Flower Power

I had a busy week this week pretending I had a job by doing work experience. It was hilarious being in the pre-work marathon that happens in town where everyone is power walking around the place with Starbucks cups and the Metro. All I needed was a black pencil skirt and some asics runners and I would have been in the club! I was in Newstalk radio station and it was really interesting to see how a national broadcasting station is run. But also a bit intimidating to see how unlike college the real working world actually is. Jedward were in yesterday. They are mesmorisng. I couldn't stop looking at them. All in all though, it was a good experience.

You can watch Jedward's interview here.
http://www.newstalk.ie/2012/programmes/all-programmes/tom-dunne/given-duffer-keano-jedward-believe-in-you/

I was a tad fed up on Wednesday so I lost the run of myself and spent €10 on a bunch of flowers. Gasp, I know! I didn't  know how often I would be asked who they flowers were for. Embarrassing. Anyway they smell ridiculously good. Seriously, my whole room smells delightful. And then I realised that I am apparently obsessed with flowers.

Lovely flowers

Next cup installment. I got this one in a charity shop where we filmed a documentary for college. I think it was €2. Bargain.

Some of my flowery, cake plate collection. Something that has no purpose but I really like them.

My flower candle and plate where I keep my jewellery when I take it off at night.

Kath Kidston make-up bag and flower tin where I keep my cotton wool.

Roses and pearls.

Flowery hammer of course.

Laptop case.

I made this little frame by gluing dried rose petals around the edges. Didn't think it would work. Kinda did.

Flower shoes that Mam surprised me with.

To be honest there were so many flowery things in my room I had to stop taking pictures. Because I thought I might look a bit insane. I think you the the gist though. I like flowers.

Joey x

  

80 Years Young

Last week my Grandad Jim was 80. He is a white haired hero. Literally. He is an army hero. And a hero of a grandad and a hero of a father and I know Granny Flo thinks he is a hero of a husband, considering they have been married for 60 years this year. 60 years!

Sporting his ever so cool birthday boy hat and badge.

Auntie Karen outdid her usual party planner extraordinaire ways with a delicious curry party and an abundance of desserts. It looked amazing with all of the decorations and balloons as only an auntie Karen party can. Well done!

I made the birthday cake. All I will say is a had a few run ins with a bottle of so called blue food colouring. More like liquid hell! Never buy liquid food colouring instead of the gels ones by accident. My hands resembled that of a flustered smurf. Not a good look. The cake however looked pretty decent.

My little pal/cousin Saoirse

Nom!

I also made some cupcakes and they looked pretty swell beside the unbelievably cool photo of Granda when he was a strapping young soldier.

My #1 cupcake fan

Maybe not!

Happy Birthday Grandad Jim. Love you loads and loads. 

Joey x

Happy Love Day xx

I know these days that if you in any way support Valentine's day you are a big sap. Well I have an admission to make....I really like it. There I said it.  I enjoy all of the flowers, M&S meal deals and tacky crap in the €2 shops. In fact it has become part of my yearly Valentine's traditions. Giant cards, heart shaped hairbrushes, fur covered egg cups...why not? Any other day of the year I would laugh at these unhygienic egg holders but when it's Valentine's day, I marvel in awe. Most years I waste money on a load of useless junk that I know Michael in no way needs and definatley doesn't want but not this year. We said we would just go for dinner and get each other a card. The reason being I am a poor lady. I was sad that I wouldn't get any tack until....

I was handed this:

Which contained this:

Now as you can imagine I was super excited and it would have been very embarrassing had I not whipped up a few of these bad boy biscuits to give in return. 

And he was pleased too.

To top it all off: The best card ever!

Yes Valentine's day is a rip off and yes everywhere is always packed and yes there is no need for heart shaped toothbrushes BUT yes it is lovely when you have the best boyfriend in the world and he gets you really sweet surprise presents and you get to have a fancy dinner all in the name of St Hallmark.

Joey x

Superbowl, super Bray, and super cake...

I have worked myself up into a blog panic and have ended up with a bajillion photos of stuff and days out but I am just going to have learn that you guys don't need to see pictures of every cup of tea I have. I know people will be devastated by this news.

