A Very Autumn Outfit, and A PieCake

Today’s the day of my bridal shower. So many of the things that happen for weddings in the States are not a part of it in England, but we are taking the traditions we like and ditching the others. I’m so excited to spend time in Central London, and we’ve incorporated English tradition in having afternoon tea.

I wanted to dress up. The weather is complete crap outside, but my outfit is warm and autumn-ready.

I haven’t made a post about clothes in a very long time. This was the last one, I believe. In May. A lot has happened since then. I will marry my sweetheart in 18 days time. I’m a fiancée now. I gained and lost and redistributed my weight. I sleep a lot less these days. Oh yeah, and I’m a Master of Arts.

My job at the bar doesn’t lend itself kindly to being fashionable. I live in my work shirts, cotton tees, and skirts that I don’t care about getting cellar gunk or used ketchup on. I wear the same shoes almost every day, and I’m working on growing my hair out.

This is how I wear my hair every single day now. Especially when It’s raining, it’s just the best thing. I can keep it up and let it dry without heat, and once it finally dries ten days later (humidity? what’s that?) I have pretty natural curls. If I ever get to let it down.

I recently (as in about two months ago) got some new cartilage piercings on my left ear. I got them the day after I took the Cicerone’s first level exam, and a week after my MA dissertation was due. They are right near each other, just like those two events. And no, I’m not removing my piercings for my wedding.

I want to get back into posting daily, about clothes and consignment and travel. There may be a new adventure on the horizon, even beyond the adventure that will be starting a marriage. I’m excited to find new places and my list will just keep growing.

Outfit

• Turtleneck: Nordstrom Rack, Broomfield, Colorado (2008) 
• Tights: Nordstrom Rack, Boulder, Colorado (2013) 
• Skirt: Consignment at Traid in London (2014) 
• Necklace: Spitalfields Market, London (2013) 
• Earrings: This Etsy Shop (2012) and various piercings shops around the world including Cold Steel in London 
• Boots: Consignment at Common Threads, Boulder, Colorado (2011) 

I also made a Pumpkin PieCake today! It’s not a pie, and it’s not a cake. It’s delicious. And it’s pumpkin. Finally. The outside crust is more like a cake, but the inner texture is much more like a pie. I’m thinking of making this again for Thanksgiving.

Recipe at the bottom of the post.

Recipe for Pumpkin PieCake

Ingredients 

• 1 half a smallish roasted pumpkin (roast on VERY low temperature for about four-five hours) 
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour (or flour + baking soda) 
• 2 eggs
• Pumpkin pie spice, or at the very least nutmeg 
• 3 Tablespoons of whole milk 
• A dash of water (if needed) 
• 2 Tablespoons of olive oil 

1. Preheat the oven to around 200C (~400F). Scoop the pumpkin out of the skin and mash it well with a fork. You want a near-puree texture. Add the milk and continue stirring until the mixture is mostly smooth. 
2. Add the sugar and spices. Continue stirring. 
3. Add the eggs and stir in. Add the oil at this time, too (I forgot and it didn’t really matter, but it’s probably better done here).
4. Add the flour, making sure that the dough does not become bally or chunky. A smooth batter is what you’re going for. 
5. Grease a circular sandwich tin or baking pan with olive oil. Pour the batter into the pan and distribute it evenly. 
6. Make certain you have a ‘catch tray’ in the oven below the cake pan, in case my imprecise recipe causes boil-over. Put the PieCake into the oven and bake for around 40 minutes, or until it is fragrant and toasted on top.