All Charlotte wants for Christmas.....

Innotab 3s / Minnie Mouse Car / Fluffy go Walkies / Barbie Car / Dress up Shoes

Well not all she wants, as you can imagine she wants a lot more. Putting it all in a picture, I notice a common theme of PINK! I must try and balance that out somehow. 

We haven't got her all of these things, my mum is concentrating on everything Barbie so the car will be from my parents. I am very excited about Christmas this year, I am a Christmassy person anyway, but with Charlotte being nearly 3 she is starting to get it, and tells me what she would like from the big man himself. 

We'll be doing all the traditions with her this year, like writing a list, leaving out a mince pie for Santa and I have it on good authority he does like a little glass of Baileys. 

I have already purchased the Innotab 3s for her, this will be her main present from us, she mentions it every time she sees the advert, and I think she will get a lot of use from it. She loves my iPad and once she has this the iPad use will be banned. I am so worried she's going to break it or drop it. The innotab is obviously made for children and so is a lot more sturdy. This is by far the best price I have seen on Amazon.

I have a feeling I am going to regret the Fluffy go walkies?! A walking, barking dog......Hmmmm not sure if I am going to like it after about 5 nanoseconds, although have no doubt Charlotte will love it!

Obviously we will be getting her more little stocking filler pressies, colouring pencils, books etc. We will get her some little sweeties but not a lot, and she is allergic to chocolate (poor girl) so no selection box for her! 

The Body Shop Advent Calendar

2013 Body Shop Advent Calendar

At the time of writing this, the Boots Advent Calendar which a lot of people are going crazy for is sold out. I am doubting it will come back in stock now, although if it does will be snapped up again super quick. I knew I should have ordered it weeks ago, but I was uhming and ahhing over whether £30 was too much to spend on an advent calendar.

So the Body Shop is doing one this year for £55, here: The Body Shop Advent Calendar it is more expensive than the Boots one which was £30. However right now, the body shop online are doing lots of offers, as they are known to do quite regularly. £5 off when you spend over £15, £10 off when you spend over £25 and £25 off when you spend over £50. You need to use the online code SPICE. Effectively this means you can snap up the £55 advent calendar (which is worth £80) for £30. And if you spend over £30 it's free delivery too. Winner! I cannot wait until this arrives! Much better than the chocolate Hello Kitty one I had from the pound shop last year.

I like to Bake

Charlotte's 2nd Birthday Cake

I like to bake quite a lot. When I was on maternity leave I started baking. I was interested in baking before that, but it ramped up a lot whilst I was off. I learnt much more and practiced decorating techniques, and it seemed to be something I was fairly natural at. Although it still stresses me out when I'm trying to do something perfect!
I always thought I was the odd one out in my family, everyone is very hands on and all do hands on artistic jobs. But not me I was always a paper pusher from day one. Rubbish at anything practical at all. Until I started baking, I felt I had found my niche and love to give cakes and see the recipients face and lap up all the compliments! 

The only problem I have now, is people seem to think I can make any cake they conjure up in their head. And I really do have my limits! I only bake for friends and family, but still seem to end up with quite a few orders. But if they didn't push me, I probably wouldn't push myself. It's always a good thing eventually. Although I wouldn't say that at 2am when I'm crying and demanding Mr Rainbow goes to Tesco to buy more icing. 

I am going to share my go to recipe with you, it's a recipe I always use for my big cakes and it works every time. 

I find using plain flour gives a much more even rise than self raising. But if you only have self raising in, then just omit the baking powder. You will need 2, 9 inch tins. Baking Paper, and butter/non stick spray for the sides of the tins. This will make a big cake, as big as the bottom tier in the picture. 

Vanilla Cake:

Prepare your tins, line the bottom with baking paper, and butter or spray the sides. 
Preheat your oven to 150 Degrees C. 

Ingredients:
8 Eggs
Plain Flour
Caster Sugar
Baking Powder
Butter - Softened
Vanilla Extract

Method:
You are going to need a BIG mixing bowl. 

You may have noticed, apart from the eggs, I have not given any measurements. This is because it's all about the eggs! Weigh your eggs in their shells first. Whatever this weight is, then use the same weight for flour, sugar and butter. 

Sift your flour and your sugar, sift in 4tsp of baking powder and add 3tsp Vanilla Extract. Add everything else straight in the bowl. 

Mix up with an electric mixer or a stand mixer if you have one. Once everything is mixed together, divide the mix between the 2 cake tins. 

This is a LOT of eggs and ingredients, but it does make a big cake, if you prefer something smaller or have just one tin, or an 8 inch tin, then just change your amount of eggs and everything else will follow. For a 6 inch tin I use 3 eggs etc. 

Try and ensure if possible your shelf is in the middle of the oven and you bake both cakes on the same shelf, this will produce a more even rise. 

Bake for about an hour, but I would start checking from about 45mins. To check if a cake is fully cooked, insert a skewer or a sharp knife into the centre. If it comes out clean, it's cooked. If it still has cake mixture on it then cook it for longer. 

Once out of then oven, leave in the tins, for around half an hour. Then remove from tins and leave to fully cool before attempting to decorate!

Family introductions

Slowly I will introduce the whole family to the blogging world. But will do one at a time so I don't overload! This is the gorgeous Dorothy. Our 3 year old British short hair. She's such a chilled out little girl this is her normal position on my lap. She's definitely got the right idea. 

Saying that, she's currently having a mad 5 minutes tearing around the living room. I have a feeling my feet are going to get attacked any second!! 

Ebay Wishlist

iPhone 5 Case / Reindeer Cookie Cutter / Owl Watch / 50's Prom Dress / Satchel / Filofax

I am always on Ebay. It is the first site I approach when I am comparing prices for my latest want. Consequently my watch list is always full. 

Here's a selection of the items I have on there right now. I have to confess to ordering the iPhone 5 case, my iPhone is currently on order and I needed a Christmas case for when it arrives...... obviously. 

The watch might have fallen into my basket too it was £2.38! Do I need to say anymore?

Welcome to Over the Rainbow!

So this is my first blog post! Wow!

I have been thinking about doing this for ages. I love reading blogs and I research everything to within an inch of it's life. So thought, well why not start my own!?

I lead an extremely busy lifestyle. I have a gorgeous 2 (soon to be 3) year old daughter, a long suffering other half, a full time job, and I study and bake part time Phew!

So this blog will generally be about my long term ramblings, suggestions, things I am always wanting to buy. Beauty and skincare (another obsession)! Recipes and family life. 

Who knows one day someone might actually be reading this! So if you are, welcome to me and my life!