Poetic Licensing - Cups of Tea

*✧ she/her, INFJ; published author and nerdess in love with books, cottagecore and pretty dresses with pockets, hot chocolate, nature and the sky in all its colours. Happily married･ﾟ✧

[emmalenalouisaellis]

A Reflection of Hopes and Dreams

First, a very merry Happy Year to you all; gosh, is it almost mid-January? Time sure does go fast, doesn't it?

Well then, I've boiled another cup of tea, and since it's so cold at this time of year, feel free to grab one of the blankets from the blanket box while we chat. So this is January, a time for reflection and longing for bed during icy mornings, though spring will soon be here.

My life has changed a lot since I first started this blog, and I felt compelled to update my small gathering of followers and anyone who might be interested in following my journey now.

In February 2022, I finally published my first novel 'Ginsterpigs', on what was Two's Day, Tuesday 22/2/2022. I also moved away from Hertfordshire to Stowmarket, bought a house, and got married.

It all happened so fast, and yet I have only to blink, and we're into another month, and soon I'll be celebrating the first year as a vintage wearing, not entirely domestic, housewife.

Source: I Love Lucy, starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz from CBS 1951-1957.

So, I first wrote a ‘bucket list’ in 2014 of a few thoughts and dreams I wanted to achieve. Some parts of it have changed, and others have stayed the same, as my life and my focus have sharpened, and things have been brought to a new perspective or priority.

24-year-old me was very tired of the job search and never-ending sea of competing against my fellow freelancers vying for attention, writing the drafts of my novel, and finding her feet in the world of dating and vintage clothing, and here I'm 34, nearly 35, working on my next book and the audiobook adaption of the first one.

I had initially wanted to get married by 24/25 and have a family by 30 but for now, I'm enjoying being married to my best friend, even if we only found each other aged 31 and enjoying being a homeowner with a stable career, who shares the chores and responsibilities that come with it.

Although we both want children, we are happy with whatever happens, and it is much nicer to have found my Mr Right and some financial stability than I might have done if I had done things sooner.

Even if I still don't like early mornings - especially on Mondays...

So here is my little list, which maybe I'll come back to next year and review or a few more years down the road, depending on both time and memory.

I’d love a photo wall in our house for pictures with our friends, family, and loved ones. I know the space isn't 'big' or massive here, but I could see it being in time going up the stairs, peeking through in welcome when guests visit. We also want to compile travel journals of some of our adventures and have plenty of albums of photos too. So far, we've also managed to create a family cabinet in the living room, featuring, at least for now, my side of the family, which I cobbled together for our wedding - but I'd love to add to it further to include my in-laws and extended family with quirky frames, and smiling memories.

Elizabeth Taylor coming down the stairs in Father of the Bride, 1950

I'd love to extend the kitchen and add a downstairs bathroom space, with places for utilities and more space for cooking and baking. (and the all-important downstairs toilet). These things would be great for when we have our own family and host dinner parties and board game nights - or simply have a guest to stay.

There will also be a reading nook in the second bedroom, space to sit and read or write with comfy throws to snuggle down in when it gets cold or dark and space to play music. We’ll have a games chest with lots of consoles and board games downstairs and another basket for blankets and throws to keep us cosy when we curl up for a rom-com or cheesy, sometimes trashy TV.

In our garden I want to have a few trees and flowers with a vegetable/fruit patch. Thus making us more self-sufficient but also enjoying our own labours in new and favoured recipes. There would ideally be a space at the back of the garden too for a workshop for Sam to keep his bikes and tools and do a few creative projects, with space on the porch on warmer days to sit under some fairy lights and watch the stars or to do a little scrapbooking whilst he does cross-stitch. I also want to set up a little library in the front garden to encourage the local school and community to get engaged in reading.

In time, we’d like to have a family, 2 kids, 2 cats and a dog. But no matter how many children we have, I’d be happy just seeing them healthy and happy. Teaching them to love reading as much as I do, to be considerate, compassionate and caring with a sense of adventure and a thirst for knowledge.

Music would also be key and I would teach them singing and piano, with a proper piano in the house - if space allows. We would still play music for fun as well and occasionally go to festivals or gigs as a family to enjoy local talents with music playing in our home. I’d also have a makeshift stage, even a spare area of the house with a curtain drawn across it to encourage theatre and make-believe, dress up and laughter. Sam would work with me to introduce them to puppets and games.

I want to go on holiday and travel to Canada, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and back to Iceland, Norway, Bulgaria, Entrevaux, Pompeii. I also want to discover more of the British Isles and forgotten or overlooked spots like Lundy or Mousehole. But also visit more museums and art galleries, antique shops, curiosity spots, country walks/drives, old houses, castles and country homes, operas, ballets, musicals and theatre shows, both nationally and locally.

Honeymoon to Norway, overlooking the breathtaking Fjords of Olden

Hobby-wise - despite being anaemic, I would also love to dance again, returning to salsa or maybe try our hand at ballroom and some 50s swing. I want to properly arrange flowers - learning more about weaving willow into baskets and designs, preparing beautiful bouquets to place in the house or to give as gifts, and keeping pretty window displays for our front bay window as the holidays and seasons go by.

I will also look for new and favourite recipes to cook, bake, and have a set of recipes we have created and adapted for dinner parties we can have with our friends. Through this, I’d love to learn the love and appreciation of wine – whilst we don’t drink much, I’d hope to discover more about the pairings of wines with food and visit vineyards, discovering the sights and histories as well as the tastes. I’d also want to remake perfume and, this time, do it with Sam, maybe making each other a special and individual scent.

I also want to be more creative, trying more needle felting and a bit more stuff like macramé dolls, gradually conquering my fears and my disabilities to sew, weave and knit - I never mastered this at school, but I would love to be able to make my own dresses and skirts and do alterations and sheering etc, working on vintage patterns and designs rather than just the reproduction after reproduction in most high street stores. Especially since I love vintage fashion so much (though not so much the price tag).

I want to improve my drawing and painting and go back to pastels and watercolours. It would also be fun to learn calligraphy properly, studying old runes and Old English on occasion, with the myths and legends of oral storytelling. And with the travelling, I’d like to re-remember French, delve into Latin and other languages where I can. Another subject to study will be art history, being able to go into museums and being able to know the history of the artists and the stories behind their work. To learn more about the timelines and how they were - affected and inspired.

I also want to gain more confidence in myself. Selling old clothes and items that don’t matter to free up my wardrobe and the dusty baggage of the past. Although I’m not ‘massive’, I want to lose a little weight around my stomach so that I can stop putting myself down so much for enjoying my food. I will continue wearing vintage and look to take more photos, finding new dresses every so often, but also making more of my outfits public on Instagram to record my journey.

I would like to complete my LAMDA medals and exams for harp, piano and singing to honour my grandmother’s and her mother’s legacy, continuing to work on the family tree and family newsletters, telling my children the stories and sharing with them many photos and memories. I've already manged to push myself a nd become certified in my new career, with a new fancy set of letters after my name.

I appreciate that all this is an extensive list, somewhat dependent on my energy levels, money and space, but if nothing else I shall be happy even if all I achieve is this:

Taking more photos with Sam and friends on all events, even date nights.

Selling unwanted clothes on Facebook market and organise swap parties.

Getting my house in order and having that wonderful space to write.

I will engage more actively with pen pals and write to them, collecting postcards and curiosities, but also send letters to close friends when we cannot meet up as often.

Become more organised in myself and the home and have time to tidy without becoming overwhelmed as quickly.

