What happened in August?

August's calendar is crowded with Birthdays 7 in total.

Fortunately most only require a Text sending greetings and best wishes and the promise to 'Catch up Later'

But when Someone is turning SIX

Grandma is back making Cake Decorations.

This Time it was a request for a Magic Faraway Tree Cake.

A favourite bedtime story for DD and introduced to GD#1 via the new Movie.

I was sent a photo - Sorry I can't attribute this awesome cake, but it gave me the help I needed to make the decorations.

I made dozens of Rose Leaves, 

in several Fondant colours and dusting them in various shades.

As well as an assortment of Butterflies and Bugs.

Making hundreds of decorated Lollypops at the Whittlesea Show over the years was a good foundation to make the Cast of Characters.

Silky the Fairy and Moon-face were challenging as was Saucepan Man.

But I was delighted with Dame Wash-a-lot and her Soap Bubble Hair doo. Which happened by accident when a Butterfly Wing broke, leading me to adapting  other moulds to save time and frustration.

After making a Plaque in the shape of the Cloud at the Top of the Tree,

 

I packed everything up and handed over to DD & DGD#1 to make and decorate the Cupcakes for the small (new friends only) after school Party.

* * *

The Cake Decorator in me wanted this to be perfect. 

It was close enough to the Inspiration Photo but,

after all it is not about perfection it is about making a little girl happy.

And she was VERY Happy!

 

Bubbles and Birthday Cake

 

Happy Mini Mouse Birthday Sweetheart

Daddy did an awesome job on your cake 

(Traditionally 'Burning the Midnight Oil' with a 12:15 am text to Grandma)

Parties and Puddles

 

Happy Birthday Little One

May you never Stop Jumping in Puddles !

August: More Birthdays

 DD:- "Mum, I may need some help with the Birthday Cake...

'Someone' dropped the cast Iron Cookie tray on the Glass door,

So I don't have an Oven."

And that is how I found myself baking multiple cakes at short notice ....

I had Cakes in the Oven and Cakes in the Mixer and only one timer...

Until I realised that I had a Stopwatch - Lap timer on my wrist!

(Worked really well, especially when I remembered to set "GO")

Cakes baked, 

Filled with Strawberry Jam, 

and Iced with Fondant

 

then hand over to DD for her and DGD to decorate.

The finished Cake was a success.

Birthday Girl was Happy

And Lots of Compliments for Beautiful and Tasty Cake.

July Round-up

July 9:

While DS/DDIL#2 went off on a short break to Fitzroy Island with visiting Family from the USA, 

We found ourselves "Fur-Baby" Sitting.

We were wondering just How Spike would cope - but after some initial 'Stern Words' as to Who was Top Cat in the House ...

They settled to an uneasy Truce - 

And as long as no one was watching, they got along quite well.

July 20:

Happy Birthday Little Miss I (DGD#4).

Daddy did a Good Job of making the Iconic Women's Weekly Duck Birthday Cake.

July 30:

I was stunned to discover that TEN post comments, dating back to at least September 2022 were sitting in a SPAM folder that I didn't know existed! 

Happy to 'approve' them - and a belated Thankyou!

Life Goes on

Introducing Grand daughter Number 5.

Another impatient lass who obviously wants to see as much of 2025 as possible.

Flora Nadalin

18th January 2025

2 weeks early 

7 lb 5 oz  (3,400 gm)

Little Sister to GD #2 & #4 

(Miss H and Miss I)

(With 5 Little Girls maybe it's time for that Embroidery Machine????)

Cakes, Cookies & Parties

Whittlesea show:

A Bit of a difference this year with just One Demonstration each day.

 

Our President Iced and decorated a Christmas Cake while 'Yours Truly' ran the commentary!

GD#2 - Picnic Birthday

What could possibly go wrong?

An Uncle holding a Piñata at arms length while a 2 yr old swings at it with a Broomstick!

More Birthdays:

Late night Text from DS#1:  

"I hate Fondant - And my Hands Hurt!": 

For Little Miss H's 4th Birthday He Made 

A (hand coloured) striped, Fondant Covered, Stacked Black Forest Cat in the Hat Birthday Cake.  

Very ambitious for just his 4th Cake! 

Biscuit baking:

I don't know just HOW this started but I find myself delving into the realm of Sugar Cookies. 

(I am blaming it on Instagram!) 

"Freeze the Cookies before Baking" (They had better be worth it for all the fuss.)

September 19th

 

Celebrating a Very Happy 40th Birthday 

With Family

and Friends

and Cake

And Balloons...

And a chance to get all 4 Granddaughters stationary at the same time!

JUNE

 What do you do when it is your Birthday on a Cold day in June?

Go to the Zoo and hang out with the Butterflies!

OR

Have a Chat with a T Rex

(The Dinosaurs are only here until July 14th)

November

Once again I am playing 'Catch Up' So - What happened in November?

The First Weekend in November is Demonstrating Simple Cake Decorations to the Children at the Whittlesea Show.  

Each year we hope we will get some new Members for our efforts.

At home, we Introduced DGD#2 

(Little Miss H) to Our Fairy Garden.

Looks Like Grandpa is a bit Big to play in here! 

She also Celebrated her 3rd Birthday with a Cat Themed Party.

Her Cake was made by Mum (DDIL#1) from the Iconic Australian Women's Weekly Birthday Cake Book.

The rest of the Month was taken up with Renovating the Bathroom. 

It's a Long process if you are to do it right.

