Shower the people you love with love

One of the best aspects of participating in a wedding fair is being able to create a design that I have been wanting to make for a long time. There is a long list of designs in my head waiting to be brought to life and my life could never be long enough to make them all!

I will be at the Tie the Knot Eclectic Wedding Carnival on Sunday 11th May at Hexton Manor. So I decided it was time to free this one thought from my overcrowded brain and make a cake!

It was inspired by the James Taylor song 'Shower The People You Love With Love'

I love James Taylor!

There is something (in the way he moves) about his voice, lyrics, music that fills me with happiness.

And this version of the song especially can move me to tears.
xxx

Painting classes

I have been very bad at not posting the pictures from my last two painting classes. They were full of lovely ladies, and I had a great time with both groups. Everyone was very pleased with their results. I have seen quite a lot ex-pupils bringing some painted elements into their designs, which is very exciting.

I will be organising some dates for more classes soon. If you would like to come along you can sign up for my newsletter here which will have all the details. You don't need to have any painting experience the classes are for all abilities.

xxx

How to paint a Spring cake

I often get asked how I paint my cakes.  So I thought, for this post, rather than just a picture of a finished cake I would show you a little of the process. That makes it sound rather grand when actually all it involves is me sitting and painting. (But incase you are curious I've included the finished cakes too.)

 I recently had two separate orders for Spring cakes.  You can see the original here.

I used The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady as my reference, you can see it just next to the cake.  I paint freehand. For this flower I just placed a light colour where I thought the flowers should be.  With plants it is easy to make a stem a bit longer or to add a leaf if it doesn't look quite right.

I use paste colours and sometimes powder colours, and I use boiled water, although you can use vodka.

I sometimes paint a rough out line of the object, this is helpful for birds as you want them to look correct.

I paint the lighter colours first adding three or four darker tones on top.  When you paint on fondant as opposed to paper it is harder to make tones by adding washes, you need to add darker colours to get the same effect.  You can see here that I wash away any guide lines that are excessive.

I hope in the future to write some blog posts with tutorials for you to try at home, but I would love to see pictures of any painted cakes you have already done.  Leave a link in the comments below.

xxx

Indian/Irish Wedding

Myself, Mr Lemon Drizzle and the kidlets have just returned home after spending a very enjoyable weekend in Belfast with my extended family.

In January my cousin got married in Goa. I would have loved to have been there but circumstances meant that it wasn't possible.

Lucky for us though the newly weds held a party on Saturday for all those who didn't make it to India (and a lot of those who did!)

I had made cookies for the actual wedding (see above) but also made a cake for the Irish party.

 I decided that taking three tiers of cake, luggage and two small children on an Easy Jet flight would be impossible, so with much trepidation, I posted it!

Needless to say things did not go as smoothly as they could have, thanks to Parcel Forces 48 hour guaranteed delivery service not actually being guaranteed! Disaster was averted though when another cousin took control of the phone, and demanded (very politely) the delivery of the cake (she had to go to the depot in the end, but we got it.)  

The bottom layer was fruit and was in perfect condition. Unfortunately the top two cakes (chocolate mud) did not fare so well.  I managed to keep most of the damage at the back and had (with foresight into potential disasters) made paisley shapes to stick onto the design which also covered the dents.

The fondant topper was copied freehand from an original watercolour by my Aunt, which was used on the party invitations.

Check out her website for some gorgeous painting!

From the front the cake looked perfect, which was really all that mattered!

We had a fabulous time, and, to be honest, I'm still recovering!

xx

Art Nouveau Cake

 I've haven't lured you in with the false promise of cake I assure you,  but first a catch up.

Things are going very slowly with my new blog look, too many children and cakes getting in the way, but it is coming on slowly and steadily, and, hopefully, soon the all new Amelie's House will be unveiled.

But for now a couple of projects I finished a while ago and haven't got round to showing you.

Remember the cardigan? Well here it is.