Continue writing and publishing books in all genres - poetry, a slice of life and romance.

Hang out more with our friends, trying to plan dinner parties and games nights. Maybe we can plan an epic campaign or original fantasy game as a group.

And continue to write more on here, because after all, isn't that where this journey with you started? :)

Til our next meeting.

Have a beautiful day,

x Emmalena

[emmalenalouisaellis]

On My Way: Starting My Publishing Journey

I have always loved books, as a small child and even in my later years I have been drawn to the magical process of both reading and writing. My thirst and hunger for the written word seemingly voracious as I devoured book after book, notebook after notebook determined to learn the secrets of the historical, fantastical, supernatural or romanticised worlds which lay within their pages. 

 Picture taken from Teenage by Jon Savage and Jon Wolf.

Although I started with poetry (some of which got published and promoted on school magazines and county wide anthologies), I soon found myself attempting fanfiction and later whilst at university decided I wanted to write a novel. Something that I knew would not be very easy indeed.

You see being a dyslexic writer in a world where it’s already hard to get a physical book out into a bookstore can be very daunting indeed. I’m not the most ‘extroverted’ of people, and given my disabilities it was always difficult for me to fit the mould or niche that seemed to suit my peers. My idea which I began drafting out was a slice of life comedy (with touches of romance told from a point of view.) And whilst I would talk about it, and talk about it I do - life tended to have a habit of getting in the way of writing and then rewriting it. A process that quickly began to take a little longer than anticipated....

Two Women Sitting On School Campus, Talking - Stock photo by Stockbyte on Getty Images.

Then last year with the global pandemic, I decided enough was enough and I was going to knuckle down and finish the book once and for all. I pulled my big girl’s socks up, fired up the computer, dug out all my old notes and drafts from my collection of notebooks and papers and sometimes the backs of school exercise books and began to write...

Woman Working At Typewriter by George Marks

After a long slog, just before I turned 31 (in June) I completed the final draft of my manuscript. An impressive feat of 93,366 words which made about 298 pages in hardback, or 322 or so in paperback; at least that’s what Reedsy Book Editor told me. **Side note** as free editing software goes, this cloud based platform does wonders at helping to make a book feel more like the real deal, which can be easy to forget if sat staring inertly at MS Word. 

Next came the daunting process of sending it off to publishers. Once more armed with my ‘Writers and Artists Handbook’ and social media I began drafting up synopsis, blurbs, author bios and query letters to publishers. Being an unsolicited author can be quite hard going at times, you have to be prepared for sometimes long waits. And on average that’s about 8-12 weeks minimum from a publisher to sometimes ghost you or write you a generic sorry but no rejection letter.

But then, I stumbled upon Burton Mayers Books an indie based press in the Home Counties, who took a chance on new talents and unusual novels that didn’t cross the t’s and dot the i’s on genre. And they wanted my book!

Where would a vintage author be without her accessories...

So here I am, “brain the size of a planet” with a publishing deal to release my debut novel in hardback, paperback, ebook and Kindle - for a February 2022 release on Two’s Day (Tuesday 22nd February 2022). 

I’ve switched gears and focus for a while now on beginning to crowdfund for marketing and things like the audiobook and after printing off the mockup dustjacket for the hardback today I’m still pinching myself that this is actually happening! But it finally is. After all this time - I’m finally making my dreams a reality. 

Let’s hope my second book doesn’t take quite as long. 

Have a lovely day,

Emmalena x

[emmalenalouisaellis]

Reflections Amid Autumn Leaves

It’s that time of year again, when the palette  of autumn slowly returns with its striking ombre and muddy browns, a time where I’ll don my trusty brown boots; and trudge over the crisp carpet of fallen leaves, whilst my scarf trails over my chin and shoulders caught in the soft murmurs of a gathering wind. A time where the nights will be getting darker faster, and I’ll swap my pastels for mauves and magentas; fiery orange and lush forest green and seek solace amongst the trees in the nearby woodlands.

source: http://seasonal-love.tumblr.com/post/61111452870

For the longest time, Autumn has been my favourite time of year; where my introverted soul takes time to rest and curl up with a book or two; both one’s to write and read, snuggling into a pile of blankets with a hot chocolate (Black Forest cherry, cream chocolate shavings, marshmallows and a dipping spoon please), and watching the world go by. 

source: https://1lifeinspired.tumblr.com/post/133549548222

It’s in this time where I come to reflect and take in the quieter moments of life again with both a sense of self and renewed confidence; something that has proved particularly necessary this year after the various lockdowns of the pandemic and life slowly attempts to build on a ‘new normal’ - one I’m not quite sure I’ve found yet, but hope one day to understand. 

source: https://rosecoveredcottage.tumblr.com/

Yet again I’ve become increasingly thoughtful about life and what it all means.

Being 31 this year, was in many ways quite anticlimactic; not that I’ve ever been one for large and lavish parties. Although I had managed to finish writing and editing my debut novel a few weeks before hand and had now to begin the uphill quest of finding a publisher. I’ve sent out more than a few emails and letters out by scouring my Writers and Artists Year Book, and the idea of having a physical paperback of my own still excites if daunts me. But by and large as I’m in my 30s and have had a rock and roll rollercoaster of a year, and being newly single made me more than a little reminiscent of better times, pre-covid life and my future path. 

source: https://coffeelovinmom.tumblr.com/post/59750775132/congregated-verticalvintage-blog 

For a long time I had felt so certain about what I wanted and what I offered; and yet the other day whilst tidying my bedroom, I realised that I had become so dependant on my previous ‘routines’ that I was burning out trying to retain them. Instead of going outside my house beyond the food shopping in town,  I had become reluctant to meet new people or try something new. Somehow I had become increasingly scared and had taken to ‘ existing’ in a hollowed out reality, obscuring myself as much as possible for the fear that I took up too much space. I had forgotten to love myself; buried in a wave of panic from rejection letters that may not come. I had neglected the spark that made me unique and special. I needed to write again. To breathe fresh air (or as much as I can with a face mask) and to feel. Look beyond the darkened frames of my despair and refocus on what’s important: Living for me.

source: http://giphy.com/gifs/RThbDgkYyTio0

So this morning I got up resolved to make the change. I’m going to try and ‘switch of’ for a while each day and go outside even if it’s just the garden or go to the local park and woodlands without an agenda. Head into book shops and get lost in the shelves, coffee houses or cafes where I can sit with a delicious hot chocolate but also a scrapbook/notebook in which to write, record my observations as I people watch in order to create new characters for my books or even compose some new poetry. 

source: eyebleachgifs.com

My inner child has been neglected although I have hope she’s still out there.

And whilst it might not be the typical season for a fresh outlook, I’m not focusing on the cliche of new beginnings; simply reconnecting and accepting of who I am.

I should stress I don’t think I’ve changed that much; at least moralistically; where I remain content with the simple pleasures in life over the hustle and bustle; and have been grateful for those around me who have continued to check in. I’ve attempted to busy myself with baking and planning my next book; whilst baking rosemary and garlic flat bread, muffins and cakes and trying and retrying different ideas for sorbets, icecreams, chutneys and curries. Recipes I will intersperse through this blog, time and inspiration permitting.

I just want to be certain of myself again and less sad and sleepy; and I will do my best to blog regularly again - like I had told myself I would when I set this blog up initially albeit under slightly differing circumstances.

