Must Haves For The Dad In Your Life

Growing up my Dad was my idol, my absolute favourite person who taught me most of the things I know… Now that be how to play poker, console games, computer games, black jack and certain sports but I’m still pretty sure he was happy to have a girl… though maybe shouldn’t have been too shocked to find out I was bisexual.

He was my hero and still is, so at this time of year I like to find a way to tell him just how much I love him and how much it has meant to me to have him in my life. For me, the cards are the most important part, we have always done this thing where we try and find the card to make each other cry a little but if cards aren’t as important to you here is some of the must have gifts for the man you call Dad.

PC Transforming Stunt car £35

If your Dad is anything like mine then he also is just a kid in an adults body and will also love RCs Stunt car. With easy controls, 4 wheel drive and a body that moves kind of like a spider it is so easy to control and so fun to play with. Can be bought at MenKind for £35

Sega Mega Drive Mini Console £75

I am a sucker for anything nostalgic, but this, well I know many, many Dads that when they were younger would enjoy a good go on the old Sega. I mean Sonic? Come on guys this one is kind of a no brainer of a gift, now admittedly a bit more expensive at £75 so maybe only if your a little more lush but if you can it’s definitely a great gift it even comes with 42 games already programmed into it, yes, that includes Sonic. Head over to MenKind for this one also.

Crazy Cat Lady Action Figure £10

I’m sure you guys have always enjoyed the novelty gift as much as me, I personally have bought my Dad enough games to play on the loo that I have lost count so when I saw this I couldn’t. Seemed perfect for in case my Dad ever felt he missed my Mum (we grew up with 6 cats, yup it was a nightmare) You can get these beauties from, yup, you guessed it, MenKind (I swear this isn’t sponsored by them they just have such a great range which is all kind of perfect for Fathers Day.

Engraved Wallet £29+

A new wallet is one of those all time favourites that most Dads are thrilled to get, this one is a little special because not only is it hand made it is made with real leather and with that magic technology that means nobody can swipe your card from within. You can choose to have it engraved in three places and choose what it is going to say in each place. A beautiful high end wallet starting at £29

Personalised Face Socks £8.49

We know, It’s a shame having Fathers Day right in the middle of lock down but public safety comes first but fear not with these socks he can see your face where ever he goes.

Smart Phone 3 in 1 Lens Kit £12.99

I don’t know what it is with Dads but for the most part they all love to take photographs, they also seem to love their smart phones and their gadgets so these little lenses are perfect. Complete with a wide angle, fish eye and a macro expect some strange close ups of their eyes and maybe nose hairs… you never know

Personalised Beard Kit £22.99

If your Dad has a beard this is a perfect little set for him not only does it come with all the bits it shows you can fully personalise the message on the front of the bag, it can say literally what ever you want it too. The possibilities are endless.

IWOOT Mystery Gift Box For Him £24.99

I mean, who doesn’t like a surprise and whats better than a surprise to him? a surprise to everyone. Its almost like when you buy a gift months in advance wrap it up and give it whilst having no idea what you originally bought. At least 7 mystery gifts and worth double what you paid for it I am sold!

Experience Days

Or if he is rather hard to buy for there is always the option to buy him a gift certificate for anywhere offering experience days, he could choose sky diving, race car driving, wine tasting, spa day.. there are literally hundreds for him to choose from, though he will have to wait till the end of lockdown but at least he will have something to look forward to.

Have you bought any of the gifts shown for your loved one and want to tell us all about them or something completely different. Let us know and drop a comment below

101 things to do during Lockdown

We are all stuck in the same lock down boat and we can either become potatoes, which I’ll admit can be a alluring idea but certainly not good for the health. So here is a list of 101 things you can do in lock down to help the time fly by.

