Five. FIVE!!! A party, rainbows and a unicorn cake.

So my big girl just turned five today.

My mind is still trying to comprehend how that can be...

I can still recall the very moments of her coming into this world and my first cuddle like it was only mere months not years ago.

My girl gave me the most special gift I could ever be given - she gave me motherhood. Watching, sharing and creating memories with my girls compares to nothing else.

I love being part of what I hope is happy memory creation.

Here's my girl:

The cake (that took hours and hours over a number of days to create) that she went nuts over... and lets face it - there's a little bit of a lot of vicarious enjoyment on my part):

The candy/cake buffet:

and another:

 And for now, after having the party today I'm so exhausted... so I'll be back in a day or so (once I clean, clean and then clean some more - just can't deal with it tonight and yes, tomorrow in the morning I'll wish I did - but I go to bed with the awareness my cranky morning self will kick my own butt).

I'll have more photo's. I've become a lazy phone camera photo taker - thanks Instagram! But my SIL had her whizz bang camera on hand so I'm hoping she got some good shots so I'll be back to show them off and to dish the info on inspiration sources, the how to's (and the how not's) and to gush a little more about my gorgeous little girls who are growing up...

 WAY. TOO. FAST.

xoxoxo

Getting ready to PAAAR-TAY!

Only 3 more sleeps till my big girl (aka Big Little Miss M) turns FIVE!!!

FIVE!!!

Hasn't quite sunk in yet and I'm not sure how the years went quite so fast...

The theme for Saturday's party is rainbow's and Unicorns. Here's a peek at what we've organised so far:

The invites... (not as pretty when I've 'jittered' out personal info but I'm sure you get the idea) I mounted these on rainbow coloured corrugated card stock with a brad.

Some of the tissue paper pom poms:

The chupa-chup lollipop ball... the pops are covered with crepe paper (Still a bit of prettying up to do but it's almost there:

Chocolate spoons (yep, she had some of these on last years birthday candy buffet, but they are so easy and pretty that I had to make them again)

Test run on a good old favourite... marble cake:

Rainbow fondant curlicues:

More candy than you can poke a stick at:

I've been wanting to try this for so long... it took pretty much the whole day with all the layers and waiting for the jelly to set. Many recipes refer to the opaque layer being cool whip but since I can't get that anywhere convenient here in regional Aussieland I just divided each jello mix in half before the step to add the cold water, and in one half mixed through a generous dollop or so of cream to achieve the pastel opaque layer in each colour. Obviously the use of dairy product does impact the longevity of the jelly but this stuff won't be sitting around for very long I'm sure!

It's still all stations go with plenty more to be done before party day... a unicorn costume, cake pops, cupcakes, a unicorn cake, a photo booth backdrop etc etc... all to create a wonderful, magical, unicorn filled day for my very special little lady - after all we only turn five once!

Oh, it's getting late, I'm rushed and my brain is somewhat frazzled but I had to let you know that the sources of my rainbow inspiration can be found over on my pinterest boards - link over on the right side bar - (I wish I could come up with this stuff but mostly I give the highest praise to those creators through the act of imitation and modification - go check out the originals and be amazed at the wonderfully talented and creative bloggers that give us the ideas that allow us to create the magic for our own little ones).

Much love and magical rainbows and unicorns to you!

xoxoxo

The week that's been...

Busy, busy, busy...

I honestly feel like I blinked and I was time transported from Christmas 2011 to now with the first half of the year feeling like it has whizzed by in a blurry whir (actually, it feels like I turned 18 and then bam! The days, months and years began crazily churning over).

Yes... I do always think of how people say the years go faster as you get older... it must be a true sign you're getting older when you start saying this more frequently and then feeling that slight twang of panic and wonder at just how fast can each year get.

*Sigh* Anyway, I think you get the picture... I feel like someone is stealing my hours and pushing fast forward on the clock... even as a young child I used to wish I could stop time by touching my two index fingers together and then race round getting everything I didn't have time to do done... I wish this now more than ever it seems.... what was that television show? (oh the wonder of google... Another World... just watched a few little clips on youtube - man, I never remember it being so dated... haha).

Well, here's a quick catch/round up on the week that's been... 

My gorgeous little one turned three...

My sister in law had a perfectly beautiful baby girl on Tuesday...

My two little ones think their new little cousin is simply ADORABLE

I did a spot of sewing inspired and for the gorgeous little one pictured above...

The bonnet although a XS seems a little big in comparison to the shoes and appliquéd onsie so I might whip up some more over the weekend... little baby clothes make me go all crazy clucky!!!

And now with the next birthday party only three weeks away it's still all party, planning madness around here... My five year old has requested a unicorn rainbow party... so were all about fulfilling magical little girls whimsy and imagination here and I'm just a little bit of a lot excited!

