The one were I joined a great team...

Writing this blog has bought many amazing opportunities in my life, and despite my frequency of blog posts diminishing, my love for putting pen to paper or fingers to keys hasn't died. I love writing and especially love writing for things I feel passionate about - it is rare in this day and age that we get to air our views so openly and honestly and not get a barrage of insults after. As women I think there has never been enough places (especially on the internet) for us to be so vocally open about every topic and not just the feminine ones either, and this is why The High Tea Cast is a website that I have always held quite close to me. What started as a podcast and has now grown into so much more, The High Tea Cast is a website that manages to have it all, in one place and they do it with style.

Both funny, topical and all together a little cheeky, Sam Sparrow and Leanne Rice have done an amazing job at creating somewhere for opinions to be aired and fun to be had - possibly the best of both worlds. Without waffling on too much, I recently applied for a call out to be a writer with The High Tea Cast and well, I got in! I have been writing for the site for a couple of months now and I am loving everything about it. Covering the Fashion section and now recently, the Wedding section, I am writing monthly posts about anything that takes my fancy and it is truly great.

As well as writing for this amazing site, I have got to know all the amazingly talented writers in this collective really well - they are like family, they are the most creative, gutsy, gorgeous and sincere group of women (and boys) I've ever come across.Being a part of this group is probably one of the best things to of happened to me from this blog and by me starting to write.

If you'd like to have a gander - head on over to The High Tea Cast below - and dont forget to subscribe to their podcast which will have you wetting yourself with laughter!

What's on your menu? Super easy, super yum banana cake

I haven't baked in a while, purely for the single fact that lets face it, I will eat whatever comes out of the oven.: I just cant say no to those fresh baking smells, I just want the cake in my belly, not in the tin! However the other day Mark kindly asked me one evening "what's for pudding?" It would seem that my non-baking hasn't gone un-noticed. After much huffing, puffing from him, I explained that I didn't really want to bake because quite frankly I cannot be trusted NOT to eat the entire cake. He laughed, I done an inward cry: I miss cake. 

The next day, whilst grabbing my healthy fruit from the bowl I realised that the bunch of once ripe bananas were looking a little speckly and dare I say it, GONE OFF. Shouting to Mark that he had to eat them all ASAP (he brought them) he put in a request for, yes you guessed it, banana cake and so, on a Tuesday evening, and Mark’s fault, I went back to cake…

So here goes, a very simple banana loaf/cake that will help use your bananas up and satisfy your cake urges without wasting too much time - I done this on an evening after work and was busy munching on it by the evening!

Ingredients:

140g butter , softened, plus extra for the tin

140g caster sugar

2 large eggs , beaten

140g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

50g icing sugar

Method:

• Preheat your oven to about 180C/160cFan/Gas mark 4 and butter a 2lb loaf tin. I have to be honest, my 2lb loaf tin was a little on the small side for my general ‘chuck it in’ method without measuring so be warned ;)
• Peel your bananas and mash up with a potato masher (man does it look disgusting after) and set aside
• Cream your butter and sugar together until it is fluffy and light in colour. Add the already beaten eggs with a spoon of flour. Once well mixed, carefully pour the rest of the flour into the mix  along with the Baking Powder and your mashed bananas. Once well mixed, pour the mixture into your loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes or until the loaf is golden and your skewer inserted into the middle, comes out clean.

• Leave to cool in the tin and then remove to a wire rack.
• If you can avoid eating it just yet, wait for the loaf to cool.
• Mix your icing sugar with a little warm water (or until desired consistency is reached) and simply drizzle across the loaf.
• Then please commence eating – try slicing and spreading with a layer of nutella…. No words….

Have you tried avoiding cake? what's on your menu?

My First Job... #BEDM

Wow... trying to think back to what my first job actually was is hard... so long ago... I now feel old! My first proper job was in a picture shop. This shop sold limited edition prints of work and offered a bespoke framing service.

I was employed as a 'Saturday girl' as they were called back then, and it was my first proper job. I used to work every weekend from 9am until 5:30pm or until the shop decided to shut. The picture shop was situated in the centre of Maidenhead town and I used to walk to work from my parents house.

