A Storm in a Cupcake

I'm back!!

2010-09-06T16:39:00.008+01:00

Hellooooo!

Apologies for my silence. I'm back after a long year of moving house, travelling and launching a new business! I can't wait to get back into blogging and to tell you about everything I've been doing, but for now here's a look at my brand new online jewellery boutique lovemedesigns.
I'd love to hear your thoughts! Hope you're all well.

Lots of love

Molly xxx

Cape Town cafes

2010-01-24T18:14:00.011Z

These are just some of the lovely cafes I've discovered whilst here in Cape Town...

Love this teapot and teacup hanging mobile

This blackboard in an old frame is a great and original idea for a menu!

Love these cupcake pincushions which were being sold at one cafe / boutique

Molly xx

Happy days and sunny skies

2010-01-06T16:38:00.008Z

Happy New Year to you all!! I hope you had a fabulous Christmas and ate far too much like I did!! I actually cooked the Christmas dinner for the first time (my ma handed over the reigns bless her) and I am actually amazed that I pulled it off! Even though I enjoy baking cupcakes (perhaps a little too often ;) I am certainly no Nigella Lawson. In fact the most people I've ever cooked for is 2 - myself and my boyfriend (*guilty gulp*) So cooking for 14 was a major accomplishment and one which I intend to follow up in the New Year :)

I've been enjoying the sun in Cape Town for the past month which has been fantastic. The sunshine and the ocean are my tonic and I've been spending a lot of time walking our dog on the beach and swimming in the sea, two things which I long to do in London, but alas can't.
I've also been visiting the most gorgeous little cafes here which have been done out so beautifully (it is my dream to open a cafe / shop here overlooking the sea) and have taken some piccys for you!

Plus I've also been a tad productive making jewellery with my Mum (who does it for a living) and making some pretty hearts. Hope you like!

Molly xx

A pretty tea party!

2009-11-15T19:29:00.012Z

Brighton was unfortunately a bit of a wash out (don't get me started on this country's weather!)...but luckily there was cake to lift our spirits!

My wonderful friend hosted the most gorgeous tea party (using her beautiful Royal Doulton wedding china which I am hugely jealous of!) There was homemade lemon drizzle sponge, carrot cupcakes with cream cheese icing, strawberry jelly with fresh raspberries, fudge and chocolate squares (I was on my 6th one of these when she started telling me just how much butter went into this recipe - I literally had put my fingers in my ears as I couldn't cope with the guilt!) *sigh*

How sweet is her Laura Ashley butterfly cake stand?!

As I slowly rolled my way home, I comforted myself in the knowledge that it is the weekend and I will go to the gym next week...
Well, I'll see how I feel ;)

Hope you've all had wonderful weekends.

Molly xx

I love food

2009-11-13T15:21:00.013Z

This week has been fairly hectic - in a good way though! Went to the New Moon premiere on Wednesday which was held in Battersea Park (my boyfriend works in music so sometimes gets tickets for things like this and I usually tag along for the free food and champagne!) Below is a photo of 'the moon' they had made for the occasion outside the venue. (I took it at the end of the night - hence the 'wobbly' effect!)

The food was amazing - as I stalked the waitress around the room reaching for my fifteenth chocolate covered strawberry I felt the eyes of every size zero girl on me (which was basically every girl in the room). Anywhoooo, no celeb spotting - just Newton Faulkner (does he count?) and Harry Potter's girlfriend (does she count?) Unfortunately R-Patz did not fall in love with me and whisk me away as I had hoped.

Continuing the food theme, my friend made the most amazing winter vegetable soup yesterday which I had to share with you, because I think it must be the nicest soup I have ever eaten. It's Jamie Oliver's Lentil and Spinach Soup from his Ministry of Food book. Amazing! I've always been a bit nervous about cooking lentils, but he makes it so easy! Am going to order the book online now. Have searched on the net for the recipe to post on here, but can't find it (though typically can find every other one of Jamie Oliver soup recipes)! So if anyone would like it, I'll post it up when I get the book (and will include piccys of my attempt - am not the greatest chef - so fingers crossed!)

Off to Brighton tomorrow to see an old friend - looking forward to rummaging through the antique shops in The Lanes, will let you know what I find...

Molly xx

Spotty bikes, vintage wedding dresses and country air!

2009-11-10T12:08:00.012Z

Oh my goodness I can't believe how quickly time is flying by! Since I last wrote, it's been Halloween, Bonfire night and now the next thing you know it'll be Christmas!! The lights on Oxford Street have been switched on and I'm busy booking dates to go ice skating at Somerset House...where has this year gone?

So...Amsterdam was wonderful! Absolutely freezing cold - at one point I was wearing 6 layers! (plus leggings under my jeans!) It was so cold in fact, I had to invest in a 'snood' (half scarf, half hood, brilliant invention) which is currently my staple wardrobe item. (It was leg warmers last winter). In fact I can't stop wearing it (nearly slept in it the other day, though my boyfriend was quick to point out that I may strangle myself in my sleep which was wise). Anyway, back to Amsterdam...

