Come and join me for tea?

Children in Need Cupcakes

For children in need this year the UUJ Marketing Society decided to raise money by holding a bake sale. I am not on the team itself but I thought I could lend my baking skills and bake some vanilla buttercream cupcakes. I also did a batch of six nutella cupcakes but I dont have the photo of it on my computer (taken on my mobilearotto)

The team raised £800 (over that I think) which I think is a massive achievement for such a small university society, but I must admit if I didn't have a hospital appointment that morning (when the bake sale was happening) I would have went and bought one. The pictures of the bake sale table was filled with different cupcakes, and some of them look very yummy!

Below is birthday cupcakes. This time I got lemon essence for the main sponge but topped the cupcakes themselves with vanilla buttercream. The photo is just to show off the mini boxes (which holds four cupcakes each) I am hoping to get the same product/box but a christmas themed version for a couple of people this christmas for presents (no im not a skint person!) I got the boxes (both photos) from Lakelands (love that place!)

In other news, I am still a boring little person. I haven't done much to be honest other than see my friends and what not. Still breathing, still living. Cant wait for Christmas.

Birthday Cupcakes for special ladies

I would also like to say I would change my grammar on these last two posts but I am very tired tonight and have university in the morning. So for the time being sorry for grammar. I shall change it when i have time.

And as the rain slams againist the window I bid thee a good night.
x

"Its like forgetting the words to your favourite song"

I have neglected you bloggy *pats bloggy head*, but for good reasons. I have been completely knackered recently along with being super duper busy finishing university work. No! Don't give me those crying eyes bloggy!

I recently got Regina's album, hence my title to this specific blog post. I highly recommend her songs (the way to figure this out is by typing into YouTube: Regina spektor SAMSON)

If you like that song (Samson) then you should then listen to her other songs. The specific song that I love at the moment is called: "Eet" anyway I am in love with her. If you listen to that song in particularly its really how I feel.

The idea that you suddenly cant remember what it was like to be you. Yes, I realise I sound silly and that indeed I am still ME, but truly carefree without this huge burden all the time.

That looming sense of "what if"... especially at the moment with my chest being sore. I suppose I just seem to be living in some sort of fear at the minute. I'm getting a bit tired of constantly walking through life either doped up on medications for my GVH or itching my skin because i feel like someone is tickling me.

I don't want to be this person at the minute, who has to have a skin bath, be careful of taking of my make up in case my eyebrow hair just falls out or the fact that i have to try to drag energy from some sort of source that i didn't know i had.

Anyway, that rant wasn't to make you feel bad for moaning at me bloggy for not paying you attention. I just needed to put that out there, even though its my personal blog. I feel sometimes that people seem to (even though clearly before i was ill i just took life for granted) cheat life and drink/take drugs constantly and i want to scream "CANT YOU SEE YOU HAVE A PERFECT WORKING BODY? U ARE RUINING IT" but then anyone could do that (if they have a different medical condition)

I wanted to upload some photos of my recent baking but I shall do it in another post.....

See u in a second.x

Are you content?

You ever dream of that feeling after a long day of work? Or that mad traffic that you had to sit through whilst gripping the steerwheeling whilst ANOTHER lane dogder skips infront of you within one second of the traffic moving?

I love that feeling of sinking into your new bed that feels like a cloud. Or that moment when you finally sit down to peace and quiet and take that first sip of your favourite hot drink, diet coke or even something a bit more adult like.

Maybe for you its that quiet moment before bed each night when you think "what was todays good points" For me its deffo the feeling of being in bed whilst being hugged not only by your duvet but by a teddy, boyfriend/girlfriend or even just your close friend (this is more acceptable if you are a lady)

I always think everyone has a "sneaky" secret of what they love to do. For me it might be:

• sticking my finger in the bowl of cake mix and realising no one seen me. 
• Or that moment when your dog looks at you with those puppy dog eyes and you quickly fire him a piece of "human food". 
• I don't really believe my dog is a dog though, he doesn't act like it, especially when i serve him his slice of toast buttered and halfed (easier to eat?) 
• Or that I sometimes share my biscuits with him.
• Or the fact that for a month I had a spare packet of biscuits (human food once again) by my bed side and they were ONLY for my dog.

