Girlfriends Forever

This post is all about my girly friends past & present some who are now in the past who i hold special memories still and some that have stayed by my side ...
Starting with my mum who is my best friend of all love her to bits

 and my big sis. There is a 13 year gap between us but we are so alike almost like twins, she is living next door to me at the mo and we enjoy seeing each other every day and enjoy having a good natter together over coffee :)

Me & Tracey at our Mums

 A new girl arrived in our school she had just moved into the village her name is

 Sarah

Me and sarah have been friends since we were 7 years old .. both now 30.. so many memories and fun times and laughs with or without drink involved she is like a sister to me and very dear to me

As kids our mums worked together down my godmothers house,  A large manor house and Acres of beautiful gardens in the country, we had a magical time playing in the gardens together rolling down hills of bracken!! playing in the boat on the pond playing up the road at the farm making hay bail camps and riding on our bikes, roller skating down steep hills, we were also in girl guides together and had fun going away to camp, great memories.

.. we were at secondary school together but started to drift after the first year, she was a bit of a boff becoming a prefect and in the more intelligent group of people whereas i used to hang out in the girls toilet with my bunch of girls eating our lunches (i know lovely!!) being told off for a short tie untucked shirt and too much makeup!!

sarah used to wear these lovely colourful flower painted doctor martin boots and hippy skirts

 Towards the last years during this time i had gained 2 new friends who are still in my life today my friend

cheryl

who if i hadnt become friends with i would not have the most lovely husband i have today and beautiful children. I married her first cousin Gavin he was my first crush as a teenager at the tender age of 13 roll forward 11 years we met again got engaged that christmas eve after 8 months had 2 beautiful babies and cheryl is now the godmum of our daughter and a very close friend of mine still

During my time hanging out with cheryl every school summer holidays we made friends with the local kids in her village and hung around up the park together doing the usual things that teenage girls do flirting with the boys and having a drink 

this is when i met another good friend of mine

Donna

we were inseperable for a while there and have so many fab memories together

 but we got with different fellas and one day she just stopped talking to me this is one relationship that still grips at my heart and makes me feel sad to this day as i never had any explanation of her giving me up as a friend we had a chance meeting a few years back and had a coffee she said she would be in touch but never was sadly

  Then there was

 kelly

my drum n bass bird we loved nothing better than hanging out her bedroom window watching the boys in their cars outside watching father ted having a drink in the bus stop

 

and clubbing at atomics nightclub maidstone in our pedal pushers reebok classics and hackett t shirts!!

 Moving on my darling girl sarah came back into my life whilst i was living in london as our mums were working together again so sarah caught a train up and arranged to meet me in london she was pregnant at the time and on her own after meeting at station our friendship kicked off again like we had never been apart so many laughs and fun times

.. 2 of my other good friends i met through another girl i briefly knew through work

 Saira

 and

 Amanda

 we have known each other for about 8 years now we dont see a great deal of each other these days but occasionally meet up and message each other both girls are still special friends of mine and lastly is

Andrea

 a girl i met when i lived at my previous address we lived in a block of flats me on the top her on the bottom and both had our first child boys within a few weeks of each other .. here is a collage of fun times

with my best gals xxx

Keep calm and eat cake!!

Since becoming a mum i have discovered a passion for baking! after a session with my mum showing me the basics and making fairy cakes i have had plenty of practice and thoroughly enjoy.. Really gets my creative side going. I love the variety with making cakes and decorating, so many options, colours, flavours and everyone loves a bit of cake, so whenever i make a batch up just for fun, i will share it around my neighbours who are actually family living in the 2 houses next door and love making a special occasion cake for someone.
 Here are a few of my cake creations for your perusal

My first fondant occasion cake (ok thats a lie not my first fondant attempt which was a complete nightmare full of rips and nail marks!! 8-{ ) very happy with this one though i made this for my daughters christening a victoria spong cake with pink fondant icing vanilla cupcakes to match with strawberry buttercream and butterflys :)

Here is a batch i made up a mixture of chocolate and vanilla for one of my godmothers who sadly has now passed away .. she used to love it when i made lots of pretty cupcakes and sent them over to her when my mum visited, i do miss making them for her but will now start making some pretty batches and sending them over to my friends nan who has recently lost her husband bless her my friend cares for her full time and i thought it would be a nice gesture to send some over for her now and put a smile on an the lovely ladies face :)