1. Read a book – I’m sure like me your guys have a mental list of books you want to read well now is the perfect time to get reading.
2. Bake something sweet – cake, cupcakes a pie what ever your feeling! Go bake up a storm
3. Bust out the board games – Board games seem to have gone unloved by a whole lot of people left in there cupboards to build up some duct. Board games are sure a great way to spend time with the family when stuck in, maybe leave the monopoly out of it though.
4. Finally learn yoga – I’m willing to bet at least once in your life you have said the sentence I might try yoga, when better a time to find a way of keeping calm and keeping healthy and stretched than during a lock down?
5. Start a new workout – I know, I know, work out euchk! But once you start the release of endorphins you get from exercise is enough to keep you going and also give you motivation to get other things done.
6. Find ways to make more money – It’s always best to have more than one stream of income in fact, top earners claim you should always have at least three healthy streams of income so get online and start looking up how to increase your income
7. Make some face masks – So I actually mean those wet style ones, you know the ones that clear your skin up. The fabric kind are obviously very important but so is some you time. You can find so many recipes online that you could make a different one every day for a year and still wouldn’t run out of new recipes to try.
8. Write a short story – Find something you want to write about. It could be about your life it could be completely unrelated but you will feel so accomplished once its finished.
9. Do some gardening – Plant some flowers, pull up the weeds, clear the toys that the kids left out there.
10. Press some flowers – Go collect some wild flowers and get pressing there are so many different crafts to do once they are pressed and dried you can even cover them in sugar bake em and put them on top of some cupcakes.
11. Make an emergency kit – Something that is always handy to have is an emergency kit, be ready for what ever is thrown at you, black outs wont be a problem if you are ready for them.
12. Organise/De-clutter your home – Let’s be honest everybody accumulates stuff, I personally have a habit of picking up rocks.. why? not a clue but if you look around my house you will find countless add that to the fact I managed to find a partner with the same habit of collecting odd things and you now know why I am constantly have to re organise to keep things neat.
13. Make some DIY furniture – Take yourself over to pinterest and pick a favourite and actually do it! Don’t just pin it and tell yourself you will one day, today is the day because when else is the entire world going to placed on pause?
14. Have an indoor picnic – get a blanket, make some sandwiches and have an old fashioned picnic in your livingroom.
15. Learn to draw – Are you as bad as me at drawing hands? How about eyes that match? Well practice makes perfect
16. Start an online course – There as so many free online courses out there head over to FutureLearn and see what they have on offer.
17. Watch a new movie – May I suggest the new Birds of Prey? Its amazing as is the newest Joker
18. Binge Disney+ – Fill your mornings with the nostalgia of Kim Possible and Recess and your evenings with the good vibes from High School Musical and many other Disney originals.
19. Write a novel – How many times have you considered writing a novel? once? twice? 47 times? Do it! you don’t know if you can do something until you try so why are you telling yourself you can’t?
20. Write a song – Same as above, writing a song can often be a therapeutic way to de-cloud your mind, you might thing you are all right but you will be surprised what comes flooding out once you look behind the curtain.
21. Learn to play an instrument – Have you always wished you could play guitar? Violin? Its time to buy one and just do it, there are many places online to help you learn not to mention virtual teachers and Youtube videos a plenty
22. Visit virtual gallery – So many gallerys and museums often free virtual tours, go visit the met from the comfort of your sofa when else do you get to look around it in your panda pj’s
23. Karaoke night – Why do you need a crazy night out when you can have a crazy night in, get your friends online and each take turns singing a song, you could even sing a duet
24. Start a fitness challenge – Ok’ so there are a billion of these on Instagram and pintrest. Pick one stick to it see how plump you can get your rump
25. Join the TikTok party – There is no such thing as too late to the party. Its no longer just for the younger teens or for the dancing divas download it make an app you would be surprised how much time you can waste on it watching videos.
26. Find a pen pal online – Remember when you were a kid and would find pen pals from all over the world to speak to, why did we stop. Go online and find a new pen pal find out what lockdown looks like for them.
27. Cook something new – Have you ever made Tai? Why not its delicious
28. Design a new recipe – Yeah cookies are amazing but what if they had macadamia nuts and what if the sugar was a dark brown sugar everything is better when you make it to your personal taste. Just don’t expect to hit gold the first time. Baking is a fine science remember
29. Learn a language – We are lucky to have many other people in this world that have take the time and effort to learn English so why are we not learning too? Do you know that Spanish is used more than English around the world?
30. Make a fortune teller – Do you remember how many hours you used to waste with your friends playing with fortune tellers (also called chatter boxes) Be a child again while you can
31. Deep clean house – I know, I know this one doesn’t sound fun but it so satisfying to walk around a house that smells like your walking through IKEA. Only way to do this is to super deep clean and fill your house with room themed fragrances i.e coffee in the kitchen is the best
32. Design your own house on Sims – I am a complete Sims nerd and I am not ashamed to say it one of my favourite things is to try and create a square by square remake of my own home
33. Practice nail art – We have all seen the pictures online and though, I could do that. Now is the time to learn considering nobody cares what your nails look like under gloves
34. Practice creative makeup – I do so much creative makeup as a child who drew I grew up to do it on my face and I love it.
35. Visit the Ritman Library – This one might possibly be one of my favourite things out there, many many books on the occult and a heap of books pre 1900 thanks to a generous donation by Dan Brown, Yes, that Dan Brown
36. Organise Photos – Get them of your phone on to your computer and create all the files you will thank yourself later when your feeling reminiscing and they are lay out perfectly
37. Learn to make cocktails – Cocktails are great, they are bright and fun and taste delicious they are also super fun to make
38. Mystery house tour – I’m sure, if your thing is things from the realm of the supernatural you have heard of the Winchester house, no not the Winchester boys no this is the house of Sarah Winchester. You know that crazy rich lady who built a maze of a house because demons told her to. you can now go on a virtual tour around, might be easier than a real life one, wouldn’t want to get lost in there.
39. Write a bucket list – I’m sure since lock down hit it has got you imagining all the things you cold have done in the beautiful weather. write them down, get on Pintrest if you struggle for ideas you will find literally a bazillion
40. Learn sign language – If there is anything worth learning it is this, I know bits of Makaton for my job and when my daughter asked if I would teach her I had never been so proud. You would be surprised how much it can make somebodies day to be able to converse when they usually can’t
41. Organise makeup – My make up needs organising almost daily but since I bought actual organisers it has been so much easier, I know where everything is where everything goes and it is so simple to keep clean
42. Learn Makaton – I mentioned this one above Makaton is basically baby sign language, a somewhat universal way of signing to people a lot of which is actions that feel extremely natural to what you are trying to convey
43. Solve a mystery – Subscription boxes are kind of everything right now one of those boxes is the Finders Seekers box which gives you a new mystery and puzzle every month you can even win real prizes for solving it.
44. Repair your clothes – I at all times have at least two bags of clothes waiting to repaired take some time and fix that jumper you love
45. Update your linkedin and cv – A lot of people are having to change there profession during this time so taking the opportunity to update your business accounts and cv might prove to be quite important
46. Guest write for a blog – Many blogs and sites are always looking for guest writers try looking for some we should be your first call though 😉
47. Learn to code – Coding has became such a good skill to have in this digital age, they have even put it in to the curriculum at many primary schools.
48. Look up your ancestry – Do you come from a Duke or a farmer or maybe both, finding out your heritage is always interesting
49. Up-cycle furniture – Don’t just throw away that old dining set you would be shocked how beautiful it can look with some sanding and wood stain get yourself to Pintrest for lots of ideas
50. Start a bullet journal – If you don’t know what this is head over to our post about Bullet Journals they can be a god send for keeping track of mental health, creating a structured day plan, and motivation over all. Also helps to not miss important appointments
51. Up-cycle old clothes – So you tried to sew your jumper but its impossible, shame but don’t throw it away just yet yo can get a great pair of slipper socks out of those sleeves with a little cutting and stitching
52. Clear kitchen cupboards – If you go to the back of your cupboards I’m willing to bet you will find something in a jar with a best before date of 5 years ago, nobody is eating that it is more than safe to throw away what kind of rainy day are you saving it for?
53. Start a virtual book club – I love to read but I also have a strange love of enjoying discussing my book, my poor partner has to endure almost chapter by chapter catch ups on the goings on of my book might have to take this advice myself
54. Wash makeup brushes – Did you know you are supposed to wash your makeup brushes every 7-10 days.. not every 3 months, just gonna leave it there I think we all are too busy washing our faces and furiously cleaning our never before cleaned brushes
55. Listen to a podcast – There are podcasts on literally every subject you will find one you fall in love with and get addicted to
56. Paint a picture – I don’t mean a smiley face on a piece of paper I mean grab a canvas and take your time create some art you can hang on your wall point to and say, I painted that and I love it
57. Clear phone – I as an avid user of social media and a lover of photography have to do this constantly every week or so I go on my gallery and its back to over 1,000 images. Fact: phones run so much better when they are not filled with old pictures and old unused apps, clear those cookies as well guys your phone will thank you for it.
58. Binge Netflix series – We have just had a new season of 13 Reasons Why there are many seasons of Orphan Black and have you watched Rick and Morty yet? Why not, hop to it
59. Learn a lesson at Hogwarts – There is actually a website set up where you can go and enroll in Hogwarts classes, yes you heard me, I mean Potions, A history or Magic, Transfiguation and a crazy amount more
60. Learn to play poker – My Dad taught me this when I was about 11 so let me tell you I will beat you all but still you should learn
61. Practice some origami – You can make boes, t-shirts, blow up pop bang things… the possibilities are endless you may say
62. Virtual Harry Potter tour – You might not be able to get to London right now but it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the wizarding world. They are now running virtual tours which last around 1 hour
63. Watch some animals live in their habitat – Go and check out what animals are up to right now in there natural habitat don’t believe me? Go see for yourself
64. Teach your pet a new trick – I don’t have pets other than rats, who are supposed to be super smart but that seems to be an uphill battle but I did teach the neighbours cat to climb my leg for a treat… hope they don’t mind
65. Have a virtual house party – Get everybody together get yourselves on Zoom and dance the night away
66. Binge all the Marvel movies – I don’t need to say why, do I? erm… Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey?
67. Play some virtual bingo – There are so many sites where you can go and do this you might even come out a little richer
68. Clean your oven – Yup, I said it
69. Learn calligraphy – I have always wrote in cursive because most of the ladies in my family do and they all liked to tell me how vitally important it was when writing letters that my handwritting be perfect… silver lining everybody seems to love my handwriting now
70. Make your own cosplay – Order some foam and paint fins a tutorial and get to work but the time your finished hopefully the cons will be running again
71. Go listen to some Shakespeare – There is a site where you can go an watch all of Shakespeare plays, watch them in order and add a little class to your sitting room
72. Learn to tie-dye – You can even tie dye with bleach, on anything, t-shirts, napkins, cushion covers
73. Make playlist for every mood – What ever I listen to depends on my mood and so often I star aimlessly at the music player with no specific artist I want to listen to, This is great for those moments..
74. Clean out your junk draw/s – That way you can re-fill with 2020’s junk… usually if it hasn’t came out you don’t need it but if you don’t want to toss it throw it in a box labelled junk drawer and pop it out of site in your attic, problem solved
75. Do a puzzle – You don’t have to be 50 to enjoy a puzzle, I love a good cross puzzle
76. Binge Star Wars – I mean, If you haven’t watched it yet you probably should. I’m also currently making my way through for the first time.
77. Learn how to save and budget – Yeah, I nearly laughed at this one too, little rich form me but you definitely should. You can find tones of apps that help on your app store
78. Make a morning routine – The best way to start your day is to know what you are doing for the first three hours, this way you get things done early and are motivated for the rest of the day
79. Binge Lord of the rings – This is also on my to do list as I feel kind of weird being nearly 30 and still having not watched it.. I love elves how has this even happened
80. Learn from a celebrity – Masterclass is and amazing place where you can go any learn from celebrities who know the subject well currently this includes; Hans Zimmer, The RuPaul, Deadmau5, Samuel L Jackson and countless more its only £14.17 a month for all classes too, though annoyingly it is billed annually.
81. Plan and prep your next week of meals – You will be so thankful you did this, good for your brain, good for your body and definitely good on your purse strings
82. Clean all mirrors – Trust me you are not airbrushed they just dirty
83. Make an Amazon wish list – I swear by these for holidays you can never go wrong if you have a list of things your partner, friend or family member has chosen to put in a wish list, also you no longer have to hint so there is that
84. Binge all the Harry Potters – If I have to say why I am shocked and appalled
85. Give yourself a mani and pedi – Just because you can’t get into a nail bar doesn’t mean your nails can’t look pretty do you partners too, nothing wrong with a clear coat
86. Delete all your old contacts – You moved away from that garage 4 years ago, you think you still need that number, just in case? Your never going to use them why are they still there? Delete
87. Write a letter to your future self – This is always fun, you can make goals or you can just thank future you for carrying on, we all have drama, we all have heartbreak, be kind to yourself
88. Cancel old subscriptions to apps – You have to be tired of seeing that £3.99 go out of your bank monthly on an app you don’t use, go into your app store settings and click unsubscribe, it’s that easy
89. Make a scrapbook – I always keep movie ticket stubs or random bits of ribbon from birthday cakes if you do to a scrapbook is the perfect place to put these, a couple of pictures and a little writing about the day and you will never forget it
90. Start a recipe book – Why not start your own family tradition recipies and note them down in your own recipe book. For all you know you could be the next Betty Or Jamie
91. Watch a documentary – If there is something you don’t know too much about the best thing you can do for society is educate yourself, just remember every editor is biased to there own opinion, I myself am it is human nature so never watch one and take it for fact watch a couple, read and make your own decision
92. Study something, anything – In the UK the government is currently working with a company offereing classes for free for anybody who is wanting to take part, all online and and all can be done in your spare time without costing you a penny. There are so many things like this if you look around
93. Treat yourself – Go online and buy that thing you have been wanting for ages
94. Write a to-read list – Do you screenshot books you want to read or note them down somewhere, find them all and write an actual list and start making your way through. You might find a new all time favourite
95. Listen to an audio book – I adore audio books, when I am struggling with insomnia I listen to them so often so that I am not distracted by watching TV. Mostly I listen to my favourites but its nice to listen to new ones every once in a while
96. Clean out your car – Find that weird smell, clean your carpets, wipe down your dash and enjoy a squeaky clean new car feeling
97. Change career – If ever there was a time for a complete 360 on what you do it is now, It’s a big decision to make but it may be the best one you ever make so give it some real consideration. Are you happy in what you do? Forget what your parents told you, you are supposed to love and have doing your job otherwise whats the point?
98. Review bank statements – Take your last 3 months bank statements and work out exactly where your money has been going. If you are spending more on pizza than you are on your electricity you should probably spend less on pizza
99. Write a five year plan – You don’t have to keep to it, life is ever changing and the person you are now may be a stranger to the person you are in 5 years but it is still always healthy to have a direction you want to move in clear in your mind
100. Update passwords – Most people don’t change their passwords anywhere as much as they should and because of this they end up with ex’s using there Netflix.. no I joke but being hacked can be a real issue with the amount of personal information you have on your accounts that you wouldn’t want others to have you should really be changing them every 3 months or at least making sure you have 2 factor verification for all logins where you can
101. Backup phone – I kind of touched on this earlier but recently I thought I lost my phone (I hadn’t it was hiding in the car which kind of calls back to clear your car) I was so devastated because not only did I have work on there and many many images I had shot for various brands and people I also had no tracker on it, needless to say that is fixed now and if you don’t I suggest you do the same and try to back up as often as possible