So I ask you... what is your version of "pure happiness" or closest way of getting from stressed to destressed?

My lap as a pillow maybe Charlie?

Need suggestions?  I recommend a duvet day, loads of catch up programmes and of course something with animals in it, for example Frozen Planet on BBC. How I love that programme.

Now remember, just because its Winter and it might be freezing where you live, and you might not have that much money because of this recession, I DARE YOU... yes YOU to have ONE positive day.... one day were you are GRATEFUL.


Toodles for now my dearest.

ps I found a great site (not sure if i posted about this and if im repeating my self: then sorry)

Look up "the pink whisk" on google (Ruth from Great British Bake Off S.2 developed it- some great recipes)

Anyone out there?

Mix

It seems once again I have been away from my blog for a period of time. University in second year cries for more attention than I first thought it might or would. So I am going to show you my love in the form of... cake photos! I have made my Grandas birthday cake for his 84th birthday and decided to upload various stages (in photo format) to let you all drool over?

So my granda loves pigeons as he races them in competition (not those street pigeons but professional flying pigeons) anyway I wanted to include that theme in the cake. I also wanted to test my baking skills and make either a four or three layer cake with jam and buttercream between each layer. In the end I opted for three layers.

Finished cake mix

To begin with I had to think of the shape I wanted the cake to be in. I was thinkin more square to allow for the icing to fall and be moulded onto the cake easier in comparison to a circle style cake. I also have never really made a square celebration cake. I then thought about the idea of piping styles and cake mixture. I wanted a cake mixture I had successfully used in the past (therefore I knew the end result tasted fine) but I had to change the quantities successfully in order to make the mixture equal for two square tins. In the photo opposite is the simple unwhisken sponge mix of eggs,flour,baking powder and sugar.

Layering stage

Then I whisked the mix and added my soften butter to make the end raw mixture look like this... So off it went into the oven (I forgot to take a photo of that stage...opps) then once it had cooled I layer it with jam then buttercream (they sorted of rippled on their own without me wanting them to, but sure it all goes in and tastes the same?)
And TA DAAAAA the finished cake I made bigger so you could see it. I hope he likes it. Since my granny passed away I always feel this weird heart pain when I look at him, knowing he just misses my granny so much. True love is hard to come by!!!

Cold nights and crisp mornings....

Can you feel that in the air? The sudden darkness that falls, something that you don't even notice but suddenly you find yourself on auto pilot turning on your headlights and knocking up the heating a few numbers. Autumn is a forgetten season, people jump straight to Winter. In this instance (were I live anyway) it is clear to see that Autumn (par from the wind) has been misplaced and we have started the dreaded winter survival mode.

Ohhh new shoes?

Whilst I type this, the wind outside batters at my window and makes that ghoulish howling noise. Normally I love this weather, you are tucked up inside your house with diet coke (or your favourite drink) and a good book, television show etc. But I am beginning to wonder that if this is the weather NOW, what will it be like in DECEMBER?

I decided also to do some shopping online today and bought these PRETTYFUL shoes! they will make me jus under six foot ONCE i have learnt the art of walking in them. Look at them *stares at shoes*

Anyway I am going to team them up with Motel Rocks high waisted shorts I found in the sale (black cotton material) and a scallop like top from Topshop. Hopefullyyy it will work out. I also got this awweessomeee top that is grey but has a skelton outline on it, super rocky I thought. Sorry its a bit blurry (the website image went a bit weird)

Par from the usual spend spend spend of la moneyyyy, I have been doing nothing but university work and baking (uploaded a photo of my cheesecake on my twitter account: WonderPLand)

I finally got my laptop sorted with new windows etc on it. So thank you sony and the lovely man that helped me :D (the guy who worked in the sony shop) At least someone is still nice in this world.

Toodlless for nowwwww

x

Don't wear the big boots if you cant fill them

From my knowledge in my current marketing degree I have learnt that its essential for any company in any market to remember one thing about consumers: Quality service has to be carried through even after the exchange process.

Microsoft is now a company that I as a consumer would deem as using their "big boots" approach ie large market control over word programme to overlook the simple support system.

From my personal story I want to highlight that just because a company owes a lot of market share doesnt give them the right to use it to their advantage in order to "forget" about after care, or even simple thinking/strategies.

