The rather silly thing I did...

Having run my Etsy business for over a year now, I had begun to think of myself as a bit of a dab hand. Last Christmas, my first one, proved a massive shock in order volume and I found myself frantically rushing to Wilko to buy bubble wrap and leaving dubious notes on the oven saying 'back in an hour, don't take them out'.

All in all, it was a bit of a shambles.

Not this year, I told myself. This year I am going to be prepared. And it was that thought that led me to a decision that has left me a laughing stock.
My warning to all of you: know your proportions before you order online.

Being British and therefore somewhat backwards I tend to work in feet rather than metres. I always order my boxes online and, with more orders going to America and knowing that parcels don't always get handled as carefully as they could be, I figured why not bulk order bubble wrap too. I found an Ebay seller and in a couple of clicks I had spent £14.79 on packaging materials. With hindsight, I probably should have realised  that this was quite a lot of money: clearly my ineptness for conversions extends to finances.

Having completely forgotten I'd ordered it I was slightly disgruntled when the doorbell was rung by the deliveryman at 9am. It was only when I opened the front door and saw him holding a box large enough to carry a crouching man that I realised something had gone horribly wrong.

50 metres of bubble wrap is a lot of bubble wrap. And I mean A LOT. I think I now have sufficient packaging material to wrap everything I own twice and maybe outline the perimeter of my flat for good measure. My flatmates (both engineering students, WHY didn't I ask for their help in the first place?!) decided this was the funniest thing they'd ever seen but at least helped me stuff the monstrosity in my wardrobe.

It's safe to say that I think I now have enough bubble wrap, and have given my friends enough to mock me about, for the rest of my natural life. All in a day's work. 

With love,

Kati

Today is a beautiful day to feel okay

Procrastinating fiercely today I came across this really quite lovely quote. It stems from a Facebook page I follow which is run by an anonymous cartoonist.

First reaction when I read this post, I laughed. So many of his posts are funny (I recommend you check them out, link here) but on closer inspection so many are also underlined with a message of positivity. And the more I looked at this post, the more I realised that there was something really wonderful about it.

I have no trouble admitting, most who know me personally will already be aware, that I struggle with an anxiety disorder. It can be incredibly ugly: I push away those I love the most because I don't feel worthy of their affection and sometimes it feels like I will be stuck in a rut of self doubt for the rest of my life. It is something that over the last year or two I have learned to accept as a peculiar kind of life companion; some days I am strong, some days I am not. And that, I think, is what I loved so much about this particular post.

'Today is a beautiful day to feel okay'. I, like so many others, constantly strive for happiness, to feel like I have beaten my anxiety disorder, but the reality is that can't always be an option. One thing that is an option is to look for the 'okay' even on the darkest of days.

I am feeling okay because I have a cup of tea in my hand and the sky outside is a beautiful colour.

How about you?

With love,

Kati

Too poor for a scratch map...

If there's one thing I have learnt during my three years living in student housing, it's that a couple of touches can make all the difference. With just a sheet of patterned paper, push pins and string you can create your very own vintage style wall map. You can mark it with places you've been or places you'd love to go and create a homely touch for less than a fiver.

Interested? Alright let's have a run through.

First things first get yourself a map. Mine is just a sheet of wrapping paper from Paperchase but I know that there are some beautiful vintage maps on Etsy if you want a more individual touch. In terms of fixing it to the wall, I swear by white tack as it's easy to get off and doesn't leave stains.

Once your map is on the wall it's time to get pinning! Now, if you don't feel comfortable putting pins in the wall an alternative is to use craft pegs. You can buy these at Wilkinsons, Paperchase or online. If you are using pegs simply fasten your map to the wall, apply tack or glue dots to the backs of your pegs and stick them as you please. I chose to focus my map on countries I had visited so stuck pins into the relevant areas.

Once your pins/pegs are in place, it's time to attach the string. Tie the end of the string around the base of the pin (or clip into the peg if that's the method you're using), unwind it and create a line from the pin, across the map and onto the wall. Cut the string at your desired length bearing in mind that a notecard will be attached to the end of it.

Repeat this process for all the pins. There is no need to be very precise in the lengths; you can always cut them shorter or start again if need be.

Once you have cut all the strings it is time to make the notecards! How you do this is completely up to you; I used plain A4 paper cut into small rectangles with red fine liner text. I chose to write the name of the country and the dates I was there but you can always write the people you went with, a favourite memory: whatever appeals to you!

Once the notecards are complete place a blob of white tack on the back of each one. Pull the string on the relevant pin taut, place the notecard over the top of the end and press down hard. Repeat this process on all the strings, feel free to trim the strings as you go if you're not getting the look you want, and you're done.

It's a quick and easy craft project which brightens up any student room. Have you got any DIY suggestions? Any quick and cheap ways to make your room more homely? I'd love to hear about them in comments!

With love,

Kati

Bristol Hotspots: Little Kitchen Cookery School

Little Kitchen Cookery School, located just outside of Bristol, offers a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. A half hour bus ride from the centre of town and with classes in everything from pastry to Thai Street food; it is a unique learning curve. 