Here are some pictures from recently:

Just me at Ireland's answer to the Superbowl where Dad was way better than Madonnas half time show!

Bray Promenade

Ella snug as a bug in her oh so trendy hat.

Some of the local artwork Bray has to offer is simply terrific.

And you get to keep your 5c in a crappy, plastic, flower pot. What doesn't Bray have?!  

Also time for a vanilla update. Hurrah!Bet you forgot about these little guys. They smell so good at the moment so hopefully in a few weeks it will be even more awesome.

Before:

After 6 weeks:

 

Also, I made an orange cake.

It was pretty tasty but it only filled one round 8 inch tin so it looks a bit weird and I didn't feel like butter cream so I just made a simple icing sugar and orange juice drizzle icing. And I threw about a teaspoon of almond extract into the batter too. It seemed necessary.

You can get the recipe from here: 

http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/Easy-Orange-Cake-with-Orange-Icing-L1097.html

Joey x

Treasured Trinkets

This week so far has been quite busy. I had a really nice weekend. On Saturday night I went to Croke Park for what I shamed to say was my first GAA game. It was more so to watch Dad tell the 45000 strong crowd about the suicide awareness campaign he is involved in but "come on ye boys in blue" and all that. And then I went to a "pop up" restaurant with Michael and it was amazing! I'll tell you more about that when I get the pictures sorted. Also I have been filming the "Occupy Dame Street" camp for a documentary we are making for college. All I will say is I am glad we are done.

Today is 5 months since Mam died. Weird. I made the doctor cry when I was telling her about it. Didn't expect to be consoling the doctor but she is so nice I didn't mind. I bought mam these canvasses and I spoke about them at the Flourish memorial service they held for her. I said how I had never really read them until after she died but they say some things in little love hearts that I suppose I wish I had told her more when I was able to. 

I don't know if it's weird to still have these but they are the jars of flowers I made for her funeral. They dried out and stayed really bright and rather then being sad when I see them, I smile because I know she would have liked them.

Now on a lighter, dainty note, look at this dainty espresso cup that my auntie Karen kindly gave me. It's hand painted and oh so pretty. Getting bored of my cup collection? Tough. I have loads.

Joey x

  

Old Classics

Today is a post dedicated to old classics. My uncle Ken brought over some old photos he had found in his house and it was crazy to see photos we had never seen before. He's Mam's brother so he had a few of her and a lots of us when we were small. Here's two of myself and Jonathan, who are styled to the max by our mother. All I know is I would definitely still wear both outfits.

Bows were obviously a hot trend in the 80s

Jonny is having all the lols in the picture and I am simply divine in my heart ensemble.

Then I was really nostalgic and wanted to bake something that was an old classic. 

What better than a Victoria sandwich?

Oh ok I'll serve it on the vintage cake plate I got at the flea market...if you insist.

What you will need:

4oz of soft butter

4oz of castor sugar

4oz of self raising flour

2 eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Jam

Icing sugar to dust

Things you don't need:

Kitchenaid-but when you work as an elf in Santy's grotto to save up to get it and it's your pride and joy, you may wish to use it at every possible moment. 

Old fashioned scales-not too confident in how accurately is measures things to be honest but it looks the part.

You simply must whisk your eggs in a cup with cakes on it with a tiny whisk.

Method:

Cream the butter and the sugar until pale, fluffy and light.

Whisk you eggs in a separate bowl and add gradually, beating after each addition.

Sieve and add in your flour and vanilla.

Pour into lined cake tins and bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees celsius until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean from the cake.

Now here's the thing...when I was finished making the batter I said to Deborah, 'This is definitely not enough to fill two tins.' And it wasn't. And I was sad. So basically double the ingredients but follow the same recipie and you want be short on batter like I was.

Boo!

When you eventually have enough batter to fill the tins and have managed to cook them, cool them on a wire rack. Cover the top of one with a thick layer of your favorite jam and dust with icing sugar.

Take a whopper slice and have a cup of tea.

Someone left me a little message on my cake.

Ps Mam's little reminders are always popping up in places you don't expect. Why are her initials tipexed onto our kitchen knives? Who knows... but I am sure glad they are.

Joey x