tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16978397737639856312024-03-19T20:46:09.013-07:00Madame ClochetteSamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-16243127004914208512017-07-26T17:59:00.000-07:002017-07-26T17:59:58.257-07:00Kids in the KitchenWe all know that cooking with kids is a great idea, a fun thing to do, a great bonding experience. Even educational. It may also be your version of hell.<br />
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If you're considering getting into the kitchen with your small one, if the guilt has finally gotten to you, coming to terms with the following facts will save your sanity.<br />
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1. <strong>It'll be messy.</strong><br />
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There's no getting away from this. There will be mess. Even the simplest of recipes will make a mess. Flour on the floor. Batter in your kids hair, or yours. Sauce in places it couldn't possibly be. Mentally prepare yourself for a lot of mess. It's all part of the fun. Sorta.<br />
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2. <strong>It won't be perfect.</strong><br />
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If you're a perfectionist, maybe you should just take your kids to the park instead. Biscuits will be oddly shaped. The cake will rise wonky. Something will burn. <br />
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3. <strong>It will be slow.</strong> <br />
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Especially with really young kids. Little hands don't work as fast, aren't as strong. Also, they get distracted pretty easily. <br />
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4. <strong>Your kid will eat all the ingredients before you've made anything.</strong><br />
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My daughter eats the flour. The mixture. Any kind of dough. All spices. Butter is eaten in chunks. They will spend most of their time "Tasting".<br />
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5. <strong>They will get bored.</strong><br />
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It's very possible, that after a little while they'll just lose interest and you'll be up to your elbows in chocolate cake, or un-iced sugar cookies. This can be a blessing in disguise.<br />
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Still wanna cook with your kids? Then take my advice....Or not.<br />
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1. <strong>Time it right.</strong><br />
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Mid-morning, on the weekend, when you've been sufficiently coffee'd or tea'd into consciousness. You'll be less rushed, and there'll be plenty of time to create and <em>eat</em> your masterpiece.<br />
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2. <strong>Set the scene.</strong> <br />
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Clear off as much space as possible. You'll need it. Everyone washes their hands. Everyone dons an apron. Grab a stool for the short people, or if your knees can take it, set up at the kids table. (Move it into the kitchen if that saves the carpet.)<br />
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3.<strong>Read the recipe.</strong><br />
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Make sure you've read the recipe <em>numerous</em> times, especially if you haven't made it before. Kids in the kitchen are totally distracting and it's easy to miss a step!<br />
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4. <strong>Let your kids actually do stuff.</strong> <br />
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Measure out the flour. Crack an egg. Stir things. Show them how, but try not to take over. Jump in when they need a bit of muscle, or if you're using electric beaters.<br />
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5. <strong>Let them taste everything.</strong> <br />
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Yes, even the flour. It's a great time to get them actually thinking about flavours. Is it salty? Is it sweet? Spicy? Dry or wet? Slimy or smooth?<br />
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6.<strong> Let them lick the bowl.</strong> <br />
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Licking the bowl is one of life's pleasures. I know there's hoo-ha about raw eggs etc, but I've never keeled over from ingesting cake batter, have you?<br />
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6. <strong>Even Chefs clean.</strong><br />
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If they haven't already done a runner once the cake is in the oven, get them involved in the clean up. They can rinse stuff off in the sink, wash their hands, put the aprons away. Or just kick them out and do it yourself... you'll be needing a cup of tea by now.<br />
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7. <strong>Congratulate them on a job well done.</strong> <br />
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Bang on to anyone who will listen about how the small fry made the scones. They will beam with pride and it will all be worth it.<br />
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8. <strong>Smile Smugly.</strong><br />
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You've earned it. File the memory away for those days when you feel like a totally crap mum who does nothing but yell.<br />
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Or is that just me?<br />
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Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-36120202245896849342017-03-20T19:29:00.000-07:002017-04-18T22:01:02.927-07:00Melbourne Coffee SnobI think we have turned our kid into a Melbourne coffee snob, or worse... a <em>foodie</em>.<br />
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If she's not asking for a Babycino, she's asking to go to a cafe for lunch. Or saying things like "I can have wine when I get bigger". <br />
And when I say "we" ... I mean it. I'm not taking all the blame for this! <em>I'm looking at you Mr Frog</em>.<br />
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Tadpoles first Babycino was free. The waitress taking our coffee order apologised as she brought our order to the table. "I'm sorry, she's so beautiful I made her a Babycino." Free drinks at about 18 months. I was so proud.<br />
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I used to think Babycinos were the dumbest thing ever and only for the ridiculous Brighton mums who enjoyed pandering to their children and treating them like tiny adults.<em> Hmm... Perhaps I'm still holding some sort of prejudice</em>. Anyway, once you have kids of your own, or even borrow one for a day, you realise that Babycinos are actually The. Best. Thing. Ever.<br />
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First of all, you can bribe kids with them. Don't judge.<br />
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Second, they're really cute, and sometimes even come with SPRINKLES!<br />
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And third... Well they just make her so happy. Just watching her enjoy something so simple, a cup of frothy milk for goodness sake, is one of life's even simpler pleasures.<br />
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It does however become a bit of a habit. A nice, albeit, slightly snooty sounding one.<br />
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A few weeks ago I dragged poor Tadpole with me to do the groceries. I usually do them on a day she's at Kinder but I was kinda hoping to save myself a little me time, so a team job it was.<br />
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We head to Aldi first where I do the majority of our shop. She's getting extra attention today because she's wearing a sparkly dress, sparkly shoes, numerous necklaces, bracelets and a ring, plus some beads on her head like a little boho crown. She looks fabulous and hilarious.<em> And</em> she's well behaved. All good. Next we head to Coles to get the bits and pieces they don't have at Aldi. Once we're done she wants to know where we're going next. "Home for lunch" I say in my best mum voice. ( You know, wildly optimistic and excited about a ham sandwich).<br />
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"No, I want to go to a café".<br />
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Yeah. I don't blame you kid.<br />
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We love to eat out, although it's not a regular occurrence. When we do, we get really into it. We're all about tasting everything in our house so Tadpole is quite happy to eat stuffed zucchini flowers and the like. And while she'll try most things, most of the time, getting her to sit still at restaurants was once one of my biggest fears. She's really very good ( humble brag) but there's only so much sitting still a three year old can do.<br />
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And that's how the <b>Art Pocket</b> came about. ( See what I did there? ) As a solution to a fidgety Tadpole. We had gotten into the habit of taking a little pack of Textas and colouring pages in the nappy bag, but the Textas kept falling out of the cardboard packet and there was nowhere to keep any finished masterpieces. I designed the Art Pocket to have a slightly smaller zip than the length of the pencil case, so the pencils are less likely to fall out, and there's a pocket to slip in a Visual Diary, plus keep the other random colouring pages she gets given when we're out. Sometimes, when I'm feeling like a super fabulous mum, I slip some stickers into the pencil case as a surprise. Yeah, I know. I'm awesome. *insert eye roll*<br />
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We take it everywhere. And I'm pretty bloody proud of my little invention.<br />
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Now you. How do you keep children entertained and relatively quiet in "grown up" spaces?<br />
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What have you introduced your kid to that you kinda wish you hadn't?<br />
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To see how groovy the Art Pocket is (yes, I said GROOVY), check out this little video I made. Or just watch it and laugh at my annoying voice.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="169" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v3tvv4fhNxc" width="300"></iframe>
<strong>To buy one</strong>, or <em>many</em>, or to have me create one <strong>just for you</strong>, go to <a href="http://www.madameclochette.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Madame Clochette</a>.<br />
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A bientôt<br />
<br />
Sam, Madame Clochette<br />
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Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-72451763647721265312017-03-07T21:00:00.000-08:002017-03-07T21:02:48.841-08:00A Day in the Life of an International WomanThis morning, I dropped Tadpole off at Daycare, then headed to the local shopping centre to look for dice for Mr Frog, buy some fruit, and post an order.<br />
When I got home, I sat down for a belated breakfast and scrolled through Instagram as I ate. <br />
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International Womens Day posts abounded, and I was happy to see it. Then I jumped up, and started a few of the must-do chores in my day. Changed Tadpoles linen d put the washing on (leaky nappy this morning), did the dishes, made the bed. I was juuust about to spray the shower with cleaning product when I remembered. It's International Womens Day! No cleaning for me today! Just the basics. *Foot stomp. Hand on hip.*<br />
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And so, I did MY stuff. Edited photos (I'm so fancy), brain stormed promotions, competitions and taglines for my Art Pockets (more on that soon), and faffed around some more on social media. <br />
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I'd like to top my day off with a couple of wines with some fabulous women at my mates bar ( <a href="http://republicofelwood.com.au/" target="_blank">The Republic of Elwood</a>, but instead...<br />
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I'll pick up Tadpole from Daycare, make dinner (Risotto), put the little one to bed, tidy the kitchen, and then collapse on the couch.<br />
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Just the basics.<br />
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How did you spend International Womens Day?<br />
Is it something I can be jealous of? <br />
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Tell me in the comments!<br />
<br />
MC<br />
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Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-85650654606946462702016-01-13T21:36:00.000-08:002016-01-13T21:36:49.742-08:00Now Or Never - How I almost Gave up, and The Little Black Bag2015 was the year of The Ultimatum.<br />
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Business hadn't been great. I'd been making a sale maybe once every six months or so. I couldn't really make more stuff, and enjoy it, if they were just going to sit in a pile with everything else. Mr Frog had even gone as far as to say "Nobody wants what you're selling".<br />
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<i>I know</i>.<br />
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But I wondered if he was right. <i>Briefly</i>.<br />
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<b>No.</b> <i>He wasn't.</i> I knew it in my bones. But what I was doing, or <i>not</i> doing, wasn't working and it was time to get serious or let it go.<br />
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I gave myself until Christmas to improve business. Six months and if nothing changed, well then Madame Clochette as we know it would be taking a break... to perhaps re-emerge in another form, or not.<br />
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I met with a woman named Sandy from the City Council Mentor program and after discussing the current situation my business was in, Sandy deemed Madame Clochette to be a <i>Hobby</i>, not a <i>busines</i>s, and therefore not eligible for a mentor. I was devastated. But she was right. She suggested a range of things to try in order to change that fact and said she hoped to see me in the near future. To my chagrin, all her suggestions were things I already knew had to be done.<br />
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Firstly, I knew I needed a product I could replicate, that could be my "bread and butter" as they say in the biz. Looking at my range, all one of a kind, I realised I didn't have what every woman needs; a Little Black Bag. <br />
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Presenting...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEzFNFJh_swmrMnmo6FzAzK-cGU4xLdi4_9b7p8BdMeCgb_Vi_8Zbyxx8MWdPBjD38XlJUk-u8p-TZ7RiuxWnCWlGLCFcC7tKiX-ICJjspRlJQpiWY-bQ77SqnBlXHOYsd-DOuyTuK-o/s1600/LBB1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEzFNFJh_swmrMnmo6FzAzK-cGU4xLdi4_9b7p8BdMeCgb_Vi_8Zbyxx8MWdPBjD38XlJUk-u8p-TZ7RiuxWnCWlGLCFcC7tKiX-ICJjspRlJQpiWY-bQ77SqnBlXHOYsd-DOuyTuK-o/s640/LBB1.jpg" width="572" /></a></div>
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<br />This bag is the perfect start to your Madame Clochette collection. The fabric will take you from day to night, and the handles will match whatever you're wearing. And because it's not one of a kind, it's a little cheaper for you, and faster to make for me. Everyone wins!<br />
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Meanwhile I decided I needed to actually start marketing my product, rather than just list it on Etsy and hope for the best, which had been my "strategy" up until now. So, with inspiration at hand in the form of a magazine tear sheet,(thank you Dior and Natalie Portman) I prettied myself up and spent a toddler free day pretending to be a model..It was pretty crazy; setting the timer, posing and running back to check the results over and over. Some day I'll miss being the model.<br />
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I even started playing around with Pic Monkey. It's a little bit addictive.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQ7Q3XSc0BqKPq_1mYOBeSS2rgBdhREvHnzRsewiar_EheBfJs6RbUW6DEWqSpHaNvh42HWQiyjC7KF5xR5hJG4oRJ-Td4V7C-Y7Av37R9ba80MwKsoE_umytWEZY1WrjDG2f_okEzlw/s1600/LBB+Postcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQ7Q3XSc0BqKPq_1mYOBeSS2rgBdhREvHnzRsewiar_EheBfJs6RbUW6DEWqSpHaNvh42HWQiyjC7KF5xR5hJG4oRJ-Td4V7C-Y7Av37R9ba80MwKsoE_umytWEZY1WrjDG2f_okEzlw/s640/LBB+Postcard.jpg" width="570" /></a></div>
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<br />
The L.B.B is now available in store at a reasonable $30... and that now includes your choice of simple gold or silver handles. Just F.Y.I....<br />
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<br />
When I wander around Spotlight, I marvel at all the pretty vintage inspired fabrics and choose the fabrics I love. That's called shopping for your <i>hobby</i>. Shopping for the business needs to incorporate my own sense of style AND what customers might actually want to spend their hard earned cash on. I came across the Leatherette collection on the racks at Spotlight. Behold! I originally had designs on the white Pleather, ( I know, mental, but <i>Oh M</i>y!) yet quickly came to my senses and grabbed the Pewter, because after a Little Black Bag, a lady needs a little Silver bag. I loved the fabric so much that I made some in Black too... including one just for me. I use it <i>everyday</i>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5N8mUk-DAHlok-GQx7-Xv7UOKgBP3dRPbtHRHSpn3mjqs6HFgDPfQdQjWdOTROO1-kIXIaDHhX4HZiU8ymkdxDZF5ikKlfufb4sU8Xasg6qsD1Z3Vk0f3t_ZsM7A-5paiK-yamid-OG4/s1600/12105052_1682778088602412_1669462133_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5N8mUk-DAHlok-GQx7-Xv7UOKgBP3dRPbtHRHSpn3mjqs6HFgDPfQdQjWdOTROO1-kIXIaDHhX4HZiU8ymkdxDZF5ikKlfufb4sU8Xasg6qsD1Z3Vk0f3t_ZsM7A-5paiK-yamid-OG4/s640/12105052_1682778088602412_1669462133_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Instagram shot of my bag in action, pushing the pram to the park.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
