Ok, So I don’t post recipes often, but I just had to share this one. Its amazing. And unlike a lot of my recent forays into baking, this recipe turned out perfect. Fairy cakes seem to be the more fanciful U.K cousin of the vanilla cupcake, a bit lighter and fluffier. A bit more fairy-esque, especially when topped with fresh strawberries and edible flowers.

Recent xtrapulp challenge- This time from Griffin! – Life’s little mysteries….

Maybe science has a few ideas on this one, but overall, menstrual synchrony is still one of my personal favorite little mysteries. Further intriguing since I learned that in Hawaii its customary for ladies to adorn themselves with a white or red flower, depending on where they are in their cycle. Additional information such as marital status can be gleaned by which side of the ear the flower is tucked. Maybe its TMI for our society, but I love the subtle communication with flowers. Plus, getting to wear a red flower is a nice consolation prize considering what the week has in store for you.

Cupcake Camp Seattle was a major let down. It made me reevaluate my entire thinking on this confectionery breed. Awhile back, I did a little comic to settle the cupcake / muffin debate. To be fair, I let it end in a tie – but I was secretly pulling for cupcake. Today, at Cupcake Camp Seattle, that changed. I arrived at 12:15, to a line wrapping around the block. For those familiar with the shenanigans at Magnolia Bakery, this isn’t really so unusual or disheartening. I had a semi warm cup of coffee and good company to keep me going. As I waited for 45 minutes I got a bit of a sneak preview of those exiting with boxes of cupcakes of every size and sort imaginable.  Some looked more appetizing than others. After 45 minutes, we were informed they were out of cupcakes. OUT of cupcakes!

Feeling spurned by cupcake camp and longing for a more traditional and wholesome, something sweet, we instead went to Simply Desserts. They do not screw around there, I was pleased to see no cupcakes, only row upon row of rich, layered, delicious cakes. It was then that I realized, cupcakes are truly the whores of the bakery, and I should never have been duped by their pastel frosted do’s and glittering sprinkles to begin with.
Love live cake!

It probably won’t take me long to get over this one. I live just down the street from cupcake royale, and they continue to delight every time. But 5,000 cupcakes in one room – well, that is just begging for trouble.  Lesson learned.

This week’s xtrapulp challenge : MAP!

My favorite challenge topic so far.

zoom in! :

More fun things in the mail! My felt sampler pack arrived from prairie point junction. I have been looking forward to this for awhile, but their sampler packs are the cutest way I can imagine to bulk up my fabric stores. You literally get a rainbow of wool in a happy meal style take – out – folding box. Swoon! I know what I am doing with my Sunday….

If you’re looking for felt, I definitely suggest you give them a ring. The colors are gorgeous!

I love to get things in the mail, so I was super delighted to find this teeny – tiny – zine waiting for me this morning! Earl Grey Over Easy is a new publication out of Bellingham WA. I submitted a few drawings for their first issue, People Watching.

Its super cute, portable size fits snuggly in your pocket. As they say: “So Little, So Much”

I also love overhearing one-sided conversations of people chatting away on their cell phones.
It makes me seriously happy to hear such delightful non sequiturs, especially with so many
headsets in use.

Another inspiring trip to uwajimaya. Always an adventure! Mostly delicious!

In case you are in the Seattle area, and craving any and all things Asian, Uawajimaya does
not disappoint.

I am a sucker for packaging. This is especially true when there is a cute mascot on board.
I will pretty much buy any cookie that is advertised by a fluffy animal – but this was a really
fun find. They also come in pandaland and zooland flavors, each sporting their own slightly
creepy, but lovable (sort of) characters.

This week’s topic brought to you by xtra pulp : Escape!

Of all the ways one could escape, and I thought of many… this seemed the most appealing,
and also the most realistic.

I love the blog cephalopod tea party. I love it so much, it apparently seeps into my mind
subconsciously while drawing. Anyhow, I got to pick this weeks xtra pulp challenge, Tea Party!
Which, I’m pretty excited about. I am trying to work in my sketch book more, and rely less
on Photoshop, but in the end, I had to try out some color variants. Not sure which I like.

Thoughts?

More tea party fun coming soon on xtrapulp.

We took a bit of a hiatus from xtra pulp over the past few weeks…
But here is my belated landscape – tooth city.

More to come- with big news from two new time zones! Stay tuned!!