mollycupcakes

Happy new year everyone...

2011-01-02T11:54:00.010Z

Well am i glad to see the back of that year. It had some of the most amazing highs but then the worst lows ever.

So I'm saying thanks for the good times and a big F**k you to all the bad ones, see you and jog on!

Let 2011 begin.
I'm going to work very hard to look like this by the end of this year. Lots of yoga and better eating for me.

I'll also be getting one of these on my arm somewhere with the word Strength. Because this word means a lot to me. I've had to have loads of it in my life and pulled so much strength out of no where last year. And made it through.

This is one of the highs from last year, www.mollycupcakes.co.uk featured in the Dec issue of Country Living mag woo hoo!

Big smiles here in the cupcake house and fingers crossed for this year. Hoping to be in Good Housekeeping :) April issue.
Even though I've not been around very much towards the end of last year, I'll leave you with this saying below....
See you all very soon.

Love x

Sad times and good times :( :)

2010-10-29T09:39:00.007+01:00

I can't believe it's July since i last did a blog post. You must of all been thinking I'd fallen off the earth.

I did in a way because 3 weeks ago my beautiful step Daddy past away in his sleep. After fighting off cancer of the head, living with altimers and only having 1 lung for 60 years of his life. He closed his eyes and went peacefully to the angels.

My poor Mummy has now got to rebuild the life she once knew. But is getting there with all our love and the support of her friends.

RIP Dad 09/10/10

Love you always x

Once i arrived back from Ireland, I had a 101 things to do get on with. Customer orders and this lovely occasion to look forward to and help me feel happy again.
Yes our very own little cupcake Granny turned 90 on the 22nd Oct and myself, my 2 beautiful cousin's and auntie Jenny throw her a big party on the 23rd.
There was wine, a chocolate fountain, all her favourite foods and treats, music, a this is your life, lots of old friends and family, yummy birthday cake (made by the fabulous Rachel my cousin), presents, laughter, party poppers, karaoke, photos and enough chocolate to put Willie Wonker to shame hehe!
This happy event has done all of us the world of good and I'm sure Dad would of been smiling above us too.

Thank you to everyone that helped make Granny's birthday party happen and all that came along.
Happy belated blog Granny, now the next big ones 100 isn't it ;) see you there x

Granny cupcakes on the far right with her Dad, Mum and Brother. It's amazing how much i look like her then. Wonder if I'll see my 90th?

a very bad blogger indeed

2010-07-18T09:06:00.031+01:00

While we've been having fabulous weather like this, the cupcakes house has been very busy indeed.

We've made the most of the sun and had lots of beach days.
With digging....
...and watering the sand lol
We've sat back and relaxed enjoying the blue skies and sunshine.
Sadly a little to much for me one weekend and i ended up burning my feet, ouch! thankfully the cupcakes suncream was as thick as paint lol and waterproof. Mine washed off when paddling in the sea, which = sore feet for a week and half.
Anyway after they'd recovered it was time to get my legs out again lol I am going for the festival look.
The weather as still wonderful for Molly's first sports day. Look at her jump.
Off she goes again and this time, she got a silver stick for coming second.
Very proud Molly and even prouder Mummy and Daddy. Well done little cupcake x
Rochester has held it's second Cherry Picnic and i was lucky enough to have a stall this year.

The whole family came to help and eat.
Jade and i where very tempted by the cake and pudding stall next to us. The competition was enter a pudding and the winner gets the have it made for a year in one of the local restaurant's.

Some of them smelt so good. I wish I'd been a judge and tested them all lol
It was a lovely day and we raised lots of money for the Macmillan nurses and a little for myself and they sold out of cherries, which coursed a bit of complaining. We got ours first thing hehe! before anyone arrived (clever us).

Thanks cupcake family for all your help, you made it a wonderful day x
Now back the another week and it was full of day trips to school for Daisy, which she loved.

And her very last sports day at playgroup.

Daddy made it to this one and we sat and watched her jump, run.....
...and hop in lots of races.
There was even time for cuddles with her favourite Auntie Alison. I don't know who's going to miss each other more. Daisy or Auntie Alison.

There was a Mummies and Daddies relay race which Ben taped but I'll keep for our viewing only LOL my team won though yeay! this made Daisy very happy.
Even more running in the same week, with fun and games at the playgroups teddy bear picnic.
I went down and joined them for some lunch in the park and snapped this photo of Daisy. It has to be my favourite one ever.
That week ended with the playgroups Summer fair. Which was a huge success, we raised £306

Here's the baking raffle prize i put together, it's got a mini hummingbird bakery book, cupcake mix, whisk, spoon and juicer, sprinkles, cherries, cupcake cases, a fabulous apron from Just Original and it's all popped in a cupcake and dotty box.

The raffle prizes where fabulous to this year, a big thank you to everyone that helped make it happen.

On the Saturday it was off to Granny cupcakes and my old secondary school's Summer fair.
Where there was bunting and lots of old memories.
Cakes, candy floss and a tea cup ride. We all had fun. I even saw one of my old teachers, who remembered me, not sure that's a good thing LOL i was a little cheeky as a teenager. But weren't we all?
Another Sunday and it's more beach time. No sun burn this time.
Just lots of fun, relaxing and sandcastles.
And very big smiles......

So you see I've been a busy cupcake this last few weeks and blogging has taken a back seat.

I will try to keep up and pop in on you all. I love my blog and love all of you that drop by and leave comments.

Right for now I'm off to spend time with my cupcakes and recover from this flaming tummy that's been bugging me for 5 days now argh! no time to be ill.

There is fun to be had.

With love,

Strawberries & cream

2010-07-07T22:28:00.004+01:00

Thank you to the lovely Catherine (fabulous name by the way lol) for the box full of wonderful strawberry things.

I love them all and am so glad you like yours.

Sorry for the delay in posting, what with orders, school visits, playgroup things and well just life. I've been a very bad, bad blogger.

Thanks for you're lovely email honey, hope to speak to you soon x

Mollycupcakes will post to you're side of the world if you ever need anything dotty or more CK strawberry fabric xxxxx

With love x

The reception x

2010-06-18T17:25:00.007+01:00

After a wonderful wedding day, we had everything crossed for another bright sunny day for the garden reception, but the powers that be had other ideas lol

But no matter, we got up early and began to set up the gazebo and house for the arrival of 45 + guests.

It was all hands on deck, as bunting was hung, more tables found and covered.....

...glasses where tired with drink me tags, strawberry vodka jelly shots stacked up, cutlery laid, plates and bowls out.....

... flowers and food set out and then everyone started to arrive. We came down fashionable 10 mins late.

And began to greet our guests.

A big thank you to my cousin Mandy for bringing over the dips and veg platters and hanging the bunting. Plus over seeing the organisation's of food and decoration displaying lol have you thought of becoming a wedding reception planner lol

Also thanks to my friend Alison for making plates of yummy tartlets. They were so good honey x

Here are the 2 love birds, Jade and Tom. Jade spent the whole time taking Tom round to everyone showing him off, awww young love xxx

It was lovely to see everyone so happy and the grey skies and drizzle didn't bother us.

We wanted our wedding reception to be a children friendly time as well, so here is the kids food table lol full of naughty treats. We did proved mini sandwiches too but the treats went down the best hehe! And who can blame them ;)

Ava set herself up in the best seat in the house and got stuck right in. Bless her x

The party was in full swing and there was lots of playing...

... and drinking, eating, music and talking being done.

I have to say a thank you to my lovely new sister-in-law Sam for all her help with displaying the cupcakes I baked and attaching all the "drink me" tags to the glasses. With out you're help they would of just been left to the last minute. And you made them look wonderful x The photo above was taken the day after our big day because there where so any more cupcakes than that (I just forgot to get a close up picture on the day).

Two more lovely ladies to thank, Carol for doing my hair, cutting Ben's mum's fringe because her hair dresser had messed it up (lol) driving me and the cupcakes to the reg office and helping clear up our house after the party ended.

And Tracy (the lady behind with blue on) for sitting with me putting together 50 cupcake favour boxes.

Thanks ladies you're both stars ***

Granny cupcakes has made a new best friend with our next door neighbour Mary, bless the two of them. Getting tipsy and laughing LOL

Mary had to be walked back round home because she was a little bit more than tipsy hehe! And they are both 89, if you can't get drunk at that age I don't know when you can! I bet she slept well that night.

Hello mummy-in-law, cheers. Are you tipsy too?

Now Ben and I didn't really want to do speeches or cutting of the cake but that Granny cupcakes had other ideas.

And got us to stand and say a few words, which wasn't that bad really. Ben handled it well and did most of the talking. And I thanked everyone that had helped make both days special.

This cake didn't last long I can tell you, even if I say it myself. It was yummy yum yum!

After the cake cutting the fun didn't end there lol oh no.

It was confetti time in the cupcakes garden (none was thrown at the wedding because Rochester is a no confetti town) so everyone had saved it for this day. That night I was still finding it in my knickers LOL thanks Granny!

Awww more photo's, food, drink, music and laughter. We couldn't of asked for a nicer time. I hope I (we) got around to everyone that came.

Thank you the flowers where everything I'd dreamed of.

Cornish sweet peas and peonies. They smelt amazing and lasted for over two weeks after.

So apart from a little drizzle the whole day went really well and everyone enjoyed it. And made it something to remember forever. I didn't want it to end.

Thank you Ben for making me the happiest woman in the world. I love you hubby xxxx

Hugs and love,

Our wedding day x

2010-06-15T21:25:00.022+01:00

Sorry it's been a while in coming, but here is the first part of our wonderful wedding weekend.
I arrived a couple of mins late lol due to roadworks. My lovely friend Carol drove me and the cupcakes down and got stuck on the very corner to the reg office. I could see Ben and everyone pacing up and down looking nervous hehe! the flaming truck in front of us only needed to move a little bit and we'd of got through. A nudge more and we got though, he gave us a little sorry wave. He didn't realise there was a car full of bridesmaids and a bride LOL

Anyway i made it and here is Granny cupcakes as my witness and Ben's mum as his.

After the ceremony we walked up past Rochester Cathedral with fabulous sunshine and people congratulating us as we went lol

Around the corner we had a sneaky photo done in the back of Kings school gardens but shhh! don't tell anyone lol

Then it was on to the Vines park in Rochester, this is so special to me because it's where Ben proposed to me once more. It is also a beautiful little park and right on our door step. Very lucky to have it within walking distance.

Everyone joined in taking photo's. Here's Fern our old next door neighbour doing her David Bailey bit lol look at Granny cupcakes posing like a model hehe!

All the photo's speak for themselves, it was so beautiful and one of the happiest days of our lives.

There was even pink champagne.

Here's Ben with his mummy and sister Sam.

Just look at our beautiful girls, i was so proud of them all. Bless look at Molly's little face, as lots of you know she came out in chicken pox a few days later :( so was feeling a tiny bit under the weather. And she had had enough by now and was hungry too lol

Big sister Jade gave her and Daisy lots of cuddles and that made it all better. And the promise of some sweets hehe!

I love this photo, Jade looks so grown up and beautiful.

A few more group photo's and it was off to the pub for a drink then our Italian meal. Which we were all just about ready for.

The day was lovely and we ended it by a yummy meal and lots of chatting, smiles, laughter and big kisses.

And who couldn't resist lots of kisses for Granny cupcakes LOL

Thank for all the lovely congratulations and messages. It's been fun to share our magical time with you.

Now i know a few of you are wondering about the whole Kirstie Allsopp pink tie thingy?

Well I'd been asking (on at lol) Ben to wear a pink for me. But to no use, i nearly had him when i said that Molly had chosen one for him. But no he stood his ground hehe!

Then one evening a couple of days before our big day. I was on Twitter and said please everyone tell Ben short he has to wear a pink tie for me just for one day.

Well a few friends on there said come on Ben do it and a male friend said no Ben told firm lol

At this point i noticed Kirstie was twittering (i follow her) and Ben said if Kirstie Allsopp tells me to wear a pink tie, I'll wear one.

You can see where this is going can't you! So i tweeted her and she replied straight away, KirstieMAllsopp
@mollycupcakes Dear Ben short, pink ties are only way for real men to express true love, would've thought u know that by now? Lol Good Luck!

So due to this funny message Ben did indeed wear a pink for me and maybe a little bit for Kirstie LOL

What a fabulous lady, this was her last message to us: KirstieMAllsopp
@mollycupcakes @Ben_short very much my pleasure, so glad you had a good day x

Thank you once again everyone for the help and wishes xxx

I'll be back with part 2 the garden party, which is full to bursting with photo's.