I was starting to think like a busniess woman. Like a <b>Boss</b>. I started paying attention to my accounts, recording what went out, and what came in. Meanwhile I'd started making a sale a month. Some were to friends who like my work and can't resist Snakeskin, others to friends of friends or strangers online. <b>One sale a month, instead of one every six</b>. Things were looking up, but I still had until xmas.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8InU6dg5mvhoSkix6mBhD93I1YchB10N4yW1fRt2v5z6xRsTLdKU6CPEJbD9rNZB8ckBzXxH8pWn_jqH-Z-CwOwgj4lJ7loQIlNUykXBAQSq24tDVucFrAqk_tWX7ivIg-qLmo1izm9A/s1600/2015-08-04+001+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8InU6dg5mvhoSkix6mBhD93I1YchB10N4yW1fRt2v5z6xRsTLdKU6CPEJbD9rNZB8ckBzXxH8pWn_jqH-Z-CwOwgj4lJ7loQIlNUykXBAQSq24tDVucFrAqk_tWX7ivIg-qLmo1izm9A/s640/2015-08-04+001+021.JPG" width="630" /></a></div>
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Markets for me have always been pretty hit or miss... mostly miss. I just couldn't get a feel for the one that suited me. In December 2014 I tried out the Kingston Arts Makers Market, held at twilight a few weeks before xmas. It was my best market yet and so I was excited to see how things would go in 2015. <br />
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I couldn't have been more surprised. I was <b>BUSY</b>. I sold Book covers, Bags and coin purses.<br />
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It was so <i>thrilling</i>. And <i>validating</i>. And a relief.<br />
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Mr Frog was, as you can imagine, beyond shocked. And very happy for me. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQBYz5OwaD2CMFQRW_HBESvLzEccUw4osg_PyGS52Sn9QYUL5-3sCrU0UtVmK9RKV5skUywjwsj-bERAF6vTu446i7DVD6ZHF2VRPGIDxv1BPMp5UGDrbNZ0GasijO1ALnpsWFIyCSaM/s1600/2015-12-04+001+059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQBYz5OwaD2CMFQRW_HBESvLzEccUw4osg_PyGS52Sn9QYUL5-3sCrU0UtVmK9RKV5skUywjwsj-bERAF6vTu446i7DVD6ZHF2VRPGIDxv1BPMp5UGDrbNZ0GasijO1ALnpsWFIyCSaM/s640/2015-12-04+001+059.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at the market, looking pretty bloody pleased with myself.</td></tr>
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So Christmas came and the verdict is in. Madame Clochette is gearing up for a fabulous year. I've got an actual craft room now (a <i>studio</i> if you will) and I'm all set to start re-stocking Cocktail bags, Book covers and Coin purses.<br />
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Isn't it amazing what happens when you actually put your mind to something?<br />
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What will 2016 be the year of?<br />
<br />
Who knows. But I've got a good feeling.<br />
<br />
<i>Did you reflect on last year? What did you come up with?</i><br />
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<i>MC </i> <br />
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<br />Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-48870060240097843182015-10-15T01:31:00.000-07:002015-10-15T01:31:12.227-07:00The "No Gifts" RuleLet's get things straight. I hate the "No Gifts" rule given by well meaning friends and family. I know it's given as a means of controlling the intake of crap, it's often a heartfelt "please don't spend your hard earned money on us" plea, and I don't know, is there another reason?<br />
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Well, I have a loop hole. <b>Homemade gifts</b>.<br />
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It can't just be <i>Hand</i>made, like you can't pay someone else to make it, that's cheating and and not covered by the Loophole. The aim is to give a gift that you <i>made</i>. <i><b>That's</b></i> the loophole.<br />
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The buying of supplies doesn't count, so shop away.<br />
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Unfortunately, or fortunately (we <i>are</i> trying to save for a house now. Remember my dream house?) I had all I needed for this little project.<br />
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First, I checked with the hostess on the colour scheme for her home. This is when the "No Gifts" rule was proclaimed and I hit back with my loophole (while also promising that I would only make something if I had the time. Pfft! I <u>make</u> time for crafts baby!)<br />
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Next I grabbed an inherited-from-a-friend, mini square canvas.<br />
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I covered it in a grey/white scrapbooking paper, using double sided tape to stick it down.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTH_dTq0mde4tKVtQIqF0gh5Zbwkd7ASJi66qmKpxDAM9bdRZ_nCKHdpp495ROgyaWYEvkJp5NnsxOvElK7Oeq5IeNdoRBo3-1cDP1wLarxcREgUJbXKfAdsYeoVx1gY8grYpHX61nh54/s1600/2015-10-05+001+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTH_dTq0mde4tKVtQIqF0gh5Zbwkd7ASJi66qmKpxDAM9bdRZ_nCKHdpp495ROgyaWYEvkJp5NnsxOvElK7Oeq5IeNdoRBo3-1cDP1wLarxcREgUJbXKfAdsYeoVx1gY8grYpHX61nh54/s640/2015-10-05+001+004.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add another strip to that thing and it's covered!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Then I printed out An Irish Blessing, using grey and yellow ink.<br />
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I stuck it on my covered canvas with tape.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dVOPA08f_wExNTKLLb5w31lFofmVP0PSOvdb2wfcXtnQN4xase5N19q1r3jC1dkHR-7_ZojJu0XKyaEwtdQaMsmcFALHgzldjbcojAru-qIJK_5doZr5-FAFTQ3wSvnvIKBPUNY5cHM/s1600/2015-10-05+001+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dVOPA08f_wExNTKLLb5w31lFofmVP0PSOvdb2wfcXtnQN4xase5N19q1r3jC1dkHR-7_ZojJu0XKyaEwtdQaMsmcFALHgzldjbcojAru-qIJK_5doZr5-FAFTQ3wSvnvIKBPUNY5cHM/s640/2015-10-05+001+005.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It looks like it's coming off, but I assure you I fixed it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
Then wrapped a yellow ribbon around it, taping it all around.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbgVsIvEXTi5TE2lHiV2-6MmcTwEVDWoo29YF7hC3qvSPqoWTKHdsu4igoxCPEwhyvVapC9hRGcfzNv6wiPZ59GmB6Cz9-Yfy3xssxoNR5PQaB-OtmDv5Xq3xSzXgJxkeY8VpNKUYiaiw/s1600/2015-10-05+001+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbgVsIvEXTi5TE2lHiV2-6MmcTwEVDWoo29YF7hC3qvSPqoWTKHdsu4igoxCPEwhyvVapC9hRGcfzNv6wiPZ59GmB6Cz9-Yfy3xssxoNR5PQaB-OtmDv5Xq3xSzXgJxkeY8VpNKUYiaiw/s640/2015-10-05+001+006.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute enough to display and small enough to stash in the cupboard if they hate it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
Voila!<br />
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Wrapped it with some inherited-from-a-friend wrapping paper, tied a bow with a strip of scrap fabric, and That's it!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbQO9W_tB6ZmdwDZORDxPuez1SuhNj6rvdsb_MRPs5CEAJOGFgA7K87eRUkYWo4yo1YyLUPeYkTA9gXAMY1EkxWUjq7GuqBocTbhgDblGw-oz4sz3KRqIUGrqNFY7KPsQfqtKFC4eYIk/s1600/2015-10-10+001+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbQO9W_tB6ZmdwDZORDxPuez1SuhNj6rvdsb_MRPs5CEAJOGFgA7K87eRUkYWo4yo1YyLUPeYkTA9gXAMY1EkxWUjq7GuqBocTbhgDblGw-oz4sz3KRqIUGrqNFY7KPsQfqtKFC4eYIk/s640/2015-10-10+001+005.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this green paper... but I only have a little bit left *sob*</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03x3ctkJJBs6Mpq-OK4Qso8ncuUdhJDp5BBvZPheai_PSLcU-P0GAPE0snp2v9UYtIy6GJuuBE7lJyGl4jQcYXNdD_jEtLzKdl1nmfFDB9PHYWX0i_CNY9zd3GKHHRGG4lsnsPe9OQCY/s1600/2015-10-10+001+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03x3ctkJJBs6Mpq-OK4Qso8ncuUdhJDp5BBvZPheai_PSLcU-P0GAPE0snp2v9UYtIy6GJuuBE7lJyGl4jQcYXNdD_jEtLzKdl1nmfFDB9PHYWX0i_CNY9zd3GKHHRGG4lsnsPe9OQCY/s640/2015-10-10+001+006.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gratuitous bow shot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I did fail to make a card, but I wrote on the back of the canvas. That'll work.<br />
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<i>What do you think of the No Gifts rule? Do you bend it, or smash that sucker? </i><br />
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Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-60839719755530367082015-10-06T21:11:00.000-07:002015-10-06T21:11:33.001-07:00The Creative Life and Writers Block<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I have some <u>serious</u> writers block.<br />
<br />
I'm sitting here
staring at the blinking cursor in front of me trying to put together a
witty sentence about making Compote, or even a vaguely amusing anecdote
about any kind of creative endeavor I've pursued over the last little
while.<br />
<br />
It's not even a <i>little</i> while. This is some serious blockage.<br />
<br />
While it's true that I've always got something creative on the go, writing about those things doesn't always come easy. Maybe it's because I don't always feel that my crafty shenanigans are all that interesting. Certainly not quite interesting enough to use the term <i>shenanigans</i>. Perhaps I've overdosed on Social media and actually don't have anything left to say...<br />
<br />
<i>Pfft</i>. Nah... that can't be it.<br />
<br />
For now, I'm going to do what any blocked blogger would do and hit you
with a bunch of photos that never made it into a proper blog post.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmagUgSIteV4jAk3PhQQWg6gQXlao66L_ibZG6TnS5jqBfk3XldP1HP2gxcb8l8xU5EP6FqsEXySsPrJUE2KuIuio-B5RsdiT6y6jgKvgvV2GWcH8eH6jEJpEVlue6deE1yIvL8Qpi6Ow/s1600/2015-09-12+001+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmagUgSIteV4jAk3PhQQWg6gQXlao66L_ibZG6TnS5jqBfk3XldP1HP2gxcb8l8xU5EP6FqsEXySsPrJUE2KuIuio-B5RsdiT6y6jgKvgvV2GWcH8eH6jEJpEVlue6deE1yIvL8Qpi6Ow/s640/2015-09-12+001+003.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chopping like a crazy lady because the French in the family like to eat compote... a lot.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2X8X2zCsc70dNkEHYP-LriarUkMdeLcU7KmZUSro19JOSx37nmeSLESSnyXQHXOPypoLdl2o4yTyPZMDzCuCpiU5w2kS4yo2OmkvvBiW6bezOnzV-9F9aNwZdYTsBoSlZN-gcHqOgEY/s1600/2015-09-12+001+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2X8X2zCsc70dNkEHYP-LriarUkMdeLcU7KmZUSro19JOSx37nmeSLESSnyXQHXOPypoLdl2o4yTyPZMDzCuCpiU5w2kS4yo2OmkvvBiW6bezOnzV-9F9aNwZdYTsBoSlZN-gcHqOgEY/s640/2015-09-12+001+005.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fruit plus water, plus a little cinnamon. Simmer till soft. Puree. Voila. I'm SURE I had a picture of massive batch all jar'd up, but who knows where it is.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSoWnknZAzHT9sSE8mO8y1zUjwC19Ij2_tZVpfz4X8v81YjJMmGvjEsHREwqPDLuNhKz6Jzvwu4xt3eQTwmBCMtLWPi1SH_ifGQi1m731i4tptSi8XrotNngiv1_Wft94ghGZCXX46AE/s1600/2015-08-18+001+059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSoWnknZAzHT9sSE8mO8y1zUjwC19Ij2_tZVpfz4X8v81YjJMmGvjEsHREwqPDLuNhKz6Jzvwu4xt3eQTwmBCMtLWPi1SH_ifGQi1m731i4tptSi8XrotNngiv1_Wft94ghGZCXX46AE/s640/2015-08-18+001+059.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I drink tea the way I'd like to drink wine. All. The. Time.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0t2Szom53K6H2RdMQ9atiW_ALkSmhrNmuSRe37ADs8S1tlSOxUAvYhSLoNw9TYOuwcHTBWeDpzFUaaQCN1utQuzErSjr9oESt3WYXW5UTNW9L7bRK3tnj00VlxZHoIDR-Qy0Mkb4nCo/s1600/2015-08-13+001+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0t2Szom53K6H2RdMQ9atiW_ALkSmhrNmuSRe37ADs8S1tlSOxUAvYhSLoNw9TYOuwcHTBWeDpzFUaaQCN1utQuzErSjr9oESt3WYXW5UTNW9L7bRK3tnj00VlxZHoIDR-Qy0Mkb4nCo/s640/2015-08-13+001+001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made fancy tags for when I do markets. These are the new and old. HUGE difference!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKKtxgcrvb5taios1F7NjPCzC70wiD0P4hRS8P1_9P24PsFTaljOZ27ceBiHgzB1nXy99tNFIhhQFWalXGLrvnVbmTznG90vfwDLWsADXKoMK2IX0JIiyT4xMBmMmQtNF429t8gQH_XM/s1600/2015-08-13+001+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKKtxgcrvb5taios1F7NjPCzC70wiD0P4hRS8P1_9P24PsFTaljOZ27ceBiHgzB1nXy99tNFIhhQFWalXGLrvnVbmTznG90vfwDLWsADXKoMK2IX0JIiyT4xMBmMmQtNF429t8gQH_XM/s640/2015-08-13+001+004.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All my Bridal bags (and custom made bags) come with their own dust cover... blatantly branded of course.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRpQOhatPClntovs_9OL7z0zVeuhYR3dl8oiY317Itn3MiHWZKjBa50-b7FLZmY3whH8xGCnK7ySNeE_1vi3qo2Ri-bD1sPqddshD0ermOaQ8-0aS5_dnXinGY0dv2DT0YOFHyjIM0Go/s1600/2015-08-13+001+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRpQOhatPClntovs_9OL7z0zVeuhYR3dl8oiY317Itn3MiHWZKjBa50-b7FLZmY3whH8xGCnK7ySNeE_1vi3qo2Ri-bD1sPqddshD0ermOaQ8-0aS5_dnXinGY0dv2DT0YOFHyjIM0Go/s640/2015-08-13+001+025.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing with my market set-up. Again. I'm never entirely happy. This time I added some fairy lights and I think I'll try and incorporate light in some way in the future.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2PP-wMx3LOsh2k_DRlFbKdYFYg7JXXyxdKIlXafw_bcdlgobJNruQQUUOIHaWJxRxzAhRZR5rkJGTClOvKDo_KXb3K3bEDi1UBliXjtv6-UbqW_vEB1gnuV2NO7yLliP6ZDtGosVuWvo/s1600/2015-08-15+001+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2PP-wMx3LOsh2k_DRlFbKdYFYg7JXXyxdKIlXafw_bcdlgobJNruQQUUOIHaWJxRxzAhRZR5rkJGTClOvKDo_KXb3K3bEDi1UBliXjtv6-UbqW_vEB1gnuV2NO7yLliP6ZDtGosVuWvo/s640/2015-08-15+001+001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marketing, Pub Style</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStc40oS7UTTdn5sc8heroJeAqFXYqhJ0kTkV70Xqb7rPF-GQ6KKTs8JHsmEc1_9c3I-eQg6z1vAFqOh6Gg4FsHRzu1d-Ubj3dsfzKzL2JDa06cnbK6UiSdlUWtATVSuXcbCAbHXRiZbA/s1600/2015-08-15+001+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStc40oS7UTTdn5sc8heroJeAqFXYqhJ0kTkV70Xqb7rPF-GQ6KKTs8JHsmEc1_9c3I-eQg6z1vAFqOh6Gg4FsHRzu1d-Ubj3dsfzKzL2JDa06cnbK6UiSdlUWtATVSuXcbCAbHXRiZbA/s640/2015-08-15+001+005.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Evelyn Pub, Fitzroy, Melbourne. The site of my last market.</td></tr>
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There really has been more going on. I swear. I'm sure. I think.</div>
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Check my Instagram feed... I'm sure I'm managing to <i>at least</i> post on there, where words are optional. </div>
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I'll be back just as soon as I get clear.</div>
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<i>Do you get writers block? Do you have any tricks to get rid of it? Share you greedy bugger!</i></div>
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Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-78318047097678259232015-09-01T03:51:00.000-07:002015-09-01T03:51:03.898-07:00Motherhood, Creativity and DrudgeryNow that I have the Tadpole in day care one day a week, I have time to do my stuff.<br />
<b>MY</b> stuff.<br />
Not the cleaning, the cooking , the groceries or what have you. (Although let's be honest, the dishes have to at least get done! Does it ever stop?!) I have from about 8:30am until 4:45pm and it's mine to do what I like with. Lately, I'm all business. And although my time is finite, I generally get a lot done in those hours. In Rachel Power's "Motherhood and Creativity - The Divided Heart" many of the women interviewed say that having less time actually made the time they did have, even if it's half an hour, more productive, not less. Now that I've put my business hat on my creative little head, I find the same is true for me.<br />
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However, sometimes motherhood, creativity and flu germs collide. <br />
<br />
Over the last couple of weeks, we have had a pox on our house. The Lurgy has been hanging around for what seems like forever.<br />
It started slowly.<br />
We barely registered runny noses or phlegmy throats. But it built and even I have succumbed. I'm always the last to go down, and being Mum means no sick days. Poor Tadpole missed two days at Child care (over two weeks), which means I have missed two of MY days of what I am trying to call "Work", without using quotation marks. <br />
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Whats a creative gal to do with a sick family and itchy fingers?<br />
<i>Create</i>, any way she can.<br />
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Behold!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0vXAevE9cxS-SHg_Ng5cOkrkoikMu_XccCVSXrRXPFgEMEaekYjUFzp9Pts0Ec_DPaM9zngdGhwvajSMyNxfnfIsneO0RIDIpJ4jKqpv8SYuqCopiJpR7WRyHSYhfJY90kSB8JfRVP0/s1600/2015-08-10+001+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0vXAevE9cxS-SHg_Ng5cOkrkoikMu_XccCVSXrRXPFgEMEaekYjUFzp9Pts0Ec_DPaM9zngdGhwvajSMyNxfnfIsneO0RIDIpJ4jKqpv8SYuqCopiJpR7WRyHSYhfJY90kSB8JfRVP0/s640/2015-08-10+001+003.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made Lemon Cordial, again.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGFZTVoceudGrEQJFiCxhMnUQWqICioPFxh4cizIDjFVhTn7qDxQXvzATa6lnsPSKk4y5DLu-UJ2T22H4lYfb_5SnLYhtB6Lwjh433QquRZy_SoFXl9baXw55Rz43leuNgB46ilImNn8/s1600/2015-08-10+001+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGFZTVoceudGrEQJFiCxhMnUQWqICioPFxh4cizIDjFVhTn7qDxQXvzATa6lnsPSKk4y5DLu-UJ2T22H4lYfb_5SnLYhtB6Lwjh433QquRZy_SoFXl9baXw55Rz43leuNgB46ilImNn8/s640/2015-08-10+001+004.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made Lemon Salt (a new thing I quite like the idea of)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCbF5-iV3gGu-YYNjLeHex1q0IB3cQE5sMFGKxcLEHqUmhCbDvzpNuGEJjFh8B10A6vlU8kD0JWUWd89mlVO1oJqQ_-hKWmar2NSXqHbQUTo-zzwBAMPm-b67rfCnucJeYGg7-G4js9Y/s1600/2015-08-02+001+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCbF5-iV3gGu-YYNjLeHex1q0IB3cQE5sMFGKxcLEHqUmhCbDvzpNuGEJjFh8B10A6vlU8kD0JWUWd89mlVO1oJqQ_-hKWmar2NSXqHbQUTo-zzwBAMPm-b67rfCnucJeYGg7-G4js9Y/s640/2015-08-02+001+007.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I decorated and labelled my Preserved Lemons</td></tr>
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There are days when even my never ending supply of lemons gets shafted. Some days the only creative thing I get to do is mend.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGC-0EJYmF8NUZT2HDlDn1KMHVeHRxixVK1wYzMYvcXPaRqXMzd8t1RXEMdhWz3dTdmKLZ4gqvxY8ppKR4xv4-gaPUqgd6e974OTpIDDi3V2mtzpIRkGFHohoFUXNr183w-BkSjpi3OM/s1600/2015-05-21+001+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGC-0EJYmF8NUZT2HDlDn1KMHVeHRxixVK1wYzMYvcXPaRqXMzd8t1RXEMdhWz3dTdmKLZ4gqvxY8ppKR4xv4-gaPUqgd6e974OTpIDDi3V2mtzpIRkGFHohoFUXNr183w-BkSjpi3OM/s640/2015-05-21+001+028.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr Frogs jeans, now definitely not for public consumption.</td></tr>