Have you enjoyed this list, let me know what you have got up to through lock down in the comments and I would love to see any images of anything you have done of the list

A Beginners Guide To Intermittent Fasting And Its Benefits

What is Intermittent Fasting and Why Should I do it?

Hi, I’m Ruby, a 25 year old feminist with a bsc(hons) in Psychology. I’m a hairy, fat, bisexual who believes in body positivity because, “If you can’t love yourself how in the hell you gonna love somebody else.” Can I get an Amen.

What is Intermittent Fasting (IF)

“Remember, fasting time includes when you’re asleep!“

Intermittent fasting (IF) is currently a wildly popular lifestyle improvement technique that people all over the world are using in 2020 and it’s one that has been around for many years. It is, in summary: An eating pattern that cycles between set periods of fasting and eating. The best part about it is that when you are eating you can eat what you want! The aim is to be healthier but who says you can’t enjoy a full Dominos Pizza to yourself once in a while. 

 It seems like a simple way to cut calories and lose a little weight, but contrary to popular belief, this isn’t just another “diet” and it’s not solely undertaken to lose weight, it can also help your body repair itself, can help you with routing and even provide mental clarity studies have shown.

I personally struggle with emotional eating and struggle to eat intuitively, intermittent fasting has helped me get my weight off slowly but also keep it off, it’s also helped me cut down on my sugar addiction. It’s important if you are to start changing your lifestyle to learn all you can before jumping in and don’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable or feel unwell so I have provided my take on a beginners guide to intermittent fasting in this article! 