Despite it sounding hideously boring, working in a picture/art shop was brilliant. It opened my eyes to alot of works of art, it helped me gain an opinion on what I liked and didn't like, and also helped me grow some creativity when picking frames to go with various pieces of art. I started off just manning the till, taking payments and replenishing stock - just the 'norm' for a Saturday job, but as I had worked there for a number of years the company gave me more and more responsibility - which I loved and I was eventually trained in how to bespoke frame.

Members of the public would bring in various pieces of art and want them framed and we would find mounts and framing to suit each and every picture. It was great fun picking out colours and styles of framing, and knowing that you were helping to make peoples treasured items even more precious was a nice feeling - it was a great job and I did love every second. After a few years, the management changed and so did the people I worked with. Essentially, the new people in charge didn't like having a Saturday girl and tried to phase me out and gradually the love I had for my first ever job died and I left.

It was sad leaving that place: I'd worked there for a number of years and enjoyed everything about working there. I look back to this time fondly and still find myself looking at peoples framing techniques!

What was your first job?

Pets - Scruffy #BEDM

I did a little squeel when I realised that the latest #BEDM subject was pets! Y'see, I am rather obsessed with my pet, I'd even go as far to say she is the love of my life (apart from you Mark)

Welcome Scruffy. She is my 4/5 year old lionhead bunny rabbit. MANY of you will already know of my bundle of fluff, mainly due to the sheer amount of tweets and various pictures I post about the animal. Scruffy is a special rabbit, no she doesn't fly or appear out of hats, she's special because she literally came to me by sheer luck. When I was living with my lovely mama and papa, one day our neighbour came knocking on the door saying there was a rabbit in their garden and could my mum help catch it as it didn't look like a wild one. My mum, being a brilliant rabbit catcher (we had rabbits as kids so she was well experienced) went off to see if she could entice the fur ball into a box. About an hour and a half later mama scribbles came back empty handed. No-one could catch this rabbit - it was too quick and too scared to trust to go near anyone and so after nearly two hours they decided to let the rabbit go on its natural course and just hope that its future was a safe one. At this time I had been busy regularly bugging Mark to buy me a rabbit. As someone who adores all animals a rabbit was my dream animal, however my pleas had gone unnoticed.

Two months had passed when we got another knock at the door. There was the same neighbour announcing that the same rabbit was back again. Off my mum trotted to help go catch this phantom rabbit. I had yet to see the rabbit - a part of me didn't want to as I would've got attached and also I was worried it'd been hurt etc. about half an hour later, my mum appeared at the front door holding a bundle of towels, and in those towels was a teeny tiny furry bunny.

Scruffy.

We placed this feeble looking creature into a plastic box lined with newspaper. The rabbit looked painfully skinny and was weak, not moving or flinching when we placed her in the box. The rabbit, lay down and closed her eyes. I loved her instantly. I knew she must've been hungry so stole a carrot from the cupboard and began to feed her and hope to gain her trust. She munched on the carrot instantly and as I petted her soft furry head I knew I had to keep her. My mum, being the sensible one explained that we would have to wait to see if someone claimed her. Off went my daddy to buy her a cheap cage, some food and hay to make her comfy for the time being. My mum, dad and me took care of scruffy: fed her, watered her, petted her and began to make her feel loved, without trying to get too attached to her just in case someone claimed her (I secretly hoped they wouldn't  after a week or so I booked an appointment at the vets to get her looked over and to see if she had a microchip or if they knew if someone had lost a rabbit.

The vet saw the rabbit and explained that she was a purebred lion head and was definitely not a wild rabbit, she wasn't chipped nor had an owner, and aside from being horrendously underweight she was ok. From that point, she was mine. I paid for her to have her vaccinations and various other treatments and over £100 later we went home with our bunny. I named her Scruffy instantly because she was, err, scruffy. Living rough hadn't been kind to her mounds of fur and so she looked a bit straggly, but I loved her.

