Baking for Stannington Carnival with Sheffield Underground Cake Club

Fabulous day today as Sheffield Underground Cake club members were invited by Stannington Carnival, to hold a cake club … and to judge the Carnival Baking Competition. Thanks to Anna & Danny for inviting us & setting up our cool gazebo.

Here are the entries. The winner of the Best Tasting for Under 16’s was Jacob with his Strawberry Gateau ( left ) with highly commended Jam Tarts traffic lights by Ash.

Winner of the Best Tasting for over 16’s was Rod whose daughter , a Stannington local had persuaded him to submit his Almond & Apple cake. ( Front left ), closely followed by Annes Gooseberry & Elderflower cake

Winner of best Pun cake ( tho’ it was very difficult to separate them ) was the Chocolate Brown E .  We also had a Carrot Southcake a Les Miser-marbles Cake, Cha Millionaires Shortbread , Pineuptial Upside Down Cake, Jam Tart traffic lights.

Our Undergreound cake club cakes were baked to a Carnivale Theme.

 

Karens cake was a lemon & homegrown fruit cake. Full or gooseberries, blackcurrants and blueberries , with lemon icing & blueberry topping.
Annes Lemonade cake had lemon zest in the sponge plus a syrup of lemonade & lemon juice. Icing was delicious with lemon juice , butter & lemon sherbet.
Dannis Pimms cake was Victoria Sponge with orange zest & Pimms syrup with orange juice. The filling was fresh strawberries & mascarpone cream with a bit of fresh orange juice.

We had quite a few people say they were interested in joining Sheffield Underground Cake club. We meet every month to bake to a theme, in a mystery location. Contact me to join via coachmekp@gmail.com @fabcoach on Twitter or Insta or Follow us on Undergroundcakeclub Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/Undergroundcakeclub-1008638612618333/

We are always looking for cafes or venues to host our cakes …let me know if you would like to get involved ! Next event will be in September …date to follow

Best wishes Karen Perkins www.karenperkinslifecoach.co.uk

Here are more photos from the Carnival Competition.

 

Advertisements

3 ways to harness the power of Nature to relax, at the RHS Chatsworth Show

We made it to the RHS Chatsworth Garden Show today and had an enjoyable morning looking at all the plants, show gardens and displays.

1 Plan ahead. A large event can be stressful, we ordered the programme with map, by post in advance, found that arriving at 8.30 am would get us near the front of the car park, and we strolled up to the café in the Chatsworth stable block for bacon & egg butties & coffee.  We found out by asking staff , that the gates opened at 9.30 not 10 so we were in and away !! We took a picnic too, so no queueing or expensive food bills.

 

2 Relax, take your time & just wander. Mindfully enjoy the plants and displays. Don’t keep thinking about the next one. If you want to buy .. get a garden plan and an idea of the shapes/colours you are looking for. Get yourself a trolley … and just go with your gut … the growers in the tents are experts and have some fabulous plants on sale. You can always go visit the nursery after the show. Take pics on your phone and do a montage when you get home to see what your dream garden project.

 

3 Don’t stay too long ! Less is more. We enjoyed the displays but left when we had finished …so drove back through Baslow, Froggatt and over Longshaw to see the views.

 

Book a coaching taster now and I will help you plan ahead, get clarity & a better work life balance , or downsize. www.karenperkinslifecoach.co.uk

3 ways to use Nostalgia to manage anxiety

 

When you feel anxious or are stressed about something take 5 minutes out to tap into the healing power of Nostalgia.

1 Close your eyes … imagine a place or time when you felt happy, safe, free & in the moment. Maybe when you were a child , on a hot sandy beach paddling & sniffing the sea breeze or vinegar on hot chips.

2 Try & recall all the activities you enjoyed, remember the smells & tastes .. cheese and onion crisps , candy floss maybe . Visualise the scenery , recall happy or inspiring conversations . The smell of cut grass takes me back to warm, relaxing summer days.

3 Savour the moment, give yourself a hug or squeeze your hands , tell yourself how much you enjoyed remembering …. and open your eyes . come slowly back into today & take that happy feeling with you.

Please do share your favourite nostalgic places & how they make you feel.

Best wishes

Karen

Contact me via @fabcoach on Insta or Twitter

 

www.karenperkinslifecoach.co.uk

5 Ways to spot a Puffin

We had an amazing trip to Bridlington, to see the Hockney May flowers … however they were late blooming so we went in search of seabirds, especially the feisty #puffin. We cruised on the Yorkshire Belle , along the coast to Flamborough Head & Bempton Cliffs.

