Sweetart and Scraps: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Sweetart and Scraps: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!: "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!! A bit late I know but it has been so busy over Christmas. Thursday before Christmas a vodka cockta..."

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!

A bit late I know but it has been so busy over Christmas. Thursday before Christmas a vodka cocktail night with my best friend. A Fabulous Christmas Eve with Andy over the pub, a freezing cold Midnight Mass at Church and a lovely Christmas lunch with Ian's family!
My birthday on Boxing Day was brilliant!
We had my family and my friend over for lunch and then all the family for tea. My nieces helped to decorate Ian's Christmas cake with snowflakes and glitter and then helped to make the tea. It was so lovely spending time with them.
Yesterday we had Ian's parents over for supper and today we are chilling before going to a farewell party in London for an amazing friend off to Australia!

I love Christmas - it's the most magical time of the year!

Not many cakes but some for parents, the hairdressers and our fabulous butcher! (lovely Turkey!!!!)

Looking forward to New Year's Eve now....

Sweetart and Scraps: Christmas is on it's way!

Sweetart and Scraps: Christmas is on it's way!: "I can't believe it is only four days until Christmas! Where has time gone??? Beginning of December and during the first snow blizzards I had..."

Christmas is on it's way!

I can't believe it is only four days until Christmas!
Where has time gone???
Beginning of December and during the first snow blizzards I had two cakes to make. One for Charlie's 18th and the other for Jodie's. These would have been ok if I had been able to get out to buy the ingredients!!! Snow, snow and more snow!
Thank goodness for Dad's and boyfriends ( just the one!)

Jodie's took me hours and there were 497 flowers covering the cakes. It was a mammouth cake!
The following week, Cupcakes for Morgan's 11th birthday with dogs on top. It was fun trying to make all the dogs different but took ages!

School finished on Friday and I have to say it was the busiest two weeks of the year!
Cakes, lunches for staff, leaving dos, baby showers, shopping for presents, Madness concert in Brighton, pantomime preparation... the list is endless.

I'd love to say that now the holidays have kicked in life is more relaxing and I am chilled and ready for Christmas - ha ha far from it!
Yesterday I made the cake for Louise's dad who was supposed to be going to the races for his birthday. Unfortunately the snow put a stop to that!

Yesterday was great. I spent the afternoon and evening with Elizabeth helping her to decorate her three Christmas cakes. Maybe if my other half marzipans ours I could decorate that one too!
Today I spent all day in Bluewater getting last minute presents and gifts. It was mad! I needed a break in the John Lewis restaurant!

December has been mad and the snow? Well I love it but it has not made things that easy. The romantic side of me wants to be in front of the fire with my other half,  Christmas songs on in the background, a glass of mulled wine in hand, the snow falling outside, the twinkly lights on the tree sparkling whilst I wrap presents to put under the tree...

The realistic side sees me running round frantically, posting cards a month late, catching up with people I haven't seen for ages, making calls to friends to wish them Merry Christmas, housework, shopping and mad dashes to Marks and Spencer and clearing the paths and gritting them for the neighbours!

One glass of mulled wine and I feel like it's time for bed!

Not yet...I have cupcakes to decorate!

Movember, baby shower and beach shack!

This week has been manic - probably too busy to be honest, so much so that I spelt a name wrong!!!
I was mortified - fortunately most people at the party were so drunk I am hoping that they didn't notice!
So the week started with more Pudsey bear cakes for people at work - another 60!
That was ok as I had Sunday to do them.
On Thursday Jake wanted 24 cakes for Movember - Men with moustaches, to sell at the rugby club. It was fun designing them so that they were all different.

Thursday night was Parent's evening so I didn't have much time in the evening.I finished the Mario cake and the mario cupcakes - they were time consuming!
Hopefully they were enjoyed by the children. I tried to make the cakes follow the game screens from the Nintendo games and the cupcakes were all characters from Mario Games. They were certainly colourful!

Friday was Elizabeth's baby shower - another opportunity to make lots of baby themed cakes. I really wanted to do something special so made cookies too!
Lots of fun cutting out feet and teddy bears. They all had to macth so the cupcakes cases, the fondant and the ribbons all had a brown and beige spotty theme. Elizabeth has already painted her nursery beige!!! It's so exciting!

Then on Saturday it was Jamie's birthday party. He wanted a beach shack. It was all going well - until I realised I had spelt his name wrong. Bless him, he didn't want to say anything!
I think I was so tired I could really have written anything!
Never mind - it was a good party!

Today was Sam's mum's birthday so a trip to the South coast to deliver flowers and  teddy cake. She was so surprised.It was lovely to deliver a birthday surprise!!!

What a weekend!
We finished with a faulous meal in Mayfield in a vey old pub/restaurant.It was delicious. So now I am feeling a little "caked out" and in need of a rest. Back to marking books now!
What an exiting life I lead!!!!

Sweetart and Scraps: Pudsey Bear Cupcakes

Sweetart and Scraps: Pudsey Bear Cupcakes: "I can't believe I have only just finished!!!! I love Children in Need and decided to make some Pudsey Bear cakes to sell at work. As well a..."

A-Z scrapbooking of our 4* and 5* hotel bars!!!

Well this was the idea - As we didn't meet up much in London during the weeks and on schoolnights, we decided that we needed a project to inspire us. I must admit I may have had a glas of wine or two before I came up with the idea. Ian loves nice hotel bars and I do too. I love scrapbooking so we thought we would combine the two.

Rules??
Well they must be 4* or 5* as much as possible. We work our way through the alphabet and take turns in paying. Only one drink in each hotel bar (although if they are really nice we have stayed for more than one!!)
It must be a cocktail or a glass of champagne. We take a photo. I have to create a scrapbooking page for an album that reflects the hotel bar, the decore and the ambience.
So far so good!
This started in June 2009 and we still haven't finished!

 Next is the Ritz - I can't wait!
After that the Savoy which we have been waiting for to re-open following their refurbishment. It's exciting!!!
It's a bit cheesy but I love it!
Can't do any this week as have meetings and parents evening and lots of cakes so maybe next week!

Pudsey Bear Cupcakes

I can't believe I have only just finished!!!!
I love Children in Need and decided to make some Pudsey Bear cakes to sell at work. As well as the 150 cupcakes for the 1st of the month (mm red velvet! New one this week), I made 150 Children in Need cakes, and twenty "Movember" cakes. Well done guys at work for perservering with growing your moustaches!!!
Apart from some dodgy 80's looking porn stars in the staff room - you look fab!
The giant cupcake was a success and we raffled it at break.
So far have made over £175.00.
I just wish Mo had done the pricing - the cakes were a bargain and I'm sure I could have doubled the price to raise even more money!
Never mind - it's a great cause. The cakes were so popular I took orders for another 200 boxed cupcakes and have only just finished. I have spots (green, blue, red and yellow!) before my eyes!

It was Janice's birthday on Wednesday and Tracey's today. Janice had to have a bit of sparkle to celebrate a special birthday!

Tracey's was easy - she is always going on holiday and so a beach theme seemed a good idea. Unfortunately as I was on a course today I didn't get to see her face when she saw it!
I loved making the matching cupcakes!
I'll upload it soon.
It has been a long day and I'm ready for bed now. I will be dreaming of Pudsey bear!!!!!
Tracey's beach/holiday themed cakes...