Especially for Pipany who requested a photo (some time ago).  I love it as it is so big and comfy.  Mr Lemon Drizzle has been complaining that I haven't taken it off since I finished it! (And I haven't, can you blame me?)  It has taken two years though, so I am going to think long and hard before I start knitting again!

This is a banner I made for my church.  The lighting was terrible so I apologise for the picture.  It is about spring and based on a textile pattern called 'The Tree of Life'.  It is hanging in the church now but I am not very happy with it and every week think about taking it down and doing some more work on it.

Talking of church, I was sitting behind a very contented baby on Sunday.  So instead of listening to the sermon I decided to sketch the little boy.  All I had in my bag were one of the kidlets note books and a Biro.

  

I love sketching though and should really do more, just another thing to get round to.  

As the sermon ended the little chap woke up and treated the congregation to the sound and smell of a most enormous poo.  He then looked around with a very satisfied expression on his face! Priceless, best moment for weeks!

Anyway thank you for your patience, and, as promised a cake!  

This is a 70th birthday cake for a lady who like art Nouveau.   A really enjoyable confection to work on.

Finally if you are a baker near London get involved with the Cakes For Japan appeal, more information here.

xx

BOYS AND CASTLES

Here are some more cakes I've been busy making.

 I usually find it much easier to create girls cakes as I am naturally drawn to pink glittery fluffy things. 

 However I have to say this is one boys cake I thoroughly enjoyed, I love the figures and had great fun making twigs and logs.  It was only a last minute decision to add the hide but I was really pleased with it. Can you imagine Bear Grylls peaking out?

But I couldn't leave you without something more girly.

 This is a return to a cake I made a year ago for my kidlet.

THE PAINTED CAKE

While I was training (many years ago) as an illustrator (alongside the fabulous Gretel) I had a holiday project.  I can't remember what the brief was, but I do remember that I painted a watercolour of a vase of flowers.  It probably also had a large amount of gold ink splattered all the picture, as I pretty much did that to whatever I was painting at the time.  I vividly remember having a tutorial and my tutor  looked at it with totally lack of interest and said, "It's nice but do you really want to have a career painting flowers?"

Well reader, that is exactly what I did!

And I loved it!

I have painted flowers and teddy bears for years, and now that I have children and not a 'career' the flowers and bears refuse to let me go.

I have tried in the last few years many little businessess to fulfill my creative urges none of which amounted to anything.
However I immediately knew that making and decorating cakes would be a winner. 
Never having had any formal cake decorating training I have no traditional skills to draw upon which is why pretty much immediately played to my strengths and began painting on cakes.

Actually when I say cake I mean cookies. These butterfly biscuits were my first attempt, but within minutes I was planning my first full size cake.

Fortunately I have many friends who need cakes (well who doesn't) and give me the dream brief  "Do what you think best!" I prefer to take this as a great compliment rather than a lack of care on their part.

I have been painting alot this last week and all for friends, so my imagination could go where it wanted.  I hope you enjoy them more than my ex-tutor will!

 This is a cake a friend asked me to make for a nurse who was leaving her practice to go and live in France.

An e-mail was sent round asking for suggestions for a cake with replies including a speculum, motorbike gears and condoms.  My friend suggested however I could come up with my own idea, so I  decided on something prettier..

I have another friend (how popular am I?) who teaches NCT classes and at the end of every class she has me make a little treat for her pupils (see also this post).  Her latest class coincided with Easter so I went for a duckling theme.

Finally a friends Nana was turning 90, the lady in question had been a ballroom dancer in the 1930's.  I used a 30's illustration and found some original textile designs. 

As you can see I am still painting flowers.  And hope to continue for a very long time!

WE LIKE MARCHING

I run a toddler group for my Church and it is celebrating its 25th Anniversary tonight.  So I offered to bring a cake!

At the end of every session we sing some songs and 'We Like Marching' is always a favourite.

Once again I have been inspired by Lucie Attwell.  I wanted the figures on the top to mirror the illustrations so they are mostly painted as well.