More Calorie-Free Cupcakes

I'm having fun here!
This is a felt chocolate cupcake with vanilla cinnamon icing and a cool little chocolate 'star', contained in a lacy case:

 and this one is made in a small tea cup (as they originally were) with hand painted violets. Again, felt around a styrofoam ball so you don't completely loose your pins!

A Few Days Down South

Last week, Rebecca and I had Grabaseats to Dunedin for a few days - a great chance to visit places we hadn't seen for a while. I booked a motel which was a the top end of George St - near student accommodation and this is what I saw when I went to get our room key - just in case it got too noisy with the student "O Week" celebrations.

We visited Oamaru, which is about 1.5 hours north, and has beautiful 'Oamaru' stone buildings - a white stone that is used for carving in sculptures.
Here are some of the buildings:
this is the Basilica

here is one of the banks.On the journey back to Dunedin, we called in to Moeraki Boulders.

Here is a boulder still in the cliff:

Rebecca sitting on a small boulder

and just look at the shapes that make up these amazing stones!


Lunch was at Fleur's in the fishing village of Moeraki - here is THE BEST EVER seafood chowder!

Then a visit out to the lighthouse to bring back old memories.
The next day we had booked a tour of the Cadbury Chocolate Factory (no photos allowed inside) but we did have a little bag of goodies and of course spent money in the shop afterwards. The weather was showery but after a lovely Japanese lunch we went for a drive out to Portobello to visit the Happy Hens factory






and then called into Larnach Castle for afternoon tea (this is New Zealand's only true castle and was once owned by my great, great great-aunt Laura and her husband).

A Girl's Road Trip

Yesterday, Rebecca and I went on a road trip to the Hawke's Bay. She had some business to do over there so I went along for the ride (one can do that now). I also had a cock and hen Blue Andalusian that I had sold, so they were going to get delivered to their new home as well. We stopped at an interesting place, called Abbotsford, that served morning/afternoon teas and lunches in Waipawa, as this had been recommended to us.
A Devonshire Tea on the lawn under the sun umbrellas - beautiful food and lovely setting - ideal for a break on a road trip!

We had a late lunch at The Mission Winery, which was very nice and relaxing. This is the view looking toward Napier, and (below) the entrance to the House, Restaurant and Shop.

After lunch we left Napier on the Expressway and turned in to the Silky Oak Chocolate Factory - Easter isn't too far away, and besides we didn't have dessert at The Mission!
This is a beautiful cabinet display in the Museum Shop:
and these are some of the goodies we bought. Mmmmm! roll on Easter, 'cause these are THE BEST marshmallow eggs and chocolate letters in the world!