The Gift of Cake

Cake. 

Cake keeps me happy and I get a sense of accomplishment from Cake, as it has to be finished I cant just leave a cake unfinished lying around the house. 

And my favourite part

Cake makes other people happy.

Since Lara's dog birthday cake, Ive been a lil busy.

This pineapple for my brother in laws hawaiian party  (just cause they could!!)

 This was a bugger of a cake to figure out, but once I worked out how I wanted to do the skin away we went.

4 tropical white mud cakes with a tropical ganache YUM!!

And just cause im proud of the fact I figured it out 

a mini tutorial on the skin!

This finished photo is missing some of the taller fronds from the top 

( nephews and sons I suspect!)

Labrious, 

a pinch of ganache applied individually in a sort of pyriamid shape to get the bumps

after covering with the yellow fondant, a large star tip indented to the top of each bump 

and then scratched around each shapes in rough multiple lines. 

And finally brushing of green and brown petal dust. 

with the taller leaves before the sand and hibiscus.

( scotch fingers and brown sugar)

ONE?!?!!!!

I have no idea how it happened all so quickly, but its here and tomorrow I will have a one year old baby girl . Thats crazy to me. 

Hello, Is it me you're looking for??

Oops I did it again.

Sorry am in random singing mode today.

I didn't scrap, I barely baked, no real crafting and I didn't read or blog.

I Dropped off the end of the world.

Something had to give so I could get my self together again.

I did what was needed

I grew my baby girl big ( one in three weeks!!!!) I grew my boys even bigger.

I nurtured my self through winter and the long repetitive months of frustrated baby and having no life.

Despite this, I managed to get published once or twice ( layouts from the last time I scrapped and blogged). 

And this month, I got a huge surprise. 

The cover. Thats my baby!

( no sir, I dont mean maybe)

I had no idea. 

I love him, He makes me smile. 

So im glad he has the chance to make others smile.

Ps sorry about any songs I may have unintentionally put in your head.

PPS if you didn't get any songs in your head

"This is the song that doesn't end, yes it goes on and on my friend....."

PPPS I had the full house theme song in my head the other day. I was going to put up a random facebook post about it, but then I realized a good chunk of the people on there are too young for Full house. And that makes me sad. 

PPPPs I borrowed a sooty dvd from the library for the school holidays was going to put a fb post about that. Same problem. I guess that just makes me old. 

PPPPPs we wont talk about my first grey hair I just found. Husband is not sympathetic — he has been grey since early 20's. Salt and pepper looks great on men - George anyone!!!

 Not the same on me. I dont have the class or classic beauty of Helen Mirren

bunkered down

The last week or so for us has been about bunkering down and holding on. It included an er run with our sweet Tyler ( how is it I had never visited an emergency room for a child until I had him?!?) and dramas with the refinancing ( which we are still waiting on settlement - it would blow your mind if you knew how long we had been dealing with it. Bunkering down required softer crafts - crochet to be exact.

And for the first time I have had a lil girl to crochet for ( the boys are not so much fans.....),

And little girls require two things - granny ripple rugs and silly hats.

And the silly hats must only be photographed by the iphone while you are pulling silly faces for the smile and therefore paying no attention to the actual photo you are taking. but as you have your mummy goggles on it looks really cute anyway!!

Ps teething sucks!!

Take My Hand-Shane Latham

I dont normally share songs etc on here. But this one is personal to me.

This is written by Shane Latham (my brother in law) when he found out he had a terminal brain tumour. He wrote this for his amazing wife - Meagan.

He is almost at the one year mark, something we were told repeatedly that he would not make and his last scan showed the tumour was stable. Something uncommon in his type of brain tumour.

We pray each day it stays that way and he is the minority.

I feel the need

Well, actually my camera does.

It feels the need to let me set up a shot and then die - just before I press the button.

I think my kids taught it how to misbehave......

Well, it certainly was not me - Mum said I was perfect....

Hey Stop looking at me that way.

I really am!

So anyway - iphone photo of my layout

( please forgive me [ i know not what I do... ill be singing that all night now] if I get my act together Ill swap it out)

My hands were missing mess.

But it seems to be a far more organized mess then Im used too!!

Im apologizing in advance for the journaling, it seems Ive caught a far more serious dose of dadjokeitis then first thought

Ps Im hoping my kids deify convention and crash early tonight. Im missing my blog reading.

What the heck did we do before blogs?!?

PPs Ive been really stressed lately, but no panic attacks - im really proud of that. We are refinancing our home loan and it has scary papers.

Why can they just not use simple english.

is it totally necessary to scare people by using big words,

And I LIKE my big words, but come on........

Its time for my close up Mr Director

I had take the last layout down for publication, so thought since I was asked and emailed on the circle strip a close up of that instead.

Easy Peasy

My trusty circle punch took on a mind of its own, whilst I was chatting so when I looked down and saw a pile of circles, My brain went into batman action time.

Boof, Bam, Whack!!

I just folded the opposite sides in just a lil and lined em up!