Me and Scruffy have been inseparable since: I nursed her back to health, chased her round the garden when she escaped, cuddled her when I had a bad day and made my parents take her inside in the cold weather. Scruffy has seen me move out of home, move in with Mark, watched us decorate our first home and even learnt how comfy human sofas are. She now is a house rabbit full time, and she is one of us, my family. She does everything a rabbit probably shouldn't do: including watching TV on the sofa with Mark (her fave films are action) she licks my face regularly and follows you everywhere - to me she is a dog rabbit... a faithful friend.

I am a crazy rabbit lady, but I'm not even sorry. I love her with my whole heart and she completes me, she is a friend.

Fit and Healthy... my way. #BEDM

Today's #BEDM subject matter is one I can totally get on board with. Being fit and healthy is a way of life, not an addition to life - it's a must and something I feel quite strongly about.

For me, after spending almost 5 years of my life suffering badly with eating disorders and depression being 'fit' was not a thing for me, I wanted to be slim and didn't care how I did it - causing havoc with my body, fast forward to today and I couldn't be more of a different person. I exercise almost daily and I love it. Some call me crazy, some wonder why I'm not some stick thin person as I exercise so much, but the truth is I exercise more for my brain and 'me' than I do the outer shell of my body. Exercise and eating healthy makes everyday life alot easier - my head is alot clearer, I have more energy, I feel more alive and most of all, I smile. alot. That's a good thing right?

We all know doing a little bit of exercise releases endorphins right? well for me, it does more than that. Those dark clouds that often reappear with depression are chased away by the second I start to do a little exercise. So what do I do?

Well, Mon-Fri I cycle to work there and back, which is roughly about 10 miles a day in total. On Monday's I go to Slimming World in the evening - SW is great for me as it completely helps me evaluate what and why I'm eating certain foods and helps keep me on the straight and narrow. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are all run days. I will head out after my cycle or during the day on Saturday, and just slowly run which can be anything between 3-10miles.. depending on how tired I really am. Wednesday and Sundays are my rest day and Friday I tend to do a Pilates dvd. It may sound alot, but the truth is I'm not regimental: If I dont feel like it? I wont. Simple.

I try to encourage many people to eat healthy, and exercise... for me, it is my life and has helped me out of many holes.

How do you exercise?

Five Fave Blogs... #BEDM

Today calls for the turn of five of my favourite blogs - it's a hard one! Ask any blogger and they will struggle with just FIVE of their fave! For me, I like good, readable content that strikes questions and thoughts in my head, but good, dreamy photos are always an eye catcher! Here are five of my favourite blogs:

The First Mess

I've mentioned this blog on here before, but for foodie blogs this combines sumptuous recipes, delectable photos but thoughtful writing skills. I have a little bit of a girl crush on Laura who writes this blog and despite not being a full-on vegan I find her recipes easy to make and heartily fulfilling. 

Paperbag Blog

The ultimate lifestyle blog. Paperbag blog is my secret little place to disappear to. I read Christina's blog to immerse myself in her world and soak up some of her fab journeys in and around the gorgeous town of Brighton. Good foods, good style, a thought level which matches mine and did I mention her cat Ras? too gorgeous for words!

The Online Stylist

The queen of style! Amanda's blog is literally like shopping porn! I adore clicking onto her page and ogling her life, her clothes, her impeccable style and most of all looking at all the amazing pictures! The Online Stylist is pretty much the only fashion forward blog I read. Amanda's style is very close to my own and its a sanctuary away from most other crazy fashion blogs out there.

The High Tea Cast

Not strictly a blog as such, but The High Tea Cast is the cheekiest, most informative site you are going to get  that is aimed at women. For me, there was a real lack of websites that told the truth for women these days but The High Tea Cast doesn't mince it's words on any level. Fun, juicy, serious and all round genius - this is my go to site

More Than Toast

An honest, funny and realistic blog from Alice who writes about all things important in her life: her two very gorgeous children, the work/life/family balance, lack of sleep, love of coffee and everything else in between. As someone who starts to plan a family next year, this blog is just a brilliant read - Alice is a genius of a writer and I'm often finding myself in awe of her.

What are your favourite blogs?

A day in my life... #BEDM

A typical weekday...

5:30am - Wake up with the dreaded alarm...

6:30am - First coffee of the day..

7am - I get on my bike and cycle the 5 miles to work..

