cat-tea...(see what I did there?? no...okay..sadface...)

Two of my very favourite things in my life are most definitely my cats and a perfectly brewed cup of tea. So much excitement when I find these amazing "Tea for Two" sets and the cats on them are more or less identical to two of my little bubas! Perfect for our morning brew together! 

Mylo's tea set

Gertie's tea set

How much also, do you think it added to my excitement when I perused the site a little further to find out they did a Little Red Riding Hood version. On a sad note, they are Japanese, payable only in Yen and do not ship to England...the slightest of spanners in the works... 

xoxox

Have Bento's not Mento's.....

Sundays are a good day for cooking and generally messing about, doing things you don't ever seem to be able to muster the time for midweek. I've got through a big wodge of cooking today, things that are a bit long winded and time consuming but I don't know if I would ever have the time to create a Bento box as amazing as any of these gorgeous little beasts. If I did somehow find the time, I don't ever think I could eat them. Just beyond cute!

Piplup

Totoro

Hello Kitty

xoxox

Photo challenge.....

Todays challenge required a bit of thought:
Day 10 – A photo of our favorite place to eat.

Although I have restaurants that I like, I couldn't particularly think of one that I really liked so I  thought of an actual place. It may not seem very glamorous, quite frankly its not and the food isn't exactly michelin star but its just about good times so I chose Scarborough. 

One of my favourite things to do with the man is just get in the car and go for a drive. We get fish and chips and sit on the beach front and sometimes I think its just nice to have a sit...

Then we have a bit of a walk and get an Ice cream, its not much but I love it...

xoxox

Photo challenge.....

Todays challenge (though about 30 mintues late! Oooops!) is
Day 9 – A photo of the item you last purchased.
Being the amazing friend that I am I saw these 70's style wedges that were just too big for my footsies but at £3 I couldn't just leave them in the shop so I snapped them up for my darling Patsy. At least I know there going to a good home.... 

Also I have no idea why the uploader is flipping my pictures!! Slightly annoying! 

xoxox

Totoro Nails it!

Im completely rubbish when it comes to painting my nails but oh how I wish I could master these beauties...

They have everything you need in a nail! Totoro and Pink Glitter!! Perfection much??? 

xoxox

Here comes the sun....

I don't know what it is at the minute, and I feel strange even typing it but I really cannot wait till summer. Normally it's the time of year I dread the most, I'm a redhead so no glorious tan for me but a painting of luminous fiery pink is all I get. I'm paranoid about my affectionately named "Nana Arms" and insist on wearing long sleeved tops even in scorching heat and I'm ridiculously allergic to bee stings so even the mere faint buzz of one sends me into full on panic mode. Despite all this I cannot wait to get a bit of warmth back, probably due to the near on Arctic conditions we have been bestowed with this winter.  I need: 

flowers back in my life

and dizzyingly high ice creams

picnic's in the park with friends

bike rides 

and trips to the beach

Roll on summer is all I can say, I might even take my cardi off too!!

xoxox

photo challenge day 8

Todays photo challenge is: 
Day 8 – A song to match your mood.
Today is a right old hectic day but the thing that is probably taking president over everything is that, like I said earlier; its the man friends stag do today. So I feel it is apt that my song choice is the AMAZING song " I say a little prayer for you" by Dionne Warwick. 

I think he will need it! Plus since I have the house to myself I had a great time dancing around the kitchen with the cats to it to cheer me up a little after he had gone. 

xoxox

Low fat Blueberry Pancakes

I AM SCARED! Today, the man friend left to go on his stag do. Needless to say I am consumed by visions of him returning on Sunday with no eyebrows and no hair. I think he's like Samson and all his power lives in his curly jewish locks and I would be devastated if he returned home looking like Telly Savalas. So to butter up his friends in the hope that they wont scalp him I decided to get them round a bit earlier and do them all a brunch. Also it will hopefully soak up some of the alcohol they will imbibe. Needless to say there were sausage and bacon sandwiches a plenty but I cant serve up a meal without at least something homemade. So I popped out a batch of these pancakes and I was shocked at how well they went down. Chunky, moreish and delicious, just like the boys- they'll love me for saying that! 

