Curate Your Space

Curate²

kjʊ(ə)ˈreɪt/

verb

verb: curate; 3rd person present: curates; past tense: curated; past participle: curated; gerund or present participle: curating

1. select, organize, and look after the items in (a collection or exhibition).

   "both exhibitions are curated by the Centre's director"

   • select the performers or performances that will feature in (an arts event or programme).

     "in past years the festival has been curated by the likes of David Bowie"
   • select, organize, and present (online content, merchandise, information, etc.), typically using professional or expert knowledge.

     
     

     

     
     

This week I had an enlightening conversation with a university friend. We were catching up on life, self-discovery and "curating your space". I thought it was a brilliant concept. Each of us, taking the time to select, organise & look after the items in our space. And by space I don't just mean our physical space. We also need to select what we let into our minds and who we let into our hearts.

As for me, I am working to surround myself with books, beautiful energies & art. One of the artists that I'm currently in love with is Michelle Robinson from CREATE.TURE. I'm not sure how I stumbled across her on Instagram, but I now have a wall covered with her prints and am hoping one day to have an original piece of her work. 

I love the detailed backgrounds, the colours and the strength and sensuality of the women that she paints. 

Dai by Michelle Robinson

I was inspired to make a cake, using the two images above. The cake itself has two layers of white chocolate sponge (click here for the recipe) and one red velvet layer (click here for a recipe), with caramel buttercream icing (click here for a recipe).

I recreated the painting using fondant shapes, cut individually. To say it took a while would be an understatement, but it was worth it to have the woman herself show her appreciation on Instagram. Maybe one day I'll get to bake for her in person!

Take the time to surround yourself with beautiful things that you love and that inspire you - curate your space;

Peace & Love

xx

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Dedicated To My First Born...

So Valentines Day has come and gone... I didn't get any balloons or love letters or flowers but I did get to celebrate the birthdays of two special boys; my first born son & my gorgeous nephew. 

My son was born on Valentines Day and I still remember his birth like it was yesterday. Like many first time mothers, it was a traumatic experience. I was in labour for 3 days and had every type of medical intervention known to man. By the time I had the cesarean, I was hungry, dehydrated and exhausted. But with my baby in my arms, I just couldn't sleep. I stayed up all night, excited, with him on my chest wondering how on earth I was going to look after this precious thing. 

There's something special about the first child, that one on one time, the unknown, the excitement with every development. I remember the first time he looked around, the first time he saw a balloon, his first words, first steps, our first holiday and how he smiled at all the ladies, the first time he got a fever & we panicked and rushed him to the hospital, there are just so many memories. 

Now he's grown and cuddles with mummy are a bit of a pain! He still lets me have them though and for that I'm grateful. :) 

9 Years Old, I can't believe it!!

I've just been listening to Alicia Key's latest album recently and one song she sings sums it up perfectly. It's called 'When It's All Over'

"When they lay me down, put my soul to rest

When they ask me how I spent my life

At least I got to love you, when it's all over

When it's all said and done, when it's all over

At least I got to love you, at least I got to love you"

I can't forget my nephew who's birthday is one day earlier. He is the sweetest thing and always has something nice to say. I love baking for him because he loves his aunty's cakes! :) Check out a post that I wrote for his birthday last year here.

My very gorgeous nephew getting tickled by my boys :)

So to celebrate this happy week, it only seemed right to make cakies...

It's been a while since I made Red Velvet Cupcakes, I forgot how tasty they are! I'm not a big cake eater (believe it or not), but Red Velvet Cupcakes are my one weakness. Add some sugar lego men and lots of sprinkles and it makes for a happy time all round, who cares about Valentines! :)

Click here for the recipe link.

What/Who are you grateful for?

Peace & Love

xx

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The Unicorn

One sunny morning, I heard what sounded like the silent song of a Unicorn. Intrigued, I followed the melody to the meadows at the bottom of my garden.

And there she stood; a Unicorn, powerful and beautiful and majestic with a big golden horn and a body that glittered with moon dust.

"Could this be really be a unicorn?" I thought.

I was transfixed. I knew it would be dangerous but I just had to be sure. So I stepped a bit closer and shouted, 

"Hello"

"Hello" she said and smiled.

With my heart racing, I smiled back. Slowly, I took another step. 

"May I stroke your mane?" I asked.

"No, but you can touch my tail" she replied as she flicked her tail out far behind her towards me. 

My heart jumped again. I stretched out and touched her tail. Sprinkles of moon dust danced around my eyes and there and then I fell in love. I wanted to get closer, maybe stroke it again, but the Unicorn sensed my thoughts and pulled her tail away with a powerful movement that hurt my hand. 