The Benefits of IF

In 2005 it was found that intermittent fasting improved cardiovascular activity in animals and reduced the chance of age-associated diseases. In 2019 a study focusing on the 16 hours fasting and 8 hours eating found that the lifestyle lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, inflammation and type 2 diabetes (Malinowski et al., 2020). This is said to be partially due to the weight loss that fasting can assist with but also because of the changes in the amount of sugar a person regularly intakes when eating in intervals. As IF encourages a person to drink a lot more water to reduce symptoms of hunger and keep them hydrated this has been reported to be beneficial as well. As this is a beginners guide, I have linked a Healthline article that has compiled a list of 10 evidence-based health benefits that have links to academic studies cited. 

The different types of fasting

If you are new to IF, there are three most popular types of intermittent fasting, 

• The 16:8 method in which you don’t eat for 16 hours and eat in an 8-hour window. This one is probably the most popular and sustainable as you often only miss either, breakfast if you are doing an early fast or dinner if you do a late fast. Remember: Fasting time includes when you’re asleep! 

•  The 5:2 method which is when you eat regularly for 5 days a week but on two days you will only consume 500–600 calories per day. 5 days eating 2 days fasting. I personally could not do this, so my hat tips off to you.  
• A popular method to start off with is the circadian rhythm method, which involves fasting for 13 hours (including sleep time) and eating afterwards. This goes with your bodies natural sleep cycle. I  started with the 13 hours of fasting and worked my way up to 16 hours as it’s so much easier. There are ways to ease into fasting and there is no right or wrong way to do this, just do what’s best for you!  

Water Fast or Dirty Fast? 

The traditional water fast is when you only drink water during your fast which is great for keeping yourself hydrated and alleviating hunger when getting used to the lifestyle. But it can make you really tired if you’re a caffeine lover like myself. A lot of people will choose to “dirty fast” which isn’t as gross as it sounds. It just means they choose to drink black coffee which according to Dr Rhonda Patrick can provide benefits such as autophagy of cells which helps your body fight diseases! 

Some fitness gurus say that any calories under 50 do not break your fast and why argue with them if you feel like a little splash of soy milk?! . Drinking coffee, herbal tea or sugar-free drinks can be considered “dirty fasting” but lots of people choose to do this because you will still get healthier and consume less sugar, it just gives you something to taste. 

But it seems like a lot of work?

Intermittent fasting has faced some criticism as all lifestyle changes and diet changes do. People don’t always agree on the “right way” to fast so it’s best to find out what’s comfortable for you! Two free apps that have been a big help to me in my decision on what fast I like best are Zero and Bodyfast which you can access from Google Play or the Apple store.  

The apps have a variety of different fasting plans that you can access to get used to IF. They also have timers to notify you on your smartphone or tablet when your fast is ready to start and when it ends, this can help you make sure that you still eat when needed and stop you from clockwatching like I did. The apps both have paid coach versions which can assist you and give you support but you can also access support from lots of forums. 

An Important Note:

With starting any lifestyle changes, it is also important that you speak to your doctor before undergoing drastic changes, it isn’t for everyone and that’s okay. Intermittent fasting has the benefits of increased mental clarity and concentration but this is due to a spike in the cortisol levels which is the hormone responsible for stress. While this method has helped people including myself, you should always pay attention to your body and not to restrict yourself in ways that will make you feel physically or mentally unwell. 

Sources:

1. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-guide
2.  Cardioprotection by intermittent fasting in rats.
3. . Intermittent Fasting in Cardiovascular Disorders—An Overview
4.  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting#section6
5. https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/what-type-of-fasting-is-best-rhonda-patrick

Useful links to be aware of if you’re struggling:

BEAT: UK based eating disorder support –  https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/ 0808 801 0677 
Eating Disorder Hope: International resources for eating disorder support: https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/international

My Entire Table Top Gaming Collection

So, I have always been a big lover of games starting with board games, then PC games then console games but always circling back to board games/ table top games. There is something so satisfying about the touching the pieces and the kinetic energy in the movement (Yes, I’m a nerd get over it) I now have a partner that embraces my love for games so have been able to start building a collection, so here it is, my prized possessions in no particular order

Plague Inc. – One of my all time favourite games, started playing this one as a phone game a few years back but everything changed when I bought the actual tabletop game. Could be preference but I much prefer it

Life Fame Edition – Arguably no where near as good as the original which alarmingly I no longer own but still fun. Instead of filling your car with your family you fill your limousine with your entourage

Monopoly family guy – Before Rick and Morty there was American Dad and before that there was Family Guy. My favourite monopoly to play when I’m feeling a quick 4 four hour game

Make your own oploy – Haven’t gotten around to actually making my own ‘opoly’ yet but it is on the list of things to do during this quarantine. Can not wait to write up all the cards and plan out the chance cards

Monopoly Cheaters – OK, so I defiantly have a love/hate relationship with this game. I love that it comes with an actually handcuff for you to wear while in jail but I hate cheating and am yet to finish this game with actually completing one of the cheat challenges.

Monopoly Millionaire – A new addition to my ever growing monopoly collection and one we are yet to play so can’t really comment on this one but I look forward to playing it when I get around to it

Rick and Morty Cluedo – Cluedo was one of those games that as a kid I always wanted so when it appeared under the tree one Christmas recently I was so happy! The fact that it was themed to one of my favourite shows was such a bonus

Original Cluedo – Well I couldn’t not have the original could I? Sort of original, it does come with some new faces.

Jumanji –  “I’ve seen things you’ve only seen in your nightmares. Things you can’t even imagine; things you can’t even see. There are things that haunt you in the night; then something screams, and you hope to god you will not meet the same fate.” A great man said these words, I’m yet to turn into a Monkey or run from a Rhino but it’s a pretty decent game

Harry Potter Trivial Pursuit – What kind of Harry Potter nerd would I be without some form of Harry Potter quiz game. Now, stop messing around and bring out a Monopoly!!

Total Rickall – Is a 2-5 player co-op deduction game designed by Matt Hyra (also the designer for Batman: Arkham City Escape and so many others) where you try and figure out who is the parasite and who is real. I adore a co-op game so this one had me sold immediately and is one of those games you can pop out when ever you have a spare half hour to fill.

Pandemic – The Daddy of all board games my favourite of all time. This game is a mix of team work and strategy which is different every time you play it and once played enough times you can switch and change the rules with your board game buddy (make sure they agree) to keep it fresh.

Pandemic on the Brink – What’s better than the best game in the world I hear you ask? The best game in the world with even more things to do. More characters a new virus and even more ways to play, I sound like an advert I promise you this is not sponsored I just love this game so much. Like so much.

Pass The Bomb – Make sure, as my daughter calls it “your brain is switched on” for this one. A whole lot of the time I will roll the dice and find myself at an ends to think of a word that begins with — I blame the literal ticking time bomb for messing with my already anxious brain. Good game though.

The Ricks Must Be Crazy – Another Matt Hyra game published by Cryptozoic Entertainment where the aim is to generate enough power to build enough contraptions to beat the other players. Something makes me happy inside being able to play as Kyle, I can’t explain it but it does.

