Sail away aboard the HMS EXTRAORDINARIUM

And so it came to pass, Dear Reader, that my sister got married and there was a lot of snow and all of a sudden it's quite sunny and here I am again, albeit several months later, ready to thrill you with baking adventures courtesy of The Peryls!

Twas on a warm Saturday morn that the baking started. Window open, oven on, the commision was 100 cupcakes for the black tie event aboard the HMS EXTRAORDINARIUM in Crystal Palace. My SIBF and I came up with the idea of making mini flags with naval slogans for the cakes and so stayed up 'til very very late on Friday night doing crafts around the pink doily table-cloth-ed craft table (courtesy of @aesthetic reverie) in preparation for the big day! We thought that at that moment in time we were probably the twee-est people in North London (although Wes Peryl did point out that had we been wearing candy necklaces we would have been more twee).

The baking went well but as is always the case all of a sudden time starts running out on you and, goodness, it is already time for departure!

The main issue for this particular baking extravaganza was that, such was their quantity, the cupcakes had to be iced on site so I had to be at the venue a good two hours before the ship set sail! The wonderful Sonja came over and helped transport the baked goods which was amazing as my SIBF was unable to continue helping until later (and help he did in all his White Tie-d glory) and I really don't think I could have done it without her! Once at the Gipsy Hill Tavern I set to the icing. I was going for a 1940's naval theme with many shades of the 'blue-bow' as I think Liam Peryl called it.

I used a special colour paste to get the intense shades of blue - if you ever want to use colouring in icing it is essential to use colour paste to get the really deep shades.

The event was amazing, true to it's name, extraordinary in fact. There was no detail left unturned - the tickets were boarding passes to the ship replete with a little tear off token for '1 FREE CAKE FROM THE SILVER WHIMSY CAKE STALL'. I particularly loved the fact that that portion of the ticket was "to be retained by Silver Whimsy Staff". SILVER WHIMSY HAS STAFF!!!!!! This is amazing! Even if the Silver Whimsy staff are me and SIBF we have staff nonetheless!

The Peryls were fabulous, the guests were all wearing black tie and the other bands and acts were similarly superb! Cakes were eaten and enjoyed and one man even said that he was really looking forward to his cake because he remembered them from the last Extraordinarium and really loved them! The most exciting part of it all for me, however, was how many amazing people were there! My sister, her husband, my wonderful cousin and her lovely friends, the beautiful Lara and Dan and an exciting special extra surprise appearance from the fabulous Lupe with whom I went to the Bowlie Weekender waaaaaay back in the late 90's and haven't seen since!!!

All in all 'twas a marvellous event without too many baking traumas for once. A triumph for Silver Whimsy and a triumph for The Peryls! Hooray!

Until the next baking hour,

Silver Whimsy x

The Silver Whimsy Winter Wonderland at The Peryls Victorian Extraordinarium

Dearest Darling Readers,

And so it was one crystal clear wintry December morn that Silver Whimsy and her ever suffering SIBF set off on a trek to the Wuthering Wilds of the Mythic Country of Crystal Palace.

Armed with many bags featuring products made mostly out of butter, sugar and eggs, Grandma's croched (how on earth do you spell crotcheed?) table-cloth, Christmas paraphernalia and that all important skull tinsel, our intrepid explorers made their way on trains, tubes and autombiles (more of which later) to Antenna Studios where they had been invited by The Peryls to be a part of The Victorian Christmas Extraordinarium.

Gosh - this third person malarkey is hard work. Enough of that already! How are you all? Ready for some photos of TSWCS 2:0? I do hope so... But before I give you the pics which (let's face it) are the most exciting part, I must tell you all that we were rescued once more in our hour of need by the kindness of strangers! Regular readers will remember how Ryzard and the Whizzcar people saved me during TSWCS in the Summer by essentially paying for taxis, minding the stall and then giving me a lift home (!), well imagine our DELIGHT and unparalleled GRATITUDE when, on arrival at Gipsy Hill, the gentleman who had been sitting opposite us on the train offered to give us a lift up the massive hill to the Studio! Quelle modern day knight in shining armour! Thanks to him I only dropped the cakes once and we arrived in plenty of time to enjoy the Victorian magic...

The beautiful Lara lent us PJ the ravenous Raven who, as a customer said, lent us good luck because his presence meant that the roof wouldn't fall down... Phew! (He did try and steal the brownies though...)

My Uncle Robin gave me these fabulous cupcake holders which added a hint of Snow Queen style magic to the festive themed fairy-cakes...

In a nod to the Victorian theme, we decided to go for a Miss Havisham and Pip double act (my SIBF was the perfect Pip replete in a Robin red-breast waist-coat and flat cap) - but, in honesty, it was really just another chance for me to wear my ripped and bloodied wedding dress, and to wildly backcomb my hair. (Apologies for the split infinitive.)

What would The Silver Whimsy Cake Stall be without My Boyfriend's Favourite Cookies? As a customer said, what a great selling point - who wouldn't buy my boyfriend's favourite cookies?! (The customer bought some.)

Finally, I shall leave you with a photo of myself and PJ (we bonded, dear reader, we really bonded) and wish you all the merryness associated with this peculiar season.

A tout a l'heure,

Silver Whimsy x