The Mittens' Favourite Toys

Don't you just love the expression on her face?  Clearly she is wearing too much eyeshadow, but it co-ordin ates with her vast array of hair accessories.  Mitten 1 loves her 'Barbie Makeover'.  (I know she isn't a real Barbie)  Greta would be proud of the mitten's hairdressing skills.  And then of course there is the main rock'n'roll obsession in our household.

It wouldn't be Christmas with a 2 year old in Australia without the Wiggles.  This little ol' keyboard is the firm favourite of mitten 2.  It's Wiggles all the way here people let me tell you!  We went to the concert, had Hot Potato seats, we have all the dvds, it goes on and on.........

Red Velvet Cake

I have been on a mission to make a red velvet cake like the one featured in the Donna Hay magazine and the one that Bethanny had for her wedding cake.  Here's mine!  Completely delicious.

Do you like the little toadstools that I used as a decoration for the top of the cake?  Aren't they cute.  Found them at Spotlight - someone had discarded a packet of them at the checkout so I snapped them up.  They made great present decorations too.

A Glimpse of Christmas

Well I am stuffed full of food and utterly content.  This year's Christmas has been wonderful.  Quiet.  Fun.  The kids have had the time of their lives. Family.  Friends.  I really love Christmas time.

I can go from being quite chic with my new front door wreaths - how gorgeous are they?  As you know, red is my main colour at Christmas, and I love the berries.  Then I go to being a complete goofy dork, which I must say my children adore.  They think I am the coolest Mum in the world and I don't mind at all.  Actually it is quite funny driving along and catching a glimpse of that red nose on the front of my car.

They squeal with delight every time they see mummy's reindeer ears on the car.  Other relatives were rather embarrassed when I pulled up out the front of Nannie's place though............. 

Do go to 63

Last night of course was the Nutcracker Ballet.  It was magnificent.  The sets were so rich and Christmassy and the costumes were breathtaking.  M, J and I plan to make it a Christmas tradition to go to something like this each year.  Thank you girls for taking me.  It was the best 40th present.

Now my sister B has introduced me to the most wonderful cafe.  63. That's it -  just 63.  This morning we had brunch there.  I love brunch and breakfast.  My absolute favourite meals of the day.  It was rather rainy today so we were tucked up inside.  The place was bustling.  I love the fact that they sell fresh flowers and have fresh bunches of roses on all of the wooden dining tables.  I think you can tell a lot about a place by the clientele and how busy it is.  People you should really go there.  Even the ladies from the red hat society were there.  I had never heard of them before today, I thought my sister was pulling my leg.  But no, they really do exist.  Google them. www.redhatsociety.com.  And yes they were all wearing purple outfits and red hats and were having a right old fun time.  I've never seen anything quite like it.  My sister said to shoot her if she ever ended up doing something like that.  Purple is not her colour anyway.

  They had a cute addition to their menu for the Ashes (that's right the cricket!) which I thought was hilarious.  I ordered the Googly - yes it is a cricket term - google it, I have already forgotten what it means.  Here tis



And my sister B ordered the Hat-trick.  I think mine was yummier.

We both avoided ordering the Warney.  I think Liz Hurley might have ordered it though............

Fairies really exist here's proof!

Not every kid can say that their Uncle has fairies living in the bottom of their garden, but my girls can.  Every time they visit their Uncle Crud the fairies seem to know and always leave them some kind of gift.  This is the house that they live in.

 Amazing isn't it?  Uncle Crud has managed to collect quite an array of garden ornaments and insists that the fairies love them.  Some are a bit odd......  The girls made a fairy ring out of flowers to say thank you.  Then it was down to business.  Decorating the tree.


 Such trust, he let them do it all by themselves which was very brave indeed.

 They wore their special helper reindeer ears.  Here is our fabulous pipe cleaner wreath decoration  which really sets off the tree don't you think?



The mittens did an amazing job.  Their Uncle was very happy.