Exploding Kittens – No don’t worry, you are not expected to blow up any kittens this game just comes with quite a macabre title, not that I’m complaining. Something that started as a kickstarter project has now sold over 8 million units! Don’t let anybody tell you your kickstarter is stupid you could also be sitting on a diamond.

Anatomy Park – Another from Cryptozoic Entertainment, this time though you are stuck within the deteriorating body of Ruben and need to get out before the curtains call time on this old Santa. You get to mess over your competitors and play with some interesting characters. One of my favourites that’s for sure.

Throw Throw Burrito – I don’t know where to start on this game. Ever wanted an excuse to throw a burrito at your Nan? Enter Throw Throw Burrito. An anxiety inducing battle to the death (not really but it can feel like that) It’s one of the greatest multiplayer party games created since Cards Against Humanity in my opinion.

Banagrams – I love an excuse to play a word game, and something different from Scrabble is just that. Play alone, play against another player its one of those instant classic oldies.

Name 5 – So this is technically a team game but it can be played with just 2 people with a tweaking of the rules, you race against time to name all 5.. makes sense it’s more fun than you might think

In Order To Win – Such a fun game to play with friends, you are given a question and told to put the answers in order you bet on if you think you can get it right and so do your friends, time to find out how much your friends are willing to bet on you

Cards Against Humanity – I hardly think I need to explain this game to you, all I will say is whenever I am gathered with friends or family I am always devestated I don’t carry at least a travel version

Your Worst Nightmare – You would be surprised with how deep this game can go, list your fears in order and list another players in the order you think they would then watch the horror that ensues

The Cube – Did you ever watch that show and think I could do that, play this and you might just change your mind

Cranium – Any excuse to play with play dough am I right? This one is so fun to play with the family and even the kids can join on this one

Are you a robot? – If your as much of a game addict as me then I’m sure you also like a game you can pull out on the train well this can fit in your wallet! Super simple but super fun all you need to do is convince the other player you are not the robot

Hope you guys enjoyed learning about my collection of games, what do you want think of these games? Leave your thoughts in the comments

9 Harry Potter Things You Need To Buy Immediately

Harry Potter broke in to our lives and into the hearts of children everywhere in 1997 not long later Princess Diana was killed, so, having a book that tells of a world filled with magic was something quite reassuring to the children at the time. I know I personally was one of those children that definitely needed something to help me escape the macabre home life I was in and here came The boy who lived, the boy who against the odds could do it all and I was hooked. Since then nothing has changed, my love and fascination with the wizarding world grew with every new book and movie and now here we are with me pawing through the internet gazing in awe at some of the wizarding world themed items I can now own. Here are just a few from my personal to buy list that I think everybody should have their eyes on!

Lego Hogwarts Castle

I can’t even begin, I nearly screamed when this was released by Lego, I adore Lego, like way to much (like will happily sit and watch people build Lego sets on youtube for hours love)The idea of little tiny Lego Potter and Hagrid is one that fills me with all kinds of happy thoughts but at a staggering £349.99 I think it will be sat on my to buy list for some time.

Lego Hogwarts Express

So Lego now have 18+ sets of Harry Potter themed sets and whilst every single one of them is something I desperately want if I listed them all this would be more of a product advertisement for Lego and that isn’t what I’m going for. Not yet at least. So, in the spirit of keeping my list a small list I will leave it at just this one as an addition. Lego + Harry Potter + Train set = a very sold me and a whole lot more affordable at £74.99 though still kind of up there, definitely not a Happy Un-birthday gift.

Weasley Christmas Jumper

Always wanted me one of these jumpers which you can pick up from Merchoid for £36.99 but only with the original “H” or “R” which I personally would like one to start with my name, which is A. Which leaves me at either learning to knit or paying the price for a human to put there care and love into it… I think I will go with the second option I’m not much of a knitter and whoever is making these beauties over at The Witch’s Cabin clearly has heaps of talent and a love for what they do.

The Grim Tea Cup

There are a few different places you can pick up the Grim tea cup but my favourite by far is the one made by MerlissasMenagerie on Etsy go check out their shop the things available are all made so well and are so beautiful. They even offer Winged flying keys (not literally flying) which are iridescent and just beautiful.

Harry Potter Snow Globe

I have always loved snow globes and to anybody who doesn’t I say this, you’re wrong. That is all. Snow globes are magical little worlds and one of my favourite parts of Christmas is my every growing snow globe collection so that might be why this snow globe is on my list but just look at it! It is magnificent, only available at Bradford.co.uk this snow globe has a light up castle a moving train and plays music. Did they read my mind on the perfect snow globe?

Wizards Chess Set

Now, this one may be more of a dream but just look at it. Die-cast zinc chess pieces made with the exact detail of the chess pieces from the final challenge sequence in the Philosophers stone. Made by The Noble Collection for an eye watering yet completely fair $424.95 (currently on offer for $361.21 for pre-orders)

Deathly Hallows watch

For those occations where you have to dress up but still want to sneakily geek out this watch is so perfect. Official HP merchandise, made from Silver and decorated with Swarovski Crystals you can buy this from the carat shop for £150.

Gringotts Coins

There is something about a velvet pull string purse filled with large jingly coins that gives me warm fuzzys. Unfortunately our money is no where near as awe inspiring so this collection is definitely high on my to buy list I can at least pretend that life is a little more magical.

Time turner necklace

I honestly don’t know how I don’t already own this, so many times over the years I have been on the verge of buying one but never actually have, it might have something to do with the disappointment I know I will feel when it doesn’t turn time… You can pick up two versions of this necklace on Merchoid a basic gold plated version for £15.99 or a highly detailed gold plated version which comes in a beautiful wooden display case for £49.99, I think its worth the extra but the cheaper version is still lovely.

Have you guys got any other things you think should be on my to buy list or any shops that sell amazing Harry Potter merchandise? If you do drop me a message, you can use the contact form or find my on any of my socials, until next time ladies and germs

13 Drag Race Secrets You Need To Know

So RuPaul has finally moved into the mainstream and now has the platform to make a proper difference in America with how the LGBTQ community are seen *I’m not crying you are* This is such an important issue to myself and many people I know and love and to see some good representation being portrayed by the media is wonderful so in celebration of the Queen herself here are some facts about RuPauls Drag race you just might not yet know.

When filming for the final they actually film 3 different versions depicting each Queen as the season winner. They do this to keep the actual winner a secret until the day it is aired, this is when the queens actually find out who won. You can watch some of the Queens real reactions online and honestly they are one of my favourite things to watch. Still here telling myself Adore won #season6denialftw

This one might be my favourite thing to tell you guys, a RuPaul Lego set called RuPaul’s Brick Race has actually been pitched! Two of my favourite things. In one! genius. Who else would be first in line for this set?