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Once in a while, the lemon creations give way to the creation of a birthday hamper.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHd1m7sOlU5rwFZgpwjV0cMK8NKlJOHeY2HStUhP2C3GNXrurTQswwQssV_ehJSiTO__QIrORMbel3gqGnq1qKrSaqMWgCAN2V4-ArKmlMYl0ASn4Yw3W47iNx93L7LCvXrSBXLgvIQ0/s1600/2015-08-29+001+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHd1m7sOlU5rwFZgpwjV0cMK8NKlJOHeY2HStUhP2C3GNXrurTQswwQssV_ehJSiTO__QIrORMbel3gqGnq1qKrSaqMWgCAN2V4-ArKmlMYl0ASn4Yw3W47iNx93L7LCvXrSBXLgvIQ0/s640/2015-08-29+001+038.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because let's share the craziness.</td></tr>
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Often though, motherhood and creativity collide in the sweetest of ways.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQXhQJeTn-wwskakJ4XWW55tf9FV8ayBv8-6y95drOZH3M-_l6hQ1o1vUotkQa8nxvCDas4WkV1tQ45XeSjgRqsN7yzam4lIXcjmoeP6l7fRBDd5YzG2lQiCukKruq9GDqdrBUY6T6Qk/s1600/2015-07-21+001+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQXhQJeTn-wwskakJ4XWW55tf9FV8ayBv8-6y95drOZH3M-_l6hQ1o1vUotkQa8nxvCDas4WkV1tQ45XeSjgRqsN7yzam4lIXcjmoeP6l7fRBDd5YzG2lQiCukKruq9GDqdrBUY6T6Qk/s640/2015-07-21+001+002.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tadpole and our collaborative effort on a floor collage.</td></tr>
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Now, we're back into the swing of things.<br />
<br />
Tadpole is back at Daycare making Fathers day cards.<br />
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Mr Frog is back to work for the end of term.<br />
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And I'm starting a new, very exciting, and important project that's a little out there.<br />
<br />
Stay tuned.<br />
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How do you merge Motherhood and Creativity? <br />
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<br />Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-87607485151479285162015-07-31T23:44:00.000-07:002015-07-31T23:44:26.405-07:00Christmas in JulyChristmas came early this year.<br />
<br />
It started with a gift for my mum, who is basically Christmas <i>crazy.</i> She has all manner of decorations and even has her own <i>shed</i> to store them in. What she didn't have was an Advent Calendar.<br />
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I'm not sure where I found the idea. Probably Pinterest. Or maybe I morphed a couple of ideas together. Anyhoo, I'm sure Pinterest is the reason I held onto my old baking trays when Mr Frog bought me new ones from Aldi. It can't just be because I'm a bit of a hoarder. Right?<br />
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Here's what I came up with.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlEEGPYTghATUdHVzPoDkrH-NuEpVoWMz4e00OMr-tgazrkawekud0lJJ40cXwOy70I3727nT_s4D4jjWc4qjH0E3-HMGH5-orBZpViaP6DCA9WJCTmodz6jDLVJFuTS90XdNiNPtcf0/s1600/2015-07-14+001+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlEEGPYTghATUdHVzPoDkrH-NuEpVoWMz4e00OMr-tgazrkawekud0lJJ40cXwOy70I3727nT_s4D4jjWc4qjH0E3-HMGH5-orBZpViaP6DCA9WJCTmodz6jDLVJFuTS90XdNiNPtcf0/s640/2015-07-14+001+001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's one of the simplest crafts I've done in ages.<br />
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1.Take one old baking tray/cookie sheet (FREE) and go at it with a can of spray paint. I chose white (because I had some. FREE)<br />
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2. Measure some xmas coloured scrapbook paper to size (already had because I bought it on sale ages ago. FREE) and wrap around some matchboxes (ten of which I already had because I had to have them when I first saw them. FREE) from the craft shop. They come in packs of ten, so I bought another pack ( stupidly expensive when you're buying this many!) and then they didn't have any more. Commence swearing like a sailor, then save the day by buying <i>actual</i> matchboxes and turf the contents. (Seriously thought about keeping the matches, because surely I could use them for <i>something</i>, but after two weeks on the dining table they had to go.)<br />
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3. Adorn each box with a number from a purpose made sticker sheet. Thank you Kaisercraft for making my life easier.<br />
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That's basically it.<br />
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But then I realised that mum could display some of her massive magnet collection on the tray during the year, so I found a box to house the little boxes in (also FREE).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQk0Yg7yTJxA_2wG4_kCtQbM5DAXPWegH9HS-dcnnMopHWX-WPlU9HKZY6TNddmTuyJxRB0PDvzhqG6YYYgJRH2UZ-aJv3q7HkhuBUwuPMf9rrYWHGcOx8sVLh0_t1PC9Nekj3s7Kk8BU/s1600/2015-07-14+001+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQk0Yg7yTJxA_2wG4_kCtQbM5DAXPWegH9HS-dcnnMopHWX-WPlU9HKZY6TNddmTuyJxRB0PDvzhqG6YYYgJRH2UZ-aJv3q7HkhuBUwuPMf9rrYWHGcOx8sVLh0_t1PC9Nekj3s7Kk8BU/s640/2015-07-14+001+003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I love it when a gift does double duty.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbUSDChR-WBZ4Id72R0UgOOfzIlI47dOjmALaaDBZrmf8GqbU2M6h_CLU8osiduQDRgSkwm7UusfUoVHMG4s3lle21VNdBJe2EFXUKBEsnSQ_GwMbjAYQjMWqVMRt2dSlM-4Vsmsn2Sg/s1600/2015-07-14+001+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbUSDChR-WBZ4Id72R0UgOOfzIlI47dOjmALaaDBZrmf8GqbU2M6h_CLU8osiduQDRgSkwm7UusfUoVHMG4s3lle21VNdBJe2EFXUKBEsnSQ_GwMbjAYQjMWqVMRt2dSlM-4Vsmsn2Sg/s640/2015-07-14+001+004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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So, not long after I posted this off, we were invited to Christmas in July. Of course, I'd need a hostess gift and it would need to be homemade. I've got a rep' to protect.<br />
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I've been dying to make Mulled wine "teabags" almost as long as I've been obsessed with handmade tea bags. So, I went to Pinterest again, and used <a href="http://homeiswheretheboatis.net/2014/01/31/novel-baking-mulling-spice-spicy-cider/" target="_blank">this</a> and <a href="http://www.30poundsofapples.com/2012/12/homemade-mulling-spice-mix-and-a-giveaway/" target="_blank">this</a> as guides. The American measurements annoyed me no end, so there was a little bit of educated guessing going on.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQmd7QRCnI4HO72pi27tlUXUCYbtNdJIEVUWM-eN7jmqG47it7vXiE6qEXVutec1jSHc5aafV9ZnVOLgukMVlkkILbwKa9KTrzWBZF9wkL86MzGN_hhyphenhyphenRV65kWVl64KB3m7q_T_kjBqA/s1600/2015-07-24+001+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQmd7QRCnI4HO72pi27tlUXUCYbtNdJIEVUWM-eN7jmqG47it7vXiE6qEXVutec1jSHc5aafV9ZnVOLgukMVlkkILbwKa9KTrzWBZF9wkL86MzGN_hhyphenhyphenRV65kWVl64KB3m7q_T_kjBqA/s640/2015-07-24+001+002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sadly, there was no time for a tasting so I can only hope they're as delicious as they look!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KNRwZTyaKf2SKF1QeCMGKTgm2LdoXOTUR-bMm0g2QMgwUF8im15kTu2rRn9PvbvbeQftwq2ndTX9BdYPG3PE3vJN1AHMwcYX5lBA5uw4lWPLlvIHX9H0TN8gHFrTr57zCi-VlxdKHm0/s1600/2015-07-24+001+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KNRwZTyaKf2SKF1QeCMGKTgm2LdoXOTUR-bMm0g2QMgwUF8im15kTu2rRn9PvbvbeQftwq2ndTX9BdYPG3PE3vJN1AHMwcYX5lBA5uw4lWPLlvIHX9H0TN8gHFrTr57zCi-VlxdKHm0/s640/2015-07-24+001+009.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDeVQF-APbBwW5U6Um8xKrS253ulumTPumSpi2y2o649GXbEc-Fiy4FqE_ul1rar_QItXRstQexzicmsyZLu9wj8cHU6icQSX9rgXVJVNK3Cv4LHIraxO8x3TywJl4n7cso2itTz5DGA/s1600/2015-07-24+001+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDeVQF-APbBwW5U6Um8xKrS253ulumTPumSpi2y2o649GXbEc-Fiy4FqE_ul1rar_QItXRstQexzicmsyZLu9wj8cHU6icQSX9rgXVJVNK3Cv4LHIraxO8x3TywJl4n7cso2itTz5DGA/s640/2015-07-24+001+010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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One "teabag" will do one bottle of wine, so I figure two bags will generally do for the winter. And of course they need to be packaged just so...<br />
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<br />The morning of our lovely lunch date, Mr Frog trimmed the herb garden, so they came too.<br />
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Properly dressed of course...<br />
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<br />
And that is how we Christmas'd in July.<br />
<br /> Mr Frog has decided that next year, from Yule (in June...yes, I'm Pagan. The nude dancing is optional.) until Bastille Day on 14th July we will be celebrating Xmas, with decorations and everything.<br />
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You've been warned.<br />
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Now, it's time to start preparing those xmas crafts... don't leave them till the last minute, you'll just do yourself a damage.<br />
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What do you have planned for Xmas? Or is that a dirty word right now...?<br />
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MCSamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-52352464421544437422015-07-28T03:48:00.000-07:002015-07-28T03:48:43.106-07:00Someday, Soon...For the last few years, I've had in mind a fabulous scenario....<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhboo-IgDepY6rWwvOR1knGny13M5-vm0EMPqCUgm6Hu0xdlIWx56pO2lMWl5UOCFzYpqnJnfY6hwJkoYpGaaItG6xQYNVyhZq6oArHsXGs7PjBdDJedfyNULEzY0W6AxqmhPfOfU_Mn0Q/s1600/someday1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhboo-IgDepY6rWwvOR1knGny13M5-vm0EMPqCUgm6Hu0xdlIWx56pO2lMWl5UOCFzYpqnJnfY6hwJkoYpGaaItG6xQYNVyhZq6oArHsXGs7PjBdDJedfyNULEzY0W6AxqmhPfOfU_Mn0Q/s640/someday1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Something a little like this... (If you own this photo, email me so I can credit you)</td></tr>
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<i>I'm working in my studio, a building separate from our gorgeous white weatherboard. I'm working on new designs; I'm on the phone with stores that sell my handmade wares; I'm popping into one of those stores to check on my stock; I'm meeting with a customer about their custom design; I'm home when the kids get home from school; I'm making dinner; enjoying a wine and a laugh with Mr Frog; I'm making a bit of money; and life is good.</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTs_iatHkwxUUoknudEYOsE3l39FUD7-jdsT6uaN6t13rf3VNq5cGJdH9RGj5jo-C7NJHl3yeKPqRYcAKUjX-bCim-04sGalPJnfcxkjd-a5Ekh-GFuAdWBlJ_UnCyYhwxbTbHEIFc3Ew/s1600/someday2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTs_iatHkwxUUoknudEYOsE3l39FUD7-jdsT6uaN6t13rf3VNq5cGJdH9RGj5jo-C7NJHl3yeKPqRYcAKUjX-bCim-04sGalPJnfcxkjd-a5Ekh-GFuAdWBlJ_UnCyYhwxbTbHEIFc3Ew/s640/someday2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perhaps I'll need a little more room, but could it be any cuter? (Via Pinterest,"Found on Sheerluxe.com)</td></tr>
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It's only since the birth of my daughter that that little scenario has been fleshed out in my head, clear enough that I can hear the sounds that go along with it. It's almost a memory.<br />
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I thought I had been working hard enough on my little business. I thought I was doing the best I could. And to some degree perhaps I was. The last two years have been hard. I didn't know having a baby and raising that person was going to be so hard. And time consuming. And energy sucking. And did I mention time consuming?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrvOfzLTbgKScbsExbwMDcMIBq9B3GkfiY9DdPZJ1jYcKL4FuDHIF8pvxmDvhaTHO5HohkJdSJVEKxKHIJe-HlOrIfTwvytM5Nz_t5GHPf7niJ-yUe7RCPLrsx7PGyeh_m3MFA81STMU/s1600/IMG_20130707_113458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrvOfzLTbgKScbsExbwMDcMIBq9B3GkfiY9DdPZJ1jYcKL4FuDHIF8pvxmDvhaTHO5HohkJdSJVEKxKHIJe-HlOrIfTwvytM5Nz_t5GHPf7niJ-yUe7RCPLrsx7PGyeh_m3MFA81STMU/s640/IMG_20130707_113458.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I couldn't possibly know how awesome, and how exhausting, motherhood could be.</td></tr>
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A few weeks ago, we put the Tadpole into Family Daycare. It took ages for me to "get around" to arranging it. I kept "forgetting" to check out childcare centres and look into Family Daycare. I felt too <b>guilty</b>. It's not like I'm going back to work. (I'd still feel guilty but that would be different.) It's mostly so I can have a break to do what I want to do. To take some time just for me. Could I <i>BE</i> more selfish?!<br />
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It's just one day a week.<br />
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Tadpole thinks it's awesome.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggagN7sFaMMHlzAMYgk97uoAnd9-OKhD9Utkjcu1UW1CtJ8oAZuaq46vpNWUsuHihLuZNn45ASXvh3TGrkIS7pST5E3pQFobZvLTsMeQfj3-9YNxqDe8IqExFSmNjEzCMN9Fk_RxwSrGI/s1600/2015-07-21+001+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggagN7sFaMMHlzAMYgk97uoAnd9-OKhD9Utkjcu1UW1CtJ8oAZuaq46vpNWUsuHihLuZNn45ASXvh3TGrkIS7pST5E3pQFobZvLTsMeQfj3-9YNxqDe8IqExFSmNjEzCMN9Fk_RxwSrGI/s640/2015-07-21+001+004.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She loves it because she gets to do stuff like this all the time!</td></tr>
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And I am becoming the business woman I always hoped I really was.<br />
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Creative people really struggle with the business side of trying to make a living out of their talents. <i>I</i> really struggle.<br />
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But that scene in my head just won't quit.<br />
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So neither will I.<br />
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<i>What's the scene in your head? What do you want your life to look like?</i><br />
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Tell me!<br />
<br />
MC<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hsI5FN2JLPJgTkvy4vDBDz5MRbsDQjeNNdp2squ96pWkDqeouHrl9AY-30cOitBVaQh44zAspp3U-7eothY_amnsArmWYkHSQdiURoHkWZDGZ4J7NDgfB2YYaBYu4ap_hSGMDl9jYS8/s1600/LBB2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hsI5FN2JLPJgTkvy4vDBDz5MRbsDQjeNNdp2squ96pWkDqeouHrl9AY-30cOitBVaQh44zAspp3U-7eothY_amnsArmWYkHSQdiURoHkWZDGZ4J7NDgfB2YYaBYu4ap_hSGMDl9jYS8/s640/LBB2.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made these. And I took the photo, did the editing, made it fancy and even did a photo shoot of the bags in action. I'm the BOSS!</td></tr>
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<br />Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-38980102204989540142015-07-16T20:13:00.000-07:002015-07-16T20:13:18.104-07:00Love NotesHere is a little something nice to do for the ones you love.<br />
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First, make some biscuits/cookies/slice or similar. Try not to eat them all yourself.<br />
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Next, write some lovely things on some tiny post-its or note paper. Hell, you can even write them on scrap. The point here is to be specific. It's great to hear " I love you", it's even better to hear "I love you <i>because</i>...". I made these for Mr Frog, so they were all things I love about him, but you can do this for anyone. I imagine they'd be especially well received by someone going through a tough time (new mums, for example). Use your imagination and write loving thoughts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9bTeIem8LDzAX0lAb9rkbbhqgpJv5GX0nbuSyhXMTS_1dlKKnfnMA9IsVCgHwb4pCaYFjm9aekhLLV7eej_GtdnAlcsoRDU2XqpC6SGN83Sv8fdblP7Ri_ppAwPZoyXZaJV68KjOIvXQ/s1600/2015-07-13+001+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9bTeIem8LDzAX0lAb9rkbbhqgpJv5GX0nbuSyhXMTS_1dlKKnfnMA9IsVCgHwb4pCaYFjm9aekhLLV7eej_GtdnAlcsoRDU2XqpC6SGN83Sv8fdblP7Ri_ppAwPZoyXZaJV68KjOIvXQ/s640/2015-07-13+001+002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next, cut some baking paper so that you can easily wrap a couple of bikkies, or a piece of slice, without too much overhang. Place your treat on the paper, add your little note and wrap. I simply folded my ends and tucked them underneath, but you can use tape (washi tape would be awesome) if you wish. Then tie them with string, because who doesn't love things tied with string?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrWYDjbLtZRp2N47nkjA-RlmOOeUTilkliXG711BsFws3AdUx2u0oXF2e5c9O4YZHtvfkYhsmV63blRzAhRMBah7LQTcPtp8VxlD0V37zHZTK9cNk9FLVIHdcju4C6gU2CAL1xAZ5TvQ/s1600/2015-07-13+001+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrWYDjbLtZRp2N47nkjA-RlmOOeUTilkliXG711BsFws3AdUx2u0oXF2e5c9O4YZHtvfkYhsmV63blRzAhRMBah7LQTcPtp8VxlD0V37zHZTK9cNk9FLVIHdcju4C6gU2CAL1xAZ5TvQ/s640/2015-07-13+001+001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Repeat until you've used all the treats or you've run out of things to say.<br />
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Voila! You're done and you've just done something lovely for the one you love.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7AtZbuhH7MiKuBnR8Uf90g2vnct9VyrsNC0z35fZhbFhCDpG1ButDNevoTbvNsvcwO93PKJnlTeSiQ7Kgx434e_b0wpxSX_1e7yixqSml2UVNBoHGqeQeBHWLmR5sykdta2YmFZ63lM/s1600/2015-07-13+001+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7AtZbuhH7MiKuBnR8Uf90g2vnct9VyrsNC0z35fZhbFhCDpG1ButDNevoTbvNsvcwO93PKJnlTeSiQ7Kgx434e_b0wpxSX_1e7yixqSml2UVNBoHGqeQeBHWLmR5sykdta2YmFZ63lM/s640/2015-07-13+001+005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sometimes it really is this easy to make someone happy.<br />
<br />
MC<br />
<br />
<i>P.S Mr Frog has taken to returning home from work and quoting his note of the day to me... he looks very pleased with himself!</i><br />
Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-57740765207315609712015-04-23T21:22:00.000-07:002015-04-23T21:22:31.030-07:00Lemon Curd, And My Little Matthew Evans CrushI've got more lemons than I know what to do with, but I'm giving it a red hot go.<br />
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If you've been playing along at home, you'll know this isn't my first go with the Lemon Curd. The last time I made it though, I fell in love with it and so it makes sense that the millions of lemons I am always in possession of get made into this beautiful balm.<br />
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While the fabulous packaging (if you ask me) is all my work, I can't take credit for the recipe. It's my <i>boyfriends</i> recipe.<br />
Mr Frog knows, don't worry. At least I think he does. Although he forgets anything he doesn't take seriously.<br />
Anyhoo, the recipe comes from the gorgeous, and <i>heavy</i>, tome "The Real Food Companion", written by (my boyfriend) <a href="http://www.matthewevans.net.au/" target="_blank">Matthew Evans.</a><br />
