The world is her oyster

We've had another birthday party. A month ago, our two-year-old became our three-year-old, and it was time for her first birthday party where friends are invited. As usual I made a birthday party inspired by her wishes (two, if you count the family gathering which followed the next day). And as usual, nowadays, it's taken me a while to find time to post some inspirational photos here... But oh well, maybe I'll make it a new years resolution to post more stuff on the blog ;) 

Our sweet three-year-old is the kind of person who knows the world is her oyster. She takes what she wants, what she needs, and what her big sister has (simply because big sister has it). She snuggles up to me early in the morning, fills the toilet with all the paper on the loo-roll, smears the windows with lip-gloss and anything else she feels like doing, and there's seldom a trace of remorse to find. She says a heartfelt sorry, before she goes on to find something else to do that's not allowed. It's not mischief or ill intent that drives her, but that impressive confidence she has that she can explore anything and indulge any curiosity, and somehow everything will work out for the best... 

For her birthday, she wanted a Lillifee-theme. Then she wanted Hello Kitty. Then a cat-birthday. In the end I suggested to have a touch of farmyard-fun, and she went with it, luckily. And it really was fun!

I made a chocolate-cake with creamy chocolate cream, chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting and vanilla cupcakes with green vanilla frosting. The animal heads are made of marzipan and sugar paste, the butterflies and flowers are left from the Dr. Oetker-stuff I used on the rainbow cake for the five-year-old's fifth birthday :) The writing gel had kind of separated, so not too impressed with the writing myself...

The farmyard creatures were a big hit with the kids (they were 1,5 to 5,5 years old)

The usual bounty of veggies and fruit. I completely forgot to take pictures of the pizza rolls and cheese muffins... But they sure tasted quite nice, if I may say so B-)

These cute serviettes my mother in law gave me last year, were the inspiration for asking the birthday girl if farmyard-theme was the stuff :3

Some autumnal decor...

...and some pink in honour of the birthday girl, of course...

Inspired by the pirate party, I made a cosy cavern. Of course, this one had more of the cosiness factor and less of the villainy gloom... I even scattered some dried autumn leaves on top

We put a friendly film on inside, once the kids wanted a break from the eating and playing

There's no point in planning too many activities for a three-year-old and her (mostly somewhat younger) friends, but putting the tail on the pig was just the ticket - my kids love this activity, which is why I've made several versions of it over the last year or two... I attached some cheap paper on a canvas (so I can still use the canvas later), and lined up a mommy pig and her cute piglet (and butterfly and grass...). Then I let the girls help me paint it, prior to the party - they are so proud and happy when they get to use my paint and brushes (and my stuff in general), so I let them borrow it or help me relatively often :)

I used one of the pirate-bandanas as blind fold - can you glimpse Emma's grin?

After a long and exiting day it was nice with a big hug from big sister. Check out the somewhat baggy pink dress on the birthday girl - I bought it big with the intention that the eldest would have it this year, and maybe next, but once Emma saw it, she was very eager to wear it. Big sister didn't mind. She prefers blue :)

Enjoy the rest of November :)

On a roll (Pirate Cupcakes)

Once I've done something new and fun, it might be old, but it's still fun. I tend to use a new theme, a new technique, a new idea, until I get properly fed up with it, and then it may be years until I pick it up again... Unless it's one of those timeless things one can never do enough of. 
Well, I wouldn't exactly say that the pirate-theme is something I can never get enough of, and it's not particularly original either, in itself - but: it certainly is fun. We have props and ideas for several new pirate parties, and although it will be a while until the next party that's not Christmas-related in this house, I was more than happy to make pirate cupcakes for my children's kindergarten when they decided to have a good ol' swashbuckling feast. Such cute pirates they were :3 
So now, before I move on to making crochet love-knot-hats for my kids (see, there's one of those techniques I'm going to use to death and then stay away from for eons), I'll share some pics of the pirate goodness. After all, it has been a while since I made cupcakes. Hasn't it?

It's a hard life for a ramshackled, one-eyed sugar paste man...

Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate cream, decorated with handmade pirates. Their heads, that is... Mwahahaha!

Some should've had sun block on...

It's a pirate's life for him... The cupcake paper cups have proper pirate-themed motives :)

...

All ready in a nice box from TheCakeDecoratingCompany

...

I made three dozen, so for variety I also made vanilla cupcakes with blue vanilla buttercream, and was happy to fit in some sharks. Walk the plank, pirate scum! 

Hope you're enjoying a lovely November :)

Something for myself

For my birthday this year, I got some nice things. Among them were several balls of yarn in lovely greens and blues. Since they were a present for me, I realized I should probably use them to make something for myself. It's been ages since I have, so at first I was a bit confused. What to make? "A shawl," someone suggested. "Well, that's easy enough," I thought. So I started crocheting, using the love knots-technique (still not knitting much...), but when I came about halfway I remembered something. I never really wear shawls... Sooo, I transformed the shawl into a big hood. And the hood needed something to sit on, so then I made a vest! I bought light green/white wool to make the border, also with love knots. I've made several flowers with the blue/green yarn, and used one of them as a button on the front of the vest. It was easy and fun to make this, all though the shape isn't exactly perfect - but since this is my first attempt at making a crochet vest, and not using a pattern, I'm quite pleased :) I really got the make-something-for-myself-thing out of my system, so no I'm ready to focus on Christmas-presents :3

Biiig hood, with tassel :)

And there's the little felt bag from previous post... I decided to take pictures of bag and vest in the same go to save some time (for my volunteer photographer :)).

