Latest news with #4
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I was quoted £240 for my daughter's birthday cake so DIY-ed it for a fraction of the cost with M&S and Temu buys
A MUM who was quoted a staggering £240 to make a 4th birthday cake for her daughter has been praised after showing how she did it herself for just £55. Pamela explained that she wanted a Trolls-themed cake to mark her little girl Mila turning four, so got a quote from a professional baker near her. 3 Pamela took to TikTok to share how she turned these M&S cakes into a Trolls-themed masterpiece Credit: TikTok / @rarapammy 3 The cake cost her just £55, while she'd been quoted £240 by a professional cake maker Credit: TikTok / @rarapammy 3 Others said the cake probably tasted better being from M&S than it would if a pro had made it Credit: Getty But when it came back at £240, she decided to try and DIY it. And the results were better than she could have ever imagined, as she She used three cakes from Marks & Spencer to create the tiered design - the Under the Rainbow cake, the Rainbow layer cake and a Vanilla sprinkle gift cake. She then stacked them on top of each other - with the rainbow-striped cake at the bottom, followed by the rainbow layer cake and topped off with the gift cake. Read more Mum Hack stories Pamela placed the finished cake on a pink board from Amazon, and added loads of Trolls decorations to complete it. She added Trolls figurines from Temu, and used a gorgeous cake topper she'd had made from Etsy, which featured some of the film's famous characters and 'Mila, 4' on it. "Oops I did it again! Thank you Marks and Spencer, I didn't have to pay £240 for the cake I was quoted," she captioned the TikTok snaps. The comments section was immediately filled with people saying how impressed they were by Pamela's skills, and bombarding her with questions about her creation. Most read in Fabulous "How much did it come to?" one asked. With Pamela replying: "£40ish for the cakes and about £15 for all the Trolls bits!" The simple chocolate cake recipe using only TWO ingredients - it's sweet and you won't even need to put it in the oven "Did you have to put anything in the cakes to support them?" another questioned. "No - I didn't - I literally just piled them on top of each other - next time I think I will, it would be really simple to do!" "LOVE THIS SUPERMUM!!" one wrote. "This issss soo smart!!" another raved. "Wow, this is a GAME changer! So impressive!" a third insisted. "Omg that's amazing, well done you!" someone else said. Time-saving mum hacks Morning Routine Nighttime Preparation: Set out clothes for yourself and the kids, pack lunches, and organise backpacks before bed. Effortless Breakfasts: Keep simple, healthy breakfast options on hand, such as overnight oats, smoothie packs, or pre-made breakfast burritos. Meal Planning Weekly Meal Prep: Dedicate time each week to plan your meals to eliminate daily decision-making. Bulk Cooking: Prepare larger quantities and freeze portions for future use. Hands-Off Cooking: Make use of slow cookers or Instant Pots for easy, unattended meal prep. Ready-to-Use Veggies: Purchase pre-chopped vegetables or chop them all at once to save time during the week. Household Chores Daily Laundry: Do a load of laundry every day to prevent a buildup of dirty clothes. Continuous Cleaning: Encourage kids to clean up after themselves and perform small cleaning tasks throughout the day. Efficient Multitasking: Fold laundry while watching TV or listen to audiobooks/podcasts while cleaning. Organisation Family Command Centre: Set up a central hub with a calendar, to-do lists, and important documents. Daily Decluttering: Spend a few minutes each day decluttering to maintain an organised home. Organised Storage: Use bins and baskets to keep items neat and easy to locate. Kid Management Prepared Activity Bags: Have bags packed with essentials for various activities (e.g., swimming, sports). Routine Visuals: Implement visual charts to help kids follow their routines independently. Task Delegation: Assign age-appropriate chores to children to foster responsibility and reduce your workload. "Babe I literally do this every birthday and my kids think I'm a literal genius to top it all off!" another added. "Wicked idea & it looks good!" someone else said. "Everything from M&S tastes nice too," another added. "It looks AMAZING! Well done!" someone else commented. While others insisted that Pamela's cake probably tastes better than professional ones too. "Cakes made by bakers are horrible," one said. "I've always paid a fortune for them and they are dry and they use cheap quality ingredients. This is a GAME changer! Impressed TikTok commenter "I go to M&S for all my kids cakes now.. they 100% taste nice than any baker!" "Bet it tasted lovely too, I find most cake makers cakes actually don't taste as nice as they look," another said. With a "wedding/celebration cake baker" weighing in: "I make sure all my cakes taste good and use real ingredients. "I've seen and tasted some shocking cakes, faux ingredients and it devalues our skills which is what you pay for. "I've also stacked an M&S cake due to budget constraints." Reflecting on her savvy hack, Pamela told Fabulous Online: "Honestly, if I can do it, anyone can! "I love finding easy solutions for busy working mums that don't cost a fortune."