"Sorry" she said," but I can only be friends with a fair virgin maiden and I will hurt anyone that tries to come near. My maiden has gone away but will be back to be with me soon."

A sharp pain filled my heart for I am not a fair virgin maiden and the Unicorn already had a friend. I went away sad with a scar on my hand. 

Time passed but the moon dust still sparkled on my fingers and my ears rang with the silent calling song of the Unicorn. 

So sunrise after sunrise, I followed the melody down to the meadow at the bottom of my garden. Sometimes the Unicorn was there and sometimes she wasn't. Sometimes we would laugh and sing and dance, and sometimes, for what felt like an eternity, the Unicorn would turn her head and pretend not to notice me while she wept for her fair virgin maiden. Everyday I would leave with a new scar, each one deeper and more painful than the last. Often, I vowed never to go back, but the calling song would grow louder and stronger until I was weak and had to return. The moon dust was spreading around me, it sparkled brightly, urging me to go on. 

I had read that befriending a Unicorn was no easy task. I read that unless you were a fair virgin maiden, if you got too close, they would use their tails to toss you high into the sky & then pierce you in the heart with their horns as you came crashing down.

But my Unicorn never did this to me, instead she sang her silent calling song, and let me stroke her tail.  

"No-one can befriend a Unicorn better than me" I thought. "I'll be the best friend she's ever had".

Things were going well & there was no sign of the fair virgin maiden. The Unicorn stopped weeping & even promised to try not to hurt me when we played. I saw my scars as the price I'd have to pay to get my Unicorn and accepted them without complaining. Besides, the moon dust, (that now covered my whole body), and her silent song seemed to soothe the pain. 

Then one day, when I went as usual to the meadow at the bottom of the garden, the Unicorn wasn't there. And I knew that the fair virgin maiden had come back. 

I sat in the meadow and waited, maybe I was wrong and the Unicorn was in danger? Frightened, I called out to the Unicorn and I heard her gentle silent song call back, so I waited some more. Twenty moons passed like this and then she came.

'It is true' she said, 'my fair virgin maiden has come back and I no longer have time to laugh and sing and dance with you. I am sorry but you can never be my friend for you are not a fair virgin maiden.' 

With those last words I tried to run away, but she turned and flicked her tail to get me to stop. It lashed me so hard that I spun around and as she bent her head to look at me, she pierced my heart with her horn. 

I could see she was sad, but she said nothing for that is what Unicorns do. 

Her fair virgin called out so she quickly galloped off to laugh and sing and dance with her. The moon dust flittered away like the butterflies leaving me with only my scars and a pain in my heart.

Sometimes, I still hear the silent calling song of the Unicorn and my scars start to ache, especially the one on my heart. But this time I know to stay away. You cannot be friends with a Unicorn, unless you are a fair virgin maiden.

Peace & Love

xx

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The Lady Loves Cake

This is one of the pictures from my latest photo shoot with the beautiful and talented Marie Dahlstrøm, an up and coming soul singer from Denmark, currently based in London.

Me hard at work!

We had a lot of fun on the day and I managed to grab a sneaky picture of her eating one of the red velvet cupcakes that I bought along to keep our sugar levels up. I have no idea how she manages to make eating look quite like that, maybe one day when I grow up I'll discover the secret!

I'll be posting more pictures of this shoot and other on my Tumblr blog over the coming week so keep an eye out.

Peace & Love

xx

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Budding Love

A couple of weeks ago, I went down to Selfridges on Oxford Street to see the latest window display which is a collaboration between the Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama (aka The Princess of Polka Dots) and Louis Vuitton.  

The display is based on a Kusama poem called Love Forever. If you are unfamiliar with it (like I was) here it is in full;

Stars, the earth, I and you: we are but one polka dot

To a shining future

Budding love

All about my great happiness

Fashionably dressed up

Let’s go and see our boyfriends in high heels

I, in high heels

Love Forever

And so on to my interpretation of polka dots, budding love and shining futures.;polka dotted red velvet cake pops with mini white chocolate buttons inside to keep the whole red and white thing going. I forgot to take pictures of the inside though so you'll have to take my word for it!

May we all have Love Forever (and Louis Vuitton bags).

Peace & Love

xx

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Tea and Cakes of London - Ms Cupcake...

My sister bought a book recently called 'Tea & Cake London' by Zena Alkayat, which gives details of some of the best places for sweet treats in London. Our plan is to go to as many as we can, to taste some of the goodies that are out there & see how the professionals do it!