I like how I can hide in my big hood. The love knots make for a decorative pattern to put on top of nice tops and shirts. The one I'm wearing under the vest in these pictures wasn't the best choice, though... But never mind :3

Stay tuned for X-mas-inspiration (and no, it's not too early) ;)

Fun with felt 

We've had a few warm days. For a while it almost felt like summer, which was a bit confusing... But last night autumn came back in business, with really heavy rain and winds I could feel through the wall. That's when you know you did the right thing, choosing woolens for the children to wear the next day. 
Wool is such a clever thing. It doesn't get cold and clammy, even if you get wet from rain, snow or sweat. It breathes, so you don't really get sweaty that easily, and treated with lanolin (which is in the wool to begin with, before it is processed for textile, etc.) it also has antibacterial and anti fungal properties. It is also, to an extent, waterproof. Hooray for wool! And for all the animals that make it :) 
I've been tidying a bit in "the office" again, and found a felted handbag I made eons ago (which to me is about seven years ago, he he). I also found some leftover felt I made last year (I make my own felt with dyed wool), and decided to make a couple of lanterns (one of which I'll share with you here). So, here's today's tribute to wool.

Ah, welcome back, one of my first felt projects...

Open sesame! 

Brown cotton fabric as lining. Plenty of room for keys, phone, credit cards... Or something :3

I've twisted thin gold wire around the tips, and put some pretty plastic and wood pearls on. Thin gold chain as bag strap.

Had to try it on... The newly made crochet vest I'm wearing will be described in a different post :)

This is what it looks like from behind

Ah, how I love green :3
 

I don't like wasting stuff, so I've put felt from last years Christmas present-making to use.

Ambiance :)

I've stitched different pieces together (rectangular pieces with half-hearts, making a heart where it is sown together) with gold thread, and a ribbon to tie up the top

I like blues and purple too :3 I sewed on little purple metallic roses here and there

Keep warm <3

Ahoy there!

Aaaand there I've waited a whole month between two posts again. All plans of being a bit more of a regular blogger (like I was the first months), tossed over board. So what do I do when I'm too busy for blogging, so preoccupied I barely get time to do a smidgeon of all the things I want to do, new job, children, writing a book and other important things shouting for my attention? I throw a pirate party! Was it someone's birthday, you ask? No! This was just for fun! Because I can! And who attended? My children, of course, my husband, some of our friends, with their children, who happen to be our children's friends. Not too many, just enough to have some fun :) Here's what we did!

For a good feast I wanted a proper pirate buffé that goes well with the wee sailors as well as the ramshackled older ones...

...some nice seashell-like pasta...

...squid-wieners... 

...fish-snacks - obligatory for a nautical-themed party...

...a little decor...

...pirate juice - there was question of possibility of rum in the coffee, but alas, that was a bit too authentic for a family party xD
 

I bought a flag! Huzzah!

A pirate cave for the kids - it may not look much from the outside, but...

...when the inside is lit up like this...

...a guest bed and some miniature chairs are installed, soft cushions and toys included...

...and an old television and a playstation 2 put in place as a pirate cinema - it makes a very useful den for little pirates who have just searched for and found little sweetie-bags (or mermaid-treasures, as they were dubbed) and are in need of a safe place to gore on their loot.

The black, sleeveless jacket on my youngest child is a creation made of an inexpensive vest from Lindex, cut open in the middle, gold buttons and gold hoops, gold lace and gold shoulder-decor added :) A very easy way to make a nice pirate costume without using a lot of money. Black tights and white jumpers completes the look (and bandana and eye-patch, but they're missing here...). My oldest child seem to have discarded her vest in this picture; her's is exactly the same. The inflatable palm-tree is really a cheesy drink-cooler, but we used it as a basket to throw balls in :3 and as a prop...

Put-the-parrot-on-the-pirate... This was my oldest daughter's idea. Clever little villain... Here my youngest has her bandana back on, and we used it as a blind fold. The fabric of the bandana is so nice and soft and shiny... With gold lace... *swoon*
 

I had to make a pirate cake. It's been a whole month, I needed some baking action o.O

A few sugar paste pirates in a crude chocolate boat, nice and tasty... One has fallen over board! The actual cake was a soft, round sheet cake (vanilla with blue food coloring), a thick layer of whipped cream and blue raspberry jelly mixed when the jelly was half stiffened, then set to cool until ready, then topped with light blue whipped cream-waves. It looked a bit freaky, but tasted yummy ;)

Here we have a few of the pirates gathered to eat the cake. Edible pirates and pieces of chocolate boat were their favorite parts, but the actual cake was quite popular too. I've cropped this picture in order to respect the privacy of my little guests.

Only three months until Christmas today, so I think there will have to be some posts with ideas for presents and such soon :)

Have an adventurous day!