I haven’t baked anything in a very long time, but I thought having a pretty swanky new kitchen was a good as excuse as any to start again. Plus, like most of my baking endeavours, it was prompted by a rather generous gift from my mother’s allotment that I didn’t want to go to waste… this time in the shape of a kilo of rhubarb!

After making a good size portion of baked spiced rhubard. I was still left with a ton of the stuff, so I started looking around for something different to do and came across this recipe.

It’s very easy to make – I don’t have a blender or even a whisk, but the batter in the recipe came together very quickly. The most time consuming bit really is roasting your rhubard and waiting for it to cool (and trying not to eat it all before it makes it into the cake).

I wish I was one of those bloggers with pretty crockery and a good camera, but alas, I have a total of two plates in my house (hence the necessity to eat chips out of mugs) and I took these on my phone inside because the weather turned. But you hopefully get the gist… it was pretty yummy.

If I was making it again (or if you’re going to make it), I’d drain the rhubarb a bit more thoroughly – it meant more liquid got into the recipe than probably should be there, meaning this resembled more of a sponge pudding at the bottom than a nice dry cake. I also used a smaller, deeper tin, so maybe use less mixture. But still, it tasted pretty special and if it’s a pudding then that’s just another reason to serve it with more custard, is it not?

Happy baking! x

Today is my sister Fiona‘s birthday. Yep, that’s right, the eponymous Fi of Fi & Me

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS!!! Here’s to another of fun year of creativity and building our little handmade business. And cakes, lots of cakes.

Love you! x

This track is over two years old but I only discovered it on Tom Robinson’s 6 Music show a few weeks ago. I’ve had it bouncing round my head ever since.

I thought this folky little track with its jaunty guitar and quirky vocals was perfect for a sunny Monday in spring.

Judy’s is a top-notch vintage fair which travels around the UK’s major cities, displaying lovely, quality vintage wares from local and national sellers at a price that won’t break the bank.

So, you can probably guess that I get pretty excited when the show rolls in to my town.

This time around The Ritz was the venue, a nightclub that was well known in my teenage years for £1 rock nights (and which I haven’t set foot in since). So it was an odd feeling to be queuing up outside waiting to get in at 11am on a Saturday morning (my first time queuing for a vintage event!)

Once I’d paid my £2 entrance fee and got my hand stamped (now I really did feel like I was going clubbing) I was free to begin my search. Oh, I forgot to mention that I’m poor… so, armed with just £20, I thought I’d test just how ‘affordable’ Judy’s really is…

With dozens of stalls, there really is something for everyone. The stock spans 60 years, from the 1920s to the 80s, meaning you can pick up some bargain antiques as well as the more common place vintage fare. Though no antiques on a £20 budget, I’m afraid.

If clothes that your nan might have worn aren’t your thing, there are always plenty of accessories on offer too, from jewels and handbags to shoes and scarves, which are a very affordable way to dress up an outfit in a unique way.

Top tip: Fairs of this size can be overwhelming, making it easy to overspend on impulse buys. I find it handy to go with a clear idea of what I’m looking for – clothing, accessories, patterns or colours. Focus is key, and a budget is always handy too.

And when you’ve done shopping, what better than a nice sit down with a cup of tea and a cake? These were provided by the lovely ladies at the Marvellous Tea Dance Company who dressed up in full 50s regalia to serve you your brew.

So, what did I manage to find for my pennies you may be wondering. Well, I am always looking for interesting prints and this fair did not disappoint.

I got a floral t-shirt from Flock LDN, an amazing coral pink maxi skirt with bows all over it and 3 metres of vintage floral fabric… all for £20. Bargain!

I’d love to hear about your favourite vintage fairs, wherever you are in the world. Let me know in the comments.

Well, the books are now ready to go on tour (across the world, no less). And I’m excited to show you a sneak peek…

It was even so secretive that I, her own sister, hadn’t seen it until the other day. And when I did it brought a tear to my eye. But a good tear, you know, a proud one.

The story is so sweet too, I think it’d make a great kid’s book!

See the story in full on Fi’s illustration blog >

You can find out more about the Sketchbook Project and see which cities the tour will take in here. Our nearest is London, which is the other end of the country, but at least it’s coming to the UK.

Does anyone else think Alex Turner is slowly morphing into Josh Homme?

1. Baz settling into his new home, 2. Pretty tulips in town, 3. Derelict mills = photo opportunities, 4. Double exposure effect in the window at night, 5. Trying to hurry spring along with a pastel dress (with grapes on it!), 6. Setting up my studio, 7. Vintage dresses galore, 8. I’m a sucker for a nice pattern, 9. Boxes, boxes everywhere, 10. Leaky ceiling

I know that Instagram and iPhones are nothing new to a lot of people, but they are to me (10 days and counting) and they’ve already changed the way I communicate and document my life.

Before, blogging was becoming a bit of a chore. Pictures had to be taken on my (not very good) camera, uploaded to my PC, trawled through (cause I always take a gajillion shots and wait to see what they look like larger – well, hello zoom!) and then cropped to size. The sheer amount of faffing involved almost put me off wanting to post.

Now I can literally snap a few photos and blog, tweet, Facebook, etc. all at once, instantly. I am hooked! It’s also pretty useful as, having just moved house, I have no other internet access and I’d have missed these lovely (and useful) posts from around the web:

• How to take better oufit photos – I definitely need to read this!
• Escape the comparison trap
• 15 ways to decorate with books
• The world needs your stuff not more stuff
• Make: Summertime wallet
• Bake: Blackberry crumb cake
• Paint: with these awesome nail stickers.

The first thing to make me smile since le move has been this sweet little pug alphabet that’s been doing the rounds on the net. So I thought I’d spread the joy while I settle in to my new abode…

I just love their fat little bellies and the Edward Gorey-style rhyme that goes with them. You can see it in full and more pug cartoons over on the blog Bah Humpug, where one girl documents her daily life with pugs.

I think this one is my favourite

And it has rained. A lot.

In better news, I got an iPhone! I’m already addicted and ridiculously excited to be blogging from my phone. I’ve even arrived – albeit a little late – to the Instagram party (username fiandme). I’ll be back soon with pictures from our latest fair and, wait for it… my new studio. How exciting!

But for now, some shoes…

It reminds me a bit of Elliot Smith or Ryan Adams… or someone else, I can’t quite think who. What do you think?