Not a happy cupcake bunny....

So I attempted to make some unusual cupcakes, cola cupcakes.

This recipe is from the Cox and Cookies cake cookbook, it was a little strange melting butter with coke but the cakes looked ok.

It was a slightly different cooking method from my other ones and I think it showed. I tried one and I'm not convinced, I don't really think they taste of anything maybe a hint of chocolate but not coca cola at all.

I was a bit disappointed really, no one else has had one and I feel tempted to chuck them away. I don't know if I didn't cook them for long enough either but I also worry about burning them. I don't know it feels like two steps forward eight steps back today.

The cola and chocolate icing is nice though, here they are...

I don't know... I suppose it can't go well all the time.

The Twilight Saga - Breaking Dawn Part 1

I have said before I am a twi-hard and last night I went to the midnight screening of the latest instalment Breaking Dawn Part 1.

If you haven't seen the film or read the book then please do not read on as there will be spoilers.

You have been warned.

I will admit outright this is not my favourite book, I felt it was really long and bit boring. However, the film.... AMAZING! A little shocking, a little mental but overall director Bill Condon has done a really good job. Although I do think part 2 isn't going to be as good.

Anyway part 1...

The film starts with the wedding, honeymoon, then Bella pregnant and having the baby. It feels like two different films. The first part they are all happy, Edward even smiles! There are funny bits, the speeches at the wedding are just so funny. The honeymoon is a bit of a love in and for any twi-hard will make a smile creep across your face as Edward and Bella are finally Mr and Mrs Cullen and you would think will live happily ever after.

However, Bella gets pregnant with a 'demon child' and this is when the film starts to get a little darker. When Jacob goes to visit Bella to see if she is still human she looks almost grey and gaunt, like a completely different person. The make up and special effects in this part are just phenomenal Kristen Stewart looks completely different from her happy blushing bride at the beginning.

Anyone who has read the books will know that the birth scene is pretty brutal, the film is a 12A but even so it is still pretty bloody and shocking, you don't see a lot it's mainly from Bella's perspective fading in and out but I think you see enough.

Although I would be interested to see what someone who hasn't read the books would say as in the book Edward rips open Bella's stomach with his teeth and gets the baby out, you don't really see this just Edward disappear and then come up with blood over his face and the baby but I think because I know what happens in the book it feels worse.

There was a point as well that I thought Bella was actually going to die...just shows you how good the acting is.

The bit when she changes to a vamp is very good her body goes back to how it was instead of a skeleton frame and it goes through all the other three films, reminding you how young they looked in the first Twilight film. Also Kristen Stewart looks beautiful, like a sleeping beauty.

I think it is a shame in the films though that you don't get to see much of the Cullens, but the bits they are provide moments of laughter and apprehension.

When me and my friend came out we were a little shocked and dumbstruck, the second half just sticks with you and it is a little heavy but Bill Condon does portray it really well, it does make you wonder what the 15 rated version was like though.

One thing though when Jacob 'imprints' on Renesmee it is lame and cheesy but that is the only bit that is.

Overall, I think the film is fantastic and cannot wait to see it again. If you are a twi-hard you will not be disappointed, this film I think does live up to expectations.

On another note though I was driving to my boyfriend's house through a village and walking down the road was a husky! It scared the beegeesus out of me, when you have watched a film about werewolves you don't want to see a lone wolf like dog walking down the street.

When life gives you lemons make.... lemon cupcakes!

No birthdays this time just the urge to make cupcakes.

Lemon cupcakes - a simple sponge with lemon zest, which makes them lemon-y, same with the icing just add grated zest. I was quite surprised that it was the zest that made them taste that way rather than juice or syrup.

I was a bit concerned at first about the icing it wasn't quite as thick as the other butter icing and I wasn't sure it would make a swirl like the chocolate cakes I made a couple of weeks ago. But actually I think it looks quite good as just a layer of icing rather than a swirl.

There are just a couple of things I wish I had done and will do next time. I will take the middle out and put lemon curd in and put sugar lemons, what you usually have at Christmas, on the top as decoration.

They were really nice though I was a bit surprised as I didn't think they would be as nice as they were. Another success.

Made to measure for your special wedding day...

On a girl's wedding day there are some things that are a-given 'something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue'. There is also the fact that every girl should feel like a princess on her special day.

