A very long while back I did a short photography course/styled shoot with Nicola Dixon. I threw myself into my mates car (she/they are wedding photographers) and went along for a jolly. Interested in what it would be like to look through a lens for a day I again threw myself into crouching positions, cocked my head, squinted and tried to see what others might think beautiful in my surroundings. Below is what I saw and thought lovely to document.

Then, just like that another opportunity arose for me to again step behind the camera. I booked a wedding cake in and like any good wedding supplier gave my two pence on who I thought would be a good fit for the client/friends wedding photography. As a result myself and the photographer, who is of course a gorgeous friend of mine, threw ourselves into her car cake included (of course I didn’t throw that, I carefully placed it in) and drove down to the venue.

After delicately placing the cake in its intend resting place I shadowed Fiona Saxton for the day. Carefully stepping out of her eye line like a ninja and taking my own snaps of the moments I liked the most. The images below are but a tiny fraction of what I took. I got completely carried away. It was so hard not too.

There were loads more images but these ones were my favourite. I love photography but if I am honest I don’t have time in-between my five girls, husband, business, parent governor duties (for two schools), cello/piano playing to fit it in. I have come to terms with this, I am putting it in my pocket and carrying it around with me until the next photographer I know asks me to tag along.

Until the next time, 

A.xxx

I came to the realisation one of the reasons that I felt like that was that I had been taking work I didn’t want to and that that had to stop. Hence why all the cakes I am doing this coming wedding season are designed by me and not replicas of other peoples work. I have tried my best not to pander too much to trends but instead pick creative paths close to but not on top of things others I love have done.

I am feeling much more in tune with myself as a result and like I still do have something to say. Yay. And I have finally learnt how not to loose my mind while working too. Prep prep prep!!!

Below you will find a few cakes I have already completed and that I feel reflect the new directions I want to go in. 

I am also really excited as The Treehouse restaurant in Alnwick Gardens has listed me as their recommend supplier and I will be with them for their open evening on the 8th of October at 5pm. Really excited to be showing off my new designs there and meeting brides/grooms to be! If you’re getting married and want to try some cake, macarons and have a chat about my services please come and see me there. 

Then to top that off I  got a call today that I really wanted and will be creating a dream of a cake next August, I am so excited about it I did a happy dance after the call ended. 

Even though I have had a lots of wins recently I am not feeling 100% . I could do with a massage and one day of sleep to recover my mind from where it is, but apart from that I am functioning ok I think. I have a lot on at the moment and my order books are really full so that is excellent. I have also been building up on the social media, giving a close insight into what I have been up too. I am still trying to get up the guts to do video stuff on my story in Instagram but I am so nervous about it!!! I will try it end of this week maybe! 

I digress… here are a few things I have done recently, most of these are up on Facebook or Instagram but I will add them again anyway. Because they are pretty. And I worked hard on them. 

Thank you for reading this and supporting,

A. x

I now have to tackle the mountain of washing (actually I lie, its like one pile as I stayed with a friends parents, so we had a washing machine and 35 degree heat to sort us out for two weeks) and then sort my work diary for the next few months. 

This trip to France was a gorgeous one, made solely with the purpose of visiting a very old close friend and her little boy, who’s friendship has lasted across sea and time. As her house couldn’t fit all my five thousand, her parents Kindly allowed us to stay in their house. A typically beautiful French town house, four floors including a wine cellar, dating back to 1722. The kids of course loved it and spent lots of time roaming the house and playing hide and seek. 

We had two evenings out (minus the kids!), courtesy of our eighteen year old, the food and drink in Orleans is incredible. And they have a fab mojito bar too! I usually make a point of visiting at least three Chateaux’s, but this time we missed that, instead spending days having picnics, roaming the old town and river banks, mainly playing in the towns brilliant water fountain in the main square.

My luck is two fold as my friends brother is a sommelier, and although he runs an incredible wine touring company he also now has taken over a Cave, Caves Duhard in Amboise. Steven and I were incredibly lucky to be given a wine tasting experience. We loved the wine so much Steven bought a vintage from the year I was born as an early birthday present and one from the year we married. Watch this space for a mini review on it at the end of August for my 35th birthday! (we didn’t get Steve a bottle for his year of birth as that year there was heavy rain and the grapes were crap hahaha!)

We also had a cheeky trip to Paris. I am not going to lie it was a nightmare, but great in hindsight for the kids to see some stuff. I completely forgot I had bought tickets to Musee d’Orsay and we spent the majority of the day walking along the Seine taking in the sites and hearing non stop whinging about how tired and hot the kids were – from our fifteen and eighteen year old! We then had a boat trip (Batobus) back along the Seine to the pre-paid car parking (we used Parclick – they are fab! we parked literally underneath Notre-dame!!). All followed by a beautiful meal at L’Esmerelda, a block along from Notre-dame. 

Anyway, that all aside I forgot my usual holiday camera and so here are a few snaps I took on my phone…

Until next time, au revoir.

A. x

Today I delivered an American baseball themed cake for Davids birthday at the request of his lovely wife, Sara. I loved this one as it was a stack of jerseys and I have wanted to do a “stack of shirts” cake for ages now!

I also finished a magic themed cake for little Elliot, who is now 6. Elliot goes to school with my little Phoebe and is a good friend to her. As we leave for our holidays today we will miss his party (again!) this year so apologies for that Elliot!!

Thank you to all the people who have ordered from me so fast this year and in years previously. Without you I literally wouldn’t have any business! 

Thank you also to my friends who have tirelessly listened to me whinging about my orders, my late nights and my household issue. Without you I wouldn’t have made it through. Thank you.

Hubby is shouting at me to help pack, or at least start. I am going to go and make a cup of tea and then pack everything in sight, including stuff that they probably won’t wear, then get to France and realise I have packed too much.

See you on the flip-side guys. 

Lots of love always,

Autumn. x