Adventures at Kitty's Cottage

Carli's Kitschen

Sorry, sorry sorry! I have been away busying myself every day in the shop, changing things around as I can't seem to sit still. I appear to have an alien in my tummy who desperately wants to get out through my belly button! Despite have 2-3 hours sleep every night, I am running on max energy and can't seem to slow down. I have a million ideas buzzing around my head and I put a new business idea into action:

I want to combine my love of shabby chic with all things sweet and naughty. Have you ever passed a shop window and actually gasped at what you have seen? I have been known to visit the same shop over and over to just stare at the thing I covet but can't afford (Usually Cath Kidston!) And it has been my favourite thing when someone has bought it for me. ( My sister bought me the charcoal Cath Kidston carpet bag for Christmas, and although the clasp broke, I can't take it back as they don't have anymore! ) Anyway, I digress..
I was talking about gasping at shop windows. I have a vision of my shop window filled with yummy cakes that all look like they are straight out of a 1950's fairytale. Not only do I want them to look good, I want them to taste so divine that you can't just have one. You have to have one a week. Therefore I am perfecting the perfect cake. Making my own sugar syrup and soaking the rested sponge until wonderfully moist and then filling it with the lightest butter cream.

I don't actually feel too proud of these as I copied them from another amazing cake-maker. They took me 3 evenings to make- one for the baking, one for the soaking and wrapping, then another for the icing. I only physically managed 11 cakes in total, but the amount of cake I had left over after cutting out all the shapes is stupid. we'll be eating it until next easter!

I love these little wedding cakes. I used completely organic produce in every process, so it all became a little more expensive, but you can really taste the difference. I haven't eaten a finished one yet- my mum and dad are coming round later so I want to taste one then. Hopefully, this will be my new challenge as I fell in love with them as i was making them! How wonderful to have a career that you are in love with!

yum yum! p.s. I think it's a pregnancy thing!!!!!!

Thank you, Angels xxx

Here is my little baby! I'm so excited that we have made contact- she kicks me all day long and I tell her stories and sing songs to her. I say it's a girl- I just have that feeling but we are going for a sexing scan in a few weeks. My sister has spent her life savings on a whole girly wardrobe so this baby better not have a winkle. For those of you who are confused at scan pictures,  She is on her back with her eye open and her dinky nose pointing uwards. There is a rather large hand with all her fingers just about to go into her mouth and that black spot in her rather large belly is her bladder. She needed a wee!
Oh, Betsy, I can't wait to meet you! and look what I've got on your list ready and waiting for you!
Love Mummy xxx

What's going on in there?

I'll tell you what- there's a very active little kitten running round and around in circles and using my diaphragm as a trampoline. I had1 hour sleep last night. 1.
So this morning has consisted of me laying on the sofa trying to get a bit of shut-eye in order to do the things I need to do, but she has decided she doesn't want to sleep. I wouldn't say my baby kicks- she stamps.
Therefore all my Monday Items have been adjourned until I can see more clearly. I had wanted to get on with my sewing. I'm going in for a new venture which I started on Saturday. It is a range designed to co-ordinate between mother and baby, but I only managed the baby part:

It's a flowergirl pinafore, which will have a matching underskirt. This is just a sample.

Unfortunately, I found out yesterday that this fabric has been discontinued! Anyone out there know how to get your own fabric printed?

Have yourself a merry little Christmas...

Oh. My. Gosh.
I have "invented" Christmas in a cup!

Well, I say invented, more put together some amazing ingredients, and it's probably been done before, and I admit it doesn't look very Christmassy, but it tastes.... oh, it tastes....

Basically, it is a gingerbread float, and as I am off the alcohol for the festive season I am trying to come up with interesting drinks that only I can have and everybody gets jealous of.

Oh Lord, it looks so scrummy, I can still taste it!
Right- here's how to make it....

make up a cafetiere of coffee
Whip some double cream until doubled in size and light & fluffy (do not overwhip)
Pour an inch of Gingerbread syrup (I bought mine from Starbucks) into the bottom of a sundae glass
Pour on the coffee, leaving an inch at the top & stir
dollop lashings of cream over
sit back with Nigella Express on the telly (Or somesuch)
Go cross-eyed as the velvety sweetness slips down your throat and you are immediately transported to  Christmas Heaven.
repeat.
Woof.

Come a new era...

Hello everyone. This is me waving at you all from my mummy's tummy. She's the lady who hasn't kept up her blog for ages because I've been making her very sick and tired. My mummy thought I was 12weeks and 4 days but I am actually 13+1 and due on 26th May which is my Grandad's birthday! I measure 70mm from my head to my bum and I dance and kick and punch and wave and open my mouth a lot! I hope you all understand why my mummy hasn't written for ages now! she's busy in the shop and needs to get her finger out and put more stuff on the website if I want that vintage Silver Cross Pram I've been thinking about...

