Gossip Girl XOXO

You know I love it!

I have a new addiction. It's easy to spot my weakness. It all started many years ago with Sex & the City. Carrie Bradshaw's eclectic fashion was sooo up my street and living in Camden at the time and hanging out with fashionistas, creative types and male models (oooh they were the days!) it was all so us.

Recently after extensive re-viewing of the entire SATC DVD collection and somewhat exhausting it, I decided it was time to look for something else to occupy those odd gloomy evenings…. Miracles come in disk sized packages. Lipstick Jungle arrived in the post!

What more can you ask for in a series??? Gorgeous women I fabulous fashions and in powerful roles. Men so hot I can’t decide who my favourite is, although Kirby Atwood makes me drool (I know it’s wrong to admit this!).

Sooo after watching LJ twice I decided to source more of this Darren Star styled TV. I have Cashmere Mafia as yet unwatched, as I have been hooked by Gossip Girl!

Ok so as usual I’m way behind the times, but since I don’t have a TV I feel I have a valid excuse.

The appeal of GG is the same as always. The lure of the gorgeous cast, fab fashion (loving the twist on the uniforms – I wish I had been this creative at school, our uniform was so stiff) and a fast moving storyline. I find myself just sneaking in another episode when I should be going to bed, or getting ready to go out…. Do they do patches to wean me off these addictive American series??

XOXO

Cupcake Recipes Required

Well I usually prefer to treat myself to other peoples scrummy cupcakes, but this time I have signed myself up for making them to sell. Not just a small batch either, I'm aiming to make & decorate about 250!!! Well when I say me - I have been using my persuasive charms (and the promise of some champagne cocktails after decorating) to get a mini workforce together!! Mummy Butterfly is on board & so is my brother's girlfriend who is a great cook. I have friends staying that weekend and may have to get them to help too - is that wrong??!

Anyway the reason for so many cupcakes is that I am newly recruited onto the event's team for a fabulous charity Nelson's Journey http://www.nelsonsjourney.org.uk/ which helps support children who have experienced the death of a significant person such as a parent or sibling.

Being keen to impress I though cupcakes would be a nice idea, I now need to plan my military cake decorating operation around working and my fabulous friends staying!!

If anyone has any great recipes or decorating ideas please let me know, I did find a picture of cupcakes with lavender on top & lilac coloured icing yummy. I will post some piccies so you can grade us!

The event is Gala Day at the Norfolk Showground, Norwich on Sunday 6^th September, all are very welcome xx

Pimms Jelly

I promised to post this ages ago - sorry.

Serves 4-6 Ready in 3 hours.

300g Strawberries trimmed & sliced

4 leaves gelatine or Jelly crystals for vegis

100ml Pimm’s No.1

425ml lemonade

One. Divide the strawberries between 4 glasses.

Two. Cut gelatine into small pieces & put into a small bowl with 4tbsp cold water. Leave to soak for 10 mins. Heat a small pan containing a little water & stand the bowl of gelatine in it until it has completely dissolved.

Three. In a large jug, mix the Pimm’s & lemonade, pour into the strawberry filled glasses and chill in the fridge for 2 hours.

For Vegi jelly version; leave out step 2 and make up a pack of Jelly crystals (Asda do these) using 150ml boiling water. Add to 100ml Pimm’s and 250ml lemonade in step 3.

For all you creative and collecting people I think this would look better in vintage mixed matched glasses, especially nice in those champagne bowl shaped glasses. Enjoy xx

Loving the car boot sales

I think I may have become a little addicted to car boot sales. I used to love my Sunday morning lay-ins, but now I find myself getting up at 7 (shock horror) to pop to the local CB! Well last Sunday was my favourite so far, it was so good I was late for setting up at the Craft & Farmer’s market oops!

I bought loads of fabulous sparkly jewellery to take apart & make new. My friends call me a magpie, guess this photo proves it! These pieces are just fine as they are & will be a lovely feature for any Vintage fairs – unless I decide to keep them myself he he.

I also found this tea & coffee set. It’s sending my untrained eye mixed messages. The wooden handles are quite Art Deco styled but the rest is in my opinion either 50’s, 60’s or 70’S!!!! I think I should stick to jewellery!!! J Anyway I thought it was a great design & once I clean the teapot properly I shall decide if I should keep it or find a better home for the set.