The Queen of Queens Mother tucking nature herself, amazing and beautiful as she is did you know it takes her 6 hours to get ready for the show? I’m willing to bet that’s an hour in makeup and the rest of it in tucking

The Queens actually walk the runway twice on each episode one they walk with the music and the other they walk with the judges commentary, it’s the only way the judges jokes don’t disrupt their flow

iPods are given out at the start of the season with all the lip sync songs ready to learn but the Queens are only told which song they may have to lip sync to the day before they are due to film the episode #littleshady

The show was actually sold on RuPauls first pitch to the network. Now, I don’t know if that was because who the hell is saying no to RuPaul ooooor because he was pitching a show where drag Queens fight for a crown whilst reliving there childhood trauma “I like your dress, so how did it feel to be left at a bus stop?” #PoorRoxxxieAndrews

Ever wondered how the contestants seem to just have the perfect outfits ready for each random challenge? Well, before they appear on the show or make their way to their hotel rooms the Queens are given a vague idea of runway themes and outfits they may need. This way they can make them, buy them or if they are lucky get in touch with top designers to make them for them

Once finished filming for the day the Queens go back to their hotel rooms for the night and are locked in! They even put a piece of tape over the door after the Willam fiasco to make sure the door hasn’t been opened.

On top of not being able to leave their hotel rooms they are not allowed to have their mobile phones for the entire time they are filming so that no spoilers get out to the public. When locked into their hotel rooms the only way they can communicate with the show crew is by passing notes under the door.

Last but by no means least the Queens are asked at every confessional to wear the same outfit so that all clips can be used at any point in the show, not sure I would want some producer deciding how I felt about something but I guess its just another rule they have to abide by, they do say pain is beauty maybe loss of self is the price of sucess? Who knows. RuPaul knows, that and the answer to how to get ever lasting life.

Do you guys have any other juicy Drag race secrets you want including or just a whole new list? Or maybe you have some ideas for a different list? If you do, get in touch I love to hear your ideas and don’t forget to hit that subscribe button to get first look at all new content and maybe even some sneaky extras!!

13 Weird, Wonderful and What the hell Barbie dolls

So Barbie can be like marmite to a whole host of people but to me I both love and hate her, the message she shares at times is so important to female empowerment but at others… just completely of the mark and honestly, at times quite worrying. Never really know how to feel about these so here are my take on the best of the worst Barbies ever released

The Birds Barbie. This Barbie came out in 2008 in honour of the movie The Birds by Hitchcock, the horror movie where birds attack humans trying to eat them.. Those birds there trying to eat barbie. Not very well thought out Mattel

Barbie forever and Tanner, now I don’t have much to say on this one it speaks for itself really. Just so you know how this toy works. Tanner defecates and barbie uses her magnetic poopa scoopa to pick it up and then…. FEEDS IT BACK TO TANNER. What even?! Oh yeah also the doll was recalled because the magnet could get loose and be swallowed by children. At least we now have a explanation for the magnetic boy (an actual thing, google it you won’t be disappointed)

Totally Stylin Tattoos. So I’m not a boomer who is going to complain about tattoos and say they are the devil etc I have tattoos, my partner has tattoos, When getting one of my tattoos designed I even let my daughter get a little felt tip tattoo drawn on her by the tattoo but I’m not sure I agree with them being thrust in their face quite so much as this doll does

Slumber Party Barbie, Oh Mattel… How to lose weight, don’t eat. Just what children needed to be told in an already unforgiving society. Though not that unforgiving as this was actually released in 1965, you know after the civil rights act was passed.

Red Riding hood Barbie because why not take a story about a 8 year old and turn her into a sex symbol then sell her to children. It’s not like paedophilia is a problem, oh wait… it is.

Lounge Kitties Barbie. I don’t think I need to say anything at all on this one

Teen talk barbie, this one kinda gets my blood boiling. It’s important to say that this was released in 1992, a time you would expect Mattel had some pretty uplifting things to say through the mouth of Barbie but nope, why bring little girls up when you can knock them down and try to create children from a thankfully bygone era. Teen talk barbie won’t tell you, she is proud of you or you can do anything you set your heart on, or that you are beautiful without trying instead she will tell you; math is hard, I love shopping, what kind of wedding will you have, let’s try on dresses. The doll was that bad The Simpsons even made a joke out of it basing there talking Malibu Stacy on it, remember that phrase “don’t ask me, I’m just a girl”

Wash & Watch diswasher. So, Barbie can now be anything what do Mattel do with that you ask? Release a wash & watch dishwashing toy.. because washing dishes is hard? It was the time you might say to yourself but no this doll was not released in the 40s or even in the 60s it was released in 1991. What? What?!

Elvis & Priscilla. How sweet a doll to commemorate the relationship of a man who started a relationship with a 14 year old girl when he was 24, oh yeah not to forget, a 14 year old girl that he plied with drugs. Not so sweet when you know the details maybe that’s why Mattel didn’t give them a back story on the box. Not that great for sales I would assume

Kissing Barbie the Barbie that actually juts forward to plant a kiss on your lips with her puckered lips.. not at all inappropriate

Growing up Skipper would have the number one spot if that wasn’t taken up by something beyond awful. So, what does she do you may ask well she starts as a little girl until you spin her arm around and oop out pop her breasts. What?! Am I the only one that actually feels worse for Skipper in this situation? Nobody needs that part of there fake doll life publicised.

And the weird to trump all weird… Pregnant Barbie, give her a clap this will definitely be the worst doll of all time, I hope, I would not want to see what beats this doll. I’m all for the beauty of child birth but children popping Barbies belly off to see the baby hanging inside? No I’m out, I don’t even what life is anymore.

Now all those awful Mattel decisions are out of the way time for the best one they ever made it’s Magic Earring Ken a very obviously gay ken that was ‘accidentally’ made by Mattel complete with c**k ring hanging from his neck in line with fashion for gay man during the time.As with pregnant barbie nobody is topping this and I was 10 immediately!!

Do you know of any other weird or even wonderful barbies made that you think should be on this list? Get in touch and don’t forget to hit subscribe before you leave to be one of the first to see all new content and maybe even win some freebies!

7 Facts you need to know about Rocky Horror

We all know that Rocky Horror is one of the greatest movies ever and Tim Curry is one of the greatest actors of all time but here are some facts that you just might not already know.

Rocky Horror, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, what ever you want to call it I personally like to call it simply gold. Originally made for the theatre and stared many of the cast as you know and love them including Tim Curry as Frank-N-Furter, Richard O’Brien and Patricia Quinn. Some changes were made in the middle such as; Patricia Quinn originally agreed to the role on the agreement she could sing Science Fiction-Double Feature which she did in the stage show but when it came to the film director Jim Sharman wanted it to be sang by Richard O’Brien alongside almost every other song in the musical except sweet transvestite which was sang by Tim Curry. Patricia Quinn wasn’t completely pushed out though, those beautiful lips your so familiar with singing the song? Well they are her beautiful lips.

The castle that it was filmed in based in Windsor, England is now actually a hotel, yes you can stay there! It’s on my to do too after this lockdown is lifted.

