Mrs Mouse's Cupcakes (part two)

Finally, I have found time to show you the actual party.

When I first met Gretel she was wearing these boots, well not this actual pair but the same make and style.  (I believe they are army surplus, but could be wrong.)  Anyway she didn't let me down and was sporting this fine pair for her launch party.  She had bowed to convention and bought a dress, but these are her quirky illustrator boots.  I was trying to persuade her to go for a quirky illustrator hat, but I think she is right.

You can see her hand above clutching a Sharpie and signing my copy of 'Peggy's Lost Pennies'.  I was so pleased for her, this was a day long in the coming but very much deserved.

You can also see a small picture of Gretel realising she had called the wrong number on the raffle, swearing, and then remembering it was a children's party!

These are the felt characters that are in Mrs Mouse's Cupcakes and Peggy's Lost Pennies.  Aren't they amazing?  Gretel very kindly raffled off some of her felt works for charity.  Unfortunately we didn't win! Ah well she is threatening to hold another fund raiser next year.

There was also a cake stall to raise money.  Many of Gretel's friends donated cakes and then bought more back!

As it was a children's party there was plenty for them to do other than eating cakes.  

There were games, a competition to sculpt Mrs Mouse out of playdough, toys, face paints, a literary quiz (we didn't win that either) and a table full of food.

I chased this beautiful cat around all day trying to get a picture.  I eventually found him curled up on a sofa as the party was finishing, obviously exhausted from the festivities.

We had a lovely day and the kidlets were full of awe to meet a real author. 

You can find Gretel's blog here and you can buy her books here.

Thanks Gretel...see you next year, if you've recovered!

xxx

Mrs Mouse's Cupcakes

Image copyright Gretel Parker.

Twenty years ago I was a bright young thing setting out to college in Newcastle.  It feels like another lifetime ago, before I became someone's wife and then someone's Mum, I was my own person. The sound track to those years was shoe-gazing Indie music, we wore checked shirts and Doc Martins, drank cheap beer ,and lived a life of freedom. While I'm happy to enjoy wine and a little bit of country now, I'm also glad some things haven't changed, and one of those constants is the fabulous Gretel Parker.  She was a fellow illustrator on my course and has never given up on her dream.  

So last Saturday it was with great pleasure that I and my family took ourselves off to a launch party for her first books. 

 It is funny how we have both found a love of something other than just painting.  I have my cakes and Gretel has become an expert at needle felting.  Her quirky creations are much sought after and it was an obvious step for her to turn some of her characters into childrens' books.

So her two books are now officially launched (I know this because I went to the party).

Her first is Mrs Mouse's cupcakes...of course being about cupcakes it is close to my heart.  You can see the  gorgeous felt cupcakes at the top of the post.  Next in the series is a story about Meggy and Peggy Goose (or is that geese?)

For her party Gretel wanted to include a cupcake stall to raise money for a child bereavement charity.  You can read a moving post here to find out why this particular charity.

So I brought along some cupcakes for her sale.

As well as the good old staple, buttercream swirls, I included some painted versions of Mrs Mouse's house.  

The reason I chose this image is because it reminds me so much of Gretel's work at uni.  She has always had such a gorgeous whimsical style.

I also had to make some of Mrs Mouse's cupcakes, which I hope did the originals justice.

You can buy your own Gretel Parker's books here.

She has two lovely blogs. Middle of Nowhere has lots of little insights into her work, and Cotswold Peeps is a blog about her wanderings around the Cotswolds.

Keep a look out for her work, someone with such a great take on cupcakes is worth watching.

(I have photo's of her launch party but I'll save them for another day.)

ps don't forget to enter my giveaway here.