Friday, 12 October 2012

Cake Pops!

My first attempt at cake pops went pretty well! I used left over chocolate birthday cake...



Here's my Cake Pop Recipe:

Chocolate Cake Pops

Ingredients

  • Chocolate cake (I used half a large chocolate birthday cake!)
  • Chocolate Frosting (You can make your own by creaming butter, adding icing sugar and cocoa powder but I just used shop bought ready made frosting)
  • White chocolate- about 500g
  • Cake Pop Sticks
  • Decoration
  • A large Piece of Foam or Polystyrene (to put the cake pops in)
Instructions

1. Crumble up the cake until its just crumbs.

2. Add a couple of big dollops of chocolate frosting to the crumbs, get your hands in there and mix the frosting and the crumbs together- it should come together nicely into one mega cake ball.

3. Get a teaspoon and use it to scoop some cake pop mix- if you use a spoon to scoop they should all come out the same size.

4. Roll your teaspoon of cake pop mix in your hand lightly until it resembles a ball. Do this until you have used up all the mix- you should have 15-20 balls!

5. Melt about 50-100g of white chocolate- I found the easiest way to do this is to get a small saucepan of water and bring it to the boil, place a good quality ceramic or glass bowl on top of the saucepan so the steam heats it up, then you can melt the chocolate slowly by stirring it.

6. Grab a cake pop stick and dip the tip (about 1cm) of it in the hot white chocolate, then place the stick in the cake ball (no more than half way through), repeat with all the cake balls- do it as quickly as possible as after about 5 mins the white chocolate gets lumpy and hard to use.

7. Put them on a plastic tray and pop them in the fridge for about 30 mins until the white chocolate has set the sticks in the cake balls.

8. Melt about a quarter of the remaining white chocolate up in the same way as before, take a tablespoon and scoop up a big helping of white chocolate, take your cake pop and rotate it in the hot white chocolate until its completely covered.

9. Pop the cake pop in the foam to set- quickly decorate with sprinkles if you like while its still warm.

10. Repeat until your chocolate turns lumpy and then add another quarter more of the white chocolate, heat up and start again, twirling it in the chocolate, placing it in the foam and decorating.

11. When they are finished, place in the fridge overnight to set.

12. If they are a gift, you can cover them in cellophane, this is easily obtainable for free from florists and use deco tape to hold it in place. If you are planning to wrap with cellophane, note that the chocolate melts really easy when touched- so try to do it without touching the chocolate at all!

13. Decorate the foam- you can paint it, or cover it in tissue paper, ribbon, or completely cover in deco tape. Arrange your cake pops, and you’re done!

 

They keep for about 3-5 days in the fridge, they’re super easy, fun to do and really tasty, so I’d recommend them to anyone.

I think next i’ll try Red Velvet Christmas themed cake pop in December.

Hayley

Sunday, 7 October 2012

Amazing Autumn Fabrics

Hey Folks, 

Autumn is my favourite season! Everything looks really pretty, especially the English countryside AND I can get out my much loved tights, boots and knits! I think it's safe to say the typical English Summer was in full effect this year, but lets just forget all about that and focus on a beautiful autumn.

So I put on my thick PJ's, sat down with a nice hot cup of tea and the radiator on and became slowly but surely obsessed with woodland animal themed fabric! Here are my Top Five Autumn/Fall Fabrics I'm trying not to buy right now! (Trying and failing)


1. Little Red Riding Hood Print- by Aneela Hoey for Moda


Part of her "A Walk in the Woods" range. It also comes in baby pink, baby blue and grey. I really love her whole Walk In The Woods collection, which also has cute woodland themed foxes, toadstools and sparrow print. I think this fabric would look amazing paired with some red gingham! It can be found at a good price for U.K at Quilty Pleasures and is stocked in various US shops too. 

2. Illustrated Squirrells at Fabric Rehab


Squirrels! I'm nuts about this fabric (see what I did there), it's being stocked here at: Fabric Rehab UK but I'm unsure of the designer, so I can't tell you much about it- other than LOOK AT THE SQUIRRELS! I think it's a UK only stockist. Anyway, cute squirrel stamped fabric- Squirrels! 