Happy Birthday Dad x

2010-06-06T15:59:00.006+01:00

Photo taken from verysweetdeserts x Dad cupcake.

Today is my Dad's 78th birthday. Have a wonderful day and even though we're not with you, you are in our hearts.

Enjoy the Dvd's and have a nice rest.

Love you x

I will post more promise, still not come down from that cloud yet x

2010-06-05T20:23:00.007+01:00

It was wonderful just wonderful. Everything went to plan and we had two days of the biggest roll coaster ride of our loves. One that all of us will remember forever :o)

I'll post more photo's and tell you everything next week when live gets back to normalist lol

With love and thanks to everyone that helped our days be the best ever.

And for all you're wishes.

And an extra big hug and thank you to Kirstie Allsopp for you're help with one little thing. You are the best. And our favourite TV lady x

I'll tell all next time. ???

Sneak preview.

2010-05-25T10:07:00.006+01:00

With the days flying by, i thought I'd pop on with a little sneaky preview of the cupcakes in their dresses.

Only 3 days to go now, things are really getting exciting here in the cupcake house. I'm off to get some of the food tonight and the rest tomorrow for our big wedding garden party on Saturday and am bursting to start making cakes lol

I'll leave you now so much to do, busy, busy, busy but not stressed (yet! lol).

With love x

Fairy magic

2010-05-21T17:43:00.006+01:00

Today i was away with the fairies and Mrs Pixieland herself Clarie we went off over to Sevenoaks for the old rectory sale, got there at just 4 mins before opening and it was a bit of a free for all lol crazed women looking for that perfect vintage find.
Anyway i didn't seem to notice any clashes of elbows and just got on with looking. Coming away with a couple of nice baskets, china Stanley dog, a veg and fruit book and lovely old broader fork for Mr cupcakes, he was a happy bunny when he spotted this in our garden :o)
I really wanted to bring home some gorgeous painted farmhouse chairs but was very good and left them for another time. There was also some beautiful dressers to but I'll wait until the next fair when we've got more money saved, i know my lovely Mummy, Daddy and Granny cupcakes is giving us money for a wedding present just for this occasion. I'm really looking forward to going out and finding something just right for our house. I know there will be something waiting for us soon.

Thanks for a lovely morning Clarie it was great catching up, see you on Saturday sweetie x

So with the whole like this it was fabulous and i even grabbed half an hour sitting in the sunshine this afternoon before collecting the cupcakes from playgroup and school.

Hope you've all had a nice day.
See yo all soon, this time next week I'll be Mrs Short and preparing for our wedding reception the next day yeay! I could burst with excitement lol

With love,

Playing with cupcakes

2010-05-18T15:54:00.004+01:00

Now with only just over a week to go before Mr cupcakes makes domestic wifely goddess of me lol
I've been playing lots of different cupcake flavours, these are my favourite. Coconut and pineapple and mini cupcakes with coconut and white chocolate chunks. These didn't last very long in our house i can tell you.

The tiny pink petal is from our apple tree, did you know you can eat them? well yes but only in small quantities. I've picked some today and frozen them and will sugar coat them at the weekend, ready for our big wedding garden party, yummy!

Thanks for all the lovely messages on my last post, Miss Daisy is back to her normal little wotsit self lol and we wouldn't have her any other way.

Big kiss from her to all of you X

With love.

What do you get if you take...

2010-05-08T15:48:00.009+01:00

...one little miss Daisy

And one plastic Ogglie eye?

10 hours in hospital and 1cm x 1cm ogglie eye removed from nose is what you get lol

Yes our little miss Daisy pushed said item up her nose the night of my pampered chef hen night, at about 7.15pm 45 minutes before all my friends arrived, great timing argh!

Thankfully Mr cupcakes had only just popped out to move the car off the drive and came back to screaming Daisy and very stressed me. I'd had a look up her nose and there was no way i was getting it out and didn't really want to have a go, for safety reasons.

So after being wrapped up in her dressing gown, off she went to A&E and my party went ahead.

A couple of hours later, she returned with ogglie eye still firmly in place, sigh! they could get it out.

So booked her an appointment for the next morning back in the children's ward, so we arrived for 9'o clock and two doctors later and lots of tears still no ogglie eye.

The decision was made to put her to sleep, not something I'd like to go through again i can tell you. It left us feeling worried and helpless. But it worked and we now had said ogglie eye in a tester pot as a keep sake lol

Brave Daisy came round a little drunk and very hungry and thirsty. Bless her after being nil by mouth for over 9 hours due to no one telling us not to give her breakfast at 7.30am in case they needed to put her to sleep (sigh!). She waffled down 3 lots of juice, marmalade on toast, cheese sandwich, monster munch crisps and chocolate biscuits lol we've never seen her eat so much.

And after they'd taken her blood pressure a few more times and removed the needle from the back of her hand ouch! we could bring her home.

Yeay! no more ogglies up Daisy's nose. We're hoping it has scared her enough never to do something as silly as this ever again.

And please note any naughty Ogglies hiding in the cupcakes room have been found and turned out, never to be pushed up any noses ever again LOL

I want to say a big thank you to my very good friend Carol for taking care of Molly while all of this happened. You are a true friend, big hugs honey xoxo

Less than a month to go?

2010-05-04T14:24:00.000+01:00

The invites are sent and the dress is bought (at last lol) things are starting to come together, flowers ordered, gift list ready, hair style found and cupcake recipe's tried and tested.

Now i just need to wait for RSVP's to come in and work out how much food and drink we're gonna need and keep everything crossed for a sunny couple of days. I can't believe it's come round so fast now. It seems like only yesterday when Mr cupcakes asked me that big question on my birthday and turned me into a giddy girl again hehe!

Now in less than a month I'm going to be Mrs S.

I'm so excited now my heads spins just thinking about it lol

Love,

Swap loveliness

2010-04-30T10:49:00.008+01:00

All these lovely goodies came for me in the post this week, thank you Melissa for all the beautiful items, they are fabulous. As you can see the cushion is a big hit with my cat Thomas. He's so cheeky i popped it on my favourite chair and he got on and nicked it lol
Thank you for the cupcakes sleepover bag, they will use that for the first time after our wedding garden party. They're staying with friends for the very first time and having their own bag will make it more fun. X

And another big thank you goes to Gemma for all the lovely items below. My favourite is the chick in the egg, it's so cute.

How cute is this...

And the cookies, well i just found it so hard to bite into mine because it's so pretty. Bunting is my favourite thing. But once I'd taken a bite, well it wasn't long before it had gone :o( tasted wonderful with my morning coffee.

As you can see the flower one got a big nibble out of it before i could photo it LOL i wonder who that was? hmmm miss Daisy hehe!

Thank you once again for my lovely swap items they are all and where hehe! fabulous.

I hope you enjoy yours, they are in the post now. A little later then i wanted just because life runs away here in the Cupcake house and even more so as the moment because of the wedding plans and orders.

Many thanks to everyone joining in the Spring Easter swap, please let me see photo's of what you got.

Have a good weekend.

Oh one more thing, you'll be pleased to know that last Saturday while in Bluewater i found my wedding dress and it came home with me yeay!!!! I'm so excited now i could burst lol

cupcake love x

It's great being a kid!

2010-04-23T19:01:00.004+01:00

Oh to be able to jump on the bed again, me thinks i might break it if i tried LOL

So I'll leave it for the cupcakes to enjoy.

Have a good weekend.

Trying on as many dresses as i can tomorrow, maybe I'll find that special one, who knows.

I hope the swap is going well, back on Monday with more news.

I know a couple of you couldn't get hold of your partners, i hope it's been sorted now.

With love,

Flowers and wedding favours

2010-04-20T19:11:00.005+01:00

I had to just share with you these beautiful flowers, now you'd think they where florist bought but no they are in fact picked from Granny cupcakes very own garden. Aren't they amazing, and they smell wonderful too. I do think she has green fingers because she can take the smallest of cuttings and it will grow. She makes me laugh when we're out for a walk and she sees something she fancies. And says "I'll just have a little piece of that" and whoop she's nabbed it off a bush, tree or flower lol next thing it's growing in her garden. LOL she's fabulous.

I've just last night popped my wedding favours on to NOTHS so if you're thinking of something different go on over and have looksie. £2.50 each, with Mr & Mrs on one side the date of your wedding or plain on the other. You choose.

I hope the swaps going well, please let me know what you've all got. I'm posting mine tomorrow and sorry to the couple of ladies that didn't get in. I've just been so busy and not had time to contact you, maybe the next one.

I will be letting you know a little more about our wedding plans soon because OMG it's only a few weeks away argh! really should find a dress to wear lol I'm not worried really ;O)

With love

Frozen Mummies, happy children hehe!

2010-04-15T11:46:00.010+01:00

Take one very grey, cloudy and cold day. Mix it with lots of crazy Mummies and children and you've got us yesterday having an Easter egg hunt picnic by the river in Rochester lol
It was oh so cold but we all wrapped up and made the effort to go. The children had a fab time, playing on the swings, slide and generally just running around.

On our table we sat on cushions and snuggled in blankets while the egg hunt began. The lovely lady in this photo with the fabulous bright pink socks is Lara. A big thank you to you lovely for organising this half term fun.

The children look so cute running in and out of the bright yellow daffs and are totally unaware of the cold Brrrrr!

Just look at the big smiles, amazing what a few chocolate eggs can do lol

Anyway a couple of hours sitting in the cold was enough for all us Mummies and we packed up and headed off to our fabulous little cafe The Deaf Cat Cafe which has now moved in to bigger premises. Yeay! and looks lovely, congratulations to Laura and fella the owners x.

I really did forget to take more photos or it may just have been that my fingers had stopped working, due to the cold but just picture 7 little girls and 4 Mummies on sofas, armchairs and tables, all chatting, drinking hot chocolates and coffee's eating yummy cakes and cookies.

A cute picture indeed, and it made me giggle looking at all the girlie's together because they just looked like mini versions of us, laughing and chatting about who found the most eggs. LOL

What a wonderful day we had.

Sometimes the simple days out are the best, aren't they x

Happy Birthday Mum x

2010-04-14T15:27:00.008+01:00

Happy birthday Mummy, for this blog i just wanted to do a post full of some of my favourite photos of you because this is one of the ways i get to see everyday.

I know we could go on the web cam but it always breaks up. So apart from the pictures of you i have in my head these ones are second best to seeing you for real.

With your love and support you've let me grow into the woman i am today and i thank you for that with all my heart. Letting me make my decisions and choosing the path i have in life, which has turned out to be the best thing I've ever done. Standing by me through the crappy times and watching me grow stronger and happier with each step.

Love you very much.

See you soon, sorry it's been so long.

Hugs and birthday wishes for a wonderful day x

Swap detail mix up lol

2010-04-13T21:25:00.004+01:00

Some of you lovely ladies have been emailing me with your address details, i think it's because you've read the last bit of my post saying email me you're addresses and I'll post your items off to you. That was only meant for Scrumptious Treats and Miss Sew & Sew, as we're all swapping together.

I hope this has cleared it up for you all.

Please send you're swap partner you're details not me :o)

Happy swapping x

Swap pairs just in...

2010-04-09T22:33:00.016+01:00

ok here we go lovely ladies, just click on you're pairs and swap emails and addresses once you're Spring / Easter swaps are completed.

Rules again are 5 or more items, handmade, food, sweets, bought or recycled. You choose as long as they are Spring and Easter related. All swaps to be completed by or around 23rd April.

Have lots of fun and please drop by and tell me what lovelies you all got.

Right here are the pairs as follows,

The Vintage Gardener & Jude

Jackie & Saraeden

Crafty Helen & The Mad House

Anna & Jille

Isobel & Bekimarie

Vintage Girl & Pixiedust

Scrumptious Treats & Miss Sew and Sew your have to swap with ME! Hope you don't mind but there was a even number of you and with little old me joining in it made it odd, so i got to go in the pot twice yeay!

Please email me you're addresses and and i can post your items off once I've finished collecting them. X

If there are any problems with links or anything just drop me a line, but apart from that have fun and thank you for joining in.

With love

Spring / Easter Swap Extended until the 9th April

2010-04-06T16:00:00.010+01:00

Hello everyone, thank you to all of you that have already asked to join in the swap. I thought I'd extend the cut of date by a few more days.

So there is still time to join in, please just leave me a comment on this post or the one below and I'll sort pairs out Friday 9th April now instead of today. I just thought that with the Easter break some of you might miss out. And i don't want that to happen lovely ladies.

Hope you all had a nice Easter weekend, we went off to a Easter fair, did an egg hunt and ended up at Whitstable on the bank holiday Monday.

