Painted baby shower cake

This cake was ordered by a friend for her sister's baby shower, as she is a good friend and trusts me, she left me to my own devices to come up with a design. Yeah!

Their refreshments at the party were mimosa cocktails, so I decide to paint a mimosa border. This is a great flower that lends itself to a more structured design. (I have taken some step-by-step photos as I went along and should have a tutorial out soon.)

When I was starting out I made a baby shower cake for a friend (see above) with a bird on a nest. I love this image for a baby shower cake, but for this new design I wanted a painted image, and more vintage.

It was gooseberry and elderflower flavoured cake which apparently went really well with the cocktails.

I loved this cake and it made me happy all weekend. I hope your weekend was just as sweet!

xxx

Book club cake of the month...April

This month we read 'War Of The Worlds' by H G Wells.

It is a science-fiction book, probably one of the very first, describing an invasion by Martians.

I really enjoyed the book, (I love an end-of-the-world story). I had never read it before, but I have listened to Jeff Wayne's version many times, so it was very difficult to read the novel without hearing Richard Burton's voice!

I have also seen the Tom Cruise film ,which while relating to the book has non of the subtleties or themes, plus has Tom Cruise. 

Wells trained as a science teacher, and uses this to great effect, the narrator describes the events in a detached scientific way, which I really appreciated.

At one point in the story the narrator describes the brutal slaying of men at 'the common' by the Martian's ray gun. He runs home in anguish, but then, after his tea and a lie down feels much better, and wonders if maybe the Martians were just scared and that's why they killed the men. Such British stiff upper lip, no unnecessary emotion! For the first part of the book there is no panic or mayhem just everyone carrying on with their lives. This would never happen now, not with Twitter!

There was a mixed response to the book. The sci-fi nerds amongst us (me included) really enjoyed it. Others found it quite hard going and didn't like the sexism and class values in the book. However when they realised it was written in 1898 the reviewed their opinions and though it quite a visionary book. We gave it an average of 8.

As the Martians invade they bring a red weed that covers the earth. So I decided to embrace the red, and made some red velvet cakes. Which were very well received from everyone.

xxx

Previous book club cake of the month
February
January

November
July

June
March

April

February

November 

October

September

Pottering about

Some more pictures from my trip last week. My Dad is a potter and he took charge of the five grandchildren for a few mornings. They love to be in his studio with a lump of clay, making and playing. He taught them to make some clay sheep. The light was lovely when the sun shone for a brief few minutes and I took some pictures of his tools.

xxx

All is lovely in the garden

I spent a lovely few days at my parents house last week. They have an amazing garden that was literally a rubbish dump when they moved in. It has been transformed through a lot of hard work. My Mum tends the flowers and my Dad grows the veg!

If you are lucky enough to be booked on my August class (see here) you will get to see it yourself.

xxx