Happy Birthday and Ossie Clark Inspired

We had a birthday house party this weekend, just the four of us (including the two canines). I whipped up a cake in between dropping the birthday recipient to a Rugby game, doing a inordinate amount of housework and receiving three visitors. A colleague at the daily grind said to me late Friday, 'How are you going to find the time to make a birthday cake?'. Usually, I do bake 'from scratch'.

 Well, here's my secret, I fortified existing ingredients, two good quality packet mixes, white cooking chocolate, raspberries, two dog adornments and a can of gasp! genetically modified, corn syrup loaded petal pink pressurised icing.

Heinous, I realise. The icing also had 'soy' in it, also on the GM list on imported foods.

Before

After

The dog, after eating the cake.

One a more sensible note, I took the advice of my lovely e-friend from the gorgeous Etsy store and the Dangerous Liaisons blog, Barbara Lowe, that I should post my new pure wool, felted 70s style floppy hat from

Upittee Boutique, Brisbane, Australia. Barbara used to work as a personal assistant and stylist for

fashion icon Ossie Clark. She was also a stunning model, herself. She wore an amazing Ossie Clark number on her Wedding day, and I'm sure more frocks on many other occasions!
She also finished the bridal look with a light coloured soft, floppy hat.

Now, she makes this amazing vintage style accessory range.

Let's face it,  I've over-accessorised myself to the hilt, to get a bit of a romantic nostalgia vibe alla Ossie Clark.

Make sure you check out Ossie's amazing designs, including the fabrics' prints.

And let's face it, a hat is essential for sun-protection in these harsh climes; it's amazing we don't see more of them.

If you are reading this and you are one of the 'workers', try to do some research into Ossie Clark's career, to help you ideate for our Creative Caftans project. You know who you are!