makes between 10-15 pancakes depending on generosity 

• 200g self raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1 large egg
• 300ml skimmed milk
• 150g pack of blueberries
• nob of butter and a drizzle of oil for frying

to decorate

• 1 lemon
• 300ml creme fraiche
• 1tbs of icing sugar
• honey or golden syrup, whichever you prefer 

1. pop your flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
2. in a jug, measure out your milk and then crack in the egg and give them a quick whisk together.
3. make a well in the middle of your flour and drop in the milky/eggy mixture and whisk really well till theres no lumps left. nothing worse then lumps of flour left in your batter- bork! 
4. when your batter is lump free, toss in roughly half of your blueberries and give a few of them a bit of a pressing with a fork so you have some smushed and some whole berries in  your mix.
5. in a clean bowl mix together your creme fraiche, icing sugar the rind of your lemon. remember you only want the yellow non of that bitter white pith. stick it in the fridge till you need it covered with a bit of cling film.
6. in a frying pan warm a nob of butter and a drizzle of oil. the butter is for colour and taste and the oil stops the butter from burning.
7. when your butter is foaming and warmed drop in small dollops of mixture, I use two tablespoons per pancake and let it fry away till the first side is a lovely light golden brown, then gently flip each pancake till it is the same golden brown and cooked through.
8. if your making the whole batch cover them in tin foil as you go to keep them warm.
9. I like mine in a stack of three with a wodge of creme fraiche between each, a handful of the fresh blueberries and an artful drizzle of honey. 

xoxoxo

I have missed you!!

I feel like I haven't blogged in so long. I knew it was coming for a while but my laptop finally just gave up. Needless to say I was distraught! It has made me realise that my blogging has become addictive and I felt all lost and alone without it and you! I was most sad as I was in the middle of the photo challenge and it looks all sad and unfinished so I'm going to pick it up where I left off but it wont be the same, damm you Dell technology!!! 


So I am very much back! Please keep commenting, I love your comments so much. 


love Bea

 xoxoxox

photo challenge day 7

Today's photo challenge is one very close to my heart because in a matter of 11 weeks or 77 days, I get married. 

Day 7 – Your dream wedding.

and this is what I'm having!! Me and the man originally had a whole "proper" wedding planned, the dress, the meal, the cake but we realised that we weren't having the wedding for us, it was for everyone else. Deep down, it wasn't what either of us wanted so we cancelled the whole thing and booked ourselves a ticket to "The City That Never Sleeps" and I couldn't be happier. I know it may not be every little girls dream and it may not seem the most romantic to some but to me it is perfection. Really, when it comes down to it; what is a wedding really about. Its about two people and so for me at least, that's all that is needed. I don't need a load of people, most of whom I don't have the faintest idea of who they are, to see me saying I love him. As long as he knows it, well then that's my job done and I'm happy. It goes without saying that obviously; we will look pretty similar to this:

but you already knew that, didn't you!

xoxox

double bubble!

Gahhh! Due to a ridiculous day of no internet connection yesterday (I genuinely felt like I had lost a limb) I couldn't post day 5 of my photo challenge! So today we have day 5 and 6 together in a kind of double bubble jam packed-ish.. day. So day five's challenge was:

Day 5 – A photo of yourself two years ago.

This was me and the man friend at a Rugby weekend in Edinburgh supporting the mighty Hull KR "Come on you reds" Oooh that was a bit of the Delia Smiths coming out in me there... Shockingly, like I said in my last post, you cant get a nice picture of me and the man and once again we are looking like tits! To my defence I was a whole 5 stone heavier two years ago so, that explains the podgy face, there is however no defence for the shocking pose or the man friends hair.

Today's photo challenge,

Day 6 – A photo of an animal you’d love to keep as a pet

is an easy one for me; I so want some chickens of my own. As soon as we get the wedding out of the way and are back home, I shall be seeking out my nearest seller and getting myself two Mrs. Pepperpots- even their name is amazing and setting up my very own chicken run. Bliss! 

xoxox

photo challenge day 4...

Today's photo challenge is:

Day 4- Your favourite picture of you and your best friend

Well my best friend in the world probably has to be the man friend... Obviously I have my bestest ladies but I suppose the person I am closest to in the world is him! The picture is probably not the most flattering, it was his attempt at some kind of strange pout put it just makes me laugh every time I see it! He is never able to just have a normal face and something always goes wrong bless him! I think this is the one picture of him where he doesn't have a weird mouth or have his eyes shut! 

and I love this picture too but once again, we are acting like morons. figures.. 

xoxox

only a quickie...

