Happy Friday :)

Everyone always talks about mundane Monday's and the joys of fun Friday's, personally, I think it should be merry Monday's too. Ok, so I might be naturally quite a positive person, but you've just had a whole weekend to do what you want, sleep as much as you want and most importantly, a whole weekend away from the office! Bliss. So when that alarm goes on Monday, enjoy the fact that you're starting a new week. A new week that might be busy, but certainly filled with many adventures. 6 weeks ago, I began creating 'Happy Friday' photos, not just for my little brand, but something I'm passionate about, being happy, and for others to be happy. Smiles are contagious and I wanted to try and pass it on. It might not be world changing stuff, and people might be going through a hard time, but a little glimpse of a smile and saying 'Happy Friday' to someone can really, really go a long way. We're in a climate where people like to hone in on the negatives, but my challenge to you, is to wake up every day thinking of at least one thing you are happy about. You never know, it might just bring a smile to your face...

 

The joy of baking.cooking.hosting...

I have a bit of a love for baking.cooking.hosting (one word just didn't quite summarise it) and after a short stint of not really doing any baking.cooking.hosting I'm slowly getting back into it. As of 2014, these little treats caught my eye to get going on creating them...

1. Chocolate chip cookie squares, the slightly healthier version. Wholemeal flour, less sugar, less butter, but all the same tasty goodness.
2. A three course meal for friends, the best kind of meal. A brie, mascarpone and chive dip with bread, followed by some lemony chicken kebabs with polenta fries. Completed with chocolate molten lava cakes with a couple of strawberries for decoration and taste.
3. Melt in your mouth, orangey, spiced shortbread triangles. 
4. Towering Anzac biscuits to aid a little reminiscing of my little jaunt over to Australia last year.

Here's to more baking.cooking.hosting in 2014, I've got a whole collection of recipes just waiting to burst into the oven...

Risky business...

Ever felt like everything you plan next is a little bit risky? That step out of your comfort zone, feels like jumping over a mountain and beyond! It's strange how we put so many checkpoints and markers in place to help us work out if the idea is viable. But most of the time, the next step is completely new. These checkpoints are usually coined out of the 'what ifs', the 'yes, it's going great' or the 'help, it's failing horribly' scenarios. But when you think about it, how can you really know what is going to happen? Yes, you can to an extent predict positive and negative scenarios that could occur, but, what if you used those possible situations, to help prepare you to avoid what could go wrong and to roll with the successes. 

The fear factor for starting something new, will always be there, but it's how you use the fear, is what helps you overcome it. Fear is good, as long as you don't let it take over. Fear helps you plan for all circumstances. Fear helps you to realise how much the idea means to you. Without fear, we might not think about the whole picture, the bigger picture, the dream...

"All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them." Walt Disney

up.cy.cle...

Launching your own mini upcycled craft company is fun. Busy, but fun, with the endless freedom to be as creative as you want. Those ideas you have stored up for a far away rainy day, now have time to escape. Upcycling is not just about reusing something, it's about repurposing it, which is why I was drawn to the whole idea of it. To make something new from combining old elements is an exciting opportunity. Don't get me wrong, I do think buying old products and reusing them is great (and a big part of helping the environment around you), but there are not as many creative possibilities with it. Upcycling on the other hand; infinite...

Cookie-squares...

Ok, ok, so cookie-squares (traybakes) are not a new thing, but oh my, they are a complete baking revelation to me! No more worrying about whether the cookies will merge together and no more worrying about non-gooey cookies. Every bite is nothing but cookie goodness, ignoring the fact that they're not entirely the most healthy of things. With the freedom to put any ingredients in that you like, I decided to mix things up a little. Reducing the quantity of sugar and butter, and switching to wholemeal flour makes a whole lot of difference for you but not to the taste. Here's to changing things up a little bit more, one small step at a time, or a few in this case...

Be reckless..

When you hear the word 'reckless' you think about something done without thought, something dangerous, something negative. But what about the wild, spontaneous side. The impulsive, 'let's just do it'. Yes, we're in a culture where most people think of the cautious 'what if's' and the 'what happens if' scenarios. Personally, I think we think too much! Yep, totally ground breaking stuff here!!! Although you can't put spontaneity in your diary, have it at the back of your mind, angling to go for another adventure. A small or large dose of spontaneity but a whole host of fun. Just go, go walk, go drive! Let's be a little reckless (the good kind)...

Time for tea...

I suppose any time is time for tea, but there's something so nice about pulling out some fine china and taking a minute or two to do nothing but sip your cup o' tea. I'm going to start to take five minutes out of my day to do just this, nothing but tea. Along the way, I may make a little photo doc, nothing too wild, just tea...

Busybusy...

These past few weeks I've been snapping, editing, writing, baking, making, sticking, sanding, hammering, stapling, painting, drawing, merchandising, selling... I've been a little busy! Busyness is strange. Sometimes it can feel like you've been swallowed up by an endless list of to-do's that keeps on getting bigger. But then sometimes, it all just sweeps by in a second. Confusing right? Or maybe not! For me, if I'm whole-heartedly loving what I'm doing, the hours skip by without even a thought. But the real challenge is when something comes along that, let's just say, isn't so appealing and easy to love. I'm quite a positive person but it's hard to keep it if all you can think about is avoiding the task in front of you. We all do it, no hiding! I've learnt that if you dabble a little in the avoided task, sandwich it between something that is more up your street, you slowly break down what you need to do. It sounds easy and I'm sure many do it, but instead of forever avoiding the unwanted, tackle it a little at a time, in between what you do love. At the end of the day, you cannot love everything. So, for those to-do's you're trying to dodge, not anymore. Start small, add some fun, but most of all, start!

A year for adventures...

I love that feeling of excitement you get when you head to somewhere new, scouting out the new places, the actual exploring and most of all, the experience! Being free to roam around and feel anonymous in a new city where all the streets are yours for the taking. Over the past year or so I've been trying to broaden my adventures, across the UK, across the world! Through work and on my own I've had an amazing opportunity to open my eyes a little more to what's out there. But it comes with a challenge, you need a little more courage and a lot of love and energy for taking that step to do something different and new. Too many times people become stagnant and repetitive. They love their routines, living their lives to the clock. But how about cutting back a little on the mundane repetition and try something new??? Same old same old has that comfy, cosy, snug feeling, but, exploration brings freedom, excitement and most of all, an adventure!!! 

So...what will your next adventure be?

Inside the Mocha Cupcake...

Meet the inside of my soon-to-be Mocha Cupcake... Sorry to tantalise your tastebuds, but I'm afraid there's just not quite enough to go around. Some people shy away from baking their own tasty treats, which I've never quite understood. What's better than home-baked  goods??? Ok, so perhaps baking itself is an art form, sometimes the batch cooks perfectly, the next time, lopsided, sinking and not looking so picture-perfect. But hey, give it a go. Most of the time, even if it doesn't quite look how it should, it tastes just as good. If not, then you've messed up the ingredients and well, that's just plain old simple life skills...using the correct quantities and said ingredients. Baking is all about following the instructions, no winging it here. Once you get to know a recipe, that's when you can start mixing things up, throwing in some different flavours, you name it, it's your creation. Easy, no really...