Getting Cosy!

I have to say, I'm really tempted to treat myself to one of these pretty and padded Kindle cosies. Not only are they appliqued and embrridered with the cutest strawberry cupcakes but they also have little sequiny and beady sprinkles! What more could a cupcakey girl wish for??

Designed and handmade by The Apple Cottage company, these little pretties are available from Not on the High Street, priced at £21.00 + p&p.

Bake Me A Cake!

I have to admit to having a bit of a soft spot for cushions. In fact I probably own enough of them to start up my own cushion shop... if only I could bear to part with them!  And just look what I found this week... a cuter than cute cupcake cushion from those amazing people at Two Little Birdies. Nor sure how long I can resist!  Available from Not on the High Street, for £20.00 + p&p.  And that even included a luxury feather-filled cushion pad!

Pretty As A Picture!

Just take a look at what I found while browsing the internet for cupcakey fabulousness... well, someone has to do it!  Designed by Pomegranate Prints, the creation of illustrator Emma Garner, this cute hand-embellished (with glitter, my favourite!) print can be personalised with a name, or a word, of your choice.You can also purchase the print 'ready to give' in it's own handmade, white-painted wooden frame.

Available from Not On The High Street, priced from £20.00 + p&p.  There's even the option to buy a second, unframed print for only £15.00!

Cupcake Queen

To celebrate 60 years of the Queen's reign, baking brand Dr Oetker teamed up with food artist Prudence Staite to create this amazing 'Cupcake Queen' portrait, using 2012 cupcakes... and each and every one was decorated by hand.  Whether you're a fan of the royal family or not, you've got to admit that's some achievement!

My First Cupcake Decorating Book

If you're looking for a special gift for a child just setting out on their cupcake journey, My First Cupcake Decorating Book might just be the answer. Containing 35 recipes for decorating cupcakes, cake pops and cookies this easy-to-use book begins with the most basic methods and then progresses, step-by-step, through to really impressive decorations as they become more confident. Making cakes is fun... decorating them is even better!  Available from The Book People for £3.99 + p&p.

Salt & Pepper Cupcakes

Dress your table in style with these pretty pastel cupcake salt and pepper shakers. Another perfect accessory or gift for someone who loves all things cupcakey! Available from Not on the High Street for £8.99 + p&p.

So Much More Than Cupcakes!

So much  more than just another recipe book, The Perfect Afternoon Tea features over 160 classic and contemporary recipes for appealing sandwiches, cakes and bakes (the shallot, thyme and garlic cheese muffins sound yummy!), biscuits, bars, pastries, celebration cakes, gateaux, and of course... cupcakes!

This lovely hardback book also features some 650 step-by-step photographs, as well as wonderful pictures of the finished treats, so you really can't go wrong!  There's even a brief history of afternoon tea traditions and etiquette, a guide to classic and speciality teas from around the world, and information on how to choose, blend and make the perfect pot of tea.

Available from The Book People for £4.99 + £1.95 p&p.  That's an amazing £12.00 off the RRP!

Welcome Cupcake!

If you love all things cupcake (and what girl doesn't love cupcakes??) and if you're always on the lookout for an unusual addition to  your cupcakey home I've found just the thing!  This charming and practical cupcake doormat is made from natural coconut fibre, which is woven on small looms in the villages of coastal Kerla in southern India before being stencilled with this vibrant cupcake design. Available from dotcomgiftshop.com for £19.99 + p&p.

Cupcakes Are The Key!

If you're looking for a special gift for a sweet-toothed cupcakey friend (or if you just feel like treating yourself!) this leather cupcake keyring with its pretty fabrics, delicate applique and intricate machine stitching, is sure to be perfect.  Designed and hand-crafted by Tugba Kop Illustration and available from Not on the High Street for £9.00 + p&p.

Or, if you're feeling crafty you could try out your sewing skills with this leather keyring craft kit. Each kit contains: leather, fabric, a keyring, jump ring, 3 template designs (a cherry cupcake, a whipped cupcake and a bird)  tracing paper and step-by-step instructions. Again, available from Not on the High Street, this time for £6.00 + p&p. 

It's Here, It's Here!

Although it wasn't expected to be available until late May, the latest Peggy Porschen book, Boutique Baking: Delectable Cakes, Cookies & Teatime Treats is here!  Although the whole book sounds amazing, the Amazondescription tells us that, 'the third chapter focuses on the most desirable cake phenomenon of the decade - the cupcake, and Peggy gives away the secret of her incredibly scrumptious repertoire of gourmet cup cakes'... just what we've all been waiting for!  You can get hold of your own copy from Amazon for £12.79 including free UK delivery.   I've just ordered mine, althoughI don't know whether I can bear the excitement until it gets here on Monday!

 

These Aren't Just Cupcake Decorations...

