🍫 Chocolate Banana Cupcakes 🍌 (VEGAN) 🌱

My baby cousin LOVES chocolate so I thought I would create a cupcake recipe just for her but try to make it a little bit healthier as it's not good to feed a 4 year old too much chocolate! For this recipe I tried out a couple new vegan products, the Nature's Charm chocolate syrup made by one of my absolute favourite vegan cafes in Bangkok and some new plant-based milks that were on offer at the supermarket, but if you can't find these brands don't worry you can just use any chocolate syrup and milk or instead of the syrup just use cacao powder instead for a less sweet version.

Ingredients

• 1 cup mashed banana
• 1/3 cup chocolate syrup
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil 
• 1/2 cup chocolate milk 
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar (optional)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 + 1/3 cup of all purpose flour

(Makes 10)

♥ Preheat and oven to 180 & line a cupcake tray with 10 cupcake cases

♥ In large bow mix together the mashed banana, chocolate syrup, chocolate milk, coconut oil and sugar, if you don't want the cupcakes to be too sweet then you can leave out the sugar.

♥ Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix it into a smooth batter.

♥ Divide the batter equally into the cupcake cases and bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes.

♥ Once baked removed the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack.

♥ Eat and enjoy!

Let me know if you try these out and what you think.

Good Luck

Cate

xoxo

Psssst if you like what you see and want to see more can support me by clicking the button below

Buy me a coffee and get a shoutout on my SNS

📮 Postcard From A Stranger 💌

Postcard From A Stranger was an interactive exhibition/project hosted in Bangkok at BACC where you could write a postcard to a stranger with some words of positivity in the hopes that that postcard will be picked up by someone and make their day a little bit more brighter, and in exchange for you leaving a postcard you can also take one and hopefully that person's words will bring some comfort and positivity to you. The hope of this project was during these turbulent times to spread a bit more love and positivity into the world and let everyone know we are not alone and we can get through these times together. You never know the personal struggles that someone's is going through and even the smallest of kind of words from a complete stranger can make a big difference to someone's life.

Sadly by the time I heard about this project it was after the end date but due to popularity the gallery decided to extend it for another few weeks so I visited during its last days to leave my own postcard of positivity there. It was so amazing to see so many people getting involved, the walls were covered floor to roof with so many comforting words of positivity and love and not all postcards were written in Thai I saw a few in other languages to, absolutely everyone and anyone could take part in the project all you needed was a pen and paper which were also kindly provided by the gallery for you to take part in the project.

So much has happened over the past year and so many people have been struggling to cope so this was a really great way to bring people together and spread some love. I was overwhelmed with the amount of messages left by people and it wasn't just postcards and notes some people left original their artworks, photos, fortunes and even K-pop photocards for people to take and it eventually evolved into a place where people could not only spread some love to each other but a place for people to share their art, themselves, their love and passion with the world.

This past year has been one of the toughest for me, I've been distanced from the people I care about, I've lost friends and family and I have felt so alone and hopeless at times but people even complete strangers have shown me so much warmth and kindness it has really changed my perspective on a lot of things. This exhibition really touched me and really made me proud to be here, especially when I saw just how many people had been visiting, usually BACC is reasonably quiet but since word got out about this project hundreds of people took time out of their lives to visit and leave these postcards, it really was a beautiful thing to be part of and I hope we can see similar projects happen all around the world because right now we need a bit more kindness in the world.

What message of positivity would you like to say to someone?

Love & Life

Cate

xoxo

Psssst if you want to see more of my adventures you can support me by clicking the button below

Buy me a coffee and get a shoutout on my SNS

When The Wendigo Met Hannibal - MCM Birmigham 2018 (Mads Mikkelsen)

Back in May when I visited the UK just a few days after my arrival I noticed that Mads Mikkelsen would be attending Comic Con and as a huge Fannibal I had to go meet him in person, he's such a great actor and Hannibal is one of my favourite series ever and I really enjoyed his recent appearances in the Marvel and Star wars Universe so this was an opportunity not to be missed. I'm writing this months later but my brain still can't process that I met him in person, it was all so quick but he was so charming and cool.