Just to say I don't know if you'd noticed but we have a new header, hope you like

xoxox

Blonde Ambition

I think if I wasn't a red head I would definitely want to be a blonde. I just love this idea that a hair colour can embellish your life and make it more fun! Also Ms Monroe chose to be a blonde so there must be some sense behind it. I tried to dye my locks once in my youth but due to my incessant aubern-ness it just went the most vile shade of almost eggy yellow; needless to say I was a red head again almost immediately. So in homage to the great blondes out there, I have made my great blonde cake. It had to embody that blonde persona, light and bubbly but with a bit of somethin' somethin'. Originally I wanted to to do a cheesecake but it is January which is my month of frugality due to Decembers over indulgence so I needed something more feather-light? I thought what is more feather light then marshmallows. Easier on the calories then cream cheese but giving the same, possibly even more pleasing texture. 

Ingredients:

For the base:

300g butter biscuits 

60g softened unsalted butter 

For the filling:

100g good quality white chocolate

150g white mini marshmallows

125ml skimmed milk

300ml double cream

12 tsp of ginger syrup

2 tsp lemon juice 

50g pine nuts, toasted

a 10 inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom

• put your biscuits in a food processor and blitz till you get a rubble of sandy crumbs
• add the butter to your processor and pulse together till the mix starts to come together and forms a buttery clump
• take your biscuity clump and push it into the tart tin making a smooth base and sides with the back of your hand or a spatula, pop it in the fridge to chill
• in a pan, warm the milk and the marshmallows together, never letting the mixture boil. it will rise slightly and form a foamy white lather. splodge this pleasing mixture into a heatproof bowl and stand aside to cool 
• whilst your milky/mallowy mixture is cooling, melt your chocolate. whip up your double cream and ginger syrup in a separate bowl till it forms nice soft peaks. 
• add your cooled marshmallows and your melted chocolate to your cream mixture and fold together. the mixture should be deliciously oozing and bulging
• spread your mix onto your chilled biscuit base filling the pie evenly
• stick the whole thing back in the fridge and chill for at least 5 hours, I left mine overnight
• when your ready to eat the cake, top with your toasted pine nuts and serve yourself a nice wedge. glorious! This cake tastes like a grown ups milky bar! "The ambition cakes are on Bea!!" (see what I did there.... brilliant wasn't it!) 

(for the ginger syrup, I just buy a jar of stem ginger in syrup and take it out of there, makes life a bit easier ) 

xoxo

photo challenge day 3...

Well today is of course day three of this lovely little photo challenge. I really hope that others are doing this too and I'm looking forward to putting a little montage together at the end of the month. Today then is as follows-

Day 3 – Your idea of the perfect first date
and as you can tell I'm a girl that dreams big....

This is of course a scene from the glorious "An Education" one of my most favourite films of all time. And I want to steal David and Jenny's Paris date. I know that it wasn't their first date but it would be my ultimate first date, hands down; no contest... To wander around Paris, finding antique book stalls, smoking Russian Sobranies, eating a picnik on the banks of the river with perfect French bread and beautiful wine listening to the dulcet tones of Juliette Greco- perfection. Of course, it goes without question that my date would be set in the 60's. The Man-Friend would be wearing, as did David an immaculate navy suit but with Raybans and I would undoubtedly be working a Chanel summer dress..

I don't think so much this is my idea of a first date, this is my idea of what heaven is; but there you go, it's my dream and as I said, I'm a girl that dreams big. 

xoxox

oh my kitty christ!

This has made my actual year!! Most bizzare cat ever!!! love! 

cutest cake ever????

It doesn't even need words!! I just love it so much!! Needless to say, this will be made at some point! 

xoxox

Photo challenge day 2....

Hello my lovely little baguettes!! Today is day two of the photo challenge:

Day 2- something that you ate today- 

This isn't all I have munched on today but by the time I had checked on what I was meant to be photo-ing today, it was already in my tummy! So this was my desert this eve... and it was delish! You just can't go wrong with a good old Date and Walnut loaf, especially in these bleak winter months, something with a little sustenance to see you through. 

xoxox

Recipe to come...