These are M&S Jubilee cupcake decorations!  If you're thinking celebrating the Royal Jubilee with a plate of cupcakes but are feeling a little short on inspiration these red, white and blue Royal-themed decorations will save you a lot of time and trouble. The set contains 24 cupcake cases (12 each of 2 designs), and 24 cupcake toppers (12 each of 'crown' and 'corgi' designs). And all for £5.00 + p&p (or FREE delivery to your local M&S store!).

It's Raining Cupcakes!

I don't know what the weather is like where you are but it's raining cats and dogs here, definitely wellie weather! And as cupcakes always manage to make everything soooo much better I wondered whether anyone had applied that principle to wellies. So I did a quick search and just look what I found... the cutest cupcake wellies!  Suddenly the idea of having to go out in the rain doesn't seem half as bad!  Available from Amazon priced from £16.99 + p&p.

Strawberry Cupcake

The latest cupcakey item to go on my 'must have' list is this gorgeous Strawberry Cupcake vintage/shabby chic cushion designed by Vintage Style Home.  I love everything about it, especially how the cupcake seems to be framed by the pretty full blown roses.  The faded vintage pastel shades remind me of some of Martin Wiscombe's retro designs, which I also love, so it's no real surprise that I'm smitten! Available from Etsy for £6.99 + p&p.

And if, like me, you think that a cupcake is enjoyed best with a cup of tea then this Rose Teacup cushion is the perfect accompaniment!  Also available from Etsy for £6.99 + p&p.

Love Love Love!

I have to admit to being just a little bit in love with this!  Designed by Chic Baby Rose, this fabulous Cupcake Princess necklace features a lead-free, rhodium-plated pink frosted cupcake complete with sparkly (a girl can never have too much sparkly!) Czech crystals and a rhinestone crown, and is finished off with the sweetest hand-dyed pink ribbon bow.   Available from Etsy for the unbelievable price of only $16.00 USD (c£10.19 GBP) plus delivery, but there is only 1 available so you'll need to be quick!

A Cupcakey Project

If you love crafting and are looking to while away the hours with a 'cute as a cupcake' project a scrumptious cross stitch kit, featuring three tiers of luscious cupcakes, is sure to fit the bill.  This 'Deluxe Kit', designed by StitchKits, not only includes Aida, 10 colours of pre-organised DMC embroidery cottons, 2 tapestry needles and full instructions, but there is also a 6" wooden embroidery hoop and a handy pair of embroidery scissors so that you have absolutely everything you need to get started.

The kit is beautifully packaged in it's own be-ribboned gift bag and is a fabulous gift (to yourself??) for both beginner and experienced stitchers alike.  Available from Not on the High Street priced at £27.50 including free mainland UK delivery, international delivery is also available.

Cupcake Trinketry!

My latest cupcakey discovery is this lovely vintage style pendant... a bronze-coloured setting, topped with a pink cupcake hand-painted on polymer clay, and finished off perfectly with a pink glass flower and the tiniest ivory beads.  The colours are just perfect for Spring, and there's even matching earrings and a ring to complete the set!  These are definitely going on my Wish List!  

Made by BeautySpot and available from Etsy for $26 USD (c£16.77) including FREE worldwide delivery.  

Easiest Cupcake Decorations Ever!

Although this Betty Crocker tutorial has just got to be the quickest and easiest decorating technique ever, the finished cupcakes are soooo sweet, either with or without the candles! And you need no special equipment, only a pair of scissors.

And while we're on the subject of easy decorating techniques, marshmallows and scissors here's another easy peasy way to make fabulous cupcakes, this time courtesy of a luvtodeco tutorial...

With tutorials as easy as these there's simply no excuse not to have a go yourself, so go and have fun!

Marshmallow Fondant

After discovering this exciting, easy-to-follow tutorial from Clockwork Lemon another thing to add to by ever-growing list of things to do is to make marshmallow fondant.  One of the comments on Clockwork Lemon says, 'I love how marshmallow fondant is so smooth and yummy, it really makes baking of all kinds look sophisticated!'.  Hmmm, enough said... sold to the girl who loves cupcakes!

A Little Birdie Told Me...

A little birdie told me about these felt cupcake toppers, and aren't they just the sweetest things?  They would be super-cute roosting on 'nest' cupcakes, filled with pastel coloured chocolate mini eggs... as a fun and original Easter gift perhaps?  Made by The Cupcake Girls and are available from Etsy for $18.00 USD (approx £11.59) + p&p for a set of 4.  I might even try making something similar myself!

  

Birdcage Cake Stand

I have a confession to make... I've fallen just a little bit in love with this Beautiful Day vintage style birdcage cake stand!  Three tiers of prettily printed easily assembled cardboard makes this a lovely way to display cupcakes and pastries. And it would be just perfect for afternoon tea parties and vintage style weddings!

Available from Not on the High Street, for £17.80 including mainland UK delivery.  Non-mainland and international delivery is also available.