roma★
Not today Justin
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@theartofmadeline
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
he wasn't even looking at me and he found me
NASA
cherry valley forever
Today's Document
Origami Around
trying on a metaphor
PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH
dirt enthusiast
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
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#extradirty
Mike Driver
KIROKAZE
祝日 / Permanent Vacation
seen from United States
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seen from Belgium
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@littledotbakeshop
I'm super excited to be in Rome for a holiday with my mum. We were feeling rather jet lagged last night, and managed to find a tiny shop selling panini with porchetta, which was perfect for a simple dinner. The meal was finished off with Gorgonzola with green chilli, drizzled with a balsamic glaze. Yum!!
Dessert table inspiration
As you may already know, I was lucky enough to go to the Cake Bake & Sweets Show in Sydney last weekend.
There were a number of dessert tables set up which I’d love to share with you, as there’s nothing like them done well, and I know many of you look for inspiration to do them yourselves at home.
The dessert tables were super pretty, and I can only imagine the amount of thought and work which went into them. I love them all!
Sweets table by Tutti Frutti Lolly Buffets
Glamorous gold and black by Sweet Designs
A Princess themed table by El Evento - how gorgeous is this?
A vintage style table by Miss K’s Creations - the perfect use for an old dressing table and all things pretty.
Don’t these photos make you want to do a dessert table for your next celebration? You could let your imagination run wild!
I CAN’T WAIT to share my blog posts with you over the coming weeks... keep a close eye out. To say I’m super excited is an understatement..!
Marina
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Super sweet fun at the Cake, Bake & Sweets Show
It was so much fun and I’m super glad I made the effort to go to Sydney for the Cake Bake & Sweets Show on the weekend (otherwise known as the ‘Festival of Deliciousness)!
The Show was held at Olympic Park, Sydney, and it’s aimed at anyone with a passion for baking, cake decorating, or those who just love cakes and all things sweet. The event has lots of things to do, with displays, hands-on workshops, demonstrations, and lots of cake and sweets related shopping. Some of the personalities who featured include Adriano Zumbo (of Master Chef, macaron, and amazing sweets fame), the Desserts Diva’s (who won Cupcake Wars USA), Queen of Hearts, Katherine Sabbath, and also Adelaide’s own Janet O’Sullivan. Did I mention that the Dessert Diva’s made Chicken & Waffle Cupcakes? Oooooh! I think my tummy turns thinking about it. Here are some of the things I got up to...
The wonders of Katherine Sabbath
I was thrilled to book into a four hour workshop with Katherine Sabbath. ‘Kat’ describes herself as an ‘over enthusiastic High School Teacher, who bakes to make the world a better place. She certainly does that!! I’m a very keen and avid follower of Kat, and her creations are so unique, colourful, fun, and crazy (in the best possible sense!). I love love love her work! From last December Kat decided to start making cakes full time, and if you’re not familiar with her work I suggest having a look @Katherine_Sabbath on Instagram. Kat is well known for the Upside Down Ice Cream Cake with colours that pop. We decorated this cake in class, and you’ll be relived to know that the inside was actually foam, judging by the angle I’m holding the cake in the photo below! The ganache was also fleuro pink - wow!!
The amazing Katherine Sabbath and our Upside-down Ice Cream Cone Cake creations
The Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes I also attended a hands-on workshop with the ‘Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes’. The Queen of Hearts is a cake company founded by Valeri and Christina, two lovely and super talented Filipino ladies who set up their business in London in 2011. Their work has won many awards worldwide, and now they travel extensively around the globe, generously teaching their craft to others. The workshop involved learning how to pipe stunning buttercream flowers. I’m secretly feeling rather proud of my cupcakes, below. Once my shoulder is stronger I’ll have to practice, practice and practice...
Our childhood birthday memories
Looking back at your childhood, chances are you don’t remember much about schoolwork or chores, but you do cherish memories of Birthday celebrations.
Both of our children have just celebrated their Birthday’s, and now we have two teenagers! The last few years have been rather quiet on the party front (their choice), but this year they both had parties. Being a bit of a Birthday Party girl, this made me rather happy, as I love a celebration! Not being able to bake at the moment tested me, but I decided that this year I would be a Mum who brought ‘everything in’. I must say, this made it all much easier and less stressful.