Last week I was in Brixton, South London and I stumbled upon the vegan cupcake store, Ms Cupcake. I was really excited as I have heard so many good things about the place and couldn't wait to taste test! Plus it's been a while since I've featured vegan cakes on this blog!

Sure enough they didn't disappoint. The first thing you notice is just how much icing is on the cupcakes! There is literally a 50:50 cake to icing ratio, making them look so luxurious. I definitely felt some icing envy and am wondering now if I have been too miserly with my portions!

I had four flavours, Chocolate Chilli, Rose Petal, Red Velvet and Lime & Coconut. They have so many flavours on offer, it's a bit overwhelming for someone as indecisive as me (but obviously amazing!) Of these four, my personal favourites were the Lime & Coconut, followed by the Rose Petal cake and I think that is because they are vegan. There is definitely a difference in flavour with vegan cakes, but they are still very very tasty. This is where the choice of flavours comes in handy because you can push the boundaries of what you would normally choose.

If you have yet to sample vegan cupcakes, then I would definitely start here. I personally couldn't manage all of the icing, but I salute anyone that can!

Ms Cupcake can be found at 408 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, London SW9 8LF, if you're in the area go check them out!

Peace & Love

xx

ps do you have any recommendations for cake eateries in London??

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Diamond Jubilee Cakes

Our Queen has been on the throne now for 60 years!!! This weekend we have two bank holidays to celebrate and there will be many street parties across the country. I'm not a massive royalist but I do like things like this so will definitely be getting involved.

This Thursday I was asked to go onto BBC London radio to talk about baking for the Diamond Jubilee and to give some basic baking tips. Petrified, I dragged my sister along and we managed to whip up a feast of different cakes and sweet treats that went down really well!

Jubilee Cake Box
Buttermilk scones with clotted cream, jam and strawberries
Lemon drizzle loaf
Blueberry loaf
Fruit cake loaf
Red velvet bites
Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate fudge frosting
Vanilla cupcakes
Jam tarts

We had a lot of fun with Jumoke Fashola who was presenting the show and forbade me from posting any pictures of her eating cake!

Check out our radio debut on BBC London Radio 949 talking all things cakes! Click the link and go to 2:10:15 when we get introduced.


Peace & Love


xx

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Hen Party

Red velvet cupcakes for the Bride-to-Be

This weekend, I took being busy to a whole new level. As well as baking up a storm, I was literally all over London (East, South, North and West) celebrating various things with friends and loved ones :).

The Beautiful Bride-to-Be and some of the guests

Bride-to-Be and another guest

One of the highlights was definitely my cousin's hen party. She is expecting and so I thought it would be a tame affair so as not to induce premature labour... I was sooooo wrong :) My other cousin who organised it, had a surprise in store for us and even though I am the least prudish person I know, I was actually hot in the face for about an hour!!! If I had paler skin & could blush I would have been a beetroot!!

Enough said..... :)

I must say, I'm really excited about the wedding, it's been a while since someone in the family got married and I'm baking the cake which is cool (and a little scary as the venue is about 4 hours away!) I do love a challenge though, especially when it involves self-inflicted sleep deprivation! 

It's ridiculous o'clock so I'm going to bed! Have a great week...

Peace & Love

xx

ps I made her some red velvet cupcakes (as she's a recent convert to the church of red velvet cake), with cream cheese frosting and the obligatory L plates. If you'd like a recipe for red velvet cupcakes click here. If you'd like more details on what went down then I'm afraid I can't help you, if I told you I'd have to kill you and I like you coming to visit me... :)

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Off The Deep End (Cake, Cake, Cake, Cake, Cake, Cake Pop)

My second Off The Deep End post, tasty Red Velvet Cake Pops. Check it out here..

Peace & Love

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Desperately Seeking Approval

Have you ever wondered what or rather who motivates you to do things? I've heard tales of men starting wars to win the affection of a fair maiden and whilst it sounds a bit far-fetched, I do get it. Sometimes that person is a parent or a group of friends but the need to impress someone that you are into is probably the strongest urge of all, you don't even need to be into them in a sexual way.

I have a person like that, someone who I am trying to impress, that I'm almost 100% confident is completely oblivious to my efforts! It's pretty sad really but what can you do, the heart is foolish! :)

Before you get too worried about me, be comforted that my unrequited obsession has in fact given birth to the beauty that you see before you - a heart in a cupcake! Of course I will do a 'how-to' tutorial in the near future so you too can recreate this bad boy - it would be rude not to.

Until then though, please enjoy the mix of vanilla cupcakes with a red velvet heart centre and cream cheese frosting on top. 

Peace & Love

xx

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