Christmas Wreath Craft

Ask any Mum with kids at kindy or school about the present giving at this time of year!  The kids all like to give everyone in their class a small gift like a candy cane or santa chocolate or a christmas card or something!  As this was my daughter's final year at kindy, I wanted her to give a gift that the kids would be able to remember her by and keep forever, so we made decorations for the tree.



 Are these not fabulous?  And so easy to make.

 We found the stripy pipe cleaners in spotlight and just made them into a circle with a little twist.  Then we put these 'twisty bows' on them and attached ribbon to hang.  Voila!  No glueing, no fuss.  Dead easy and quick.



  We made quite a few.............  So we have been giving them to teachers and friends & family too.  I was inspired by these numbers from when I was a little girl.




  And also the street decorations that you get on the Gold Coast - remember those from the 70's and 80's?  I think they still have them - I am sure that I spied some along the GC highway the other day.

Still loving that gingham

Quite seriously this is a crazy busy time of year.  I ventured out to Carindale on Thursday night along with the rest of the population and their friends and family.  I started off by focusing my attention on my wardrobe and complete need for new clothes.  This is what I bought.  I love Laura Ashley and I love gingham, so you can imagine my delight at finding these lovelys.

  Both are in stretch cotton.  And better yet they were 25% off and I had a gift voucher as well so I ended up paying for both of them for less than the price of one at full retail.

Then I found this little number.  It is my first Leona Edmiston dress. I thought it would be lovely and cool for all of the Christmas soirees coming up.  Don't you just love the print?

 Then I managed to finish my Christmas shopping.  Yippee! 

 This afternoon  we have a family do at T&E's place, then I am so excited to be going to the ballet to see the Nutcracker with my most gorgeous friend M and her equally gorgeous daughter J.  Cannot wait.

First up though I am taking the mittens over to their Uncle Crud's place to help him put up his tree and decorate it.  I hope he knows what he is getting himself in for.  Will keep you posted.

Christmas Tree Bliss

You can feel Christmas in the air.  Our tree is up.  It looks fabulous.  I am very proud of it.  Last year it was brand new  and we had trouble filling the 8 foot reno - so throughout the year one of my sisters has been giving me the best decorations as gifts (she loves Christmas and has 7 yes seven trees!!) PT I am so grateful for your Christmas obsession - thank you. Most of the decorations are antiques, and have come from ebay purchases.  Red and pink are my favourite colours but overall the theme in our household is red and rich.  Ventured into the shops today - talk about busy!  Spotlight had 50% off all Christmas stuff - unbelievable.  I couldn't resist picking up a few treasures.



 Myer had 30% off too which was great.  How gorgeous is this shoe??

  For the past couple of nights I have been taking the 'mittens' (my daughters)  out for a drive to see all of the pretty lights.  They love it so much.  We play Christmas Carols in the car.  I have so much fun with them.  I have to admit I am a big kid when it comes to Christmas and love the lights too.   Before we go it is bathtime and they put on their jarmies so when we get home they easily go straight off to sleep. Mummies do try this - it works a treat!   Ahh if  only bedtime could be this easy all year..........

Ben's Budgie after Streeton

It's not every day that I get excited by an artist's work.  But when I picked up my December issue of 'Australian Country Style" I was mesmerized by the brilliance of Australian artist Ben Quilty.  I love his style very much.  I am now on a mission to acquire one of his works.  But of course I want the one which is hanging on his living room wall.


  Do you think he would part with it?  I wonder how much his work costs?  Could it be that I am craving some Australiana in my life?  I really am hungry for more.

Polka Dot Perfection

Hold on to your polka-dots people!  Is this not the cutest car you have ever seen on the road?  It's a little bit 'Herbie goes Bananas' if you asked me which is probably why I love it and also the small fact that I tend to be a polka-dot fan.



 The car belongs to the gorgeous Carey Oxley of My First Room. You should check out her website www.myfirstroom.com.au or if you are in Oxford Street Bulimba pop in and drool over all things cute for kids bedrooms.  I honestly want nearly everthing in that shop!