The original script wrote was only 40 minutes long so the song ‘time warp’ was created to fill some space the composer had also pointed out that he felt it needed a dance scene as it was a musical

The filming budget was $1.4m and has since grossed a crazy amount passing $365 million! Not too shabby.

Mick Jagger asked to play Frank-N-Furter but was turned down in favour of Tim Curry, now as much as Mick Jagger is amazing no better call was ever made.. Tim Curry kind of made this movie, nobody could have done Frank-N-Furter the same justice.

The first 20 minuites were supposed to be in black and white but 20th Century Fox refused it. It was planned that it would be in black and white until and only turn to colour when Frank-N-Furter enters. I personally think the metaphore in this is beautiful and think its a real shame it didn’t happen as it was supposed to. What do you guys think? Do you prefer it in colour or wish it was done in black and white?

Susan Sarandon (Janet) and Barry Bostwick (Brad) were actually an item during filming, Bostwick has since spoke about the jelousy he felt during the scene touch-a touch-a touch me at watching Peter Hinwood (Rocky) putting his hands all over his girlfriend. I think that’s quite fair to not enjoy watching an underwear model fondle your girlfriend.

When Rocky Horror was originally released in the United States on VHS it apparently retailed for an eye wartering $89.95! Now I am a huge fan of the flick but I don’t think I am that much of a fan of any movie, I would need some seriously good special features to pay that, I do love some good special features.

Any other fandoms or movies you guys want some facts on? Send me a message and I will pick my favourites to write about

Top Tips for better makeup application

I have worn makeup now for a amount of years that I don’t quite yet want to admit, and through that time makeup products have improved vastly! I can’t say that enough, if you are new to makeup you have no idea what we had to deal with, there was no stay all day matte lipsticks then just lip coat which smelt and felt like covering your lips in the most flammable alcohol possible all just to try and be able to sip that wine and still keep some colour on our lips. That is not even the worst of it just the beginning, but thankfully as technology advanced so did our products and along the way we all picked up some tricks to make these products as best as they can be so lets get into them.

1. Primer – Primer is an absolute god send as far as I am concerned. I have never been one to use a foundation and still don’t to this very day but I do use concealer… a fair amount too. I have been torchered since I was young with extremely dry skin, crocodile skin I call it, I suffer from stress triggered exema and various skin allergies which, on my face causes a constant dry flakiness, not pretty, but because of this foundations concealers were always a no go for me. Thankfully because of the dryness of my skin I get spots like once a year if that so over all its not been a problem but with skin as pale as mine it gets pretty pink, sometimes I don’t want to look like I’ve just been for a run and when I feel like that I always, always! will use a primer before I use any concealer, it stops my skin from drying out and providing I am using the correct products it will last the day, virtually unheard of for me. I personally am currently in love with E.L.Fs new poreless putty, the only way I can explain how it makes me look is, my face looks like it does with just this product how it does before I put in contacts. Just utter airbrushed. It’s amazing and I adore it, if I had to rate it I would give it a massive, 4 jellybeans!
2. Clean and moisturised base – I always make sure to wash my face, moisturise or oil and give it a few minuites to set before I do my makeup. Makeup is harsh on our faces so if your going to wear it make sure you are protecting it, you only get one face… unless you can afford a new one but I know I can’t and I feel like pampering your face a little is most likely easier over all. Not just this but if your face has a good level of moisture and oil (not too little/not too much) your makeup is going to go on way more fludily and stay on for much longer than if you skipped this pre-step. Wash your face kids.
3. Be aware of your eyesite – Now this one is not for everyone there is one group this applies to and that is the beautiful glasses wearing folkes who don’t really use contacts. I personally have quite awful eyesight and am terrible for wearing contacts and glasses, also wearing glasses is kind of impossible when applying makeup. So what I do with this is I get to a comfortable distance away from the mirror in good lighting for my eyes (too dull / too bright and I’m blind) if this means my nose and nearly touching the mirror so be it, better to accidentally knock the brush on the mirror than try to guess where your eye actually ends or begins. Its not worth blinding yourself and also as much as you try it will always be better the clearer you can see.
4. Natural light – I mentioned it briefly In the last tip but natural light is your best friend, I was forever making the mistake when younger of doing my makeup in a bathroom or bedroom with the curtains drawn and leaving the wondering why my shades were all completely different, ever heard the phrase, “did she get dressed in the dark” I fully believe this is where that came from. If it means moving your mirror around go for it, we all do it, half of the time instead of being at my dressing table I’m sat in the window seat with the mirror balanced precariously.
5. More isn’t always less – Sometimes it is, eyeliner for example, numerous colours on the eyes (just make sure they compliment each other) with powder however, not the case, too much powder is going to ruin your base and make you look clogged. It’s not pretty and it’s not good for your skin, just powder where you need too, t-zone, cheks, nose little bit on chin, don’t overdo it.
6. Dead mascara? – So, all makeup tends to have a use by date, some of these is not because the ingredients have gone bad sometimes it’s just because they dry up. Mascara for example tends to dry over the period of 3 months, now if your like me and use either numerous or hardly any each day odds are you will have a fair bit left. Don’t worry you don’t have to throw it away drop in a few drops of saline solution (you can make this yourself, it’s literally salt water) give it a mix around and et’ voila good as new, your welcome.
7. Thick eyelashes – I’m gonna say it, I hate false lashes, they look amazing but can I do them? Not even in the slightest half of the time i will get scared and quit before I even put any glue on them. If this is you don’t worry you can still get plumped false style lashes by adding a dusting of setting powder on to your lashes in between coats of mascara. They won’t be Cardi style but they will look much thicker.
8. Stop bleeding lips – Sometimes when we wear lipstick we can get those awful lines where the colour rushes out of our lips into the surrounding areas. They are a nightmare and I hate them, they can ruin the whole lip look. to avoid this all day make up you conceal and powder around your lips before applying any lip products and always line your lips before using a lipstick.
9. Balanced eyebrows – So when your lining your eyebrows before you go ahead and draw them in you want to get a good idea on where they should sit on your face. The best way I have found of doing this is by using my eyebrow brush placing it alongside my nostril showing the line up to where my eyebrow should start, making a little mark and doing the same on the other side. When I am drawing my arch that changes each day down to how dramatic I’m feeling so only advice I can give there is try not to be too heavy handed and make them match, with the wings (I have no clue on what this part is supposed to be called so there wings now) i make a tapered line from my arch leading in the direction of the tip of my ears, not all the way, might be a bit much. Gel, always gel you will still inevitably touch your eyebrow and panic but you have less of a chance of rubbing it off with gel.
10. Prep eyelids – Always use some form of prep on your eyelids to get a more vivid colour or smooth application, if it has to be concealer, well I’m not saying use it but I’m also not saying don’t… there are much better products out there I personally use E.L.Fs lip primer. Does the trick.

Well there you have it 10 of my top tips for better makeup application, I have tones, if you guys want more let me know, get to me on Instagram or send me a message on here I would love to hear your thoughts.