 

Here are some photos of the trip. We also visited the top of the cliffs the next day, and paddled in Thornwick Bay…where we accidentally spotted a pair of puffins !!  You can

1 see their bright orangey/red legs and feet.

2 see their triangular beaks

3 watch them splashing their red legs as they paddle the water on take off

4 spot them sneaking into a hole in the cliffs & peeking out

5 listen for their growly call

 

Getting out in nature really relaxes you , I recommend it. Book a coaching walk with me in the Peak District or straight from my office in leafy Sheffield. #freetaster www.karenperkinslifecoach.co.uk

Cakes from the famous Chefs with Sheffield Underground Cake Club

Sheffield Clandestine Cake Club has become Underground Cake Club as the lovely founder of CCC , Lynn has decided to re retire away from all the stressful admin of running such a fab organisation. CCC is continuing via a Facebook group. Details via Karen Perkins

We met at Walkley Library , as part of Sheffield food festival fringe. Annes cake was Jamie Olivers Tarte Di Nonna . Its a variety of Tuscan Grape cake, with no alcohol , and with the small red sweet grapes replaced by blueberries. It was made with butter, olive oil, flour, eggs plus orange and lemon zest. You put most of the blueberries into the batter, then after 15 minutes in the oven, pop on the rest of the blueberries . #yummy

Sarah & Karens cakes were a #selfie ..by Chef Sarah & Chef Karen … in support of women chefs !! Sarah make an exam proof easy peasy lemon drizzle cake ..still warm.

 

Karen made a double chocolate & raspberry cake with chocolate ganache .

 

Do join us at Underground cake club !!

 

Join us …do contact me at www.karenperkinslifecoach.co.uk

A peek into Open Up Sheffield Open Studios

The biggest open studio event outside London !! We managed to visit 2 new workspaces and a few familiar ones … First off to Trafalgar Studios upstairs high above Trafalgar Warehouse ( next to Corp ) ..a brilliant space for events & exhibitions. Anja Uhren , Annette Griffiths, Katie Edge Mellor, Wandering Beasts , plus lots of artists, jewellers & creatives.

 

I made a promise to myself that I would buy at least one proper real Sheffield Artist painting every year so now I have found my first one for 2018. Its by Annette !! #thankyou If you think what you might spend on clothes, posh outdoor gear …why not get a real painting !! Be brave …I actually saw one she did last year at Bank St , bought a postcard instead of the actual painting …then regretted it !! This year …. I saw one that resonated again …and actually #justboughtit #yay . Its the one I didn’t buy … re -appeared . I am now looking for the Men with Rhubarb one I saw at Art in the Gardens last year …can anyone help me locate it ?

Next off to the Replicast  Studios on East Bank Rd opp Hells Kitchen Diner …. fabulous premises … old office building ..brilliant views . 18 visual practitioners … here are just a few

Their website says “Replicast Studios are a voluntary lead group.
Steve Oxley MD & Jennifer Booth Creative Director
Creatives:
Nelly Naylor | Anna Smithies | Mark Wrigley | Zoyander Street | IOP | Jordanna Farrimond | Mason Kane Thomas | Charlie Barnes | Saskia Palmer | Rebecca Litchfield | Martin Jones | Jenson Grant | Richard Bolam | Tracey Holland | Stacey Sampson

#fabulous …came away with a 3D print rocket from Mark Wrigley. Plus one of Saskias cards. Who was the artist with the wonderful Mountain paintings  …see easel .

Lots more to see ..off to Exchange Works on Bank Holiday Monday Karen Davies … Peak district , Scottish highlands inspired , beautiful colours.
Every year we see something new and different … get out & see some real Sheffield Art … then buy real art !!
Best wishes Karen

www.karenperkinslifecoach.co.uk     @fabcoach

 

 

 

A week of Sheffield Art with Paulette Falcidia

I met Paulette at 35 Chapel Walk gallery when I popped in last week. She has a brilliant exhibition, sadly it was the last day, but you can see some of the pieces here . She is also looking for a mahoosive space to display her large Board Game wall pieces ..any board games companies or cafes, or events organisers ? Here is a link to her website . Her pieces in Ticket to the Unknown make you think & rethink …then ask questions ….

Here are some of Paulettes words from the exhibition …about how she comes to these works

Looking forward to hearing where she will exhibit next. Check out her amazing Assemblages #whoknew Brilliant.

I’m off to OpenUp Sheffield for my next post .

Keep creating    Best Wishes Karen

www.karenperkinslifecoach.co.uk