photostory friday - my latest obsession

you may remember i took cupcake classes a few weeks back. i had a tonne of fun, and have had even more fun playing around at home with what i've learned.

therefore, this post is nothing more than a blatant show and tell of my classes and cupcakes i've made since!

i got this idea from pink sugar desserts. i'm hoping she's from the imitation-is-the-highest-form-of-flattery school of thought. miss 12 wanted to make purple icing and mixed red and blue.

i bought this stand to show off my 'wares!'

then i found the nz cupcake queen - a local girl! she has some seriously fun ideas, including this one.

'twas a shame to waste the leftover icing

i made these for a friend who just had a birthday

ready to eat!

for the 'birthday boy' of the 50th we went to last weekend

TA-DAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

pretty, huh?

these were taken at my cupcake classes

first week's effort

chocolate work in the 2nd class

3rd week - finished products

the week after the classes finished, tamara (who owns tempt) celebrated her 1st year of business - 40,000 cupcakes sold! she celebrated with a party at the shop.

drooling yet???

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

wordful wednesday - "is this a juxtaposition?"

after miss 12 decorated her cupcake, i placed it on the windowsill for the best light to photograph (the winter weather made everything so dark and dingy!)

i thought the summery-looking cupcake set against the rain outside (never mind the dirty windows) was an interesting juxtaposition - (if i have used the word correctly)

i've gone quite mad on cupcakes, and found the inspiration for this particular one over at pink sugar desserts.

if you're wondering why the blue water looks to 'muddy' - miss 12 tried to mix red and blue food colouring to make purple (because she likes her water to be purple...)

turns out icing ain't like colouring pencils...

for more wordful wednesday, visit angie over @ seven clown circus

our weekend: the abridged version

i actually wanted to put the cute mosaic badge thingee (right side bar) in HERE, but blogger wouldn't let me, so vanilla slideshow it is! photo descriptions also don't show up on slideshow which is a design fault if you ask me!

bad blogger: i blame winter

technically it's not winter's fault i haven't blogged. the thought of editing a dozen plus photos [most] every time i want to post seems overwhelming and it's easier to just dream up fun, whitty (photo free) posts in my head while i'm in the shower. (isn't that where all the BEST ideas are hatched?)

editing a dozen plus photos could POSSIBLY be easier if the sun was shining and the sky was blue. i'd feel happy, i'd be motivated...

so we're back to blaming winter

this is the view out my window right now

not that you can really tell from this pic, but strong, cold galeforce southerlies have moved in, and like dupree, show no sign of wanting to move on.

winter is only fun if you're tucked up with a blanket in front of a roaring fire, watching a soppy movie; children playing happily at your feet.

when i got up this morning - slightly hungover from the 50th we went to last night, this is what i heard from my youngest two:

"you could have gone around!"

"well, YOU could have moved your feet"!

"well, you could have gone AROUND!"

"well, you could have moved your FEET!"

"SHE pushed me!"

"I did NOT! i gave her a TINY tap on the back, and she fell down!"

(this was over feet up on a coffee table - earth shattering i know)

(i blame winter for my hangover also...)

so - to recap...

i blame winter.

i don't ski
i don't look good in fur
i hate the cold

winter is no friend of mine

i blame winter

wordful wednesday - one of these people is enjoying this more than the other

so this is me playing rockband; well, the drums on rockband - because i'm sure if i even ATTEMPTED one of the guitars, my brains would simply fall out.

this is the face of a confused woman.
behind her is the face of a man who may have missed his calling in life...

anyone good at rockband has way too much spare time on their hands.

(that's my story and i'm sticking to it).

my husband and daughter who play guitar AND drums on 'expert' would surely disagree.i rest my case.

for more wordful wednesday, go see angie over @ seven clown circus

tuesday's blog party winner and my life in six words

tuesday's blog party is over and i thank everyone who donated $1
congratulations to roy/elisabeth dean who won the package of kiwiana goodies!
they're on their way (well, almost!)

debi, who organised tuesday's party (snaps to debi!) says $3224 has been raised, which is a fantastic effort.

i received this 'one lovely blog' award from jennifer over at the happenings.

thanks jennifer!

then i turn on my computer on SUNDAY morning, to discover i've won the same award again from veggiemom, who gave it to me as part of six word SATURDAY.



right now, my six words would be

HAD A MELTDOWN. WILL BE OK

i guess that's what happens when you go back to [paid] word after 20 years, and whilst you make the transition easy, the rest of the family doesn't; and at the same time, your husband loses HIS job, and a parent becomes ill.


i do believe change is good. sometimes it happens to fast. sometimes it doesn't happen fast enough. sometimes the concept is simply overwhelming.

meh. i'm sure it's nothin' that can't be fixed with a proper fitting bra.


i'm supposed to hand my award/s onto 15 new blogs i've discovered. it just so happens that i HAVE discovered a few new blogs lately, and i promise to linky love them soon!

photostory friday - from canada with love

one of my original bloggy friends mel, aka reluctant housewife sent me a wonderful package of canadian goodies recently. i had plenty of notice that it was coming my way, as it came on a slow pony - taking 2 months to reach me!

it was totally worth it - even though i got a BIG surprise when i opened the box...read on...

i love brown packages from overseas!

she wrapped it well. it was a TRICK to get into!!!

and look! it's in this very cool box featuring an unpronouncable brand of popcorn!

UH-OH...

there's something STICKY in there!!!

ah huh - the culprit!
sweet nectar from canada: MAP-O-SPREAD
your basic heavenly caramel spread;
but why spread it when you can eat it right from the tub

this shot isn't intended to make you feel bad mel. despite appearances, NOTHING was ruined! yes, the MAP-O-SPREAD EXPLODED, but everything was so well wrapped, it's all good news!

coffee crisp bars! THREE of them! so when my chocolate-loving girls try and eat my loot - there's enough to share!

and a letter! no-one writes letters anymore! i loved reading your letter mel, esp. the gooey section

mel made a wonderful macrame key ring for the hubs and she also included a box of RED ROSE TEA. it's not herbal or flavoured - it's just this wonderfully refreshing tea. perfect for after dinner. we're still drinking it, and i'll be sad when it's all gone.

mmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

she also sent not one, but FIVE pairs of hand-made earrings (i can't believe i didn't take pics of them!) one pair each for my girls, and one for me. you can see more of her awesome hand-made designs over at lulu's hook.

Dliver
Dletter
Dsooner
Dbetter
Dlater
Dletter
Dmadder
Igetter

(who remembers that!?!)

Thanks Mel - heart ya!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

wordful wednesday - don't freak out, you're not driving

yep. we drive on the left

yep. our roads are pretty tiny.

yep. there aren't many cars on our roads

yep. that's the glistening waters of cook strait on one side of the road and a sheer cliff face on the other.

we live in an island remember!!!

and...yep. it IS possible to take an in-focus picture whilst speeding along on the back of a motorbike



for more wordful wednesday, visit angie over at seven clown circus

hearing is believing

tuesday's blog party is here!

if you want to win this and participate in tuesday's blog party, please click here