marmite, you either love Duke or don't take a shine to him. (That's you, George. My all
things sporty but terrified of cats brother. Oh, and you Leona. Watch your knitwear!) 

When he hasn't seen you for a while, Duke is all things loving; crying at the stairgate until we say Good Morning, dishing out the kisses when we return after work, and, curling up next to us purring softly until he falls asleep. 

A very inquisitive boy, Duke isn't afraid of anything. A firework explodes over head and only so much as an ear twitches. A new drink on the table, he wants to know all about it!

A freezer drawer pulled out? Of course, he climbs in!

A coat that's accessible? Onto the floor, roll it up like a duvet, and get cosy!

Other mornings, his eyes flash red. If your trousers are anymore than Skinny fit, Duke reads "Bell-bottoms that must be swung on"; a gap down the back of the Washing maching? It's like a new Australia just waiting to be discovered.. Five minutes before you will miss the bus to work.

He will also launch himself at your cereal bowl in a dive that even Tom Daley would be proud of..

Oh, did I mention one more thing? He currently won't eat unless he is fork-fed. Yup. Meet Princess Duke.

Christening Cake for a Little Princess.. And other stories!

When I was asked earlier in the year to create a christening cake for one of the most beautiful little girl's born this side of Christmas, I had to say yes. 

There was no set brief except I knew it had to be pink, princessy, and classy.

Here it is: (as beautiful as it looks there is a couple humorous incidents that fell into the recipe along with the sugar, flour, eggs)..

*please note this is the result of a busy week at work, late nights, early starts, and a 25th birthday kayak down the River Thames!

Cake Attempt One: The base of the cake tin wasn't pushed down fully. As a result, half of the cake raised at a 45degree angle and the rest didn't..

As this was an expected twist, I realised I was out of eggs after the top tier batter had been made. So after much persuasion, Mr D went down to the local shop for me at 9pm for a pack of 6 eggs as I was 3 eggs short.

Cake Attempt Two: Batter made and cake went into the oven. Turned around to put the ingredients away and noticed there were still 6 eggs remaining.. Oh. I had only put 2 out of 5 in the batter. Cr*@!. 

Eventually the cake was baked, iced, and ready to go! 

At least this time I had a rolling pin... That's another cake story coming soon! 

DIY Christmas Gift: SNOWMAN POOP

Yes you read that correctly. Why on earth would you want to give anyone that for Christmas?

Because it's a fun treat perfect to make that child giggle when they open the mystery package!

Hobbycraft have a 3 for the price of 2 deal, or similar, on their felt and foam pieces so it was the perfect opportunity to give this gift a go.

You need (per gift)

A coloured piece of foam (cut down to A5 size per gift) 

Some coloured felt (sparkly red for Christmas!)

Some paper/card to write on

A pen

TicTacs

Twine or Ribbon 

1. Cut the foam to size; about A5 size

2. Make sure the foam is smaller than your felt piece; you want to create the look of a book

3. Glue the foam to the felt

4. Remove the Tic Tacs label and glue onto your foam

5. Write your message on a piece of card or paper

6. Glue the paper on to the foam, opposite the Tic Tacs

7. Fold the felt in half to create a seam 

7. Tie some ribbon around your gift 

Christmas Gift Ideas and Tutorials

I firmly believe the older you get, the harder it is to buy gifts for people. How do you know they don't already have that book you thought they might like? Is that dinner set really to their taste? 

You end up buying the same people the same gifts every time; "a bottle of wine, how lovely!"

Of course it's the thought that counts. But did the bottle of wine really take much thought? I'm always thinking ahead for what can I make/bake/create that is personal to that person, or at least shows I really do care, for any occasion necessary.

With Christmas 2013 looming, it was definitely time to get the planner out. Whether it's for the personal touch, or keeping the cost down, hand made gifts are always loved. 

Over the next few weeks, il be posting my own handmade gifts (without saying who they are for!) and showing off others I have been inspired by. 

Try and hand make at least one gift this year; if anything, it makes handing over the card to pay that little bit more satisfying! 

It's time to get your glitter on!

Photo Source: Pinterest

Reinstating the Red Head

The one thing that always put me off dying my hair red was the warnings that came in their multitudes; each and every one threatening "It will never, ever wash out". I've probably dyed my hair more times than you've had hot dinners.. The reason? Boredom. Fun. Seasonal.  Yes,you read it, seasonal. 

So that doesn't mean I go green and red at Christmas with a gold Star on top.. My mood is easily dictated by the weather/ seasons (slight S.A.D, Seasonal Affective Disorder. Thank you for that Mother!) The darker mornings and evenings send me into mental hibernation, if I haven't got my pyjamas on, with a hot drink in hand, approach with caution..

