Making The Move...

As I am sure you all know by now, on Monday Google reader (GFC) is shutting down so if you, like me, used GFC to keep up to date with all your blogs, you'll have to move over to a new method to keep up with your favorite posts. Thankfully, it's really easy to do!

Th easiest option is Bloglovin'. If you do not yet have a bloglovin account, signing up is easy-peasy. 
Click here to get started and signed up.

Once that is done, or if you already have one, click this super link and all your GFC blogs will transfer to your bloglovin blogs. Just like that. No mess, no fuss. Quick and pain-free!

To keep up to date with all my tasty cupcake and fashion posts follow my blog through Bloglovin'. Just click here or on the Bloglovin' button on the side of my page.

So,in brief, join Bloglovin', click this link to transfer all your blogs, then this one to follow mine, and you're done!

Now that admin is done we can get back to the frivolous & fun Tipsytart is about...

 FOLLOW TIPSYTART ON BLOGLOVIN'

Happiness is... being organised

How organised are you?

I can be the queen of organised or utterly forgetful, overwhelmed and lost. It all comes down to planning. When I plan I feel confident and everything just works. So I like to plan... I write lists and I  keep a calendar.

Keeping a calendar has been my social saviour. At the age I am, there are so many weddings, engagement parties, hens parties, baby showers and then also all the usual; birthdays, dinner dates, farewells, and everything in between. So I keep a calendar, stuck right up on my fridge, penned in with all our events, so that I see it daily and then so does The Boyfriend. (Don’t try tell me you didn’t know we had dinner with your parents tonight… It’s been on the fridge for two weeks now).

And now to add a touch of joyful happiness to my organising, Fathima, the  cat-loving, water-colouring illustrator behind the beautiful Happiness is blog, has started designing free printable monthly calendars. If you need some clarity in your life too, click here to visit her site and download these awesome calendars.

While you’re there be sure to look around at all her gorgeous illustrations and designs – you are going to love her style!

Here’s just a peek…

 

All images taken from Happiness is blog.

Thrills, Grilles and high speed Skills (My first Top Gear!)

Denim Shirt-  Mr Price, Shorts -Woolworths, Bag - Gifted, Sunnies - Lundun

 

This year for the second year in a row, TOP GEAR (as in the British TV show) came to our fun little city of Durban for their Top Gear Live Festival. A weekend dedicated to fast cars, terrifying stunts, gravity defying bikes and everything else car related (as in speakers the size of small cars, tightly packed into the back of big cars. I still don’t quite understand this. Your ears bleed if the sound goes louder than soft. Why?)

Just a few Ferraris

Last year I had no interest in going. This year I had no interest in going. Cars aren’t really my passion. I drive one so I can get around. That’s why I have a car. If public transport was reliable in Durban I might even consider it over driving…

But, even with my clear disinterest in cars, The Boyfriend and I got offered tickets to the festival. And boy was I glad we went. What an experience!

The thrill of the stunt men drifting high speed vehicles within less than an inch of each other, the sound and smell of a Formula 1 car racing around the track just metres in front of us, the excitement of a bungee jumping car (yes this is Top Gear, expect ‘silly’ stunts too) and the awe of multiple motorbikes all flying through the air, their riders flicking their legs above their heads, was enough to convert me. I had so much fun. 

 

Just you know, doing a quick can-can while flying through the air...

I even got so into the spirit of it all that I became a groupie and had Formula 1 racer Antonio Felix da Costa sign my chest! ( I didn’t have an autograph pad or anything and well, I’ve always wanted to be like, 'OMG sign my chest!' Inner rock star groupie wannabe in me sneaking out there.)

 

OMG! Sign my chest! heehee!

I think this could suit me...

Everything is just, well, BIGGER!

The Moses Mabhida Stadium

I am a changed woman. If Top Gear comes again there is no way I am skipping it. If not for the cars, for the thrills. The adrenalin pumping, heart racing excitement is just what I love!

 

I LOVED watching these guys. The one man isn't even touching his bike!

Yes, its a bungee jumping car!

 p.s. Yes, we are right in the middle of winter! This week is the winter solstice and we are still in shorts and slops! I love my city! It seldom gets cold!

 

Peppermint Crisp Cupcakes

As a kid did you ever suck milk through a peppermint crisp chocolate? I remember first licking the milk chocolate off both ends of the bar and then dunking it straight into milk and using the mint as a straw. Mmm…

Although these cupcakes aren’t milky in any way, tasting them brought back memories of the dunking / sucking process.

Isn’t it wonderful how a certain smell or taste can do that?

These cupcakes are delectably moist and super pepperminty.

Chocolate cupcakes - Makes 24 regular sized cupcakes or 18 BIG cupcakes.

(this recipe is my all-time favourite go to for the moistest, tastiest chocolate cupcakes – original here)

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (best quality available)

1 cup boiling water

Directions

• Line muffin tin with paper liners.  Heat oven to 180C
• In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed for one minute.
• Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin, don’t worry, this is right).
• Fill liners 2/3 full with batter.  (I usually put the batter into a large measuring cup with a pour spout, and then pour the batter into the liners.)
• Bake cupcakes for approximately 18-22 minutes.
• Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Choc Mint Frosting

(original recipe here)

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter
½ cup cream cheese
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring
85g semi sweet chocolate, grated

Directions

• Grate the chocolate and set aside (I would not recommend chocolate chips, as they will be a bit too chunky).  
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
• Add cream cheese, and continue to beat until smooth and fully incorporated.
• Begin adding powdered sugar, one cup at a time (while mixing). 
• Continue mixing, and add vanilla and 1 teaspoon of mint extract.  Once incorporated, stop mixer and taste frosting for minty-ness.  Decide if you’d like to add an additional 1/2 teaspoon mint.
• Add 1 or 2 drops of green food coloring and blend until fully incorporated.
• Add most of the chopped chocolate, reserving about 1/3 of it for garnish.  Beat just until incorporated.
• I originally tried to pipe the icing onto my cupcakes but because of the chocolate bits my piping tip kept getting jammed. (I actually exploded an old piping bag as I tried to just squeeze through the blockage, which resulted in the icing exploding – literally – out through the bag seams. A very tasty mess all over my hands and counter!)
• Ice the cupcakes (you choose your method – you’ve been warned) and sprinkle with chocolate bits. Enjoy!
  
  
  
  
  

Something blue...

The boyfriend and I.  Dress: Motel Rocks (Through Zando), Belt: Vintage, Earrings: RichBitch, Shoes: Ideals. Dane is in Shoes & Trousers: Topman, Blazer & Tie: Carducci, Shirt: Trenery.

I adore weddings. The build up before, the sharing of heartfelt vows, the speeches, the abundant love and merriment and... the Dancing! Oh my goodness do I love the dancing at weddings. There is always high celebratory spirits and everybody wants to just have a good time, spinning, twirling and getting down all in the name of love. 
This weekend we attended a good friends wedding at The Durban Country Club and the following morning my thighs felt like I had run a marathon. Heels and dancing are clearly a fantastic work out. From now on I think I'd rather shake and twirl rather than squat and lunge thank you very much!

Pink - it was love at first sight...

There’s nothing like a little overdose of pink in this cold winter weather, and a promise of good things from the always optimistic and super girly Magic 8 Ball, to make everything good!