I want to go to libraries more, like I used to when I was young, to take out books both old and new to see how people think, and what they used to think. To rediscover words that have no direct meanings or translations like amphigory, karios, pluviophile and werifesteria. To look up random inventions or passages from diaries. Breathing new life into old photographs and antique discoveries I may encounter. I will take more photos and not just selfies and come up with new recipes and host dinner parties with friends. I will laugh more and express myself again; not just through a body of dislocated text that someone may or may not read. And I will experience everything and anything I can. Maybe one day I’ll find my sophrosyne.

Whilst Autumn may mean shorter hours of daylight, I plan to make each one of them count and make more efforts to brighten my day (and hopefully those around me) with a positive outlook of sunshine. 

And then I’ll go home and write, maybe not masses of text - maybe even a sentence at a time. But I want to do it and maybe if I keep going my second book will be ready within the year.

source: https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/moleskin-writing

Maybe I’ll find love again or just a bunch of new and fantastic friends.

Maybe I’ll find new worlds hidden in plain sight.

But for that I need to be willing to walk outside again and I tell myself  (and you if it helps you) to try.

The world is waiting!

Have a beautiful day, 

x Emmalena

[emmalenalouisaellis]

Picnic Perks: Savoury Spinach Vegan Muffins with Tomato and Cheese

Gosh is it really September? I feel sometimes I must have somehow blinked and missed the last few weeks of August as it is now September and I watch outside my window somewhat satisfied as the leaves subtilty begin to change in shade and colour and the nights get darker faster and faster. 

 Autumn has always been my favourite season and so I relish the opportunity to trundle through the woodlands with a basket in hand to go foraging for apples, blackberries and conker nuts and sometimes mushrooms. I’m careful as always so not to disturb the fairy rings, and tiptoe quietly so not to interrupt the birds and animals filling their larders for spring. It is a great opportunity to sit under a tree and write undistracted and I often lose track of the time listening to the sighing and singing of the wind.

But writing is often hungry work, which is why whenever I venture out I like to pack a small picnic to keep me going. Something quick and easy that can be whipped up without fuss and minimal mess. 

So now that I’ve hopefully whet your appetite I’d like to provide you with another of my recipes: Vegan Savory muffins which are bursting with flavour and rich in delicious spinach which adds a vibrant green to these bite-sized portions; sure to satisfy both the plant based and typically meat-hungry appetites. A single batch can easily be doubled to make about 24 muffins, which is a great cost saver or ideal for group outings and can be easily kept in the fridge for up to a week for a simple lunch paired with salads and coleslaw or on their own as a savoury breakfast/ afternoon snack. If you don’t want to make them vegan you can simply use dairy based cheddar or mozzarella cheese; or follow one of my other recipes for some alternative moorish flavours. 

Savoury Spinach Vegan Muffins with Tomato and Cheese- Serves 6 (2 each or 12 individual portions):

You will need:

1 x 12 piece muffin tin - I recommend using non stick tins as it saves on the washing up and allows you more time to enjoy tasting. Or some greased and lined tins. *Remember to use vegan dairy free spread if greasing these) A cupcake one will also do if you do not have a separate tin. 

12 Muffin/Cupcake cases to preserve the shape  when cooked).

1 Mixer - I use my Kenwood chef to make sure everything is very light, bubbly and smooth but you can do this by hand with a mixing bowl and metal whisk if you don’t have one).

Two mixing bowls.

Wire Cooling Rack.

Ingredients:

90 ml vegetable oil.

2 tsp ground linseed or milled flax seed (mixed with 2-3 tsp water).

375 gself-raising flour.

2 tsp baking powder.

½ tsp cayenne pepper / chilli powder.

⅓ tsp salt.

60 g nutritional yeast (I’ve used bouillon - the vegetable one is great for adding additional flavour). 

165 g frozen spinach (or use 500g fresh & boil down as they always shrink to nothing when cooked).

420 ml plant milk (I used oat milk for a plain texture but you can also use hazelnut if you prefer a nuttier muffin). 

6 cherry tomatoes diced up into small pieces (or a bag of frozen diced tomatoes from Tesco).

Grated vegan cheese ( I’ve used grated mozzarella style and cheddar by Violife).

Herbs for taste, I recommend parsley and basil. 

Some additional linseeds or flax for the topping.

Method: For the Muffins:

1. Pre-heat oven to 190⁰C/ 375⁰F or Gas Mark 5

2. Whilst this is warming up, place your muffin cases into the muffin tin.

3. In one of the bowls, pour in the oil, linseed & plant milk & mix to combine.

4. In the other bowl, mix together the nutritional yeast, flour, baking powder, chilli powder & salt

5. Thaw the frozen spinach in the microwave for about five-six minutes & squeeze to remove excess moisture , chop it up a bit so the pieces are able to be mixed in easily (or if using fresh spinach, gently steam, squeeze out & chop).

7. Slowly add the liquid mix to the dry mix, stirring bit by bit until it's all combined. Don't over mix.

8. Add the spinach and herbs to the mix & stir to combine. 

9. Repeat this step with the cheese (I used grated mozzarella style and cheddar by Violife). 

10. Once mixed spoon the mixture into each muffin case and top with pieces of the cherry tomato & surplus seeds.

11. Bake for 25-30 minutes. By this time the tops should be a golden brown. Put a skewer in one of them and make sure it comes out clean. They may need an extra 5 minutes.

12. Once cooked, take the muffins out the tin and put on a cooling rack.

13. Serve when cool if prefered hotter or left in the fridge until needed.

14. If reheating simply cook them at the former temperature for up to 5/6 minutes. 

 Although I’ve suggested these muffins as an autumn dish they really are lovely all year round and can even be used as canapes or petit-fours for tea parties or special occasions. 

I’d be curious to see your own take on savoury muffins, Please let me know in the comments and check through my blog for more vintage and traditional recipes; including those which are adapted especially for plant based diets :) I’ll be adding further flavours to my blog so be sure to check back as I try to post regularly. 

Have a beautiful day.

Emmalena x

[emmalenalouisaellis]

Tea Time Recipes: Jaffa Cake Cake (Vegan Edition)

I’ve always been fond of discovering and reinventing recipes, and so with the world slowly opening up again I was delighted at the chance to flex my creative muscles and do a spot of baking for my friend’s housewarming party at the weekend. It seemed only natural to bring back an old favourite group the ‘Jaffa Cake Cake’ but this time I was going to make it vegan, so that everyone could enjoy it. 

One of the pitfalls of a plant based diet to those who are new to it, even from a flexitarian (like myself) perspective is the overwhelming amount of advertising and fads that try and sway you towards buying expensive substitutions and when compared to a box of a dozen large eggs which cost about £2.05 on average (Sainsburys, 2021) and can be used for a week or two compared to a single ‘baking’ portion of aquafaba for the same cost) can seem obsessive, especially when one a budget; especially when every penny counts.

Still there are plenty of alternatives, more natural and sustainable that can be used to make delicious, frugal recipes and much like my original Jaffa Cake Cake recipe  I have made sure to create something flavourful that won’t leave you stretching the costs; and some of the ingredients may already be sitting there waiting in your larder. 

I propose to you to incorporate the humble chickpea. Whilst more familiar to some as the main component of Hummus chickpea water can easily be incorporated into baking as a tasty, low calorie alternative to egg! In fact a tin of 410g of chickpeas in water (which typically costs me about 55p from the store) is more than enough to create a cake for 8 people and make a yummy curry. Thus making it versatile for further recipes; much like the eggs would have.  So here is my vegan version of my jaffa cake cake; although as a reminder of my original Jaffa Cake Cake you are welcome to compare versions as often as you wish. 

