Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Streeeeet...

This weekend I decided that I would get creative in the kitchen.  I love cooking, but usually prefer to make dinners- something that I can eat straight away that won't take too long.  Because I have to be so patient in my job, I am extremely impatient in all other aspects of my life.  Cooking included.  So baking doesn't usually appeal to me.

That was, until I saw a picture of some cupcakes decorated to look like The Cookie Monster.  I loved Sesame Street as a child and I love cupcakes.  It had to be done.

I thought that I would try my hand at the some of the other Sesame Street characters too.  I thought I was being innovative and creative, but of course I was not.  If you google the characters, it even comes up as an option underneath to see their happy faces in cupcake form.

I started with the lovely Elmo.  I added a little red food colouring.  I added a little more.  Elmo is a boy, he wouldn't want to be pink!  So I poured in half the bottle.  Red.  Lovely, lovely red.  Unfortunately lovely, lovely red does not equal a lovely, lovely taste.  Poor old Elmo, at least he looks pretty.

Next I made the delightful Cookie Monster.  I had to cut out a little hole for his mouth, where I shoved in a mini cookie once I had iced the cake.

The topping is a bit runny on these cakes (and also on Oscar the Grouch) as I got impatient with adding milk little at a time to the buttercream, so I just poured in a load and hoped for the best.  I have learnt my lesson.

I also could have been a bit neater with his blue glitter, but the hangover had kicked in at this point and I was regretting the hair of the dog I had, had earlier.  So, feeling a bit squiffy, I just shoved it on.

Next was Oscar the Grouch.  I used chocolate sprinkles to make his bushy eyebrows and a red jelly bean for his cheeky tongue.  Again with the messiness.  Poor old Oscar had eyebrow hair sprouting out of different areas across his putrid green face.  So I got a sharp knife and poked them in.  No-one would have ever had known if I had not told you.

Last but not least was Big Bird.  I was unsure whether to make these, as even the professional images that I had found looked a bit crap.  But I love Big Bird and I also quite like the colour yellow, so I thought I would give him a go anyway.  I'm quite pleased with him actually!

What do you think?  Who is your favourite?

I am making a trip round to my brother and sister-in-laws later with an Oscar and Big Bird and then going on to my friend Laura's with a Big Bird.  People have been warned against E-Number Elmo, for safety reasons.  So I am going to feed them to my dad and sit back and watch what happens.  Mu ha haaa!

Pimp My Lamp

I have been searching for a lamp for a while now.

I wanted something a bit different, but I didn't really fancy paying the hefty price that is attached to most decent sized table lamps.

I came across this beauty when looking at http://www.mademoisellepoirot.com/

A simple white lamp that has been transformed by adding some vintage brooches.  Lovely jubbly.

I thought I would give it a go myself...

I took one simple white table lamp:

                                                                                   
...Added a few vintage brooches:

...I proudly showed my mum, who donated a few old brooches to the cause:

TA DAH!  What do you think?!

I still need to do the back of the lamp, so I am waiting eagerly for bootfair season to start.  In the meantime, I will be searching on ebay and in the many charity shops in my local High Street.  

Watch this space for more additions to the pimped up lamp...!

Dear oh Deer

One of the many perks of teaching is the presents that you get at various occasions throughout the school year.  


This Christmas, amongst the piles of chocolate, bottles of wine and smellies, I received a small white ceramic reindeer statue with silver antlers.  I think he's just gorgeous.  

                                                                                                Meet Nigel


He is the one Christmas decoration that I think might just cut the mustard all year round.  It sounds silly, but he makes me smile. 


Going along with this theme, I made and framed a print of a stag head silhouette on a background of pink chevrons.  I thought it might go quite nicely alongside Nigel.  

                                                                                            Meet Richard


What do you think?  Have I gone over the top on the deer/ stag front?  Have I taken tacky to a new extreme?  Or do you think that my creation will make an interesting addition to my imaginary home?  


I'd love to hear your thoughts....

Fancy a Cuppa?

Everyone's guilty of buying something extravagant right?

I came across two of these amazing mugs in the Urban Outfitters sale and couldn't resist. It was love at first sight, but two would not suffice.

I hunted them down on a website of a company called Make International and to my delight saw that there were four more varieties of biscuit to complete my collection. I had to have them, regardless of the cost.

I was so pleased with my fancy new mugs. So content and excited at the prospect of drinking tea in such style. So eager to show them off to my friends.

That was until I received an email from said company, politely informing me that Mr Martin Wiscombe has designed 10 more.

Do I need sixteen mugs? Can I justify spending £85 when I have six mugs that I was previously so pleased with?

I don't know the answer. I cannot decide. All I know is that I really need a mug with a doughnut on....

Done Bird

I have an obsession with anything with a bird print.

Ironically it started when I lived in Brighton- where I formed my hatred of the actual creature.

I hate the creatures. I love them in print.

I love a seagull print, a hummingbird print, a peacock print, a swallow print. Hell I would probably even like a pigeon print.

So imagine my sheer delight when I found these beauties. I typed in 'bird print cushion' into ebay and found these for a mere £4.50 each. Absolute bargain!

I've managed to buy a number of wonders for my 'virtual house' (flat) now, I just need to find somewhere to home them all.

Until then, my dad has the swankiest attic in town.

Abandonment Issues...

Anyone who knows me, knows Daisy.

She's a real lady. She demands the highest quality of food. She wears diamonds (ahem..) She lays around doing very little apart from basking in the glory of her own wonderfulness.

She's my 16 year old, and rather haggard looking cat.

She has been the topic of many conversations over the years, including a lengthy discussion in a tent, at about 5am, in Croatia, at a music festival. Where I answered questions such as, "What is Daisy's star sign?" (She's a Leo- in case you wondered!)

Daisy was more delighted than anyone when I made the decision to move back home and now that I am hopefully on the cusp of moving out again, I face a dilemma. Do I take her with me?

I will present to you a list of reasons for and against bringing her with me:

For:

- She is my baby

- She is likely to go into a pit of hopeless depression if I abandon her again

- I will miss her

- I will feel really guilty if she dies of heartbreak

Against:

- She is expensive. She requires posh food and expensive tablets for her thyroid condition. (At the moment, the rents pay for this... )

- She enjoys going in the garden (but only on the few hot days of the year)

- She moults EVERYWHERE

- I am highly allergic to her

- She has taken to crapping on the floor

- She often pukes on the floor

Decisions, decisions....

Flat out

Welcome to the House of Hoff! Or not as the case may be.....

This will be an online diary of my search for the ideal living space and with any luck, will move on to also be a log of home improvements, decoration, bargain buys as well as a bit of my weird life thrown in for good measure.

I have been lusting after various houses, with the idea that I would have a gorgeously quirky little place of my own with a cute back garden. I have visited many houses- some of which fit the bill perfectly and others that quite frankly make the average student accommodation look appealing.

I have, however come to realise that with every will in the world, I cannot afford a house on my own. I am gutted. I am desperate for a garden- it's ridiculous, but I am. My reasons for wanting a garden are ludicrous and I have now come to decide that I would prefer the extra money each month that I will save, than to have the occasional garden party/ BBQ.

I would like to point out here that I have never BBQ'd before and I am terrified of lawnmowers- so the fire risk outweighs the overgrown garden parties I'm afraid.

So now the search for a flat/ apartment/ coach house begins. I am after a bargain. A big, fat, juicy bargain. I have compromised hugely on giving up my garden, so I am not stopping until I find the perfect flat at an astonishingly low price.

Wish me luck, this may take some time.......

I'll give you £100,000 for it...

Image courtesy of www.neathome.net