Mrs Mouse's Cupcakes

Image copyright Gretel Parker.

Twenty years ago I was a bright young thing setting out to college in Newcastle.  It feels like another lifetime ago, before I became someone's wife and then someone's Mum, I was my own person. The sound track to those years was shoe-gazing Indie music, we wore checked shirts and Doc Martins, drank cheap beer ,and lived a life of freedom. While I'm happy to enjoy wine and a little bit of country now, I'm also glad some things haven't changed, and one of those constants is the fabulous Gretel Parker.  She was a fellow illustrator on my course and has never given up on her dream.  

So last Saturday it was with great pleasure that I and my family took ourselves off to a launch party for her first books. 

 It is funny how we have both found a love of something other than just painting.  I have my cakes and Gretel has become an expert at needle felting.  Her quirky creations are much sought after and it was an obvious step for her to turn some of her characters into childrens' books.

So her two books are now officially launched (I know this because I went to the party).

Her first is Mrs Mouse's cupcakes...of course being about cupcakes it is close to my heart.  You can see the  gorgeous felt cupcakes at the top of the post.  Next in the series is a story about Meggy and Peggy Goose (or is that geese?)

For her party Gretel wanted to include a cupcake stall to raise money for a child bereavement charity.  You can read a moving post here to find out why this particular charity.

So I brought along some cupcakes for her sale.

As well as the good old staple, buttercream swirls, I included some painted versions of Mrs Mouse's house.  

The reason I chose this image is because it reminds me so much of Gretel's work at uni.  She has always had such a gorgeous whimsical style.

I also had to make some of Mrs Mouse's cupcakes, which I hope did the originals justice.

You can buy your own Gretel Parker's books here.

She has two lovely blogs. Middle of Nowhere has lots of little insights into her work, and Cotswold Peeps is a blog about her wanderings around the Cotswolds.

Keep a look out for her work, someone with such a great take on cupcakes is worth watching.

(I have photo's of her launch party but I'll save them for another day.)

ps don't forget to enter my giveaway here.