I had just a week to prepare for this con and nothing to wear, I knew that I wanted to dress "Hannibal Style" but had left most of my wardrobe back in Thailand, seriously I only had one pair of jeans and one skirt packed in my suitcase and a few jumpers I had left behind after my winter trip so I rushed out to H&M to check out the sale section and luckily found a few things I could use for a Wendigo outfit. I also rush ordered some black lenses which I ended up not being able to see properly out of but they really added to the look I was going for so I persisted. Luckily my antlers I made many years ago were still in tact and I found a Hannibal style tie I used as a belt to keep the jacket in place. Finally I added my rosary beads I got from my trip to Palermo (where Hannibal was filmed) to complete the look and although it wasn't perfect I was quite pleased at what I managed to put together and received some nice compliments from my fellow Fannibals.

Meeting Mads was just a complete blur, I was so nervous but it was very calm and so charming and signed my poster I got from Hannibal's first panel at San Diego Comic Con which he mentioned he was sad not to have been able to go to then afterwards I went to get a photo with him and completely forgot to take my flower crown out of my bag for him to wear, the picture is really embarrassing to you can see just how nervous I was but he of course looks dashing as ever!

After the blur of meeting Mads we decided to check out the rest of the con and it was surprisingly quiet compared to all the cons I've been to in the past and I ended up not buying anything which is really unusual for me but finally seeing Mads in person was just so amazing and brought back all my Fannibal feels, it was definitely one of the biggest highlights of my visit back to the UK and I'll never forget it.

Who would you love to meet from your favourite series?

Love & Antlers

Cate

xoxo

How To Open An Etsy Shop For FREE!

Etsy is one of my absolute favourite websites for buying and selling one of a kind handmade goods from artists and creatives, if I ever want to buy something special for myself or a loved one it's the first place I head to. I've been using Etsy to sell my handmade crafts and jewellery for many years and although I'm currently taking a break one of the most popular questions I get asked is how to sell on Etsy so for those of you who want to create an additional income, share your talents or grow it into a business this is how you can test it out for free.

http://etsy.me/2lsGIXB

The link above will allow you to open a shop and earn yourself 40 free listings as it normally costs $0.20 to list each item on Etsy and each listings only lasts for 4 months this way you'll only be charged a 3.5% fee if the item sells so this is a great way to test out the website and see if it works for you without investing too much money and if you do use the link above it will give me 40 free listings to and although my shop is currently closed because I'm busy studying in Thailand should I decided to re-open in the distant future this will be a great help to me, so it's helpful all round!

Do you have an Etsy Shop? Link it in the comments and let me know if you open one!

Love & Lemonade

Cate

xoxo

D.I.Y. Fashion Tutorial: Hannibal Inspired Antler Headband

Being a "Fannibal" antlers are something I have tried to make multiple times but I was never happy with the end results, this time however I was so pleased with how freakin' simple they ended up being and how awesome they looked that I thought I would post a tutorial so you all can make them to.

YOU WILL NEED:

Let's begin...

STEP 1: Wire Frame

First I wrapped some wire around the headband to give me and anchor then I basically freehanded the design until I got a shape I was happy with, using the pilers to help flatten and twist the wire, so go crazy with one you can make them as long or as short as you want .

STEP 2: Masking Tape

To create a basic shape and form the antlers I used masking tape because it's lightweight, sticky and easy to mould. I basically wrapped tape around the wire frame to create the defined points of the antler and add mass to it so I'd have a base to work with.

STEP 3: Papier Mâché

To give the antlers strength I decided to go down the papier mache route as this would be lightweight but durable and I decided to use glue instead of flour and water to prevent mould and create a stronger base. I used small strips of newspaper and did about 3 - 4 layers letting it dry for a few hours between each layer, if you want yours thicker then add as many extra layers as you want until you're happy with the result just make sure to let it dry completely before starting on the next layer.

STEP 4: Prime

Once I had allowed my Papier mache base to dry overnight I decided to prime the base to cover up the newspaper print so I would have a nice clear and easy base to work with. Also at this point you can also sand down any lumps and bumps you don't want, I chose to keep mine a bit rustic and gnarled for a more natural effect.

