Funds for Gretel

You may remember I posted about my friend Gretel some time ago and her situation after her partner died suddenly without leaving a will. Some good friends of hers had set up a giving site to help her until her financial situation was sorted out.

Well those lovely friends have now arranged an online draw where you can win some fabulous prizes for donating.

I have chosen a few gorgeous goodies below that I would love to win, but there are plenty more at stake.

Needle case donated  by Hen's Teeth, brooches by Annie Montgomerie Toys, panda cushion and rabbit toys by Jane Foster and knitted elephant by Little Cotton Rabbits.

Including a giant painted cookie from yours truly.

And if you are very lucky and donate over £10 you could be in with a chance of a weeks holiday in a beautiful Suffolk holiday house. ps if you are donating from overseas and win this prize without being able to take it up...I'm always available...say no more!

Each £1 you donate will give you 1 chance in the draw, and if you are donating from overseas don't worry there is an automatic currency exchange.

You can see all the items up for grabs here and you can donate here.

Thankyou for your time and if you can share this to all your followers on any social media I would be really grateful.

xxx

Cake International giveaway

The lovely people at Cake International have given me 5...yes! 5 pairs of tickets for their show in 

Manchester at Event City on 8-10 March.

'Cake lovers will be amazed by the variety of sugarcraft, cake decorating and baking supplies on offer, plus the number of Demonstrations, Workshops, Competitions and special features to enjoy. Indulge your love of all things cake, and spend three days in cake heaven this spring.

All the key figures in the cake world, revered judges and industry experts will be coming together at this highly anticipated show, plus there will be a host of competitions for both beginners and experts alike to showcase their skills.'

You have to be able to get to Manchester, but you can choose which day to go on.

Then let me know in the comment section what you would love to see at the show, leave an email address with your comment too.

Leave a separate comment if you follow me, if you link to this post via Facebook, Twitter or your own blog. So you could have up to five chances of winning (you would be leaving five separate comments).

The competition will close on Saturday 2nd March at 12pm (to give me time to post you the tickets).  The winner will be drawn using random.org.

Good luck.

xxx

End of an era

If you have been an avid follower of my blog for the last few years, you may be expecting a party around this time of the year. And in previous years you would have been right....but not now.

Because after the Pokemon party last year, my eldest kidlet requested her next birthday party be out of the house...with no theme. NO THEME! What's the point of being a mother if you can't throw more and more extravagant parties, where you spend at least six months before creating a Pinterest board. See here and here and here etc

So, I took a deep breath, put aside my own desires and needs and put my child first. (Arggh it was hard!)

We booked a party at the local climbing wall and all I needed to take along was a cake and party bags.

It was actually quite enjoyable, we sipped tea and chatted while young fit assistants kept up with the kidlets.

I thought I would take a little trawl through some of the past parties to mark this momentous occasion.

I can't remember what I made for year one, but this 2nd birthday cake leaves alot to be desired.  Obviously created before I had discovered crumb coating and smoothers! Also I was heavily pregnant so probably had no clue as to what I was doing through the tears!

Years three and four seem to lost in the mists of time. But for five we had a princess castle cake and a princess craft party

Hello Kitty Party

A particular favourite, the book party

Last year's Pokemon cooking party

So this year, no dessert table but I couldn't not make a cake. The rabbit is a model of kidlet's favourite toy.

Fortunately my littlest kidlet has already planned a cowgirl party in September...bring it on, YeeHa!

xxx

Giveaway winner

Congratulations to Gill who has won a lovely new Mermaid Cookware pan.

Can you email me you address and I will get it sent out to you, nevie-pie@hotmail.co.uk.

xxx

ps I have another giveaway soon.

Look at me all shiny and new!

I am the very proud owner of a spanking new website. If you didn't know, Amelie's House is where I play, but Nevie-Pie Cakes is where I work. I made my own very basic website last year which I was still happy with. However I had decided to make an online tutorial and thought that I may as well have a website built to  accommodate it.

