Yummy Yummy Cupcakes (and they're real)

Today i felt like baking, so i decided to make some real cupcakes for a change. Rebbekah woke up early because she smelled them cooking and couldn't believe i had actually made food and not soap.
The frosting is so yummy, i lost my old recipe so i had to make one up.(Rachel you really need to try this you'll love it).
Here is the recipe for the frosting before i forget how i made it.
150g vege shortening
100g butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
vanilla essence

Place sugar and water in a small pan and heat till all the sugar is melted, leave to cool.
Beats fats till creamy and pale add vanilla essence and beat again slowly add cooled sugar syrup beat till nice and thick.

You can see in my photo my new cupcake stand, i brought it off the Internet, i wasn't so impressed when i received it in the mail but it does look great when the cupcakes are on it.

Star Anise Soap

This is my newest soap, i just love the smell of aniseed, it reminds me of the aniseed balls we used to buy from the dairy when we were kids.

Latest felt food creations

Here are some of my latest felt foods, i still have plenty more to sew before my next market.

Poppy and Lou get groomed

Last week was a trip to the vets for my dogs Miss poppy and Mr Lou, Poppy had to have a scan to see if she was pregnant or not, $204 later and the vet tells me that she is having phantom puppies, i had never heard of it, she has all the symptoms of being pregnant but no puppies, apparently in 3 weeks time she will start nesting have her fake puppies and be back to normal.
I also had them groomed at the same time, they looked lovely but the shampoo they used was so strong smelling and my little dogs have very sensitive skin and noses so they both spent all night vomiting, poor things, i did mention it to the groomer last time but she had forgotten, i think it might be time to find a new groomer.

Soap Cupcakes

I've been busy the last few weeks getting soap and felt foods ready for my next market in February i just about sold out at my last market which was great.
Because my upcoming market is just before Valentines day i decided to make cupcakes,I'm pleased with the way they turned out, i managed to get some amazing fragrances for these soaps, bubblegum which smells divine and banana which smells just like banana bike lollies and a beautifully raspberry, my house smells wonderful.
I also made some chocolate cookies, and a few other soaps, coconut, banana, and a purple swirl which are piped on top with whipped soap and sprinkled with glitter, what i had left over i made little soap meringues, i reallly love making soap.

Felt Foods for the market

Here are some photos of some of the felt foods that i will be selling at the market this weekend, i don't have many items left as my i sold most of it at my last market. But at least i have a few photo's of the items that i have made.
I have also been busy making a few batches of soap, my latest discovery is whipped soap, it is divine, i just love being able to pipe it into cup cakes, i am so glad i found a recipe for it on google.

The last week

I have been really busy lately making pickles jams and pickling veges from my garden, i have so many zucchini from just one plant that i have been obsessively making whatever i can with them , so far i have pickled them, turned them into pickles, cakes, muffins, roasted them,and them put them in salads, who would have thought one plant would have so many zucchini, not that i am complaining its wonderful.
I made jam yesterday using strawberries from my garden and ones that i brought, nothing beats homemade jam, i also picked the last of my beetroot that was ready and bottled it, i cant wait to eat it.

I have been having a problem with green vegetable bug i ended up having to buy some organic derris dust i hate having to put anything on my plants, but it was a case of having to or else they would have eaten the lot.

Mr Louie had a bath, he didn't like it much, i had to bath him myself because i cant get him and poppy into the groomer for a few more weeks, if i knew how to clip them myself i would as its $57 each dog and they need grooming every six weeks, otherwise they get really grubby being white and with summer here they get really hot with their long fur.

Boxing Day

We had a lovely boxing day with my children their partners and their children, everyone had loads to eat and later on way to much alcohol(except me i didn't even have a single drink).I have taken photos of everyone except myself of course, first is my son Ben and my daughter Bekah, then my son Curtis, my dogs Miss Poppy and Mr Louie,then Nicole in black she is my daughter in law and partner to my son Ben, Sarah wearing pink,daughter in law number 2 who is my son Curtis partner, My beautiful hampers that my children brought me for Christmas day,Connor, who is Sarah's son and Curtis step son, Peyton who is Sarah's daughter and Curtis step daughter, and finally Peyton's giant teddy and miss poppy.
Boxing day was great the weather was good although a little cold later on, everyone had a wonderful time, Ben and Nicole ended up staying the night as Nicole was very sick due to to much alcohol she was told to slow down but refused to listen even when the alcohol was removed she found a way to get more, she is lucky that i am not showing the after shots as they are totally unflattering, after all who wants  to be seen with vomit in their hair.Sarah too managed to drink to excess lucky she just slept it off (without the vomit) my boys on the other hand were very responsible as they were going to be driving home so had very little to drink over the whole day and night, good thing for them as they both had drunk partners to take care of.
The next day wasn't so wonderful for me i had loads of vomit towels and blankets to wash and clean up so i spent a few hours doing the washing, at least i didn't have the dishes to do as my boys helped with the clean up.All in all it was a wonderful day because we got to spend it together.