<br />
I realised I had the hots for him somewhere near the middle of the original <a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/food/programs/gourmet-farmer" target="_blank">Gourmet Farmer</a> t.v series. I'm not sure what it was... the way he narrates, cooks or talks to his pigs. When I saw his book during my Angus & Robertson days, I had to have it. Aside from the crush, the book really is beautiful. It's all about how our food is raised, grown, killed and harvested and the best practices for all of these methods. It's not preachy, it just tells you how it is and how it could be if we all made better choices. Beautifully styled and shot, it's one of those books you can read from cover to cover, and if you're familiar with the series, you can hear Matthew reading to you.<br />
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Is it getting creepy yet?<br />
<br />
Sadly, unbeknownst to me, during the filming of that first series, Matthew had already hooked up with his extraordinary wife, Sadie. This is a woman who stuck with a bloke who had not only just bought himself a little farm he had no idea how to run, but was being filmed while doing so. Since then there has been another couple seasons of G.F, a series on the labelling of <a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/programs/whats-the-catch" target="_blank">Fish</a> for consumption, and then he filmed him and his mates traveling around Tasmania on a <a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/food/programs/gourmet-farmer-afloat" target="_blank">boat</a>. All the while Sadie has been running not only the property where they live, but also the other farm they own a few k's away. (I'm not actually sure how far, I'm not a stalker!)<br />
<br />
Did I mention they have a little boy?<br />
<br />
So, as much as I enjoy your shows and adore your books Matthew, you'd better hang on to that Sadie. She's a keeper.<br />
<br />
So, back to those lemons. I use Matthews recipe. It's super simple, and I always feel better when he says "Don't worry if there are lumps - that just proves it's homemade".<br />
<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
Finely grated zest of six lemons and their juice<br />
8 eggs, lightly beaten<br />
200g unsalted butter, cubed, softened<br />
400g (1 2/3 cups) castor sugar<br />
<br />
Sit a large bowl (Matthew says stainless steel, I use glass) over a saucepan of boiling water. Add all the ingredients, stirring occassionally with a wooden spoon until melted. Cook for a further 10minutes or so, stirring and scarping the bottom as you go, until the mixture thickens slightly. Remember ot to worry about the lumps, Matthew says it's ok! (And so do I!) The curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Transfer to sterilised, airtight jars and once cool, store in the fridge. It'll keep for up to two weeks.<br />
<br />
Excellent on crumpets, pancakes, your favourite bread, turned into little tartlets, or even dolloped into your yoghurt.<br />
<br />
Bon appetit!<br />
<br />
MC<br />
<br />
<i>P.S Matthew, please don't sue me for sharing your recipe... it's an act of crush!</i>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-36350908071584279492015-04-14T16:24:00.000-07:002015-04-14T16:24:52.970-07:00Baby Shower Bonanza, The Last post: Games and De-brief.The actual Baby Shower was a couple of weeks ago now.<br />
<br />
I flew to Canberra, all by myself, kid and husband free, and spent a few day with my sister. These were our last moments together, just us girls, for what will probably be quite some time.<br />
<br />
We visited my parents in their little country town on the day of a football game, watched a chick flick while eating home delivered noodles,I spent a lazy morning washing my hair, we Baby Showered, we shared pizza with friends, I cooked a meal for my sister and her husband and then I was home again. It went all too fast, but was relaxing and lovely.<br />
<br />
The Shower went beautifully.<br />
The Thank you gifts looked beautiful on the table, the venue was lovely, the food and champagne delicious and the time just <i>flew</i>.<br />
<br />
That was a problem. It turns out, I over scheduled.<br />
<br />
Originally, I had just two games planned; a Guess the Tea game where guests passed unlabelled tea bags around and tried to guess the flavours, and a Royal Baby Quiz; a quiz written by my mum that was <b>REALLY</b> hard. These two games took a bit of time and would've been plenty to do... remember it's customary to open gifts during the shower too! <br />
<br />
However, we also had the "Guess the Belly Circumference", The "Boy/Girl Guessing Jar" and the book of advice. At this particular shower, I didn't need the belly measuring or the advice book at all... <br />
<br />
C'est la Vie!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2O-SPGxN2Y_tWTkqFKB0M6DRV2a-2j5ofivuKmW6-qd5JR9wDWxSpgg8l92dW2NbWziLOSgpwSOwNzvt-lZZtjMBM2s9h46lakmDM4nf4lmFFcWB6mKtKx-eUgJlt_DJXqTTXirj-3U/s1600/2015-03-29+001+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2O-SPGxN2Y_tWTkqFKB0M6DRV2a-2j5ofivuKmW6-qd5JR9wDWxSpgg8l92dW2NbWziLOSgpwSOwNzvt-lZZtjMBM2s9h46lakmDM4nf4lmFFcWB6mKtKx-eUgJlt_DJXqTTXirj-3U/s1600/2015-03-29+001+001.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of chatting...</td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIrnXGNmgStluitiK5_FZDuDY9Rwyv2T-yM0o-Ldo3TEso6wwNwFkuqIGjeS7iUgX8SGnSuoL82zdxiic2SV8IhaDwx1lMuxAX99Grf3tZxAt62BTDp1UB4nNtui27Zyx9mdXKWgCNw8/s1600/2015-03-29+001+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIrnXGNmgStluitiK5_FZDuDY9Rwyv2T-yM0o-Ldo3TEso6wwNwFkuqIGjeS7iUgX8SGnSuoL82zdxiic2SV8IhaDwx1lMuxAX99Grf3tZxAt62BTDp1UB4nNtui27Zyx9mdXKWgCNw8/s1600/2015-03-29+001+002.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of lovely food... (If you're in Canberra, check out The Burbury - gorgeous view)</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxSRqKDddQQous4wnY44BnWrHr1ii2KRhndjScB0QwvjVKbfFZ9xhig-C2GF1vIHD4LIuHT4AdM59eMEXrwff4KqseWjGFmGJLXeoJqOEaviJBUvyOauVWUSG8Z1l3KEFvLx00j8N_W0/s1600/2015-03-29+001+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxSRqKDddQQous4wnY44BnWrHr1ii2KRhndjScB0QwvjVKbfFZ9xhig-C2GF1vIHD4LIuHT4AdM59eMEXrwff4KqseWjGFmGJLXeoJqOEaviJBUvyOauVWUSG8Z1l3KEFvLx00j8N_W0/s1600/2015-03-29+001+007.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and it all looked pretty. I'm including the Champagne in that statement!</td></tr>
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Oh, and there were prizes too...<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHVenDTBIJkWqXTKHkpuaTfZ47F6ONb4PSKW3Ux61HKMfF5gNrAJFfvnY2h0JZ9K8MN1alVCOnMbHORdnvz98Enwl-bKG75_PDWdOVVH2g-RbgxT3aDvTeFRZVC7iNiFU7oQhxJmuKTg/s1600/2015-03-17+001+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHVenDTBIJkWqXTKHkpuaTfZ47F6ONb4PSKW3Ux61HKMfF5gNrAJFfvnY2h0JZ9K8MN1alVCOnMbHORdnvz98Enwl-bKG75_PDWdOVVH2g-RbgxT3aDvTeFRZVC7iNiFU7oQhxJmuKTg/s1600/2015-03-17+001+003.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea Cup with infuser and tea sample</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FIJz4YlzoqNPnhusSwgn55Q85Urcd0AhtMXMDHdZn6txGY-Ro-FW4TnMWmVB4sgLORAVN508G2XwcXoMW3y0_sU1V8izRH4vDytlKIeLRSdYUb1urtePcMFcbz2qHCGvDqZ2BpE_Nrk/s1600/2015-03-17+001+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FIJz4YlzoqNPnhusSwgn55Q85Urcd0AhtMXMDHdZn6txGY-Ro-FW4TnMWmVB4sgLORAVN508G2XwcXoMW3y0_sU1V8izRH4vDytlKIeLRSdYUb1urtePcMFcbz2qHCGvDqZ2BpE_Nrk/s1600/2015-03-17+001+005.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea Cup and saucer with infuser and tea sample</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7rvLNTp_vfJcv4gUBjq69wsZpq4hYDv6UtrSi-56XBRDOLJnSPIouco5DrnrLLNGHZ9mbNMYCIaES2xv8o4EqhyBeeRKhTXB76UYMN2rT3WSR5-DvK3SWOnEruLpE_KCGaouTFgmhWI/s1600/2015-03-17+001+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7rvLNTp_vfJcv4gUBjq69wsZpq4hYDv6UtrSi-56XBRDOLJnSPIouco5DrnrLLNGHZ9mbNMYCIaES2xv8o4EqhyBeeRKhTXB76UYMN2rT3WSR5-DvK3SWOnEruLpE_KCGaouTFgmhWI/s1600/2015-03-17+001+006.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "just-in-case" extras, infusers and boxes of tea</td></tr>
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And that concludes the Baby Shower Bonanza.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, I had a ball designing and making all the elements. <br />
<br />
But, I had an even better time celebrating with my sister.<br />
<br />
Congratulations Sadie. Can't wait to meet the little monster.<br />
<br />
xx<br />
<br />
MCSamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-16539427117662979462015-04-10T23:10:00.000-07:002015-04-10T23:10:24.757-07:00Baby Shower Bonanza, Part 6: Something SentimentalSo, I wrote a book for my sister.<br />
<br />
<i>No</i>, I'm not suggesting you start writing a novel for the guest of honour at your shower. And it's a not a novel, anyhow.<br />
<br />
It's random advice that may or may not be <i>actually</i> helpful.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Oh0gF0kQaUF2CsFe8jPyNfhRLpCIox1pWSG0iELbq3926YiK8x2AE_C6BPD0jPpxKZES1kOJyzjZf4PFCtMrg90q1yWJnakMuWGpTN5ff99O911RW6DfGsg1C_d4tqq0_U1PCJa5coY/s1600/2015-03-17+001+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Oh0gF0kQaUF2CsFe8jPyNfhRLpCIox1pWSG0iELbq3926YiK8x2AE_C6BPD0jPpxKZES1kOJyzjZf4PFCtMrg90q1yWJnakMuWGpTN5ff99O911RW6DfGsg1C_d4tqq0_U1PCJa5coY/s1600/2015-03-17+001+001.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See, good advice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I filled this book (almost!) with random thoughts on pregnancy, birth and motherhood-so-far. It's meant to be me when I'm not there, give my sister a giggle when she needs it, and maybe even be a <i>little</i> bit helpful. Sadie called this "Your version of Kaz Cookes book". ( "Up the Duff", totally brilliant, hilarious and <i>actually </i>helpful.) Mine's not as good, but at least it's pretty.<br />
<br />
Now, you don't have to fill the book. It's a nice idea to pass this around at the shower and have the guests put in their two cents. Or, just write their best wishes. In another life, say at a Kitchen Tea, this could be filled with recipes.<br />
<br />
The choice is yours.<br />
<br />
MCSamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-47558648877544426572015-04-10T20:57:00.000-07:002015-04-10T20:57:06.116-07:00Baby Shower Bonanza, Part 7: Lace CrownI have fallen madly in love with Lace Crowns.<br />
<br />
Pinterest.<i> Again</i>. Dammit!<br />
<br />
At my baby shower, Sadie had me wear Fairy Wings. Obviously. (Or maybe not? Long story short: Sadie used to say I was like Tinkerbell and bought me car seat and steering wheel covers to advertise that fact. I was using them when Mr Frog and I first met, so he called me Fee Clochette (Tinkerbell in French, but with an accent over one of the E's). I started a business, by then I was married, and so: Madame Clochette).<br />
<br />
Sadie likes to pretend she's royal. On the phone one day, she told me her tiara was giving her a headache. I thought it was some sort of metaphor. I was wrong. She was <i>actually</i> wearing one of her tiaras at work. Note the plural.<br />
<br />
So.<br />
<br />
She just HAD to have a special Mum -to-be Crown.<br />
<br />
First, I measured a bit of cardboard around my head, guessing hers would be about the same, and taped it together. I covered the whole thing in tape so glue and paint won't stick to it. Then, cut some lace to fit.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVrkqbi4GAlHcCI0KgYjHgiTYcPR3Xq4UZPEi6rWoWpC4ORKiuVjVZmSw4YW8-OA8iVQQWeV59XjHitwHdDO_ilJ6rrQsRT3sQeUUoNoa7qOKyu3c_HrcpTx-QRaFnama2DAPVJoMLMQ/s1600/2015-03-03+001+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVrkqbi4GAlHcCI0KgYjHgiTYcPR3Xq4UZPEi6rWoWpC4ORKiuVjVZmSw4YW8-OA8iVQQWeV59XjHitwHdDO_ilJ6rrQsRT3sQeUUoNoa7qOKyu3c_HrcpTx-QRaFnama2DAPVJoMLMQ/s1600/2015-03-03+001+001.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lace with pointy bits looks more... I don't know, crown like?</td></tr>
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Using a glue gun, glue your lace ends together...<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjXXxPeNIQRMTUvFPlWIiOVqn759V0JGx98WCXvQTrNknlcctG0Y9_ljP8qSR81L-L2o2iyFYdMkMVvl3YODyKCy6d-9GCnoomD5LxfEfC2SyO0kFR1qGRHek6J9btK969Uam36qMcl4/s1600/2015-03-03+001+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjXXxPeNIQRMTUvFPlWIiOVqn759V0JGx98WCXvQTrNknlcctG0Y9_ljP8qSR81L-L2o2iyFYdMkMVvl3YODyKCy6d-9GCnoomD5LxfEfC2SyO0kFR1qGRHek6J9btK969Uam36qMcl4/s1600/2015-03-03+001+004.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using my fancy tripod...</td></tr>
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...making sure the ends overlap like this.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVKD4CXG8EQjztDRhyphenhyphendzotQxr28li4MZMp9iA1fa3c6l8LyHRKPRm_RCE20oQeP_WO3441K0BWwIRi746OSapbccYIt-FSh_pwVWbMhJgZOPUbvusV3TfJQPgN3EtvuEQPar5KOz8hvo/s1600/2015-03-03+001+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVKD4CXG8EQjztDRhyphenhyphendzotQxr28li4MZMp9iA1fa3c6l8LyHRKPRm_RCE20oQeP_WO3441K0BWwIRi746OSapbccYIt-FSh_pwVWbMhJgZOPUbvusV3TfJQPgN3EtvuEQPar5KOz8hvo/s1600/2015-03-03+001+005.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mind my manicure...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Make a half/half mix of PVA glue (Modpodge for the Yanks) and water. Thoroughly soak the lace.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhQ6bcGOGOs3EEZvxWW9O6Zxo_zu_vx1c0kHmMtIZ-nP2hSUR5BFDLP8PHbr1JOCQpC61NrTXgnqmVFpn6Ubix0i9YOlfPdSxxtRNHuGY3vZShxiPpeMYtl2uGUxB6RMNHGOmD1aEku8/s1600/2015-03-03+001+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhQ6bcGOGOs3EEZvxWW9O6Zxo_zu_vx1c0kHmMtIZ-nP2hSUR5BFDLP8PHbr1JOCQpC61NrTXgnqmVFpn6Ubix0i9YOlfPdSxxtRNHuGY3vZShxiPpeMYtl2uGUxB6RMNHGOmD1aEku8/s1600/2015-03-03+001+006.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Gently squeeze out the excess and slip over your cardboard ring. Let dry. If you use too much PVA, your lace will look like plastic, not lace, which is really not the point.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBHQcnjSpC-9bJ2NTvFz7WX4rIq7H58_B4nmKm_0hBjkY5kKkL9rq-iyqapuS8znkbu_9hcUhv5SV9zcv6oAAeL3HAQ3-ZoNXN4gLTSiKd97tNy_eQVqQxdEHkKVLXsRwuWvSx5eUXKiQ/s1600/2015-03-03+001+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBHQcnjSpC-9bJ2NTvFz7WX4rIq7H58_B4nmKm_0hBjkY5kKkL9rq-iyqapuS8znkbu_9hcUhv5SV9zcv6oAAeL3HAQ3-ZoNXN4gLTSiKd97tNy_eQVqQxdEHkKVLXsRwuWvSx5eUXKiQ/s1600/2015-03-03+001+002.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That succulent is keeping my crown from blowing away!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Next, paint your crown. It's easier if you take it off the cardboard and get paint all over yourself... the coverage of the lace is better. I then added a coat of glitter paint. And then one more, because you always need <b>more glitter</b>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfurlEa101sy67Vx_i1l4mWelDHtHU3JNQ947hU50VRthAPyKPijnPd7-zC00Cn_qpH4DG8S1kGwJK_V7L91-lvCjwDTWkztPvJvLTyH2E5j8NMycy6QStEbewQGCRydZr1YhC_TMTK0/s1600/2015-03-05+001+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfurlEa101sy67Vx_i1l4mWelDHtHU3JNQ947hU50VRthAPyKPijnPd7-zC00Cn_qpH4DG8S1kGwJK_V7L91-lvCjwDTWkztPvJvLTyH2E5j8NMycy6QStEbewQGCRydZr1YhC_TMTK0/s1600/2015-03-05+001+001.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once it's dry, you're done. Prance around the house with it on, admiring yourself in any and all mirrors. (You could also hot glue on some sequins or jewels).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00VBYQnkLzBvJP4zgS0RCfEllYut3QCMA_0O63JxvXXjoFFTByPdF_-hhDqU9RuZmuSxxY3mtnS7e37Jl7AT0NsZp71pwerue4gOLShf10d12S-xwLI0LdOAoOxbbjAg5mWeExtbci8I/s1600/2015-03-17+001+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00VBYQnkLzBvJP4zgS0RCfEllYut3QCMA_0O63JxvXXjoFFTByPdF_-hhDqU9RuZmuSxxY3mtnS7e37Jl7AT0NsZp71pwerue4gOLShf10d12S-xwLI0LdOAoOxbbjAg5mWeExtbci8I/s1600/2015-03-17+001+012.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTNA1jnlvqDiFf5yDgC8nQRw_k306NZHVqgx4yx1KTAVA0nJhmgyqVNxKK6_YE2FWHy4s_Z_khshLw3fI9Z-bKIVENKhPeRztU4BnFp9BD-B45h8q5hGKxwSB67IaoCry6RXeIY-VBWg/s1600/2015-03-17+001+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTNA1jnlvqDiFf5yDgC8nQRw_k306NZHVqgx4yx1KTAVA0nJhmgyqVNxKK6_YE2FWHy4s_Z_khshLw3fI9Z-bKIVENKhPeRztU4BnFp9BD-B45h8q5hGKxwSB67IaoCry6RXeIY-VBWg/s1600/2015-03-17+001+014.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Then, at the actual Shower, just barely remember to get a photo of the guest of honour wearing her crown.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYvf6eYsyISC0Z5OrmNBvASsAp5cTot7s2GEtGOYksauOrism3lotzXjBTBo45FdBGWgdQ6AwhRNTCLo3BZ8teMpwPZa2KnlboqKo0vUeBQruJc8qNDpuGNSimOXih_PuWDpXVn_DYFk/s1600/2015-03-29+001+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYvf6eYsyISC0Z5OrmNBvASsAp5cTot7s2GEtGOYksauOrism3lotzXjBTBo45FdBGWgdQ6AwhRNTCLo3BZ8teMpwPZa2KnlboqKo0vUeBQruJc8qNDpuGNSimOXih_PuWDpXVn_DYFk/s1600/2015-03-29+001+004.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sadie, mid conversation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Every girl needs a crown.<br />
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Don't they?<br />
<br />
Next up in the Baby Shower Bonanza, I tell you about the games we played, what I'll do next time and finally wrap this thing up!<br />
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MCSamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-11251957958646016602015-04-06T01:58:00.000-07:002015-04-06T01:58:39.724-07:00Baby Shower Bonanza, Part 5, Girl Or Boy Guessing JarThis was just a little something extra. A "just because". I also have a problem with jars.<br />
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Take one jar.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvncNXcIRvi1lIzb4uh4OvwRzO6K_aegdKX67oy78NVaBIfxN11gLaYFnkHa9O-3UUZmQfhOqAZuwOjoB9YmK7fQqDaknTPkAf9oO9aqFcTjMhAQjUD-vLL_z4o8Ev1Ybrmela4xKmAlw/s1600/2014-11-15+001+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvncNXcIRvi1lIzb4uh4OvwRzO6K_aegdKX67oy78NVaBIfxN11gLaYFnkHa9O-3UUZmQfhOqAZuwOjoB9YmK7fQqDaknTPkAf9oO9aqFcTjMhAQjUD-vLL_z4o8Ev1Ybrmela4xKmAlw/s1600/2014-11-15+001+001.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pick a fat one.</td></tr>
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Next, decorate with a paper doily, a piece of leftover invitation paper and a ribbon.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ugi3xRtsXjhqurhe2mu6rVveoENQ2keaV-vM1QaKJeOYyIk28NcH_0HsmhnLJp5h5MkAHRskBoFJMQzMeOdN6mwZVWaS3dpJ1YWoRpqXcKRAEYIRTGBRfnB_vKQ9gGQDcbAUH_5E0Es/s1600/2015-03-17+001+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ugi3xRtsXjhqurhe2mu6rVveoENQ2keaV-vM1QaKJeOYyIk28NcH_0HsmhnLJp5h5MkAHRskBoFJMQzMeOdN6mwZVWaS3dpJ1YWoRpqXcKRAEYIRTGBRfnB_vKQ9gGQDcbAUH_5E0Es/s1600/2015-03-17+001+016.JPG" height="640" width="440" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keeping it simple.</td></tr>