It's also just occurred to me that i need a kick up the bum about our wedding lol I've nothing to wear yet and no invites written argh! it's the 6th of April already and our wedding day is the 28th May LOL how much notice should you give your guests?

It will all be fine I'm sure. I'm relaxed and so is Mr cupcakes.

The cupcakes have their dresses and hair clips. They just need shoes and a single flower with a ribbon wrapped stem, sorted!

Enjoy the rest of the week, back soon x

Spring / Easter swap anyone?

2010-03-31T19:29:00.006+01:00

I'm doing another swap and this ones all about Spring and all things Easter. This is one of my favourite times of year, the colours, new bulbs and flowers popping up everywhere and new life of baby lambs and chicks. So what a perfect way to show how much i love it by having a Spring/Easter swap ladies.

Rules are 5 items or more and they must be Spring and Easter related, lots of wonderful bright colours used, lets try and get out of this flaming grey, dull, snowy weather we're all stuck with.

There can be food items, handmade items, bought or given items you choose. Just have fun with it.

Leave me a comment on this post or your details via email and I'll pair you up and post partners on the 10th April.

I hope you all join in and the Easter bunny brings you lots of eggs this weekend xxx

Must hop now lol

It's Daisy time, 4 today yeay!

2010-03-27T16:04:00.010Z

Happy birthday little Daisy flower, wow 4 years old. It only feels like yesterday i was putting nappies on you and feeding you myself. Now look at you, this year sees you starting big girl school like your sister Molly. And she moves up to year one. Both my little ones not so little anymore boo hoo :(
I hope leaving playgroup won't be to sad for you, i know you're miss auntie Ali and auntie Gail the most. We can pop back to see them when ever you want little lady.
I'm not looking forward to that leaving do, it was hard enough at Molly's. It's a few months for now and you're going to have so much fun.
Today we took Daisy to one of her favourite places, Bager hill farm. And we fed the chickens and ate cream tea, yummy.

But before we left, Daisy blew out her 4 candles on her sheep cake i made.

Bless her she says it's a Timmy one, (for all of you that don't know who Timmy is he's a little lamb with a lot to learn lol) kids program!

Birthday cake for just after breakfast yummy. I wonder what cakes the girls will ask for next. I think I'm setting myself high standards lol

It 20.34 now and Daisy has only just gone off to bed, very excited and full of sugar lol just what 4 year olds should be like. Happy happy birthday little lady, i hope you remember today and cherish the fun we've had. Lots of cards, presents, cake, cuddles and love.

Love you flower x

Mummy, Daddy, Molly and big sister Jade x x x x

Mothering Sunday

2010-03-18T19:19:00.014Z

My mothering Sunday started with 3 gorgeous cards, two handmade and one very carefully chosen.

Cupcake...

Flowers and butterflies.

And not only one but two lots of beautiful Spring flowers. Thank you mini cupcakes x x x

And big cupcake treated me to a film, Marley and me. With my favourite actress Jennifer Aniston. (who big cupcake says i look ever so a little like) yer! i wish lol Thank you sweetie x x x

Now I was a very lucky mummy indeed because it was lambing weekend over at Hadlow college, so off we went. Just look at the gorgeous lambs awaiting there for us (not just us the 100 or more other people that went that too lol). This little girl was my favourite, isn't she sweet.

As you know our cupcakes are farming crazy and we will one day own our very own smalling holding, where we can grow veg, bring up lambs, have chickens and i can run my business and make it grow into something bigger. For ours and their future.

Miss Molly was so at home feeding the lambs and just got stuck in. (sorry to the little one in the red coat, you just wouldn't move lol) Molly's the one in the CK dress and dress cardie, oh how she's got taste hehe!

And here are Daisy and Jade, this little lamb thought that if he sucked on Jade's fingers long enough he'd find some milk in there lol i did have to pat Jade down to make sure she'd not popped the lamb under her coat, she was really taken with it.

It was truly a wonderful day for me, i was has happy as a pig in muck lol

Being there makes me feel even stronger about never eating lamb in my life again. I have only had it about 4 times and a couple of them wasn't through my own choice. I just didn't want to be rude after someones been to all that effort in cooking a Sunday roast for you. And inviting you there. (i didn't have the heart to say sorry i don't eat this).

But i hold my hand up and pledge NEVER to eat lamb again. They are beautiful and intelligent creatures.

And even after watching lambing live with the wonderful Jim and Kate Beavan, knowing how well looking after and cared for the lambs for meat produce are. And understanding they are not raising fields full of pets, but it's their lively hood. I found watching Jim explain how he felt about choosing the lambs that go to slaughter a very heart felt and honest answer. After all he's right they don't want for anything and have everything. He's helped bring them into the world, cared, fed and looked after them. And produced an excellent quality meat. I just couldn't bring myself to eat it. I'd never looked at it in this way before. But people that grow fruit and veg, like Mr cupcakes. Plant the seed, watch it grow in to seedlings, feed and water it and it grows into a prize tomato for eating or selling. That is how Jim sees his lambs. Giving them the best quality of life to produce the best quality meat. Simple really.

I wish all our meat and poultry was raised in the same free range and caring way. What a better place it would be.

Help support a couple of wonderful charities, just click the links Compassion in world farming and this wonderful couple who are working hard to preserve livestock and wildlife native to the highlands of Scotland. Caithness rare breeds

Look at this lovely little lady, i know i just couldn't even think of mint sauce. Could you?

Happy Mothers Day x

2010-03-14T08:35:00.006Z

Love you Mummy and miss you lots, wish you where closer so i could get my Mothers day cuddles for real. Thank you for my little parcel of goodies, you are naughty. You see ever year my Mummy sends me a gift for being a great Mum to my 3 girls and keeping them safe until the next she gets to see them. Thank you Mum its means a lot to me. I hope the card turned up, flaming Royal mail. Some extra treats for you next week. xxx

I hope all of you enjoy a wonderful day with loved ones and family, whether it be in person, by phone, text or web cam. Have a lovely time. x

We're off to see the lambing day here in Kent and I can't wait. The suns shining and I've been woken with gifts of flowers, Dvd's, handmade and shop bought cards.

But the biggest gift of all was the cuddles and kisses lol xxxxxxxxx money can't buy those X

I want to learn the dance to this now lol

2010-03-13T22:25:00.005Z

Well done Rufus Hound. Let's dance was so much fun, i loved watching it. It made me want to get up and dance too lol

Dig deep and donate Sport relief every bit helps x

My oldest Jade is doing a 3 legged race for a mile, well done honey. We're proud of you.

Bringing a little sweetiness to the day

2010-03-12T09:48:00.010Z

I don't know about you but I'm sick to the back teeth with this flaming grey cold weather, so today i sat down at my computer and said no more. Today's going to be a happy, bright and full of cakes. Just ones to look for me, they are the best kind to keep the pounds off lol

Hope this has brightened your day a little and turned your heads away from the grey clouds outside. Have a lovely weekend.

Back soon with another guessing game and a Easter swap.

With love,

Mum's the word x

2010-03-05T09:25:00.010Z

A mothers day special, 14th March is just around the corner. So i thought I'd share with you a few little items that would make any mummies day a smiley one.

Mum hanging hearts with pretty white flower and polka dot detail on reverse £2.50 + p&p each. And I love you mummy pegs £7.00 + p&p a pack double sided. Both available on NOTHS (click the word to visit).

Handmade mothers day cards all using vintage millinery velvet flowers and birds. Glitter card with Pansy £4.50 each + p&p available at Mollycupcakes only.

Pink vintage velvet bird and hand drawn flowers mothers day card. £4.50 +p&p available at Mollycupcakes only.

Pretty bluebird in vintage velvet and hand drawn flowers. £4.50 + p&p available at Mollycupcakes only.

Happy mothers day pegs with dotty and daisy design, double sided £7.00 + p&p available at NOTHS and Mollycupcakes

I hope you see something you think your mummies would like, please email me if you have other questions of would like something made in a different colour.

Have a lovely weekend, fingers crossed the suns shines on us all.

With love,

Who dunnit revealed

2010-03-01T16:13:00.008Z

It was miss Mollycupcakes herself lol when asked why did you eat the icing off of mummy's display cupcake, she said "because it tasted good" hehe! what could i say to that!

Out of 22 of you only 2 clever ladies guessed Molly.

We still popped them into the mixing bowl but I have decided to send you both a cupcake treat.

Well done Alison from Vintage Amethyst x (Molly's very excited and full of sweets lol).

And congratulations to Pink Lady please could you email me you're details and I'll pop you're cupcake treat in the post.

I have to say that was fun doing a blog like that, I might make it a every 3 months who dunnit. Not that our house is full of little naughties lol

Thanks for playing.

With love.

Who dunnit? lol

2010-02-26T13:53:00.013Z

So which one of you too ate the icing off of my display cupcake???? it wasn't the mouse lol
Molly or Daisy?
Or was it you Thomas? we all know you have a sweet tooth lol

If you guess the right answer and you're pulled from the mixing bowl a little cupcake gift will be posted you're way.

Just leave your guesses in a comment on this post. And I'll draw a winner on Sunday x

Happy guessing.

With love,

Wordless Wednesday, just photo's x

2010-02-24T19:30:00.001Z

5 Today yeay

2010-02-21T10:43:00.005Z

Happy birthday miss Molly. Looking back at the photo underneath Mummy and Daddy can hardly believe you're 5 today wow
You make us both proud each and everyday. And your smile is all it takes to melt any troubles away.
We love you little cupcake, have a magical day x

Molly 21.02.2005

Happy 25 years Eastenders.

2010-02-19T21:47:00.005Z

We all sat on our sofa watching the live show tonight wondering whodunit and what goes and happens? poor old Bradley goes and falls off a flaming roof and Stracey confesses she's the one that killed Archie.
We even watched the aftermath show on bbc3, it was good to se all the old people from years back. I think I've always been a Eastenders fan and remember when Den and Angie ran the pub. It's the one and only soap we watch in the cupcake house, Mr cupcakes always turns to me and says "what times Eastenders on" lol and after looking on his twitter i found out why hehe! keep on twitting Stacey lol

Well done to all the cast, it was a good show. Roll on the next 25 years.

Have a good weekend and thank you for all the get well wishes you've sent me. It's still hanging around and poor Mr cupcakes is having to sleep on the sofa because of my bear like snoring lol But I'm a fighter and won't like it stop me.

With love,

Fell off the plant for a while...

2010-02-17T19:47:00.005Z

Oh my it's been ages or it feels like ages. For the lady that never gets ill, i truly got a ickie bug this time :( it's still fighting inside me and blocking up my head. Making sleeping no fun at all, poor Mr cupcakes says my snoring is driving him crazy. I sound like a grizzle bear lol it just won't shift and no amount of coughing and sneezing is clearing it argh!

So i missed Valentines day but lucky for me Mr cupcakes bought me some beautiful flowers on the Friday before, we where to go away for the Valentine weekend but it all fell through. Just as well really i wouldn't of been up to it. Thank you i love my pink gerberas (photos soon).

I've also missed doing something nice on Jade's birthday, who has now turned 15 wow how the hell did that happen lol

Awww young love, here she is with Tom her boyfriend. Jade was so pleased this year to not only have her birthday on valentines day but to have a boyfriend as well.

How my little baby is growing up and turning in to a beautiful young woman. We love you and we'll do something special when I'm better. Hope you enjoy your yummy cupcake honey x

Right that's it for me now, i need more meds and coffee. Thanks to everyone that is following me on Twitter, it's still new to me but i think I'm getting the hang of it lol

Back soon with more wedding news and Molly's birthday this Sunday.

With love,

Catherine x

May day will be here soon.

2010-02-07T19:13:00.006Z

Even though today was a grey dull day, I didn't see it because we met with our photographer and booked him up for our wedding day in May.
It all seems so very real now. Looking at other peoples weddings he's done and sitting thinking wow it's ours in 3 months, eeeek! (i really need to lose some weight lol). Oh and find a dress argh!!!!

Photo taken by Meg Perotti x

Happy Sunday everyone x

Back next week.

60th birthday wishes x

2010-02-06T08:07:00.006Z

Today my Dad turns 60 so I'm sending him birthday wishes and hoping he has a wonderful.

I don't get to see him that much or my Mum because they both live so far away from me and have new partners and lives. But i think of them each and everyday and hold on tightly to the time i do get to spend with them. Which these days is few and far between. And i wish it could be more times. Cos i miss them more than i let on, only Mr cupcakes truly knows. I don't ever want my cupcakes to feel like i do, i will be near them until I'm old and grey, even it drives them mad lol

No matter how old you get you always need your parents because there is nothing like the loving cuddle from a Mum or Dad, to make things all better again. I'm 34 and go back to being a small girl again when I'm wrapped in either of their arms. It's something I'll never grow out of x

Happy Birthday Daddy.

