birthday cake and handmade toys

Happy 2nd birthday to our delightful and happy, ray of sunshine, Archie.

Dark chocolate quinoa flour cake with almond meal from this recipe. I made a Chocolate Coconut Cream Ganache from a can of coconut cream, icing sugar and cacao. Topped with fresh boysenberries and blueberries and sprinkled with icing sugar. We just love chocolate, nuts and fresh seasonal fruit around here. Ganache icing and cake decorating inspiration from The Kind Cook.

Birthday cake garland was made with Japanese Washi Tape, twine and two kebab skewers.

ROAR says T-Rex from Peppa Pig. I found a free pattern at a Hungarian blog MintaMokus. Thank you Helga! I used 100% wool felt from one of my favourite craft stores, Indigo Inspirations.

This was the perfect last minute handmade gift. I found this very rewarding to make and Archie was over the moon. I'll definitely be making more handmade felted toys for the children and for gifting.

A Steiner Doll made by Tibetan refugee and local Indian women from Dolls for Tibet. Archie is just enarmoured by his friendship doll, Peter. I also bought a pair of pyjamas and a knitted cardigan and beanie in hopes to help with bedtime and keeping warm clothes on in Winter.

I had plans to make some Christmas Tree decorations and stockings but that definitely won't happen until after Christmas. I guess that's what the school holidays are for and I'll be ahead of time for next year.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and see you in the New Year!

seven

Wonky Lego Building Blocks Birthday Cake with missing letter, Y. Not Pinterest worthy but Mr Seven declared it to be the most awesome cake ever. Music to his mamas ears.

Simple buttercake with real ingredients: butter, sugar, free range eggs, vanilla extract and organic flour. Baked in a square pan, cut in to rectangles and squares, topped with marshmello's and covered in buttercream with Hopper natural food colouring.

Old fashioned party games: Egg and Spoon Race, Popcorn Relay Race and Knights and Dragons. Lots of running around for a small group of energetic soccer buddies.

Persistent, Creative, Energetic, Sensitive, Enthusiastic

 A friend to all!

 A great help to his mum and dad and always there for his little brother.

Happy Seventh Birthday!

We shouldn’t ask “What does a person need to be able to do in order to fit into the existing social order today?” Instead we should ask “what lives in each human being and what can be developed in him or her"— Rudolf Steiner

salt dough christmas decorations

Sparkly star, beaded necklace and Christmas bell.

 

Me and the big one cutting out the Christmas shapes.

 

Mistletoe, snowman and stocking.

While the little one napped, me and the big boy made salt dough Christmas decorations. We rolled the dough and cut them in to shapes and left them in the oven on very low for almost 3 hours. I used this recipe and added a tablespoon of cinnamon spice so they smelled "christmasy" but I think that defeats the problem of ants. We do have a major indoor ant problem at the moment! At first we used glitter glue but it was not very effective. After they dried we brushed kids craft glue on the shapes and then poured loose glitter and they came out brilliant. We painted the snowman white before adding glitter so the shape was more defined. The decorations are so beautiful on our tree.

Wishing everyone a Merry Xmas! Stay cool in all this heat and drive safe if you have to travel.  I'll be on a little break but I will still check my favourite blogs for a night cap read.

See you all in the New Year!

 

almond meal cake with strawberries and cream

Happy first birthday to our little bumblee.

 

We went on a tour about how fish are bred and raised at the Gaden Trout Hatchery.

Archie squealed in delight every time the fish splashed around when fed.

 And then we went home for cake!

Almond Meal Cake with Strawberries and Cream

1 1/2 cups of Almond Meal
1/4 cup Organic Self Raising Flour
200g Unsalted Butter
1 cup of Caster Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
4 eggs
300ml Double Cream
Strawberries to decorate cake

Preheat oven 180ºC

1. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla bean paste until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at time.
2. Fold in the almond meal and self raising flour with a wooden spoon.
3. Spoon the mixture in to a lined 20cm cake pan.
4. Bake in oven for 50 mins or until cake comes away from the sides of the pan. Let cake pan cool for 10 mins before turning on to a wire rack.
5. Lightly whisk double cream.
6. Spread jam on top of cake (I used Hanks Jam) and then whisk cream and top with strawberries (ours were from our garden).

I took a fairly unhealthy recipe and made it simpler and healthier. I think it was the perfect summery cake for a first birthday. Happy special day little one. xx