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Then, on pieces of "scrap" paper left over from the printing of said invitations, stamp "Boy" and "Girl". Repeat.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-KPr0OBKyrXpp4CFrsqTmrvmyyzcoKVR25RRbXzKp8XBU79xLRHfoIVBxox6nGx6YxHg7c6z5UNl8-yp7SwwskFCQmpApR4cG1j4KckCs6VZSZ3m-Ognvm7fZMzoW97tGhvqC2flthE/s1600/2015-03-15+001+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-KPr0OBKyrXpp4CFrsqTmrvmyyzcoKVR25RRbXzKp8XBU79xLRHfoIVBxox6nGx6YxHg7c6z5UNl8-yp7SwwskFCQmpApR4cG1j4KckCs6VZSZ3m-Ognvm7fZMzoW97tGhvqC2flthE/s1600/2015-03-15+001+005.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a 50/50 shot...</td></tr>
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Here's the deal: Guests choose which sex the baby will be, and the <i>name</i> the parents will choose, write their own name on the paper and pop it in the jar. After the Bub is born, the brand new mum and dad open the jar and see what crazy ideas people had. Oh, and if someone actually guesses right... I'll send them a prize.<br />
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(This will not work if the mum and dad to-be blab about the names on their list. Although, people aren't always listening to crazy-about-to-be-parents.)<br />
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Voila!<br />
<br />What's your guess?<br />
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Next, I wrote a book.<br />
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Kinda.<br />
<br />
MC<br />
<br />Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-18548136320951456742015-04-02T20:52:00.000-07:002015-04-02T20:52:08.304-07:00Baby Shower Bonanza, Part 4, Packaging Remember those beautiful tea bags and sugar cubes?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgYwEYT4RnSC_CDmPWu_Nbp_5cjI_rCay7rBbPvwzvHaW9jdkI6wKPvnLGV-9AM4K00CMdWMBJOSoYLURDeM8DULndaz56fwoUXJAEBVVEVQKHCaq581HwR91IUu3Ro3Xi_eHP22nk2I/s1600/2015-03-22+001+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgYwEYT4RnSC_CDmPWu_Nbp_5cjI_rCay7rBbPvwzvHaW9jdkI6wKPvnLGV-9AM4K00CMdWMBJOSoYLURDeM8DULndaz56fwoUXJAEBVVEVQKHCaq581HwR91IUu3Ro3Xi_eHP22nk2I/s1600/2015-03-22+001+022.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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They need to be presented in something.<br />
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Something equally beautiful. These will sit at the place of each of your guests. This gives them a hint of the kind of soiree in store.<br />
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This time, I decided to go with clear boxes, that I could decorate and tie with a ribbon. Let's keep it simple people.<br />
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Cut some co-ordinating paper to size, dot with strong, double sided tape, and wrap. If you use the skinny, cheap stuff you had left over, the paper will pop right off the plastic. Live and learn people. The first one I did had the paper join in the middle, but from then on I had the join at the very edge at the back. You can now barely see it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tR44cL6RcLSaINxxujte4YUteNvXhR4wm1hsLpz4LAEnaUKQZgtNwm7jQN7WaKu3Z8wZXt1xrmH7Wg0jLmpsaUkCTdmgheOLye6fN5u7yXUW0qc29SjhEW9lt0vb0OifaeMZoGerlYY/s1600/2015-03-09+001+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tR44cL6RcLSaINxxujte4YUteNvXhR4wm1hsLpz4LAEnaUKQZgtNwm7jQN7WaKu3Z8wZXt1xrmH7Wg0jLmpsaUkCTdmgheOLye6fN5u7yXUW0qc29SjhEW9lt0vb0OifaeMZoGerlYY/s1600/2015-03-09+001+002.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Adding the seal from the invitations ties evey thing in nicely. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMy7nR5djSolkLN_54uU50UThpv8ud4JsLdX-RVzb5LhUwFVhDYoGN6jCPOgIEZVsHhWsLOKrwchMDeB3hCKvZW0TPP9W0bdzmAedLA3Avysjjs0WoHAwloiIGGjvN265BY3t0UR-uZJs/s1600/2015-03-09+001+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMy7nR5djSolkLN_54uU50UThpv8ud4JsLdX-RVzb5LhUwFVhDYoGN6jCPOgIEZVsHhWsLOKrwchMDeB3hCKvZW0TPP9W0bdzmAedLA3Avysjjs0WoHAwloiIGGjvN265BY3t0UR-uZJs/s1600/2015-03-09+001+004.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the Madame Clochette mug in the background!</td></tr>
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And then just keep going and going.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVxrf6iH5L4wCVD3qFZ6chZEviTP5pSKx5iOSMQGVUVxBsLyo5jzTmoFZK15xEtLq8p1IqEDjMBe31Zty8iL3GUAo56s7Ky7jW1ypbIZN-GDPKBqu4uPRXHp56jg2o2R0cwl2Zp5-dW0/s1600/2015-03-09+001+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVxrf6iH5L4wCVD3qFZ6chZEviTP5pSKx5iOSMQGVUVxBsLyo5jzTmoFZK15xEtLq8p1IqEDjMBe31Zty8iL3GUAo56s7Ky7jW1ypbIZN-GDPKBqu4uPRXHp56jg2o2R0cwl2Zp5-dW0/s1600/2015-03-09+001+006.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
Place the sugar cubes in a little bag of their own.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxdh5dMawMLhqDbbhKobaci5-BsGuZtNDzWioKacSZIdhUo_jmZpgY_DDfk_2NMQbaGr8GrGqAVBhM1A06qjqiYuQR7BzqjfaAQ4BnorYRa_sMqiaJBrR9Mq6I-Y76PGdGZsLYJZ3PXM/s1600/2015-03-23+001+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxdh5dMawMLhqDbbhKobaci5-BsGuZtNDzWioKacSZIdhUo_jmZpgY_DDfk_2NMQbaGr8GrGqAVBhM1A06qjqiYuQR7BzqjfaAQ4BnorYRa_sMqiaJBrR9Mq6I-Y76PGdGZsLYJZ3PXM/s1600/2015-03-23+001+007.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm pulling this odd, smug face because in the other photos I look cranky and double chinned.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUckthWoNu4uqXR9H1PjgCuwNjIBAIF_KQRvp4com57lODksReHGXgyEA9w0Yw8t6F9zLNQn6YDaydCHj4zPB4E7fad6Oef2eSqopGEXGpFMYx58R5ASzEuAQcNSCj-DuRe7HNr12wtTY/s1600/2015-03-23+001+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUckthWoNu4uqXR9H1PjgCuwNjIBAIF_KQRvp4com57lODksReHGXgyEA9w0Yw8t6F9zLNQn6YDaydCHj4zPB4E7fad6Oef2eSqopGEXGpFMYx58R5ASzEuAQcNSCj-DuRe7HNr12wtTY/s1600/2015-03-23+001+009.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one is perfect.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Repeat. And Repeat. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3v1c53KU7C81RsJFrOXQEI9sUCIJy2WEEJ0edPHv4cMskI5XH9tDD-gk26tQ00HXDMqun8XQjMbiNVpo5x7ozPswOtN3aeBjr7m8DmDpATHJRef-YMajNrj0o0_6-yFfBRVxFOaRM1qA/s1600/2015-03-23+001+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3v1c53KU7C81RsJFrOXQEI9sUCIJy2WEEJ0edPHv4cMskI5XH9tDD-gk26tQ00HXDMqun8XQjMbiNVpo5x7ozPswOtN3aeBjr7m8DmDpATHJRef-YMajNrj0o0_6-yFfBRVxFOaRM1qA/s1600/2015-03-23+001+013.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Pop a packet of sugar in the box, and add teabags. It ended up looking nicer if I held all the tags together and then placed them in the box, <i>just so.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiabJRcWgbrQG9a6Zq9CPZsNYY16BFz6vcofFYiCdxGf7Hu5_PtWquowfp4Ge48cXBf6kx-5nMOb7VmTM5tPZ6gTxK0OJiHVRSfsXPCZaO4zHZB_SJUVjKYKEuTGIOvqk2BcNa9g4xUCLU/s1600/2015-03-23+001+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiabJRcWgbrQG9a6Zq9CPZsNYY16BFz6vcofFYiCdxGf7Hu5_PtWquowfp4Ge48cXBf6kx-5nMOb7VmTM5tPZ6gTxK0OJiHVRSfsXPCZaO4zHZB_SJUVjKYKEuTGIOvqk2BcNa9g4xUCLU/s1600/2015-03-23+001+014.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now tie it all up with a matching ribbon. To get the perfect bow, with even ends, make one side longer than the other. How you tie it will depend on which side needs to be longer.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2L8wbS-6GlyfnVV0Hm1A9jKtoXK_uuZ3r1WY-rktwGjweOppA71Ssb6ov2O6Qs17ZkmEyct2hF9HSIrI4OtdMMTf-JB5M7uiQyiPs9vbCHw4qxGfGYema3Orias3OBLqWSHF6Zthc4dw/s1600/2015-03-24+001+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2L8wbS-6GlyfnVV0Hm1A9jKtoXK_uuZ3r1WY-rktwGjweOppA71Ssb6ov2O6Qs17ZkmEyct2hF9HSIrI4OtdMMTf-JB5M7uiQyiPs9vbCHw4qxGfGYema3Orias3OBLqWSHF6Zthc4dw/s1600/2015-03-24+001+006.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Demonstrating the craziness...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SmfmaZ_08epZPU5DyGD5degg8i_bSRMpef3U_2vb9Tr6DY4PcjPYbOpyBC8Zi0fK-RFu1iP6-ZJ7QI9ry3p9myRzIsq0jLWS66hJLznmEOvtVwHjfPtNDO1HgV_uVrYyERVErpvET80/s1600/2015-03-24+001+005.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SmfmaZ_08epZPU5DyGD5degg8i_bSRMpef3U_2vb9Tr6DY4PcjPYbOpyBC8Zi0fK-RFu1iP6-ZJ7QI9ry3p9myRzIsq0jLWS66hJLznmEOvtVwHjfPtNDO1HgV_uVrYyERVErpvET80/s1600/2015-03-24+001+005.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm mainly including this pic because I like the over exposure and my nails. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I got a little excited using my mini tripod again, so I apologise for all the ribbon tying pics. I know you know how to tie a bow!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwZeMA06y3QeIsFglafpzq6sDCoICDZG51zIaoZp_2POIW3xdtg-WRngZRWnmivPagWGD0rpHxsWMpTGyuyrd_QpQACBGUEBla3WDD51saZiU82Quw_T7GZXY6P3mWGJICSBTVwuHaxg/s1600/2015-03-24+001+002.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwZeMA06y3QeIsFglafpzq6sDCoICDZG51zIaoZp_2POIW3xdtg-WRngZRWnmivPagWGD0rpHxsWMpTGyuyrd_QpQACBGUEBla3WDD51saZiU82Quw_T7GZXY6P3mWGJICSBTVwuHaxg/s1600/2015-03-24+001+002.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
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Repeat, and repeat... <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXhimYMlKxjPaT-U-QYekTVMsndhyphenhyphenr87lXKIFol4ToHbV0e3HhANm-V1G5wcVn5xBVMELvnAe3eGK0oQz7fEV0L6YbfM3hA2iJTeFq_r6gopf1HcAlWkomKtxB-zbiMJgLRQjLzbdthI/s1600/2015-03-24+001+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXhimYMlKxjPaT-U-QYekTVMsndhyphenhyphenr87lXKIFol4ToHbV0e3HhANm-V1G5wcVn5xBVMELvnAe3eGK0oQz7fEV0L6YbfM3hA2iJTeFq_r6gopf1HcAlWkomKtxB-zbiMJgLRQjLzbdthI/s1600/2015-03-24+001+014.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soldiers ready for combat?</td></tr>
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After all that faffing, a gratuitous shot of the bloody bow...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFhGhQXazE4ljd8UfRERsq4ivVd2p6sRHBfnaRL_uvZoMm41ZGlsoJC88cy7rtAsRNp4NcWchN4tt7Pr-McxdjJwMFWDtQIwNxCROIUuUtKlxS8uW9tb9cPoDbwzf7-4yjI8-WLOVqSk/s1600/2015-04-03+001+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFhGhQXazE4ljd8UfRERsq4ivVd2p6sRHBfnaRL_uvZoMm41ZGlsoJC88cy7rtAsRNp4NcWchN4tt7Pr-McxdjJwMFWDtQIwNxCROIUuUtKlxS8uW9tb9cPoDbwzf7-4yjI8-WLOVqSk/s1600/2015-04-03+001+005.JPG" height="640" width="576" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This pic wasn't taken until after this little one had been to Canberra and back, so it's looking a little frayed. Still pretty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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And Voila! Thank you gifts, party favours, or bonbon-whatsits.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibL0XYVTNOTqS2bWql8BMJFqomD8jv2hJFs_0LWb8bo0Zx_5WueIPum4_awnfe8r0GqgHUDacrUtYtw-ZNDU-cVpE9C8cjmWHcE9J4hr087PRd9tixrgFtWfsXlW1H6ALHeRd7Pe3hEmM/s1600/2015-04-03+001+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibL0XYVTNOTqS2bWql8BMJFqomD8jv2hJFs_0LWb8bo0Zx_5WueIPum4_awnfe8r0GqgHUDacrUtYtw-ZNDU-cVpE9C8cjmWHcE9J4hr087PRd9tixrgFtWfsXlW1H6ALHeRd7Pe3hEmM/s1600/2015-04-03+001+004.JPG" height="640" width="542" /></a></div>
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Next up, a guessing game in a JAR!<br />
Can you imagine my delight?<br />
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Salut!<br />
MC<br />
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<br />Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-88155980404451445022015-03-31T22:57:00.000-07:002015-03-31T22:57:05.270-07:00Baby Shower Bonanza, Part 3: Handmade Sugar cubesNow things are getting really nutty.<br />
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Handmade Sugar Cubes...?<br />
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I <i>know</i>. But not only are they beautiful, I needed a little something to fill up my boxes, becauseof course I never find exactly what I want when I need it.<br />
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Who am I kidding. They had me at <i>Beautiful.</i><br />
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Once again, I have Pinterest to blame. I don't have the original pin because this was a surprise for Sadie. The teabags were her idea, even though she thought they were too much trouble, so I wanted to have a little something as a surprise. I need sugar with my tea. So, when I came across this idea, I was sold.<br />
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There are a couple of different ways to do this, some people cut out shapes with cookie cutters, but to me, that seemed like too much faffing, with too much room for disaster. So, I used chocolate molds.<br />
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Of course, I was too silly to get pictures, even though I could only make 15 at a time, and of course, I made 120.<br />
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This is what 120 sugar cubes (o.k, <i>hearts</i>) look like...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgggDUAGOmR1LCxTAQ-X3C0qB8Z2TIEpEw1Y_omeN8MIoUj8hhQIlLVSOaW0dQAvj6TCIOywEMjJpyMju_CLYvuuAwBYdfHnKSjoW9M9z2co0vN_V3ShwmR8R-fJBeSVnmJJE4gba4gn20/s1600/2015-03-11+001+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgggDUAGOmR1LCxTAQ-X3C0qB8Z2TIEpEw1Y_omeN8MIoUj8hhQIlLVSOaW0dQAvj6TCIOywEMjJpyMju_CLYvuuAwBYdfHnKSjoW9M9z2co0vN_V3ShwmR8R-fJBeSVnmJJE4gba4gn20/s1600/2015-03-11+001+004.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In sectioned containers so I can count easily. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Pretty, right?<br />
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FIDDLY and TIME CONSUMING! Oh. My. Gods.<br />
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But worth it.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJEVL0d0BPH_tQNqYAB2u_dr7ZmBhzJHkCrynG__-v2wJNnPHAkBXy_HRbqgkv8R-vNxyjApq9sIdAJVbOhMBr_pLg1CJOzyw3pNge3NrqtVR3bGBufRHD8FE5Ku_8Hp0Mc-fBcOSX_4/s1600/2015-03-22+001+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJEVL0d0BPH_tQNqYAB2u_dr7ZmBhzJHkCrynG__-v2wJNnPHAkBXy_HRbqgkv8R-vNxyjApq9sIdAJVbOhMBr_pLg1CJOzyw3pNge3NrqtVR3bGBufRHD8FE5Ku_8Hp0Mc-fBcOSX_4/s1600/2015-03-22+001+025.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*sigh*</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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All you need to do is mix 1/4 cup sugar with one teaspoon of water and a tiny drop of food colouring.<br />
This is what happens if you use too much food colouring.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSXJkRUapu54aj2XhQuHBNSq3uW16ZWlFmxSl1wM42vNvDfWx8HoAcUpCYcA0Rc9vlz_F8gH2MsBhZAifS-ObbxCs9lJLX-oTv5maVFimjadp38AGPrsycipOv2RO9ryHXgO5sngoVCM/s1600/2015-04-01+001+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSXJkRUapu54aj2XhQuHBNSq3uW16ZWlFmxSl1wM42vNvDfWx8HoAcUpCYcA0Rc9vlz_F8gH2MsBhZAifS-ObbxCs9lJLX-oTv5maVFimjadp38AGPrsycipOv2RO9ryHXgO5sngoVCM/s1600/2015-04-01+001+002.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lighting makes them loo lighter than the fabulous, lurid teal they really are.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Now imagine that dissolved into your tea. Yuk!<br />
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Once you mix it up, it'll feel like damp sand. Spoon a teaspoon of the mix (so that each cube equals one teaspoon, of course!) into the mold and tamp down firmly. I used the fat end of a chopstick for this. Did I mention it was time consuming? Repeat, until all your spots are filled and pressed down. Pop them in the fridge, over night to be safe. Carefully push them out ( I used a silicon mold), they'll still need to dry out a bit, and, VOILA!<br />
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Repeat a million times. Chuck a tantrum when you accidentally get the mix wrong. Wonder why on earth you thought this would be a good idea. Congratulate yourself on such an awesome idea. Sigh a lot.<br />
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Then, behold the beauty.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzWScHKIow2gfyYwINa23eTsxEGTmVCAr7tWtvc2D1aaLoWlmboo38BfLy8-3gdb2ktpLMB1XL1ju5MJXNll2PyD3NOKWN32QAaX7vCAa6-_3TK84Co_4aGv-s7AJCKVmg2-Df9i8uP8/s1600/2015-03-22+001+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzWScHKIow2gfyYwINa23eTsxEGTmVCAr7tWtvc2D1aaLoWlmboo38BfLy8-3gdb2ktpLMB1XL1ju5MJXNll2PyD3NOKWN32QAaX7vCAa6-_3TK84Co_4aGv-s7AJCKVmg2-Df9i8uP8/s1600/2015-03-22+001+023.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuvRwD84AJ3QNFpEy_WXo2yZr6VRezEphcWDnipZXyhcwYYxtAHHYhwXokSFSXG4w043pd3e9561gH5OpjISBULtml4GF8zxAjz-Knkkrf1JznWTnJQGEa1QNMoN9yPBm1psnXIZbbE4/s1600/2015-03-22+001+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuvRwD84AJ3QNFpEy_WXo2yZr6VRezEphcWDnipZXyhcwYYxtAHHYhwXokSFSXG4w043pd3e9561gH5OpjISBULtml4GF8zxAjz-Knkkrf1JznWTnJQGEa1QNMoN9yPBm1psnXIZbbE4/s1600/2015-03-22+001+030.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMGx69hoaCwzAzssQU1qUOafJubB3BMJECJI4WtJaQ4pjLiFBljMGIvzNPZ8rxskcHKa183Iqa6ZTwIUcXrxbD_BUf9eqKhAbDyDN2BWOcjXlIokpMlWJSDp3TlXaipPEb9XXpIxE2XA/s1600/2015-03-22+001+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMGx69hoaCwzAzssQU1qUOafJubB3BMJECJI4WtJaQ4pjLiFBljMGIvzNPZ8rxskcHKa183Iqa6ZTwIUcXrxbD_BUf9eqKhAbDyDN2BWOcjXlIokpMlWJSDp3TlXaipPEb9XXpIxE2XA/s1600/2015-03-22+001+032.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Oh, and this is why you make a few extra...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMSIMGmGORN-9Z95tfqoVC0_kFRItPf_e-PMasGQjrafmcPoGlWPO_uFSAuyhF8zBLuvFed_yvYMMub5MC0S4p5_C3WDCIjei-uboXoiU16S9JqeF3ASIyaTBnOLZwTvNF7WPlsLzo-s/s1600/2015-03-23+001+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMSIMGmGORN-9Z95tfqoVC0_kFRItPf_e-PMasGQjrafmcPoGlWPO_uFSAuyhF8zBLuvFed_yvYMMub5MC0S4p5_C3WDCIjei-uboXoiU16S9JqeF3ASIyaTBnOLZwTvNF7WPlsLzo-s/s1600/2015-03-23+001+012.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broken hearts</td></tr>
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So, Teabags and Sugar Cubes done...<br />
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Now what to package them in?<br />
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Until next time,<br />
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MC<br />
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<br />Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-19261340830793507152015-03-29T16:58:00.000-07:002015-03-29T16:58:29.503-07:00Baby Shower bonanza, Part 2: Handmade tea bagsAnd so it continues.<i> Do</i> join me for a little craziness in the form of Handmade Tea Bags.<br />
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Yes. Teabags. Made by me.<br />