3. Bears in Woods by David Walker


Bears in woods from David Walker's Get Together collection features fun loving animals cavorting across this adorable fabric. I really love David Walkers inexpensive geometric prints- I usually find geometric print really dull, but I love the twist of using cute animals rather than just block shapes.  This collection also features some little piggies and bird fabrics that are worth checking out, you can find Bears in Woods in this U.K retailers: Stay Stitching or for USA here is a good place to find the whole collection: Hawthorne Threads

4. Pet Deer by Michael Miller

Love this fawn themed fabric by Michael Miller, it's just been released for his newest Orchid Spa collection. Its a really versatile fabric and would look amazing paired with the polka dot fabrics of the same colors that are also featured in this collection. It can be found for a good UK price here: Funky Kitsch or you can go straight to his US website (which I've lost hours of my life too!) Michael Miller.

5. Red Owls on Natural by Kokka Japan


This sweet little owls fabric is really trendy for this season, I think this simple print is freaking adorable. Kokka Japan do a real variety of Japanese cute "Kawaii" inspired fabric, and i'd recommend them to anyone- all there stuff is very different- but always fun, bright prints, perfect for kids projects. This fabric can be found for UK here: Fabric Inspirations
Or a great place to find their stuff for USA is: Fabric Worm.


I love fabric shopping! I just wish I could afford them all! I'd love to hear from anyone who is planning on or has already bought these. 

Hayley x 

Saturday, 29 September 2012

A Sweet Treat!

Just wanted to share this amazing website I found! I'm a big candy fan and am now in love with these cute candy themed embellishments by Sugar Pink Boutique! 



International shipping is $10.00 so its a little steep for me in London! But I may just treat myself, I mean- look at the pretty!





Hayley x

Saturday, 22 September 2012

My New Sewing Machine!

I've been saving up for a sewing machine all year and it's finally arrived!

Check it out! 
http://www.johnlewis.com/231078148/Product.aspx

My sewing machine experience is limited, but I have used a mini sewing machine before (with limited success!) and then recently went on a dress making course where I was able to brush up on my skills, I used a machine similar to this one (but not as pretty) and can't wait to start using it! What shall my first project be?

Also, if you fancy it- i'm selling my mini sewing machine on ebay here- *shameless plug* 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140855071835&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:GB:1123#ht_500wt_1156

Cheers!
Hayley x

Wednesday, 12 September 2012

I wrote that!

Hey guess what!? I'm a published writer yo'

Check out the newest edition of Snippets online magazine- I wrote the interview with David Ryan Robinson!

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/snippets/issue27


Hayley x

Friday, 7 September 2012

Sew Into It!

So... I've got this pipe dream to one day move to San Francisco with my boyfriend and open up a very English style sewing cafe/shop. We went on holiday there a couple years ago and absolutely fell in love with the place.

Sewing cafe's have grown quite popular in the U.K in recent years, with crafts and DIY becoming an increasingly trendy hobby. With the dreaded RECESSION looming over us, money saving has become more and more important to people. I'm not going to go into details- but we've all been hearing the words "economy" and "tough" a lot more. 

Shows like Kirsties Homemade Home (which I freakin love by the way- watch it here) praised and promoted home made gift giving and sewing, and I hope its a trend that will grow and grow (hopefully not as we all get poorer and poorer).  Though a few of my mates do make fun of my "granny" hobby, so perhaps I'm being a little jaded!

Anyway, I recently came across this lovely little sewing cafe in Clapham, London called Sew Over It (get it?) and cant wait to try it! The owner Lisa Comfort says;


"I set up Sew Over It in a response to the growing feeling that sewing was becoming a lost skill. I hope that I can pass on my passion for sewing through Sew Over It and encourage more people in London to pick up a needle and thread!" 

Here's the link: 






The idea behind this sewing cafe is that you bring your projects along, and for only a fiver an hour you get to use the space, snazzy Janome sewing machines and overlockers as well as domestic quilting and embroidery machines, theres also unlimited cups of tea! And cakes!




Oh and they also run classes, private tuition (its a bit pricey though) and parties.

So yeah, i'm going as soon as my knee heals (I recently tore a ligament in my knee, doh!) Cant wait to check it out and maybe even get some inspiration for my own future sewing cafe, you never know!

Hayley x