How to Make Sheep Cupcakes!

Hey everyone!

I recently made these adorable sheep inspired cupcakes for my neighbours birthday!  This is the first time I have decorated cupcakes this way, so for me it was really a case of trial and error. To speed up the process and also to make it a bit easier, I decided to use a vanilla base packet mix. These cake mixes are super easy/fast as you only have to supply the milk, butter and eggs. Also preparation time is only around 6 minutes! The actual baking side of it is reasonably basic however the skill level is 4/5 due to the detailed decorating. My cake mix made 12 cupcakes.

~Ingredients~

~Utensils~

Ingredients~

~ Pre-made cake mix (including cupcake icing)


~Liquorice

~Mini Marshmallows (preferably white)

~Black patty pans






Method ~

1. Fill the muffin tin with black patty pans.

2. Make the cupcake mix cupcakes (follow instructions on the back of box).

3. Make cupcake mix icing (that is also provided in the box).

4. Fill the patty pans half full with cake mixture.

5. Bake in the oven to the desired temperature (mine was at 180 oC).

6. Once finished baking, remove cupcakes from the oven and allow the cupcakes to completely cool on a cooling rack. They should be golden brown and your kitchen should smell amazing!

7. While the cup cakes are cooling you want to begin prepping for the decorating. Firstly you want to get out your mini white marshmallows and cut them in half using a knife or cooking scissors.

8. Next you want to create the sheep faces. Firstly take a liquorice and squish it down into an oval shape. Next, grab the two eyes, (we had pre-made these ones out of hard icing but you can make them with runny icing and a piping bag for guidance) Push them into the liquorice.

9. Next ice the cupcakes using a small knife.

10. Place the liquorice head on at the front, cut small strips of liquorice for the ears and tail. Next place the marshmallows around the rest of the cupcake to fill in the gaps. And your done!

How cute are they?! These are perfect for a party or afternoon tea! Comment down below if you have every made sheep cupcakes or if you are going to make them! I hope you really liked this post as I loved writing it! Stay tuned for more exciting up-coming blog posts!

Hugs and kisses
Emx :0)

Exam Preparation; Tips and essentials

Hey everyone!

As the end of the school year for 2015 is fastly approaching and many grades have pre-exams, in preparation/ practice for the final year 12 exams. My exams are coming up in 5 weeks and I am certainly nervous for them! This blog post is all about how to prepare mentally and physically for the exams and also some fun essentials!

Preparation:

1. My first tip is to study hard at least a month before the exams so that you have time to process new content and practice it so it becomes very familiar. Do not study a week before because you will not retain any information, certainly if you have other commitments such as sport. You do not want to cram it into the night before as the information will not transfer to the long term memory. (See more study strategies down below)

~Ensure you begin studying a month before the exams!~

1. My second tip is to always regularly contact your teacher to ensure you are on the right track with what you are studying and also some support. Ask lots of questions to ensured you are prepared.
2. Ensure to get lots of rest before the exams, eat the right foods and have the right attitude to mentally prepare yourself.
3. Usually you will be given a timetable with your exam times however if not, a good tip to staying organised is to create your own timetable- you can create this just about anywhere! I like to make a table with the subject, time start + finish, date and room number included. This is great to minimise stress on the day and keeps you confident/in the right mind set. 
4. Prepare your equipment required for the day- ensure that you check and find out the requirements. (More on stationary down below!)

Study Strategies:

1. Structure information

Trying to remember loads of information has been shown by many studies that it can have no effect. Using other methods to store information in your long term memory is a much better strategy to remember lots of content. Some helpful ways include:

~ Making notes of you notes

~ Practising writing your notes in the correct format

~ Relate notes to other materials (things that interest you that will remind you of the information)

2. Create a revision timetable

Creating a revision timetable creates structure to your revision and also allows you to prioritise/ organise your study time effectively. This helps you stay motivated and also ensures you are on track with your revision. It also minimises the risk of procrastinating. 

3. Revision cards

Creating revision cards is another study strategy that will help you structure information to allow you to remember it. Make sure to create one for each subject/exam and have the question on one side and the key information on the other. Carry your revision cards around with you so you can frequently and easily test yourself whenever you have a spare moment. 

4. Practise, practise, practise! 

Practising is really the only way your long term memory will retain lots of information for many different subjects. This will enable you to retrieve information quicker under stressful exam conditions. It is important to practice the following:

~ Format of exam

~ Question style

~ Time pressure

Practising writing an essay in the correct format under time pressure will ensure that your are prepared and slightly familiar with the exam format. Also set up an exam context room- A silent room where your phone is outside, no music, no distractions and you are under timed conditions. It also gives you an insight on what to expect on the day.