Co-owned by Madeleine and Claire, who also run the sessions, it offers a hands-on learning experience. I took part in their 'Perfect Pastry' course: a 3 and a 1/4 hour session which included choux, shortcrust and puff pastry. Having never made pastry before, and having seen so many failed examples on 'Bake Off', I was pretty sure that I was going to make a total mess of it. 

Photo source: Tripadvisor

Upon arrival I was shown where we would be baking, given an apron and offered a cup of tea: a firm start to any British Saturday morning. We were a relatively small group, six in total, and once we'd been talked through what we were going to be making we got started. 

The Perfect Pastry workshop recipes are for a tomato and feta puff pastry tart, chocolate and ginger shortcrust and cardamon cream profiteroles. All the quantities are weighed out by Madeleine and Claire to save time and placed on the bench in different coloured containers to minimise confusion (salt and baking powder look a little too similar for my liking). 

Madeleine and Claire run through everything step by step - from the front of the room they demonstrate how to combine the ingredients, offering hints and tips along the way, and then we would have to repeat the process ourselves. Luckily for me, they were patient with questions, quick to step in when needed and willing to run through things multiple times when it all proved too much to remember. 

The class was run at a good pace: while one pastry was chilling we would prepare another so that we were never just standing idle. Madeleine and Claire kept an eye on the baking times, made sure all of our doughs were of a good consistency and explained how to recreate the results at home. As someone who had always been intimidated by the thought of making pastry, the course gave me a confidence that a recipe book never could. Not only that but I know that I have gained skills that I will be able to use in my own kitchen so brace yourselves for further posts about ambitious projects to come...

At the end of the session we were given recipe cards and also allowed to take home everything we had made. Mine had to survive a perilous bus journey back across Bristol but my flatmates were certainly appreciative when I got it all home! 

Any pastry recipe recommendations for me to flex my newfound skills? Any other places to pick up new skills in Bristol? Let me know in comments! 

With love, 

Kati

Cupcake capers: how to make fondant roses

I am of the opinion, and surely I'm not alone in this, that it's hard to beat a classic cupcake. With the vintage revival that's taking culture by storm at the moment, cupcakes have established themselves as a tea party essential. More than this though, with some neat decorations, you can transform your simple cupcakes into real showstoppers. 

For me, the event was my boyfriend's mum's birthday. While I wanted to do something really special for her, whatever I baked had to make the perilous journey from Bristol to East London so cupcakes were the obvious solution. 

First things first, whip up a simple vanilla cake mix. I have tried so many variations from more cookbooks than I care to count but the BBC Good Food recipe has always given me the best results. I chose to double up the mixture which made twelve large cupcakes. If you use bun rather than muffin cases, your mixture will go further as they are much shallower. Fill each case to about 2/3 to get that lovely dome over the top. 

While your cakes are baking, make a batch of buttercream icing. I always use a 2:1 ratio for sugar to butter and if, like me, electric whisks are beyond you; add a capful of milk to the mixture to get the right consistency much faster. 

With all of this prepped, we move on to the real showstopper element. The fondant icing roses. 

What I love about these is that they look really impressive but they are actually so simple to make. I am attaching a youtube tutorial here which offers step by step instructions and am going to give a quick breakdown as well: 

1) Cut a small sheet of baking paper and fold it in half. Pull a piece of fondant off the block and roll it into a ball between your palms. It should be about the size of a pea but it doesn't need to be exact. 

2) Unfold the sheet and place the ball of fondant on one side of paper. Fold the baking sheet back across, covering the fondant, and press it into a flat disk with your thumb. 

3) Fold back the top sheet of baking paper and gently roll the disk in on itself so it forms a tube with a spiral centre. This will be the middle of your rose (see the image above) 

4) Make another fondant ball, similar in size to the first. Again flatten it between the sheets of baking paper, unfold the top sheet and then gently remove from the paper. Fold it round one side of the spiral centred bud you already made and press gently allowing the top of the petal to fan out. 

Continue with this process until the roses are the size you want. It is quite fiddly and takes a bit of practice but persevere and I promise you will be able to create gorgeous centre pieces for your cakes. 

All that's left to do is to put everything together! I use a piping bag to ice as it gives an even finish but you can just spoon your buttercream onto your cakes. Place a dollop in the middle and then use the back of a metal spoon to get an even spread. Hold the icing roses below the petals and then gently place into the centre of your cupcake. The butter icing will hold them in place and give you a gorgeous finish. 

And there you have it: classic cupcakes with a twist that's sure to impress. My boyfriend's mum loved them and it gave me an excuse to spend an evening gorging on cake mix, what could be better?  Do you have any baking suggestions? Any other simple ways to give your classic cupcake a revamp? I'd love to hear about them in comments! 

With love,

Kati

Tobacco Factory Market: Bristol Hotspots

As I have no doubt made clear in previous posts, I am completely in love with Bristol. There is something about the art, the independent businesses and the tree lined streets that give it that wonderful combination of metropolitan hub and homely neighbourhood. In recent years it has become a hipster paradise where an avocado brunch comes as standard and handmade products flourish.

