Day 360: Bake off

Yesterday my sister, Becca came to Bath with two friends and the four of us decided to have a bake off. One team against another. Rules were simple; bake something we hadn't made before. Whoever's tasted best, won.

So we flicks through cookery books until we settled on ONE recipe each and popped down to Sainsburys. Once all the ingredients was bought, we were off. The baking began.

Grated carrot, roasted nuts, melted chocolate. You name it, we pretty much covered the kitchen with it before we were done.

But at the end, we had these to show for it...

A carrot cake made by me and Alice. Peanut fudge-centred muffins made by Becca and Grania.

Who won? Well, let me first explain that we didn't leave our cake in the oven for long enough, so it just kinda tasted of raw carrot really. Not quite what we were going for. Which means Becca and Grania won this bake off....

Day 354: Vegan with a Vengeance

In order to get all my big assessments completed for final Degree hand-ins, I have found it best to treat myself to a spot of creativity AFTER I've done some work. That way, I have something to look forward to as I slog away.

So yesterday, for example I decided to make some 'Big Crunchy Peanut Butter - Oatmeal Cookies' from my new Vegan cookbook. I am not actually a vegan, but my boyfriends is, so if I can make something that will please his tummy, I'm up for it!

The thing with baking is, well, it's a bit of a trail and error game really. The cookies tasted great, but the first tray spread into each other and they came out looking more like slices of granary bread than cookies! The second batch I made smaller and left them in for longer, but then I couldn't get them off the tray which resulted in some bloody fingers come the end!

But, I had fun (apart from the cut fingers) and now have some pretty tasty cookies to eat for the next essay writing session. All the things I've learnt NOT to do, I've written on a sticky note and put on the page.

Next time I might add chocolate chips too. If you can't fit chocolate into it, it's often not worth eating as far as I'm concerned! But first I MUST do some more essay writing...

How will you treat your creative side on the final slog?

Day 343: McVitie's Hobnob Medley

Now this is what I call creative advertising. It makes me want to rush out in my dressing gown, slippers and wet hair to buy some right now!

I won't.

But the principle is there.

Day 326: Royal Wedding Creative Competition Winner!

With true creative style, we are celebrating the wedding of the future King of England, Prince William and the beautiful Kate Middleton.

Rebecca Fowler is the winner of the Royal Wedding Creative Competition. She's made this cake for a street party she's attending. Fit for a king, I think!

Day 312: Good old British Afternoon Tea

Today my Mum, sister Becca and I have eaten our weight in cake. It's not something we normally do, I have to add, but Becca and Mum have come across to Bath to visit. What better way to celebrate than with cake?

We went to this really posh Hotel thingy and had afternoon tea as a belated birthday present for my sister (thanks Nanny), which made us feel a bit snobby, but man, the cakes were good.

As you can see, there was a lot of them. I'm pretty sure they were locally made which made them taste better somehow. None of this shop bought nonsense! It was someones job to experiment, make and display those cakes we enjoyed. What a cool job! I'm going to look into such a career I think...

We're now all sitting here looking a bit full and feeling a bit sick, but it was worth it for that scone with cream and jam. Mmm...

Day 285: Pink and Red makes...

...well, I guess it makes whatever your creative minds choose!

What would you do with pink and red? Would you mix them? Add them to cake mix? Wear them together? Paint with them? Combine them? Alternate them?

...I could go on.

These are some of the creations Google came up with:

Flower arranging, feet decorating, designer furnishings and, of course, a bit of Andy Warhol.

Let your imaginations go with Pink and Red. Where could they take you today...?

Day 278: How can we create for others?

This afternoon I have spent my time baking these:

They're nothing special, just little fairy cakes.

I find I enjoy creativity the most when I can do it for other people. When I knit, I like to make something for someone I love and care for. When I write, I think about all those teenagers who need stories. If I bake, I'll usually make them for someone else (but sometimes me too!)

These cakes have been made especially for Chris Stillman's friends and family. He died a few week ago and his funeral is this Monday. Lots of people will come to pay their respects and remember Chris. If I can use my creative skills to make that day a little bit easier, then there's not much more I can ask for.

How could you use your creativity for others this week?

Day 197: Me and my Christmas baking

So, today I actually did make the cookies I put up yesterday, the ginger ones, and this is what they came out like:

There were a few sacrifices along the way as I attempted to smash some hard boiled sweets to smithereens. Lets just say I got a black finger, okay.

Fingers aside, I had fun, my belly is happy and so is the rest of the family. A winner all round. I think the look pretty cool too. Why not try a bit of Christmas baking yourself? (See Day 196 for some recipes...)

Day 196: Christmas Cookies!

I've decided that tomorrow will be spent making Christmas cookies, yummy. Care to join me? Here's a few recipes I've been looking at...

Festive Gingerbread Biscuits

Sparkling Vanilla Cookies

Jam Cookies

Almond Christmas Tree Biscuits



Let me know how it goes. Christmas is for eating after all!

Day 193: Holidays are comin'

So today is the last day of my term and I have to say, I have never looked forward to going home as much as I do now. Christmas is a time for rest, eating, family...

...but what about creating? Do you guys have any creative plans for this festive season?

Let's decide together to put our hands/ears/eyes/mouths to something creative over the next 3(ish) weeks, people!

I am going to do some knitting, maybe even on Christmas day!
I'm going to read lots of good books...and maybe some writing too(?)
I'm going to do some colouring with my littlest sister, Olivia.
I'm going to do some baking...maybe decorate a gingerbread house in sweets and icing (yummmmm)!

What will  you do this holiday season to keep your creative side full this Christmas. Have a think, make a list and check it twice...

Day 155: Spread your creative passions...