Flooring had to be removed to prepare for the Shower Base to be Installed.

When we removed the Tiles from the Shower recess wall we found a Power point or in fact the back of one.

At some point in time a Plumber didn't think that THIS could be a Safety Issue.

Fortunately the Month ended with the arrival of the Electrician and moving the Power Point was added to the list!

Happy Birthday Little One

Miss P.  GD#3
She arrived a Year Ago next Tuesday, 

But today is her 1st Birthday Party. 

She was a little overwhelmed by all the attention

and almost slept through "Cake Time".

I think DD did a wonderful job of the Cake

after a quick Phone call of

"Help Mum I need Mermaid Decorations!"

All I had to do was make the Mermaid Tails

which was very Simple once I located some Moulds at a Local Party Shop.

(I also dusted some Guerlain Seashell Chocolates which when carefully separated made excellent decorations too!)

  

Hello World .

 Introducing -

Penelope Esme

Born 4:20 am

31 October 2022

The bit that they don't tell you about being Grand Parents is...

Trying to explain to a Sick* 2 yr Old who just wants "Mummy Cuddles" that Mummy is a Bit Busy at the moment.

And the fact you will need to be On Call to leave a Half Hour before they actually call you!

Mum & Bub are Fine - Grandparents VERY sleep deprived!

*GD#1 has a Cold

Little Miss A is turning 2.

And as this was the first opportunity for her to have a Party 

- Her Cake had to be awesome.

I had always planned on using the Top Tier of DD's Wedding Cake (which had been vacuum packed) but 8 years was too much and although it looked fine - it just didn't taste good.

Plan B - Outsource the base cake from a company that makes Cakes to decorate.  

I still needed height for the cake and made a Gluten Free layer to sculpt.  Keeping it away from the Caramel Mud was a challenge but achievable.

Thursday Night:  I had the 2 layers together, sculpted and Crumb coated with (GF) Buttercream, and covered in Fondant.

Friday Morning was scheduled to help clean and prepare DD's house for the Party. 

I could spare the morning but not getting home until 4:00 pm meant I would be burning the Midnight Oil to get this cake made. 

By dinner time I had the bones of the Cake's main feature taking shape.

11:30 pm  It was not just Dragon who needed propping up for a sleep but he was done all but the Dusting and that could wait until the morning.

It is amazing how a touch of Colour (applied not unlike Makeup) can bring a model to life.

I was extra pleased that He actually looked somewhat like the photo in The Book!

(Enchanting Magical Cakes by Debbie Brown)

Happy Birthday was Sung 

(in a Surprisingly Tuneful way) and the Cake was cut and devoured in less time than it took to make.

Little Miss A's comment of 

"Dragon asleep on Mountain" 

made it all worth it.

And a Cake Review from one of the Guests (Ryan 7)

"That Cake was amazing.  It looked so good and tasted good but I think it looked better than it tasted that's how good it looked". 

Um? ... I'll take that as a Compliment. Thank you.

* * * * *

Footnote:  

This post is dedicated to 'Auntie' Em.  

Who lost her Mum the day before and still came to the Party.  Love and Hugs.

Happy Birthday.

Where has the year Gone?

In a Whirlwind of Firsts!

A lot of which we have missed

But not this One.

 Today it is GD#2

Little Mis H's FIRST Birthday!

Birthdays Lockdown Style.

Yesterday we were given a bit more "Freedom".  

Our 5 km restriction was stretched to 10 km.  (Although I am starting to feel like a Puppy on a Retractable Leash, I understand why we have to do this.)

As a Kid, Try as I might I just could not understand Venn Diagrams.  

Today I happily drew one - 10 km from Us and 10 km from DD.

Somewhere in the middle they Overlapped.  

And we were able to see her for her Birthday!

Now, we ARE allowed a Picnic (with conditions) BUT I am sure the wind was straight off the Antarctic.  

So Picnic in the Car it was!

[And Bessie has a Great Cubby in the Back ;) ]

And while the Grown-ups were sorting Whose Coffee was Whose...

In swooped 'The Strawberry Thief"

For a Little One that has only just turned One - She did a very good impression of the Seagull that Stole my Sandwich!

There wasn't much left of the Birthday Cake Decoration by the time Miss A had finished - 

This Girl LOVES her fruit and devoured every single piece she took.

So Happy Birthday to MY DD.  

It may not have been the Celebration we would have liked but a precious memory anyway. 

Hope the next one can be celebrated in Style!

Happy Birthday Little One

 

One Year ago we were in lockdown.

One year ago we welcomed our 
First Grand Daughter -on Zoom - 

and waited for our first cuddle.

Today we are again in Lockdown

Today we wished her Happy Birthday 

- Via Google Duo - 
and wait for a Birthday cuddle.

A Week to Remember

Restrictions on travel between Regional and Melbourne were lifted

 as at 11:59 PM Sunday 8th November.

We had not seen our D-DIL since May when they arrived with THIS in hand.

Surprize!

Unable to go to them, 

We have watched her progress through Instagram, 

emails and Zoom.

With Baby due December 5th

We have even had the Baby Shower via Zoom

Monday, the restrictions on reasons 
for travel were lifted. 

Tuesday, they came down to Melbourne
to Attend the Wedding.

Wednesday 11:40 PM

Obviously not wanting to miss any more of the "Fun that is 2020"

Hazel Mae turned up

- 3 Weeks early!

In the space of 34 hours we gained a Daughter-in-Law and a Grand Daughter.

It's been a VERY big week.