I bought a special lamb cake tin which google and the power of the internet tells me I can refashion once baked into an awesome looking unicorn... I guess that remains to be seen! I've got my fingers crossed for my little girl!

Well, I didn't really keep you all up to date with my photo a day May challenge but it kind of felt like I was doubling up posting it here and on Instagram (and on FB) so if you wanted to check it out search me out on Instagram I'm easy enough to find... (there's even a handy little link in my sidebar ☺)

Cheers till next time... I'm hoping to get more sewing done over the weekend (along with cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, cooking and all things equally domesticated... I just might need a glass of red first to find my motivation).

xo

My girl, a party, some clown pops, a carousel cake and a photobooth

Tomorrow, this gorgeous girl turns three!

Yesterday we celebrated with a little person circus party (tomorrow night it will be a family affair)

I was at my disorganised best (one day I will find my long misplaced sense and ability of time management and order)... I had many moments of doubt as to whether it would all come together or be one big dismal and chaotic mess... I had cooking disasters, planned party activity misjudgements, a colour scheme decision that caused nothing but angst (surprising considering they were really mainstream nothing out of the ordinary), orders for party wear not arrive in time (and you can bet my house it'll arrive in tomorrows mail now that the party is done and dusted), and just not enough hours in the day...

but it all turned out well in the end and most importantly my little lady had a great day with friends and family that I just know she adores!

I think my problem is I get a picture in my mind of how I want everything to look and be for the day and that picture is sometimes a little overboard or unrealistic! I mean what three year old seriously gives a second thought about colour co-ordinated candy, napkins, tableclothes or even the detail on the cake so long as there is cake?

Speaking of cake... here 'tis:

(and yes those horses do look familiar... I forgot to add to my list of pre-party disasters the fact that the horses I decorated and painted just did not make the grade this year and at an ungodly hour on the morning of the party I was rummaging about, then dusting off the horses I'd painted, saddled and reined and glitzed up for my big girls party a couple of years ago).

*Sigh* I truly felt jinxed at many (MANY) points during the party prep!

I do quite love how it turned out - I just don't know if appearance matches the time input on this baby though! Again, most importantly the little one loved it! Nothing beats the sparkly way their eye's light up when they see the cake for the first time all finished!

When I manage to work out the video editing program (which is being unco-operative at the minute) I will post a little video of the cake in action... I'd set it on an automatic rotating disc so that it actually rotated as well... to add to the whole carousel effect - and yes I do believe I mentioned already my tendency to go just a tad overboard for birthdays... but as a mum I do take quite seriously my title (self-appointed of course) of Chief Childhood Memory Creator for my little munchkins!) 

And so here's a few other party related pics...

The clown pops... these pops gave me a little grief this time round - have made pops quite a few times now and not ever had dramas but honestly jinxed I tell you... I'd had a massive production line going making about three times the amount you see below only to be afflicted with cracks, sliding pop heads (down the stick that is). I managed to salvage this motley bunch by reattaching hats and more hair to cover the cracks... I love their little faces and how when I look at this photo they look like they've got all different personalities! 

And just so you know, all the time spent on these and I left them at home in the fridge!

They didn't even get a showing at the venue!

But never mind I have a feeling they are going to 'pop' up at the family birthday dinner tomorrow.

My hastily thrown together 'photo-booth' and dress up station...

My gorgeous birthday girl xo

What you can't see is the little wooden blue stool that I painted (and repainted) for this whole scene... check out my instagram if you want to admire (tongue in cheek obv.) my awesome spray painting abilities!

More photobooth...

Big Little Miss M and gorgeous City Cousin (here on in designated the psuedonym C.C)

and more...

Pity Big Little Miss M had lost interest in posing and was nowhere to be found! Feels all sorts of wrong to have a family pic like this but without all of us in it... I've decided to maybe try a recreated photo session with all of us... maybe tomorrow on her birthday I'm thinking!

Still more...

SIL and the super cute CC ;) Huge commitment from SIL who travelled a round trip of 4hrs when she quite literally could have bub no.2 at any stage... My girls love their awesome Auntie and cousin!

Pinata time...

Do you ever find it a little odd or troubling that we encourage our kids at parties to belt the you know what out of a poor unsuspecting clown with a great big baton until his body is quite literally severed from his head and flung across the room and then instantaneously pounced upon by the kiddos with a raging display of pack mentality all in order to load up, stash and secure as their own as much candy as possible? Whilst we then try to teach them to share and be kind and to not hit etc etc... Hmm... thinking too much I think. I LOVED pinata's as a child and I turned out alright... 

I think :P

The take-home party treat boxes...

And that's it for now... more coming soon.