Halloween Treats

Halloween is only 25 days away. My god. I don't even have a costume yet! I want the trickle treaters ( I mean trick or treaters, but I've always said trickle) this year to have something a little different. I've done a trial run of some cookies I'm planning on giving out. I've got a few ideas for other creepy, gross treats. But they're for another time!

Recipe

100g unsalted butter

100g caster sugar

1 egg

275g plain flour

1tsp vanilla extract

1. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy

2. Add the egg and vanilla, mix again

3. Fold in the flour until it forms a dough mixture

4. Roll out dough, by dusting the surface with flour first and cut shapes

5. For jack face, use the lid of vanilla extract bottle to cut eyes

6. Place all biscuits onto a baking sheet and preheat oven at 190 degrees

7. Place hard boiled candies into eye holes and they will melt into place

8. After cooling decorate with writing icing.

Make sure to use boiled candies and not sugar ( My sugar eyes burnt or did not melt at all!)

These are pretty sweet, but the kids loved them. My little brother wont eat jack, he think's he's too scary! Awww.

I denied this guy a face completely because he couldn't decide if he wanted to melt or not melt. 

Until next time xo

Above The Knuckle

Stacking bracelets is becoming an 'art' but stacking rings is even better. It looks so indie and bohemian. Without having too much shiny 'bling' going on. They're subtle but a statement. I love them! What do you think? I need a few more dainty ones but for now, I just like wearing a double stack on my pinky.

I found a few of online from some gorgeous jewellery stores. Dixi and another store called Kukee. They are really cheap too from £1.50 - £4.

So cute, I love my little rings!

Travellers Chant

My outfit for the day, travelling. I hate being uncomfortable when travelling, especially since the journey was 3 hours long. I just wore some loose fitting denim, an over sized wool tunic, which is really soft and snuggly. A blazer so I don't look too slouchy, then added some colour with the gold choker, scarf and nails.

Choker - gift/ Boots - gift

Jeans - River Island/ Scarf - Peacocks/ Tunic - USC/ Blazer  - River Island

Nails - Hot looks shimmy shake

I look so scared in those photos, haha! What do you think of this outfit? I love this nail polish, it needs a couple coats to get a really bold look but its so glittery and dries relatively quickly which is awesome when your in a rush. Until next time xo

Banana Cake and Melting Moments

My Auntie gave me a massive bunch of bananas today, they had just gone past their firm stage. She's been so busy she hasn't had a chance to eat them. If this has happened to you, do not bin them! Just grab a simple viccy sponge mix and add the banana's. Perfect. This is a really great bake for children too, I made this with my Brother, Nye. He had so much fun, he tried eating some raw vanilla essence too behind my back! Don't know how nice that tasted, he didn't try to do it again. haha.

Looking a bit scruff, some naughty fingers stole a few when I went to get the camera! They really need some crushed walnuts for next time I think. I decided, the oven was hot and I'd seen these on tv recently so hey, why not... some Viennese whirls.

More naughty fingers, my little brother named this 'the big mini mac sandwich' I wouldn't recommend it, but he managed to get it down in one. I decided to make teeny tiny ones, just because they're alot easier to pipe. The mixture started drying in the piping bag and it got really stiff. But they still tasted really nommy.

Banana cake Recipe
1 egg
3 ripe bananas
170g caster/granulated sugar
170g self raising flour
170g soft margarine (butter is fine too)
1 tablespoon vanilla essence

1. In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar well until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla continue mixing. Then sift in flour mix well. Once you can no longer see any white flour, chop 2 bananas roughly and mix again until the chunks are smaller about 1/2cm. Or just look like little drops of banana :)
2. Preheat oven to 160 degrees.
3. Spoon a teaspoon of mixture into well greased cupcake trays. (I used spraying oil to get a better coverage, but butter is fine too!) 
4. Slice the 3rd banana thinly and add 1 layer to each cupcake. 
5. Fill the cupcake with a tablespoon of mixture over the banana.
6. Cook for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Tip - if you can't get your cupcakes out easily, you didn't grease enough! Grab a tablespoon to help scoop them out.

                                                                                                                               

Viennese Whirl Recipe
250g unsalted butter
60g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
60g corn flour
250g plain flour

1. (Preheat oven at 180 degrees) Beat the icing sugar and butter with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until light, pale and fluffy.
2. Add the vanilla and beat again. Now add both flours by sifting and mix well until smooth.
3. Spoon mixture into pipping bag and pipe onto baking parchment or grease proof paper.
4. Cook for 10 minutes or until golden brown. This will vary with size. 5cm diameter whirls take 12 minutes.

For the filling - 
Some jam
100ml semi skimmed milk
2 tablespoons plain flour
100g caster/granulated sugar
100g butter 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

1. Simmer milk and add flour. Stir until all flour has dissolved. Lay onto plate and cover with cling film until warm/cool.
2. Whisk together sugar, butter and vanilla essence until very pale and light. (15 minutes by hand or 6 minutes by electronic)
3. Add in the milk mixture to your butter and sugar, whisk well until all is mixed it.
4.  After your whirls have cooled spread a thin layer of jam to one side, then some cream mixture to the other and squish together.

Hope you enjoyed todays bake! Until next time xo

Motel Rocks

Hello! I know how much everyone loves originality and gorgeous designs. Especially since the weather has taken a turn for the worst this week, we all need some well deserved cheering up. So I've teamed up with Motel to bring you the latest offers. If you use my blog name 'sushiturtlesandlife' at the checkout you will receive 20%!! That's amazing isn't it? Here are my top picks just to give you all a taste before you head over to do some retail therapy. 

Deborah long sleeve off the shoulder - £32  £25.60

Tess sheer shirt with cross beads - £38  £30.40

Donella skinny in red - £48  £38.40

Rock N' Rose Aurelia stone cuff - £14  £11.20

kadie circle skirt in cross and beads $40  £32

 Really hope you enjoy this one and get some really nice new items for the new season. Motel also gets new products in very frequently so I'll keep you up to date with any thing that needs to be blogged. Which will probably be alot haha! P.s This ones for my international readers too.

Until next time xo

Hobos, deliciously different

First day back at uni and the longest day ever, 9-6! Plus all the commuting, so much effort! To brighten up the day we took a lunch break into Cardiff town centre, in search of some original vintage. Oh yes.

I've walked past Hobos, so many times and never thought to go in. Until today. My god have I been missing out! It's amazing, there are so many knit jumpers with so many different designs it crazy! It was like winter heaven! I wanted to come back and get it, but the owner told me they're all one of a kind! Even better, no awkward we're wearing the same thing. 

I really hope my favourite is still there when I go back! .....Oh and one more thing I was expecting was a horrific price tag because of the gorgeous quality, somewhere in the region of £70-£80. Considering it was very soft, an original and simply so vintage. They were Granny's jumpers gone right. Me and my friend couldn't believe the price £18! Absolute bargain.

The owner was lovely and let me take some snaps.

The pictures unfortunately do not do the clothes justice. I'll be back to buy my winter warmer and I'll update some better pictures! Hobos goes live, you will soon be able to shop online: www.hobosvintageclothing.co.uk 

What do you think of my vintage find? Erica xo