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I was quoted £240 for my daughter's birthday cake so DIY-ed it for a fraction of the cost with M&S and Temu buys
She also got an adorable cake topper from Temu to personalise the creation CAKE MAKE I was quoted £240 for my daughter's birthday cake so DIY-ed it for a fraction of the cost with M&S and Temu buys Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MUM who was quoted a staggering £240 to make a 4th birthday cake for her daughter has been praised after showing how she did it herself for just £55. Pamela explained that she wanted a Trolls-themed cake to mark her little girl Mila turning four, so got a quote from a professional baker near her. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Pamela took to TikTok to share how she turned these M&S cakes into a Trolls-themed masterpiece Credit: TikTok / @rarapammy 3 The cake cost her just £55, while she'd been quoted £240 by a professional cake maker Credit: TikTok / @rarapammy 3 Others said the cake probably tasted better being from M&S than it would if a pro had made it Credit: Getty But when it came back at £240, she decided to try and DIY it. And the results were better than she could have ever imagined, as she took to TikTok to share the finished cake. She used three cakes from Marks & Spencer to create the tiered design - the Under the Rainbow cake, the Rainbow layer cake and a Vanilla sprinkle gift cake. She then stacked them on top of each other - with the rainbow-striped cake at the bottom, followed by the rainbow layer cake and topped off with the gift cake. Pamela placed the finished cake on a pink board from Amazon, and added loads of Trolls decorations to complete it. She added Trolls figurines from Temu, and used a gorgeous cake topper she'd had made from Etsy, which featured some of the film's famous characters and 'Mila, 4' on it. "Oops I did it again! Thank you Marks and Spencer, I didn't have to pay £240 for the cake I was quoted," she captioned the TikTok snaps. The comments section was immediately filled with people saying how impressed they were by Pamela's skills, and bombarding her with questions about her creation. "How much did it come to?" one asked. With Pamela replying: "£40ish for the cakes and about £15 for all the Trolls bits!" The simple chocolate cake recipe using only TWO ingredients - it's sweet and you won't even need to put it in the oven "Did you have to put anything in the cakes to support them?" another questioned. "No - I didn't - I literally just piled them on top of each other - next time I think I will, it would be really simple to do!" "LOVE THIS SUPERMUM!!" one wrote. "This issss soo smart!!" another raved. "Wow, this is a GAME changer! So impressive!" a third insisted. "Omg that's amazing, well done you!" someone else said. Time-saving mum hacks Morning Routine Nighttime Preparation: Set out clothes for yourself and the kids, pack lunches, and organise backpacks before bed. Effortless Breakfasts: Keep simple, healthy breakfast options on hand, such as overnight oats, smoothie packs, or pre-made breakfast burritos. Meal Planning Weekly Meal Prep: Dedicate time each week to plan your meals to eliminate daily decision-making. Bulk Cooking: Prepare larger quantities and freeze portions for future use. Hands-Off Cooking: Make use of slow cookers or Instant Pots for easy, unattended meal prep. Ready-to-Use Veggies: Purchase pre-chopped vegetables or chop them all at once to save time during the week. Household Chores Daily Laundry: Do a load of laundry every day to prevent a buildup of dirty clothes. Continuous Cleaning: Encourage kids to clean up after themselves and perform small cleaning tasks throughout the day. Efficient Multitasking: Fold laundry while watching TV or listen to audiobooks/podcasts while cleaning. Organisation Family Command Centre: Set up a central hub with a calendar, to-do lists, and important documents. Daily Decluttering: Spend a few minutes each day decluttering to maintain an organised home. Organised Storage: Use bins and baskets to keep items neat and easy to locate. Kid Management Prepared Activity Bags: Have bags packed with essentials for various activities (e.g., swimming, sports). Routine Visuals: Implement visual charts to help kids follow their routines independently. Task Delegation: Assign age-appropriate chores to children to foster responsibility and reduce your workload. "Babe I literally do this every birthday and my kids think I'm a literal genius to top it all off!" another