Vegan Jaffa Cake Cake - Serves 8:

You will need:

2 x 10″ Round Baking Tin - I recommend using non stick tins as it saves on the washing up and allows you more time to enjoy tasting. Or some greased and lined tins. *Remember to use vegan dairy free spread if greasing these)

1 x 8″ Round Baking Tin

1 Mixer - I use my Kenwood chef to make sure everything is very light, bubbly and smooth but you can do this by hand with a mixing bowl and metal whisk if you don’t have one).

A metal colander and bowl to drain the chickpeas.

A bowl to set the jelly.

1 Palette Knife

1 Measuring Jug

Wire Cooling Rack

Ingredients:

1 can of 410g of Chickpeas

1 bag of Tesco Vanilla Flavour Sponge Mix* (Although the pack says this is only vegetarian by not adding eggs into this mix you are still making a vegan cake). Or if you want to make one yourself from scratch here’s a great source.

100ml (7 tbsp) water

4 tubs of fruit based orange jelly (or jello to the US)** Hartley’s have recently launched a 10cal range which are all free of pork gelatine making them vegan friendly).

2 Bars of Dark Chocolate *** (Make sure not to have any with milk as this won’t be vegan).

Method: For the Sponge:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C /Gas Mark 5.

2. Drain the chickpeas from the tin into a bowl using the colander and put the chickpeas to the side or into the fridge to use for another recipe.

3.  Empty the cake mix into the mixing bowl gradually adding in the chickpea water.

3. Mix with a handheld whisk for 2 minutes until smooth or with your Kenwood chef for about 2-3 minutes. The mixture should be bubbly but thick enough that it holds. 

4. Divide the mixture equally into the two tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes until risen and golden brown.

Jelly:

1. Open your jelly pots and pour them into a bowl.

2. Leave them to set in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes; You know it has set when there is a nice consistent orange texture and the jelly ‘wobbles’ but is firm in the centre. Unlike gelatine based jelly this process is usually a lot quicker which makes it ideal for baking for same day events. 

Cake Assembly:

1. Remove from the two sponges from the oven and allow the tins to cool for for 15 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Chickpea sponges take a little longer to set as they bind together differently, but I usually use this time to do a little washing up. You want to preserve the shape before you take them out the tins, so to avoid a cracked sponge where possible.

2. Carefully place the base of your cake onto a plate.  It should be facing the same way up as it was in the tin.

3. Take the jelly out of the fridge and with a  desert spoon begin spreading this onto your base; you can add this as a whole circle or spread it evenly over the sponge using a palette knife. Be careful to avoid it leaking out of the sides.

4. Cover the jelly sponge with the other sponge to create a lid and lightly score the surface with a knife to create the crossed effect of a jaffa cake.

5. Break the chocolate into squares into a small bowl or the measuring jug and melt in the microwave or on the stove for 30-40 seconds.

6. Once melted gently pour the mixture onto the lid of the cake and smooth it down with the palette knife to cover the lid of the cake.

7.  Reapply the hatched pattern with your knife and leave the cake in the fridge to set for 30 mins or so before eating.

8. Once the chocolate is set the cake is ready. The top of the cake should be smooth and hard and a nice dark consistency. Serve and enjoy :)

I always think it taste best when it’s fresh but if you’re a smaller party, or aren’t ready to eat 8 slices, it can be left in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve it it with a nice cup of warm tea and your favourite china set. I like mine milky with two sugars; with hazelnut milk if having a complete vegan service :)

So how did you get on? Please let me know in the comments and check through my blog for more vintage and traditional recipes; including those which are adapted especially for plant based diets :)

Have a beautiful day.

Emmalena x

[emmalenalouisaellis]

A Room of One’s Own: A Space to Write

John Collier Jr. - Mary Mutz writing to a boyfriend in the United States Army

On the Mutz ranch in Moreno Valley, Colfax County, New Mexico, 1943

This photograph is part of The American Image: The Photographs of John Collier Jr. online exhibit developed by the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology at the University of New Mexico.

"A woman must have money and a room of her own, if she is to write fiction.” ― Virginia Woolf, ‘A Room of One’s Own’, 1929.

In 1929, Virginia Woolf, aptly acknowledged the struggle of many a writer, the need for a personal space; and as I typed up the final chapters of my novel’s final written draft last weekend I found myself daydreaming about my dream writing space: ‘A Room of One’s Own’, a place just for me, my laptop and my creativity.

But how does a writer with a slight streak of vintage madness flowing through her veins create such a space? Well with my birthday coming up this month and the editing stages of my book starting to take shape, I began looking into a few ways I might look to transform my desk to inspire future writings and creative projects.

INK  Although a lot of my work is digital both for time, and saving paper where possible, when I was younger I used to love the idea of writing in an unusual, carefree writing style. Perhaps taking inspiration from the mystical green handwriting that arrived to Harry Potter when he got his acceptance letter from Hogwarts. 

As such I was delighted when I stumbled upon a unique Canadian project named Ferris Wheel Press who specialise in creating beautifully packaged and designed fountain pen inks - including some beautiful green, and peacock shades as well as hints of orange marmalade, rose pink and delicate tanzanite blue. All of which I’m itching to try - and would love to sign my books with at least one of these timeless, elegant hues.

PENS Keeping up with the theme of beautiful stationery I would love to have a collection of decorative, but still functional pens.  In the past, at school I used to enjoy creating worlds and poetry with fountain pens, which always seemed to have more personality and warmth that the harsh, plastic biros we had to use for exams, perhaps because they have a richer tone and colour that drips onto the page.

That said I’d also like some pretty ballpoints, for the every day squiggles, with their smooth lines and functonality, like this inexpensive set from WHSmiths, who also have a range of fountain pens.

WRITING PAPERS Although it is sometimes daunting to write something new on a fresh, clean page, the payoff is also equally exciting as my written worlds start to come together. 

Prior to the 2020 Lockdown, I often found myself sitting down with a notebook that I could easily slip back into my handbag and jot down a few observances from people watching or scenes and images as they enter my head. As such, I would like my desk to be filled with pretty pices of stationery:- like notebooks and notecards, journals and even coloured envelopes. Little cards I could send to friends to observe snapshots of the world without just relying on social media, and I’m hoping some point to get back into letter writing and postcards. Some brands I love for these include: Papier, Papersmiths and Moleskine with special attention towards Clairefontaine. Traditionally speaking Vellum based papers are more attractive for those using inks and watercolours paints but I would also recomend a cruelty free alternative like Terraskin or  Yupo paper which are made out of synthetics and minerals. Notebooks made in this style tend to be plainer but for that some Decoupage wrap or crafting can easily help your journals and letters have more personal identity. 

ODDS AND ENDS As I love letter writing and scrapbooking as much as I do writing itself, my desk would be filled with postage stamps, and other curios that I find useful such as brightly coloured and decorative Washi tape which can be found in most craft stores. A letter opener and magnifing glass, maybe a writing box in which to store recieved and treasured corispondences from loved ones and friends. Fragments of poetry or positive mantra quotes to inspire me and a decorative coaster to place my cups of tea or hot chocolate to keep myself going in harder bouts of work. More than half a dozen erasers and sharpeners and half sharpened pencils. I’d love to have a few books on publishing and other writing resources near me, and ample space to charge and rest my laptop as I type. 

Ultimately my desk would continue to be an expression of myself and my work, hopefully well lit by a good lamp in the twilight hours or natural light during the day. I love the appeal of a warm wooden desk and comfy teal chair in which to spend many an inspired hour, allowing my dreams to guide my processes. 