STEP 5: Paint

I used acrylic to paint my antlers black and painted about 3 - 4 coats until they were opaque. As with the primer be sure to let your paint dry completely for a few hours between coats to prevent any streaking and unevenness then once you're done allow them to dry overnight to make sure the paint is completely dry before you wear them.

STEP 6: Gloss & Decorate (optional)

If you want a shiny finish to your antlers you can paint on a coat of modge podge gloss and if you wanted to add a few flowers like the antlers above just simply glue them on with a glue gun.

If you decide to make your own antlers be sure to let me know in the comments, I want pics!

Love & Stags

Cate

xoxo

Winter D.I.Y. Projects

Winter is a great time to get crafting, as the days get darker and colder you find yourself spending more time indoors and the best way to get rid of that boredom or just get that butt off the sofa and doing something useful is to give yourself a project. I always use the Christmas holidays as a time to work on some personal crafts (#cosplaychristmas) so here are a few awesome tutorials I've found which would be fun to do over the holidays.

♥ Sequin Phrase Sweatshirt D.I.Y.

♥ Pom Pom Fruit

♥ D.I.Y Whiteboard Calendar

♥ Newspaper Print Full Pleated Skirt

♥ Pouf Zippy Pouch

♥ Spiced Latte Hand Soap

Will you be trying out any of these projects? They'll be more geeky tutorials coming soon!

Good Luck & Happy Crafting

Cate

xoxo

#OOTD: Mother of Dragons

I am Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons and this is the most last minute, unplanned but fun cosplay I've done!

Daenerys wasn't really a character that I wanted to cosplay as but I absolutely adore her outfits in the show so much so I got this blue dress made in Thailand although I didn't really intend to wear it as cosplay but as our trip to Belfast Film & Comic Con was a late decision and I didn't have time to finish my current cosplay project I'd thought it was the perfect excuse to order myself a wig, make a necklace and go as the Mother of Dragons.

click for fullsize

The dragon tooth for my necklace is actually a Sabre-Tooth Tiger claw replica I bought from a museum a while back all I needed to do was I paint it gold and add a chain to make it look like Dany's necklace from the show, the only other little thing I would've done to the necklace if I had some more time is dry brush it to make it look a bit more aged.

There were loads of awesome cosplayers at Belfast Film & Comic Con and I loved that there were so many families doing group cosplays there, my favourite being Penguin and little Catwoman. I got lots of compliments on my outfit that I think I may have to wear this one again!

They'll be more photos & a full report of Belfast Film & Comic Con coming soon

Love & Dragons

Cate

xoxo

Glittery Skeletons, Black Cats & Monsters, It's Halloween!

Halloween is my favourite holiday although I must admit I celebrate it all year round, I love dressing up, I love creepy stuff and when it comes to candy, well who doesn't love candy? Halloween is all about sharing the fun (and the candy) so I've added a whole bunch of kawaii spookiness to my shops and here a few of my fave items...

Glitter Skeleton Arm Bone Earrings

Etsy // Storenvy

Cat Face Purse Bag

Storenvy

Gothic Bunny Rabbit Necklace
Etsy //Storenvy


Glitter Skeleton Leg Bone Earrings
Etsy // Storenvy


Glitter Skeleton Necklace
Etsy // Storenvy

Zombie Frankenkitty Scarf

Etsy // Storenvy

Hell Hound Scarf

Etsy // Storenvy

Ghostbusters Slimer Charm

Etsy // Storenvy

Let me know which is your favourite item in the comments and be sure to check out my Etsy & Storenvy for even more goodies and as a special treat you can get 10% off all Etsy purchases for the whole of October using the code TRICKORTREAT

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Love & Candy

Cate

xoxo

7 Summer D.I.Y. Tutorials

Summer is here and I absolutely love it, I'm at my happiest and most inspired in the summer which makes it the perfect time to get fun and get creative, so here are just a few awesome tutorials I found which would be perfect to try out for the summer.

♥ T-shirt DIY with Ice Cream & Sunnies Tee

♥ Mirrorball Necklace - Imagine how pretty this would look with the summer sun shining on it.

♥ Make Your Own Photo Wall Clock

♥ DIY Heart Friendship Bracelets

♥ Grumpy Cat Shorts - Definitely gonna be rockin' a pair of these shorts this summer!