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There are numerous versions on Pinterest, but this is the one that inspired me and gave me very simple directions. There are even free, printable tags.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Printable-Mothers-Day-Tea-Tags" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-5506" data-cosmic-cart-scanned="true" src="http://liagriffith.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Printable-Mothers-Day-Tea-Tags.jpg" height="697" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="560" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://liagriffith.com/mothers-day-tea-tags/" target="_blank">Lia Griffith</a></td></tr>
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What I loved about this version is that the teabags look like someone actually made them, and with love. I know, sounds corny. But I am!<br />
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What I also love about these little bags, is that they're cheap to make. The muslin cost $2.50p/m, the tea, Melbourne Breakfast from T2 (Sadie's favourite) was $30 for 250g(which ended up giving me about 85 teabags) and the tags were made from scraps of the invitation paper.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPz0iaCbxBnzQvY3XgPt0y2pqRFxLHaQd4-DQjnoeO7V0Zv1Fe7ysw-7pkLRMe95xvFwnQhhZKYSP7m053nSI-8T-hHIGbgOoTaeRoE0z4BxUjngcBCSgh13kx-a2Tm836Oh0P7Bxk2_o/s1600/2015-02-09+001+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPz0iaCbxBnzQvY3XgPt0y2pqRFxLHaQd4-DQjnoeO7V0Zv1Fe7ysw-7pkLRMe95xvFwnQhhZKYSP7m053nSI-8T-hHIGbgOoTaeRoE0z4BxUjngcBCSgh13kx-a2Tm836Oh0P7Bxk2_o/s1600/2015-02-09+001+001.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One teaspoon (one you use to stir your tea, not a measuring spoon)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqI1rSCD2NeAifXdnHCjdusWtp2LWTtULhhqelos070tNELIG01h6F9Nw05fj8h8QdEEf6DdLv1NYt062I2birLD6TiiLNPc-66Tz-6cgmNpSGe5IAumve7GM5T1s5pvNbyh8JSxgFR50/s1600/2015-02-09+001+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqI1rSCD2NeAifXdnHCjdusWtp2LWTtULhhqelos070tNELIG01h6F9Nw05fj8h8QdEEf6DdLv1NYt062I2birLD6TiiLNPc-66Tz-6cgmNpSGe5IAumve7GM5T1s5pvNbyh8JSxgFR50/s1600/2015-02-09+001+003.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gather and tie</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfYC20WNzsYpTUxP65MMhwInxzVhyphenhyphenf6YiGBmDjyCrdkZ0yKoQXBbassZGOXnDwy7jVamQZQCAFUFcyTVDWadA_3oqCjLp8IKF8EQI5WzgbwtGE4K1T9um1LnFrYBbJqB3P7kvLDRmH_E/s1600/2015-02-09+001+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfYC20WNzsYpTUxP65MMhwInxzVhyphenhyphenf6YiGBmDjyCrdkZ0yKoQXBbassZGOXnDwy7jVamQZQCAFUFcyTVDWadA_3oqCjLp8IKF8EQI5WzgbwtGE4K1T9um1LnFrYBbJqB3P7kvLDRmH_E/s1600/2015-02-09+001+002.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trim, and you're almost done.</td></tr>
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These weren't hard to make. If you're good with your hands, they'll be easy. They're just fiddly, and time consuming.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8uScBJYDSkD0R57d172eeOgaw7gE5-_uQZ59O2pkzqNjY__xA_wckjeI8P6LBBsxUw9t5oJN2LJxOpsMUrB4RRWi-JbgQGVtyWAKRtLvKKnA_b26kqzzRTf7shuTTxFGPkpnuWlTqrxk/s1600/2015-03-22+001+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8uScBJYDSkD0R57d172eeOgaw7gE5-_uQZ59O2pkzqNjY__xA_wckjeI8P6LBBsxUw9t5oJN2LJxOpsMUrB4RRWi-JbgQGVtyWAKRtLvKKnA_b26kqzzRTf7shuTTxFGPkpnuWlTqrxk/s1600/2015-03-22+001+018.JPG" height="452" width="640" /></a></div>
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I made 120 tea bags. <i>I know</i>.<br />
<br />
120? Yes. There were 27 people on Sadie's guest list, so I made 30 invites, just in case she'd forgotten someone or decided that some Facebook friend was nice enough to come along. I'd decided to use plastic boxes to package them in, and so, to make it look generous and not stingy, four tea bags each was the plan. If you're using smaller packaging, you could certainly package 1,2 or 3 and they'd look gorgeous. <i>(Keep an eye on the Madame Clochette Facebook page for a few different options soon).</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYUpRJlC0WPhNX3IifnfedGH9jwKGeDKsFCpwYwnsMQd-pg477ZkxPRABPG-jrXhE7Gw13AhL9b0-P-YvGV5esyYRMhu6LbBQYJF1mppl_znvq0FdSetwVlUgDDTNfE6xOQMUd-Wi2Bc/s1600/2015-03-22+001+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYUpRJlC0WPhNX3IifnfedGH9jwKGeDKsFCpwYwnsMQd-pg477ZkxPRABPG-jrXhE7Gw13AhL9b0-P-YvGV5esyYRMhu6LbBQYJF1mppl_znvq0FdSetwVlUgDDTNfE6xOQMUd-Wi2Bc/s1600/2015-03-22+001+007.JPG" height="518" width="640" /></a></div>
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Like in Lia's original post, these teabags would make a great Mothers Day gift, or you could even package up some "xmas" scented tea and give them as Xmas gifts.<br />
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Hmmm... <i>That's</i> a good idea.<br />
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Must remember that.<br />
<br />
Next up in the Bonanza....<br />
<br />
Handmade Sugar cubes.<br />
<br />
A bientot!<br />
<br />
MCSamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-3091198439368268792015-03-25T17:52:00.000-07:002015-03-25T17:52:16.115-07:00Baby Shower Bonanza, Part 1 : InvitationsHere begins the craziness of my sister Sadie's baby shower.<br />
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She's my little sister. My only sister. And she's having a baby.<br />
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OH MY FUCKING GODS!!!<br />
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Anyhoo, Sadie has gone above and beyond the call; for my Canberra wedding, My French Wedding, My Canberra Baby Shower, my Melbourne Baby Shower, and then a few days after the birth of my actual Tadpole, she flew here and back in one day.<br />
<br />
So, I kinda owe her. Plus, I haven't always been a very good big sister. Pretty crap at times to be honest.<br />
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She's a bit of a control freak, (A LOT of a control freak... she's a Virgo, just like Mr Frog), so I gave her plenty of choices to make a long the way. Handy, because I suck at making decisions, especially small ones that feel very important.<br />
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She'd already booked a High Tea venue while I was eating France so with that in mind we tossed around a few ideas for a theme. I constantly kept talking myself down from the crazy. I don't know why, but it's the place I go to first. We both did some perusing of Pinterest (EVIL PLACE! LOVES CRAZY!) and managed to head in a similar direction. Once I knew the vibe she was hoping for, elegant and pretty, combined with her own vintage style, I needed colours. She told me the theme for the baby's room would be "Woodlands" using leaf green, or pistachio. I headed to the Kaisercraft website and got to hunting for something that might fit. I sent her a few suggestions, she sent back the papers she liked the look of and I made a choice.<br />
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For the invites, I chose this:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7i1_jQu-JNKWLla_7ecZyKbTvjq94cqaghdYooulPH91ZGwEfjZLu1svb4k-ZmCO1o64jB7YPHM8ZAWVI7MjgOJBm38hcgQoU_9n6jyofIGTQIlBzS-xWniP9W_UNChzsBc6o3JtcoHA/s1600/kcraft2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7i1_jQu-JNKWLla_7ecZyKbTvjq94cqaghdYooulPH91ZGwEfjZLu1svb4k-ZmCO1o64jB7YPHM8ZAWVI7MjgOJBm38hcgQoU_9n6jyofIGTQIlBzS-xWniP9W_UNChzsBc6o3JtcoHA/s1600/kcraft2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Expression" from the Kaleidoscope range.</td></tr>
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After much faffing, I decided to keep things simple. Unfortunately, I forgot to take photos of my progress, so this isn't a tutorial, but as you'll see, when I say simple I mean it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JdCoTgAW8r38PYwCBsDIPJTnfsVFFr6G7Wa6a8zi5ZzYrbgwuHLW4v3tQjJYF7QJ_QpS6PDavSFi7vrpVr9-pqROUuYwc7oJ3Yq7odDoTJ7py3mB2hyphenhyphenRzU6umGD3kYvjzcB7LtWmXDc/s1600/2015-02-22+001+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JdCoTgAW8r38PYwCBsDIPJTnfsVFFr6G7Wa6a8zi5ZzYrbgwuHLW4v3tQjJYF7QJ_QpS6PDavSFi7vrpVr9-pqROUuYwc7oJ3Yq7odDoTJ7py3mB2hyphenhyphenRzU6umGD3kYvjzcB7LtWmXDc/s1600/2015-02-22+001+001.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simple, Elegant AND a tiny bit of bling.</td></tr>
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A little more than half the card is Kaleidoscope paper, stuck down with some double sided tape. The other half has my printed piece, also stuck with tape. We then get a little fancy with some lace and ribbon. The lace has a raw edge and only the ribbon is tucked under, for a less bulky but still finished look. After a few days staring at my prototype I decided it needed a little something. These sparkly hearts are just big enough to be pretty but not blinding. (You can find them at Officeworks).<br />
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Now, my original plan was to used craft cards from The Dollar king, the ones I <i>always</i> use for birthdays and a bargain (because I have to do everything as cheaply and as fabulous as possible). Of course, after I pre cut ALL OF MY PAPERS I realised I couldn't get them in time, so I bought a few sheets of white card and cut them to size.Even cheaper. Instead of opening the card, guests just flip it over.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokWkMW_BvyKqYNTqz1HDhoQLCsh7alIaf8hMYOAALIYk4y_Mn9GkxsIECm3spQScnycSMiOcQAqVZpzz04lXgejApfqnDHx2S_vPchjUhgSd4SSr8EAktgInFiWEAWk0FB2dj7PNl2WI/s1600/2015-02-22+001+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokWkMW_BvyKqYNTqz1HDhoQLCsh7alIaf8hMYOAALIYk4y_Mn9GkxsIECm3spQScnycSMiOcQAqVZpzz04lXgejApfqnDHx2S_vPchjUhgSd4SSr8EAktgInFiWEAWk0FB2dj7PNl2WI/s1600/2015-02-22+001+004.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I even downloaded a new font.</td></tr>
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Popped in an envelope and sealed with a larger sparkly star (also from Officeworks, and excellent value) they were good to go.<br />
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And so ends the first chapter of the Baby Shower bonanza.<br />
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Next up, Thank you gifts.<br />
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Stay pretty,<br />
<br />
MC <br />
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<br />Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-20531954072038216692015-03-16T03:15:00.000-07:002015-03-16T03:17:19.326-07:00Adventures with French Food, a Picture Book<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTQNWm0ttU8TxuMiu9b2F7g71Uk5FfOxyAfQ3cQLhF6HhiKWv_ooC2fUAwmlT_pf9q6FWGa1JYVaWFHOdf4lrcE_VQugpJBLB0jjf7DDCsRHsRBI_tJRWhnMEiKMeg9GW6u1_vprWrEY/s1600/2015-01-21+001+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTQNWm0ttU8TxuMiu9b2F7g71Uk5FfOxyAfQ3cQLhF6HhiKWv_ooC2fUAwmlT_pf9q6FWGa1JYVaWFHOdf4lrcE_VQugpJBLB0jjf7DDCsRHsRBI_tJRWhnMEiKMeg9GW6u1_vprWrEY/s1600/2015-01-21+001+001.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tadpole's yoghurt. In glass jars. I very nearly smuggled the empty jars back to Australia!</td></tr>
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One of the best things about France is the food. <i>Obviously</i>. It can also be one of the worst, funniest, weird and amazing things about France. <br />
<br />
Let me show you just a few things I encountered on our recent trip to our other "home".<br />
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First, we arrived just in time for Xmas which is celebrated on Xmas eve, with lots of food and wine, until midnight when you open your gifts.<br />
Among other things, we had:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MdVZGHxUSC3ch3-jKYOHCHt_5or-aqcnjdBfJzCMUHcQqXuyp_oTlCv9kBhSoMrSDSElnNnhwnGnVJIVfQPR7omzIMXNFUUK0wgq3XWIAntroY4q2CrhE-WYLKQvBYCuY60t0_1O624/s1600/2014-12-24+001+014.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MdVZGHxUSC3ch3-jKYOHCHt_5or-aqcnjdBfJzCMUHcQqXuyp_oTlCv9kBhSoMrSDSElnNnhwnGnVJIVfQPR7omzIMXNFUUK0wgq3XWIAntroY4q2CrhE-WYLKQvBYCuY60t0_1O624/s1600/2014-12-24+001+014.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oysters, almost the size of my hand.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoSZfVbNZdk73WK8-_svC5CgPfyELgcP8lGGAHHU630AfR_-RRk2jQT02w7nEXSsBy9wJRgjjIz2-v-UOK8NcA5Jpg4fIV_ujEKNPa4KnSovdCr9yJV-rAFwVaEaxs6SGLwLLPQVTV1XI/s1600/2014-12-24+001+027.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoSZfVbNZdk73WK8-_svC5CgPfyELgcP8lGGAHHU630AfR_-RRk2jQT02w7nEXSsBy9wJRgjjIz2-v-UOK8NcA5Jpg4fIV_ujEKNPa4KnSovdCr9yJV-rAFwVaEaxs6SGLwLLPQVTV1XI/s1600/2014-12-24+001+027.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snail like creatures from the ocean...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgeMAad7GyoUCFnyaBfGxrmvwg6NSb1OUtFXHcvD_5oI48NYBJtmxUKnl13GCRxCz6fFM2djSzL5hPLzDs0hLb9F4uOye2UcjD-l8dxrLZ80gMAQ-4SjtYYTwBuhD6gReVqbGB8CqXnZE/s1600/2014-12-24+001+028.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgeMAad7GyoUCFnyaBfGxrmvwg6NSb1OUtFXHcvD_5oI48NYBJtmxUKnl13GCRxCz6fFM2djSzL5hPLzDs0hLb9F4uOye2UcjD-l8dxrLZ80gMAQ-4SjtYYTwBuhD6gReVqbGB8CqXnZE/s1600/2014-12-24+001+028.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, I had one. Not bad really. </td></tr>
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And then, after numerous other canapes...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ql5uh7iHSidhEiH634N8yEJtcGBuzfXpeB5avOflQPU5z0SrQmjWHppt3FrsKZm7yMKakXgwVGVbpziXSpBunVxbNNHDdubuiKEBMMBTEkXC1CoGZ3RAQzEt5V_VvCKkGtHhsrh1gkY/s1600/2014-12-24+001+034.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ql5uh7iHSidhEiH634N8yEJtcGBuzfXpeB5avOflQPU5z0SrQmjWHppt3FrsKZm7yMKakXgwVGVbpziXSpBunVxbNNHDdubuiKEBMMBTEkXC1CoGZ3RAQzEt5V_VvCKkGtHhsrh1gkY/s1600/2014-12-24+001+034.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cheese platter, made fancy with figs and walnuts</td></tr>
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And lastly,<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1gQXPnB34Z3diQwegLa5TJG4mFYyKfAcilEUqVmCLFK_hXRRVuncEf8rOY2ozPPHt8R-pISQnm-tG5pE8o2WEPSKzTxZwmIs9RsLM6e4qoGSB752Wbj0gqICmHkfk1nvRRGrKbmFfvSY/s1600/2014-12-24+001+036.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1gQXPnB34Z3diQwegLa5TJG4mFYyKfAcilEUqVmCLFK_hXRRVuncEf8rOY2ozPPHt8R-pISQnm-tG5pE8o2WEPSKzTxZwmIs9RsLM6e4qoGSB752Wbj0gqICmHkfk1nvRRGrKbmFfvSY/s1600/2014-12-24+001+036.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dessert, why just have one choice?</td></tr>
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My mother in law decided that New Years should be a simpler affair,so she headed to Picard, a store that sells pre-prepared, frozen food, but not as we know it.<br />
<br />
A few canapes to start...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkotyhgjMjX0ldctJWj7_WAu51m-eL2n2N0QPXhEGZQ2XRNrmiTNQJoxqzwBUfz72x4dKEEcrQJkW1MXuBDKNpfwt7LPrBKJv0xGC1j6l2sdJedGALvVp9_nrDX-sEHcDmEzf3ttxMzbU/s1600/2014-12-31+001+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkotyhgjMjX0ldctJWj7_WAu51m-eL2n2N0QPXhEGZQ2XRNrmiTNQJoxqzwBUfz72x4dKEEcrQJkW1MXuBDKNpfwt7LPrBKJv0xGC1j6l2sdJedGALvVp9_nrDX-sEHcDmEzf3ttxMzbU/s1600/2014-12-31+001+010.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All ready made, from the store.</td></tr>
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And then just for me, because I once had them at my local bar and thought they weren't bad, they gave me these...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gOozN3yggkgXMAorF5VI22vkrRQJxfLq7Ve6Fennhvk99YE8UGcPOU4qT34P9xVllFY_dGYVmkhnRi50uNsTNDljoU5mqkESDgrmbex4tqn7KWi_-9-lzhPKHfmegQl2d0ak6-mBvBk/s1600/2014-12-31+001+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gOozN3yggkgXMAorF5VI22vkrRQJxfLq7Ve6Fennhvk99YE8UGcPOU4qT34P9xVllFY_dGYVmkhnRi50uNsTNDljoU5mqkESDgrmbex4tqn7KWi_-9-lzhPKHfmegQl2d0ak6-mBvBk/s1600/2014-12-31+001+012.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snails, in all their garlic butter glory, from the freezer to the oven.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghVyX48MY6YmHBiLSuqiSRCiY1m7Tb3QvHnu3ZtyovpxmwO1WthElzPdWPZanH180l6LNMUKsCQmU1n7EOqexb_kJsEigmra1a9QtAKtNpcq1s_3aV7mAYA0IaSRNN2d0eYWJTjk01OV4/s1600/2014-12-31+001+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghVyX48MY6YmHBiLSuqiSRCiY1m7Tb3QvHnu3ZtyovpxmwO1WthElzPdWPZanH180l6LNMUKsCQmU1n7EOqexb_kJsEigmra1a9QtAKtNpcq1s_3aV7mAYA0IaSRNN2d0eYWJTjk01OV4/s1600/2014-12-31+001+014.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For your viewing pleasure. You're welcome.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We had a few other pre -made and quite lovely canapes, then pulled out dessert, also from Picard.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Cn_RkiHys90B6l5ntHJMhRVQn1xfSyNkwnuBvKfCg0yKi6E7yY1zZi296vhrmQNnJqJEvQBcUU_I1cU4zkrS6p2ivdGhDL-7dc8ykX8b5zljI7CrPMI2LfMd_elUKMVOoN_dLwfdx3g/s1600/2014-12-31+001+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Cn_RkiHys90B6l5ntHJMhRVQn1xfSyNkwnuBvKfCg0yKi6E7yY1zZi296vhrmQNnJqJEvQBcUU_I1cU4zkrS6p2ivdGhDL-7dc8ykX8b5zljI7CrPMI2LfMd_elUKMVOoN_dLwfdx3g/s1600/2014-12-31+001+025.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eclair anyone...?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Oh, and these...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrcAjauuIP0R0-c00hAToQn6XXNtoFZj375Wq-wfA71FTLmIecnVt2gtMkxIhgUhsC2v-g9p80pYDZ6-7xvKM68tphFntmd8AfZ7yjBoTi4gcuoHM0_oJsxozIzmLpYgMP5KNdXcGz8U/s1600/2014-12-31+001+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrcAjauuIP0R0-c00hAToQn6XXNtoFZj375Wq-wfA71FTLmIecnVt2gtMkxIhgUhsC2v-g9p80pYDZ6-7xvKM68tphFntmd8AfZ7yjBoTi4gcuoHM0_oJsxozIzmLpYgMP5KNdXcGz8U/s1600/2014-12-31+001+026.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because one is not enough.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
After New Years, we headed to Marseille, stopping on the way in Lyon, the Food Capital of the food capital. We arrived late but in need of dinner, so my in laws went out for a walk to the local Carrefour (the biggest supermarket I've ever seen) to bring back a microwave meal or some thing.<br />
We expected a microwave meal each, and prayed for wine.<br />
<br />
We got this:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfq94mF8TEUlxtZTnhtwyGMi7xOK8xSKwCn5T_UgHrgyPUsFv2ZFbV40Syv2_PenLTc2-kUkDKNGoOK96eDoFgQi3wYhx7Xbu4mRdW0bPLqkTmyVUJ-kgA-FUOZIpxgPKbz3fEyVM8O4/s1600/2015-01-03+002+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfq94mF8TEUlxtZTnhtwyGMi7xOK8xSKwCn5T_UgHrgyPUsFv2ZFbV40Syv2_PenLTc2-kUkDKNGoOK96eDoFgQi3wYhx7Xbu4mRdW0bPLqkTmyVUJ-kgA-FUOZIpxgPKbz3fEyVM8O4/s1600/2015-01-03+002+002.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A moveable feast.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
