Holywood Sparkle: Can I lick the bowl??

Ola!

So recently I've had a fair amount of time on my hands and I've discovered a bit of a love for baking. - I say discovered it's more a re-discovery.

As a child I like many would visit my grandma and grandad's house and bake! I'd bake all day long if I could but there's only so much licking if the bowl I can do!

So back in November 2014 I took a 6 week Christmas cake decorating course. I booked the course as a bit of an escape once a week for a few hours from a hectic job I'd started.

So Every Wednesday I'd travel to my old high school with my bag of baking utensils pretending I was on Great British Bake Off and being taught by the one and only Mary Berry.

By the end the 6 weeks the aim was to have successfully decorated one large Christmas cake and three little Christmas cakes all festive themed. I also planned to have a giggle along the way.

DAY 1

I was a bit nervous attending my first day of class as it was being held at my old high school and I'd not been back there since the day I picked up my GCSE results and I've never had the intention of going back so there was a little bit inside me that felt as though I was starting school all over again.

Luckily there was another lady who started on the same day and we basically stuck together throughout the course, the 'newbies' we called ourselves and that kinda stuck.

Not only did I feel nervous about heading back to my old high school and the feelings most people get when starting something new, the nerves, the butterflies, the thoughts - Will anybody speak to me? Will I be any good? I was hoping that id not have a repeat of a situation I faced some 11 months previously...

Back in January 2014 I had booked to attend a cake decorating course. I booked this during my time off work recovering from a major shoulder operation and thought once I'd healed this would be something fun and exciting to get my teeth stuck into. How wrong was I!!!!

The first day of the class coincidently coincided with my first day back to work after 6 months off recovering. ( I didn't know it would be my first day back at the time of booking) I just about got through my first day back and thought if I can get through that then I'm good to attend class and as it was my first week I did think it couldn't be a that. We'd not be getting physical the first day.....would we?!

My first day involved NEEDING icing!! This was not good news to somebody who's shoulder was starting to feel fragile again after day one back at work.

At the time of booking the course I had no idea how fragile I'd still be some 6 months later.

It was only once I tried to need was I aware I was a fragile mess. I was holding back the tears. I was totally and utterly worn out. My body just couldn't do it, I had no energy and just wanted my bed.

I battled through and week one was over. Week two didn't arrive. That's right I didn't go back!

I was so upset that the one thing keeping me going through my recovery was the chance to bake at the end and unfortunately it was still a little too soon for me to be the next Mary Berry that I had to stop attending the class after week one.

Fast forward 11 months and I'm hoping that the same situation doesn't repeat itself. Luckily for me I was good to go.

I really enjoyed this class it was good fun, lots of tips and tricks learnt and I had a giggle which is always a plus!

There were times when the 'newbies' couldn't keep up as most people in the class are baking class regulars and they steamed ahead and had practically finished their cakes after a few hours ha ha but we ploughed on after 6 wonderful weeks I completed the task. 4 Christmas cake expertly decorated by yours truly!

What do you think??