You'll know by now I'm the sort of person who loves trying weird & wonderful new food and drink products. If I'm doing the weekly shop and I see my usual cheddar cheese, and beside it a newly launched apple-infused, zingy, mature block, it'll be fruity cheese for all that week. New tastes and gorgeous packaging just sucker me in every time. This week I received some of the most unusual tea flavours I've ever seen, thanks to www.HigherLivingHerbs.co.uk

The Sweet Chilli Tea was certainly a shock. None of the other high quality tea brands I've worked with before had this variety, and I'm pleased to say its a treat. Incidentally, do you recall in the nineties and before sweet chilli sauce just DIDN'T EXIST? Same with pizzas and paninis. In Northern Ireland, anyway.

I know once you get it home it goes in the cupboard, but check out the sexy, swish packaging. No Tetley men in flat caps here. Higher Living Teas are easy to spot, and you can find them in your local Holland & Barratt store. If you prefer you can order from the sofa via Higher Life's online store at www.teafactory.org.uk

Here's the best bit, boxes of Higher Life are priced under £2. If you buy in Holland & Barratt at the moment you buy one product and get any other half price- so you could try two different flavours for under £3. That's loads of tea.

I'd tried Suki's Liquorice blend before and this was also delicious. I personally dislike the taste of liquorice, but in tea form the flavour changes and takes a sweeter form.

Talk to me on Twitter @rudedoodle and tell me what's the most crazy tea flavour you've ever tried?
You can find Higher Life here @HLHerbs What crazy flavour would you like them to make next?

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Belfast's best BBQ joint, Bubbacue, launched its first chicken wing challenge last week.  

Bubba’s chefs served up wings laced with habanero powder, homemade naga chilli sauce plus a few other surprise chillies for good measure.  Forty brave souls stepped up to show what they were made of, with five making it all the way through the five excruciating rounds to be crowned the winners. 

Contestants were given five of the burning wings at a time, to be completed in five minutes, with a three minute break between each of the five rounds.  Chefs prepared the wings wearing gas masks, as naga chillies have been used in biological warfare, before serving the wings, which got hotter and hotter as the rounds went on.

Head Chef, Colin McSherry, said: “The skin on my face was burning as we were making the sauce, so I can’t even imagine what the guy’s mouths felt like.  A lot of people dropped out after round 3, partly because the wings were getting hotter but also because the heat of the naga chilli intensifies as time goes on.  This is why we had a 3 minute break in between rounds as well, it was pretty evil but that was the plan!”

The next Bubbacue wing challenge is due to take place in April.  For more information on how to enter email info@bubbacue.com or for updates please visitwww.facebook.com/bubbacuebelfast or follow @bubbacuebelfast on Twitter. 

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I think this is what they call in the beauty world, a 'dupe' lookalike. I found this leopard print cardigan in Heaton's Stores for £12. I've wanted the Collectif version for years, but never fancied paying £30+ for a cardie. It's deceptive in my photo but the Heaton's version is exactly the colour of the Collectif one shown below. The Collectif cardigan sells second-hand, used, worn, on eBay for more than £12.

Heaton's version close up for colour.

Being £12 instead of over twice that, I ended up buying two! They also have it in a biscuit colour, a fawn brown, or cream base with pink leopard spots. I'm currently a size 12-14 and the small fitted me. Heaton's fashion would be mostly tailored for age 25 and up, so sizes are realistic to average women's shapes. Not like Urban Outfitters, where I can't even fit into a large, much to my embarrassment.

If you haven't heard of Heaton's it's probably because you are one of my readers from outside the island of Ireland, but fear not, there is www.HeatonsStores.com for you to visit online.

I checked this afternoon & this particular cardigan isn't listed just yet, but it was only being unboxed when I bought the two instore, so it is definitely new season.

I also spotted this swan print cardigan in the shop, which is online already.

In the meantime you can see me 'swanning' around in one of my bright green cardigans looking pleased with myself. Great bargain.

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One of my long term favourite beauty brands is Benefit, and the team invited me along to The Ivory in Belfast to their new product launch.

Their latest product, Fake Up, is a hydrating concealer to banish dark circles without caking your existing makeup.

