Find me online
Miss Write
  • Home
  • Blog
  • My Writing
  • About
  • WIP

Books For Christmas - Yes Please!

28/12/2020

0 Comments

 

This year I 'only' got two books for Christmas *sad face*. I am grateful for everything else, obviously, but Santa, more books next year please! *angelic smiley face*

Picture
El Husbandio couldn't disagree more. He thinks receiving a book is an insult, almost! He'd much rather be gifted 'something useful' like socks or a gift voucher. And not a Waterstones one!

Personally, I can't wait to get stuck into these two novels: The Testaments by Margaret Atwood, the sequel to The Handmaid's Tale (which I really liked, read earlier this year - not yet seen the TV series), and The Shadow King, by Maaza Mengiste, a new author for me, an Ethiopian-American writer. Thanks mum and Lou G!

Keep reading, 

Lou x

Find me on Facebook
...and on Twitter
Born to be a Tourist
0 Comments

A Christmas Poem

22/12/2015

0 Comments

 
When the world is eating, singing, celebrating
Tuning into the news can be grating.
Refugees and war are not on theme
But such stories continue to be seen.
 
Christmas is a time of giving
These conflicting images conflicting,
Dominating the current issues
Causing some to reach for tissues.
 
Christmas comes and soon it goes
Resolutions and sometimes snows
Normal life resumes at speed
Drifting away from those in need.
 
Little keeps stark images in your mind
Lasting past the fleeting appeals of kind.
Yet Christmas is a time for thinking of others
From neighbours to global sisters and brothers
 
Remembering the much less fortunates
While we gorge on roasted chestnuts.
Carry these thoughts of injustice and pain
Through January and into the main
 
And spare more than a thought in Christmas cheer
For those children, people, who wish to be here.
Pick out the easy wins, that’s a good start
A tin in the charity box from your shopping cart.
 
Contact your MP for changes in acts
Facebook and Twitter are tools of attacks
Check local press for news of the worthy
Helping those lives topsy-turvy.
 
Monthly donations to your chosen cause
And doing it all for no applause.
So when you pause to think of the many
Who have no food, no home or penny
 
Take it forward from Christmastime
And prove there’s a reason for my rhyme.

Picture
Lou x

Find me on Facebook
...and on Twitter
Born to be a Tourist
0 Comments

280 Bakes: Bristol's home baked cakes

17/12/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
This weekend sees the opening of a dream of mine... my own (mini) bakery!!!

Every 3rd Sunday of the month I will be selling home baked cakes from my kitchen. The baking starts this weekend and I can't wait!

I've got a full Christmas themed menu (check out #bakemenu on Twitter) from iced Christmas cake to Brownie Santa Hats, so if you're in the Bristol area this weekend, be sure to stop by! The first 25 customers will receive a gift, and of course, there will be tasters!

280 Bakes
280 Broadlands Drive
Bristol
BS11 0PW


Join me 4-5pm every third Sunday (opens 20th December) and find what you want for tea!

280 Bakes is on Facebook and Twitter, so get in touch!

Lou x

Find me on Facebook
...and on Twitter
Born to be a Tourist
0 Comments

Christmas Arrives At Gibney Towers

16/12/2015

0 Comments

 
We've worked hard to make our house Christmas-y, El Husbandio and I. He is missing home (Costa Rica) and I'm missing home too (Swindon). Equally fun Christmases! Here's what we've created, hung and decorated this year.

I'm especially proud of the wreath (a gift for a friend) and the Rudolph cake. My very own show stopper for my fancy baker sister

Enjoy!

​Lou x
Picture
0 Comments

Rudolph Cake: Fail or Fanfare?

7/12/2015

0 Comments

 
My Christmas bake for this year was inspired by Pinterest. I am totally addicted to cake-browsing on that amazing website, and this one was a real challenge for me. This was definitely the cake I've baked which required the most skills. 
Picture
What I was aiming for...
Picture
The result!
Pretty damn chuffed with that, I have to say! I baked it for my showstopper cake baking sister, who's missing Christmas with the family this year. She was impressed, so I think that qualifies: I'm officially a showstopping baker!

The secrets to my Rudolph bake

The cake itself is a simple vanilla sponge - one big cake, although it probably should have been deeper.

To get the curly fur effect in the chocolate frosting I piped into dots (blobs with a push-and-pull-to-a-peak). It took about an hour to do and I needed another batch of frosting!

The red nose is simply a roll of icing, dyed red, and the eyes are made the same way. They're held in place with cocktail sticks. 

Finally, the best bit: the antlers. I drew a template of antlers on paper and put a sheet of grease proof paper over the top. This made it easy to remove the antlers from the paper when they had set. Melting candy melts (cooking chocolate might work?), I filled in the template with thick layer, sinking a lolly stick into the 'trunk' of the antlers. Be sure to leave about half the stick poking out the bottom so you have a good hold on the cake when you stick them in. Chilled in the fridge, they don't take long to solidify, but make sure the area around them is clear. A dropped carrot can cause havoc to poor Rudolph's antler shape. 

What can I try next? Feeling confident now!

Lou x

Find me on Facebook
...and on Twitter
Born to be a Tourist
0 Comments
    Picture

    Author

    I'm a writer based in South Wales, with an unhealthy obsession with stationery and baking. I mainly blog for my own sanity, but I'm also working on a novel. Still. 

    Archives

    November 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    August 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    May 2017
    April 2017
    August 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 1970

    Categories

    All
    April 2013 Blog Challenge
    Baking
    Being A Mum
    Blog Hop
    Books
    Campaigns / Charity
    Christmas
    Competitions
    Contemporary Fiction
    Craft
    Cycling
    Ebooks & Apps
    Environment
    Events
    #fail
    Films
    Fun Life Stuff!
    Gifted Reads
    Guest Bloggers
    Halloween
    Holiday Reads
    International Women's Day
    Lockdown
    My Wedding
    My Writing
    Out And About
    Poetry
    Random Inspiration
    Rant
    Reading
    Reviews
    Social Media
    Treasured Reader
    Wedding
    Well Being
    Well-being
    Women Writers
    Writing
    Writing Tips

    Get your own free Blogoversary button!

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.