Bohemia Boho briefcase winner

My contest ended on Saturday and I picked a winner using random.org and I am delighted to announce the winner of the Bohemia Boho briefcase giveaway is...

Hele, who would like the Pearl grey or Ice blue Boho briefcase.

Congratulations Hele, you will receive your colour choice of Boho Briefcase.

Thank you to all of you sweets that entered, to my loyal followers and new friends.

Have a sweet day!

Floral Wellies

I am officially ready for Autumn! Good job as it is here already. I am looking forward to drinking hot chocolate curled up on the sofa, long walks in the crisp, fresh air looking for acorn caps so I can make an abundance of needle felted acorns. So when the lovely peeps at Joules offered to send me a pair of wellies in my choice of color and print to review, I was thrilled.

I pored over their myriad of wellies: should I get the bright pink glossy pair? Or the elegant navy ones with a big fuchsia ribbon bow on the back or the pair splashed with a bright floral? In the end, I chose the navy ground print pair covered in big bright turquoise, pink and yellow flowers. I thought they would add a stylish splash of colour to my Autumn walks! I love the attention to detail on my new wellies, from the pink and navy striped lining to the cool stripe on the back. They are super comfortable to wear and I like the functional buckle detail on the sides so you can adjust them to fit. The light heel is a lovely feminine touch. They also match my brollies perfectly, so they might not make it to my shoe rack...

Have a sweet day!

Gluten-free blackberry & pear crumble slice

Remember I told you how the lovely peeps at Tala sent me a lovely new swiss roll tin which meant I could now make tray bakes? Well, I just had to try a crumble slice. As blackberry and pear is my favourite crumble flavour and I thought they would make a great colour for the centre, I went for them. We have enjoyed them cold as an afternoon snack, heated up and served with custard for dessert and, my favourite, for Sunday brunch with a dollop of greek yogurt!






Gluten-free blackberry & pear crumble slice (makes one tray, 40 x 28 x 2.5cm)

Ingredients

• 600g gluten-free plain flour
• 150g ground almonds
• 330g unsalted butter, diced
• 225g golden caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 200g fresh blackberries
• 8 fresh pears
• 2 tbsp caster sugar

Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180C (160c fan) / 355F
2. Lighly grease a swiss roll tin
3. Mix the flour, ground almonds and sugar in a bowl
4. Rub in the butter till the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs
5. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the two eggs
6. Lightly fold beaten eggs into crumble mixture
7. Spoon half the mix into the prepared tin and firmly push down to form the bottom crust and set aside
8. Core and thinly slice the pears
9. In a small bowl, mash the blackberries using a fork
10. Layer the pears over the crumb base and sprinkle with 2 tbsp caster sugar
11. Cover the pears in a layer of mashed blackberries
12. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mix over the top of the layered fruit
13. Bake for about 30-35 mins until lightly golden
14. Leave in tin to completely cool before cutting in to slices or squares
15. Keep refrigerated in an air tight container

Pink stitched and stone spot ribbon from Jane Means

Have a sweet day!

Baking supplies storage - update

After hanging my sieves and measuring spoons on the inside of my baking cupboards I had room on my wall hooks for my brand new candy thermometer from Tala. I have already used it to make raspberry and white chocolate fudge (recipe coming soon...). Now I have even more of my baking utensils organized but still my utensils drawer looks a mess?!?

Hanging above my candy supplies is one of my cake prints from Everyday is a Holiday. I love their cute, kitsch artwork and have several hanging in my kitchen. All other items as before.

Have a sweet day!

Cupboard door storage

The lovely peeps at Command sent me a bunch of their clear strip hooks and a couple of their new clear caddies which are part of the 3M Command Clear range for me to review. The 3M Command Clear range includes an extensive range of General Purpose Hooks, Picture Hanging Products and Organisation Products that all offer damage-free hanging and tidying solutions.

"The clear caddies are supplied with easy-to-hang and easy-to-remove Command Clear Strips. The new Clear Strips from Command are virtually invisible on the wall and allow you to hang the caddy without the need for nails or screws. The adhesive holds firmly and strongly in place, yet is quick and simple to remove, leaving no holes, marks, residue or stain."

My flour jars don't take up the full width of my baking cupboard, and as I said yesterday I used to keep them in front or on top of the flour jars and was always moving them about to get to the jars I wanted. The large caddie hung on the back of the door was the perfect answer; now I can grab a scoop and a jar without that crashing noise!

I then started playing about with the hooks and trying them out on my baking utensils to see what would fit where. I quickly realised that I could hang all my pretty sieves on the back of the door rather than having them dotted about my kitchen on hooks and in draws. I also had room to hang my chopping board and icing mat above my scoops, and a trivet above the sieves. Then I had my best idea! I am always rooting about my drawer at the other end of the kitchen for spoon measures or having to unhook the duck egg blue ones just to find the one I want. So I started to neatly hang all my measures on the inside of my baking decorations cupboard. I loved it so I went out and bought another set of mini hooks to complete the project. Now I can find exactly what I need so quickly and easily. I did make a mistake on where I put one of the hooks, but following the removal instructions made it really was quick and easy to remove and as you get spare sticky strips in the packet I was able to replace it in the correct position. I really do need to get some more of these products to get even more organized!

Pastel sieves from Wilkinsons

Silicone trivet from Wilkinsons, 3M Command Clear Mini Hook

3M Command Clear Medium Hooks used to hang the larger sieves, 3M Command Clear Mini Hook in centre

Pink chopping board from Wilkinsons, 3M Command Clear Mini Hook

Flour scoops, large caddie

Have a sweet day!

My baking cupboard

As the dark draws closer every night and the days become chillier I look forward to Autumn which for me is a great time to re-organize. I have stored away my flip flops, summer dresses and such like, laundered my rugs and curtains, and I am now in the process of getting everything super organized. Ready to bake and craft in my cosy home...

So today I am sharing with you how my newly organized baking cupboard looks. It makes me smile and is now much easier to find everything quickly and easily and is a doddle to keep neat! Before, when I tried to get flour out the scoops that were balanced on top or in front of the flour jars used to come crashing down and I would have to walk to the other end of the kitchen for a chopping board. Now everything I regularly use to bake is all in one place!

Flour jars from Nigella Lawson with handmade labels

Let it flow jug from JME, flavoured syrups from Paris

Floral flour shaker from Cath Kidston

Flavoured sugars from Paris

Have a sweet day!

Rachel Powell @ Tent London

I loved Rachel Powell's stand at Tent London, from the etched veneer lamp shades to the funky wallpaper. It was so neat & tidy and wonderfully styled with vintage furniture and wooden flowers! Rachel Powell is a surface pattern designer who designs charming modern prints with a retro twist.

After initially completing a BA Hons in packaging and branding Rachel returned to university years later to study Surface Design at the London College of Communication. Upon graduating in 2011 Rachel was picked to exhibit at the New Designers show (the UK's most important graduate show). After being received so well at the show last year Rachel hasn't looked back and this year she returned to the New Designers show exhibiting in the "one year on" section. Inspired by mid-century design and her country life, Rachel's prints are happy, bold, retro repeats that have an air of Scandinavia about them. Her prints can be found on rolls of wallpaper, tea towels, and etched lampshades.

Have a sweet day!