Love you.

Be my Valentine x

2010-02-03T17:12:00.006Z

Check out both my Valentine items over on NOTHS love is in the air with my i love you pegs and romantic red hearts. I hope you're all be loved up this coming 14th of Feb.

Just a short one today I'm feeling crappy and full of cold and to make things worse i got court in a drizzle this afternoon and got even more cold and wet argh! flaming English weather. Muddling through, it's only a cold lol

Lots of hearts and pegs to paint, so that will keep me busy.

With love.

Why so grey? because i have colourful ideas!

2010-01-28T18:59:00.016Z

The reason for the title is...

... I'm so fed up with this grey weather that i felt i needed some colour in my life, so I've put together a few of my favourite photos and placed them all in this one post.

I hope I've injected some colour into your days. Is it just grey here? or everywhere!

I mean i like grey don't get wrong, it's one of my fave colours to wear but enough's enough of it outside I need sun, even if it's just for a while.

Roll on Spring, pretty please x
With love,

Just keep thinking this...

2010-01-18T10:17:00.005Z

This picture is especially for Jade my oldest cupcake. She's been doing her GCSE's all last week and has the last 2 today and on Wednesday. A very stressful time for her. We saw a real difference in her this weekend, she looked thinner, paler and sleeper (if a teenager can look any sleeper lol). I took her and Daisy out on Saturday to the shops for a little break. (miss Molly was out partying with school friends and Mr cup).

I think the break did her some good, as she got stuck in to the books again on the Sunday.

Good my lovely girl, just give it your best that is all we ask of you. Ben and i are very proud of all your hard work.

And just remember the words above KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON.

My thoughts are with any other parents on here with teenagers going through the same thing. I know i wouldn't want to go back to school now for all the tea in China.

I must admit i didn't do well in my G's but it's never stopped me doing anything in life. And now i run my own business and work for myself. I hope i give you the confidence to just do your best. There is so much more stress put on own youngster's, i dread to think what it's going to be like for Molly and Daisy when they get to their teens. But we're support them in everything they choose.

This weekend coming Jade and you can have a rest and enjoy yourself with Tom (that's her boyfriend wink!). And just relax knowing that part is all done with.
With love,

Time for the snow to go and let some sun in.

2010-01-14T19:00:00.007Z

Thank you simple h & fairlygirly for this lovely sunny award. It really made me smile, it's been the dullest off days today and this brought me a little bit of my very own sunshine and i thank you for that. Especially when i keep looking at the piles of receipts and accounting i need to do for my lovely old tax return. Some much needed sunshine was just what the doctor ordered.

Now i know i have to pass it on to 12 more of my favourite blogs, so here goes.
Cupcakes at home
Curlew Country
Elfie & me
Just Original
Vintage Amethyst
Vintage Heaven
Bobo bun
The Further Adventures of a Thrifty Mrs
All things lovely
Mad mummy
The fabric of my life
Summer Blue
Right well that took a long time i can tell and if you're not on this list please don't think any less of me. I love each and everyone of you because having you blogging ladies in my life brings me sun, smiles and some tears sometimes. And you're all fabulous.

On a sad note please if you can and have a little to spare donate some money to the Haiti earthquake appeal. They need our help x http://www.dec.org.uk/ And every bit will make a difference.

Thank you x

With love,

All this snow is making me still feel all Christmasy.

2010-01-11T17:48:00.006Z

Is it just me or does it still feel alot like Christmas? i know all the decorations have been packed away and the last of the cake eaten but all the snow makes me feel magic is still in the air. Or maybe i just don't want to let go of that lovely feeling and let grey old January in. This is a photo taken by me while out walking with Mr cupcakes and the little cups. Our wood at the end of the road, it's full of wild life and my favourite feathered friends blue tits, they wouldn't stay still long enough to get a photo of them. Our own Winter wonderland and i thought I'd share a little bit of it with you x

Holding on to the last of the Christmasy ness, here's a funny poem by the lovely Jacqui at Pearl & Earl. Check out their website. Lots of fabulous present ideas.

gaudy baubles, fairy lights and lots of holly wreaths,... amaryllis, mistletoe and snogging underneath,... crackers, snowballs, advocat and grandma in a tizz,... mum always in the kitchen cooking, she really is a whizz,... pine needles getting everywhere, the hoover just packed in,... bowls of stale dates, a bag of nuts and a big quality street tin,... turkey with all the trimmings, and of course our yearly dose of sprouts,... dad says that they make him fart, and complains about his gout,... bond films, people dying on a soap and don’t forget the Queen,.. morecombe and wise season special with an appearance from barry sheen,... smells of cinnamon from the mulled wine remind us of the past,... but please don’t cringe, remind yourself Christmas really is a laugh...x

With love x

Brrr! it's brass monkey's out there.

2010-01-09T13:26:00.016Z

Saturday morning saw the cupcake house all wrapped up in lots of layers, hats, gloves, scarfs and coats. And setting off to the woodland walk up the road. We found a hill and set about sledging down it lol

First came Miss Molly in her leopard wellies, pom pom scarf and liquorice allsorts hat.

Followed closely by Miss Daisy, sporting her new pom pom bear hat and Stanley wellies.

After seeing how much fun it looked Mr cakes thought he'd have a go lol

Big kid LOL I'm sure he's not been the only Daddy to do this. Any excuse for a play hehe!

Back home and hot water botty for Daisy little feet, some chocolate buttons to make her feel better and snuggles under the eiderdown for Molly. Hot coffee and tea for me and Mr cupcakes.

And stood and watched the poor feathered friends in our garden. I'd spread the last of the left over goose fat on the end of the bread, filled an enamel plate with water for them too. They really need water to drink in this weather as well as fatty treats.

Our trees in the garden give them some shelter from the cold and snow.

Here is our favourite little fella, Mr Robin. He's made our garden his and his Mrs joins him the feed sometimes too. There is also a little family if blue tits, my favourite bird of all but they are safely tucked up somewhere in side a tree. I can't blame them really, as i type this there is a blizzard out there.

Thomas our cat isn't silly he knows the warmest place to sleep lol doesn't look the most comfortable of places though, crazy cat. His belly just about fits on.

He's keeping his paws crossed that this weather doesn't go on for much longer, it's far too cold out there to put his bottom down anywhere for a pee LOL

It's the funnest thing to see. A quick dash out, find a spot, wee and run for your life back indoors again. Our other cat Megan has to be carried out because she'd fight you all the way before she'd go on her own. They're now both fast asleep on the chair in our bedroom, next to the radiator. Not silly!

Wheres the post? is it me or have we not had any for over 3 days now! now i know it's bad weather but our fabulous milkman still gets here everyday with his delivery of much needed milk for our breakfast, tea and coffee's. And we thank him fromthe bottom of our hearts, so why can't the postman do the same. Sigh!

I sent out loads of cards this Christmas and haven't had hardly any post back and now nothing at all for 3 days, so I'm really not liked or is it all sitting around at the depot waiting to be sorted or lost in the magic postal world that is Royal mail. I hate to moan but when you run a business and rely on them, it really makes you think about finding someone else. I truly hope that all my Christmas cards and customer orders have got to you all. Maybe next year it would be easier to walk and post them all myself LOL

Keep warm and safe.

From a toastie cupcake house lots of love x

I'd like to go into hibernation now the snows here Brrrr!

2010-01-07T10:41:00.018Z

So the Christmas cakes are eaten and the decorations are packed away for another year.

Well nearly all packed away, I've kept a few all year round ones. Like our reindeer. I thought with all the sow she'd feel right at home still looking out at it all. And Mr squirrel is all warm and toastie inside. Thanks Tracy, Ben loves him and it made him laugh when i gave him as a present. He'd seen them on your blog. And thought how cute they are.

Visit Cupcakes at home for more of Tracy's fabulous items.

A home can never have enough toadstool's i say. I plan to paint the little wooden one, but it won't be for sale though sorry ladies. It's just to nice and i got it before we went to the farm last year, from Butterfly world.

I've kept my red bunting up in the conservatory, it makes me smile but there's been no working out there it's so cold it would freeze the brass monkey's off LOL

Our Christmas tree still looks pretty a fair few less needles than when Mr cupcakes bought it home but it's full of snow now and looks a picture. We'll compost it up the lottie later when the weather gets better (if it gets better sigh!).

Molly's school is closed today and it's Daisy's day off from playgroup, so this means lots of indoor activity's planed for the day.

The tub of felts come out and thank you letters are being drawn and written.

While the snow carries on falling outside we're all snug and toastie. Keeping busy. I think some well earned films later on and hot chocolates and biscuits too.

I'll leave you with a couple of snowier photo's, this is what we can see from our bedroom window.

And this one from across the road. The graveyard looks like a picture postcard and ever so less spooky than before.

Stay safe and warm everyone, don't go out if you don't have to and if you do wrap up warm, take a flask of something hot and pack a blanket in the car.

With love,

It's all over so fast, but we had a good time. Thanks Santa x

2010-01-04T20:30:00.001Z

In the early hours (well not too early lol) of the morning. The cupcakes woke to find Santa had been and left them gifts in their stockings as well as under the Christmas tree.

And once our teenager joined us from her sleepy bed hehe! the opening of Santa gifts took place. Look what miss Molly got, just what she'd asked him for. And a pink scooter too. You must of been a very good girl last year. You can just spy Mr cupcakes in the back ground putting together miss Daisy's gift from Santa.

Yes a Ben 10 scooter lol our young Daisy is the biggest tomboy ever. All the boys at playgroup and Molly's school love her lol Poor Daddy cupcakes is going get more and more grey hairs by day. There will be no hope by the time she's a teenager LOL I don't think we should be worried though, I've heard lots of people say that their boys love to play with dolls, our Daisy is just into boys stuff. I must add that we've bought their beautiful dresses for our wedding (a bargain in the kids Monsoon sale hehe!) and Daisy just loves her pretty very pink girlie dress lol so she has a real mix of boy/girl in her. LOL And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Now as Christmas days go ours was a nice family one, with just Mr cupcakes, me, the cupcakes and Jade. There was some wearing of silly hats and bad jokes in the crackers. Q: Why did the strawberry get a lawyer? A: Because it was in a jam. sigh!

There was some stuffing of the bird (oi! cheeky lol) Thanks Mr cupcakes for one of the best Christmas dinners ever. Everything was yummy. I'm a lucky lady because i sort out the rest of Christmas, ie: cards, presents, posting them, wrapping them, decorations, Christmas cakes etc, etc... so this means that Mr cupcakes cooks Christmas day dinner. This year he even cooked my favourite gammon, with my yummy topping for me because i had a cold. Awww what a sweetie. Thanks baby. X

Before and while the bird was cooking we had a nice winter walk to work up an appetite and to build our strength for opening the rest of the presents. We both can't stand it that most Christmas days are over so fast, with a free for all of tearing wrapping paper off and it all being over in 5 mins flat, so in our house we just open stockings and Santa gifts first and save the rest for later. The cupcakes don't seem to mind because they don't know any different. And it makes the day last for them and us. What funny things or ways do you do on Christmas day?

We also saved the cake until Boxing day. This one anyway lol i made 2 so Mr cupcake could have some with his tea in the afternoons before the big day.

The famous Granny cupcakes came for the day on Boxing day and we spent it chatting, playing games, opening more presents she'd brought with her (naughty lady), watching films, eating cheese, crackers, cold meats and pickles, more cake, wearing silly hats again and just spending some good old fashion family time together. Thank you cupcake family for making it a lovely one. And to mine and Mr cupcakes family that couldn't be with us, you where on our minds. And we missed having you here. X

So the cupcakes go back tomorrow to school and playgroup, and the house will be a quite once again until 3.30ish when we all get home again. I'm getting stuck into some new projects for Spring and did i mention our wedding in May lol well there is the matter of that to take in hand. The biggest one for me is what the hell am i going to wear? Getting down to my ideal weight of 9 stone needs to happen first before any dress trying on takes place lol no more cakes, crisps or sweets for me. Lots of fruit and veg, oh god new year resolutions! yes losing weight is at the top of mine. I don't need to lose loads but just some to make me feel better in myself.

And living by this wonderful piece of advice written below, which i found on another blog ( I'm so sorry but i can't remember who's blog it was).

The first part of it is very important to me this year and i want to try my very best to carry these words in my head, if certain people try and invade my life.