Red to me was an obvious Autumm colour. I first coloured my hair red about 6 weeks ago, a dark mahogany red, a safe step as it could also be seen as a very, very warm brown. (or so I would tell myself if I didn't like It!)

The result: I loved it!  The only downside was how quickly it faded; remember those warnings? The obvious next step was to go slighter brighter, and test the waters a little more. 

It went back to brown so quickly:

I've never used Live Colour XXL but I had a feeling only this would take me as bright as I wanted to go!

This colour Dye...

Made this colour hair!

Those red tones in my hair that I despised every time I tried to go lighter/blonde/orange are finally In their element... And so am I!

When natural light gets a look in there are fantastic bursts of red (enhanced by old blonde highlights too)

I'm still tempted to go brighter...

The Great British Sticky Ginger Loaf

Our household is a huge fan of Jamaican Ginger Cake, but it hasn't ended up in the weekly shopping for a while now. For months I have had a Ginger cake/loaf recipe just waiting to be baked, but I never quite got around to it. 

My eldest younger brother (!) George is a keen baker and is always very proud of his results from his food tech classes at school. I set him the challenge of baking this loaf on the condition that if it's good, he can take it home but only after he has baked me another one! 

The recipe has been adapted from "The Great British Book of Baking", designed to accompany the first BBC series of The Great British Bake Off, Penguin Books, 2010.

Recipe:

225g self raising flour

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tbsp ground ginger

1tsp cinnamon

1tsp mixed spice

115g unsalted butter, chilled and diced

115g black treacle

115g golden syrup

115g dark brown muscovado sugar

275ml milk (not skimmed)

1 medium egg, beaten

Method:

Heat oven to 180C (160C fan assisted) 

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, cinnamon, and mixed spice into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mix, lightly using the tips of your fingers, until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. The higher you lift the mix, the more air will get in, meaning a softer cake.

Spoon the treacle and golden syrup into a small pan and melt on a low heat until melted and runny, but not hot. Set aside until lukewarm.

Put the sugar and milk In another pan and heat gently; keep stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Leave to cool until lukewarm and then whisk the milk into the flour mix. Quickly add the treacle mixture and the egg and whisk until you have a smooth thick batter, similar to double cream.

Put the mixture into your prepared loaf tin. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

Set the tin on a wire rack to cool completely. Only remove the gingerbread from the tin when completely cool. 

The original recipe suggests you wrap the ginger loaf in foil and leave at least a day before cutting as the cake gets stickier the longer it is kept in an air tight container.

We tried this step..but after a couple hours we gave in and cut it!

The Result: the softest, lightest, tastiest ginger cake you have ever eaten. And that was unanimous!! 

Blueberry Muffin Icecream Sundae

Despite the awful and too early winter weather, Mr D and I enjoyed a really lovely Sunday afternoon out with his parents. Unable to eat another mouth full of main course, my mother-in-law-to-be suggested the dessert menu. Now to my brain that doesn't say "No, I'm full"; it says "Of course, a new course is like starting from scratch, hunger levels go back to zero."

The restaurant/pub does an amazing Toffee Waffle, but this time a new dessert caught my eye.

Blueberries  and Icecream sundaes shout warm summer days to me. This is probably what made me go for it on this miserable October Sunday.

Summery it may be, but delicious it was too! The sharp blueberries, soft muffin bites, cold Icecream, and light cream contrasted beautifully; if it wasn't for the sound of hammering rain outside I nearly would have believed summer was here to stay!

This dessert is definitely one to recreate at home! 

My Autumn Edit

For me Autumn means chunky knitwear, oversized scarfs, statement jewellery, tall boots, ankle boots,  palettes of reds greens and golds, rambling walks in chilly weather, steaming lattes and a hot chocolate for Mr D. Autumn also brings the annual "I need a new coat" hunt.. But that's another story!

* All images have come from Pinterest

I love this red oversized jumper with a belt. The leggings and boots make the outfit well balanced.

A slightly warmer Autumn day is all about layering; this outfit would be just as lovely if the cardigan was taken off.

I need a coat like this! Rather loving the boots also but not sure I'll get far..

California 2011 Revisited

My mother's homeland, California holds many memories growing up and is one of my favourite places. Mr D visited for the first time in 2011 and, luckily, fell in love with it just as much as I have.

Our next trip there is October 2014, a whole year away we know, but the semi-planning has already begun!

Here are some pictures that summarise our 2011 trip:

A beach photoshoot on our second day.