Celebrating my kids’ Birthdays often makes me reflect on my own Birthday Parties as a child. They were always a rather simple affair, but a highlight of my year! They were often held after school, as no one had over-scheduled lives back then (I’m an early 70s child), making this super easy. Party games involved Pass the Parcel (with only the final child receiving a prize), Musical Chairs, Bobbing Apples (which was freezing in the middle of winter), Hanging Donuts from the washing line and Pin the Tail on the Donkey.
My 3rd Birthday party! Don’t you love the mask?
Party food was also a highlight with homemade sausage rolls (thanks Mum), frankfurts with homemade tomato sauce, a bowl of chips or Cheezels, home made jelly cakes, and coconut ‘curly biscuits’ made by my Grandma Gibbs. My Grandma, known as ‘Mama’, also made me the best Birthday Cakes - vanilla sponge iced with pink icing, Smarties and lots of silver cascous balls. The cakes were also often decorated with a paper frill around the outside and topped off with a plastic ballet dancer. I still have the ballet dancer - she brings back lots of happy memories! I think she may have also been shared with my sister a few times, but I’ve always thought she’s mine… Now I’ve let the cat out of the bag, my beautiful sister knows where it is if ever she needs it… Here is the ballet dancer now…
The thing I love about parties is being together with friends and family, making memories. These are memories you always hang onto, no matter what age…
Until next time,
Marina
X
My 6th Birthday party (I’m on the far left, gazing wistfully at the cake). Fabulous 1970s fashion!
Celebrating my 7th Birthday, with my brother by my side. I wish I could reach into the photo and grab one of those delicious jelly cakes in the foreground!
A perfect time to start...
I’ve been thinking about writing a blog for a few years now. I’ve been wanting to share my love of baking, new discoveries and adventures with you. However, a part of me has been a bit scared about exposing what goes on inside my head(!) and I’ve also been a bit worried about fitting it all in. This is especially given I’ve been juggling running a full time home baking business, running a household and a busy family. There’s never enough time to sit, reflect, and take the time to share.
However, recently things have been turned on their head, with me having to take an enforced rest. My right shoulder has been aching since January and I’ve been going to the physio every week. Nothing improved and I was becoming more and more sleep deprived, with the worst pain at night. It was time to consult the ‘heavies’ a couple of months ago and I went to see an orthopaedic specialist. Hmmmm... the doctor made it very clear that if a cortisone injection didn’t work, then I’d need surgery and up to 6 months off work. I was rather shocked and cried all the way home. My husband tried to assure me that this was just a ‘blip’ - in other words, it’s not that bad, deal with it and move on... He didn’t mean to sound unsympathetic - he was merely trying to get me to put it all into perspective, at a time when all I could see was my beautiful little home business (my pride and joy) coming to a crashing end for a period of time. What would I do? What would happen to Little Dot?
As the specialist instructed, I gave the cortisone injection 6 weeks to work. I also tried my best to think positive thoughts. Sometimes the nuts and bolts of our beautiful bodies needs a bit more than positive thinking though... At the end of the 6 week period my specialist declared that my shoulder was certainly persistent and I was booked in for surgery.
The surgery was nearly 2 weeks ago now and its such a good feeling having it over and done with. I’m very grateful that the wear and tear on my body could be ‘fixed’, the previous pain has gone (can you hear my sigh of relief?), and now I’m recuperating from surgery and getting a little bit stronger every day. I have only one week to go with no driving (woohoo!) and I’m not able to work in my kitchen for several months. Did I also mention my other shoulder is playing up and my specialist is rather concerned about it? I wish I was kidding!! There may be more surgery in store...
However, I’ve decided to make the most of this! Instead of grumbling and throwing tanties, I’ve decided to surrender to whatever happens in the next 6 months. I’ve also decided to finally start a blog! This is a also a perfect time to stop, read, watch, reflect and learn. It’s time to think, photograph and have time to create. It’s a time to travel and grow. Lucky me. I can’t wait to share this journey with you, and after all, things happen for a reason...
Until next time,
Marina
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