I'm off to another one tomorrow & hoping to find some scrumdiddlyumptious things xx

Norwich Craft & Farmer's Market

The 1^st & 3^rd Sunday of the month is all about Gentleman’s Walk in Norwich (Norfolk)for me. It’s a shiny new Craft & Farmer’s Market & is ever growing in size and variety. This week I was lucky enough to be next to the lovely Caroline & her family. The bad news was that Caroline sells yummy cakes, which meant that I had cupcakes for breakfast! They were fab though & I’m sure pricing my jewellery burned off enough calories ha ha. http://carolinescupcakes.co.uk/

Anyway the sun was shining, the stall was looking quite good, decorated with nic nacks from my recent carboot purchases and lots of sparkly jewellery & handbags. I was a happy butterfly and Mummy Butterfly was playing Fairy sticker books with Caroline’s little Princess daughter!!

If you happen to be popping into Norwich on one of our Sundays, please come and see all of us. You could pick up some free range eggs, pretty posies of wild flowers and some fresh fish for dinner. Or if you are looking for an unusual present for a girlfriend, daughter, mother….. then we have pretty sparkly things (which we can wrap up), handmade cards and you could acquire a pink box of melt in the mouth Birthday cupcakes that will be very well appreciated.

Burnham Market Craft Fair

We were sooo lucky to get a last minute place at Burnham on Saturday. It’s one of my favourite fairs – to prove how much I love it, I didn’t even moan (well not too much) about getting out of my lovely marshmallow bed at 5am!!

We decided that we would go back to what we did in the early days of the Butterflies business & create an eclectic tea party themed display. Plus I’ve got addicted to car boot sales & keep picking up scrummy pieces of coloured glass and bone china cups & saucers (oops).

We had a fabulous day meeting gorgeous people and getting lots of feedback about our accessories, displays and even swing tickets! I treated myself to lots of wonderful Mad About Nature products that I’m crazy about. www.madaboutnature.co.uk. Amongst other treats were some of Tom’s Cakes which are making my mouth water just thinking about them – how kitch they are too! Perfect.

Anyway if you missed out, make sure you visit next year as there are loads of really great quality varied stalls and hopefully Mrs Bobo Bun will be there next time too with her clever makings.

I'm off for coffee and a cup cake xx

Coco avant Chanel

I went to the very lovely Picture House in Norwich last night - a place that is sumptuous and gives the feeling of a private viewing for me and my most fabulous friends. Plush carpets, blood red enveloping seats and the ultimate in relaxation - being able to take a glass of fine wine into the showing.

Last night's treat was of course about the icon Coco Chanel. Some utterly stunning costumes and Audrey Tautou was fabulous as Gabrielle.

M and thought it was fabulous and utterly fell in the with “boy”. Are there really men like that out there????? Oooh the passion and romance of it all – I guess you have to be prepared to share someone like that L

I’m wondering if this love is something I should be worried about. After seeing the Young Victoria I utterly fell under price Albert’s spell. Rupert Friend is rather a handsome chap of course, maybe it’s just the Silver Screen magic. Why can’t it be like that in real life?

Cupcake War!!

Cupcake war at the Vintage Fair.

There was a huge show of knitted cupcakes on lots of stalls - pincushion heaven!

However I think that Zoe's homemade real cupcakes were the winners - yum!

All this cake chat is making my mouth water. I think I might whip up some banana & honey muffins tonight. I don't like to waste good fruit, and it surely counts and one of my 5 a day??!!

Vintage

This was the Butterflies & Hurricanes stall, cluttered with vintage nick nacks and our jewellery made with a mix of old and new buttons and beads. Mummy Butterfly insisted on hiding behind the candelabra.

There were lots of fabulous ideas and scrummy things to buy. It was great to chat to so many enthusiastic and inspiring people. I think there will be a few people displaying their hook earrings on vintage glasswear at home as my little disply went down very well. I have mine on a scented candle in my boudoir! xx

Cupcakes and Sunshine

We had such a lovely day at the Little Vintage Lovers Fair. Heydon (near Holt in Norfolk) is a beautiful village and worth a visit. It's like stepping back in time and a perfect setting for a vintage fair.

How cute is the village hall?? And Zoe and her clever friends styled it perfectly.