Finished Piñata

Hurrah. We finished the piñata for Smallest's Party tomorrow.

I have already put some photos on but I am going to start from scratch.

Made a glue from flour and water. Carefully measured and then just poured water in as it was too thick. Should be two cups of one and one of the other, not sure which way round though. Ripped strips of newspaper. Blew up two balloons. Added strips of paper soaked in glue and stuck to balloon.

Messy

Did three coats letting each one dry thoroughly.

Good tip is to use a diffent coloured paper for each layer so you know where you have been. Popped balloon and took them out.

Cut holes in one balloon, one at the top and then one at the bottom. Added candy and toys. Sealed up top hole. Cut a hole in the top of second balloon. Stuck top balloon to bottom balloon

Scrunched up some paper to make google eyes and stuck them to the top. More strips of paper to attach the two together securely.

Once completely dry and hard, painted. Left to dry.

Added strips of tissue paper to make it look like fur?!!

Painted a mouth and then I covered over the mouth becuase I didn't like it and gave then Cookie Monster a bit of a hair cut.

 

I tied a piece of string around the 2nd layer of the paper and papered over the top but the string fell out somewhere so now I may have trouble hanging it from a tree. Perhaps a good idea might be to tie the string round on the first layer and securely paper over the top. I'm not too bothered it breaks straight away, they can just bash it where it falls. I think we are planning to give them a foam baseball bat! I'll try and remember to take photos of the debris.

Birthday Preparations

Yesterday was the start of the Birthday Preparations for Smallest's 5th birthday.

 

Mix up the butter, sugar, eggs and flour. Wheeeeeeeeeee.

Add plenty of cake cases............ Not pink ones though, cos they're for girls!!!!!

 

And while I watch TV, Mummy magicked these little beauties..........

Which closer up looked like...........

.........this.

Mini vanilla sponges with Betty Crocker piped BLUE (would normally make my own but what with Small being ill and family issues back home, nothing went quite to plan). Two mini marshmallows with a blob of melted chocolate for eyes. Half a mini cookie for cookie in mouth. I forgot to say that they were supposed to be Mini Cookie Monsters. These have been made for Smallest's class and teacher. Hope they like them. I had to make a special journey to deliver them because I didn't trust him with a tin of cakes. I could just imagine him throwing them around on the bus.

I am still having trouble with ingredients and ovens over here. Everything seems to cook from the bottom up. So stuff burns on the bottom without colouring much on top! I was used to a fan oven in England and this is just an electric that has an element on the bottom but I'll crack it one day!

I have stocked up on ingredients and supplies in Bulk Barn ready for more deliciousness tomorrow and Sunday.

 

What's on your Workdesk Wednesday #147

An odd one this week.

Newspaper, glue (flour and water), balloon - a mess!!!,

Put it all together and this is what you get.

I am making a piñata for Smallest's birthday at the weekend. I know I could buy one (and I may still do that if this doesn't work out), but one child poorly at home and the other here every other day, I thought I would try. I even thought it might be fun for the kids to help, but they are not too interested at the moment. Maybe when we start painting it and making it look like something. It is going to be the Cookie Monster (but Smallest keeps changing his mind so who knows what it will become!)

There will also be lots of baking in the next few days. He has requested an Elmo Birthday cake and Sweetie and Cookie Monster Cup Cakes.

Have a look to see what is going on with other desks here.

 

 

 

Painted Pottery

A few months ago we went with some friends to a Pottery Painting shop. We had so much fun. Our pots were delivered this weekend and we were all very pleased with the results.

Here is my Milk Jug.

 

Here is Smallest's Monster Money Box.

 

Here is Small's Dinosaur Money Box.

 

Here is Huffle's Light Switch Cover.

 

What a creative family, and what a fabulous day we had.

Today I made an Italian Mixed Bean Soup.

1 cup of dried mixed beans (soaked overnight in three cups of cold water)

One red onion and one yellow onion chopped and cooked for a few minutes with three cloves of garlic chopped.

Add two large chopped carrots. Cook on low for a few more minutes and then add the drained and washed beans. Add six cups water and two stock cubes (I use vegetable becuase I'm a vegetarian). Bring tlThe boil and then simmer for an hour and half.

Add half a cup of lentils, large tin of crushed or diced tomatoes. A large handful of chopped spinach. Simmer for about 20 mins until lentils and beans are soft. Add mixed herbs or Italian seasoning.

add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty bread and butter.

This recipe is based on an "Umberle" recipe I found on the internet.

 

 

Woyww #146 (can't get these numbers right!)

Well, again I have moved my workdesk. This time downstairs on the lounge table. My gifts are finally finished, wrapped and ready to package securely and send out. Unfortunately I can't show you what they are until I know they have been received. Sorry. I just hope they like them. It has been a labour of love. Trying to fit in crafting with holiday, visitors, decorating...........

 

The bag that hid the gifts last week. Raffia (always like to see a gift tied in raffia). Tissue paper. My labels. Small's book of colourful paper (shhhh don't tell him I borrowed it!). Scissors, jar and beads.

.........and that's it. Back to a normal desk from next week hopefully.

I am sorry I haven't been able to get to as many desk as I would like but I will try harder this week (I promise). Thank you to all who have visited me and commented, I love reading your words. Go and see some more desks here.

 

Woyww #146

It's that time again. Wednesday. This is when we woyww'ers show you our desks. Last week I showed you my messy drawer. It's still as messy but I have now come back upstairs to the DESK.

 

I still can't show you the gifts I made for my PIF winners but I can say they are in that pink bag awaiting wrapping and sending.

My Mollie Makes Magazine and Calendar is still on the table. My pile of mending still to do (Small's boot, my jeans) but now I have added Smallest's hat and my jumper.

The hat I was knitting has got no further. The heat gun is waiting to be used. My wind up radio ever singing to me. The stones I got Huffle for Valentine's day STILL awaiting glueing. The bag I am knitting for the monthly make of FEBRUARY - whoops is still awaiting finishing.

Raffia for finishing my wrapping and a lovely ball of wool I picked up from the Thrifty Shop for 50c.

That's me done for today. I am off to the zoo. I will be looking at everyone else's desk (well as many as I can look at) over the next three days. See here for where all this started.

 

WOYWW #145

I missed last week because I was on holiday or 'Vacation' as we say here. Plus, because I have only just got back I haven't got a desk to show you as it is completely empty. I am still finishing the gifts for my PIF giveaway so I can't show you those.

I have been crafting on my knee in front of the TV and each night I throw all the stuff I am working on in the big drawer in the lounge.

So this is my workspace - a big messy drawer.

I know someone will comment and say they want to unravel the wool.

My sewing box is also a mess.

Hopefully I will send the gifts soon and I will be able to show you what I made.

I am off to hop around the rest of the woyww desks.