In the kitchen making.... Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

Tonight's little creation ... Hummingbird Bakery's Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes.  I tested one out ..... deeeelish!

Now we are one...

Tomorrow marks one year since BasilBe, this little blog-ette, came into the world.  Really it has been more to me than just a blog - it has (as twee as this might sound) been at my side as I've figured a few things out about myself.

See, when I started opening my heart here, I was pretty lost.  (That whole sorry tale is here).  No, actually I was clear on what I didn't want, but I wasn't quite sure what to do about the things I did want, love and dream of.  In opening up a blank post most days and writing what was bubbling under the surface, maybe even bursting to get out, I began to make sense of my passions and desires, the things that make me light up inside ... and I started to dream of a time when my life would be full of these things.  And then I couldn't ignore it....

What was a vague inclination to do something to help people (how vague!), steadily became startling clarity on how I might just do that.  First and foremost for me it's my family - this I knew all along.  The bit I didn't know was how to pull together my little melting-pot of skills and experience together into something purposeful!  (You can see what I've done about this here).  And the next step is actually in putting myself out there - watch this space....

So, to my cherished little space, happy birthday .... and a HUGE thank you to those of you have shared this precious time with me

Emma x

Image: One

Letting you in on a moment that took my breath away.... ssshh!

Do you ever have those little moments that unexpectedly take your breath away?  They're a rarity for me - as hard as I try, I find it difficult not to mentally fast-forward to what's next.  (Must try harder!)  But one of those moments snook up on me over the weekend, caught me off guard and I was a gonner....


The back-story is Hubs and I have just marked our 6-month wedding anniversary.  It has gone by in a blink.  I can still hear the pianist playing as our chatty little gathering took their seats for dinner.  I can still smell my bouquet and the umpteen layers of nail polish my sister had lovingly applied to my toes.  I can still feel the swell of emotion, the peaceful happiness, I felt during the church service.  If I close my eyes I'm there.  But, really we're six months on.  Six months of sharing the real times, good and bad (the bad being when I lose it on discovering yet another one of Jack's infamous piles of stuff 'tidied'!).  So much has changed and nothing has changed at all.


And there we were, six months to the day and the day itself couldn't have been less romantic.  A day at work followed by an impromptu trip to the hospital (all ok).  But then....


I was going about my usual busy-ness at home and was taken by the hand, led into the living room and Crazy Love, our song, began to play.  Our first dance re-created.  But something felt different, physically different.  Noticeably between us was my baby bump, safely nestled between us as we swayed to the melodic Buble ... and man down! In a split-second I felt ridiculously lucky, reminiscent and full-up with love for this man and our baby.


Trust me, I didn't share this with Jack - he's still blissfully unaware of this impact his romantic little gesture had.  Don't ask me why but for an old romantic I'm not good at the mushy stuff.  So, as soon as the moment washed over me, I was back.  And onto the next .....

{Weekend digest} Links to linger over

One: Look out for the Red Ball Project in a town near you ...
Two: A Champagne Train?  Now that's my idea of public transport!
Three: Simple elegance as Chanel does best.
Four: Words worth repeating via the lovely Anamu, a truly charming lady I met here.
Five: I fancy me some baking time and these Easter-inspired cupcakes might be just the ticket.


Have a great weekend x


Image via Anamu

Inspiration with... Claire Mischevani

A mere five days before I got married, my sister and I went to the British Bridal Exhibition and we both fell in love!  Beautiful, hand-sewn, embellished belts caught our eye, swiftly followed by the truly elegant bridal designs of Claire Mischevani.  In a word, breath-taking.  But the real clincher for us was meeting Claire herself - clearly talented, as well as one of the warmest and most inspirational entrepreneurs either of us had come across.  We were both touched and inspired by her story and so wanted to share it with you....  And for the bride-to-be, a visit to the gallery at ClaireMischevani.com is highly recommended!

Tell us a little about you/your enterprise/your mission...
I am Claire Mischevani, a British Fashion Designer who has been designing for 10 years. I have my head office in Shrewsbury, Shropshire and a showroom a few minutes from Sloane Square in London.  I design bespoke garments for private clients, including celebrities and I have stockists for both my wedding dress and fashion collections.

What is your vision of your best life? 
Just to get the perfect work/life balance, as it can be difficult when running a thriving business.  I am so happy that the business has grown so much, but I wish that I could spend more time with my family and friends.

Can you tell us about some of the challenges/obstacles/fears you've faced and how you've tackled them?  
In the beginning I was faced with all sorts of obstacles, mainly stemming from lack of experience. I also found it difficult to find skilled workers, which is key to a business such as mine. I have always learnt valuable lessons from facing challenges directly and not shying away from them, it makes you a stronger business woman. You just have to learn from your mistakes.

Have you ever thought you had everything planned, only for life to show you an alternative?  
Yes, this happens all the time, but I believe that things happen for a reason and you just have to deal with what life throws at you in the most positive way possible. I have always found that if ever I go against my instincts/gut reaction then things tend to go wrong!

Has there been a 'defining moment' that has changed your life/your view of life?  What has been the nudge in the right direction for you?  
My nudge was when I was working as a lawyer and not enjoying it.  My Grandmother passed away and it just made me realise that life was too short to be unhappy at work, so a couple of days later I handed in my notice and left.  I have never spent a minute regretting my decision and that was 10 years ago and I still absolutely stand my decision to leave my job and felt it was the best decision I could ever have made!

If you were to look back and offer advice to yourself, what 3 pearls of wisdom would you share? 
1. Always go with your instinct.  2. Take advice from people who have been in your line of business. 3. If things go wrong, do not give up.  Dust yourself off and do it better next time.

What book, piece of music, blog, quote or person inspires you the most? 
I take inspiration from so many different forms of media including films and magazines, that I could not name one in particular - I find new inspirations every day.