We rented bikes (I fell in love with this spotty one above!) rode a pedalo on the canals, went to a windmill, drank local beer, visited the Van Gogh museum, drank a lot of tea. However, the highlight of the trip had to be...the vintage shops!! We spent hours (much to the shop assistants dismay) trying on clothes, hats, sunglasses and even vintage wedding dresses (which I have to admit was so much fun!) Below is my friend Jess, looking very fetching in an 1970's number...

This weekend, I spent in the deep English countryside - the beautiful Cotswolds - which my boyfriend organised as a suprise weekend break. (Very sweet, but to be honest I was a little nervous as it's usually me who organises our holidays - as to be fair, what do men really know?!) Anyway, I was blown away. The B&B he found was in a tiny village called Painswick which was stunning. This is the view from our bedroom window when I woke up on Saturday morning...

The B&B was crammed full of antiques - you couldn't even see the walls in our room it was so full of paintings and little nicknacks. This may be some people's idea of hell, but it was my idea of heaven! The owners were completely eccentric and self proclaimed antique nuts. (I was given some very handy antique auction hints!) They had left all sorts of goodies in our room - primarily a few bottles of wine, chocolate, biscuits....fantastic. Anyway, it was so nice to get out of the big city and enjoy some country time. I made sure I took a couple of deep breaths of country air to last me a while when back in London :)

I hope you're all well and are keeping warm!!

Molly xx

P.S I know Halloween has been and gone, but I just had to put up this photo below which was outside someone's front door in Amsterdam and I thought it was so cute.

Amsterdam

2009-10-21T12:50:00.007+01:00

I'm going on a mini break to Amsterdam tomorrow which is very exciting as I've never been before! I'm going with an old friend and usually I'm ultra prepared - buying every Lonely Planet / Rough Guide / City Guide out there, but this time we're going to see where the wind takes us!

I must admit though I did do a tiny teeny bit of 'market' research - literally. Having Googled 'Amsterdam markets' there does seem to be quite a lot to keep me occupied - I particularly like the sound of the Waterlooplein Flea Market a 'unique 300-stall outdoor bazaar' and apparently there is a floating flower market which sounds like fun! Let's hope my friend doesn't mind too much - it might be a case of leaving her at the Van Gogh Museum while I go treasure hunting :)

If anyone has any Amsterdam suggestions please do tell...Hope you're having a lovely week!

Molly xx

Lovely Autumn

2009-10-14T19:02:00.013+01:00

I decided to take a little trip out of the city today and drive to the countryside. Even though I'm a summer bunny at heart, I'm quickly discovering that I actually love Autumn - especially the sunny, crisp fresh days with the smell of bonfires in the air. I also adore this season's fruit & veg and find myself making things like pumpkin soup, roasted butternut squash, apple & pear crumble a lot!
I visited Wisley Gardens which is about half an hour out of London and looked stunning this afternoon...

There was the sweetest little vegetable garden there which made me want one of my own! Unfortunately I have a small roof terrace so can only grow tomatoes and herbs...I might put my name down for an allotment in London, but the waiting lists are insane. Check out these gorgeous squashes which I wanted to take home with me and make pumpkin fritters with!

The best thing about days out such as these are the gift shops! (Well, apart from getting fresh air and a bit of exercise of course!) This gift shop at Wisley is amazing - full of Cath Kidston and homemade jams. (Plus to my horror, Christmas decorations of every size, shape and description, already!!) They also had so many different kinds of hearts - I have an obsession with hearts and they are hung all over my flat - wooden hearts on door handles, fabric hearts hung on the kitchen cupboards... Anyway I bought a little fabric red and white checked one today which I've put on my bedroom door :)

I hope you've all had a lovely day. I'll leave you with a photo I took in the gift shop of these pin cushion cupcakes which I thought were adorable. Unfortunately I can't sew at all, otherwise I'd have been at the checkout in a flash!

Molly xx

Welcome!

2009-10-12T09:55:00.006+01:00

Good morning! It's a lovely autumn day in London and I just wanted to say welcome to my first blog, A Storm in a Cupcake. I thought it was about time I started writing about all the things that I love and start chatting with people who love the same kind of things!

My boyfriend thinks I'm completely mad, he calls my style 'granny chic' and cannot fathom why on earth I love pretty tea sets so much that I might find collecting dust in a charity shop, or why my heart skips a beat when I spot a junk shop lurking on a street corner. My perfect day would be spent browsing through antique markets and spotting those one-off treasures. I recently went to Prague and found the most amazing store which had every nook and cranny filled with those kind of treasures - old brown leather satchels, art deco vases, hundreds of brooches, costume jewellery, and so the list goes on! I really love the idea of owning something - especially jewellery - which has a history.

I also love love love food - anything sweet and all cupcakes! I spend a lot of time eating Red Velvet cupcakes at the Hummingbird Bakery in South Kensington and I recently found an amazing cake shop called 'Buttercup' which has Oreo cookie cupcakes...mmmm. I'm supposed to be following this 'Healthy Skin Diet' at the moment - but I just don't seem to have the will power to resist treats! Ok, now I'm rambling - back to my blog - I really hope you enjoy reading it. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and reading your blogs!

Molly xx