As you can see here, I'm waving my arms so fast they have gone blurry. Silly mummy was crying so much at the scan because she thought she wouldn't be able to see me. I had a big sister or brother this time last year but they decided they didn't want to stay around. Any ideas on what my mum and dad should call me?

I'm going to sleep now because I've been up all night worrying with mummy. she's really tired and deserves a sleep but daddy is up on his "bloody computer" again and won't look after the shop, even though mummy has dropped about 12 hints.

Night Night xxx

Christmas has landed!

Well, that didn't work- I tried to start my own blog on my website, but I'm sorry, I prefer the old-fashioned blogging way here. So, after an absence of what seems like months I am back with some nice pictures of the sort of thing I am stocking in my shop for Christmas.

I have started with my lovely gingerbread angels. They look good enough to eat, even though they are fine fur finished with tiny beads! £3.50 each

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a snowglobe, and this one plays "Wish you a merry Christmas". It sits on a lovely stand lined with tiny gorgeous cakes! 24.99


No, I haven't been baking! These are tiny Christmas tree ornaments! So good though- I could actually eat them all up! £3.50 each

"You've got to help me, Obi Wan, You're my only hope" HAHAHAHA i went to a fancy dress party with Gary last night dressed as every man's fantasy, except that when i got there they all wanted to know if I had that sexy bikini on underneath. NO WAY. maybe next year when I have lost 16 stone! Gary went as Yoda. I had to hold his hand crossing the road and it took ages as he insisted on waddling like the puppet himself. We went to Tescos and Gary did a bit of Jedi Shopping. More pictures to follow! ( He hasn't got his Yoda head and gloves on in this photo..... no, really, he hasn't...

Goodbye Typepad- hello kitty's cottage!

Well, the time has come for me to stop pending money on typepad and go it alone. it has been a wonderful relationship and I have loved adding my christmas wish list and other photo albums (which i never updated!) but I have a new blog on my website www.kittyscottage.co.uk where you can subscribe to the link and still be updated with all my news. I hope you have enjoyed what was the start of my new venture in shopkeeping. My life has changed, and I must move with the times, so this will be the last post on this blog. I shall leave it up and running so that you can all see where to go in the future, and please add my website to your favourites! I have some amazing Christmas stock coming in and it would be grand if you could support your little friend when you need to buy a gift or something to spoil yourself!
Best wishes to you all and I'll see you over at
www.kittyscottage.co.uk
Adieu, you lovely things!!! xxx

Oh my husband!

Well, I heard a little kerfuffle this morning whilst sitting in my shop and when I went "Backstage" This is what I saw! He's been a right busy bee and now he's on his way to Frinton to do all my postage! What a diamond!




I think this might have something to do with a little secret I told him last thursday... Anyway, what have I been doing today? Well, my Ebay store has picked up and I've sold a lot on there this morning! It's all very exciting as my website is having an overhaul and it's all going crazy! I'm so glad I chose to give up acting for a while- I couldn't have coped with all the extra stress right now. I have a lovely friend coming in a minute with all her vintage purses that she will be selling in my shop and I can't wait! Even though the weather was awful this morning, it has been one of my best mornings all month and now the sun's out i feel grand!
Must go now- I'm advertising for extra help! Ooh, get me HAHAHAHAHA
xx

Thank you, my friend xx

Yes, ladies, as you can see, a little pin box has disappeared from my christmas wish list and landed in my hand, all thanks to my special friend Sarah who is champion of all things shabby chic and food related. I love her blog for the fabulous pictures of the simple, homely yummy food. I was feeling down at the beginning of the week so she sent me this gorgeous box and now I can't stop pinning things. Thank you, special friend!

I was just sitting here thinking back to 5 years ago. I was in Richmond and there was a delightful shop called Papillon Rose which sold a whole load of Cath Kidston and other shabby chic beauties. The lady behind the counter was listening to Nora Jones whilst chatting away on the phone. She seemed so blase about sitting in such a heavenly shop, and i so dreamed of being her. That's ll I wanted to do from that moment on. Well, just five minutes ago I caught myself sitting behind my counter, Nora Jones' velvet tones filling the room and I gazed at all the gorgeous things that fill my shop. I can see why it is now some people's favourite shop now. I told a customer yesterday that if I want something beautiful, I just come into the shop and take it. It's like shoplifting with a conscience!

I hope to get some free time this afternoon though. It would be nice to pop down to the beach for half an hour and get some fresh air.

New look website!

Dear readers, I am currently having a new look designed for the shop, website, business cards etc and am adding new and exciting products to the site! What do you think?

You'll have to log onto the site www.kittyscottage.co.uk to see the new colours, I think they're grand...