But for now, I’ll settle for a quiet bedroom listening to the bird song in the morning, my electric fan’s whir during these hotter, summer months and a stable internet connection to share my musings with the world. 

And who knows, maybe when my novel is published I can start to collect a few more of these things and my desk or at least my fictions will be preserved and treasured in the literary halls, just as Ms Woolf herself, 92 years ago, in a ‘Room of Her Own’.

Have a beautiful day x.

x Emmalena

[emmalenalouisaellis]

Casual Vintage Lookbooks (Spring): Skirts

One of the blessings and fall-backs of loving vintage clothing is the practicality one might occasionally encounter, particularly - or so I've found with lockdown beginning to ease is the balancing act between the constant need to wash, iron and launder things to make them look their best vs the affordability and convenience of the items to match my overall aesthetic. And as we've already established via my dyspraxia:

Even so, if I were to transform myself into the perfect domestic goddess, with perfect coordination, I think it's fair to say that I would still prefer an easier life where I can simply throw things on, into the wash, tumble dry them or hang them in the airing cupboard for a bit before they're ready for a new day. Because let's face it, what's the point if it's going to never look good again unless I fork out extra for dry cleaners? Every penny counts in this day and age. Especially if I want to ever be able to afford a house of my own.

So, I decided to get my thinking cap on and consider how I can make myself look and feel 'casually' vintage for everyday occasions. This would fall into some important distinctions from my more 'formal' dresses.

1. The items must be easy to dress up or down with accessories, skirts or trousers. E.g. A string of pearls.

2. They must be practical to wear in non-vintage settings, such as going for a walk, work, shopping etc. And still, feel elegant feminine without drawing attention to myself unless wanted.

3. They must be relatively easy to clean in with non-vintage items for speed and convenience—drip-dry or minimum iron.

As luck would have it, whilst browsing the rails at TKMaxx (or TJMaxx if you're outside the UK), I stumbled, almost literally, upon some lovely cotton tops with some pretty floral Peter Pan collars by QED London, four in all in lilac, pink, mint and white for only £12.99 each - a bargain when you consider how much it can cost to buy vintage blouses (£30-40 depending on where and where).

These pretty pastel colours are perfect for Spring and can be paired with circle skirts or coloured trousers. (If anyone sees any in blue or yellow please let me know). One thing that attracted me to the cotton is they are much more 'sensitive skin friendly' and relatively speaking they hold their shape once taken out of the minimum iron setting on my tumble dryer.

Next up was the hunt for bottoms. I've always been a little fussier with skirts - perhaps due to my weight shifting rapidly when I was a teenager and now starting to improve as I focus on my mental health as an adult.

But by luck I still have a skirt, I've always loved it since I first found it in the shop, back when I was 16 and shopping at Warehouse. Pairing it with my new purple blouse and a petticoat, it gives the perfect circle shape, perfect for woodland strolls and picnics in the park or by the river :)

I've also found another lovely skirt, an ex-Lindy Bop on eBay which will be coming in a few days that I hope to pair with the pink top and a petticoat and maybe a teal bolero.

What I love about both these outfits so far is that I can pair them with or without a cardigan or a petticoat and still be able to look and feel my best.

Well that's it for now, but please follow my posts to see how I style a casual vintage look with trousers and put these coords to the test, along with other vintage fashions inspired by the rockabilly 40s/50s :)

Have a beautiful day x.

x Emmalena

[emmalenalouisaellis]

Dear Diary ~ Reflecting on  Personal and Public Scribbles

“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.” ― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

I preface this by saying this is not a complaint against computers. I have one, and for much of my adult life, I have worked on a computer. 

Typing is faster, smoother, and even though it's not foolproof, it has some form of spell-check. Or, since Word isn't always a comprehensive lexicon - something that can be found in a Google search or too - it is much easier to look through than an extensive, cumbersome dictionary.  Simply put, having a laptop is the ideal solution for a dyslexic writer like myself who has to sometimes wade through dozens of notebooks and character sheets, plot points and extended drafts to ensure that I can bash out something vaguely resembling a novel.

But, ever since I was a little girl, I have always looked forward to Christmas time. Because amongst the assortment of brightly and delicately wrapped gifts, I find myself with a brand new and unmarked diary. Every time, I feel the crisp, clean pages on my fingers, the soft, secure spine, where the neatly cut ribbon falls in matching or contrasting colours. I take up my favourite pen and write my name, neatly as I can on the front page. This, more than any other present, belongs to me. It will become my secret, my confidant, in a way that still charms me. A perfectly imperfect, personal collection of handwritten scribbles. A permanent memento of me that will still exist despite the ever-growing digital age.

And with the pandemic showing it isn't "over yet",  One might think that even here, as I write my thoughts over the internet, such things are archaic and cumbersome. Because as time goes on, more and more of us are clustering around screens to stay connected with loved ones or work colleagues - the world' Zoom'ing by as we are encouraged to remain apart, at home and sensible.

But to me, there still needs to be a balance. We can choose to broadcast everything - some of us do: posting publically to our friends we've met online and face to face through the years - using social media.

As one of my public faces, even my Tumblr has been meticulously polished, written and rewritten in a bid to be 'likeable' or 'relatable'.  This is partly because I love receiving comments and recommendations here, and seeing someone gave it a note makes me feel like my words are validated.  (For all those that do - old and new: Thank you).

The whole thing is very much a viewing platform and snapshots I feel noteworthy and vital enough to broadcast in many ways. It’s the sitcom of my life and that of others, and all of it plays out from the comfort of our own homes to keep others from worry and concern, all whilst sparking general curiosity. Talking points.

Ida Lupino (c. 1952). Courtesy Film Forum via Photofest

Whereas, in contrast, writing a diary feels more individual. Here I can rant and cry or smile and sigh without judgement and filters, simply recording my own reflections on the page without an audience. And there is something so aesthetically pleasing about it that you can't get from a typed out document. Sometimes there is blood from papercuts, ink splatters where I scribbled too fast, dried tears and smudges from my hand - but all of it is raw, personal and mine.

As someone with learning disabilities, I find it difficult sometimes to open up to others. But my diary is somewhere just for me, and very often, the words flow.

A diary is a beautiful expression of self-love, sometimes loathing by me and for me.

If we choose to share it, it reflects trust and openness, which I suppose is why there are so many cliché moments in teen dramas of girls feeling violated when they have their diary snatched and read by their peers.

But that’s the problem and the wonderful appeal of books: they can quickly transport us to another world.

When I was younger, I was by chance glancing over my Granny’s bookshelves when I found what would become one of my favourite books ‘The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady'  by Edith Holden. 

Since its first publication in 1906, the book has charmed many with its beautiful drawings of wild and garden flowers and a hint of charming recordings and recolections in words and paintings the flora and fauna of the British countryside in the four beautiful seasons. 

Much like her work - little stories and poems in my own diaries. I fill them with recipes, pressed flowers, autumn leaves and ticket stubs or add poems I’ve also fallen in love with when writer’s block strikes.

When I can, I love to write in fountain pen with flowing blue or green ink, or make more occasional, frantic scribbles in pencil. In contrast to my organised, documents and manuscripts, I am confident there are many spelling mistakes littering the pages. But that’s part of the charm. 

