Hi all, what neon food colouring have people found to be the best (as in really bright and neony if you will)? 

Siany, I'm at a loss at the moment as to what SP to buy, so I think I'll have to try michelle foster's fondant recipe because I don't have any SP at the moment to mix with the LMF recipe. I'll probably give MMF another go if the michelle foster one doesn't work out. I had great success with my first MMF and should really keep trying. It's jus that there seems a lot less mess with the michelle foster one.

Speaking of which,  has anyone tried the michelle foster SP recipe? how did it go?

The smell of xmas cakes, coffee and baking bread have to be some of the best.

 I'm not Kelsey either, but thought maybe soaking the fruit in cold tea instead of alcohol could work? It's what you do in a normal fruit cake, so not sure if it means it needs baking closer to the date you're giving it to someone.

AHi guys! Thanks for the lovely comments on cake and pics!

Kathy if I follow a recipe that calls for soaking fruit in alcohol I usually soak in fruit juice. Apple or orange juice is perfect! It swells them and gives them a nice burst of fruit when you tuck in! I try to use a bitter orange to get that taste! Obviously butter instead of lard and apart from that it's all good!

Easiest way of doing halal cooking/baking is thinking of it as vegetarian and omitting alcohol! :)

Omg I need help. I've just watched a youtube clip of a handheld hoover. I think I've reached a new low.

 step away from the computer Lizzy 

lol, it has reached that time I think 

*sneaks in to laugh at you all talking about hoovers now*  

awww look what the birthday girls mum just sent me! Doesn't it look fab with all the extras 

Lizzy, LOL 'vacuum, blah blah, cakes, blah blah'!!!

Tiddy, that's fantastic! Set's off your cake really well. I've always been amazed at the effort put into dessert tables and that's a brilliant one! 

I think my question got lost in all the hoover chat. I'll try again, can anyone recommend a brand of neon food colours?  

Lmao Lizzy that is exactly what a man thinks like. Hope the pipe gets sorted properly when they come round.

Thanks Siany I am gonna give that a try, though not today as I came back from the shops and realised I'd forgotten the marshmallows  

Petitecat I still haven't tried the Michelle fosters one let us know how you get on with it, I've read good things about it.

Kelsey I must have missed you cake did you post a photo?

Tiddy the cake looks awesome on the table with all the extras really spooky, you must be really pleased with how it turned out. I was thinking of putting lights on the frozen cake I want to make for my mum's birthday but was thinking as I was only going to put a few on maybe use LED earrings sat in the top of straws or something. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with when you have a play with the red lights.

Sorry Petitecat I've not used neon colours yet would be interested to know what brand is good though.

Lizzy, thought your joke was funny by the way!

Lol, red lights *giggle*

and all I can hear is Sting singing..."Roxanne......you don't have to...." lol

AAfternoon all

Just popping on to say I'm alive ! Wasn't as bad as I anticipated, however most of the stuff put off now till tomorrow. So could be bad tomorrow now instead ! Anyway thanks for all your your concerns I'm not really this whimpy honest ! But she has been a right cow and not just to me either. Something tells me she needs her holiday !

Got parents evening in a mo so can't really read what you are all chatting about yet. Will try and get back on later ;-)

Tiddy - it looks amazing.  You don't have to wear that dress tonight......yeah it's in my head now.

Had a cr*p afternoon.  Only went and broke my tooth after my last post.  Just returned from an emergency dentist appointment.  :(  I haven't been since 2011 (feeling a bit sheepish now).  I thought my crown was coming off after I had lunch turns out the crown was attached to a tiny bit of tooth and a metal post (look away now if you're squeamish) - but the tiny bit of tooth gave up the ghost and I had to have another post put in.  Can't even have a cuppa as my mouth is like Donald Duck right now.  Plus he told me that I should prepare myself to save up for an implant (£2,500!!!) or a bridge!!!!  Very miserable right now.  I presume the bridge is less expensive but either way it's costly and a long job.  I told him I was too old for an implant!  But then he said either way it's a savings plan.  Grrrr.

Kathy

AHi guys,work today,groan.

You are a funny bunch aye.

Tidds,cake looks amazing on that table BTW,such a lovely thing to do for her.

Jo,glad your parents eve went ok,I'm.past those things now but I do remember them well.

I'm with Kathy,Hoovers, who hoovers? I don't, John does it all for me,well if he sendsne out to work,what does he expect?.

AWho else watches apprentice? Catching up on the new series from hols and I'm dying. Some of these people are such muppets!

Couldn't run a piss up in a brewery!

Oh Yeah! (has to be said as Vector would in Despicable Me!) I've worked out how to turn an xls into pdf even though there's no 'save as pdf' button, then make the pdf have boxes customers can write in when I attach them to an email, all without hubby prompting me. Feeling very smug and a bit like an IT genius 

Can't help you with the neon colours Jean, sorry :( The closest I've used to neon are the americolour electric gels. They're nice colours but the pink faded soooo quickly in the light when I used them for colouring sugarpaste!

I'm glad your day was slightly better than expected Jo. Hope parents evening was ok!

Ouch Kathy, that sounds painful (to you and your wallet!). 

Off to bed now, I'm crackered!

Night all x

AMorning all, can't remember who said they would at the NEC on the Sunday.x

AMorning !

Kathy oh no to poorly expensive teeth ! Must be annoying yo think of all that money going on teeth !

Parents evening Waa good although Ruby's teacher is so young I feel like a right old fish wife now !

Roxy forgot to answer you yesterday 9 years married this year ! Together for 13 so seems ages lol x

Sat in traffic atm hoping a bomb goes off so I don't have to go into work lol !