AUTUMN GOALS AND CHAI LATTES

I think its possible to say that everybody loves autumn - the 4 months starting from September are my favourite every year. I feel it's definitely acceptable to begin brewing large amounts of mulled wine and chai latte, both drinks I could honestly consume daily.  I thought I would start off autumn with a few goals and also include one of my favourite chai latte recipes from Alessandra over at The Foodie Teen. 

The past month has been a whirlwind and lot's of positive changes have been made. Firstly, my little stationery business, Efflorescent Ink, has been invited to join NotOnTheHighstreet.com which is absolutely amazing! I couldn't quite believe it when I received the invitation and of course I said yes 100 times over! My planners are now live on the site, you can see them by clicking here, I will be launching some new designs very soon which will feature blush pastels, stripes and gold foil!

I feel that I have grown a lot since leaving university, I have been given the time and space to pursue my creative side which had been minimised due to exams, coursework and other university commitments. I loved university, however, I can't help but wish I had pursued a graphic design degree. Never the less, I have been learning so much recently and have been growing my design skills whilst using amazing software such as Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign. I do feel there is a stigma towards the creative career routes, many think they are dead end roads and pursuing a more educational route is better. I wish someone would have told me to go for it in school because following my creative instinct has led me to wonderful opportunities. I feel so much more like myself when I am creating and designing, I love getting an idea and turning into a reality through art and design (although this usually takes place late at night with a cup of coffee and Gilmore Girls on Netflix). 

I have beent thinking of a number of goals I would like to achieve throughout the next few months and will hope to do a post reflecing on them in the New Year. Firstly, I would like to get into more of a routine when posting on my blog. The past few months have equated to little postings on the blog and this has been due to me having no time at all with my business and moving house and all that general life stuff. I have a number of posts ready to be written and so I feel confident that my posting will improve. 

I want to start sharing more cooking/food posts. I cook and bake so much, I also work in my boyfriends coffee shop once a week which as allowed me to develop some pretty latte art skills. I would love to share these passions on here along with photos and recipes, it also means I have a reason to  eat more cake, right? I am definitely going to be sharing more food related posts and in the run up to christmas, this means lot's of festive cakes and obviously lot's of chocolate orientated treats. 

I hope to finally get into a routine with my business and expand my range, I'm talking wall calendars, desk pads and wedding planners. I have so many ideas and lot's of motivation so I can't wait to put pen to paper once we have settled on NotOnTheHighstreet.com. I feel so excited at the prospect of new ideas and can't wait to see what everyone thinks of them! 

As promised, heres one of my favourite Chai Latte recipes from  Alessandra over at The Foodie Teen.  If you haven't tasted a Chai Latte before, it can only be described as autumn in a mug. It is a mix of lovely spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, mixed together with lot's of tasty extras such as vanilla and maple syrup. It is perfect for cold days in a blanket, although, I will admit to drinking it throughout the year because it's too nice to ignore. If you can't be bothered with the recipe, I also use the Routin 1883 Chai Tea Syrup which is the best one I have found - it is not the same when using pre-made powders - trust me. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (500ml) unsweetened almond milk or pecan milk

• 2 chai tea bags

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground cloves

• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

• coconut whipped cream, as topping

RECIPE

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the nut milk until it just starts to simmer, then immediately remove from heat.
2. Add the chai tea bags and leave to steep for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags, then add the rest of the ingredients and whisk well to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness or spice to your liking, then pop it back over low heat for a few minutes until warmed through. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend for 20-30 seconds, until frothy, then transfer to mugs.
3. Serve warm with a dollop of coconut whipped cream if you wish

If you love this recipe just as much as I do, please go visit The Foodie Teen blog for more amazing recipes! Leave me a comment letting me know what goals you have for the next few months, I'd love to see what everyone is aiming to achieve over the autumnal seasons.