And the internet can often help enhance these futher. You only have to go on Pinterest to find beautiful pictures to print out or post in virtual corkboards and scrapbooks. Thanks to the interconnected world wide web, there are plenty of poems I can search for and add into my diaries to compliment my own ideas.  For example on the blog by Bella’s Rose Cottage I came across this beautiful little poem:

“The kind of flowers,

I find to be the workhorse of my cottage garden…

the self seeders,

who behave a bit naughty…

the sort of flowers that give the garden

that lived in look,

like the magic of finding a secret garden,

wild around the edges…

flowers to press in the pages of a book,

to remind you of a lazy summers day…

tucked into a little nook to sip quietly…

watch the puppies frolic…

a day to maybe,

use long seedpods of the Toadflax,

as a book mark…

and enjoy a nap…..”

- Bella Rogers

It was so pretty, that it helped inspire me to write this post. Spring is now upon us and with it a chance to reflect and enjoy new beginnings - and opportunities.  It’s nearly the weekend and now with renewed inspiration, the words are once more flowing freely from my fingers as the creative itch begins as always with those magical words:

'Dear Diary,'

I wonder what I shall write about today…

 Have a beautiful day 

x Emmalena

[emmalenalouisaellis]

Tea Time Recipes: Jaffa Cake Cake

It’s a new year and a new season, but we’re still in lockdown which has left me with a little more time on my hands in which to try and test a few new recipes. -Although not necessarily the budget or the confidence in which to stretch to creating a brand new cooking channel with gleaming cooking utensils and a full range. Maybe one day *sigh*

But on the plus side, I’ve been very excited when  scrolling through the various social channel, I see something a little bit different, or a twist on an old favourite and comfort food. In this case a Jaffa Cake Cake.

Mcvittie’s Jaffa Cakes - for the unintiated are one of Britain’s secret pleasures combining the flavours of orange jelly, sponge and rich chocolate to become one of our tea time favourites. There is some drama of course about whether they are a cake or a biscuit but what really matters is the overall flavour. 

So why not capitalise this and make a larger version for everyone to share - rather than squabbling through the packets about who had the last one...

My variation of the recipe is enough for 8-10 people (depending on hunger levels) and can be made for under £5, which is great for those wanting to dip into baking without the price tag. I used a bag of Vanilla flavour sponge mix* from Tesco - for £1, eggs, water, orange jelly (or jello for my international friends) and some dark chocolate. 

*If you prefer to create your own sponge I recomend my recipe here.

Jaffa Cake Cake - Serves 8:

You will need:

2 x 10″ Round Baking Tin - I recomend using non stick tins as it saves on the washing up and allows you more time to enjoy tasting. Or some greased and lined tins.

1 x 8″ Round Baking Tin

1 Mixing Bowl (Large)

1 Mixer (or Wooden Spoon Method if you haven’t got one)

1 Palette Knife

1 Measuring Jug

Wire Cooling Rack

Ingredients:

2 Medium Eggs

100ml (7 tbsp) water

1 Pack of Orange Jelly - Hartley’s is good as it’s usually 50p.

2 Bars of Dark Chocolate

Method:

For the Sponge 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C /Gas Mark 5. 2. Empty the cake mix into a mixing bowl and add the eggs and water. 3. Mix with a handheld whisk for 2 minutes until smooth.

4. Divide the mixture equally into the two tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 15-20 minutes until risen and golden brown.

Jelly

1. Open your jelly pack and cut it into cubes. Cutting into cubes will help your jelly dissolve quicker and it sets quicker too.

2.  Pour the water and mix it up into a liquid and then add the mix into the 8″ tin.

3. Leave the jelly to set in the fridge over night, or within the freezer for 20-30 mins. You know it has set when there is a nice consistent orange texture and the jelly ‘wobbles’ but is firm in the centre. 

Cake Assembly:

1. Remove from the two sponges from the oven and allow the tins to cool for for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. 

2. Remove them carefully from the tins, being sure to preserve the shape and remove the jelly from the fridge/freezer.

3.  With the first sponge place it on a plate so that it is facing the same way up as it was in the tin and add the jelly. You can add this as a whole circle or spread it evenly over the sponge. Be careful to avoid it leaking out of the sides.

4. Cover the jelly sponge with the other sponge to create a lid and lightly score the surface with a knife to create the crossed effect of the original.

5. Break the chocolate into squares into a small bowl or the measuring jug and melt in the microwave or on the stove for 30-40 seconds.

6. Once melted gently pour the mixture onto the lid of the cake and smooth it down with the palette knife to cover the lid of the cake. 

7.  Reapply the hatched pattern with your knife and leave the cake in the fridge to set for 30 mins or so before eatting. 

8. Once the chocolate is set the cake is ready. 

I always think it taste best when it’s fresh but if you’re a smaller party, or aren’t ready to eat 8 slices, it can be left in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve it it with a nice cup of warm tea and your favourite china set. I like mine milky with two sugars.

So how did you get on? Please let me know in the comments and check through my blog for more vintage and traditional recipes.  

Have a beautiful day.

Emmalena x

[emmalenalouisaellis]

A Rustic Winter Wonderland

With Christmas fast approaching I can’t help but get that warm tingly feeling from the tips of my fingers, watching my breath come out into the increasingly cold air in whisps of silvery smoke. In previous years there has always been is an air of magic watching children as they come from Santa’s grotto clutching presents with pride and marveling at the market stalls of crafts and delicious foods, each with an air of mysterious familarity year after year.

But with it being a quieter year, not spent in the usual way with Zoom replacing squished up sofas and dinner tables. I begin to dream of a vintage Christmas, with a real pine or fir tree and the perfect blend of pretty dashes of colour particularly of green, red, gold, silver and white made with a blend of crafted and homemade baubles and ornaments, wooly stockings filled to the brim with small little presents and chocolate tokens, natural elements such as pine cones hanging from ribbons in  carefully perfected bows and wreaths of ribbons and dainty golden bells….

At Christmas time I love the feeling of sending and receiving Christmas cards still written by hand from loved ones and those not seen for by-gone-years but eqqually treasured by their rememberances. Apart from Birthdays this time of year is a wonderful alternative to the ease of technology. When I was young I used to spend ages writing my letters to Father Christmas, crossing out each mistake or scrunching it into a paper ball and aiming at my bedroom bin, as I wished for snow to arrive.

Now I get the same thrill entering into the front of my home and placing down my keys and bag. Even with lockdown this year I have tried to go for a few walks, there’s less snow on the ground but we’ve had a small dusting and I make sure to clean my glasses from the fog of mask breath, allowing it for a moment to be part of the festive chill.

Then I become accustomed again to the warmth that awaits me, eagerly withdrawing my gloves and mittens from my hands and unwinding my long thick scarf from my neck as I enter in from the frozen air, reaching eagerly for a blanket on the sofa and a cup of warm hot chocolate filled with delicious marshmellows, cream and chocolate shavings that are are perfectly balanced as they nestle into the thick rimmed cup. Then I kick off my shoes stll dusted with sprinklings of moisture and settle down with a good book to read or write, by a warm fire, the room silent save for the soft tick tick tock of the clock on my mantle.

So now with all my presents wrapped and prepared to sit around our little tree I am able to enjoy a contented rest filled with creative thoughts for the year ahead.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO ALL.

x Emmalena

[emmalenalouisaellis]

Embracing the ‘Frizzy’ Hair - A Vintage Retrospective

Ah Dyspraxia!

As someone who has grown up with her disabilities, I’ve always been aware of those mildly inconvient parts of myself that make it difficult to do some of the things people find less time consuming or difficult. 

Like my hair. 

Although it might seem silly, my morning routine is almost always a labour of love - The styling and upkeep always evade me, despite my efforts to always ‘run a rake’ through throughout the day.

