hotties

I've long admired these beautiful linen hot water bottle covers that Kris makes. Tigs always likes to take one to bed. Woo on the other hand is always quite warm but wanted one too. I have usually had to sneak Tiggy's in to his bed as we only had one in the house! Crazy I know as they are one of the most cost effective and quaint ways to warm chilly feet and to take the edge off the cold between the sheets in winter!

So this year while we were away I finally got around to making them. Both of my children love to take an armful of snuggly critters to bed with them each night. Their essentials are the North American Bear Company Baby Cozies that they have both had in their cots since they first made it into our arms.



Woo has this one and this is Tiggy's. Adorable, soft, snugglies. And so I used their precious friends as inspiration for their covers.
I used ultra-velour for their bodies and on the backs of the covers to give the soft and feely quality they love and the linen to appeal to my aesthetic!

woo hoo

Oh, wow!  Always appreciative. 

My clever friend made Woo the most lovely present. 

 I'll show you another day!

Time to eat.  I'm sure it's just  me but I always think I've captured more of an event than I actually have.  There were scrumptious little crustless sandwiches &  Korean snack foods  - Pockys, Corn Claws, Peach Aloe Drink in tiny bottles, that didn't end up making it to 'film'.  Nevermind.  I think you get the  picture.  Cute.  Pretty. Pink!

Teeny, tiny cupcakes.

The birthday cake.  Honey joys and big cupcakes. 

Super, super easy to bake and I think they look so sweet piled up on the stand. 

Plus the cupcake 'cake' reduces the spray effect, and thereby the spread of winter lurgies,

when it came time to blow out the candles.   

Dear little friends

Just the perfect sized bottles. 

I know you can buy these gorgeous little vessels online now.  But I can let you in on a little tip.  Go to your local Italian delicatessen.  Purchase a six-pack of apricot nectar.  Share the nectar with your family.  Wash out the bottles and there you have it. A cute set of bottles plus a yummy drink. It seems like madness to me to buy the empty bottles for more than the cost of them full!! 

Ok, that was the practical, sensible, thrify me speaking.  The ridiculous, attention-to-detail-at-any-cost me told me to purchase 25 super-cute paper straws for $8 online.  Actually it's now $10 for 24!  Hey-ho.

Some more of the decs

And here's to my baby girl.  I hope you have a wonderful year being 3!

party prep

Thank you presents for Woo's little friends

Handmade flags to decorate 'things'.

Cupcake toppers ready to top cakes!

Lanterns above the children's table.

Half set table .  I can't believe it but I missed taking a couple of crucial shots, like fully set table - never mind.

In the absence of a fully laden table here it is from a different  angle :)

Simple, healthy, fun food.

Woo was very beautifully dressed by me - you'll have to take my word for it. 

The Barbie gown was deemed essential by Woo.

She had such a wonderful party.  And it was super fun to pull it all together. 

It was a vision in girlie and sweet.

And the three little boys didn't seem to mind a bit that they were sitting within a cloud of pink.

I'll come back with more soon.

Thanks for popping by and I hope your day is sugar and spice and all things nice.

E x

3

My precious girl.

Just look at her.  I know she's mine and I'm supposed to love her more than words can say.  But she's such a joy and so sweet and fun and wild and clever and chatty. And so completely lovable.  It's almost embarrassing the amount of attention she gets when we're out and about. 

And if you haven't met her let me assure you she'd sweep you off your feet too.

Tigs is careful and considered with his present opening  and very sweetly always opens the card first and thanks the giver.  Not so Woo.  She's just in there and at 'em.  All presents were ripped asunder within a minute or two.  Only this little scene remained intact for a while.  Tigs spent an age 'setting the scene' the evening before her birthday.  He wnated her to be able to play with something immediately.  The house they live in took some time to put up.  Not quite sure there's enough room for two on the sofa though :)

I mean look at that hair. 

 It is always in her face and sticking up at all angles and

it just makes my heart melt into a little pool more and more each day.

Her birthday fell on a Friday which meant it was a bit of a non-event.  Greg was at work all day, Tigs at school and I had to go to work in the evening.  In fact as Greg walked in the door I plonked my paltry effort of a cake on the table.  We sang, she huffed and puffed, I cut, we ate and I left.  And just look at her smile.  Did she care?  Not a jot.  My happy, appreciative, easily pleased little one.

Tomorrow we are having a little party for Woo and 5 little friends.  Tigs will stay home from school to share in the fun and is going to be the co-host of the day.  I um'ed and ah'ed all evening about whether to send him to school or not.  So I took my mum's suggestion to flip a coin.  Heads it was! With a healthy whack of inspiration from the most perfectly pretty party I've seen in a while we will celebrate tomorrow.

Happy, happy 3rd birthday my darling girl.  I love you to the moon and back. 

You fill my days with happiness - ok and sometimes a little frustration ;)

 Love Mummy

x

masterchef?

Apparently this was delicious! I wouldn't know as I don't eat meat.

Inspired by Masterchef I thought I'd alter my usual recipe and made the chicken pie in a spring-form cake pan.
I have to say it really looked pretty and the family all loved it.




If you're interested I'll happily share the recipe. It's easy and not quite your standard chicken pie.

I hope your bellies are full and that the week ahead is a good one for you.

E x

my sweet loves

Happiness is a lovely day together,
ending with a sleepy snuggle safe in Daddy's arms.

crackling

Oops! I had a boo-boo in the kitchen.
Having prepared a scrumptious roast dinner for my family I accidentally forgot the crackling 'crisping' under the grill.

Smoke billowed from the oven. Front and back doors were thrown wide!

Tigs, somewhat embarrassingly, seemed to know what to do.
He ran and found his safety ear-muffs he uses at the Grand Prix and then grabbed a towel and began flapping wildly at the alarm lest it sense the smoke and screech in all our ears.
To assure his auditory security he continued to wear his throughout the meal.
Miss Mimic as usual, excitedly followed suit.

Oh the humiliation!