I strongly feel that the second part of it is true and i have been living by the everything happens for a reason line for over 6 years now. I wouldn't be where i am or who i am now if i didn't. I have truly gone back to being the person my Mummy cupcake brought in to the world all those years ago. And stopped turning into someone I'm not and didn't want to be anymore. I am that bird set free to fly and grow into the real me. Thanks Ben.

Life is to short to wake up in the morning with regrets.

So, love the people who treat you right and forget about the one's who don't.

And believe that everything happens for a reason...

If you get a chance - take it;

If it changes your life - let it.

Nobody said it would be easy...

They just promised it would be worth it.

Happy new year everyone, back soon more things to say.

With love,

Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010

2009-12-31T21:22:00.003Z

Happy new year to everyone in my wonderful family, all my friends and bloggers. Enjoy a fun but safe night and see you in 2010.

All my love and thanks for all the support, kindness and love you've all given me and my family. Here is to a fabulous new year, full of amazing new things.

May it be a cupcake filled one.
Thank you to all my loyal customers new, old and trade ones, without you're support Mollycupcakes wouldn't be able to work. See you all (i hope lol) in the new year where I'll have lots of new designs and stock. So come back for more coffee and cake, Molly's door is always open X
With Love

Christmas star, some baking and birthday treats.

2009-12-23T19:25:00.024Z

I said I'd show you our fluffy star and here it is, it touches the ceiling because the trees so big lol Mr cupcakes had to get up on a chair because i couldn't reach, I'm short by name and short by nature hehe!

The cupcake house had a little jolly off on Sunday down to a very very cold Whitstable, i bought this beautiful handmade Noel sign at their Christmas farmers market. It was only a fiver and has lovely vintage old lace and the cutest fuzzy letters. I saw it and could see it hanging on our dining room fireplace, which is just where I've popped it. Somethings are just meant to be bought aren't they!

I can't believe it's Christmas Eve today, wow that's got here fast. I've gone and got myself a cold but hey I'm a woman, so I'll cope lol

The cupcakes are very excited and Jade! well she's still in bed lol (sigh! teenagers). I'm sure by tomorrow she'll be bouncing around just as much as the little ones. She's only here a short time, so i hope i can make it a special one for her and Santa brings her everything on her list. x

Granny cupcakes will be joining us on Boxing day and for Christmas day it's just gonna be me, Ben, the cupcakes and Jade. We're be off for a Christmas morning walk after breakfast and then back home to open presents and start dinner. We didn't want it to be a five minute free for all on opening presents and then just playing with the boxes lol Making it last for the whole day is our plan.

The other night the cupcakes kept on at me "Mummy please can we do the mince pies" so here they are all set up on the dining room table, cutting pastry in to circles and stars.

Greasing the baking trays and Daddy cupcakes placing the pastry in their holes.

Jade looking like a very young and beautiful Nigella. Filling the pies with mince meat, yum!

Daisy adding her stars.

And Molly adding hers.

Here's some we made earlier lol

All baked and golden. Hot and yummy straight from the oven. Well done cupcake family. They taste very scrummy, i wish i had smell-o-vision. Hmmm!

Has well as taking photos, i was busy in the kitchen, knocking up a little something yummy of my own.

Out of this huge cake mix, i got not one but two small Christmas cakes (not iced yet, photos later, if Mr cupcakes doesn't eat them before i get chance too lol).

I also had enough mix for 12 Christmas cake cupcakes. Marzipan, icing and glitter cherry tops. I'll be making something like this for our wedding cakes. So it was good to have a test run at them. Thumbs up from Ben, Jade and cupcakes. And of course i had to test one, it would be rude not too LOL

How are your Christmas cakes/puddings coming on? I have to make them very close to Christmas because we wouldn't have any left if i made them any earlier, hehe!

Here are a few photos from our cold trip to Whitstable, the sky was clear and the sea was a funny muddy brown colour. And far in the distance you can see the snowy hills. Brrr!

Look how blue the sky was, these blue Christmas tree decorations almost disappear in to it.

Happy rosie cheeky smiles from Molly, Daisy was having yet another cuddle from Daddy lol she only has little legs and they weren't working very on this occasion hehe!

Lots of fabulous Christmas window displays but Frank's window was my favourite. They have the most amazing hand made treasures inside. I'm sad to say i didn't pop in for a look this time, we'd all had enough and was making our way to Costa for a well earned hot drink. But i did have time for stop and grab a quick photo.

It was nice to go off and do something different at Christmas, I was hoping for a snowy seaside but it had all gone (boo ho). A big bag of hot chips made up for no snow. And back home for Christmas films and snuggles on the sofa.

As all of you might of known it was my birthday a couple of weeks ago and here is my favourite present. Some cool rock chic boots, from Ben and the cupcakes. I love them and they keep my little size 4's all warm and dry. My old boots have now seen better days and let in the smallest amount of rain in lol not a good look. Thank you cupcake family. And thank you Jade for my parcel of treats, hot chocolates and pink smarties. You know me so well x

Last Weds myself and Claire went of to the DeafCat Cafe in Rochester for their Christmas craft fair. It was from 6-9pm. A good time because Mr cupcakes could stay home with the cupcakes and put them to bed, while i went out and sold some stock. We were in the loft space and soon made it home for Mollycupcakes and Made In Pixieland. Although it was fun getting everything up the two flights of winding stairs LOL We met lots of fabulous arty people and one amazing man who looked like a cool Fagin from Oliver twist hehe! He made his way back down the stairs on his bum, leaving us with his tales of magic mushrooms and biking days LOL

We both did really well and came away very happy and Christmasy feeling. I treated myself to this beautiful uncaged bird from Zara at onelittlebird using the birthday money from Granny cupcakes, thank you Granny x

Well that's it for fairs and orders until the new year for Mollycupcakes, she's taking a well earned rest for the festive couple of weeks.

Don't forget what the poster says, It's only Christmas, family is all that matters. Not the presents, food or telly. Just good old family love.

So on that note, I'll wish you all a very Merry Christmas and happy new year.

With lots of love x

Snowie fun and festiviness.

2009-12-20T15:02:00.001Z

Mr Cupcakes and Molly built this snowman late Friday afternoon and had a great game of snow balling one another but poor Daisy was just to cold to join in the fun and snuggled up on the sofa. I watched from the safety of the kitchen window, didn't fancy getting cold and wet. I know, what an old grump i sound lol the truth is i really was enjoying watching them play. It's little moments like these that make you smile and feel all warm inside. Well done Daddy cupcake for making it a magical time x

So it's nearly that time when the big man himself will be climbing down the chimney's and filling stockings and under trees. I have a couple more little tiny things to get, so will be off on Tuesday to finish off. Turkey and veg collection from the farm on 23rd and sit back and relax for the wonderful family time. Having the snow arrive has really made it feel special hasn't! I've been waking up feeling excited and the cupcakes are just about ready to burst LOL So how are you all doing???

Mr cupcakes went off out again with jokes of coming back with a stick for a Christmas tree and really brought home a forest lol look how big it is. Daisy just can't believe her eyes.

We let it settle for a couple of days before the lights, tinsel and decorations went on. This gave us time for sort out all the lovely dec's we've collected over the last few years. And hang the extra special handmade ones on first.

I was a good mummy this year and let the cupcakes pop everything they could reach on and hold up the other ones saying "is here ok?" Molly was very good at putting on the tinsel, she just needed a little help to stop it falling off again LOL

Daddy cupcakes hung the fluffy white star on top, as only he could reach lol (oops sorry no photo of that just yet). It just about fits hehe!

I'll be back soon with news of a very cold short trip to Whitstable, some birthday treat pictures and well just life in general lol

Merry Christmas for now.

Oh before i forget, i know I'm the crappiest giveaway blogger in the world, so please forgive me. But i will send all those waiting a new year treat, what better way to start 2010 but with presents lol as Jan is always such a long and grey month. Sorry once again ladies, it's just been a crazy 4 months for me and my family.

Also thank you to everyone sending get well wishes to me for my flaming teeth, 2 root canals on and purse a lot lighter and I'm feeling 99% better thanks. Just a little sore from holding my mouth open and the numbing injections. But hey i can smile again :o)

With love x

Let it snow, let it snow let it snow

2009-12-18T10:06:00.008Z

Doesn't it feel like Christmas now, everything looks so beautiful. Magical and sprinkled with a dusting of icing. Both the cupcakes woke up and jumped up and down with screams of happiness lol and Jade's texted me with stories of making snow ladies at 7 o' clock this morning, crazy teenager LOL

Ben set off with Molly only to come back because the school was closed. lol oops, should of checked the website first. Lucky for Daisy her Christmas playgroup party isn't cancelled, so she's gone off full of excitement as a surprise guest might be visiting there today. He's one person that doesn't get snowed in. Ho ho ho!

Merry Christmas everyone, stay warm and safe. And lets not forget our feathered friends, pop out a fatty meal and keep them happy and plump.

Snowy wishes x

So sad to see Stacey go

2009-12-14T10:22:00.010Z

But wow what a way to go. Singing with Micheal Buble, OMG! I was turned in to a giggling, screaming blushing girl again when he came on the stage lol

Stacey looked like she was having the time of her life. If that was me up there and it was my last night on the Xfactor, that is just how I'd of wanted to go and remember it. Singing my heart out with one of the yummiest men alive.

I want to wish Stacey ever bit of happiness and success and may she give little Zack her son the future she's always dreamed of giving him.

Click the link below to re watch the fabulous pair sing once again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL0wd2zTO2g

Congratulations to the lovely Joe that won. You are truly a little star * with a wonderful voice.

Did anyone else get hooked on this program? i love watching the auditions and normally don't bother with the rest of it but this year there was something about it that had me watching every week lol

Yeay! it's my birthday

2009-12-10T09:24:00.009Z

Today I'm 29 erm! lol I mean 34 sigh!
Does this mean half my life is gone already? wow I still have so much i want to do. I'd better get on and make a start because before i know it will be another year on and on and on......
I awoke today with lots of lovely cards, some vochers, money and very cool boots from Ben x (I'm trying out my rock chick look and the boots are very rock chicky hehe!). I'll be off to Ikea tonight and then a scrummy curry for tea. I'm quite a simple girl really lol it doesn't take a lot to keep me smiling ;) I think that's why Mr Cupcakes loves me so. No high maintenance here LOL

This time last year Mr Cupcakes made me the happiest woman alive by popping the big question on my birthday. Took me by surprise and of course i said YES! now we're planing our wedding for the 28th of May next year. I'm so excited and bursting with happiness. Thank you Ben for making me so happy. I truly love you.You have my whole heart for my whole life x

Right before you all reach for your buckets with all my mussiness hehe! I'll be back later with pictures of birthday treats and my fabulous cake yummy. Yes of course it's pink lol Mr Cupcakes knows me so well and of course he had some help from the little cupcakes when choosing it. xxx

Have a lovely day everyone.

With love,

A cold, crisp fair, some vintage loveiness, a bit of Cath and the cupcakes.

2009-12-02T22:15:00.024Z

I was up bright and early a couple of weekends ago and set off to the Maidstone farmers and craft market. I have to say i really didn't feel the cold until it was time to pack up. All those layers and nice warm scarf did me proud.

I did my best to make my stall look as festive as possible but was sad to not be able to put my mini Christmas lights in my reindeer. It was just to sunny and they didn't show up at all. I shouldn't moan it was nice having some sunshine for a change and brought people out for a bit of Christmas shopping.

My reindeer did look very cute with all his Christmas decorations hanging from his antlers lol and one hung on his tale, court people eyes. hehe cheeky!

My 2 little elves came along for support and went off for a Costa Crème Brûlée Latte to keep my hands warm. But they ended up looking around all the shops (sigh! teenagers lol) and coming back much later on. By which time i was gagging for a hot drink. Anyhoo

Thanks for the help you did give me, especially the 2 sales you did Jade when I'd popped off for a lady break.

My best friend Claire arrived at the same time as me and we went about setting up and bashing bums, because our stalls where so close together. I wouldn't of wanted to rub bottoms with anyone else LOL Thanks for making the day a fun one honey. And making me laugh every time you could hear the banjo player in the band that arrived and deafened us for a while. It was so much fun having to shout at any customers LOL I was so glad when their gazebo blew away and they had to pack up and move LOL I think someone from above must of been listening to us moaning and to how much you hate banjo's. (sorry to any banjo players reading this, i think your all lovely lol). Anyway someone took a big breath and huffed and puffed it down. No one was hurt and not a single egg was cracked, when the gazebo blew away and right into the organic egg stall behind it. Maybe it couldn't take anymore of their playing, like us LOL

It did the trick though and we could once again hear ourselfs think and talk at a normal level.