♥ Film Canister Bag Tags

Sunshine & Mango Smoothies

Cate

xoxo

4 Simple D.I.Y. Projects

I'm probably at my most happiest when I'm creating something but lately I've been lacking in inspiration so off to YouTube I went to seek out some simple but fun D.I.Y. projects to try out. I thought the mugs and brush holder would be a fun project to do with kids and the other two would give me a chance to work on developing my crochet and clothes making skills so check them out below, I'm sure they would be great for a fun weekend project.

Love & Paint Brushes

Cate

xoxo

How to Create Your Own Eyeshadow Palette: De-pot & Re-pot Tutorial

My make-up travel bag was starting to get a bit too heavy and as I only use a few shades out of each palette I thought it was about time I made my own. As much as I love my Liberty Hello Kitty palette it's not very durable, it's cardboard and the mirror is plastic so I thought I would re-pot a couple of my favourite shades into my favourite MAC palette which is more portable, durable and has a great mirror, and here's how I did it....

Make sure the eyeshadow is completely dry before you use it, I left it overnight and packed it down using the back of the spoon (and a clean finger) to check all the moisture had gone, it's as easy as that!

Good Luck

Cate

xoxo

D.I.Y. Tutorial: The Walking Dead Daryl Dixon Inspired Winged Vest

Daryl Dixon is one of my fave characters from The Walking Dead and ever since saw his angel winged vest back in season 2 I have wanted to make my own. It took me a long time to get round to making this vest because of my seemingly endless search for the perfect vest but I finally found one (from Forever 21) and now "Project Dixon Wings" is complete I'm going to show you how I made mine and how you can make one to.

I used this bad ass photo of Norman Reedus by Terry Richardson as a base to trace out the wings, then scanned the sketch, cleaned it up and resized it so I had a template to work with, you can use my sketch alternatively there are some other wing designs or if you're feeling extra artsy you can sketch out your own.

Once I was happy with the design I did a few test prints to make sure I got the sizing right for my vest then you can either use the stencil method to paint on your wings which I used to make my Direwolf Jacket or you can draw them on or use transfer paper to iron the template onto the fabric which is my preferred method as I found it much easier and quicker. Pro tip if you use transfer paper remember to mirror your design otherwise your wings will be the opposite way round and remember to read the instructions as different paper brands can give different results.

I then went over the print with a fabric pen to make the outline stand out more and add detail then once I was happy with the results. I cut out the wings leaving a 1cm border (just to prevent any fraying) and ironed them to seal in the ink. I prefer using fabric pens as they're easy to use and give a great results but there are lots of other options you can use, personally I would've loved to embroider the outline of my wings but my sewing skills aren't that good yet...

At this point your wings are pretty much done but to give my wings a fun "realistic" effect I decided to cut a few of the feathers out, to do this I just used a smaller pair scissors, made a small incision and cut carefully around the outline. There are other fun things you can do to make your wings look more worn and Daryl-esque but I decided to keep my wings clean and wear them in naturally. 

Another thing I did to give the wings more strength and keep them rigid was to give them an extra layer of fabric by just using fabric glue to stick them back onto the fabric. I also made sure any feathers I cut out didn't stick back onto the fabric and applied some glue around the edges of them to prevent fraying and make them extra rigid. I then allowed the glue to dry overnight and cut the wings out again leaving a small border around them just to prevent fraying.

There are a few options you can use to attach your wings onto your vest, you can use fabric glue or iron them on or sew them on. I decided to sew mine on as I thought it would be more longer lasting and durable than gluing. To begin I first pinned the wings into place, tried on the vest and checked in the mirror to see if my placement was correct, then went through this process a few more times until I was happy I had them in the right position.

I used the outline as a guide to sew on the wings, pro tip make sure you use a strong needle to go through all those layers of fabric as I managed to break mine the first time! Before I started on the second wing I checked the placement first to make sure it was still symmetrical as the fabric can move quite a bit whilst sewing then re-pinned and tried it on to make sure everything was looking good before sewing that one on to.

And it's done!

Who is your fave character from The Walking Dead be sure to let me know in the comments

Zombies & Crossbows

Cate

xoxo