added. "Wicked idea & it looks good!" someone else said. "Everything from M&S tastes nice too," another added. "It looks AMAZING! Well done!" someone else commented. While others insisted that Pamela's cake probably tastes better than professional ones too. "Cakes made by bakers are horrible," one said. "I've always paid a fortune for them and they are dry and they use cheap quality ingredients. This is a GAME changer! Impressed TikTok commenter "I go to M&S for all my kids cakes now.. they 100% taste nice than any baker!" "Bet it tasted lovely too, I find most cake makers cakes actually don't taste as nice as they look," another said. With a "wedding/celebration cake baker" weighing in: "I make sure all my cakes taste good and use real ingredients. "I've seen and tasted some shocking cakes, faux ingredients and it devalues our skills which is what you pay for. "I've also stacked an M&S cake due to budget constraints." Reflecting on her savvy hack, Pamela told Fabulous Online: "Honestly, if I can do it, anyone can! "I love finding easy solutions for busy working mums that don't cost a fortune."
The Citizen
5 days ago
- The Citizen
Phala Phala case postponed in regional court
The robbery in which foreign currency to the amount of $580 000 in cash (R10,4 million) was hidden in a sofa, was stolen from Ramaphosa's residence made international headlines. After an initial comprehensive investigation process, Ramaphosa was later cleared of any wrongdoing. The controversial farm theft scandal nearly brought down the president when the news broke. The game farm is situated 43 km west of Bela-Bela in the Waterberg region. The three siblings accused of the robbery back in February of 2020 appeared before the Modimolle Regional Court on Monday with magistrate Peter Manthata presiding over the matter. According to the records, one of the accused, Floriana David, was a housekeeper at the residence of pres. Ramaphosa on his farm outside of Bela-Bela. She allegedly tipped off her brothers, Ndilinasho Joseph David and Imanuwela David, about the obscene amount of foreign currency hidden in a sofa in the residence. The mastermind for the robbery is believed to be Imanuwela David. He is also the only one of the three accused who didn't make bail as he was considered a flight risk. He has been charged with housebreaking, theft, money laundering and conspiracy to break in with the intention of theft. Floriana and Ndilinasho were both charged with conspiracy to break in with the intention of theft. They were granted bail. Floriana's bail was set at R5000 and Ndilinasho's bail was R10 000. Before the accused appeared before the court on Monday, Mashudu Malabi, NPA spokesperson for the Limpopo Division, stated that the defence will apply for a postponement. The presiding officer magistrate Peter Manthata heard the defence's application for postponement on the grounds that accused number two, Floriana David, is not medically fit to testify at present. The court accepted into evidence a doctor's note stating the condition of the accused. The case was then postponed on the grounds of Floriana David being highly pregnant and close to her delivery date. The case will continue before the Modimolle regional court on Monday, 15 September 2025. The court proceedings are planned to last approximately four weeks in total, during which witnesses will also be called to the stand to testify. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Extra.ie
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Extra.ie
Driving test waiting times to be cut to 10 weeks, says RSA
Lengthy waiting times for driving tests will be cut to ten weeks by the start of September, the Road Safety Authority has claimed. Currently, provisional licence-holders are waiting an average of 27 weeks for their test. And there is an 'unprecedented' backlog of 100,000 L-plate drivers seeking a test date. Now Road Safety Authority (RSA) staff have offered to work bank holidays and conduct tests early in the morning, later in the evening and on Saturdays to bring down the waiting times. Lengthy waiting times for driving tests will be cut to ten weeks by the start of September, the Road Safety Authority has claimed. Pic: Shutterstock RSA chief Sam Waide apologised for the delays and said: 'Our team has developed a focused, projectionbased plan to improve availability and reduce wait times. Every part of the system is being mobilised to deliver for the public. 