Author: Maria Runs

Hey guys!

I was so excited for today because me and a friend were off to do a cake decorating course at Sweet and Floral (came up on Groupon). It was soooooo much fun!

We learnt how to colour icing using gel colours (sugar flair ones which were all veggie, vegan and gluten free).

We made bows (like the spots? We even learnt how to make spotty icing!)

We learnt how to pipe different designs with butter icing- a rose and a swirly thing;

And made some little doves (that is the swirly icing technique)

Here is the rose underneath some roses made of icing which I also learned how to make!

So pretty! With some edible glitter on there for fun!

We also got to choose our final cake! I went for fondant icing (so I had 2 of each) with some little flowers and butterflies.

And a close up;

I was so excited about this and the course was just brilliant. We all started off with white fondant icing (tescos is the best apparently) and then we had to choose our colours- I used navy and melon colours in varying amounts to make yellow, blue and green.  We got given drinks and cake (and biscuits were available) while we decorated, and they were so good at demonstrating and then coming around to each table to help. I have some great ideas for how to decorate my Christmas cakes this year. Plus, if I get some colours I could go all fancy and make marzipan carrots for the top of carrot cakes! 🙂 Plus we got to take our 4 cakes home in a box!

I have been looking for places that sell the gel icing now, and I found a cake shop in Welwyn which is near to me! Yay!

Other news- I actually screamed (yup, then I realised the windows were open, what will the neighbours think) when I found this freebie in my Ocado shopping!

Piglet of peppermint teapigs tea!!!!!!! How exciting! Yes, I really do scream over 2 teabags. I just love freebies, and mini things, and tea, so all three together= amazing!

I also popped to the shops- I went in to Holland and Barrett to get some cranberries (Christmas cake making starts in half term- one week to go yay). I came out with this. Ahem.

Mint tea, a mixed box of various teas including vanilla strawberry, and blueberry, unsweetened almond milk (to tide me over before I attempt my own in half term), 2 packets of un-sulphared cranberries, Doves wholegrain spelt flour, Maca powder (although I think I actually wanted lucuma?), cherry licorice (to even it out as it was buy one get one half price).

Some desserts made with pea protein!

And some coconut flour! I keep reading about this so when I saw it I went for it. Plus it is gluten free so I can make something for my friend who has coeliacs. Any recipe recommendations will be well received 🙂

I am going to leave you with another cake photo!

Which one do you think looks most impressive? Have you ever made things like that for cakes before? Anything else I should try besides carrots?

PS Holland and Barrett were promoting their loyalty card- seems like a Boots advantage card so worth signing up if you shop there. 🙂

I have been noticing this recently. When I go to the gym to do classes, they take place in a studio with mirrors along the main wall, so you can always see yourself in the mirror.

Now I know exercise gear is not the most flattering, but I do not always like catching a glimpse of myself, especially at the beginning. (I used to wear baggy tshirts and baggy tracksuit bottoms, but then I realised that I would rather wear comfy sweat-wicking clothes and not care what I look like so much).

But what I have noticed recently is when I get to the class and I see myself in the mirror, I hone in on the parts I do not like. I see little bumps and bulges (really shown up by the fairly tight clothes I suppose) and I feel a little unhappy about my body. But then, something amazing happens. I start the class- either aerobics or body pump. When I am exercising and I glance at myself, I feel good about my body. During aerobics when we are leaping about, I feel proud that I can keep up with the high intensity cardio, and think about my strong heart and lungs. During body pump I catch sight of my arms or legs, and think about how strong they are getting. But the lumps and bumps also seem to disappear.

I have the opposite of this (almost) when I run. I leave the house looking presentable; hair tied back neatly, feeling good in my vest and capris. Then when I get home and catch sight of myself- hair all coming out, red face, dishevelled clothes, and think “I don’t look like that in my head”.

Do your perceptions of your body change when you exercise?

Now for some random pictures!

After my run (5 miles in the drizzle!) yesterday I cracked open a bar of Conscious chocolate which I won in Rachel’s giveaway– soooo yummy I have not had conscious chocolate in ages.

And before aerobics on Tuesday I tried a bounce bar! Also from Rachel 🙂

I was a little worried as it contained spirulina (remember when I tried it in a smoothie? Anyway it did not go well!)- well this was yummy! The almond taste came through and it tasted a lot like marzipan, but with crunchy nuts on the outside too! It gave me loads of energy for aerobics too- hooray! I wish I had tried one sooner!
Anything you wish you had tried sooner?