August Break Day 28 In My Bag

1. Vans flamingo hand bag bought circa 2005
2. paracetamol - you just never know
3. Ted Baker color lip gloss
4. Lush liquid lipstick - Perspective: Now I can see clearly.
5. Balmi lip balm - cherry
6. keys - with Make Cupcakes Not War Johnny Cupcake key chain
7. Good Fish Guide
8. wallet - TK Maxx find
9. Tic Tacs
10. Pen from Kyoto Sushi in Minneapolis, Minnesota
11. notebook

What's in your bag?

Dear Blog, (3)

Dear Blog It’s your birthday! 

I hope you didn't think I’d forgotten! I haven’t and am writing this post to have a look back at the last year with you!

I thought I would do the usual bakers dozen of links remincising of the past last year. 

Where to start? I know, how about where we left off last year….

1. Last summer I made White “Witch” Ice Cream for a Chronicles of Narnia competition. It was white chocolate ice cream with home made Turkish Delight folded in. It was actually really good. It was a shame I didn't win.
2. I made a week of yummy treats all based on Cadbury chocolates! Like PicnicDoodle Salad, Double Decker Pillow Cookies, Star Bar Cake, Cherry Ripe Cupcakes, and Curly Wurly Brownies.
3. We also took a trip up to Scotland to visit family and I made Cranachan Cupcakes while up there! Inspired by the Scottish dessert Cranachan. 
4. I made my first YouTube video again for a competition, once again I didn't win, but it was an experience and it taught me not to let my husband be the video recorder.
5. The Apple Pie Ice Cream I made in the fall was A-Mazing I don’t know why it didn't get more views? Who doesn't want Apple Pie Ice Cream?
6. In the New Year I made a resolution to use up the baking things I had in my magical baking cupboard. So, I made Mince Pie Biscuits!
7. I made a few cakes for my local Clandestine Cake Club, but the Killer Zebra Cake and a Cherry Garcia Cake were my favorite over the last year!
8. FINALLY, I successfully made fried doughnuts!
9. Homemade Double Deckers proved to be a bit of a challenge and were a bit chewy, but totally worth the extra effort!
10. We had a lot of fun meeting Johnny of Johnny Cupcakes at his 3 year anniversary in London.
11. The Brownie Quest I was on is now pretty much over. I found, in my opinion, the best and most versatile brownie recipe ever. Try it and then we can talk.
12. I blogged everyday in May which was an interesting challenge. It took me out of my comfort foodie zone and made me talk about different things.
13. Last but not least I attended Food Blogger Connect last week and on top of learning a lot of stuff I meet some really cool people!!

This last year was a year of experiences. Not just in my bloggy world, but in my real life too. Growing up is hard to do.

Things will continue to change, because things are always changing. We can’t stop it I've tried! I mean my littlest is starting full time school in September. How did that happen?

I’m also taking a much needed, long-time coming trip home to my family! USA here I come! It will be quiet here in United Cakedom while I am away, but don’t worry I have a few things brewing!

Then when I get back and the girls are settled in school, I will have to answer the big question: What do I want to be when I grow up?

When I find the answer I will let you know!

So, dear blog until next year! Love you, Lisa 

Jeans, T-shirts, and Shoes oh my!

Fashion is something that has always fascinated me, but has seemed like something out of my reach.

Being a family of four clothes for myself is one of the last priorities.

I read a lot of fashion and beauty blogs and envy the ability to just go out a buy a new outfit whenever I’d like and have it stylish.

I try to stay away from trends because if I spend the money on new clothes I need them to be “in” for longer then one season.

That is why I will usually be seen in Gap jeans and a novelty tee.

I am a lover of novelty tees.

My favorite novelty tees come from Johnny’s Cupcakes. It mixes my love of novelty tees and cupcakes!

I also recently came across this Shoe Bakery and I would love every pair, but these Mint Ice Cream Flats are my favorite!

With my birthday on Friday it's probably too late to add them to my wish list! Maybe for Christmas then? 

I have a very low-key beauty routine, I wash my face with soap and apply Clinique’s Redness Solutions Daily Protective Base before lightly dusting a bronzer on. I use Urban Decay eye shadow of various shades depending on my mood or what I’m wearing! Then I use Clinique mascara to finish off my "natural" look!

For now I will continue to ready fashion and beauty blogs and learn as much as I can so that when the day comes I can buy a new wardrobe with years of learned fashion know-how.

notes: This blog post was written for Blog Every Day in May day 13, Fashion, Beauty, Grooming was the topic. It was a little awkward for me to write, but I guess that’s the point of this challenge. It was not sponsored by any of the brands I mentioned above. The picture of the shoes is from the Shoe Bakery website; the other picture is an awkward photo of me wearing an in-store exclusive Johnny Cupcake tee. All opinions and views are my own please see my contact/policy page for any further information. 

Holding it Down in London Town {Johnny Cupcakes}

A week ago Saturday, I took my family on a road trip to London, for the sole purpose of visiting a very special place in Carnaby.

Johnny Cupcakes! They were celebrating their 3^rd year in London!

I have a small-ish collection of Johnny Cupcakes T-Shirts, sweatshirts, bags, stickers, and buttons that is still growing!

With the promise of new in store only T-shirts and to meet the Johnny of Johnny Cupcakes I had to go!

We did have a bit of a wait, the store is pretty small and can only fit so many in at a time, but the crowd was friendly and we had a great time talking with the other fans! 

When we got closer to the storefront, Johnny was outside performing magic tricks! My girls loved it! According to his profile on the website he wants to be a magician when he grows up. I think he’s well on his way!

Overall it was a great afternoon out, I got a fun t-shirt (the same as Johnny is wearing in the pictures above), and I got to meet Johnny!! He gave the girls buttons and they happily posed for a picture with him!

It’s not just the creative and fun clothes and accessories that I love about the JC brand, but the story behind it.

Johnny “Cupcakes” Earle is the CEO and Head Baker of Johnny Cupcakes; he started the brand in 2001 out of the trunk/boot of his car. He took something that started with his friends calling him enduring names like Johnny Appleseed and of course Johnny Cupcake, added a bit of fun and creativity, then turned into a successful business.

It’s the sort of story that makes you believe that anything is possible if you are willing to take a chance and do something that makes you happy!

My eldest drew this after our visit.

notes: This post is not endorsed or in association with Johnny Cupcakes. I went because I love it! If you’d like to visit Johnny Cupcakes in London Town you can find it at 10 Foubers Pl. Carnaby, London, W1F7PF UK; for other locations check the website and if you can’t visit one of the awesome stores you can always order online, they ship internationally!