7:30am - I begin to make myself look more presentable..

8:30am - I am at my desk - ready to go

10:30am - TEA TIME!

12pm - Lunch time

1:pm - Back to work I go

2-5pm - BORING WORK! Then I get back on the bike and cycle home!

5:30pm - I cuddle this

6:30pm - I go out for a run

7:30pm - I normally get my bake on whilst dinner is in the oven

8pm - I partake in a bit of beautifying...

9pm - It's cuddle time with the HTB

11pm - Bed with my book...

My life really is THAT uninteresting during the week! It's been kind of interesting to see where my day goes and even contemplating how I can fit more in!

What does your day look like?

Spring and me... #BEDM

I've fallen ALOT behind in the #BEDM challenge, however instead of throwing in the towel I am getting back on the proverbial blogging horse and starting at the second day of the Blog Every Day In May challenge.

Today I talk about Spring! and yes, Spring has finally sprung with some gorgeous weather actually arriving on a Bank Holiday Weekend for once! For me, Spring is my favourite time of year. Don't get me wrong, Summer is lovely but for me, it is sometimes a little too much, incessant sunny days with no break from the heat definitely doesn't suit my body. Spring is more of the Summer warm up, and also a welcome break from the normal doom and gloom that the long Winters bring.

As well as the first breaks of sun and the drier weather, for me, Spring is all about fresh starts, new beginnings and time to move forward in life. Spring brings a clarity of mind for me and I always hold this time of year close to my heart. Those slightly chilly mornings with the sun just coming up are my thinking times: a time to sit outside wrapped up, or to get on my bike, but mostly its the one time I get things sorted in my head.

Flowers are just sprouting, the beautiful yellow flowers of daffodils are starting to peek out, and fields of grass are turning a brilliant green - Spring is a time where everything comes back to life and rejuvenates itself. Sitting with a nice fresh coffee and a warm croissant, hearing the birds tweeting - Spring is for the simple things in life and for me, next year Spring will be the time I get married to the love of my life.

What is your favourite thing about Spring?

#BEDM - 5 lines = ME

Bobbed hair, eternally childish, eats too much pie

Eager to love and be loved, forever looking for acceptance

Writing is freedom, as are walks in the forest and making pictures from the clouds

I run for clarity and cycle for smiles, but enjoy lazy days being hugged by my sofa

Enjoys patterned trousers

Blog every day in May... time to grow

I have to be honest, blogging for me has well and truly fallen to the wayside. What was once initially a massive part of my life has pretty much been taken over by stresses through everyday life: work, home life and planning a wedding - no excuse I hear you say, but I seem to lack the capability to organise myself, schedule well and get some good, quality content down on the blog for you all to read. Fair enough, I could chow out the same old drivel: press releases ahoy, but that wouldn't be fair on you and ultimately, that's not what I'm about.

I've been toying with the idea of maybe taking time out for the blog, or even shutting it down but again, it's not me. I love blogging, I love writing, but suffering with massive writers block is a hard thing to deal with, I feel uninspired and lacking any creativity and with that I have the guilt feeling of not blogging enough.

TIME OUT

Ultimately, to get back to where I was when I first started blogging, I need to love it again, go back to the beginning and breathe. Thanks to the lovely Elizabeth and her rather amazing blog: Rosalilium, she has created the 'Blog Every Day In May' programme. It was almost like Elizabeth had read my mind - this has been just what I'm looking for. Giving you a different topic every day in May for you to blog about, it is time to get creative again and inspire myself along the way. There are some fab people already signed up and I hope I can do the project proud, but for me, I want to get personal, I want to divulge a little more of me, I want to almost find out who I am and why I blogged in the first place and some the of the subjects certainly explore all of this. 

So, with the 1st May literally round the corner (err tomorrow!) I thought I'd let you all know what was going to happen with the blog... some of it may be text only, some might be pretty pictures but most of all I hope you start to get to know me a little better and help make this blog grow into something a little more prettier and friendlier.There is still time to sign up to the challenge HERE 

I cant wait to get started and see what you all think! To follow the Blog Every Day In May posts follow the hashtag #BEDM on twitter!

Are you blogging every day in May?