This is a product for people like me. What I mean by that is the make-up-skill challenged, or just plain cack handed, even we can apply Fake Up without getting it wrong.

It's like a concealer in a lipstick tube, which you paint on like a crayon stick and simply blend with your fingers to brighten your complexion.

If you fancy trying Fake Up, I have the medium shade stick to give away to a World of Kitsch reader.
Email me at kitschandink@me.com and I will pick a winner using random.org Email addresses will only be used to contact you should you win, and competition closes at 9pm on Sunday 31st March.

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Cute, right?
Well this isn't- the Stay Puft Balaclava. Why???

Appleheads, here's your Giant Sailor Marshmallow iPhone cover.

Or maybe you just want to chow down on some authentic, angry looking Stay Puft mallows?

Finally, how about ruining Ghostbusters for you children by dressing up with your other half and terrifying them in these fancy dress costumes?
Everything in this post was found on eBay currently for sale.

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http://www.Facebook.com/JuniorSpectatorNewspapers

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Let me introduce you to the world of vintage Playmobil sets, enjoyed by ironic artists and sincere enthusiasts alike.    

Playmobil sets from the '70s and '80s especially - the childhood plastic toys once enjoyed by those of us now in our 20s, 30s and early 40s. With simple plastic people swashbuckling on the decks of plastic pirate ships, flying tubular planes, boarding buses, leading school trips, crossing jungles, or living in igloos (among thousands of other scenes from life, both real and imagined), they have found an eager market of collectors and documentarians. Sharing their enthusiasm for vintage Playmobil on Flickr pages dedicated to the toys, they also populate collectors' and auction sites which trade and sell what could only be described as a mixture of kitsch and nostalgia.

Google 'Playmobil + vintage' and see what's out there. Some of what you'll find is hilarious, and occasionally even poignant; the thought-provoking images some artists and fans have recorded with their cameras - one of two Playmobil figures together in some sort of romantic photo, with the image then torn and replaced by a new photo of one of the figures with a new plastic partner. One isn't sure if it's funny or moving. Probably funny. Recreating classic album covers with Playmobil is another Internet phenomenon I highly approve of.

What's appealing about the Playmobil sets of years past is the sense of nostalgia they offer to those of us who played with the toys throughout our childhoods. But buying the latest Playmobil on offer doesn't quite do it, for the toys Playmobil made decades ago differ from current models. Often the changes are minor. If you compare the school bus Playmobil makes today with one they made twenty-plus years ago, you’ll notice that the colours are slightly different between the two, with one or two other small features altered.

 Of course, some sets from years past are no longer sold, while others that are will reveal much bigger differences and changes. For instance, the vintage ambulance from decades ago hardly resembles the sleek, almost aerodynamic modern one. The equipment has also become more modern: some police have speed guns and the dentist's office now looks fit for the 21st Century.

Playmobil also played part of this brilliant April Fool's joke, an Apple Store set.

Which sets did you have as a child? 

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Have a great St. Patrick's Day, from me here in Ireland. I am teetotal these days, so have a drink for me, but not Guinness, it tastes like dinner.

He knows the score.

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My husband won't wear novelty socks. He's not that kind of 'faux-quirky' person. Me on the other hand? Totally that sort of annoying person, and I've just treated myself to this Turtles pack of five from Tesco Clothing instore. £5

Plus, they are stripy which is my favourite thing to be. Michael Angelo was my favourite, who was your's?

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The recent UK Toy Fair at London's Olympia was a sight to behold, as the gathering chronicled the best and worst devices ever created for British children. Meanwhile, their transatlantic cousins would later be treated to the International Toy Fair in New York during February, highlighting the past greats of the toy world as well as future expectations for new gizmos and gadgets. 

In light of this succession of high-profile events, Vertbaudet - the popular mother and child brand - took a look at the toys that have endured over the decades, going all the way back to the 50s.

In its quest, the company tried to separate the one-hit wonders from those that have retained their popularity in the long-term, ultimately trying to discover what the common denominator was that got kids excited about toys regardless of the era they grow up in.