There are few places where this is easier to see than at Tobacco Factory Market, epitomised in its motto: 'strike a light for independents'. Saved from demolition by George Ferguson, this quaint meeting space becomes a bustling trade-spot every Sunday from 10am to 2.30pm. It offers an array of vintage clothing, art prints and jewelry; with enough choice of food to satisfy even the most discerning palette. There are also dogs in abundance and owners who are very happy to let you pet them which is an obvious bonus.

For us, the weather was beautiful and we decided to use our time in the market to source picnic foods. To say we were spoilt for choice is an understatement and we spent a lot of time sampling the various delights that were on offer. The stall owners were all friendly and enthusiastic about their products: wanting to get them the following and the acclaim that they deserve.

We eventually settled on a loaf of bread from Bordeaux Quay bakery as our starting point. All their breads are baked overnight and made from strictly organic ingredients. We settled for a large half sourdough, half yeast loaf which, for £3.00, was more than enough to feed all three of us. Price aside, the bread was light, airy and the stall owner even sliced it up for us so it would be easier to eat on the go.

As an accompaniment, being in Bristol, the only fitting choice was hummus. While circling the stalls we found 'Moist': a dips specialist with multiple flavours on offer. For someone who had no idea that multiple flavours of hummus even existed, this stall was quite the revelation. We settled on a mix and match policy: carrot, bell pepper and baba ghanoush (aubergine, onion and tomato). It was £3.50 for a generously filled pot and, as none of us knew what baba ghanoush was, we got more than our fair share of samples!

Armed with these purchases, it was impossible to walk out of the market without passing the cake stands. 'Absolutely Cakes' offered a variety of brownies (including Malteaser Tiffin which was to die for), cupcakes and also multiple gluten and wheat free options. We ended up circling back twice having tried and failed to convince ourselves that we didn't need to buy any and then saw their three for £5 deal. At that point, as their poster candidly pointed out, resistance was futile.

Purchases in hand, and cakes in mouths, we headed out in search of a sunny spot to picnic. The Tobacco Factory Market is a refreshing and interesting way to spend a Sunday morning. Not only do you get to sample delicious foods and treat yourself to beautiful handmade products, you also get the satisfaction of knowing you're helping small businesses. These independent traders deserve acclaim, not just because they turn up stupidly early every Sunday morning (rain or shine), but because they are trying to make something unique. And if there's one thing we could all use a little bit more of: it's unique.

What are your Bristol hotspots? Any places you feel deserve a wider following? Let me know in comments!

With love,

Kati

Make your rented house your home: part 1

Since starting uni three years ago, the move back to Bristol after a holiday is something I always look forward to. Firstly because I love the independence of managing my own life but also because a new year means a new house which means a new room. A new room signals my transformation into a colour-scheme obsessed, DIY addicted maniac. I have spent the last few days roping my housemates in to helping me realise my latest 'visions' and raving about how much I'm going to spend in Fabric World.

All this aside, I have come up with a set of simple DIYs that can be done in student housing, on a low budget, to help you get the look you've always wanted. Living in rented accomodation doesn't have to mean you can't make the place your own and, before I post specific DIYs, I have a couple of tips to get you started. 

1) Choose a colour scheme - I tend to pick a three colour palette minimum because that gives you more flexibility, Look at the colour of your walls, your furniture (all the things you can't change) and try and base it around that. My room is magnolia with high ceilings and dark wood furnishings so I've gone for a red, white and gold colour scheme to try and bring some warmth. Have you got lots of natural light? If yes you can pull off the brighter colours but with smaller windows stick to colder palettes like turquoise, teal and mint green. 

2) Take care of the furniture - Upon moving into my new student room, I was thrilled to find a large wooden wardrobe but somewhat less thrilled to find it covered in sticker residue from the last tenant (obviously trying and failing to undo the mess they made). It turns out all you need is white wine vinegar, a cloth and an open window because my god it stinks. (n.b. always test the vinegar on a part of the furniture before using it as a removal method, it's very rare for it to stain but best to check first!) Put the vinegar on the cloth and hold it against the sticker/residue until the area is saturated. Then using your finger nails or a soft plastic spatula gently rub at the sticker until it comes off. Depending on how long it's been on there - the wood underneath may be a different colour to what's exposed. Wood varnish can help minimise the effects or, like me, you can embrace the shabby-chic look that mismatched wood gives to a room. 

3) Walls - what style have you got? If, like me, you have wood chip then you can get away with push pins without leaving a noticeable mark. This obviously makes decorating much easier and more flexible. However, even if you have matte paint you can use white tack to avoid staining and wall paper rips. When removing it, don't pull from the wall but rub it gently with your finger tips until the whole bunch comes off together. 

Take a look at these factors, arm yourself with paint, sandpaper and washi tape (once you try it you'll never go back) and then join me on a quest to attain your creative vision. Invite Force your flatmates to join; I'm sure they'll love it as much as mine did... Have you got any tips to get a room ready for decorating? Any colour scheme ideas or helpful hints? I'd love to read them in comments!

With love,

Kati