I, myself, have yet to get married but in the past year I have seen two of my closest friends walk down the aisle and have two friends next year also tying the knot. So I know how important one particular part of the day is.... the dress. It has to be right, as the bride has to feel comfortable, special and one in a million.

When my best friend went wedding dress shopping she tried on a few dresses, but when she tried on 'her' dress we all knew it was the right one.

However, if you don't want off the peg and can afford something a little bit more unique. There is the option to have your dress made to measure the way you want it and to your exact measurements, so this isn't a dress that has been altered for you but made from scratch to your requirements.

In life not many of us get to have a dress from scratch designed especially for ourselves so if you are going to get one made it might as well be your wedding dress, as it is meant to be the best day of your life.

So for all your needs the place I would recommend, having been to a wedding where the bride and bridesmaids all had the dresses from there and been to the shop, is Brides by Ventrella in Manchester.

The shop has an Italian heritage, which explains the unique handiwork, there are not many places now a days where the dress is made on site to your requirements and measurements. A family business with techniques passed down from mother to daughters.

Each swarovski crystal is sown on by hand, the lace delicately placed by expert eyes.

Having started in 1987 they know what they are doing and the shop was making lace dresses long before Kate Middleton walked down the aisle in her McQueen.

Even if you don't live in Manchester, contact them as they maybe able to accommodate you in a quick time, surely it is worth it for that one in a million dress.

So for your special day check them out, you won't regret it, theses dresses are just beautiful, they also do prom dresses which are just as pretty and came make any girl feel special.

http://www.bridesbyventrella.co.uk/ or visit their Facebook page where people have posted images of their own wedding dresses. http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001780173503

Choccy woccy cupcakes

Yesterday was my boyfriend's birthday and as is becoming a tradition I made cupcakes. He asked for hazelnut and chocolate cupcakes.

Basically they are chocolate cupcakes with the middle taken out and chocolate spread put in its place, then covered with butter icing with added chocolate spread, basically it is a chocolaty overload!

Let's hope he likes them.

You know I think I am getting the hang of this baking malarky....or have I spoken to soon?

I am going to try another item from the baking list and see how I get on.

Magnetic nail polish update....

Just to update you, the blue one didn't work very well but I used Frankie's silver nail polish and it really worked! Let's hope when I use the other blue one again it works just as well.

Here are the results....

I look forward to the new magnets and the different patterns.

There is something magnetic in the polish

We have had Barry M's nail effects with the crackling effect, we have had Revlon and Rimmel's scented polishes, now we have magnetic nail polish.

I have the black Barry M nail effect and the peach Rimmel scent nail polish. I also have some glittery ones the Revlon Facets of Fuschia and OPI's Bring on the Bling, great but really horrible to take off as the cotton wool sticks to the glitter. Other than that I love it.

Now the latest trend is magnetic nail polish. Polish that has iron powder in it, you paint your nails, hold a magnet over the top and whatever the pattern is on there you get the same on your nails.

Nails Inc have three colours for £13 each, to see the effect you can get visit... http://www.nailsinc.com/magnetic.

However, while at Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model Live my sister and I got chatting to a man from FashionistA make up who said they made the one for Nails Inc but had now started their own range.

Who do they have as the face of the range? The Saturdays. On sale in Superdurg the nail polishes are £6 each, the magnet is £3 and at the moment it is 3 for 2. The reason why the magnet is separate is that you only need one and they are planning to launch different patterns in the next few months. The current one is a wave pattern.

As you can probably guess there are five colours...
Frankie - Notorious Silver
Una - Ego Green
Mollie - Purple Me Up
Rochelle - All Fired Up Red
Vanessa - Forever is Blue


At Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model Live they were selling them on offer, two nail polishes and the magnetic for £10. So between me and my sister we got all but the green one. (sorry Una!).

The nail polishes are quite nice on their own. When I got home I tried Vanessa's blue one, and to be honest for first go the pattern didn't come out that well, a little faint but the faintest hint of the wave.

I'm not sure if it is because it is quite dark and it doesn't show up as good. But not one to give up I will keep trying, I have the silver one as well maybe that will show up better.

You can get The Saturday's at Superdrug or here...
http://www.thesaturdays.co.uk/news/the-saturdays-magnetism-nail-lacquer-is-now-in-store-and-online/

To be honest I am looking forward to see what the next nail polish trend is.