Professor Jeffrey Goldstein, a psychology expert with the National Toy Council, is one man with countless experience in the industry. Speaking to Vertbaudet, he identified how the common trend among the new toys and dolls was hardly ground-breaking - in the best possible way. "A lot of retro toys are back," he said, "including the re-furbished Furby and Power Rangers."

Indeed, it was identified by the specialist that retro toys are a popular purchase because parents feel a connection with the toys too, whether or not they actually owned them themselves. Professor Goldstein suggested that parents and grandparents may feel that such toys represent a link to a "simpler time".

Of course, there are a lot of popular retro toys to choose from; Vertbaudet's list of nostalgia-prompting playthings selected the top picks over the decades, with most either still in production or being rereleased to a positive market many years after their initial creation.

Starting in the 1950s, Verbaudet's first choice was Barbie. Introduced by Mattel back in 1959, over 350,000 dolls were sold in the first year of production. Joined by Ken two years later, the 1/6th scale doll still sells three units every second.

In the 1960s, it was the turn of Etch-a-Sketch. This double-knobbed box is capable of moving a stylus that leaves a trail of aluminium powder on the screen; if things go awry, all you need to do is shake it and start again. Even 50 years later, it still has the same design.

The space hopper bounces into Vertbaudet's list in the 70s, becoming the primary mode of transport for children (and some adults). 

However, as the 1980s caught everybody up, it was Hungary's turn to rock the market. Erno Rubik created the world-famous Rubik's Cube, a puzzle made up of smaller cubes with coloured faces in a 3x3x3 design. If you're bored, why not try the real challenge: getting every one of the 43 quintillion different permutations of coloured squares on a Rubik's cube; either that, or attempt to break the world-record solving of 5.66 seconds.

In the 1990s, handheld computer games came into fashion with the Game Boy. This landmark toy made interactivity (as we know it today) truly portable, creating the classic puzzlegame Tetris alongside established characters such as Mario and Link.

Going back to more traditional toy roots in the late 1990s and early 2000s - and bringing us back to the present day - was the Furby. Hated and loved in equal measure, the gurgle-voiced wiggly-eared hairy friend of millions was not off the shelves for long, when an upgraded model went on sale in December 2012 - selling out almost instantly.

Concluding his brief analysis of the popularity of toys, Professor Goldstein said that in most cases, innovation is important if a toy is to find a place in a child's heart. "I think the Game Boy was one of the first hand-held game-devices and made playing games a mobile and personal thing," he said, earmarking his primary example of this trait. "It was a real shift."

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LittlewoodsIreland.ie invited me to have a little nosy around their new Spring range on their website, Ireland's leading online department store.

I put together a wish list of my favourite pieces from their new collections.

Littlewoods have some very cool, sleek design rugs. These are my picks.

Contour Rug 159 Euros

Corsage Rug 329 euros

Next a browse through the wide selection of mirrors.

Princess Perfect Mirror 84 euros

There are also a wealth of bright and colourful soft furnishings which is an easy way to update a room without having to paint the walls yellow of a Sunday afternoon.

Estaban Wool Pouffe

Floral Felt Cushion

Decorative Pineapples

Lastly, if you do fancy getting the wallpaper paste out, you couldn't get more kitsch than this, Flamingo print wallpaper.

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My latest American candy haul from Curious Candy, an old fashioned sweet shop, Aladdin's Cave of candy, here in Bangor by the sea.

Don't feel left out though, Curious Candy have just transferred every jar of sour suckers, every chocolate bar & delcious candy onto their new Internet store. 

So you can visitwww.CuriousCandySweetShop.co.ukwhether you are in Southampton or Sydney, Newcastle or New York. Simply browse, pick your treats, pay by Paypal & await a fun package in the post.

Lots and lots of American goodies at very reasonable prices, given the price of importing cases of these beauties.

American readers- don't feel left out!www.CuriousCandySweetShop.co.uk has some Irish candies you can order and try.

They also stock my favourite of all the gummy sweets, beer bottles. If you've never tried them before, make sure you pick some for your online basket.

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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.

http://www.eggnogg.co.uk/pick-an-occasion/easter-extravaganza/

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.

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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

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