Just had a little look through my posts and it seems that I haven't posted a recipe in an age! This is how good I am to you, I haven't just gone through my recipe cards and found an oldie but goodie, what I have done is created a brand new recipe for you'se guys! I know, stop! No you stop!! It occurred to me that my main postings are obviously cakes, cats and hairdye. Clearly Im not going to make cat pie, I do have an excellent cat jelly mould though that's about as far as I'm stretching cat wise... But I thought about trying to combine hairdye and baking and what I have come up with as so far, is the "Blonde Ambition Pie". Basically I intend to do a series of blonde, ginger, brown and black cakes... I don't want to be predictable and give you a ginger carrot cake so it's going to take me a little while to get the old noodle round it, so firstly I shall present to you "Blonde Ambition". It's just chilling in the fridge at the moment, I think its going to need an overnight set, so no pics as yet but I will get them to you tomorrow I promise. Hopefully also as the recipe is blissfully simple I may also be able to add this to the party saviours series

xoxox

defective cat, photo challenge

So today I got a comment on my blog from a lady in Canada!! Canada can you imagine! Terribly exciting!! Anyway it would seem that "Miss R" is much like myself, obsessed with, well complete and utter rubbish really! I always find this is the best kind of thing to be obsessed with if Im honest and I was thrilled that it means that my blog is marginally relevant to not just myself and the cats. By the way, Winnie has taken to sleeping in the sink (I think she's slightly defective!)

Anyway, anyway, anyway... So Miss R had a brilliant suggestion on her own blog (http://kawaiikitschlifestyle.blogspot.com/) that was basically 30 days of photographs and seen as I find myself taking pictures of the most random things I thought it would be nice to document my photos for a month. So I take up the challenge and document it to you, my fellow bloggetts - not to be confused with baguettes!!! So the list is as follows...

Day 1 – A photo of yourself and a description of how your day was.
Day 2 – A photo of something you ate today.
Day 3 – Your idea of the perfect first date.
Day 4 – Your favorite photograph of your best friend.
Day 5 – A photo of yourself two years ago.
Day 6 – A photo of an animal you’d love to keep as a pet.
Day 7 – Your dream wedding.
Day 8 – A song to match your mood.
Day 9 – A photo of the item you last purchased.
Day 10 – A photo of our favorite place to eat.
Day 11 – What’s in your makeup bag?
Day 12 – A photograph of the town you live in.
Day 13 – Your favorite musician and why?
Day 14 – A TV show you’re currently addicted to.
Day 15 – Something you don’t leave the house without.
Day 16 – Your celebrity crush.
Day 17 – A photo of you and your family.
Day 18 – Something you crave a lot.
Day 19 – Another picture of yourself.
Day 20 – The meaning behind your blog name.
Day 21 – A photo of something that makes you happy.
Day 22 – A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.
Day 23 – 15 facts about you.
Day 24 – A photo of something that means a lot to you.
Day 25 – What’s in your purse?
Day 26 – A photo of somewhere you’ve been to.
Day 27 – A picture of you last year and now and how have you changed since then?
Day 28 – Your favorite movie.
Day 29 – Something you could never get tired of doing.
Day 30 – A photograph of youself today + three good things that have happened in the past 30 days

So I would like to invite you as did Miss R, to take up the 30 day challenge! I think its going to be a treat to look back on in a months time and possibly slightly revealing too. Today is-

Day 1 – A photo of yourself and a description of how your day was- 

Well today was completely pants truth be told!! The dog shredded a full bin bag all over my kitchen, ate most of the contents then rolled in the rest- horrific! Secondly my laptop is going a bit squiffy and not working properly and thirdly, I dropped my mobile phone and the screen shattered. I think you will agree with me, horrific in every which way. I also getting properly back into my gym routine but was running like I had callipers attached to my legs and was wheezing like an old train on a steep incline... not my best look it must be said. I found this photo, and though I think I look slightly manic, it has confirmed to me that I do desperately want to get rid of this red hair and be orange again. So that's why I chose this as my first picture and hopefully by the time I post my 30th day picture, my noggin shall be gloriously orange once more! 

                                                                    xoxox