time goes quickly when you are having fun
I baked fairy cakes yesterday and as I removed them from the oven and their warm, sweet scent filled my senses, I was whisked back to my Grandmother's kitchen. My memories of Nana are strongly linked to those fairy cakes, she always made us fairy cakes and apple pies. The little cakes were never iced for she was a country woman and it was 1974, icing would have seemed frivolous but she sometimes mixed in sultanas, or my very favourite treat - shining, artificially coloured, bright glacé cherries. The memory came so strong, something I hadn't thought of for years but suddenly crisp in my mind, the excitement of visiting Nana, her kitchen filled with the smell of these cakes and me going into her little glass lean-to room to eat them. Sitting on the floor, surrounded by geranium cuttings, playing with the basket of shells and eating cakes. For a few moments I was four years old all over again.
These fairy cakes are destined for Tilly's school, each class takes turns to sell cakes on the last Friday of the month and she insisted that our contribution would be fairy cakes, but iced of course, iced by Tilly.
Before packing them into their tupperware I thought it would be rather fitting if I arranged them for a blog photograph. You see, it seems somewhat unbelievable but it was four years ago today that I wrote my very first blog post.
The longer I blog the more it becomes about the pleasure of writing and photographing the posts, the satisfaction of feeding the blog rather than just a place to record crafting pursuits. I enjoy the way this space exercises a part of my brain that I have little call for these days.
My voice has changed I think, I am surprised to read those early posts and see how stilted I sound, now the words flow easily, my confidence has grown and I post freely on whatever takes my fancy.
And I think I can thank all of you for that. For helping me find my voice, responding to my words.So of course, in the true tradition of the craft blog, there must be a give-away. I am not going to reveal what will be in the parcel (because in the true tradition of the last minute crafter I haven't finished it yet) so by entering you are taking a risk, it could be hideous! But go on, live dangerously.
To throw your name in the hat just leave a comment on this post before Friday 2nd April.
I baked fairy cakes yesterday and as I removed them from the oven and their warm, sweet scent filled my senses, I was whisked back to my Grandmother's kitchen. My memories of Nana are strongly linked to those fairy cakes, she always made us fairy cakes and apple pies. The little cakes were never iced for she was a country woman and it was 1974, icing would have seemed frivolous but she sometimes mixed in sultanas, or my very favourite treat - shining, artificially coloured, bright glacé cherries. The memory came so strong, something I hadn't thought of for years but suddenly crisp in my mind, the excitement of visiting Nana, her kitchen filled with the smell of these cakes and me going into her little glass lean-to room to eat them. Sitting on the floor, surrounded by geranium cuttings, playing with the basket of shells and eating cakes. For a few moments I was four years old all over again.
These fairy cakes are destined for Tilly's school, each class takes turns to sell cakes on the last Friday of the month and she insisted that our contribution would be fairy cakes, but iced of course, iced by Tilly.
Before packing them into their tupperware I thought it would be rather fitting if I arranged them for a blog photograph. You see, it seems somewhat unbelievable but it was four years ago today that I wrote my very first blog post.
The longer I blog the more it becomes about the pleasure of writing and photographing the posts, the satisfaction of feeding the blog rather than just a place to record crafting pursuits. I enjoy the way this space exercises a part of my brain that I have little call for these days.
My voice has changed I think, I am surprised to read those early posts and see how stilted I sound, now the words flow easily, my confidence has grown and I post freely on whatever takes my fancy.
And I think I can thank all of you for that. For helping me find my voice, responding to my words.So of course, in the true tradition of the craft blog, there must be a give-away. I am not going to reveal what will be in the parcel (because in the true tradition of the last minute crafter I haven't finished it yet) so by entering you are taking a risk, it could be hideous! But go on, live dangerously.
To throw your name in the hat just leave a comment on this post before Friday 2nd April.
Comments
I love the idea of you "feeding" your blog, I think I feel the same now, that my blog is a living thing that thrives through what I put into it but what those who read and comment also put into it.
Happy blogthday!
I agree, I've always found your writing style to be engaging and refreshing. It doesn't matter what you're writing about!
Congrats on four years! Hope there are many more!
And I can't imagine you sounding stilted. Your entries are always so beautifully written.
K x
My Grandma's kitchen always smelt of baking, too. I still can't figure out why; she never baked anything, though she was a dab-hand at roast dinners! Your Nana's home sounds so cosy.
Beautiful cakes, Tilly!
Your blog is one of my favourites; never verbose, always conversational, and with some of the best photos out there. Thakn you!
Those little cakes remind me of what we made as children - Viota Cakes; yes, from a packet - our mother wasn't a baker. The strange, super-sticky green and red "chellies" that went on top had to be so carefully cut up and fairly distributed; kept us occupied for ages.
Tilly is pretty good at icing, I think.
It's four years for mine too next week and there is much less craft, but much more of me in mine these days as well.
Barb
i made bread too!! i know i am supposed to be on holiday but the temptation of that lovely smell in the kitchen meant we had a lovely domestic type day!
anne
Beautiful fairy cakes. Tilly must be so excited to bring them to school today. As far as the give-away, nothing you make is hideous, whatever the gift is I am sure it will be something to treasure.
PS - your blog helped to inspire me to take the leap.
While my own voice has faded to less than a whisper, I'm still quite gratified when I read your posts! Here's to many more...
The fairy cakes look lovely, you inspired me to bake today too (although since I discovered a random lemon, I made lemon drizzle cake instead. Yum!)
My daughter loves to bake fairy cakes too and we love to eat them :)
Everybody seems to be into cooking and baking nowadays. Do crafters also seek out to be creative with their foods I wonder?
I am now in the lucky position of being able to help create childhood memories for my three lovely granddaughters, and delighted to discover that it is a two-way process, as I am actually creating more memories of my own :)
I still feel stilted even after blogging for nearly 4 years now. Maybe I need to just have a visual blog!
http://leafgreenknits.wordpress.com/
i am so on board with you about how your blog exercises a part of your brain that you wouldn't use. your words are ALWAYS so lovely... as well as your photographs. and the world is definitely a better place because of you!
(love the sweet story about your grandmother)
Nina
And your delicious fairy cakes ~ do you cut the tops off before you ice them? x
I have similar memories of baking with my nan, we made so many things and sampled them warm from the oven and sometimes even ate the raw gingerbread dough. (which I have now taught my daughters to do!) We have a lot to thank our nan's for, I know I miss mine so very much.
Andrea x
great fairy cakes.