Doesn't Claire's stall look fabulous. Pop on to her beautiful website for more of her wonderful creations. Ps Banjo playing customers welcome hehe! MadeinPixieland.

While i was out for the day Mr Cupcakes was home with the mini cupcakes and look at their creative table. Lots of fun being had with Daddy.

And here's what they made. Awww i love the ogglie eyes.

Now i said we'd have some vintage loveliness and here it is, (no not Claire lol she's far from vintage lol) but the fabulous old rectory sale, the last one of the year. It was cold but well worth the trip. I got the cute blue handled basket next to Claire on the bench and a vintage pack of Happy Families.

If i didn't have 2 root canals to pay for tomorrow (sigh! £400+) this beautiful dresser would of been coming home with me. And sitting pride and place in our dining room. Oh well maybe next time.

We had a great time and can't wait for the ones next year. Oh god look at my slightly fat face, i was smiling but oh my tooth was hurting. Roll on tomorrow when it will all be done and then next week when it's all filled back in again. New teeth for Christmas lol and not my fronts ones, like in the song. They are ok. Thank you to everyone that's sent me wishes, you've all made me smile.

Talking of smiles, i was beaming when we arrived in Tunbridge Wells for a spot of lunch and popped into the Cath Kidston shop first.

Don't they make the windows look lovely. I'd like that job. This is my favourite one below. The old chair, toastie fire place with hanging stockings, dog bed and slippers and all the sewing and knitting things you could ask for. Heavenly.

Just look at this Christmas table, wouldn't it fab to wake up and find someone had set this lot up for you. No room for the turkey though, but who needs turkey when you've so much prettiness.

We finished the week with TV boxes. How much fun can to cupcakes have with 2 cupboard boxes? Well!

LOTS! lol

Enjoy the week and Ho ho ho everyone, it's nearly Christmas yeay!

This week I'll be 34 argh but I'm really only 29 to anyone that doesn't know me hehe!

With love,

Coffee at the cupcake house

2009-11-28T15:52:00.000Z

I'd like to say a very big thank you to everyone that made it to my coffee morning. I was touched by how many of you came along and bought something. A couple of friends fell ill, one went off to Cumbria to help victim's of the floods sort their homes out and I myself wasn't feeling the best (more about that in a while). But everyone that turned up made me feel 100 times better. There is nothing like having your friends around you and even better when the bring cake and gifts lol (thanks Ali, Tracy and Steph). I held a pop your name in the pink pot for a £1 and win a prize. And we raised £10 for the Saturation Trust. Thank you for your kindness, i think I'd like to hold another one next year for Easter. So watch this space lol

Now this is what i looked like last Sunday night when one of my bottom teeth turned on me. An old temporary filling thingy fell out sometime in the week and then got infected. Ouch! leaving me climbing the walls in pain. But i held on in there until Monday morning when i could book into a private clinic. This is why i wasn't feeling my best for the coffee morning, up to my eyes in antibiotics and painkillers lol floating a little.

I've never been a big fan of the dentist, I've had a couple of bad experiences with them and that really puts you off doesn't it!

But lucky for me, i found a very kind and good one. And there is nothing better than hearing from friends about how good they are especially good with scaredie-cats like me. And I'm hoping that the poster below is true lol

It's thanks to a evil hygienist a long time ago that I'm so scared of the metal picker thingy they use to check and scrap away bits from your teeth.

It's funny but this is how i feel sitting in that big chair, very small and scared. I'm just hoping that the floaty, numbing magic stuff they give you takes me off to a happy place when i go back for my double root canal!!! Argh! in a week or so. I do have to think to myself that really it is lucky this has happened now and not over Christmas. I'll have nice shiny happy teeth for that, just wish Santa would pick up the bill for me. (how much!) LOL

Maybe if i sit on his knee and ask him very nicely hehe!

I hope you all have had a lovely weekend, I'll be back with news of the very cold but was still fun farmers market, I went to yesterday. And maybe a few Christmas stock items to show.

Oh click on the NOTHS picture because yeay! I've now gone live.

Keep smiling.

With love,

Fancey a cuppa, cake and a little shopping?

2009-11-20T12:39:00.009Z

Next Wednesday I'm holding a coffee morning at the cupcakes house. There will be a Christmas stock on sale, some yummy cakes, coffee and tea, maybe some mulled wine and mince pies. A small raffle which all the money raised will go to the Saturation Trust.

I've invited lots of Mummies and friends from around the area, but if any of my blogging friends are close by, please feel free to drop by. It would be lovely to see you. Doors open 10 until 12, bring a smile and your purse lol you never know what Christmas treats your find.

Maybe some snowmen pegs...

or merry Christmas ones....

or even these happy little snowmen heart tags. There will also be other items on offer, knitted cupcakes, needle cases, a few Made in Pixieland items and lots more.

I'm hoping for a good turn out but most of all for it to be fun and welcoming.

Other news this week, Mr cupcakes and i have booked a date for our wedding yeay! the 28th of May 2010

I'm very excited and a little scared too, my cupcake top belly really has to go before then. And i really have no idea on what to wear. Ben and the cupcakes sorted but me, no idea! argh! Any tips greatly received ladies x (no big wedding dresses though, that's just not me).

Have a lovely weekend and keep warm and dry. When will this flaming weather end?

I like fresh, crisp Winter days not wet soggy ones lol

Love x

Six years together x

2009-11-16T09:10:00.004Z

Today on the 16Th November 2009 Ben and i have been together for 6 years. I love you so very much, you make me so happy. Happy anniversary.

Mr cupcakes is home with me today and tomorrow, we've no plans but just spending some time together is enough for me. We have made our minds on a month for our wedding, Yeay! i hear you all say lol it's been a while coming. But next May, with Spring flowers and a garden party reception. We just need to sort a date, i think the 29Th sounds good. what do you think? hehe!

Christmas came early to Rochester on Monday evening.

2009-11-11T17:23:00.004Z

Last Monday between 4 and 9pm A touch of Christmas magic fell upon Rochester high street with my favourite shop Capture the Castle's Christmas preview evening.
On offer was not only a free glass or two of mulled wine, mince pies or brownies but a whopping 20% everything in the shop. Just right for some early Christmas shopping.

I popped down with miss cupcakes herself Molly. She picked up a treat or two and some chocolate brownie.

The little green robin with the bobble hat had to come home with us lol and maybe next time I'm in I'll pick up his little red friend too.

It really felt like Christmas, all cold outside and warm and toastie in. And the trees looked so festive and twinkly. Oh it's my fave time of year, well I'm aloud to get excited because Christmas is the month of my birthday and ever year I'm like a kid in a candy shop, as soon as the nights draw in and those Christmas adverts start. I know it's nearly here yeay! and having children makes it even more fun.

Molly's watching the wooden reindeer's to see if they move or not hehe! and check out those beautiful velvet jack cushions. I know a teenager that will be wishing for one of those.

We are very lucky to have a beautiful shop like this in Rochester and if your ever over this way i can't recommend it enough. They even have a cute little coffee shop at the back, which boasts of tasty lattes, hot choc's and tea. Yummy homemade cakes and sandwiches. And a fabulous range of stunning gifts, you might even spy a Mollycupcakes treat or two in there wink wink!

If you live to far away or are just to busy, you can also pop on to their http://www.capturethecastle.co.uk/ and browse lots of pages of loveliness.

Molly and i came away with a big bag of Christmas treats including one of those lovely wooden reindeer's, Molly was looking at, some berry smelling candles, next years Country Living diary and 2 little handmade felt deers. I think i must have a thing for our antler wearing friends or a new Christmas theme in my head lol

We made our way home after a few more photos and a glass of hot mulled wine to warm me for the long walk back. I had Rosie red cheeks after a glass of that, it left me with a Ready Brek glow LOL much like the light from this huge lantern. So inviting aren't they.

I hope everyone is well, sorry it's been a while. The cupcake house has been full of icky cupcakes and man flu, some how it missed me ha ha! a strong constitution cupcake Granny says, must get it from her side.

But on top of illness and being nurse, I've been so busy with orders, new stock, preparing for my coffee morning and trying to go live with NOTHS. The days have just been flying by. We did enjoy a fun and safe bonfire night, over at the local little church. And the cupcakes enjoyed the disco afterwards. Lots of oow and awww and some glow sticks to bring home. Then watching everyone else's fireworks from the warmth of our bedroom to end the night. Lovely.

Hope you all had a fab time. Back soon.

Love x

Boom, bang, wizz & pop!

2009-11-06T19:06:00.000Z

Happy fireworks night, have a banging time. But be safe x
Love,

Gingerbreadmen & Cupcakes

2009-10-28T13:49:00.013Z

With Christmas creeping up fast, I've been busy making lots of new goodies for Mollycupcakes. Starting with these little fellas and ladies. These plump gingerbread people smell as yummy as they look, give them a little squeeze and release their organic ginger and cinnamon scent. Hang them on the tree or around the house or even pop one on to the front of a Christmas present for an extra little gift tag treat. And at £4.75 each won't break the bank and you're feel good because you're buying something completely handmade and from the UK. Watch out for their arrival on http://www.mollycupcakes.co.uk/ in the first week of Nov. Or if you really can't wait until then pop me an email. And I'll bake some up for you lol

Carrying on with the theme of feltiness (it's nice having a break for painting pegs but i will be back doing that soon due to Christmas orders coming in). I whipped up a batch of these cakey smelling cupcake pin cushions for our local fabric, quilting and sewing shop. The lovely owner Marion was celebrating her 1 year anniversary with an exhibition of student and customers creations, so i entered some of these.

If you're ever visiting Rochester please pop in and have a look at this fabulous little shop. You can even book a quilting course and learn how to make one for yourself, or buy a book or two on sewing and knitting. As well as lots of other lovely gifts, buttons, cards, mugs, soaps and i could go on and on. Lets just say it's a blogging ladies heaven lol

People could vote for their favourite handmade item/s but I'm not sure how I've done and don't really mind. I was just so happy to be asked to display them and hope they made people smile. I wish computers had smellovision lol because they do smell yummy lol

I just wanted to say a big thank you to the lovely Lissy Lou for the Cath Kidston party last week, it was great fun and she's even given everyone that took part our very own award. Big hugs sweetie. X

So with half term coming to an end, it's back to normal next week. Quite houses for many Mum's with only radio 4 to keep us company and a cuppa coffee and Country Living mag to flick through (that's if mine gets here before Christmas argh! flaming Royal Mail sigh!!!). I hope you've all had a nice little break, we've had a couple of icky days with Daisy but on the whole had fun. We're off to a birthday party tomorrow afternoon and preparing for the trick and treaters on Halloween night. With a pumpkin candle holder, spooky eyeball chocolates and skull head lollie pops lol Boooooo!

My last bit of very exciting news is for Mollycupcakes I've opened a NOTHS shop and over the next few days will be setting it all up with yummy looking stock. I'll add a link once it's gone live.
Back soon with more news on my very own Coffee Morning 25th Nov

Love,

Happy Birthday Granny Cupcakes and below the birthday wishes is my I'll show you some of my Cath if you show me yours lol

2009-10-22T12:14:00.012+01:00

Today Granny cupcakes turns a young 89 years old. Doesn't she look amazing, we will be celebrating with her this Saturday and will be making her a yummy chocolate cake and scrummy birthday tea.

This wonderful lady means so very much to me and my family. Helping me through the good and bad times, you're always there for me to turn too and you'd give me the world if you had it in one of your cupboards lol

I hope you know how proud I am having you as my Granny and how much i love you. And how much Jade, Molly, Daisy and Ben do too. Have the best birthday x x x

I thought I'd just share a couple of old photo's with you, here is tiny Granny cupcakes. Awww what a cutie, look at those cheeks.

And very much in love with my Grandad. Here they are on one of their many seaside breaks. I get the love of the seaside from my Grannies side of the family. And as you know we get to a beach as often as we can. I think most of the photo's Granny has shown me where taken on a beach. I love this photo, just the way Grandad has his cheek resting on Gran's shoulder. Totally in love, awww
Many happy returns, see you on Saturday for birthday treats. x x x x

Now on to this...

... lovely idea thought of by the lovely lissy Lou
My favourite CK bag, poor thing goes everywhere with me and has been wash a fair few times lol but it's a wonderful size i think i could quite possibly fit the kitchen sink inside it hehe!

The cupcakes pretty summer dresses now worn over jeans in the cold weather.

Mini cushions, Stanley's a big favourite with Daisy and Molly likes the flowers.