I did one the opposite way cause thats how my brain works...

Ps I wish I had my pre child brain back. I miss the figure too, but id really like my mind back

key to my heart

Out for publication

He looks really sweet right? Innocent? happy?

What they dont tell you is he is DANGEROUS!

This kid could trip over a tree root on the moon.

The extra horrible thing - he gets it from both of us. The Poor kid never stood a chance...

Ps Today Joshua forgot his lunchbox and his timetable - he gets that from me as well!

PPs - what the heck does this layout need, I know it needs something. To early to figure it out though.

PPPs - ok think I worked it out, now just to find time today to change it!

Simple and sweet

Out for publication

My style has changed a lot lately.

I seem to be going less fussy, its just the way my hands want to put things.

Im not sure about my new style though. But I think the photo I have used just speaks for it self.

I love it, its one of my favourites.

Tyler has always loved his little siblings (well when they are babies at least, I heard him tell Cooper that he was driving him up the wall and down the road last night — no idea where he got that from *whistle innocently *whistle innocently)

Ps - Who knew toilet rolls could be so fun?!? I got the lil heart idea from Prudent Baby Blog. Its meant to be as lil kid art — oh well, small things....

PPs - I lied, I cant whistle to save myself> Im sort of jealous of those that can though. Esp the embarrassing finger ones they do at kids football games. I was embarrass my kids that way!

PPPs - this one is just for Leanne - ( a very fantastic scraper by the way!)

Hope this is enough Ps'ess?

PPPPs - What the buggery is the plural for ps? Can initials have a plural. Now this is going to bug me all day!

Love Lives Here ( all year long)

In Australia we dont really do Valentine's Day in any big way. The kids dont give each other Valentines they dont do a big thing of it in school etc ( though I do remember getting a rose or 2 in high school — they sold them to raise money for the year 12 formal). And that makes me a lil sad.

After all how could a day that celebrates love be a bad thing?

( Plus I really really really love chocolate!)

Maybe it will come about like Halloween - the last 2 years my kids have been trick or treating and I have gotten to great the cutest lil witches at my door. I hope so.

But I wanted a touch more love in my house. And a lil something I could have year round.

So I made some. ( Crafty People Rule!) And guess what I needed nothing fancy!!!!

Yep Im not about to tell you to go get photoshop , etc.

The fancy program I used is....

wait for it...

Open Office people!!

Hell you could even do it with stamps if you didn't have a printer!

All I used was

* Open Office ( or Microsoft word. Im a Mac and choose not to pay for word when there was this amazing free product to fill my need)

*An old magazine

*Scraps of black cardstock

* An old frame

* a free font and a free clipart from here

( insert stamps here if you dont have or dont want to use a printer)

I went with Love Lives Here as it did not scream valentines, but was still on the mushy side

(Apparently this is important for Valentine's Day..)

and played around with the size of the words until I was happy ( size 72 I chose)

and inserted my free clip art heart and played around with that size to fit comfortably underneath

I printed it on my old magazine ( my magazine paper fitted perfectly in my printer, but I have used a bit of double sided tape to stick cardstock on printer paper for my journaling)

As it had a bit of a sheen I gave it a few minutes to dry.

I cut around the words and mounted it on black card stock and coloured the heart with a touch of watercolour paint that I had lying around from earlier in the day.

And then I placed a new sheet of magazine paper on the backing board of my frame and placed ( I dint stick it down incase I decided I wanted to swap it out for other holidays.)

And closed it up.

Add a heart candle a cute little girl gave you for sewing her preschool sheets and a heart origami you found when looking for some jumping frog origami for racing with the kids and wallah! A touch of Valentines!

Easy right! It probably did not need a tutorial, but as I have a sleeping baby on me who is cranky whenever I move, so you got one.

P.s I dont have a p.s. for you today. Dont cry Im sure I will next time!

linking to HomeMaker on a Dime

The Girl Creative

Todays Creative Blog

Someday Crafts

Whipperberry

Art?!?!

I think many of you know my mother is an artist, and while I can draw and I love doing that

Its serious art.

I have also always loved the more "whimsical" art

Mixed media pieces etc. That are out there a lot these days.

SO ( big brave deep breathe - big girl panties on.....)

I tried some.

Not sure how I feel about it. But Im sharing anyway. Why the heck not.

I will be linking up at Paint Party friday. In hopes for some tips.

Ps its giving me a seventies vibe - like creepy arse op shop paintings......... The ones you find way, way, way at the back......

Scrap it real good!!

There has been scrapping!

OMW alert the masses!

Out for publication

Bright arse colours! Now brights scare me just a little, but I thought would try my hands at it. And I think I like it. It was fun stepping out of my comfort zone.

The lil itty bitty banners I made with some homemade clay, I sort of winged it from other recipes online. Needs a little bit of tweaking I think. But I only used what I had in the house. I tried the non glue one, but thinking it would help to stabilise it. I used a candle wax paint pen to colour them.