I purchased a unique one off product key for Home and Student 2010 office. I know that you can get a CD Rom but this is microsoft's new way to install office IF your computer is preloaded with a trail of the office system.

So my sony laptop, lets call it A... it froze then died (never my fault) but alas i used the office and installed it on A. Then Sony said they would replace it free of charge. I said "great!" then they said "just ring microsoft and explain what happened, they should realise you can reactivate it from their end because technically you bought something that was never consumed on the laptop" .... Cue a phonecall of anger.

Summarise Microsoft "support" which by the way is the lowest standard I have ever seen. The first issue was their phone numbers and support layout on their website is TOO complex. Have one number. Simple. You have to realise not everyone (even though I know computers) is a computer sav. The second issue was the call support. "I can give you support for the A laptop... but i cannot reactivate nor give u free support for computer B" (im shortening this because it does get rather confusing).... So off on a rage I went. Saying that you would think that big companies such as M, Sony, Dell etc etc would all get together and put a strategy in place to make sure there are certain solutions to issues that clearly happen... ie said issue of laptop breaking on me after i put the office programme on the computer. The man's reply: sorry for your problem and please call again if you need any more help. I was raging to say the least.

In summary: Sony computer broke... Sony said thats grand I will get a replacement... Microsoft said no we dont have a strategy in place for computers that break after our programme was downloaded and never used by the consumer.... RESULT? I have to fork out more money for ANOTHER disc/product key WHEN i didnt even get to use the first product key.

Big boots Microsoft... but do you have the ability to fill them successful? I think by the fact that you dont even have a clear address for a complimant department tells me you have no care in the world for after care support for your customers. IF i had a range of product choices AND didnt rely on the fact that all computers use your programme I WOULD NOT be buying another one. Maybe you should realise that if you want to be successful in the long run, you shouldnt just rely on the fact that people HAVE to buy your products, in order to create compatable office documents that are used in every office worldwide. MAYBE you should look at the longer bigger picture for company success. I doubt from my quick research that many of your customers WOULD be repeat purchasers if they had another product choice other than your office programme.

So yes. If I could I would BOYCOTT microsoft but they know, and I know that is not possible because of their large success with computer programming. I don't even want another product key/CD Rom because I am that angry.

All things yummy...and a dog

 I have previous to this post uploaded a photo of my crunchie cheesecake but this one is for my boyfriends 20th birthday, which is tommorrow. His mum is already getting him a normal birthday cake and he has yet to try my cheesecake, so alas I made him one! I always find difficulty with the biscuit base turning solid and not jus crumbling when you cut into the cheesecake. I think I did better this time. I used 41/2 oz of stork with 400g digestive biscuits. And turned the fridge extra cold so that it could set a bit easier. I just don't get a website that gives me the right ingredient ratio for biscuit to melted butter. Well enough for it not to crumble when i want to cut slicearoooss. The other photograph is of my first ever attempt of proper chocolate cupcakes. These have a nutella piped middle, so that when you mircowave/warm them up the nutella provides a "ooze" like centre. I was really pleased with these because I have never piped any ingredients straight into a cupcake or any form of cooked cake mixture BUT i was chuffed at how these turned out. On the top is a simple vanilla buttercream that I then added Bournville powder to... I used my piping kit that I got from Lakelands. Have to say I am chuffed at this photo, because I didnt half spend my entire day on them making sure I didnt get them wrong. I think though in future, deffo more buttercream mixture for the top, I found that some buns had to be left uncovered because I ran out of mixture. Sad times.

And of course the last photo is of my charlie warlie dog. He is sleeping in this photo but due to my phonearoooo flash it looks like he is just havin a afternoon nap. He should really get a bigger bed but I dont think he would be a happy chappy if we got rid of his bed. I don't want to tell you how huffy he gets if you buy him a human tesco duvet for him to lie on. Like we are doing him a diservice by keeping his bed from going mucky/mouldy especially in winter when the rain and bad weather makes him sit in bed for hours being a grumpy old man because he never wanted to go for a walk in the first place. Sour bake much?

Par from that I have been still working away in uni but i cant wait for Halloween, i am getting so excited. I miss being young though, it feels more special when you are young and indeed you don't feel as weird dressing up.

Toodles for now.x