5. Use a mind map to connect ideas

Using a mind map to connect ideas is another great way to retain a lot of information. You can turn tuns of study notes into helpful/easy to read mind map. The mind map will associate familiar ideas by using bright colours to improve your memory.

~Create a mind map~

6. Create goals

Creating long term goals helps you stay motivated with your revision in preparation towards your exam. It helps you stay on track and also makes you want to do revision in order to fulfill those long term goals. If this is not entirely helpful, you could even print out pictures of what you are working towards (dream car, job, holiday etc.) 

On the day:

1. Ensure you receive a really good night sleep the night before.  Although you may think studying all night is a good option, you need to have lots of energy to ensure that you can remember all of the content! 
2. In the morning make sure to do something that will get your mind stimulating such as taking the dog for a walk, play a crossword or a word find or even just looking over your notes to refresh them in your mind. 
3. Make sure you are organised for the day. This could be from your stationary to your mode of transport; ensure you are familiar with the situation so you do not put more stress on yourself than necessary. 
4. Also make sure you're on time for your exam, sometimes they require you to be there 15 minutes earlier; make sure to check before hand so you are confident on the day. If you are late you will not be allowed to enter the examination room.
5. Make sure to stay hydrated and also eat a nutritious breakfast to ensure you have lots of energy to concentrate! However don't over drink- you don't want to be busting during the exam, it will distract your attention away from you exam paper.

Stationary:

Stationary can vary depending on the type of exam and also the requirements.  Some common stationary that may be required would be:

• Pencil (either mechanical or lead)
• Eraser
• Sharpener
• Calculator (for maths)
• Blue, black pen or red pen
• Ruler
• Highlighter

 Make sure to bring spares of each piece of equipment.  I would recommend to bring 2-3 pens, pencils to ensure you have extras in case they run out/break. For a calculator make sure to bring fully charged, spare batteries in case your calculator dies during the exam.

~Stationary I like to use~

Above is some stationary that I like to use;

One of them is mechanical pencils and for me they are generally more comfortable under stressful condition rather than a normal pencil. The Columbia Exam mechanical pencils are great as the button on the side easily dispensers the lead when required. They are 2B, 1.8 mm and are perfect for writing down notes or completing your exam if required in pencil. I also use a normal eraser and an Artline Vivix highlighter. I swear these are the brightest, well lasting highlighters I have ever seen! I also just have a blue/ black pen and also some white out (if allowed). This Artline white out has both liquid and tape- it is so handy! My last item is this seriously cute Maped rabbit pencil sharpener! As I use mechanical pencils, I don't need it in exams however if you were using a normal pencil this would be a must! When you sharpen the pencil the teeth move up and down- how cute! This is perfect in case your lead brakes during the middle of the exam.

I hope you found this blog post helpful and also an insight on how to mentally and physically prepare for exams at any grade/age! Comment down below what your exam experience is and some tips that helped you deal with the stressful time!
Make sure to stay tuned for more exciting blog posts coming up!

Hugs and kisses :0)
Emx

Create your own Veggie Garden!

Hey everyone!

I have always wanted to create my own space to grow some vegetables but have never really had any luck in the past. Since we have recently moved house, the new house has provided me with this opportunity as there is an old, run down veggie patch with an overgrown bush of parsley that is taking up most of the space. The previous owners also left us two faded garden gnomes in the veggie patch and I thought it would be fun the re-do the veggie patch and give it a new life.

The old veggie patch is just a simple box made out of wooden boards.  

~The old Veggie patch in the backyard~

We recently took the long trip to the massive nursery in our state. While we were there, we purchased some veggies and some herbs. As our veggie patch is not very big we didn’t purchase too many seedlings, as there would not be enough room for all of the plants. Besides, we have to leave some room for the garden gnomes too! We also only purchased veggies that we would use constantly- otherwise it is a waste of time, space and money. The seedlings that were purchased were basil, cherry tomatoes, Tiny Tim Tomatoes, Cos Lettuce. 