Transformed by a lovely raspberry red dotty oil cloth, now all i need to do is paint the legs and chairs.... number 101 on my ever growing to do list.

Buttons, pins, fabric and mints.

The all important reading martial and a pot of paint (Bunny's ears, yeay i got a pot! thanks to the lovely Claire Elfie & Me) hop on over for a read, she's feeling lonely in Pixie land.

Dinners taste better served on a pretty plate, don't they?

And drying up the washing up doesn't feel like a chore when you're wearing a dotty apron and using a floral or dot tea towel.

Shaky, cakey, bakery!

This has put a stop to our cat Thomas licking the butter. Even Mr cupcakes agrees with this one a good buy.

A rainbow of colours greet me every morning and my red dotty mug is just waiting for it's first cuppa coffee to wake me up.

Tins full of treats and yummy things.

And my summer dress, which was to be worn on my wedding day but i just couldn't wait and popped it on for a trip to London, worn with some jeans and little grey cardie. I felt a million dollars lol

Now I need to find something else to wear on my big day, hey hoo lol

So here is where my little show me your Cath Kidston tour ends, i did have one more item to show you but the silly blogger won't let me pop it in at the bottom. But I'm sure most of you lovely ladies have your very own copy of her new book SEW.

I'm looking forward to Winter evenings sitting making that gorgeous bag that came with it.

Thanks again to Lissy Lou, this was fun to take part in.

Big hugs.

Back soon with a big invite to Mollycupcakes coffee/open morning all welcome.

Here come the girls!

2009-10-14T19:09:00.001+01:00

LOL these naughty little bunnies are showing you their cute dotty frilly knickers just because they are soo cute. I want a pair, i think I'd look them lol They have arrived at http://www.mollycupcakes.co.uk/ just in time for Christmas and would be a lovely little stocking filler.

Pretty floral dress bunny with peachy pink dotty knickers £13.65 + £1.28 P&P ONE IN STOCK Sorry she's been sold xxx

Pink frilly dots and stripes bunny with cream and pink dotty knickers £13.65 + £1.28 P&P TWO IN STOCK

And blue stripy dress bunny with cream and orange dotty knickers £13.65 + £1.28 P&P ONE IN STOCK

All bunny sizes are approx 33cm high.

Don't forget a bunnies not just for Christmas but forever x

If anyone would like one of these little cuties please email me or pop on over the Mollycupcakes, you might find something else to go with it. I do also have some red dotty dressed bunnies which are available on line. They are very Christmasy.

Other new and exciting things to arrive this month is this beautiful hand embroidered needle case by my good friend Sally.

Checkout Sally's sewing room for more lovely items coming soon, like handbags, pin cushions and my very own Mollycupcakes tote bag. We just have to photograph them first lol you know how it is, good weather needed and the skies have been to grey of late. Sigh!

These yummy looking felt cupcakes have been made by little old me and smell as good as they look. I've popped some organic mixed spices in the wadding and the scrummy smell of baking gets released each time you pick one up or give them a squeeze. They idea as a pin cushion (photoed without pins sorry) or make great play food for all those little ones, pick a few up and buy one of my children's baking sets to go with them. The perfect Christmas gift for all ages.

Cupcake pin cushions £3.50 each.

And play food cupcakes £2.75 each. Choose from 3 different icing colours bubblegum, baby pink or good old fashioned white.

Oh my goodness, this has been a shameless promotion post for my little business. Please forgive me but with the big C fast approaching every penny and customer count. I hope you've enjoyed some of the new items on offer and that I've given you some ideas for gifts.

Thanks for reading, back soon with news of a coffee/open morning at the Cupcakes house where some of the money raised will go to this lovely charity Saturation Trust please click the link to find out more.

Love,

Something old and something new.

2009-10-10T13:31:00.000+01:00

This beautiful tiny wedding ring belongs to Granny cupcakes and she has given it to me and Mr cupcakes for our wedding day. It is the second of 3 wedding rings she's owned all from my dear departed Grandad. Bless her fingers just got bigger (if you can call a J ring size big lol). Now i will be the luck one to wear this beautiful tiny ring. Thank you Granny this means so much me and i will treasure it forever.

Something new is my yummy looking range of gift wrap. Scrummy cupcakes on dollies, the look so good i could just reach in a eat one up lol

This new gift wrap service is coming very soon to www.mollycupcakes.co.uk and I'll have a deep velvet purple wrap just for Christmas, you know the sort of colour and paper that Cadbury's chocolate used to you come in. I'll post about it when Mr Cupcakes has got it working for me.

The other day while at Granny cupcakes, we went through some old photo's and look here. This is me playing shops lol yes even back then i wanted to run my own business. I remember my Dad build it and Mum filled it with food stuff, like empty cereal, oxo and toblerone boxes. Check out my scales and Cadbury's chocolate machine. That's the sort of purple wrap chocolate I was on about before. Did anyone else have one of these, please share???

Please pop on to my website, I've got a new section called Sally's sewing room. A lovely friend is making beautiful hand sewn items and I've now put the very first one on there for her. Christmas stock from little old me arriving soon.

Lastly here she is back by popular demand the lovely Granny Cupcakes. Wearing her very own badge. Made by the very kind Steph from Madmummy Designs. Thank you honey your very sweet and Granny will be wearing this at the next farmers market held in Maidstone this Nov. Pop along and say hello and maybe pick a Christmas gift or 2. More details nearer the time.

Granny made me laugh when she knew i was using this photo of her on my blog because she said "you're not using that boobie shot are you!" LOL what a fabulous pair they are hehe! 88 and still doing topless (i mean top on) work LOL

Love you Granny cupcake x

Have a lovely weekend everyone, I'm stressing a little my huge order went off by Parcel force this week and now it's on it's way back to me argh! somethings gone wrong and i wont find out what until Monday. Oh why oh why do these things have to happen? Fingers crossed for me everyone, that i can get comp for their flaming mess they've left me in. After all the driver signed the paperwork telling me everything was fine and that i could track it all the way. Which thankfully i did or i would of had a bigger surprise when they knocked my door with my boxes. I could really do without this right now and my poor customer is none to happy i can tell you. :(

Lots of coffee and maybe a nice cake will get me though lol Really what has happened to our postal services, i wish they'd sort themselves out.

I really can't afford mistakes like this. Moan, moan moan! sigh!

Made By Mum's

2009-10-05T12:19:00.005+01:00

Once again i have to say a big thank you to the lovely Lara and Jackie for putting me in the Kent Mama magazine. Lara asked me if I'd like to be featured in the made by mum's article and oh course i had to say yes please!

And here it is, I'm so happy with how it looks. The photo's have come out really well (just look at my gorgeous Jade, she's a fab little sales woman). I hope my little tips help some other mummies to start their own handmade businesses. Because I'm so very glad i did and with the help of the wonderful Mr Cupcakes making my very own website and a lot of hard work and plenty of dotting, it has gone from strength to strength. I love every challenge and new idea it brings me and would really love to run a little (i mean tiny) shop with mini cafe inside it one day. Where i could not only sell baking and hand made gifts but bake the cupcakes and make the coffee too.
If you see a copy of this fabulous little mag, pick it up and look through, it's full of good ideas to keep the kids happy this coming half term and lots of other small businesses.

Lastly I've popped this tune on, just click the link and listen, it's been making my smile today and always does each time i hear it. It puts the sunshine in my heart even on the greyest of days like today. There is just something about it that makes me look up to the sky.

Sorry about the short advert at the begining, but just keep with it the tunes a good one.
Enjoy....
Hugs,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iBqhMfyoPU

Lovely Old Stuff

2009-10-01T11:05:00.001+01:00

Many thanks for all the lovely comments last week for the coffee morning it was a great success and they raised about £200. Well done to everyone that came to the florist and a big thank you to the lovely staff for making it a fun and very yummy day with all the hand made cakes and tasty coffee.
Did anyone else have a coffee morning? would love to hear about it.

We had a pretty quite Saturday, Ben and Daisy went up the allotment, Ben's not been very well and unable to get up there, so it was good for him to get some fresh clean air in to his lungs and of course Daisy wanted to help her Daddy lol.
Jade was with us this weekend and spent most of it on the computer sourcing info on radio stations, this is something she'd like to do once she's left school, so she spent hours emailing as many as she could. Miss Molly and i took a walk off down the town in the sunshine, dropping off the last of our charity bags and dropping in to Hometown a fab little sewing shop.
It was indeed a nice Saturday.

The following day we picked up little Granny and went off to the vintage fair at Ightham. Look at the lovely old stuff we found lol there was no price on this one, so we just took her with us lol

It was very busy as you can see but it didn't put us off. Elbows at the ready we made our way round all the lovely old buildings full of vintage loveliness and rummaged in every box, nook and cranny.

After a while it got a bit much for Ben and the cupcakes so he took them off to the park for a play. After they'd been treated to pink glitter cupcakes by Granny, sugared up and ready to go lol

Jade and little Granny had a short sit under this pretty Catth Kidston parsol.

I how ever carried on looking and was smitten with this fabulous old bath, just right for some running ducks. The ones in my head for now until we buy a home of our own. Isn't it lovely! I'd have to have the old bucket next to it, something to carry their feed in.

Lots of wonderful finds in the garden area. And great weather for it too, the sun shone on us all.

Here we are looking other the fabulous old farm chairs, oh how i long to own table and chairs like these. One day maybe, one day.

They are all just waiting to be loved again and put to use once more.

LOL this was little Granny when we left the fair, all worn out and knackered after hours of bargain hunting. LOL not really she soon jumped back up again once the camera was turned off. She'll get an Oscar for that performance lol Thanks Granny for being such an amazing woman, you know she's going to be 89 this month wow!

We crossed the road and met up with Ben and the cupcakes, where they'd been playing on the swings.

And slide.

Jade turned in to a monkey and climbed a tree hehe!

Then it was time for a leaf fight, "lets get Daddy" lol After picking leafs from every pocket and pants lol we drove off in to Sevenoaks for some lunch and finished our day with a picnic and more fun in a park. I hope you all had a good weekend. I'll leave you with some photos below of my vintage treasures.

The cutest child's airier, painted pink. I could of just burst when i spotted this little lovely lol and a woman behind me was non to pleased that I'd got it in my arms. And wasn't letting it go. You know what they say. "If you see it, grab it and hold on to it, don't put it down walk away and then regret it"

You know i had this very same ladybird book, it's in perfect condition and Molly loves it. Just right for learning to spell.

The see how to garden is for the very lovely and patient Mr cupcakes, with whom it wouldn't be possible for me to go to these wonderful fairs (i don't drive) So thank you honey for driving us all to it, hope the books full of useful tips, big kiss X

And lastly this tiny birds tin, just to sweet for words.

I really do have to say a big sorry to the lovely ladies waiting for give away gifts and treats, I'm crap i know. It's just been sooo flaming busy here in the cupcake house that time just isn't on my side. I will do my very best to get your goodies out to you over the next week. And please forgive me, i hang my head in shame :(

Big hugs,

Coffee anyone?

2009-09-24T20:29:00.010+01:00

If you live in or near Rochester please come and join us at Drury's florist, as they are holding one of the world's biggest coffee mornings tomorrow the 25th Sept, from 11am onwards, all proseeds go to the Macmillan Cancer Support.
I've baked up a batch of coffee cupcakes with organic fairtrade chocolate mini button tops and flower and swirly coffee icing. Just right to go with a coffee or two.

The cupcakes and i are lucky enough to live only a little way across and up the road from this beautiful family run florist and get to see the wonderful window displays first hand and the pretty twinkley lights at night. It looks magical at the moment with it's Alice in wonderland theme.

Alice's dress, the mad hatters tea party, cupcake flowers on cake stands and in tea cups.

And a full blown flower cake in the shape of the Queens crown. Complete with red roses.

If you can make it, come along and show your support for a wonderful chairty and fabulous little business. Pick up a bunch or two of flowers, a plant for the garden or even a gift or treat for yourself. It's all in a good course (i hear they even stock a certain Miss Mollycupcakes but shhh! you didn't hear that from me ;) lol). Hope to see you there x

Dust off the coffee cosy and get your pinnies on. And lets see how much money we can all raise.

Wishing anyone else that is holding an event tomorrow the very best.

Love,

Choc Brownies & Chutney

2009-09-18T18:15:00.019+01:00

For Ben's birthday i took a leaf out of Mrs Bun's cook book, thanks honey. And made him some yummy chocolate and marshmallow brownies. I did try and do cupcake ones but they all turned out to be a little flat lol much like the ones on the cake stand. Tasted yum though even if i do say so myself :)

We've just finished Molly's second week at school and her first week of full time hours, more about that at the end of this post. It's going well, she's loving it.
Ben had a row of cards and there seemed to be a bit of a theme to them, we all know him so well lol can you spot what it is?

