Cupcakes,Orchids and Converse!

Is it nearly the end of the week yet???
Today has been very long and I am ready to curl up in front of the TV and relax. At the end of last week my voice almost came back and my mouth was a little less sore.Cupcakes were the order of the day for an 18th Birthday. Blue and football themed, they seemed to go down well on Saturday.

The weekend was very busy but I had plenty of time to start on the next cake, a 70th birthday cake for Susan. She loves orchids so sugarpaste orchids were my weekend job!
I haven't made sugarpaste flowers since the summer and all those wedding cakes so I was looking forward to it. I wanted a delicate but sparkly affair for a special birthday.

Sunday's job was to start a 13th birthday cake with a Converse theme. The boots were a challenge and I tried to get all the details right.It was fiddly but I really liked the end result.
They are kind of cute!

We still haven't been to visit our "R" in our hotel themed scrapbooking project so hopefully we'll get to the Ritz this week. I could do with a nice cocktail in a beautiful place!
Talking of beautiful, the girls at work really spoilt me today for my birthday treat: a beautiful cake, a gorgeous bouquet of flowers and some lovely spending money for shopping!
Thank you girls I love you all lots!!!!

Well I am exhausted. Has anyone got any good ideas to help nerves in public speaking?
Put me in front of hundreds of students or parents and I am fine, but in front of other people or teachers I am a nervous wreck before I start- even if I know what I am talking about!
Today I had to do a presentation in front of a delegation of Government officials and businessmen and women from Hong Kong.
I have to keep a pin in my hand and keep digging it in to take my mind off of the nerves!
All ideas welcome!!!!!
I had no sleep last night worrying so am now ready for an early night!
Sweet dreams!

What a start to the new year!

2011 - Will it be a good year?????

I'm glad I can write as at the moment my voice has gone completely!!!
I struggled at work today (although the girls were fab and very sweet!) and teaching is definitely not the best job to do when your voice has gone!
So my new year got off to a rather dreadful start - an interesting New Year's Eve, a dreadful New Year's Day and then my week just deteriorated from there!
It can only get better!!!!!!

Feeling a little stressed out and in a bit of pain with a toothache on New Year's Day I ventured into London. I wanted to avoid the sales and go for a long walk along the Thames and through the parks. Ha ha, got as far as Trafalgar Square and stood and watched the New Year's Day Parade - it was brilliant!
The atmosphere was great and very exciting. When the rain started I dived into The St James Hotel for tea. It was so comfortable I stayed a while avoiding the cold and rain.
The shops were very inviting and feeling a little windswept and frumpy I was enticed by the sound of a free makeover in Selfridges - what is the worst that could happen???

The assistant (although a little hungover) was lovely and started to work her magic and then brought me a Cosmopolitan - it was all going well until the false eyelashes - not sure if I loooked like a model or a drag queen. Still I was convinced by her banter and parted with a rather large sum of money for a concealer (that will hopefully perform miracles!) and yet another lipgloss... oh well.
A glass of champagne later and I was ready to fight the world - apart from my nagging toothache.
Overnight the so-called toothache turned into an abscess and the rest is...painful!
I woke up to find I looked like the elephant man (thought it might have been the make up at first) but the pain was unbearable.
To cut a long story short and several visits to the dentist, armed with anti-biotics I started to feel better. What a great start to the year - and to top it all some idiot has used my paypal account to run up huge bills in the USA. How did that happen???
Not a happy bunny.
Never mind, despite feeling very rough and depending yet again on mum and dad's help I had to make Lynn's retirement cake. Fortunately when the first party was organised (then cancelled due to snow) I had already made the flower pots and watering can - THANK GOODNESS!

The party was great - it was good to see so many old friends and work colleagues and Lynn had a good farewell. By the end of today I had no voice, a sore throat and a very sore mouth still. I need TLC or some good painkillers!!!!
Orders for cakes have been coming in thick and fast and hopefully the website will be up and running soon. I just need a little bit of time - ha ha.
Cupcakes, orchids and converse this weekend!
Well 2011 hasn't started so well but it can only get better from down here!!!
Here's hoping...

Happy New Year 2011!!!!

Wishing all my friends and family a very happy 2011. I've had a lot of ime to think and reflect and hopefully will make lots of changes to my life in 2011- It's time for a new start!!!
Probably fewer cakes and more time at the gym!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

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!