Moved on

Hello! Apologies for the hiatus. But I'm kinda... abandoning this blog. I moved to Tumblr (GASP!) as it's easier to sort stuff out there. Afraid this is possibly the last post but I'll be continuing my idiotic adventures at http://happy-idiot.tumblr.com/ More of my work's on there.

See you there!

Not so Happy Rant

A video of a woman spitting out racial hatred with her son sitting on her lap has gone viral.

WARNING - Not for the racially sensitive.

This video has got me thinking about my role in this whole, "Being British" thing. I shall say, Yes. I AM British. Maybe not ethnically but as an identity, yeah. My passport is a proof but it goes beyond that. I am educated, I do what I can to help others and be a good citizen, I abide by the law. I mean, come on! I don't even have an accent! I just happen to be lucky to have two cultures. I grew up in a predominantly white population in the UK, sure I had a few racist insults but nothing too serious. I once recall my mum wanting to help an elderly woman up when she fell but hesitated since she was unsure of the woman's reaction. Just because I don't look British doesn't mean I'm a bad citizen.

This woman obviously does not sound educated and is possibly the most hated woman in "Her Britain" right now.

Now it's been waaay to long

Hm.. My last post was in July after Sonisphere festival. It's now nearly December and coming to the end of first semester in uni. My apologies.

Yep! I'm now a university student and have been for the past 6 weeks or so. How did a happy idiot like me get uni? Luck. I lucked out at the interviews. I'm now a student at the university of Westminster doing illustration (as per usual, procrastinating as well.) As you can tell, I've been flung out of farmer's county (Norfolk) and into the big city (London.) It's a big change, y'know? But we adapt and stuff. I've not been partying a much as I should be doing but it's money. On a lighter note, the money I've not spent on drinking, I've spend on a Didgeridoo. A frikken Didgeridoo! Pics will be up after Christmas. It's been ages since I've played one so I'll be...really crap.

But yeah, made some awesome friends. Who, like me, are a little mad. Hm.. Thinking about the beards? Oh and here's my animation blog for my animation module.

Happy Rantings!

It's been too long.

Hello again! It's been nearly 2 months since I've last updated this blog. What happened? Well, my frail laptop really died. Before I wrecked it (Had the hockey stick out and all) I decided to leave it until I had time to repair this pile of crap. I finished my foundations art at college with a pass. I actually needed a Merit to get into the uni. Fortunately I was still offered an unconditional. WOO!

Now, my holidays has officially begun!

Now, onto recent news. I've been and came back from Sonisphere festival. It. Was. Amazing. I don't even know where to begin. Metallica headlined, appeared on stage with Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer. Made some friends with some strangers from Norwich, drank plenty of tepid beer, got onto a wrong train, shared tents, got rained on, partied till 3am, got loads of free hugs etc. I really miss it all. It seem like a dream.

Oh yeah! Alestorm was playing Sonisphere, so...

I got my bag signed *Cheshire Cat grin* (Brought the bag at the festival for £5 and the patch.) I asked the piratey gents on their views on the Ninja vs Pirates controversy. They said it's a load of bulls**t and they love Ninjas. That's so good to know.

(Hope they don't mind appearing on my blog.)

Can't wait till next year.

When Life gives you lemons, make Lemon Cheesecake.

Good afternoon! On this fine, cloudy, British day I have taken over my mum's laptop while giving my laptop evils. It's sitting the corner very much like an emo. Shame on you, mister laptop for not working.

What have I been up to during this glorious month of May? Hm.. well.. Lemon cheesecake came to mind. My Boyfriend and I have discovered the lemon cheesecake at Caffe Nero and found it rather tasty. (Also discovered my boyfriend's love of cheesecake.) Which puts me in the mood for making the lemony dessert. Previously I've always been put off making cheesecake due to the hassle of adding gelatine to chilled cheesecake and using a double boiler for the baked counterhalf. All in all, I thought cheesecake was a complete bitch to make. The kind of bitch that slaps you in the face then scream at you. That bitch of a cheesecake.

However! I've found a simple and well reviewed cheesecake recipe. It was the kind that skips around and gives out free hugs. It was that nice.



Say "Hello" to Mister Lemon Cheesecake. Not bad, eh? Needed another lemon really as the lemon taste was struggling to be found. It was a hit with Mum and the boyfriend. I'd say it was a success. Thanks to Mister Sco for sharing his recipe.

