1st Birthday Party Preparations

The start - items for Cupcakes & Carousel Birthday Cake

Time to prepare for my second daughter's first birthday party.  We're having a picnic party. Because it's this time of year, many of the lovely people I've invited cannot attend due to prior commitments. I guess this is what happens for many December babies.   Today's food plan is to make: jelly fruit cups; chocolate crackles; cheesy pastry puffs; and start preparing the birthday cake. I'll need to make two, one for the birth day and one for the party. Do you too do this?  I'm superstitious and think that it's necessary to have the cake cutting done on the actual birthday.  Baby Pink & Blue Carousel -- that's my idea for the birthday cake for the party. I have bought the carousel horses, but somehow will need to make the carousel part.  It will consist of covered bamboo sticks with ribbons, and pre-made icing fondant for molding and covering the cake's surface.  It should be fun making the cake. But less hope that this time I don't leave things to the last minute and I rush and burn cupcakes, meatballs, stay up to 1am etc etc.   Focus focus focus.

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Christmas Tree Decoration


Gosh, I just love how my kids get so excited about decorating the Christmas tree. I love it too. Their enthusiasm is contagious. There's nothing like feeling the joy of Christmas through the merriment of children.  

decorating the tree

My littlest didn't do much, but insisted on being held. It was the safest position, otherwise the tree would be on top of her.  She's at the stage of grabbing and pulling up to stand.   So this year, the tree had to go on a table barricaded by the sofas so the one-year old could not grab it. We've made paper-cut snowflakes, cardboard cut stars decorated with stickers and glitter, placed all the tinsel out and decorated the kid's room with tinsel.  Having children is a good excuse for me to relive my childhood craft desires.   Do you do anything particularly cutesy/kitsch for Christmas just because it is Christmas (and as it is said, the 'silly season')?

handmade decoration

vintage santa & wooden bell and angel decorations

the final look

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Vintage Decorations & Cards

I recently found some gorgeous wooden and plastic decorations at the op-shop.  Still in their original packaging, they are no happily hung up on my tree. But I've also found some gorgeous vintage Christmas cards. They look like calling cards, but I think they were actual cards sent to friends and families.  They're very small, the biggest only 8cm by 5cm. What adds to there charm is the beautiful words on the back "To Harriett from Mother" and "with love and best wishes from Mary" written in gorgeous old-fashioned cursive writing with fountain pens. My guess is that they are from the 1920s. I think this is the start of a beautiful obsession -- vintage paper paraphernalia.

Card reads: "Christmas. Good times to thine and thee Through sunlit days to be."

Card reads: "Happy Christmastide" 

Card reads: "A happy New year to you"

Good Cheer to you all. 

Christmas Stockings and pre-Christmas thoughts.

I've whipped up some Christmas Stockings to be used for holders of gifts/sweets for the many kiddy-winkles I know.  I say whipped up because they truly took no time at all, once I cut out a stocking template, I ransacked my fabric stash and found my Christmas fabric, and mixed and matched it with red/white/green festive looking fabric.  I'm pleased with the outcome. It's great because I think I am finally getting some of the things I've imagined doing when I lay in bed at night.  You know, the endless list that can ramble on and on in one's head, and occasionally the bright spark that breaks through and says to oneself "why don't you make or do this?"


I love Christmas. I love the beautiful intentions that Christmas evoke - the notion of togetherness, of family gatherings, of sharing, of jolliness, of devotion, of magic, and the general good cheer that emerges around this time of year. Or should emerge at this time of year. It is a time of celebration - regardless of whether you are Christian or not -  the general message I find and try to embrace within my own actions and being, is that it is a celebration of life, living, love, a time for reflection, and a time for gratitude. It is a time to look over the jolly good things in one's life and see that it is all fine -- I find, even with my quite somewhat difficult family situation, it is about being thankful that they are their for me, that I belong, that I have great friends and that I have my own intimate little lovely family.  Towards this time of year, I sincerely try to think over my own actions, give myself time to reflect, and try to enjoy LIFE.  Christmas is a great time to say to oneself  "yeah, this is pretty great and I am a lucky girl".  


I try not to let the prospect of a bad Christmas lunch, let's say, because I will be with people who have lost their Christmas cheer, affect my fundamental joy.  I try to put things in perspective, and try to bring cheer to even the most bitter, cynical or sad of people. Sometimes it's impossible, but it's worth trying, especially if it's someone I love and care for.


Here's a picture of my Christmas stockings.....

Next on the list, which I've had on the list for a very very long time, is to do a Christmas skirt for my tree.  Not to mention: two more quilted cot/throws; a library bag for my little girl who is off to school in the New Year; a basket lining for toys; then, all the quilt-tops I have made but have not basted nor quilted yet. **Sigh** But I'll start on the easiest because short projects give a great sense of satisfaction once completed and usually enough time before the demanding 1 year old wants my attention.




Gorgeous image of Victorian-era Christmas card. Have the girls spotted Santa?  




Good cheer to everyone....

SEWING time.

I've finally, and I mean, FINALLY finished the Oscar Cot Quilt.  It has only been achievable because I have no  (paid) work to do at the moment. I guess that means I'm 'officially' on holidays, although, with derision, I must confess that a stay-at-home mum's work is NEVER complete. I've been trying to finish the endless washing. With all the washing we have, for a family of four, it is enough of a realisation that I can not have another child because I'd have to add another day's washing to it.  But mind you all, if I do have another child I will be ecstatically happy because children are absolutely wonderful and make me sublimely content. In other words, I feel that children are a blessing and housework sucks!

Here's a (shabby) pic....It will be given to the recipient as part of their Christmas gift.

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When I'm feeling sad or overwhelmed.....

I would just like to say how grateful I am to my friends who are there for me when I am in need. You know who you are and I love you for it. You make my days sparkle when I feel lustreless.  Magical transformation in outlook can occur after just a short conversation. Lovely people who wholeheartedly share and give endlessly....now how does the song go: "that's amore!"

BANANA, PEAR & CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

Today I made some Banana, Pear, & Chocolate Muffins. I usually use ripe fruit that is a bit too ripe for eating on it's own (let a lone by a 5 year old) and chop it up to add to a muffin mix. And because my children are very fussy (yes, even the near one year old), I have to disguise fruit bits into some sort of tempting delight, hence the chocolate and chocolate chips throughout.  This way, there's a snack for all of us. And it keeps the pesky hunger away for the afternoon "I'm starving" bleats (from husband who comes home from an early start and kids alike -- me? well, I try to resist afternoon snacks!).  

Recipe
Banana, Pear, & Chocolate Muffins
(approx 12)

2 cups Self Raising Flour
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
1/2 cup of Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup of Caster Sugar
1 cup of full cream milk
2 eggs (beaten)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 ripe bananas (mashed)
1 ripe smallish pear (peeled, chopped/diced)

Sift all dry ingredients together (flour, cocoa, sugar), into a bowl. Add choc chips and mix through. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients: milk, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, vegetable oil.  Beat wet ingredients with a fork, then make a well in the dry ingredients', and pour into the well the wet mixture.  Mix through just until combined and there's no dry flour present. Then, add to this mix, the mashed banana and chopped pear.  Divide equally into patty cake/muffin  cases for a 12-hole tray . (Let  the 5 year old lick the spoon and bowl!!!)  Bake in a pre-heated oven of 180deg.c. for 15 minutes or until skewer comes out dry when inserted.  Let cool, then devour with a glass of milk (or my preference, a strong coffee).