I was fortunate to meet Jamie from Longarm Design through a local networking group and he has worked wonders. I am very, very happy and excited (can you tell?). It is a bit like having a new baby, and I want to post pictures of it all over the internet so everyone can remark on how cute it is!

I have a dedicated page where you can buy a tutorial to teach you my painting on fondant technique. (See the trailer above to get a feel of the video).

A page where you can book onto a class.

Lots of beautiful new galleries.

And so much more.

So please go over to my place of work and have a little wander.

xxx

ps don't forget to enter my giveaway which ends on Wednesday.

Valentine's Day Cake

Are you looking for a fabulous recipe, so you can make a delicious treat for your special dreamboat? Or are you going to be single on Valentine's day and need a lip-smacking good cake to cheer you up?

Well look no further!

I have a tasty spicy cake you can make, as well as an easy topper to express your love, and a giveaway!

I know, I'm just too generous.

Well, first things first. I shall start with the cake. For well over a year Mr Lemon Drizzle (my very own dreamboat) has been asking me to make him zingerbread (made-up-name). He described it as gingerbread with lime, and pontificated about how it would amaze the world with it's awesomeness! After he has been pestering and pestering me for what feels like forever, I have been worn down. So, I decided to make it for him, as a Valentine's Day treat. 

I made the cake yesterday and wouldn't let him eat it as I had to wait for today to take pictures, but I gave him some cake shaving with some buttercream, and he became very excited and repeatedly shouted 'I was right!' and 'In your face gingerbread!'...from which I gather it is a success.

This is the recipe for the cake

I then made a syrup of rum, lime and sugar to brush onto the cake and I filled it with lime buttercream. You can download the full recipe here. (This should be free to download, please let me know if you have any problems.)

As you will be too busy romancing to decorate your cake in any complicated way, I have painted a cupid for you to add. Just right click onto the picture below and download the cupid. Print him off onto card and then cut him out and attach a cocktail stick to the back. Don't forget to add your own message.

And finally, the giveaway! The lovely people at Mermaid Cookware sent me this 20cm loose bottom cake tin to try out. It is a really good quality tin and fabulous for professional and hobbyists alike. And perfect for zingerbread!

'Made from hard anodised aluminium, the ultimate conductor of heat, the Tins help to ensure even cooking all the way through and come with a loose base for easy removal.'

How can I win? You ask.

Well, first you have to live in the UK (sorry rest of the world!)

Then let me know in the comment section what you would love bake for your sweetheart, leave an email address with your comment too.

Leave a separate comment if you follow me, if you link to this post via Facebook, Twitter or your own blog. So you could have up to five chances of winning (you would be leaving five separate comments).

The competition will close on Thursday 21st February at 12pm.  The winner will be drawn using random.org.

Good luck.

(I have received my own cake tin to test out for hosting this giveaway)

ps Have a lovely Valentine's Day

xxx

Gingerbread bird house

I know that this post is loooong overdue, but better late than never!

This is the gingerbread house I made for my parents this Christmas.

I try to make a few every year as presents, but I was so busy that this was the only one I managed. My nieces got their's in bits, with instructions on how to make it themselves!

(ps the fabulous painting in the background is by my hugely talented Aunt)

As many people who know me can testify, I am a little bit obsessed with gold spray, and, as I hadn't used it on a gingerbread house yet, I thought that this was the time!

I added some love birds as my parents are still very much in love even after many, many years of marriage!

Hopefully this year I'll find time to make more gingerbread houses.

xxx

Australia Day cake

Yes I know it's a bit late but I haven't had chance to edit my pics before now, sorry.

This cake was for the fabulous Nathan Pask as a thank-you for taking pictures of Mr LD.  Nathan and Mrs Pask are Aussies and so wanted a special cake to help celebrate with friends. I also gave them one of my cigarette butt ashtrays.

So to all my followers and readers in Australia, a very belated happy Australia Day. I hope to visit very soon and lap up some sunshine!

xxx