Because, despite my efforts, that vital part of individual elegance is sometimes nay impossible and can be slightly furstrating: When it’s a hot day - sweaty and fraying.  Disheartening with my mild anemia where it tangles and knots painfully; and discrediting when  I glance at myself in a mirror, or am trying to take a photo or do a vlog. So, I end up with half baked results, long frizzy hair that still looks unkempt despite all earlier attempts as though I had been dragged through a hedge.

Salons whilst lovely are rather expensive, which makes it a difficult thing to justify, especially when my hair decides inexplicity to return to its default ‘mess’ after a few hours rather than the days I’d hoped for.  And due to my disabilities it can be easier said than done to ‘touch up’ the look to maintain it as well as I’d like. 

Another factor that weighs in here is in the reminders I find in my immediate past. One of my family traditions was getting some professional photos done,  both at a photography studio and the yearly school ‘Christmas’ photo to see how we were growing up - both as a group and the dreaded individual shot.

For these my mother always worked hard to braid my hair, styling it into pigtails, plaits and ponytails when I was younger. 

But, although she tried and continues many times to teach me, I’ve struggled to replicate the effect myself. Something that would no doubt come in use when trying to replicate vintage inspired hairstyles. 

Many of these involve more acrobatics and witchcraft than my poor hands can muster.  The problem with dyspraxia - at least for me - is a tricky balancing act of  hand-eye-coordination, fine motor skills and balance. On some days it can be a mild inconvience; but on my lowest days, when my anxiety creeps, I feel stupid, or as helpful as a newborn baby (though with less drool). 

There had also been a phase in secondary school where I had, had my hair cut into a much shorter almost bob like shape, in a bid to keep my hair ready for school’s more pratical activities such as PE, Science, Textiles, Woodwork, Metalwork and Cooking. 

But despite the trend to have hair shorter now, I personally hated the style (although I liked it on others). It just didn’t feel like me and I felt like a boy. 

Thus, my current hair style to me is perhaps my personal rebellion: long and shoulder length (if not longer at present due to lockdown). 

And you know what, that’s still ok. As I’ve grown up, there has been a wealth of information and inspiration for me in which to delve into. Discovering beautiful ladies of yesteryear such as Ione Bright or Jeanne Crain and Veronica Lake, all who embraced their frizz, long and natural waves, instead of hiding it away in shame, against a backdrop of pinned up, bobs and short, tightly formed ringlets and curls.

Thus, so too, can I! 

Yes,  it might take me a little longer every morning to get ready; and there are bound to be a few bad hair days along the way - everyone gets them. 

But there is no fixed rule on how to style my hair.

 Everyone should be unique; and with just another brush, shampoo and the odd hair mask can be equally beautiful  (plus thanks to Pinterest and Youtube, there are also plenty of tutorials for my slightly more adventurous days) - whatever trends, fashion and dyspraxia throw at me!

p>Have a beautiful day.

Emmalena x

[emmalenalouisaellis]

Summer Recipes: Raspberry Rose Sandwiches (Petit Fours)

Is there anything really better than Afternoon Tea?

As Summer approaches us with beautiful sunny days, I’ve been foraging for some appropriate recipes to enjoy as a sweet treat with friends. So I was delighted when I stumbled upon this picture on Pinterest captioned:  

Raspberry Rose Sandwiches

Eagerly I clicked on it, hoping to be directed to a recipe (or at least a link to the original baker), but to no avail. 

 However, I for one like a challenge and decided to work with my existing knowledge of baking (with a little help from mother) to create one, so that I and any one who stumbles upon my blog might enjoy creating these delicious cakes. (Although if anyone does know the actual recipe or finds the ‘original’ one please do let me know?)

This recipe is suitable for Vegetarians, although I am happy to adapt this for Vegans too (and hope to do so in a follow up blog).

First we need to make some miniature Victoria Sponge cakes. The measurements I’ve provided are in ‘British’ measurements. But fear not my international friends! deliaonline is a great way to convert into different measurements such as cups or ounces and can also provide you other useful units such as oven temperature. *Never shy away from cooking from other countries again* Hurrah!

You will need:

1 Piping Bag

1 Baking Tin- I recommend using a square non stick tin although you can create equally lovely cakes with a round fairycake/cupcake or brownie tin with dividers  if you can’t source one.

1 Mixing Bowl (Large)

1 Mixer (or Wooden Spoon Method if you haven’t got one)

1 Palette Knife

1 Pastry Sieve 

Wire Cooling Rack

Ingredients:

Sponge

175g of  unsalted butter, at room temperature

175g caster sugar

3 large eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

175g self-raising flour

Pinch of salt

Some Raspberries (a punnet of 300g should do the trick)

Cream

I always think that whipped cream tastes nicer fresh, but you can use ‘squirty’ cream if you prefer.  When piping, always test the buttercream consistency in the piping bag prior to proceeding to make sure there aren’t any pesky air bubbles. 

150g unsalted butter at room temperature

300g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly grease your baking tin.

To make the cakes, cream the butter and caster sugar together until the mixture is pale and light. Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl from time to time. Add the vanilla extract and mix again.

Sift the flour and salt into the bowl and fold in until the mixture is glossy and smooth.

Divide the mixture between the tin and level with a teaspoon.

Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 15 minutes until golden, well risen and a wooden skewer inserted into the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean.

Leave the cakes to cool in the tin for 2 minutes and then ease out onto a wire cooling rack and leave until completely cool.

Make the cream 

To make the cream, cream together the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture is pale and light. Transfer to a piping bag.

Cut each cake in half using a palette knife and pipe the buttercream onto the bases, in dots (pipe one dot in the middle and the rest around the edge). 

Sprinkle some raspberries over the buttercream dots, place the sponge tops on and use your sieve to lightly dust the cakes with icing sugar. 

Set the cakes to the side in the refrigerator.

Next we need to make the roses. If you look at the picture closely you’ll notice there’s two roses on each cake which have been made of of more velvety softy buttercream. We’ll also be making little leaves for added colour and detail. 

Buttercream Roses:

You Will Need:

1 Piping Bag and an interchangeable Petal Tip 

Baking Paper/Baking Parchment/Grease Proof Paper cut into 12 individual squares (per cake)

Teaspoon 

Buttercream

150g unsalted butter at room temperature

300g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp vanilla extract

Food Colouring (8 drops of red  will make a light pink, or you can purchase a pink one such as the Rose Pink one by the Cake Craft Company) Add more red drops for a more vivid pink for the smaller rose.

Rosewater 1 or 2 drops. 

Although buttercream is delicious plain, these roses will really come to life with a hint of rosewater.  (This is entirely optional as I’ve been told some people think rosewater tastes like soapy water) but for me I love the delicate taste against the raspberries and cream.

As ever, always test the buttercream consistency in the piping bag to make your roses soft and fluffy.

1. Whip up a new batch of buttercream as previously instructed adding in your food colouring into the mix slowly to create your perfect shade of pink. You can also add the rosewater here if you want to. 

2.  Add a medium to large cone of thick buttercream onto a square baking paper. This is the foundation of your flower and its overall size of the base will determined the size of your flower.

3. Build up and round the base in a spiral motion to form the centre of your roses.

4. Using your petal tip begin to create tight arcs around the centre gradually  making them larger as the rose increases in size. Aesthetically the petals should overlap a bit; and you can use your finger or your teaspoon to press the edges of the petals down to create a more realistic effect.