My funny lil guy grabbed Joshuas formal tie and decide dthat a swimsuit wa sthe perfect accompanyment. As you do.

He gets his dress sense from his father.... The cuteness is alllll me!!

I wish, spitting image of his dad and his pop so everyone keeps telling me. Dont you love when people say

"oh he is so cute! He must take after his father...."

Thanks, thanks a lot.....

and whats this?!? A card?!

Just a lil note for a special friend

I made a mistake with the ink, so it got some extra inking on the bottom, I wish it didnt....

Ps - excuse crappy photos, its raining and windy out there and good enough was close enough today!! ( I take my photos on the front porch). I know Im a slack arse. I prefer to suffer for my craft in other ways ( staying up very late and being blurry eyed the next day...)

PPs Mum - yes I know I said arse twice ( three now) - Im sorry...

Super Mega Famous Baby

Ok - warning Mumma brag ahead!!

You all remember my super mega cute baby girl, right?!?

Yep she creeps in to your heart and tugs hard on those strings.

Now she is super mega cute on a national level!

And because even they think she is mega cute, they added an itty bitty one, on the contents page.

Ps - Autographs are available - they come in dribble flavour only though.....

The Streets are Still

The streets are still,

My house is quiet

One lonely little boy is wiping away his tears

He does not like, he left his brother there.

Have a great first day back my darlings ( My Josh to high school)

Cant wait to hear all about your adventures.

Ps - its neary 10, surely thats long enough and I can go get them now? Right?!

PPs - was excited to surf across this year long free art journaling workshop. Though some of you might be as well.

PPPs - scrapping to come, I promise.

All the Tea in China

Somedays I want to create, be messy and just do.

Today I just want to make this lil girl chuckle.

She is developing her first chuckles and I can bearly drag my self away from her. I just keep doing incredibly silly things just to hear her.

Is there anything better then baby chuckles?

I love her more then all the tea in china

(And I also wanted an excuse to use this photo from the markets {Parklea of all markets as well! - heads up for the locals} this am, kicking my self for not going back like I planned to before I left. Im craving some tea now. I badly need a teapot...)

Ps - yep, you guessed it. I have developed the instgram love. Horrid husband made me give up my old sticky taped phone and get a "real phone [iphone 4s]". Im loving the camera but I miss the sticky tape. But on the other hand - I can now have apps. What do I need??

PPs - Did a google to see if I could get the Tea online and apparently they ( Green Valley Spices) are at Hay and Paddys markets as well as Bankstown and on line.

PPPs - what the buggery did we do before Google?!? And plus its just darn fun saying it.

Google, google, google!!

PPPPs - Im sorry, my mind wanders a lot, and sometimes I just have to take people along for the ride.

PPPPPs - you are all feeling very sorry for my family and friends right now aren't you........

A Revelation or Two

Today tv provided me with 2 new revelations.

One a new show called Hillbilly Handfishin - umm hello, crazy people!!!

Im sort of tempted to send Rod though as it looks kind of fun in a sick twisted way and really, my twinkie lil toes are far to precious and cute to use as bait, so ill just watch him from the bank. - Wait, are there alligators there?!?

Two - a few posts ago I made fun of my husband for his debilitating condition,

Dadjokeitis

( ok slightly fun of my self as well, but as I also let you know about the teenage secret code that is eye rolling. So you know im really cool right?).

Well while watching the pilot of New Girl ( can I save love love love), I realized that I myself suffer from a debilitating condition

Wierdgirlsingitis....

(As you can sufferers look totally normal....ish)

Shortly before watching said show I made some sweet crisps ( can I say love love love) and whipped some cream to go with it, which caused me to sing Ahh Ahhh whip it, Whip it real good. Loudly. Very Loudly. At the top of my voice Loudly.

My microphone

Watching the show, where she randomly sings, my husband gave me that look ( now I know it was just cause I was singing so awesomely). I thought oh heck, I sing a lot, at random times at random things, from random words to start me off and give myself awesome theme songs. So I self diagnosed....

Wierdgirlsingitis

I dont know if its something I can come back from, or if I even should try and cure myself, cause really I would be just denying the world of such beauty as my voice. But Im a sufferer. Its something that will probably effect me for the rest of my life. Im sure my friends will be glad that I am coming to terms with this and will show me love and support.

The thing is though, Im sure I ant be the only sufferer, right?!? Come on 'fess up!

Ps - The television did give me another gift today - Grease. Rod was horrified about how much I can quote it. Does he not understand that that sums up good times in my early teenage years with my girlfriends?!?

PPs - I really promise you that I am a terrific singer, that whole voted worst singer in my final year of high school ( unfortunate true story...) - total jealousy, and the reason Rod wont let me sing in his band - he just does not want to lose me to international stardom!

PPPs - Layout is one I did last night, with awesome wallpaper from the opp shop, that Scrapbooking Master Beth and I found yesterday on our jaunt. Isnt my sweet Ty utterly kissable!?

linking at get your craft on at Todays Creative Blog