This cake was a bit of a disaster really but not bad i guess for a first attempt .. i made this for my husbands birthday a few years back its meant to be a turntable!! lol he loves his mixing and always up in attic on his decks which has been a passion of his since a young teenager and still going strong :D

This Tinkerbell cake i made for my niece on her 11th birthday she loves tinkerbell i covered the cake in fondant icing as a base then made a tinkerbell out of piped buttercream

A chocolate chess set cake which i made for my uncles birthday i made the game pieces out of moulded chocolate which was fun

This being one of my better ones which i made for my auntie in laws 50th birthday party i would love the opportunity to do a lot more like this so lovely to see peoples faces when they receive their lovely cakes!

My sons colourful chocolatey 3rd birthday cake!

These vanilla sponge & vanilla & strawberry buttercream cupcakes were made for a friends daughters 5th birthday party!

A diva character cake i made for a lady handbags and stillettos..this was most fun actually making the diva lady in the martini glass myself.. so glamorous i was actually quite sad to see her go!

A Giant cupcake birthday cake for my sister in law! very girly and fun chocolate vanilla and strawberry mmmmm

And finally these vintage inspired cupcakes and fondant cake i made for my own 30th birthday party!

as you can see they are mostly amateur as i have not been baking cakes for more than a year but i absolute love it i have just the other day made a batch of chocolate cupcakes for my sis and bro in laws 18th anniversary i have a giant chocolate and vanilla cupcake and mini cupcakes to make for my best friends 30th birthday tomorrow and then a christening cake for my cousins baby girl which i am very much looking forward to designing and making :)

Thank you for reading

xx

Eternal Love - Till Death do us part - Then I'll be seeing you again

This is a story in pictures dedicated to my gorgeous grandparents
 with some of their favourite music thrown in for you to enjoy while you read

please click here Bing Crosby I'll be seeing you      then come back and enjoy their story of a young couple in love gone but not forgotten

Lets start the story Remembering their parents ..Nellie & Albert.. my Great Grandparents!

Nellie & Albert

And here is my Grandad Albert John known as Jack as a tot looking a real cutie

 And here again being made to pose for the camera with his mum and not looking too amused.. my son actually looks just like my grandad at this age..

My Grandma Doris as a young lady posing for a pic with Jacks Parents

A Stunning young lady full of smiles with her whole life ahead of her poses in the garden

with her sister in law Joyce

This young lady always made certain she would be outside cleaning the front door steps of the house she was in service in, Just to make sure she didnt miss the Handsome young Milkman Jack on his rounds!!

" Every day when i was delivering milk from the local dairy to the house where she was in service near Rusthall Common Tunbridge Wells. Every day when i arrived she used to make sure she was cleaning the step and we'd stop for a talk "

Mr Twort recalled

" It was love at first sight, and i never wanted anybody else "

                                      Mrs Twort chuckled at her wiles that proved succesful.

                                    " I Took to him straight away and i would
                                                 do it again "

                                                                            she said

The attractive young couple in love courted for 4 years, riding out on the young Jack's HAS 1932 Motorbike, before Marrying at the age of 21

On their wedding day posing with Bridesmaid Joyce & Best man Fred.. Doris was given away by her Brother in law Chris 

Jack then joined the 15th scottish division of the RASC early in 1940 serving in Europe as a motorcycle rider & organising the transport of casualties by ambulance

The young couple had their first of 3 children John their eldest son who was born at their home during an air raid

posing on a doorstep with their baby boy in their arms happy and content..

soon to be followed by their Daughter Jacqueline and son Jeffery

Here Jack gives his beautiful daughter Jacqueline away on her wedding day full of love and pride for his darling girl

The years roll by and here is still a couple very much in love and devoted to each other

A family Christmas ( my grandad would always wear a christmas hat ) a picture of me by my grandparents side .. they had 9 grandchildren including me Andrew Lindsay Scott Stuart Tracey Sharon Vicki Jemma & Jack and 7 Great grand children by this point

Grandma was a fab cook and i have a recipe box with some recipe cards of hers which include Bacon rolly polly and Hop picking pie!

 my grandad loved his gameshows and card games and had the best chuckle :)

And this is them Celebrating their Diamond Wedding Anniversary

A beautiful love story for a beautiful couple sorely missed but never forgotten

With Love

Vicki

xx