Oh, and here are the promised photos from my previous post.

This is the Chocolate chipped cake with cinnamon topping for my sister's picnic.

And this is the Marshmallow Chocolate bar.

This isn't just a cheesecake. It's a Lemon cheesecake that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

PS. I still bind books. Just not any significant ones yet.

Back with chocolate bars and randomness.

Hello again. I am back after some unforeseen circumstances. My laptop died and went to heaven. Before I got the shovel out and began digging. I patched it up with a few plasters and am now working in "Safe Mode."

The holidays has ended and what have I done since then? Um.. baked, stubbed my toe and grew weed moulded chocolate.

Since "useless Safe Mode" won't allow me to download photos from my camera, you'll just have to currently take my word for it.

I've baked a chocolate chip cake with cinnamon sugar topping for my little sister's picnic. Had plenty of mixture left over so I've made some muffins with it. It tasted pretty good except it became more and more stodgy the longer it existed.

Made plenty of Disaronno biscuits to keep some friends amused.*cough*Wardy*cough* I reckon it's my most popular recipe yet. Upped the antic and added fresh Disaronno to the baked biscuits. It doesn't actually go soggy *Shock!!* Oh, and brought a new bottle of Disaronno..*hic*

On Easter Sunday, was wandering around town centre with my boyfriend and found most of the shops were closed APART from The Works. I mean come on! Even Subway was closed. Anyway, we went in and I found a book on moulding your own chocolate bars and it came with a mould for three bars. Hallelujah!*Cloud parts, sun shines, Choir sings.* Moulding chocolate isn't difficult but it's pretty damn fun, plus it makes pretty neat gifts for people. I've so far made marshmallow and fudge bar, peanut butter and dark chocolate bar, And Disaronno chocolate lollypops. The results are pretty and they taste good. I've used Tescos plain chocolate since I find milk chocolate too sweet. Pictures are to come soon.

Happy Rantings.

Getting Baked

It's the Easter Holidays, My best mate is in Hong Kong and the other is in London.

So let's get baked! (No cannabis available.)

I'm only making cakes and biscuits. I reckon this is a good time to dig out pictures of my previous bakes. For some reason, I feel better baking in the warmer times of the year. (Then again my house is cold all year round. Cool in the summer, bloody cold in the winter.)

These are a variation on the ever popular Pinwheel biscuits. Along the chocolate swirl, there are actually chocolate. *Shock! Horror!* I used dark chocolate as the biscuits are already pretty sweet. My boyfriend's a fan of these.

Happy Birthday, Mum! Being a chocoholic, It was only natural to make her a chocolate cake. Followed a recipe from one of my many chocolate cook books from Christmas. (A hint, perhaps?) This cake was dense and having truffle icing didn't help its cause.

You can't be Chinese and not make something that's not Chinese, right? No? Ah well. Anyway, these little biscuits are Peanut Cookies or 花生饼. Crumbly to the point of annoyance. But these were praised and enjoyed my my Granny and Grampa. "Just like the ones in Hong Kong." Felt warm and fuzzy when they said that. These are more like a nutty shortbread.

Happy Birthday to my annoying little sister (Who's taller than me.) This chocolate ice cream cake was a bitch to cut through. (Let alone sticking candles in. (Poor, yet good looking, waiter had to get an ice pick to get through the thick layer of chocolate.)) Used up an entire tub of Carte D'Or ice cream.

An attempt to making the seemingly impossible Chinese egg tarts. The guys in the Chinese bakery trade are way more than reluctant to give tell of the secret to egg tarts. So in comes the good old Trial, Error and Bulls**ting! Not bad, eh?

Cupcakes is the answer to EVERYTHING. Just got a new cookbooks dedicated to cupcakes at that time. So.. much.. sugar! SUGAR!!!

"Did someone say Disaronno?!" Quoted by our marzipan loving Wardy. (Click on his name for his blog.) Yes. Unfortunately he never got to taste these. They were eaten before he could break into my house. Woo! (Few weeks later, the bottle of Disaronno was mysteriously depleted.)

Another added to the Disaronno collection. Having the faint smell of almonds and the icing packs the punch of the liquor, these are a massive hit with my drunken Disaronno loving friends.

Om nom nom nom. I'm quite surprised I don't weigh 18 stones right now.