M's Birthday

awesome coffee postcard

Yesterday was M's birthday so along with a amazon order of a book, a CD, and a box set (that still hasn't arrived *waves fist at the fluffy haired postie* I made the above card, well post card actually as I used the last card to make a birthday card for Flamesparrow (which I cannot post on here until she receives it as she will snoop). The card was made with a vintage music sheet hand stained with black tea, I drew a the coffee cup with pencil and my favourite ink pen, and stamped Awesome Coffee with my new alphabet stamp set and cherry red fabric ink (the only kind I have) then I used my little sewing machine to sew the music sheet to the recycled fiber postcard ( from a packet sold at Paperchase).



It was very important to H that we make something handmade for M, he said that it had to be a warmbag because that is what I make best, so he had a rummage though my small box of fabrics and dragged out some raspberry gingham from Laura Ashley (we have some cushions that were made with the same fabric that sometimes live in the lounge and sometimes migrate into H's room). I cut the fabric and sewed three sides then H helped to turn the fabric right side then fill it with high quality lavender and rice, then we used the ABC stamps to mark ML on a piece of natural coloured sewing tape. H then helped to sew the bag closed, pressing the pedal and listening carefully.

H was over the moon with excitement to give M the warm bag yesterday morning, and he made sure M took the bag with him to work today in case it is cold at the studio, bless. Instead of a cake H and I made some very decadent brownie cupcakes ( a slightly richer recipe than the one found on my blog here if anyone wants it I can write up the recipe and blog it for you) . I have some sewing to attempt to do now (doubtful) and I need to get at least one suitcase down from the attic before the day ends, as well as taking care of H who is home from school due to a rather chunky sounding cough.

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and I must have a shout out to Gill of Hollingdale Designs who made the beautiful button ends of Kerry's black Glitter (Midnight Meridian ~wink~ ) knitting needles in the previous post.

Happy Birthday Little Buddy

Yesterday was H's 5th birthday, and as such I spend all weekend in a flurry of baking wrapping presents and furiously cleaning the house. I can't believe my little baby boy is now 5. He had a Halloween themed birthday with a fancy dress (costume) party...

I think we managed one game of pass the parcel before things deteriorated into plastic guns vs. lightsabers and swords. I managed to stay calm and relatively collected and the kids were brilliant, H was ecstatic. though mostly because we bought a Wii for him, as he has been trying to save his money for months to buy one. bless.

The house is tidy now, except for the decorations we will leave up till after Halloween. And now we will be off to Paris in the morning for two nights, as part of H's present, and someplace to go away for a bit so I stop thinking about being homesick for the states.

More pictures of the house and the party and Paris when we return. I best go get packing then!

It's My Jet Lag and I'll Cry if I Want To

noted

Its my Birthday today and I thought I would attempt to blog a few of my Birthday treats before I fall asleep, the only thing keeping me going at the moment is the coffee I seem to be mainlining, though hopefully soon I will be adding birthday cake to my sugar and caffeine intake. As you can see from the first image I got some beautiful leather notebooks for my birthday, the top one M got me (after several not to subtle hints) its from ArtisanGraham, the middle is an eco friendly nkuku, and the bottom one is a soft recycled leather journal from Barnes and Noble's that I bought myself along with a couple of novels. I really did need a new notebook and now I quite happily have three.

The next three items are gifts from my dad (my mother bought me clothes and a cute pair of polk-a-dot sketchers). The first item was a pendant made from a slice of a mastodon's tusk that will be the focal point of a beaded necklace. A lovely little vintage drawing and painting book , and a pretty little stone box.

The last item pictured is an agate pendant, that M bought me in San Francisco. It just looks like the ocean to me and makes me think of Bodega Bay. Frizbe dropped by with the girls this morning and brought me some lovely little birthday muffins, a little purple purse she knitted, and some lovely hair things too. I would feel spoiled if I wasn't so jet-lagged.

Mastadon pendant

vintage bird drawing book



pretty little stone box



agate pendant that looks like the ocean

Unbirthday Party

Yesterday was H's unbirthday party, his actual birthday isn't until the end of the month but as we are going to visit his grandparents he won't get to see all his little friends until we get back mid november. M took H out of the house for a few hours so i could bake and decorate the cake (pictured above) and decorate with a few baloons and frantically tidy and clean the house so that nobody thinks its the pigsty it really is most of the time. THe cake is a basic yellow cake recipe, I used the same recipe for the raspberry cream cake recipe listed on the right. The frosting is a chocolate cream cheese frosting and dont forget the malteasers!

I only got the tinyiest sliver of cake so I assume that means it was good, there was no arguing or fighting amongst the kids and H was very happy to get to play with all of his friends, he hugged everyone and sent them all on their way home.


Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

1/4 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup baking cocoa
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Beat butter, and cream cheese in medium bowl on medium speed until fluffy.
Gradually beat in cocoa, and powdered sugar on low speed until smooth. I used slightly less butter and icing sugar, due to the fact that I had run out of both but it still ended up very nice.