God, I'm crap..

I can't believe I haven't updated in so long. I'm terrible! Right, I'm turning over a new leaf (well blog wise anyway).

The first thing I need to update about is Alex's fabulous exhibition on at exposure gallery which is on now until the 30th of July. It features old favourites as well as new theme park themed creations. His beautiful illustrations look like they should be in the sort of  fairytale storybook that would have both scared and confused you as a child.  I provided themed cupcakes at the private view decorated with his illustrated characters, pastel candy letters, silver buttons, white chocolate skulls and a LOT of gold glitter. It was quite lovely walking around the private view seeing people with gold glitter on their faces and knowing they'd scoffed a cake.

The flavours were vanilla sponge with fresh blackcurrants, lemon drizzle and vanilla icing in the silver cases. In the gold cases there was vanilla sponge with a homemade spiced plum jam center and orange frosting. The blackcurrants and the plums were handpicked from Jamie's parents garden in Cambridge and always taste better than shop bought fruit. 

Alex has been lovely enough to design my fantastic new website that I'm a bit in love with. Check it out: www.cristalina.co.uk
The picture of me in a tea cup, at least I like to think it's me (although my legs will never be that skinny) is in the exhibition at the moment. You can see Alex's work and contact him here: www.alexander6.com

 

vintage floral teaplates

If you're going to go to the trouble of making lovely little homemade cakes I think you may as well do it properly and serve them on pretty little floral china plates. I love collecting tea plates, especially from the 40s and 50s. They remind me of drinking tea and eating bakewell tart at my Gran's house in Sussex.

I've got some new sets of sweet little vintage plates for sale on my site cristalina.bigcartel.com 

Set of 3 "Crown Royal" bone china English tea plates -  £6

 

Set of 5 Czech china tea plates - £12 

  

  

Set of 4 "Royal Grafton" English bone china tea plates - £10  

Cupcakes

I seem to be getting more and more requests for cupcakes at the moment. It's funny how these little cakes can make people so happy! The above are vanilla and raspberry sponge with vanilla frosting. The bottom photos are a Valentines commission that did last week, they are red velvet with cream cheese frosting topped with either heart shaped marshmallows or love hearts. I make them to order so get in touch if you need a batch!

Valentines cupcakes (excuse the poor photos but it was dark by the time I finished them):

New shop open!!

After seeing Alexander6's lovely new shop, it inspired me to open a new shop also hosted by big cartel . Although I love etsy, it can put off buyers from the UK because everything has to be listed in dollars which can get confusing so everything now is in UK pounds. Also, you don't have to have a paypal account to buy from the new shop. So here it is:

Cristalina - Vintage Treats

There will be lots of new treats appearing at the above link in the next couple of weeks, hooraaay!

Holga 1

Last summer I went to beautiful sunny Cornwall and took my shiny new holga camera with me. Here are some examples of my first attempt. I chose to put these online today because it's so grey and miserable outside and we could do with a reminder of what's in store later in the year (fingers crossed!).

They were taken along the coast near St Ives, if you haven't been, go - it's so lovely around there.

 

 

 

 

 

vintage handbags

Happy New Year!! I thought I'd start the year with a quick reminder of what I have for sale on my online shop. I'm about to put up lots of new stuff - I will keep you posted!

I currently have a whole load of vintage handbags for sale dating from the early 1940s to the 1970s on my etsy shop: CristalinaIC. Below are the kind of things I have available for sale with the prices in UK sterling, my etsy shop prices are in dollars which confuses a lot of people! Prices don't include postage. If you're interested in anything I have for sale and do not have an etsy account please contact me.

Vintage 1960s english soft purple leather handbag with gold frame - £20

Very sweet little 1960s handbag made from super soft purple leather with a gold frame and clasp. Made by Jane Shilton in England. Excellent condition apart from slight scuffing on the two bottom corners at the back of the bag (see photo). Black lining with inside pocket.
170mm tall
210mm at widest point
185mm between the top of the bag and the top of the handle
70mm deep at widest point

 

1940s leather evening clutch bag - £15

Lovely old clutch bag. Perfect size for your bits and pieces when you go out in the evening. Vintage 1940s. Made by MAC in Norwich, England. It has two inner pockets, one with a zip for your valuables.Bag is in good condition with the odd scuffs here and there. Still looks lovely, especially considering it's over 60 years old!
Measures 29cm x 14cm

Gorgeous vintage 1950s black patent leather handbag - £36

1950s black patent leather handbag with tan suede lining. Unusual shaped gold clasp. Stitching detail around the edge of the bag. Made by Bellesco. Comes with original matching coin purse in tan suede. Inside there are 3 pockets - one with a zip. Absolutely fantastic condition, especially considering it's over 50 years old! There is the odd tiny mark in the patent which you can only see if you look really really close.
205mm tall
255 wide at widest point
85mm deep
130mm from top of the bag to top of the handle

 

Baked ham and eggs

Today it is pissing it down with rain and I'm craving something warming and comforting. We don't have much in our fridge and I don't want to venture into the rain to go to the shop. So instead I decide to improvise we what we have and I come up with a ham and egg bake. It's savoury, saucy, comforting.. and cheap!

To make it you will need:

• tin of chopped tomatoes
• a smallish onion, roughly chopped
  
• a stick or two of celery (half of the heart would be even better) chopped fairly
  
• worcestershire sauce
  
• a couple of eggs (4 if you're really hungry)
• a few slices of some nice thick cut ham
• cheddar, lancashire or wensleydale cheese
• loaf of crusty bread

Preheat the oven to gas mark 7/220 celsius. Make a tomato sauce by frying the onions, celery and carrot in olive oil (add a chopped clove of garlic if you fancy it) until they just start to soften. Add the tin of tomatoes and then fill half of the tin with water, add that too. Let the sauce simmer for around 10 mins. Add a splash of worcestershire sauce and season well.
Take a small heatproof bowl and roughly tear up the ham and line the bottom of the dish with the ham. Then place some of the cubed cheese on top of the ham. Top the dish up with the tomato sauce leaving a space of an inch or so at the top. Then crack the egg onto the top of the sauce (two eggs if you're really hungry!).  Place the dish in the oven and leave for about 15-20 minutes (keep an eye on it) until the egg has just cooked.
Serve with crusty bread.