That's it! farming, the cupcake's got him this fab red tractor one with a crop of carrots and i choose the Stanley dog because we'd love to have one of them if we owned a house with some land.

On to some presents and the farmer and allotment theme continues with how to store you produce, keeping poultry and rabbits on scraps (i just thought it looked interesting hehe!) and a fab paper pot maker from the cupcakes for all those baby seedlings.

Ben has taken to this growing larch like a duck to water and we've had a wonderful crop of tomato's, so thinking of ideas on what to make with them all, i found this book for him too. And last week he made this little lot. Red tomato chutney anyone? We'll be eating it for years now lol I'm only joking Mr cupcakes, i love that you've grown and made this yourself, it tastes lovely.

If you fancy having a go yourself here is the recipe, i think if you click on it becomes clearer. If not the book is called The basic basics jams, preserves and chutneys handbook by Marguerite Patten. Good old Amazon, although i could send loads on there if i let myself. So many fabulous books but hey that's what wish lists are for right! lol

I must warn you all though, just one thing about making chutney. Yes that's it the smell yuk! cooking vinegar isn't the nicest smell in the world and i was even smelling it when i was out lol and asking my friends can you smell that? they must of thought i was going crazy lol

Thankfully the lovely Claire at Elfie & Me came my rescue with this yummy scented homemade soy lavender candle, thanks honey. It's done the trick and the plug in freshener has cleared the air until the next lot of chutney and pickling making takes place. The lovely Claire is doing a demonstration of candle making at the young woman's WI I've started going to, it's held in Daisy's playgroup hall and yes I must admit I'm a little bit of a Helen Mirren and my good friend Ali is Julie Walters lol we sat and did lots of giggling when told that we could get someone in to talk about their hanker chief collection LOL I think things like candle making, cake testing and wine and coffee drinking is more along the lines of what we'd like to see. And we're all fighting for the buns in front of the bosoms pose in the calender hehe! (i do think i should get to do that pose, after all I am miss cupcakes. wink wink!).

(cute toadstool keyring available on Claire's website Made In Pixieland, shameless plugging for ones friend I know, but hey she'd do the same for me.)

I had to just share these 2 photo's with you because I am so happy that I've completed this order. And this is only 1378 of it the other 1000 is sailing it's way to South Africa. For the last few months as well as moving house, I've been painting like a crazy woman, praying that I don't end up with a repetitive strain injury and fitting in customer orders and stock for fairs I've been too. Argh!

There are cute stars big and small, hearts primitive and country and maple leafs (sorry you can't see them) but they are very small and fiddle. Plus loads of packs of pegs (not photoed). Don't they all make you think of Christmas? argh! i said the C word lol

Anyway now it's all done i can get on and work on my own Christmas range, god i said it again lol and if anyone wants Mollycupakes stock be it trade, gift or treat please feel free to email me for price lists or just order though the website because normal service has resumed. I'm very much looking forward to getting stuck in to my next big thing.

Now miss Molly has been at big school for 2 weeks now, just finishing her first full time week this Friday and this is one of the things she's learnt already lol how to use the computer. Yes Mummies one as well. I've never really let her go on it before only to see things I've opened like blogs and to talk to my Mum and Dad on Skype. And now I'm so surprised and proud of how she's able to work it be herself. Getting on to the Cbeebies website and watching trap door and the Muppet's on you tube. Mr Cupcakes is very proud and says like father like daughter, he's a fabulous computer programmer and thinks that she'll be teaching him a thing or two very soon lol

This new time apart from one another has made the cupcakes closer and they've played more when together. Daisy even asks is it time to get Molly yet on her days off of playgroup. I do have to say that straight after this photo was taken they fort like cat and dog lol so things really are just like normal LOL

The house is so quite when they're both away from me, I've found myself talking to the cats more not that they listen. Just give me the odd look every now and then, thinking "whats she going on about now, I'm trying to sleep" lol

Well it's the start of another week tomorrow and I've a few more boxes that need emptying, had a trip to Ikea today and got what i thought would be a fab storage unit for Mollycupcakes stock. But oh bum why does everything in Ikea look so good there and to big when you get it home. Now i have to rethink my whole storage arrangement's again argh! I just wanted white shelves to put my pink boxes on. Silly old me forgot about the flaming step that runs along the inside of the conservatory wall. Now it just looks like a big white thing sticking out in the room, oh sigh! i just want to be sorted in my work space. There is fabulous light for painting but no storage, maybe once I've got all the other crap out of there it will look better.

If any of you know of someone that wants to buy a 100 or so beanie Eeyore's please let me know. (don't ask! lol)

Have a good week.

Hugs,

Birthday Boy

2009-09-15T09:41:00.009+01:00

Happy birthday Ben/Daddy.

We're going to fill your evening with love and happiness.

Lots of kisses and cuddles.

Fun and cakes.

Happy birthday, your the best fiancé and Daddy we could ever have. I know you had to go off to work today but we're have a lovely evening together, I'm making cakes!!! and cooking you a yummy meal. And the cupcakes are planning things at school and playgroup awww. See you soon.

Love you forever x

15/09/2009

One last big day out before it's all change in the Cupcake house

2009-09-07T15:32:00.001+01:00

This was Molly's smiley face first thing this morning before setting off to big school. I see before me a beautiful little girl, ready to set off on a new adventure in life.

But in my heart i still see her as this tiny little bundle snuggled up tight on my chest, just happy to feed, sleep and feel safe.

In Mummy and Daddies arms.

A happy little fairy at Christmas, sitting up by yourself and then....

... on to your first steps. Look at those chubby cheeks, i could just kiss them all day lol

Then before we knew it off to playgroup you went.

And now today the 7th Sept 2009 your first day at school. I feel a little lost with out you here but i know you're safe and sound. Learning, playing and making new friends. And after a few tears off you went taking the teachers hand to draw and paint me a lovely picture. Well done little cupcake, each day will get easier. And you'll enjoy your time away from me, knowing I'll always be back to collect you at the end of each day.

Knowing the summer holiday's where drawing to a close and just popping off on the bus or train anytime we fancied would be a thing of the past, i took both the cupcakes off to the big smoke for a trip to Covent Garden.

Lots of schools must have gone back because it was lovely, no standing on the train and you could move around without bumping into each other. We stopped and watched this clever man juggling knifes and eating an apple while riding a unicycle. Daisy loved it and clapped and shouted yeay! she even gave him her 50p for sweeties at the end. Awwww! bless her and of course i replaced it for her, so she could get a treat. lol

Talking of treats, if you get a chance pop up on a Thursday to the food market and have one of these yummy cupcakes from Crumbs and Doilies. Their blog and website is pretty yummy too. (Daisy's face is very funny in this photo, the sun was in her eyes lol). We walked around and looked at some other stalls, stopped off at the Disney store (sigh!) got a birthday card and present, food from Marks and sparks and finished off by stumbling into Cath Kidston, oh how did that happen lol

And after some ooww's and lots of aww's from myself at all the loveliness in there and some playing with the wooden Stanley dog, making sure he was tucked up in one of the floral dog beds before we left. The CK shop assistant's loved the girls and said i could of left them in there all day playing lol wow what an offer hehe! I didn't know Miss Cath Kidston had babysitting services in her shops! does she do coffee as well? lol

We came away with a bag of goodies and made our way back to the train station. I didn't fancy hitting rush hour with the cupcakes and was very glad I'd given myself a deadline for getting home. No standing on the train again yeay! two happy, sleepy, cupcake filled faces left London ( you can see they've had sugar lol) and me a happy Cupcake Mummy with her blue bag of treats. It was a nice day but i did forgot to take more photo's sorry. (Note to self for next time).

This is what i brought home with me, the green and blue mugs to go with our red and pink ones. I thought it was about time we had some more manly colours for Mr Cupcakes lol the darker pink isn't a CK but a Next buy, from Jade to me a couple of Christmas's ago and the baby pink ones from Jo-jo mama. They all go together and look like a yummy sweet shop mix.

Our colourful cupboard makes me smile on the dullest of days. And brings a little bit of sunshine in to the room. Mr cupcake sighs and says "how many cups and glasses do we need?" lol men will never understand the need for prettiness and you never knows coming round for coffee. And they'll come in handy for our wedding garden party next year.

One item purchased was met with approval, our new butter dish. Now the flies won't be nibbling the ends or the cats licking the top, Yuk! it's safe inside it's pretty new home. And look how our red dotty butter knife matches it. Toast in the mornings won't be the same lol

The weekend flew by filled with food shopping, last minute trip for school shorts and coat, an antique fair, some stock making and time on the allotment. Sunday afternoon, we came back and i saw that the florist had changed their window to this beautiful one. It's the mad hatters tea party along with some other things from Alice in wonderland. They have entered into a competition and are holding a coffee morning on the 25th Sept, as part of the Macmillan cancer support biggest coffee morning event. If you live near Rochester pop along and give your support. I'll be showing mine by making lots of coffee cupcakes for it and maybe some new pegs. They've got a fabulous website too have a look Drury's I'm very lucky they are right on the corner of our road. Handy for flowers, plants and popping in for chats.

Wow it's taken me nearly all day to do this post. Miss Molly is back home and looking forward to going back to school tomorrow. She made me the biggest picture and i got the biggest hug and smile when i went and got her. It feels better now today is out of the way, we both know what to expect.

I hope everyone else's day went well, with out any tears, i was good and didn't shed any. I held them all in. And had little Daisy to keep me smiling for the rest of the day.

Thank you for all your messages of support, they mean so much. x

bye bye for now. x

Bank holiday

2009-09-02T18:34:00.018+01:00

My bank holiday Monday started with a small fair in the morning until about 1ish. And with the help of Miss Mollycupcakes herself the time flew by.

And before we knew it Ben, Daisy and Grandma where here to pick us up. Off we set to Pluckley for a yummy cream tea here at the village church. You can see from the sky it was a fabulous day for it and the church was run by the sweetest old ladies. Who bake the yummiest scones and chocolate. Hmmm

Molly enjoying a snuggle with Grandma....

and then tucking into a huge slice of cake. check out my cream filled scones lol I am trying to lose weight for my wedding next really! but i have to have one day off a week hehe!

After sitting and relaxing in the afternoon sun, listening to nothing but the birds sing and Molly and Daisy play, we walked around this beautiful place, me secretly hoping that we'd bump into Pop and Ma Larkin and be invited back to theirs for supper. (for those of you that have no idea of what I'm on about and I'm sure that isn't very many. The Darling Buds Of May was filmed here and around this gorgeous little village) Anyway it never happened sigh! So we headed off back home.

The next day saw even more sunshine and Ben had booked an extra day off of work. And we where also joined by Jade. A family vote was held and Whitstable came out as the favourite place to go, off we went. Where fish and chips were eaten, pebbles thrown and lots of photo posing took place lol Miss Mollycupcakes first.....

.... followed by sun posing by the beautiful Jade.....

.... and crazy faces by Daisy lol

Even Grandma got in on the action, doing her impression of a human washing line lol. Note to ones self don't bend down face first into the ruff sea when collecting water in the kids buckets, you end up soaked LOL

Some jumping and snuggles with Daddy cupcake (sorry Ben I know you hate being called that lol but it's so cute, i just have to). X

Daisy has her invisible binoculars on and was watching everything go by.

Then it was time for some much needed relaxing before we set off into the town for a look in the shops and ice-cream for pudding. I hope you enjoyed a lovely bank holiday weekend and the sun shone on you all. It's back to playgroup for Daisy this coming Tuesday and Molly's first day at big girl school.

Just look at my baby now, i remember looking down at her while breast feeding thinking your first day at school is so far away but it wasn't really and Monday is getting closer and closer sigh! my heart feels heavy and I'm trying not to be sad, i knew this day would come but did it have to come so soon! Molly seems fine with it all and can't wait for Monday to arrive, so I'm putting on my best Mummy cupcake smile and spending every last minute i can with her.

We're off out for a girlie shopping day this Saturday, making sure she's got everything she needs. And maybe a treat or two wink, wink.

Mummy and Daddy are very proud of you and will hold your hand for as long as you need us too until your brave enough to let go. Love you Mol's x x x

Good luck to all you other mummies out there going to through the same thing, lets all be strong for each other. Walk them to the gates, big deep breath, hug and kisses, say "see you later on" and turn and walk away. Hold it for one more moment, now cry lol I know that's going to be me.

Who made it this hard to be a Mum?

Hugs to all x