I'm pretty sure I've spoken to you a few times about how I've got stuck into knitting, but really credit has to go to the knitting club at Uni. We hold it in town every other week at a coffee shop. Yesterday I went along and there was one girl making gloves and another who had never knitted before. That's the great thing about it, anyone can come and join in the fun.
We sit. We chat. We knit. Simple.

It's great fun and I've really got into it. I've even started making some baby booties (I will show you when they're done, I promise)! It's fun doing something creative that's separate from my course. I do it when I'm watching tv in the evenings or watching a film. I love it!

The knitting club was set up by my friends Celia and Beth just because our Uni didn't have one and I am so glad they did. I wouldn't be into knitting without them and the knitting club.

 Does it annoy you that your school/college doesn't do what you love? Well, my challenge to you is to set up a club. If there's something you like doing creatively and it's not there, do it yourself! Get permission, put up posters, start a facebook group and away you go, you've got your very own lunchtime club going on. Maybe you're into writing lyrics or poems, sewing or dance. If you like baking why not set up a recipe club where one person brings in something they've made for everyone to try and give feedback? School/college is the perfect place to get more people involved in what you love.

Just because something doesn't happen, doesn't mean it shouldn't happen, so start it. That's what my friends did and it worked out great.

Give it a go. You won't know until you try...

Day 143: Creativity after death

I have spent the last few days preparing to saying goodbye to my Grandma. She died suddenly a few weeks ago now and the whole family gathered together for her funeral yesterday. Isn't it funny that there's people in your family you don't speak to in years, but as soon as a funeral comes along, the whole family are brought back together again. I'm pretty sure my Grandma would like that.

So why am I chatting away about a funeral on a creative blog?

 When I started this blog I had a strong sense that creativity made people happy, gave self worth and was a path to self expression. I still think it does all these things, but the last few weeks have shown me that, actually, creativity is for all occasions.

When I found out Grandma had died I wanted to make sure I would remember the day, so in my own creative way, I bought a novel and wrote in the front so I would remember her. That book will help my own writing and in turn inspire creativity. I'll keep it forever.

My sisters, cousins and I were asked to choose the flowers that went on Grandma's wicker coffin. We chose autumnal colours which she would have loved. The way they were arranged was beautiful. Floristry really is an art that creates real meaning for many special days.

One of my sisters, Becca, spent a whole day baking cakes and snacks for the wake after the funeral, which everyone enjoyed (of course). I know my Grandma would have been proud of her.

These are just little things, but I think it's significant that they are creative in some way. So, today I wanted to share this with you and encourage you that creativity, even in the smallest forms are everywhere, even after death.

Day 115: X Factor

You know what? I have ummed and arred about writing an entry about X Factor since the new series started. I thought it was, 'far too commercial for the likes of my blog.'

What a snob!

X Factor might be commercial and corny and over the top, but the truth is, I am actually inspired by it. I've watched nearly every episode of the new series and each time I find myself singing more. I think, 'I want to sing like them.' So I do; in the shower, when the kettle's boiling, when I'm walking down a busy road.

Now the fact is, I'm not a singer. People have told me I'm alright, but I don't want to be a singer. I don't want to win X Factor, or even enter, but every time I watch, I find the need to sing and that's called inspiration! It makes me want to do something. Just listen to this. It gives me goosebumps and makes me want to sing along with her:



I get it all the time. If there's a film about dancing, I want to dance. If I watch a program about Matisse, I want to paint. If I taste a yum cake, I want to bake. If I read an amazing book, I want to write.

What I'm saying is, run with what you feel inspired to do, even if it only lasts a day. Try everything! Do anything! That's what being creative is all about. It makes me feel alive when I sing at the top of my lungs in an empty house. I LOVE it! What do you love?

Be creative. Be everything!

Day 72: Scrabble

Initially, this game does not appear all that inspiring, especially creativity. But, let's just look back over this blog for a sec. Nature, charity shops, rubbish...all of these things on the surface don't appear that creative, but I've managed to produce a creative slant on them all, so here goes...

Yesterday, I was playing Scrabble. When the box came out I thought, 'man, I really don't want to play this. I'm too tired (from all the food and the lack of sleep) and I just can't be bothered.' Somehow I managed to win (yay), but this isn't about me winning. This is about Scrabble!

You know when you play Scrabble, you get those reeeeeally long breaks were another player is desperately trying to find somewhere to put their 'Q' or whatever? Well, there were a lot of them in my game, so naturally my mind wondered into the potential creative qualities of Scrabble.

So, here's the challenge for today; get hold of a Scrabble game and take out 7 letters (no peeking).

Now, that's what you got. What are you going to do with it? Do they spell anything of interest? How does it inspire you? The challenge is, to do something with it.

Use the words, use the letters, use the tiles. Be as imaginative as you like, but whatever you do, be creative.

Got no scrabble tiles? Well, here's some I prepared earlier...

A N D U E M S

Write, sing, dance, draw, paint, make, bake, sew, film...Create.

Day 14: You just need a spark!

Today I am talking to all of you people who think you're not creative in any way. Is that you?

Well, I'd like to say that it's just not true. ALL people are creative in some way or another. It could be something as simple as the way you dress. Some people have the gift of putting anything together and looking amazing. Or maybe you're into cooking/baking. There are loads of ways you can be creative with food.

Just because you can't draw or don't have the first clue how to hold a paintbrush doesn't mean you're not creative!

If you think creativity isn't for you then you just haven't found your spark yet. Try photography or making your own cards. Maybe origami could be your thing or making jewellery. Learn an instrument or try your hand at web design. Write a blog or make your own video.

Think outside the box and see your creativity grow and overflow...