The Bellagio fountain display in Las Vegas

A UCLA football game

Disneyland, Anaheim

Long Beach High Performance Swap Meet

Our 2014 trip has a different itinerary. The idea is to fly into San Francisco, stay and explore for a few days, hire a car and drive seven hours down the coast to Santa Barbara. Another overnight stay and some more exploring, and then another three and a half hour drive down to my family's home in Orange County, via Muscle Beach (for Mr D!). 

It may be too early to think about what to pack, but it's certainly not too early to get excited!! 

"What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus? Claustrophobic"

As I write this... 

Christmas is my favourite holiday of the year. Magic, love, and belief brings family, friends, and even strangers together in no way possible the rest of the year. It's tradition for Mr D and I to go explore Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, walk along Embankment, dream down Bond Street, gaze at the Harrods incredible window displays, and relive our youth in Hamleys. 

This time last year I had bought all my Christmas presents! I never wrapped them because I'd always forget I'd bought something so that lucky person got two presents! I put a lot of personal touches and thoughts into my present buying so I couldn't possibly return one.

This year things are different; one gift has been made (I can't say anymore incase they read this; all I will say is a tutorial will soon follow...shhh!) but nothing else has been sorted! 

We are very excited to spend our fifth Christmas together, our first in our very own home! We have been so blessed this year, our house, our kitten, and a fabulous family holiday in Italy celebrating a golden wedding anniversary. Because of all this, the budget is tighter this year- we now have to buy our own tree and decor! (I am SO excited about this!) This means lots of our gifts  and decor will be handmade, personal, and given with a lot of love.

Some lucky person (littlest bro!) will just have to receive this...

Michael Kors: Catwalk Chic to Supermarket Savy

Autumn colours of slate, dune, and vanilla; animals prints and colour blocking; Urban sexy meets equestrian chic; Michael Kors fall collection is absolutely delicious.

The classic Hamilton handbag, the Stockard boot, and the York suede/leather ankle boot are top of my Autumm wishlist. 

See the marketing shot of the York bootie below:

I've never been a fan of shoe boots until I saw these; they are gorgeous! Classic, autumnal, and downright gorgeous. And they are also unavailable in the UK..

If you live in the USA you can buy them direct here.

Completely by accident, I stumbled upon a high street alternative; for £110 less. So they don't have the leather detail and the heel height but this means they can be worn comfortably all day. 

Currently on sale at TU for Sainsburys; these ankle boots retail at £20. Go quick as there is 25% off all clothing and accessories! I paid an astonishing £15 for these beauties. Available in store only. Also available in black.

The leather bag is from Oasis.

Don't underestimate the power of your local supermarket.. 

Meet Duke: Our 9 Week Old Kitten

A moment of weakness, a moment of madness, and a moment of pure love. 

That was the moment we saw Duke.

Mr D was handed Duke (named Bruiser originally) and that was it, we agreed to pick him up Friday. 

 Growing up I was adament a pet was the answer to happiness; I campaigned for Ferrets, upsold the benefits of a horse, and very nearly tricked my mum into buying a Bernese Mountain Dog (those wide-eyed puppy pictures will melt any non-pet lovers hearts!) Prior to buying our house we lived with Dean's parents who had an elderly gentleman cat named Ralph who we both absolutely adored. 

In no way whatsoever did this prepare us for Duke.

Please don't get me wrong; this wasn't a rushed decision. For weeks I have been testing the water on getting a cat in our new home. I've showed Mr D many a kitten for sale, and even tried to make him believe I had brought one home the day he was due home late from work. I was surprised he hadn't given in; normally he is the impulse buyer and I am the "but do we really need that?" And "definitely not at that price!" Yet look at the smile with the laden trolly...

The first night was an incredible success; no noise, Duke went to bed when we did and slept through, and the cat litter was used. Second night... Hmmm, not so great. Toiletting accidents on Mr D's pyjamas, on the bed (!), and on the front door mat. Duke decided the cat litter type just wasn't right, so we replaced it and put the litter box in the place he kept looking for it and (touch wood) all is well so far! 

He very kindly meows at us when he needs it, so we pick him up and put him in it, just for the first few days to remind him where it is.

We never expected we could love Duke as much as we do. He plays until his heart is content, he loves the TV, and just wants to sit near us even if we don't give him attention. After an exhausting week at work, I found myself falling asleep on the sofa on Sunday afternoon; Duke was asleep in another room. Next thing I know, I've woken up as Duke scrambles over my legs to curl up as close as he can..

He does leave to sleep in the strangest of positions!

And despite the fact he is absolutely petrified of his own reflection we love him with all our heart

Eyeing up my cheesecake!!