'The RSA will publish progress updates every fortnight via its website to ensure full transparency and public awareness as the plan advances. We're asking customers to support the effort by cancelling early if they cannot attend, so that appointments can be offered to others.' Learner drivers were also reminded to make sure their car is fit for a test, as more than 4,000 tests could not be carried out this year because cars did not have an NCT disc, were not taxed, the driver was not insured, or the car was not roadworthy. Provisional licence-holders are waiting an average of 27 weeks for their test. Pic: Shutterstock The RSA's plan includes fast-tracking new examiners, enabling early deployment of them to test centres; longer testing hours, including Saturdays and bank holidays, with tests running from 7.25am to 7pm; and targeted manual intervention in the booking system to ensure test dates are issued to the areas of greatest demand. The RSA will also open new driving test centres, bringing the national total from the current 41 to 60. It is also looking at other ways to deal with any potential future surges in demand for driving tests. The number of driving tests has steadily increased year on year. In 2021 there were 157,183 tests. In 2022 that rose to 180,696 and it hit 212,525 in 2023. The number hit a record 253,850 last year, a 61% increase since 2021. Road Safety Authority (RSA) staff have offered to work bank holidays and conduct tests early in the morning, later in the evening and on Saturdays to bring down the waiting times. Pic: Shutterstock The wait for learner drivers in April varied significantly depending on the test centre, though all centres had at least a five-month wait. Navan, Co. Meath, and Tallaght in Dublin had the longest wait at 43 weeks. Galway's Carnmore test centre had the next-longest wait, estimated at 42 weeks. The centres in Clifden, Co. Galway, Tralee, Co. Kerry, and Gorey, Co. Wexford, had the shortest queue time last month – but applicants still faced a 21-week wait. Minister of state Seán Canney said that 'all options' are under consideration to address the backlog. 'The service is not right and it needs to be rectified,' he told the Dáil last week. The wait for learner drivers in April varied significantly depending on the test centre, though all centres had at least a five-month wait. Pic: Shutterstock Mr Canney said he had instructed the RSA to review its plan to get test times down to ten weeks and 'identify further measures that will bring forward the date for achieving the target'. The new chair of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, Michael Murphy TD, said he was seeking an early meeting with the RSA 'to allow them to outline what they are doing to tackle growing waiting lists for driving tests'. Out of almost 370,000 L-plate drivers last year, nearly 160,000 were on their second provisional licence at least, while 37,000 drivers have rolled over to at least their fifth. All face premiums of around €2,000 for annual motor insurance and lose out on significant savings by not passing their test. Dominic Lumsden of Peopl Insurance said: 'There are substantial savings to be made by moving from a learner permit to a full licence – to the tune of about €386 a year for some young drivers.'
Hypebeast
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Check Out This Air Jordan 4 "Rare Air" Sample
Summary Before heading into 2025, we knew that one storyline to watch would beJordan Brand'snew 'Rare Air' series of kicks. Early looks and rumors listed theAir Jordan 1,3,4, and11as participants, with each one inspired by imperfect sample pairs. Now, after offering afirst lookat the Air Jordan 11 'Rare Air,' we have another exclusive preview to share: anAir Jordan 4'Rare Air' sample. This take on the Air Jordan 4 sees a similar approach present to its black counterpart — the pair that is set to release this summer. Its multicolored sole unit features the same color blocking with red, gray, blue, off-white, and black sharing space. Where it switches things up is the upper, which sports a white leather finish that hosts black Nike Air branding at the heel, two-tone off-white laces, and matching off-white detailing surrounding it. As with the other 'Rare Air' version of the AJ4, it features a set of removable patches that reveals white 'JORDAN RARE AIR' text at the tongue's base. At the time of writing, this Air Jordan 4 'Rare Air' sample is not expected to ever hit retail shelves. Enjoy an up-close look at the sneaker and stay tuned for more news regarding the new series from Jordan Brand.
