A day out

We took time out today after all the work that we have been doing, now we will have to start cleaning up its amazing how much muck is created when doing projects like I mentioned in my earlier post today. Anyway we set of initially to go to a farmers market at Chelford, but I don't know if it was due to the weather we have been having or it just was not a particularly busy day as there was not much at all going on. So back in the car we got and we travelled over to the Peak District, it was lovely seeing all the wonderful open spaces we stopped off at a Reservoir that we have been to a few times before over the years however not so recently it is called Tittesworth Reservoir, Severn Trent Water, Meerbrook, near Leek, Staffordshire, it is a lovely place where you can walk as far as you want, there are lots of wild birds to see, you can also have a nice cup of tea and a bite to eat and just generally chill out looking out over the water. We were quite surprised as to how low the water has dropped especially with all the rain that we have had over the past year, it just shows that something serious is really happening to our environment in general and the fact that water seems to be in a shorter supply that one would think. It was quite a dull day today but warm enough for us to sit out and eat, we had to do this as Kaara was with us but it was very enjoyable, here as some photos I would like to share.

A room for me ?

Whilst we have been off (we are now on our second week of our two week holiday}, the plan was for me to get started on my Christmas cake orders and hubby was doing some DIY. Some how it ended up me doing very little baking (I only managed to complete the 21st birthday cake order)because I somehow ended up being the fetch this carry that I need a brew and some food. Anyway I supposed I had to put something into this latest project as part of it was for me. Our son has flown the family home in the last few months and we finally got to get into his room and do something with it. If you have had boys you will understand what we were up against. He would never let us into his room to decorate and when we did try anything it got quite stressful as he was so rude about anything we wanted to do. So, his Dad said okay forget it so nothing got done for the 24 years that he lived at home with us. I had taken photo;s of what it looked like before we started but I managed to delete them from my camera the nearest I can get is when my original desk was out in the room after he left and you can see the state of the decoration around it. Now all the walls have been stripped plastered and painted and new flooring laid, I have a new specially made desk by my husband and I have cupboards for all my stuff (although this does not include my baking and cookery books that lot will have to stay downstairs. Here are some photos so hopefully you will get the idea, we just had a little touching up to do and a little tidying up but the bulk of it has now been done. I will post some more pictures when everything is tidy just wanted to give you a taster of what had been happening.

21st Birthday Cake

Hubby and I are currently on holiday, we are not planning to go away as hubby has decided that all the DIY jobs left to do musty be finished, one of them being completely gutting our sons old room. Whilst all this has been going on I accepted an order for a 21sr birthday cake before we started out holidays, I have finished the cake today and it is being picked up this evening, I have sent them a photo so they can see what is looks like, I only hope they like it just as much when they actually see it. Will be back soon with news of what we are up to. Sue x

Another request

As well as making the cake for hubby as you will see in my earlier post, I have been busy again this afternoon and have just finished making this one. Our son's girlfriend is celebrating a birthday on Tuesday and he has asked me to make a cake for her, I hope she likes it I am not sure of what she likes and doesn't yet as we have not known her for very long. Anyway I hope she has a lovely day.

For someone close

As you all know I have been going to classes for the past few weeks and have learnt a lot of things and have lots of ideas. My husband for the last few weeks I think has been quite lost judging by the texts I received whilst I was at these classes. He made a special request in one of them and as he has been working away from home this weekend, I have made this cake. Those of you who know him will know why he has requested this particular design.

A Decorated Cake Dummy

I have been going to cake decorating classes over the last few weeks and what I have learnt has given me lots of ideas. So, as I have some cake dummies I decided to try my had at a two tier cake which could be used I think for an engagement, anniversary or even perhaps a wedding and perhaps add another tier to it. I am quite please with what I have created, what do you think? (Jen if you see this, this is what I was hinting at)

Another Year

Well here we are again another year gone by and another year older, it is my birthday today and I have a really nice day. As usual when we have birthdays at work cakes are taken in, those of you who know me will know that I never buy them but have a great time making them, here are what I took in today and there is nothing left (Don't worry Jen if you read this a piece was saved for you, it is in your top draw at work). There was a chocolate orange sponge cake which I made an orange syrup for and drizzled over whilst it was cooling before finishing off with chocolate filling and topping with grated orange zest on the top. Then there was a lemon sponge cake also soaking in a syrup flavoured with lemon and topped with lemon butter cream and filled with lemon curd. Finally as if that wasn't enough I made some vanilla cupcakes which I then covered in a lime and coconut butter cream topping. Is your mouth watering yet, they smelt heavenly when the lids were taken off the boxes.

Practising

After taking in the models I made at my class last week a work colleague offered to buy them off me. I explained I wasn't selling them as they were the first ones I had ever made and wanted to keep them for display. When finding out why he wanted them I said I would make another model for him. apparently his young grandson (2 years old I think) had had a fall and broken his leg and would now be in traction for quite a while. As I do not have many colour paste yet to colour my own I decided to use some yellow fondant I had left over from a cake I made for someone else. here is a copy of what I have done, hope I can get it to work in once piece.