Baking challenge = FAIL!

I have decided to sort of stop my baking challenge, due to a couple of reasons really. Baking every other day really was too much cake for us and as I am trying to loose weight it really wasn't working!! I also didn't enjoy baking as much when I HAD to do it. I am going to carry on trying out new recepie's instead of always baking the same stuff. I know my children will be disapointed not having cake every single day, they started asking after dinner "what cake is it today mummy?"

I am a little behind on my baking challenge due to work and running children here there and everywhere!

So today I managed to to bake the third item in the hummingbird bakery book, and that was Red velvet cupcakes.

I have made these before, I made them for valentines day.

The recipe actually says to use cream cheese frosting , but I know from making them before that that insn't very popular in my house, so I use buttercream/vanilla frosting.

I have also been busy today crocheting a pin cushion, this is my first attempt at this...

...And I am very pleased with it.

Amy

Finished Blanket

I finished the baby blanket for my friend's new baby and she loved it.

 I was also very pleased with it and can't wait to make some more, I might even start one for a little boy tonight.

I kept this one simple and just had one granny row in white round the edge, I made this decision simply because I ran out of time. I did want to put a scalloped edging on it, but I'll have to save that for the next one.

 I didn't make a nappy cake in the end, I put all the bits in a purple fabric box instead, as I thought then she could re-use the box.

Amy

Baking challenge - day 2

The next page in the hummingbird bakery book is the chocolate cupcake topped with chocolate frosting, yum! So off I went to start todays baking.
These are coming with me to a friends house tomorrow, so that I don't eat them all!

Baking challenge - day 1

Well on Monday I started my baking challenge. I started with the hummingbird bakery book, and the first item was vanilla cupcakes, with vanilla frosting. They were a bit different to my usual recipe that I use, because of the milk in them the mixture was runnier than what I am used too, which made it tricky and messy for me to get in the cases, but I got there in the end and they were yummy.
This picture is not very good as I took it on my phone.

Cookery/baking books!!

I love cookery/baking books, and have quite a few, but instead of actually using the recipes, I just gaze at the pictures.

So I have decided to set myself a little challenge of working my way in order through my baking books.

Now I was going to bake everyday like in the film Julie and Julia, but I think that if I bake everyday I will have to eat cakes everyday, and as much as I would like to do that I think I will end up the size of a house!! So I decided to bake every other day, starting Monday.

I am going to start with a favourite of mine 'the hummingbird bakery cookbook' 

These are a few of my 'baking' books.

ingredients for 'Nappy Cake'

I am making a nappy cake for my friend who had her little baby girl on Monday, and to go in the nappy cake I have made a crochet baby hat.

I followed a pattern I found on the internet, but they came up a bit small, I would say they were more for a preemie baby or perfect for a baby Annabel doll.

 I had made the white and pink one, but as always everything in this house comes in two's, so I had to make another one too.

The second one was asked to be in pink and purple though.

So know we have two baby Annabel's with nice warm heads.

 I then tweaked the pattern to make a slightly bigger hat, which is to go in the nappy cake for my friends little girl.

 I am also making a Granny stripe blanket to go in the nappy cake.

This is my third attempt at this, as I have recently been making granny triangles for bunting so kept putting chains inbetween the treble clusters and it took me a while to work out why it wasn't working, and then at last it clicked.

 I am so excited about this blanket and can't wait to see it finished. Still have a long way to go yet though!

I am using wonder soft by stylecraft yarn, which is 100% acrylic and is lovely to work with.

Amy x