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Venus by Maria Tash

Shop

I know top ear piercings have had a bit of a renaissance of late. I had mine done when I was at school, shockingly that means I have had it for 8 years now. Which has given me quite a lot of time to work out which earrings work best. Normally I like to wear a small diamond stud (like here), I also have a couple of antique studs that look like insects which I think is a really cute idea. The other option I always wanted was a diamond hoop, but I could never find one small enough to pretty.

Maria Tash

When I heard about Maria Tash I just wanted everything.

This jewellery brand specialises in jewellery for unusual places and piercings. The choices for top ear, nose and navel are endless.

If you can go in to the store, do! The staff are so helpful and will be able to make sure you get the perfect fit (they do loads of sizes in each design).

Last time I visited I picked up this white gold hoop (which you can see me wearing in the photo) and the rose gold chain hoop.

Photos by Kit Lee , Peter Navey

Fashion

Under Yellow Trees

Editorials • On Location • Outfits

When I was a child I loved Disney movies (I still love to watch them when I’m sick in bed). I loved the scene in Beauty and the Beast when she sits on the floor in her gown and it makes a perfect circle around her. I would spend ages in the garden trying to make my dress to do the same, imagining I was her. So this is my homage to that! A little gown up Disney.

Pink Dress Vintage

White Tulle Skirt Yohji Yamamoto

Watch Rolex

Photos by Kit Lee

Food

Strawberry Ruffle Cake

Baking • Sweet

This is my idea of the perfect summer celebration cake. It’s so pretty, perfect for tea or as a pudding and a real crowd pleaser. I actually made this one for my lovely photographer Kit’s birthday!

If you’re making it for children just miss out the Fraise des Bois stage, you could a tbsp of hot water to some strawberry jam and paint that on instead!

If you’re in a rush miss out the crystallised blueberries and just cover with strawberries and dust with icing sugar for an equally great effect.

1

Bake

Preheat the oven to 180ºC .
Grease and line two cake tins (20cm is perfect).
Place the butter in a mixer with the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. See my before and after of the colour change you will be looking for in the mix.
Then add the eggs one at a time beating them into the mix, followed by the sifted flour and baking powder, beat until well combined.
Divide into the cake tins evenly and level out the mix.
Bake for about 25mins or until the top is well risen and golden and the cake springs back to a light press.
Place the cakes on cooling racks and brush the tops and sides with half the Fraise des Bois, then allow to cool.

2

Build the Cake

Sift the icing sugar into the cream in a large mixing bowl and then add the vanilla.
Whisk until you have soft peaks, then rest it for a minute or two (cream continues to stiffen after you stopped whisking and the last thing you want is yucky over beaten cream – when it starts to separate).
Prepare your cakes for decorating, slice each in half and then paint each middle with the remaining half of Fraise des Bois.
Check on the cream, if it is still a bit loose whisk it slowly till you get nice formed but not stiff peaks.
Layer the cake, cream and fruit in this order… cake, cream, strawberries, then repeat all the way to the top. Only use the middle flat sliced of strawberries in the layers before the top or you will get too much wobble!
On the top, after the cream it can be pretty to sift some icing sugar down the edges of the cake, then I like use the side edges of the strawberries to make a border and then fill the centre with my crystallised blueberries.

Photos by Kit Lee