They came back to the tiny hotel room with bread, saucisson (which my father in law had to hack at with the cheap hotel knives), crackers (for Mr Frog, trying not to eat too much bread) sliced meats, numerous fresh/frozen meals (some of the best I've ever tasted), cheese and a demi bottle of wine.<br />
<br />
This turned out to be one of my favourite meals.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-ibkLCCdiswYTyHoXAjevtrzcDEyMu9nTWBZbAbYYAPFK2-dYIaXyqgE2tkLQ4o8tDr-eJhTRxf2mnwFdI_8n8NQ7AA83oV2PyG42zYECwqf7uF02z9r-H3vbyJncPSA5fKijaytETs/s1600/2015-01-03+002+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-ibkLCCdiswYTyHoXAjevtrzcDEyMu9nTWBZbAbYYAPFK2-dYIaXyqgE2tkLQ4o8tDr-eJhTRxf2mnwFdI_8n8NQ7AA83oV2PyG42zYECwqf7uF02z9r-H3vbyJncPSA5fKijaytETs/s1600/2015-01-03+002+004.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A half bottle of wine, just enough for the pisshead Aussies, and lovely.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ58lLmOiUeKgyyL7V77d6VQSgdK0wCVtTU2bMOsKCr_qNqaOI2XQ6koUWClQ9quzoU9lB_3r7ENt3i5TZU6hC7ADbKl0qK7szgG_R7XE2nTA6M1hqfBkibjjUORbUt17fMVniOKtcOcE/s1600/2015-01-03+002+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ58lLmOiUeKgyyL7V77d6VQSgdK0wCVtTU2bMOsKCr_qNqaOI2XQ6koUWClQ9quzoU9lB_3r7ENt3i5TZU6hC7ADbKl0qK7szgG_R7XE2nTA6M1hqfBkibjjUORbUt17fMVniOKtcOcE/s1600/2015-01-03+002+003.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miniature cheese - a single serve on the left, and the tube on the right held about five of the little cheeses in front. And they were YUM!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We only had time for one good meal in Lyon, and we weren't dissapointed.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMl9amk5y1bnTGkatKp7nCnjKmz_7f2foT5z0UFKbvmDJICIzz7V2YEgBkpC9C2O8rtcop3O0f2OzlpL-z1tLwgOoa4-i-UzhIeK6mrRDvadFIZGcDlo1WqGfB9iGr9d_tClJ8G8_7Gsk/s1600/2015-01-03+001+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMl9amk5y1bnTGkatKp7nCnjKmz_7f2foT5z0UFKbvmDJICIzz7V2YEgBkpC9C2O8rtcop3O0f2OzlpL-z1tLwgOoa4-i-UzhIeK6mrRDvadFIZGcDlo1WqGfB9iGr9d_tClJ8G8_7Gsk/s1600/2015-01-03+001+009.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entree... "French" onion soup and some fabulous salad I can't remember. The lovely staff got sme fries for Tadpole from the restaurant across the lane.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We stayed in a lovely apartement in Marseille, not far from anything, close to the beach and a short car ride to my brother and sister in laws place.<br />
<br />
While peaking through the cupboards, I found this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirv9JBMcySvFcLwYs9qOK5FElRLNLm1JD5Jr8KWqESr6kx9szPRILMbG37lz7MsIZKhPW6SC0wDvmW5vDVOX5C-9OXQLurOldtU6P9lCp7hBqqYJeOx8tb6RI9V2L0KaQ_l-63zATDFsw/s1600/2015-01-07+001+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirv9JBMcySvFcLwYs9qOK5FElRLNLm1JD5Jr8KWqESr6kx9szPRILMbG37lz7MsIZKhPW6SC0wDvmW5vDVOX5C-9OXQLurOldtU6P9lCp7hBqqYJeOx8tb6RI9V2L0KaQ_l-63zATDFsw/s1600/2015-01-07+001+001.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">250ml of dry white wine, especially for cooking, in a tetra pack. GENIUS! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We happened to be in France in time for Epiphany, also known as Galette Season. A frangipane tart that is traditonally baked with a porcelain favour inside. Whoever finds it in their slice is crowned (literally with a paper crown) the king or queen. De-lish, and fun. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIx0Efp2b5gbJVp1Mk1IFZFxKfP7aIPOFADWfC8OKl6-mViWm32rGPSWHMJrFlxlQZbo58dr2LrNu9eWCmKFpWKQoq9gXCEIM3ksTwVTJbWCFmFdLybl6nWGfsM0l7ong1qtyeevIC8dM/s1600/2015-01-05+001+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIx0Efp2b5gbJVp1Mk1IFZFxKfP7aIPOFADWfC8OKl6-mViWm32rGPSWHMJrFlxlQZbo58dr2LrNu9eWCmKFpWKQoq9gXCEIM3ksTwVTJbWCFmFdLybl6nWGfsM0l7ong1qtyeevIC8dM/s1600/2015-01-05+001+014.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Galette in Marseille. My mother in law was queen, this time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My brother and sister in laws treated us to an amazing meal at their place.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRidCFI3jmTZrqtpCpVZWdi-Vt2gERdj8Tufthis1fGXaqVlELVR-lu_fPBiGfZ1KRSewLUP1cvFAynUNQlHtqcHvNJM-plEHVxxuVG_bAWRtU7i75jQV4fnYaibptEZLueYd9TV3xaEk/s1600/2015-01-07+001+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRidCFI3jmTZrqtpCpVZWdi-Vt2gERdj8Tufthis1fGXaqVlELVR-lu_fPBiGfZ1KRSewLUP1cvFAynUNQlHtqcHvNJM-plEHVxxuVG_bAWRtU7i75jQV4fnYaibptEZLueYd9TV3xaEk/s1600/2015-01-07+001+006.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh Foie Gras, forget how it's made, it was divine, and so was the very sweet wine that went with it. (Very similar to Noble One)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwxpbtkrlTQRaaUAAo1XBFNgUox_df0oOoI67e9TWWWioc_njMkwNw7r_8y9WQWObiAI6csq0wWWAznk5Td7AaAviXfn1WADhN7iVUbcDsn9cWnYJeFRxdACgD87HDJ8ybgazPE5Xo3c/s1600/2015-01-07+001+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwxpbtkrlTQRaaUAAo1XBFNgUox_df0oOoI67e9TWWWioc_njMkwNw7r_8y9WQWObiAI6csq0wWWAznk5Td7AaAviXfn1WADhN7iVUbcDsn9cWnYJeFRxdACgD87HDJ8ybgazPE5Xo3c/s1600/2015-01-07+001+008.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade lasagne, done the right way, cooked for hours and served with good bread and salad.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmnLAwp09l2YcZ0_nz6vnrLSuv-mVd85xnlvQjwv0cLUORmfhtqskaTjkeU-iFtDaMoG6BnSlPEqjH-radUTEDIuuqnD51QCvLZG9I_qLiJ1XCpZFBX2KctBxpTEOp1nBPDsKktCe5Z8/s1600/2015-01-07+001+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmnLAwp09l2YcZ0_nz6vnrLSuv-mVd85xnlvQjwv0cLUORmfhtqskaTjkeU-iFtDaMoG6BnSlPEqjH-radUTEDIuuqnD51QCvLZG9I_qLiJ1XCpZFBX2KctBxpTEOp1nBPDsKktCe5Z8/s1600/2015-01-07+001+014.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dessert. My brother in law made me a little one, knowing I'm not big on dessert.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And then with tea or coffee after dinner, these little bikkies, very similar to biscotti.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdfsEnFLMsgciC9zS3LZsgusX8RcV4RYLtkpsTeS_oakbGaaPwulLuaoDr8O0G6f6VMVrPfP4egOHdgoqBd8cNFeyLqv4gW6MK1Wc-3qhIF-5o3cvdHo0Y1bcXreushWLq1Meq4gzo1w/s1600/2015-01-07+001+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdfsEnFLMsgciC9zS3LZsgusX8RcV4RYLtkpsTeS_oakbGaaPwulLuaoDr8O0G6f6VMVrPfP4egOHdgoqBd8cNFeyLqv4gW6MK1Wc-3qhIF-5o3cvdHo0Y1bcXreushWLq1Meq4gzo1w/s1600/2015-01-07+001+017.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I ate A LOT of these. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Yep, we were spoiled!<br />
<br />
We somehow managed a night out on our own. Mr frog and his Clochette out for dinner. Crazy. I'd had my heart set on having a Bouillabaisse in Marseille, but it turns out that not only are they expensive (50 euros), they're massive.<br />
I, am not. So, I had fish soup instead, and not only was it delicious, but it came out like this:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXecIZWWjMffbgJ0LxrLt7IlnfTb7_Kb4utajok2rlsyAvBPGqIhIGKXm2zveHbi6__BZtB0JOM0dmfoKlnRcarvZHmvCDUEVjytqhIMAw7C6-ShOdmbuRZMdVg1YGkmifq5be67yke4/s1600/2015-01-07+001+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXecIZWWjMffbgJ0LxrLt7IlnfTb7_Kb4utajok2rlsyAvBPGqIhIGKXm2zveHbi6__BZtB0JOM0dmfoKlnRcarvZHmvCDUEVjytqhIMAw7C6-ShOdmbuRZMdVg1YGkmifq5be67yke4/s1600/2015-01-07+001+022.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make your own soup, adding all the ingredints to taste.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Our next stop was the mountains. Merlette to be exact. Unforunately I didn't get any decent pictures of the beautiful Fondue,or the adorable restaurant we had it in, but I did get a shot of this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EniAzY0wXiZnyx7U17UPQOaiFIePwCN26IPvJcggjyyeQ08E6tDwiNvzLrom_AHej8YKMc9hseTj8f3RvNKZuEmXMaaG2b2uiOsspM_Pd95vM3fJX4BN5E-4KHVqLCC4LmI0Hz4N15s/s1600/2015-01-13+001+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EniAzY0wXiZnyx7U17UPQOaiFIePwCN26IPvJcggjyyeQ08E6tDwiNvzLrom_AHej8YKMc9hseTj8f3RvNKZuEmXMaaG2b2uiOsspM_Pd95vM3fJX4BN5E-4KHVqLCC4LmI0Hz4N15s/s1600/2015-01-13+001+014.JPG" height="388" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Tadpole enjoying a Vin Chaud (mulled wine) and a rusk on top of the mountain.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now let's talk about tea. Actually, let's start with the coffee in France. It's bad. Really bad. I don't know how they can stuff it up so badly being so close to Italy, but there you go. So, I drank alot of tea instead.No probs there... unless you ask for milk, which sometimes results in this:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWpqrwpir-6EtgbVxez5pu7vcg4eKhSzndaKsy33leAty_Zduf4sQuYs5j-MTCorj7HfDb4rBNrXksnpk6MF9sLd5Zs_Hb2sRPE3Roi5prvWZD1qY6Hq9V9YKPZIuWwxoziDES4_6bMs/s1600/2015-01-07+001+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWpqrwpir-6EtgbVxez5pu7vcg4eKhSzndaKsy33leAty_Zduf4sQuYs5j-MTCorj7HfDb4rBNrXksnpk6MF9sLd5Zs_Hb2sRPE3Roi5prvWZD1qY6Hq9V9YKPZIuWwxoziDES4_6bMs/s1600/2015-01-07+001+037.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In lieu of tiny UHT milk containers, they gave me hot milk to put my tea bag in. Seriously. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Also, some people like to drink their tea or coffee in a bowl, of which their were many in our mountain chalet.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCRnHnuAMnPdWE8rqhtTMRE1tePuH8T8bPey9LVsagJz4giTywaWOu4EyRuRXLs4sKJ0HgEqwim7ihdwGg9t9_oD-umYbPLwpOGMKAxIoqbrxSVrwtI25xSw_n_2Q1oPy7Nw_R9oZv5Q/s1600/2015-01-14+001+005.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCRnHnuAMnPdWE8rqhtTMRE1tePuH8T8bPey9LVsagJz4giTywaWOu4EyRuRXLs4sKJ0HgEqwim7ihdwGg9t9_oD-umYbPLwpOGMKAxIoqbrxSVrwtI25xSw_n_2Q1oPy7Nw_R9oZv5Q/s1600/2015-01-14+001+005.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giving it a go, French Style.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On our last night in the mountains, the rest of the family went out for fondue, and we stayed in. With Tadpole in bed,I made us this very basic meal. Potatoes and frankfurts. Mr Frog would never eat frankfurts here, but in France he makes an exception. And those little potato cubes are straight from the freezer, and something Mr Frog misses. Weirdo.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_owH9aXzxq_EE3JswXaSitkb6TWSZ2IHJJV8twUQAIG_irplzQRLDDO2qYM62hppbPo-K0XjBGDSgSeffQwiD-bX_JZiPu5p5dsaV0XRZ3DwLWoxCrMVHj5kaPe3hWFEvdDkE-eeECfU/s1600/2015-01-14+001+073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_owH9aXzxq_EE3JswXaSitkb6TWSZ2IHJJV8twUQAIG_irplzQRLDDO2qYM62hppbPo-K0XjBGDSgSeffQwiD-bX_JZiPu5p5dsaV0XRZ3DwLWoxCrMVHj5kaPe3hWFEvdDkE-eeECfU/s1600/2015-01-14+001+073.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can even buy pre diced potatoes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
One last thing from our mountain adventures...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9aikGv49D7yPCGTfGxgzQjjd6oH152cod6_ewzi_iWtmaZ5IFv1n5Ida9ZC8BQkr8VW8nRFzFo9b5SphPdw0IWppOjk0gfbWGwLq4DrWZgsMT4-yk747oKFDUnwWhrbtoj6iE7eV7m8/s1600/2015-01-14+001+074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9aikGv49D7yPCGTfGxgzQjjd6oH152cod6_ewzi_iWtmaZ5IFv1n5Ida9ZC8BQkr8VW8nRFzFo9b5SphPdw0IWppOjk0gfbWGwLq4DrWZgsMT4-yk747oKFDUnwWhrbtoj6iE7eV7m8/s1600/2015-01-14+001+074.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little something to warm you up...</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Oh, and this.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeesdrXiYDKl82ohTBr099SwDdfotphjWzvv6Vzrac4HbARlDXAS-E-kN-JukLiBLPmEiSuxOuCiXlfQtzQkKgJmywEer3i9vbZmrpk9BqrPYd4WmwwZ4MCiEpneP3yDlCixupu9aS5o/s1600/2015-01-14+001+030.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeesdrXiYDKl82ohTBr099SwDdfotphjWzvv6Vzrac4HbARlDXAS-E-kN-JukLiBLPmEiSuxOuCiXlfQtzQkKgJmywEer3i9vbZmrpk9BqrPYd4WmwwZ4MCiEpneP3yDlCixupu9aS5o/s1600/2015-01-14+001+030.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first snow man.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On the way back to Paris, I needed a little snack. Mr Frog got me these. They were good.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2u0UQQS7z9A3NvaVkT1t9PPF7qdWyYz3B1FsIoo57siB0g2wbGyudEN-J1JsmvA7NkS0uXcbTnY_vOTkEeHGc7z5bW6CsAtpKlRXsRQ6sZQogy-vL3caQK_hIB1DTsXbGOumTQ1XP-To/s1600/2015-01-07+001+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2u0UQQS7z9A3NvaVkT1t9PPF7qdWyYz3B1FsIoo57siB0g2wbGyudEN-J1JsmvA7NkS0uXcbTnY_vOTkEeHGc7z5bW6CsAtpKlRXsRQ6sZQogy-vL3caQK_hIB1DTsXbGOumTQ1XP-To/s1600/2015-01-07+001+033.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really just love the packet!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When we got back to Paris, the grandparents went off to a party for a couple of nights, so we invited our friends over for dinner. The meal was a disaster. (Don't try cooking a casserole you usually make in the oven on the stove,in a kitchen that's not yours, with meat of poor quality). However, the company and the drinks were not.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMehl5exdNdh0Dp-YH5n1oKBZN74pSH_FZF6JA1pIJQVd9PaqlKaMk8VVd9bATrQcqf1SG-ndfHSpjB4kHGkZ3cN4v8x9-O6gVS8xR0IkEm7lLf8uw7o77IYBRwbHYnT6OlDf2FXRZFk/s1600/2015-01-18+001+001.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMehl5exdNdh0Dp-YH5n1oKBZN74pSH_FZF6JA1pIJQVd9PaqlKaMk8VVd9bATrQcqf1SG-ndfHSpjB4kHGkZ3cN4v8x9-O6gVS8xR0IkEm7lLf8uw7o77IYBRwbHYnT6OlDf2FXRZFk/s1600/2015-01-18+001+001.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bottle of Champagne, complete with fancy seal.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6izyc_MwLrwDPojYQn57SR7Ce5JQ8u4vFXz6D_uownEdl1tETc_cVZwmRk3yawVAT6LP0Uzw90frLNRRE1dsFgyt2pxV_Z7Rk7xppXHxCIc7gZeIAO0UgdQ8oYvU3b42kU9qM6admMk/s1600/2015-01-18+001+002.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6izyc_MwLrwDPojYQn57SR7Ce5JQ8u4vFXz6D_uownEdl1tETc_cVZwmRk3yawVAT6LP0Uzw90frLNRRE1dsFgyt2pxV_Z7Rk7xppXHxCIc7gZeIAO0UgdQ8oYvU3b42kU9qM6admMk/s1600/2015-01-18+001+002.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cosmopolitans made is an empty "Pollen" jar. Yes, <i>Pollen</i>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The following day, after a slight miscommunication and an act of love at the last minute, we had lunch with the same friends. These are the place settings.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduR8VwYRMuvNjUyy2qPKWj-cF1rd98y3Z2lXSSdASwJB8tnPeTzxSG8BWFnSP8cdYbpvNrXhzQUCT8ois5rvaIsOaGfF5yIc8E97u3rAhIGYTRQtfaoz6qeYKSUx_9dLSv9o698ajYQ4/s1600/2015-01-18+001+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduR8VwYRMuvNjUyy2qPKWj-cF1rd98y3Z2lXSSdASwJB8tnPeTzxSG8BWFnSP8cdYbpvNrXhzQUCT8ois5rvaIsOaGfF5yIc8E97u3rAhIGYTRQtfaoz6qeYKSUx_9dLSv9o698ajYQ4/s1600/2015-01-18+001+022.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what I dream of in my own home... the perfect place setting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7o3kEU-B7e3iVGuh1VyMMFwxJ-lmEC6A1S2IsWd0Y0VEAtGzx7y5y5zBivGNn9u5vqaGmK7RLgWl3WUrnedundeejjajYoR-MBdD8PN4qxSG9NLyRpChuwIv8bnKlkgU2Lkq30MiE-4/s1600/2015-01-14+001+073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnVzbba3ZrknGkjGxdzYdOSYR22uQu5VZBPiT9Cu0LKh_zZjjNcAF0b9JWT1Z48g4XosoxiKsaDAfzW18Y-sSsqEbpon6wWeNVxl4Cl96zMeO_KB5Rg4Hx-hlDSv3TcKcfu6IvDCacU84/s1600/2015-01-18+001+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnVzbba3ZrknGkjGxdzYdOSYR22uQu5VZBPiT9Cu0LKh_zZjjNcAF0b9JWT1Z48g4XosoxiKsaDAfzW18Y-sSsqEbpon6wWeNVxl4Cl96zMeO_KB5Rg4Hx-hlDSv3TcKcfu6IvDCacU84/s1600/2015-01-18+001+023.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mean seriously, can you even believe it?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Meanwhile, our friends entire house looks like Versailles. Incredibly beautiful. And lunch was to die for. On our last visit they tried to kill me with lunch. This time I was prepared. Lunch on a weekend or special occasion in France is a LONG affair. Entree, main, salad, cheese, dessert, and then a little something with coffee or digestif.<br />
<br />
This was just one of the little cakes we could choose.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gsk6-YENCitmE6pSpW1BObTA8aIclqbgSw1lMHJA5gItkyVvVPcipFGgnOOXfvy5t8Gr04gZUmM8txtRugtIhbA-P64mtmglgfJiVSwrFzZhgSBkYA7FHuROqRT4KNmsSfe_u9WTOSU/s1600/2015-01-18+001+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gsk6-YENCitmE6pSpW1BObTA8aIclqbgSw1lMHJA5gItkyVvVPcipFGgnOOXfvy5t8Gr04gZUmM8txtRugtIhbA-P64mtmglgfJiVSwrFzZhgSBkYA7FHuROqRT4KNmsSfe_u9WTOSU/s1600/2015-01-18+001+038.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The amazing thing? It wasn't sickly sweet. Wonderful.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On our last night in Paris, we went into the city for dinner, to a place in the Marais, called JaJa. They only use seasonal produce and the menu was small and divine. This is the entree we had to have.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgEUn1SD7B-xIsUYRwPkeJuleuoaZBTNmMrXkV_LANiX0GGrMf3jHy7PLhJepjZG_x9cC_Z7aWMe9BiEvPUuXTaE9sHlRipjvwm6Oos9ENCAijS2ex0Vyt3mFpRfVem7aCUHus2K9EyQ/s1600/2015-01-22+001+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgEUn1SD7B-xIsUYRwPkeJuleuoaZBTNmMrXkV_LANiX0GGrMf3jHy7PLhJepjZG_x9cC_Z7aWMe9BiEvPUuXTaE9sHlRipjvwm6Oos9ENCAijS2ex0Vyt3mFpRfVem7aCUHus2K9EyQ/s1600/2015-01-22+001+003.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foie Gras with roasted macadamias and grapefruit foam.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mr Frog and I both had rabbit for our main, but had to swap plates early on, due to the fact that Mr Frog couldn't get the meat off his portion of rabbit, whereas I had the breast. (Just proves the philosophy of the restaurant... they use the entire rabbit.) The wine warranted a photo of it's own. Mr Frog adored it!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfOcRZKNgtPP54VuLiMNQw3LQrI4EEXDj4khCQW_XDEXVGEOLzAVMbzcMSuBy9aM7-n9zYX7RT1XoBdYj-U2-aobZRStpjnZ-DuTtorXQAa9o4k7a1n__YnJ79TwEzCeIO0nZu3hs6N2k/s1600/2015-01-22+001+004.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfOcRZKNgtPP54VuLiMNQw3LQrI4EEXDj4khCQW_XDEXVGEOLzAVMbzcMSuBy9aM7-n9zYX7RT1XoBdYj-U2-aobZRStpjnZ-DuTtorXQAa9o4k7a1n__YnJ79TwEzCeIO0nZu3hs6N2k/s1600/2015-01-22+001+004.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another please!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And so, this concludes your visual food journey. If you got this far, thanks for sticking around!<br />
<br />
Bon appetit!<br />
<br />
<br />
M.C<br />
<br />
<br />Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-2465235093053446792014-12-13T19:16:00.000-08:002014-12-13T19:16:54.946-08:00Merry and BrightOne week of school left.<br />
<br />
One week until we fly to <i>France.</i><br />
<br />
One last bunch of Christmas gifts to wrap.<br />
<br />