~Basil, Cherry Tomatoes, Tiny Tim Tomatoes, Cos Lettuce seedlings~

We began removing the gnomes and sweeping up the cob webs in the corner of the patch. The parsley bush was growing quite big and was becoming very overgrown so we pulled out majority of the plants except for one. This would provide more room in the veggie patch and also allow the smaller parsley bush to grow again.   Next, we turned over the soil using a shovel and also added in some new soil to help the plants thrive. To ensure that the soil is moist when planting we wet the soil down with the hose and constantly turned over the soil to ensure it is moist right through.

~Soil ready to plant~

As the Veggie patch was not big enough to plant all of the seedlings, the larger Tommy Tomato and the basil was also planted in a separate pot. This left the Cos Lettuce and the Tiny Tim tomato seedlings to be planted in the veggie patch. Next, we dug three holes in rows of two. On the label of the Tiny Tim tomatoes it says to plant them 50cm apart! We didn't plant them that far - otherwise there would have been no room for the lettuces!  Next door we repeated the same steps for the Cos Lettuces however a little closer together. My Veggie patch receives almost full sun but we strategically planted the tomatoes in the spot that would receive the most sun throughout the day.
Once all the seedlings were in, we watered them well. At first the seedlings will look a bit sad and droopy but if you ensure that you water them each day, their roots will begin to grow and slowly stable the plant.

~Seedlings looking a bit sad!~

We then went and started on the gnomes. The original gnomes were very faded and run down. So we decided to paint them and make them look happy again!

Materials:
~ Acrylic paint
~ Paint pallet
~ Paint brushes
~ Glass of water
~ Artline Permanent marker
~ Mr Super Clear Mat (optional)
~ Your imagination!

We began with the face and worked our way down, leaving them to dry in the sun between coats. Luckily it was a warmish day so they dried really quickly and we were able to do the next coat quicker. For the eyes, it was decided to draw the black pupil on with a permanent marker instead of the acrylic paint. This is because we have more control with the marker rather than the paint brush.
I used an Artline Permanent Marker as I find this lasts the longest, also provides good coverage and only requires one coat.
Once all of the painting was completed we left them to dry for the rest of the day and overnight to ensure that the Acrylic paint was completely dry- besides we don't want dirt to stick to the paint! I wasn't sure whether the Acrylic paint would last in the weather- so just to be sure I sprayed them with an Acrylic sealing spray. I used Mr Super Clear Mat- as I have used it before; I know it works and doesn't turn the paint yellow over time.

Below is a before and after photo of how they turned out!

~Before and after transformation~

~Little Mushroom statues~

~Wagon Wheels~

We also added some old wagon wheels for a rustic decoration and also another mushroom statue to go with the freshly paint gnomes. I think the wagon wheels go well with the rustic cladding of the veggie patch.
If you have an issue with snails eating your veggies and have given up on planting seedlings. A little tip that will allow your seedlings to thrive while they're young, is to recycle some used yogurt pots and cut the base out, turn them upside down and place them over the seedlings. This will stop the snails as they cannot slide over the edge of the yogurt pot and hopefully allow your plants to grow. Once they have grown over a few months, remove the yogurt pot as the plant should be stable now.

I hope this post has inspired you to create your own veggie garden and to try new/ different fruits and Vegetables! Comment down below if you have ever create your own veggie garden and what your experience was!

Make sure to stay tuned for more up coming blog posts!

Hugs and kisses :0)

Em x

Baking Banana Bread!

Hey everyone!

As Term 3 holidays are coming to a close, I thought it would be great if I made some Banana bread for school snacks. I have used this recipe before and it is super yummy/works really well! This recipe is great warm or cold with toppings such as butter or salted caramel sauce. 

*The batch I made in the photos down below is double the recipe ingredients*

~Ingredients~

~Utensils~

Method:

1. Preheat Oven to 160 degrees (325 degrees Fahrenheit) 

2. Place butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl and mix for 8-10 minutes until smooth and creamy.  Making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

3. Gradually add the eggs and beat well to combine. Be careful not to over beat this step!

4. Add the mashed banana, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate soda, cinnamon and golden syrup and stir until combined. Making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. 

5. Spoon the mixture into a rectangular pan (around 26cm x 11cm), lightly greased with baking paper. (I filled mine a bit to full!)

6. Bake in the oven for around 60-65 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. The top of the banana bread should be dark brown and the kitchen should also smell amazing! 

7. Cool the banana bread in tin for around 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

8. Slice and serve or freeze for a later date. 

There you have it- yummy banana bread! I served the sliced piece in this picture with butter. Comment down below if you have made this recipe or are going to make it! 

Make sure to stay tuned for more up coming exciting blog posts!

Hugs and kisses :0)

Em x