FOOD// Bento Box Cakes

Who knew that making simple sponge cakes and portioning them into takeaway tubs would be quite so sensational but it seems the world of Instagram said it should be so and I am really thankful that so many people loved the idea of preparing cakes this way.

I actually made these Bento Box Cakes as I was off to friends and we were going to be outside so I thought just having a portion already made and in a disposable box would be a really easy way to bring something to the table. I had no idea that they were going to look quite so cute and actually prove to be a really practical way to bake cakes and take them with you on trips out.

What makes them so easy is that you bake them and take them in the same tin (which can be recycled too) which means no washing up, no finding matching Tupperware bases and lids and no mess.

What you will need to make your own Bento Box Cakes:

A pack of foil take away boxes (available from most supermarkets in the household aisle).

Cake mix

Frosting and toppings of your choice.

For the cake, you could probably do anything. I can't think of anything that wouldn't work. The idea being that you make your mix and just split it into the foil trays. For these cakes I actually did a funfetti cake topped with Betty Crockers vanilla icing (the best) and sprinkles.

I poured a standard mixture into four trays but I think I could certainly make 5 and just have a bit less mixture in as they rose really well. 

In my oven they cooked beautifully so when they were done I just left them to cool before decorating with frosting and sprinkles.

With the takeaway sets you get the classic cardboard lids which just fit on my cakes, but meant that they became transportable and mess free. They also became storable and if I wanted to I could have not decorated them all and put a couple in the freezer for when you need quick cakes!

These Bento Box cakes are a great little thing and something that simply just looks too darn cute. 

*The idea was inspired by a mix of content I have seen over Instagram and Pinterest so I thought I would share my version.

MIND// Let The SUNSHINE In

I have never been a sun worshipper, but as I have gotten older I have really begun to connect with its healing power and yearn for its presence. The thing is, living in the light is transformative. Living in an understanding of the sun always being there above your day will change how you live. 

Light has always been the greatest source of energy. We get comfort from it. In the darkest space, when we see that tiny flicker of light, we find hope. We find a hope that there IS something there. Something that can be with us and something that makes us not feel alone. 

The thing is with the sun, even on the cloudy days he is still above us. He is there to restore the world's surface, to warm, to help grow, to give sight. Even when we have a complete feeling of emptiness and distress, he is there shining down giving you the ability to see. 

We might not have the luxury of feeling it everyday but we live in the knowledge that it is there. The days we can feel it though, when we can walk outside, sit by a window, cover our eyes because it is so bright; those days are the ones when we can show our presence, show our gratitude, be out in its glory and we are really living.

More recently I am believing that connecting with the present day really makes you appreciate the moments that pass by. Spending just a few minutes to reconnect with your thoughts rather than be on the train with the average 6,200 thoughts we have a day just helps to realign what we are doing. Diving into your day with good intentions to get through the busyness in the best way possible is a great start. Living in hope that the day may just be good is always a good place to be on a morning but having this mindset and coupling it with a great appreciation for something simple that you have everyday, like the light and warmth of the sun will manifest into a true love of stopping and connecting with the world.

HOME INTERIORS // New Poster Prints with the Poster Store (& Discount Code) AD

 This post is in association with Poster Store

It's amazing how the smallest of changes to the home can have a big impact. This last week I received an order from Poster Store, a beautiful online print house who have Scandinavian design at their centre and who produce fabulous prints to bring Joy to any home. I was so impressed with the style of prints  available. Their poster selection and collection pieces are truly beautiful and with new prints arriving every week it's hard not to find something you won't love.

Poster Store offered prompt delivery and when opened I found the paper and print quality were second to none. This is because quality really matters to Poster Store, they use wood for for their paper from responsibly managed forests and focus energy into Printing in Stockholm and transporting the best way possible. 

 I quite literally couldn't wait to frame up my posters and dot them around our living space. As soon as they arrived I started playing with my new wall art, adding a touch of Scandinavian style to our home.

Poster Store has lots of prints which really resonate with my styling. These days my decor nods to clean lines, simple structures and all with a real minimalist effect. I just find that in our small house it has always been important to focus on flow and how each room (as there are so few) should quite literally flow into the other. Our space is open and all white downstairs so it has become a really important feature in decorating that I keep the whole space feeling like the same space so that you never really realise you only have just this one area downstairs. From the front door to the back I have spent time creating flow, making sure your eyes rest in the bright light of the living area but tricking you into seeing familiarity from the shelves at the stairs to the shelves in the kitchen and now to this room. 

My key component in that is making sure I accessorise in the same way the whole way through, and that is why when print shopping for the house I really try to consider how I can make it all match in colour, textures and styles. Luckily, the Poster Store offer me the perfect solution having already established a wonderful collection of art work that all flows together. 

As you can see from my pictures, above the fireplace now has a fresh new pair of prints, a set which I love as thew flow together, the Ribbon No. 1 and 2 fit perfectly together above our dining table.

On the shelves I have opted for more images, keeping all print choices either black, white or beige. I feel that with how I already style this space these prints have only added a wonderful sense of uniformity but also movement in their brush stroke lines and prints.

The flow of the space is still connected, from downstairs to our bedrooms, I find ways to individualise space but make sure that there is always some running theme that keeps each room in the house connected and makes this house our home. 

Want 35% Off? Use Code BRICKDUSTANDGLITTER35

****- 35 % on all posters (except Selection Posters and frames) 

- Not combinable with other discount campaigns. ****

My Prints Shopping List:

Ribbon No.1

Ribbon No.2 

Large Brush Strokes 

Small Single Brush Stroke

Curves

Curves

Abstract Silhouette

The Earth Has Music

MIND // 10 Ways to boost Self Esteem

"Confidence in one's own worth and abilities". 

Self esteem can be so hard to have and easy to lose. The simplest of actions can help us grow in stature but can also tear us down. I know from my own experience the pain of losing any self belief and I felt it was the right time to share a few tips to help you build Self confidence if you are finding yourself in a bit of a slump.

The thing is we can go through seasons in our lives when we just cannot see our value. It sounds quite sinister but it is meant in sincerity. We all have patches of self doubt and a lack in confidence or belief in ability. It does happen and having had a global pandemic the last year we really have to focus on rebuilding lives we once had. With all the change maybe we have changed and I think now is a great time to just focus on you and find ways to help yourself rebuild.

With that in mind I just wanted to share a few ways to help you boost your confidence. 

1. Smile at someone everyday. 

2. Accept who you are, flaws and all.

3. Think on your positive qualities, write them down and stick them to the bathroom mirror so you can remind yourself everyday of how good you are.

4. Value your achievements, even the tiny ones. Make sure you keep celebrating all the little wins.

5. Know that you are valued and capable. 

6. Read positive affirmations

7. Learn to accept compliments

8. Dance

9. Avoid negative self talk

10. Believe you can

If you feel that these have helped you realign your thoughts, why not share this post with your friends?