Remember these little babies?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-4eGYpU_GFprhzEoon-FAQbdLmCvkWcA511xCTGC8i0VyhGVG_npF7WflOHrUbUlr7lHa9qLNl1RYA7L6-Kx_ieMp7IhdkKjwVXAr8MyxToKbfuq3O6lLe1jRBiYbd8E2oPds3n-IVU/s1600/2014-11-29+001+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-4eGYpU_GFprhzEoon-FAQbdLmCvkWcA511xCTGC8i0VyhGVG_npF7WflOHrUbUlr7lHa9qLNl1RYA7L6-Kx_ieMp7IhdkKjwVXAr8MyxToKbfuq3O6lLe1jRBiYbd8E2oPds3n-IVU/s1600/2014-11-29+001+006.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I made a heap of chocolates at the time, knowing full well Mr Frog would change his mind about not giving gifts to the teachers in his office at the last minute.<br />
<br />
As it turns out, the teachers in Mr Frogs office, teach Japanese. So, having also studied Japanese at school (for six years!) I was a little inspired.<br />
<br />
Today we practice the Japanese art of Furoshiki.<br />
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First, pop your choccies in a little plastic bag and seal.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7F5DnJzmSSx8ndGrb6CE3KVpBfMnJYMmvxulVTzXxz_m92ZkVFmbW8Wf5EO77atatoYhC-cVoAsFGk1IVjiT1jv7LnnMORKqp8J47GfxWx-v_FS-l1Sz_O6iTrl0g78wKcE-OUGnC-s/s1600/2014-12-14+001+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7F5DnJzmSSx8ndGrb6CE3KVpBfMnJYMmvxulVTzXxz_m92ZkVFmbW8Wf5EO77atatoYhC-cVoAsFGk1IVjiT1jv7LnnMORKqp8J47GfxWx-v_FS-l1Sz_O6iTrl0g78wKcE-OUGnC-s/s1600/2014-12-14+001+004.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next, cut a rough square out of your chosen fabric. Mine are about 15x15cm, but it'll depend on the size of your pressie. Place the packet on top of the wrong side of fabric. I put it at the opposite angle so I didn't need to use too much fabric, and so it would look a bit neater.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pTj5It1675ICQ-LPL2YR_EVaoLJHFSPjiJvYeZxCBY6w10aBlwdvlqbAbNnr_nk7iv4gsG1JkNBsO0ecKnq9tjXGs1FpxchEuE8kEjn1wUt_5KvZQEQYJi6M5C10c35annqKa1WKYas/s1600/2014-12-14+001+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pTj5It1675ICQ-LPL2YR_EVaoLJHFSPjiJvYeZxCBY6w10aBlwdvlqbAbNnr_nk7iv4gsG1JkNBsO0ecKnq9tjXGs1FpxchEuE8kEjn1wUt_5KvZQEQYJi6M5C10c35annqKa1WKYas/s1600/2014-12-14+001+010.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Take two opposite corners and tie a knot.<br />
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Then take the remaining corners and tie another knot. If you have enough fabric, tie another knot to secure. I was being frugal.<br />
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Voila! Or should I say <i>dozo</i>.<br />
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<br />
I had exactly four plain chocolates left, so I made this up, just because.<br />
A bit of Kikki K twine, some Washi Tape (did you know it's Japanese?) from Kaisercraft, and that is a <i>very</i> cute little parcel.<br />
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That's it from me for the year. I mean it this time.<br />
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I hope the holiday period is just fabulous,<br />
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Merry and Bright,<br />
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and keeping praying my Christmas is WHITE!<br />
<br />
MC<br />
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<br />Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-60614887095103997172014-11-30T18:40:00.000-08:002014-11-30T18:40:17.209-08:00An Itty Bitty Xmas GiftLast year, I nearly gave myself an ulcer making fabulous gifts for the fabulous women in my mothers group. It was ridiculous, and just another example of how I often expect too much from myself.<br />
<br />
Do you do this? I'd like to think it was a mum thing, something I could be at least a little smug about, but it turns out that motherhood has just put a great big magnifying glass over the habits, traits and "issues" that were already there.<br />
<br />
Anyhoo. This time I was good. This time, I made an effort without breaking a sweat, and talked myself down from going over board.<br />
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You might say my mothers group were ripped off this year.<br />
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All they got this year, was this itty bitty box of homemade chocolates.<br />
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And when I say homemade, what I mean is, I poured some melted chocolate into a mould and put things like almonds and crushed mint lollies in them.<br />
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You don't have to make the chocolates either. Buy some wrapped ones and pop thoses into a little box. Or tailor it to the recipient. Do they love Skittles? Fill it with Skittles. Make a bunch and keep them hany for those times you realise it would be nice to give Rhonda from work who you only see in the tea room, a little something for xmas.<br />
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1. Fill a little box with chocolates or lollies, homemade or otherwise. <br />
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2. Tear strips of fabric (for that rustic look) or cut lengths of ribbon, so they're not <i>quite</i> as wide as your box. Oh, and it doesn't have to be "xmassy". Trust me. It's quite freeing.<br />
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3. Tie a bow. To get it looking perfect it takes a bit of faffing. I always do a test run first, then cut my lengths (or tear) to match. To get an even length, you need to start with one side longer than the other. Or simply trim and be done with it! <br />
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4. Repeat.<br />
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Voila! Cute little pressies people will be happy to receive, and you'll be even happier (and ulcer free) to give.<br />
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We're off to France for Xmas (please pray for snow!), so if I don't see you before we leave,<br />
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Shop Local, Buy Handmade, and remember, Happiness is a New Handbag. <br />
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Joyeux Noel!<br />
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MCSamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-74414671205016699242014-11-18T18:25:00.000-08:002014-11-18T18:25:26.423-08:00Pressed Metal, The Not Quite TutorialRemember these box/shelf thingy's?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Wedding Expo display</td></tr>
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I thought they looked great at the wedding expo. Black and white, bold, simple. Mr Frog/Mr I-Always-Have-A -Bloody-Opinion thought they looked too modern. "Your style is "Vintage"" he said.<br />
<i>Damn</i>.<br />He's right.<br />
Although it <i>did</i> look great, something a little more vintage would look even better.<br />
But what? For awhile, I was thinking black and white damask scrapbooking paper. Easy Peasy.<br />
But then I remembered something I saw on Bloody Pinterest.<br />
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Laptop/Downloads/Pressed%20Metal%20Link.htm" target="_blank">Pressed Metal.</a><br />
I <i>adore</i> pressed metal. I dream of having a Silver Pressed Metal splash back in my kitchen.<br />
I didn't actually go to the original source. It seemed pretty simple. And it was.<br />
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Simple, yet I think, incredibly effective.<br />
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First, cut your cardboard to size. I used a random piece of cardboard and stole the giant box of un-opened Cornflakes. (<i>Remember, Already had = Free</i>)<br />
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Then I marked out my pattern. You know me, I kept it simple. This is a little less fancy than I imagine in my dream kitchen.<br />
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I then went to town with the hot glue. If you're doing this with kids, you could probably use P.V.A glue, it'll just take longer to dry. So scratch that, and just let the kids design while you take command of the glue gun. (There's gotta be some perks to being the grown up).<br />
Be careful not to make the glue to high/thick. It'll tear the foil.<br />
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Next, lay the foil shiny side down and put your cardboard glue side down. Fold over the edge of the foil, carefully, and tape down. <br />
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Flip it over and gently rub your hands over the foil. <br />
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Then go over again with more attention to detail.<br />
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Now remember when I said <b>gently</b> and <b>try not to make the glue too thick</b>...? This is why. The foil won't like it. And neither will you.<br />
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Nevermind. Pretend it didn't happen and continue with the next two pieces.<br />
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It's about this time I heard a little voice in my head saying " It doesn't look as good as you thought huh?".<br />
Doubting bitch. I Ignored her and carried on.<br />
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It looked promising. I had such high hopes.<br />
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Hmm. Not quite how I imagined. I stared for a bit. Maybe it'll look better with a bag in there?<br />
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<br />
Maybe up close?<br />
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Hmmmm.<br />
Maybe with the black bags instead. Yes, that's it.<br />
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<br />
I couldn't work out why it didn't look like I thought it would. The first piece I did was awesome. I even posted it on Facebook. (So it must be true).<br />
Then Mr Frog chimed in.<br />
In his "I'm trying not to sound like the critical pain in the arse you think I am" voice, he said "Do you like it babe?". I paused for a second too long and he continued with "It just looks like foil".<br />
<br />
GAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!<br />
<br />
He <i>is</i> a critical pain in the arse, but when he's right, he's right.<br />
<br />
Now it just looks like a conspiracy theorist has gotten a little fancy with the foil on the windows.<br />
<br />
Sometimes, things don't work out the way you think/hope/wildly assume they will. And part of the "fun" of being a crafty minx is working out how to fix things when they <strike>don't quite work out</strike> fail completely.<br />
<br />
I went back to plan B. well, plan A really.<br />
And I got to go to Kaisercraft. So, that's a win.<br />
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A black damask acetate (After Five Collection, Champagne), on white paper.<br />
<br />
Simple, black and white, bold, Vintage.<br />
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And I didn't swear once.<br />
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What have you stuffed up and then fixed lately?<br />
<br />
MC<br />
Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-1747823115282804282014-11-06T19:15:00.000-08:002014-11-06T19:15:46.183-08:00My Ladies and Friday NightsA while ago, I started a page here to show off my own collection of much loved handbags.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAn5Z8L9ellU08-_reCO4xZa9n9proDoqBRJNDQ9Ho87T-WD81wmk5F8F4SbEecDsucKoNMwNpqyd9ktoWGA4xotQ1Ty7LDdKuoF-PPeJ8hsrdD9BReuAno8sYhls7YnJ45-489oCsn0/s1600/2014-01-02+001+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAn5Z8L9ellU08-_reCO4xZa9n9proDoqBRJNDQ9Ho87T-WD81wmk5F8F4SbEecDsucKoNMwNpqyd9ktoWGA4xotQ1Ty7LDdKuoF-PPeJ8hsrdD9BReuAno8sYhls7YnJ45-489oCsn0/s1600/2014-01-02+001+004.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crappest pic ever.</td></tr>
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<br />
I posted once, and couldn't work out how to do it the way I wanted, so I didn't do it again.<br />
<br />
I'm now showcasing my Ladies and (I hope) providing a little inspiration for a Friday night out on the Madame Clochette Facebook page. (Just type Madame Clochette into the FB search bar and you'll find me easy). The aim is to pick out an outfit as if I was going out ( <i>if only</i>) and team it with a bag I own, and one or two from the Madame Clochette range available on Etsy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I felt the need for Colour today...</td></tr>
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I've blathered on a bit on Facebook about gorgeous ladies pairing their giant handbags they use all week with fabulous outfits over the weekend. It just hurts me to see this happening. It's just so unnecessary. As you'll see from the coming weeks, most of my own collection cost very little. You don't need to spend a lot to look fab, and more importantly, you don't need to stick with the safe black clutch. Although, you will need to at least <i>own</i> one.<br />
<br />
I hope to have you dusting off your own collection and maybe even trying something a little different. And hey, maybe you'll even buy a Madame Clochette Cocktail bag. They're one of a kind, just like you. Perhaps you'll just downsize your current monstrosity and stop killing me. <br />
<br />
It's a win no matter what.<br />
<br />
MC <br />
<br />
<i>Oh, and apologies for the not so great photo's coming your way. I'll aim to actually model the outfits and bags, but nap time is all too fleeting most days!</i>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697839773763985631.post-42259684614977111432014-10-26T01:05:00.000-07:002014-10-26T01:05:15.049-07:00A Pretty Bathroom, Eventually.The bathroom has become the first finished room of the house.<br />
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All we needed was something for a funny spot on the wall, in between the shower and the doorway. I contemplated going the French "Le Bain" (or<i> la</i>, I never know!) route, but it just didn't really fit with how the room had already evolved (without a fight). We'd gone the textured, natural look and it was soothing and clean, and pretty, without being "girly". I'd already made <a href="http://madameclochette.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/odd-jobs.html" target="_blank">this Tissue box cover</a> so it was only natural to continue in that vain. Another trip to Kaisercraft where I spent my $20 loyalty gift card on random scrap pads and some very specific papers. The <a href="https://www.kaisercraft.com.au/newsite/collections.php?col=84" target="_blank">Basecoat</a> range was perfect for my project. It features great colours and texture up the wazoo. Once I'd chosen my papers and bought my canvas, I was ready to go.<br />
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<br />
I started by mixing some white paint with PVA glue and painted the edges of my canvas. I don't really know what I was hoping to achieve by doing this, maybe a bit of texture, or the opposite? Anyhoo, it didn't make too much difference, so we were all good. Then it was a case of working out how exactly I wanted to use my papers.<br />
I was really expanding on what I did in <a href="http://madameclochette.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/au-francais.html" target="_blank">Tadpole's room</a>, but I didn't think squares were going to cut it, plus my canvas was 51x51cm, too tricky to do even squares. I considered some kooky patterns, but in the end, I went with my usual style; Simple. Stripes it was. After a few practice line ups I was ready to get gluing.<br />
<br />
Never glue things in a hurry.<br />
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You end up making a mistake (gluing whole sheets down instead of cutting one) and having to pull it all off while it's still kinda wet. You end up with a lumpy mess on your canvas that needs to be sanded back. Of course you'll have to wait <i>days</i> to do this because you have a Tadpole.<br />
<br />
Anyhoo. We start again, and this time, even though I was pretty fast at it ( but in a fun I can't wait to finish this kinda way) I did a pretty good job.<br />
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But something was missing. It kinda faded into the wall a bit.<br />
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It needed something more. So, I painted the edge of the canvas (again) with brown paint, carefully matching the browns already in the papers. The PVA from my first attempt actually made the texture of the canvas stand out more, and considering this thing was all about texture, I rolled with it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJwpZ8-1utEu5IKjIi-CaSUP-j9WxBGwinTWRkUQUS0A1o3fp8U-1ZOUEND4hmbswCvmwx7P0iz6Z-32aGzeGWvL1GH-CxJFaNXQMoJxJtSmWkBoXy-t5ieyySpnArpMjUO_HmPY8NDCA/s1600/2014-10-15+002+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJwpZ8-1utEu5IKjIi-CaSUP-j9WxBGwinTWRkUQUS0A1o3fp8U-1ZOUEND4hmbswCvmwx7P0iz6Z-32aGzeGWvL1GH-CxJFaNXQMoJxJtSmWkBoXy-t5ieyySpnArpMjUO_HmPY8NDCA/s1600/2014-10-15+002+001.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
Now see that bit on the far left? That's what happens when you stop paying attention and cut the paper the wrong size. I still need to go back and glue it down better, but you can't tell once it's on the wall.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2PVGHA-ULbEpChkxFnXCynreAEhB-__ECK-evmQVgEuwDiK50TXXlBQ_Ub_Haztvm69QTNA_4obEPWa2LcQaPcC4MY61D9Sw-rrwwHFYSidMsUJmOWEknqFWlCfhK4whu877dcO01mI/s1600/2014-10-15+001+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2PVGHA-ULbEpChkxFnXCynreAEhB-__ECK-evmQVgEuwDiK50TXXlBQ_Ub_Haztvm69QTNA_4obEPWa2LcQaPcC4MY61D9Sw-rrwwHFYSidMsUJmOWEknqFWlCfhK4whu877dcO01mI/s1600/2014-10-15+001+004.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
See how the bottom is curved? That's what happens when you buy your canvas from Dollar King. Whatever. Mr Frog turned it up the other way and you can't tell.<br />
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This little section of the bathroom was the inspiration for the canvas.<br />
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The finished bathroom, before Mt Frog flipped the canvas, and complete with his P.j's hanging on the door. He's not impressed that I left them there to take the photo.<br />
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Pffft. I'm keeping it real.<br />
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This post wasn't sponsored by Kaisercraft. But Kaisercraft.... Call me.<br />
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MCSamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18176168612075022125noreply@blogger.com1