5.  Repeat to make a flower for each cake and leave to cool in the fridge. 

6. For the smaller roses repeat the process but making a smaller base and spirals and work upwards. Aim for these flowers to be small enough that they can sit on the top petals of their larger counterparts.  Use darker red or pink food colouring in the buttercream mix to mix and match the shades of pink.

(When applying the roses cut the base of the cone free from the paper and gently lift onto the sponge, attaching with a fresh squirt of buttercream which acts like a glue to the piece). 

A great guide can be found here by Preppy Kitchen who has a useful video and photos detailing the steps for creating closed roses like these and some other lovely flowers such as peonies and orchids. 

The Leaves

You Will Need:

1 Pack of Ready to Roll Green Sugar Paste ( I really love the Pastel Green shades but you can make darker if you prefer).

A Leaf Cutter/Plunger set. like this one from Amazon. (Making them yourself is possible, but I find that it can save you time, energy and some of the mess using this method.)

Roll out small squares of fondant and cut into shape using the leaf cutter and repeat creating two leaves per rose.

Add a smaller ball of sugar paste under the leaves to place these onto the rose. 

Finishing It Off

Assemble the whole cake, by taking your sponges out of the fridge and apply some sugar paste or buttercream to the lid to place the larger rose, then a smaller one and the two leaves. Return to the fridge until it’s ready to eat. The cakes taste best fresh but can be left in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend serving it with a nice cup of warm tea and your favourite china set.

So how did you get on? Please let me know in the comments and check through my blog for more vintage and traditional recipes. 

 Have a beautiful day

Emmalena x

[emmalenalouisaellis]

VE Day Celebrations - 75th Anniversary

Friday the 8th of May 2020 was the 75th Anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, known more commonly known as VE Day, it is the moment when peace was declared across Europe in 1945, signalling the end of WWII in Europe (although it would still continue across Asia for a few more months before the war finally ended on the 2nd of September when the Japanese officially surrendered). 

A momentous occasion, it was intended to be spent as a Bank Holiday in the UK. With a day off for schools and businesses as a mark of respect for those who had worked tirelessly through the war - moving the established second Bank Holiday in May from the Monday after.  Events up and down the country were planned to take place including a flyover from the RAF in the patriotic colours of red, white and blue, street parties and parades. 

Sadly due to the outbreak of Covid-19, this all came to a standstill, with the streets eerily silent as people remain home in lock-down. Nevertheless it was still celebrated where it was still possible with social distancing measures and television specials planned. In the brilliant sunshine, my own street hung bunting of the Union Jack up across the trees and toasted one and other from their lawns.

At 9pm the nation came together in spirit singing the iconic Dame Vera Lynn number of ‘We’ll Meet Again’. This wonderful song has since brought new reverence where many people are temporarily separated from friends and loved ones at home or as key-workers looking to stamp out the pandemic.  For the BBC’s unique take on the day it was sung by Katherine Jenkins. 

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I too, took the opportunity to celebrate the occasion, donning one of my favourite vintage numbers by Hearts and Roses London and taking a few snaps with my boyfriend both in the garden and front porch.

 I had picked up the dress from one of my ‘local’ boutique shops Pocket Watch & Petticoats as one of my first in store purchases back. Pairing it with a pink petticoat and belt from Hell Bunny and a peony hair slide from Collectif. Finally for shoes I opted for my brown Mary Jane’s from Clarks and vintage accessories from my jewellery box including a lovely mother of pearl bracelet, pearl clip-on earrings, another vintage pearl bracelet which matches the necklace. Check out the full outfit breakdown at the end of the post.

My boyfriend also helped me to do my makeup a little including painting my nails to match the dress and adding a touch of mint green eye shadow to make my eyes ‘pop’ and a spot of my lipstick from Rimmel London. I didn’t do anything special with my hair for time, but am considering getting some long wet curl rollers at some point (watch this space). 

This dress is one of my favourites for its sweetheart neckline and little cap sleeves. I also love the rose detail on the dress which is made of magenta, pink, and lilac flowers with soft sage green leaves, making it ideal for the summer. It can be paired with a number of accessories, but I chose pink to highlight the details in the rose pattern and will be looking into finding the perfect pair of complimenting shoes long term. Maybe these? by Lulu Hun or these by Joe Browns? Let me know in the comments which you prefer.

Although the day could not go as ‘planned’ we enjoyed the warmth of the day, with cool glasses of apple juice and reminiscing about our grandparent’s generation by treasuring a few old personal photos and footage collected by the BBC. My late grandparents would have been young - Grandad was 16 (born in 1929) and Granny 11 (born in August 1933) retrospectively. But the after-effects of the war did inadvertently bring them together with Grandad’s work in the Colonial Service at Tanganyika and Granny’s family’s farm in Ngongwa, meeting at last over a bowl of strawberries in 1954. But that’s a story for another time and another blog.

p>As promised here is my full outfit breakdown:

Dress: Hearts and Roses London - Royal Ballet Tea Dress

Belt: Hell Bunny - Retro Belt

Petticoat: Hell Bunny - Long Petticoat in Bubble Gum Pink

Shoes: Clarks - Chorus Chime (2017) in Tan

Hair Flower: Collectiff (ex collection)

Jewellery: Off-brand vintage/antique collection

Till the next time :) Have a beautiful day.

Emmalena x

[emmalenalouisaellis]

Introductions

Hello everyone!!! Welcome, please make yourselves at home.

 I've just boiled the kettle and I think a nice slice of cake is in order, here don't you?  Please feel free to help yourself to sugar, milk or cream. I have hot chocolate and marshmallows for good friends and amplecups of tea. There’s probably a spot of coffee still around if you prefer, or I’ve got brownies and biscuits in case you’re still feeling peckish.

Now that you are sitting comfortably I thought I'd take the time to introduce myself to you and welcome you to my humble little blog.

My name is Emmalena and I’m a poet and aspiring novelist from Hertfordshire in the UK. I'm a lover of all things old, postcards and paraphernalia from plays and musical events from yesteryear and dresses from the 1930s-1950s!

This blog will feature some of my musings with my writing projects,  retro and antique finds  I discover and my favourite vintage outfits. It will be a virtual scrapbook containing splashes of colour and floral patterns, delicate lace and hints of unfinished perfumes.

Together let’s delve into the archives of old book covers and forgotten traditional recipes. Explore photographs and memories of yesteryear and the hidden compartments of curiosities and curios such as writing desks and dressing tables. Let’s tour old and stately homes or chocolate box cottages, or roam in the woodlands of rural England. And roam with a sense of wonder in the craft fairs and independent bookshops that slip by unnoticed by the usual hustle bustle of life!

Please feel to take a look around, I’ve tried to organise things as best I can. There’s sections on dresses, paper-crafts, poetry, my novels and trinkets that have taken my interest as well as recipes of some of my favourite recipes. All opinions are my own but please let me know if you have any requests or ideas using the Contact Me page. I am always interested in making new friends with like-minded people.

I hope you’ll enjoy your stay and will leave me a comment of anything that inspires you and you’ll follow my adventures and check back regularly. Whilst there’s not much content yet, I’m hoping over time this little story will grow.

Wherever you are in the world, I hope you have a beautiful day! Please help yourself to a little more cake before you go. See you soon.

With Love, Emmalena x

[emmalenalouisaellis]

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INANIMATE OBJECT?

Difficult one, I’m rather partial to a musical box I got as a present from my uncle as a child, from one of the local antique shop/thrift stores, it gave me a love of antiques and sweet melodies of childhood innocence, not too dissimilar to the music playing on this page. However to this day I am still uncertain as to what the tune is called and hope one day to find it; treasuring the box to this day. :)