Eggnogg Colouring In Tableware- Doodley Fun for All Ages

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Do you want to know what I have in common with Paris Hilton? No, I haven't made a cheeky video, but we do share a love of colouring in. Don't knock it until you've tried it, it's terribly relaxing.

www.EggNogg.co.uk have the novel idea of producing colour in tablecloths, bunting and notelets for every occasion. 

They sent us some Easter treats to get busy with, not in the Paris Hilton sense of 'getting busy' mind.


I thought the little notelet packs were a good idea, especially for stuffing in your bag to bring along to restaurants that don't already provide colouring in sheets.


Now, I'm not going to lie to you, once I start colouring in, it's hard to get me stopped. My GCSE Art kicked in and I ended up colouring the tablecloth after my son had gone to bed. www.Eggnogg.co.uk know there are folks like me though, and as well as doing colour in tablecloths for weddings (how cool would that be?) they even do a naughty adults only tablecloth £7.99 (hey! Paris Hilton that ones for you!)


Other products include colouring tablemats (£3.99 for a pack of two), birthday banners and masks. Keep an eye on The World of Kitsch as I will be running a competition to win some Eggnogg goodies later on this year.

Mashfest 2013- A Delightfully Potatoey Afternoon Courtesy of Mash Direct

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Just before Christmas I developed a bit of an embarrassing addiction to Mash Direct Green Cabbage. I'm talking about a pack a day, sometimes more. Then in late December they produced these beautifully sweet Brussel Sprouts with bacon, and I got myself a sprouts habit too.

Being a nosy sort, I thought to myself, 'I must start pestering www.MashDirect.com via social media, and see if I can get a little tour of the farm, to see where my vegetable vice comes from'.
Luckily, Jack who's job at Mash Direct partially includes the Twitter side of things, didn't write me off as a nosy pants, and invited a selection of food bloggers from all over Ireland, and myself, to visit the family farm in Comber, not too far from where I live, here in Northern Ireland.

We were well fed, with lots of freshly prepared dishes from the Mash Direct range. I also am now a sort of mash expert, after learning all about the history of the family business from Tracy, Jack & Clare.


Started nine years ago by Martin & Tracy Hamilton and their neighbour Tony Reid, they started producing fresh champ to sell at St. George's Market in Belfast. The business has grown and grown, with Mash Direct now available all over Ireland, the UK and as far flung as New York and Dubai, but always fresh of course.

We got to test out some new recipes for their wonderful Mash Pots. These microwaveable, preservative-free pots are a hot and more appealing lunch time choice than sandwiches or wraps. My favourite from the current range available in Tesco etc. is the bacon and carrot pot.

The Mash Pots are up for an Innovation Award at the end of this month, but it won't be the first time Mash Direct have been foodie champions. They have so many awards they've literally run out of wall space to hang them, making them the Mo Farah of mash potatoes, winning any competition you enter them in. Deservedly too, Mash Direct is different from other pre prepared brands in that there are no added preservatives or fake flavours. The mash is mash, the turnip is turnip. It's so natural it can be used for weaning babies. They use a seed that originates from the seventies to get the best tasting potatoes for their mash (RETRO POTATOES- see, very World of Kitsch relevant).


My own son loves the Carrot & Parsnip and requested it for dinner when I returned home with my hamper (this is the foodie equivalent of a London Fashion Week goodie bag, fashion bloggers).

Although he was equally excited by the blue hairnet I brought home from the top secret factory tour, and also hijacked my Mash Direct 'kitchen dress' for himself pretty sharpish.

Thank you to Tracy, Jack and Clare for the lovely day, and I have to share with you the cake Leah from www.cakesandbakesni.wordpress.com made for the occasion, it's amazing.

Finally, if you see Mash Direct on your supermarket shelves this week, please do give them a try. I promise you won't be disappointed, and you'll soon be a mash fan girl or boy like me.


If you are already a Mash addict, you can chat to Jack & let him know your favourites on Twitter www.Twitter.com/MashDirect03 or Facebook www.Facebook.com/mashdirect

Easy Peasy Cakepops

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I wish I had these silicone cake pop moulds when I had my cake pop phase a few months ago.

If you are 'baking impaired' like myself, these will save you the struggle of cake falling off sticks, decorations pulling the bun off etc.

Simply full with your cupcake mix, bake, remove, clean. Done. Different shapes available too, if you're feeling very cake cocky.

Prices start at £6.59 search for Premier Housewares on Amazon.

Seven Unusual Retro TV & Movie Tie-in Board Games for Your Girls' Night In

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Staying in is the new going out. Ladbrokes recently conducted a 'Girls' Night Out' survey and found 69% of us would rather have the girls round and stay in for drinks & takeaway, than get dolled up and pay a fortune to go to a noisy club. Maybe we are all just getting old, but the staying in option appeals more to me I must say.

Gone are my nightclub days now I'm a teetotal mum, and like 63% of women asked, a good night in can involve giggles embarrassing yourself playing games. There's the good old faithful charades, or the whole new level of ridiculousness involved in the Kinnect or Wii dance games. Truth or dare is always an option if you're feeling a bit retro. you could also have a cocktail and casino night, if like 12% of those asked in the Ladbrokes' bingo survey you fancy playing some online games.

This being The World of Kitsch, I've found the weirdest, retro tv and movie tie-in board games you could enjoy.