Make Your Own Beautiful Wreath

The Easter countdown is upon up and I’m making everything pastel and adorable and rabbit themed. Excited? Me too! I’m sure at this point you have your eggs and treats ready to go but is your house ready to go? How about adding a finishing touch of a super Easter themed DIY wreath that can be made completely out of discount store items.

The things you will need..

*DON’T FORGET THE GLUE GUN!

You will need a twig wreath but the rest is purely your decision I went with some ribbon decorated (plastic) eggs and many flowers.

To start you want to lay everything out, I always end up changing it up from my original design but it gives you a good base of what you want where.

Once you are done and happy with the design you can start sticking everything together grab your glue gun and start carefully attaching everything on.

Et’ voila you are finished tie it up somewhere and keep it safe when you take it down to use it for years and years.

Make Your Own Adorable Easter Cupcakes

ITS EASTER SO LETS BAKE SOME CAKES!!

Easter is one of my favourite times of the year and as a person that observes lent and has an addiction to sugar by the time we come to Easter I have had weeks with none of the sweet good stuff so clearly what one has to do is bake a bazillion cakes. Usually too many but that’s fine the neighbours certainly don’t mind. If you want to make some cakes like the ones I made above then follow these steps below or if you are more of a visual learner head over to my instagram to find a video of the decorating process.

The things you will need..

• Baked cupcakes (Recipe available on here)
• Piping bags
• Piping nozzles (Wilton are by far the best)
• Butter icing (Recipe available here)
• Fondant
• Gel colours (I use —– they are available here)
• Shape cutters for cupcake toppers

Decorating

So when decorating I will usually start with a plan in my head, maybe even on paper if its quite a detailed plan this way you get a visual before you go ahead and start, sometimes something you think will look nice doesn’t quite translate on to a cake so its a good way to avoid this as much as can be.

You want to colour your fondant and roll it out turning a quarter turn on each roll out, this avoids it sticking! Also don’t forget that icing sugar for dusting. I will use a small cookie cutter to cut my fondant toppers this gives me the desired size and they are quite inexpensive. Once cut place them to dry onto some flat greeseproof paper. (Any creases in your paper will show on your topper)

I usually make my own sprinkles as I am not much of a fan of store bought hard sprinkles. to do this I will roll out fondant to 1mm thickness and cut out tiny shapes leaving them at least overnight to dry. Once done these can be kept for months if stored correctly.

For the bunny toppers these are a little more complicated and I will be putting out a full how to video on my instagram to show how to make those so keep a look out for that!

Top 5 decorating tips

1. You don’t have to use single use plastic piping bags, piping bags can be easily made from grease proof paper if your not using too much icing. There are tones of how to videos on Youtube on how to do this. If you are using single use bags, maybe you have a lot of icing to pipe, these are marketed as single use but quite often with the well made ones can be washed and reused. Save the environment where you can guys!
2. I always use gel colours, they are more expensive but overall they really aren’t they last a crazy amount of time so in the time you may buy 10 of the cheaper colours you would still have only used half of the pot, tops! They also don’t change the consistency or taste of your icing either so no worrying about sticky fondant. I swear by both PME and Sugarflair for their gel colours I don’t think there are any better out there.
3. Make toppers ahead of time, if kept correctly they can be stored for a long time and if your anything like me and sometimes feel like making a ballerina but not a batch of cake / cupcakes you can keep hold of it till its ready to take pride of place.
4. You want quite a cold room for decorating, heat in a room will melt your icing so if your struggling with this issue lower the thermostat and pop a cardigan on you and your fondant will be thankful.
5. When making flowers or frills or anything you want a more delicate edge on a ball tool is your best friend. It takes flowers from looking amature to looking pro in seconds. Pop the flower on to some foam reserved for this purpose and carefully roll out the edges. Et voila a masterpiece.

I have created a Pinterest board specifically with lots of Easter cupcake ideas so go have a look mix some ideas together and get your bake on!

A Complete Guide To Getting A Pet Rat

Hi guys! so a little while ago me and my partner made the plunge and got ourselves some pet rats. These little ladies come with somewhat of a sad background story as we got them as rescues. At around 6 months old they came to join our family after already having at least 2 owners in their short lives, unfortunately two of them were extremely malnourished so they were quickly put onto a high protein high frequency feeding schedule but sadly one of the beauties was too sick and didn’t make it, the other is slowly pushing through gaining weight little by little but is extremely camera shy. (She runs for the hills the second she sees the camera and lets just say, she is a very accomplished jumper.

The other two however are extremely fond of the camera so I introduce you to Mia and Mila (Mila on the left and Mia on the right)

Are you considering some pet rats?

Hygiene

Well, firstly let me tell you I was lied to! I was told by many, many, many sources that they are are clean and non smelly rodents… not true, I love them and I have no regrets but if your considering buying your own and a smell would be a problem maybe re consider… or clean them daily… and bathe them, they mostly like this though they will show you there kamikaze jumping skills the first few times!

Free roam and exercise

They like to chew…. and I mean everything! For the first few weeks of having them we gave them free roam daily with no concern for what they were doing that was until I pulled out the TV cabinet to clean behind it (forget that this took me weeks to do it’s heavy) and found that they had chewed almost clean through a bunch of important wires. So now they have lost there free roam privileges until they can kick the chewing habit, I don’t hold much hope for them. Thankfully we have a large dining table so can set up a big play area for them to have a roam around and obviously the giant plastic rat balls for them to run around in (they don’t, they sit and sleep in them, still working on that one) Overall a non rat friendly space need not be a issue, there is always option you can even create your own play pen space for them if needs be.

Food time

Please don’t feed them on a diet of dry food alone, they are omnivorous and need a variety of foods in their diet. I usually will give them some fruits and vegetables each day (make sure there is some green vegetables in there they need the chlorophyll in that, I don’t know why, I just know they do. They will get a dry food mix to stay in their cage, I use a rabbit food one with lots of carrot pieces within it. They also are given meat a couple of times a week and egg once a week (this may be their favourite day) I do treat them a little too, they love my cakes. They also have a pot of meal worms that they like to snack on occasionally.

Mucho dinero

Do not get them if you can’t afford to keep a cat or a dog. People see rodents and think they will be quite inexpensive pets and this is not true obviously now you know what they eat you already know that but that isn’t where the cost ends they need regular treatment against things like parasites and pet insurance for if they become poorly, this is each one you have. Other than that there is also there cage, which they can run up quite expensive, the space that they require is quite vast and they need lots of things to sleep in and play with and just keep them entertained in general, p.s they like to chew these too so they will occasionally need to be replaced.

Cage

Photograph from Critternation

As I have already said the cages need to be quite large, the cage we have for our little rat babies is 3 stories high and can house technically 6 rats but I personally would leave it at 4, this cage is around 3 and a half feet tall and will set you back at least £100. This is just the cage and is just the walls that they need, on top of this your shopping list should include bowls, water bottles, ladders, beds, hiding places, warm fabrics, burrowing things, a giant wheel, perches, hanging toys, toys in general. There is no such thing as too much for these guys and gals they like it super busy in there!

Please send me all your ratty pics I love seeing them 🙂