Birthday Girl, Birthday Boy, Birthday Cake

One day I happed upon this recipe - Brown Sugar Sponge Cake With Caramel Pears - and I immediately decided it was to be the next birthday cake because, as you may already know, it's not a birthday without a birthday cake in our family.


It just so happened that the next birthday cakees were Susannah who turned 16, and Moses, my grandson, who turned 1 on the same day.

Well, making the cake was a learning experience. I didn't beat half of the mixture anywhere near enough and ended up with two 1cm think omelette-y pancakes to be sandwiched by the two sponge cakes that I did mix enough.

Also, crème fraiche is different to sour cream and did not respond in any way like it was supposed to. Not only that but we did not have a big enough bowl (our big Sunbeam mixer bowl was broken and I miss it deeply) and this is what happens when she-who-shall-not-be-named got to work in the kitchen :).

Enough of the cake! Where are the birthday cakees?!

And if you want to see a photo of Moses eating his first bit of birthday cake (and maybe his first bit of cake?) take a look here :)

PS I'll be making that cake again! I'll do it the same, but better!!!

Boys on Brown

I got a little bit behind for the last class (Neutrals) in Nic Howard's Colour! Or is it Color? class at Big Picture Classes. But it doesn't matter. Here are a couple of layouts on brown.

This first layout is on a piece of cardboard that DH left on the ironing board (in my art space) and I could see potential! I had fun tearing, painting and layering to make this layout that took me about 20 minutes max. (Don't tell me you can tell!!!)

Are you wondering what Reuben is doing? He has a seed pod and he's holding it up as a mouth. That's all.

You might already know that we celebrate Malachi's birthday in July because we like to separate it from our Christmas celebrations where is birthday actually falls. So here Mal is heartily taking a breath to blow out his candles. That big breath cost him the chance to blow out his own candles - our little 3 year old friend got to them first.

So there you go.

I'm joining in with the Big Idea Festival at Big Picture Classes. Unfortunately for you the registrations are now closed but maybe next year you can join in :) It's free!

Moses

I loved working with this beautiful pastel teal-y colour. And these photos of my gorgeous grandson. Ain't he so cute?!

This day at soccer Moses, 11 months old, was testing out his walking skills but he was SO tired. He probably wasn't very well either. It didn't matter, he was still as cute as ever.

See that brown circle? It is actually on a transparent square. Well it is packaging from something. I wanted a transparency but I couldn't find one anywhere so I raided my mixed media box and found this piece of packaging. I think it worked in well with my theme.

Also, see those teal half-circles? They are the bits left from around the stickers. Another successful use of the left overs. :)

Waiting and Watching

In the last couple of weeks I've had the pleasure of going to some of Sophie-Lee's piano performances. It was fun to be in the audience for the Year 12 Showcase - a place to display the drama, music, art, textile design, and design technology works. Sophie-Lee was part of a group drama which made me laugh more than I've laughed in a long time. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The she performed three piano pieces.

I would have liked to be in the audience on the second night of the showcase as well but taxi-driving duties and no baby sitter made that impossible. :(

While I was waiting for Belle to arrive I sat outside, which happened to be warmer than in the foyer, and did a bit of sketching.

I was sitting outside the Hurstville City Museum and Gallery in the dark, except for a couple of floodlights shining onto the museum. That was a nice way to pass the time.

Later that week we had a quick session at the St. George Eisteddfod where there were only 3 competitors in Soph's section. Sophie-Lee was awarded a Highly Commended for her playing.

Last night, thinking that our session at the Eisteddfod would be similarly short, I ducked out of the house leaving quick instructions for Susannah who was looking after the kids. It was not short. We were there for two and a half hours.. That was well and truly enough time for me to sketch the scene before me. I drew all but the pianist, enjoying the range of music and its performance by the competitors. Eventually, it was Soph's turn. I drew her in - that's why she is a little airy-fairy. She played beautifully.

The adjudicator was listening for musicality, not just technical ability, he said, from the 12 or so contestants. And obviously Sophie-Lee managed to get a bit of musicality in there because she was again awarded a Highly Commended.

So there you go.

Around the Garden

In June I walked around the garden taking photos. Today (and yesterday and the day before yesterday) I scrapbooked the collage of photos that I took. This follows on with the purple theme that I am up to in Nic Howard's Colour! Or is it Color? class at Big Picture Classes.

(I might have to move that capital J down cos I keep reading "inc".)

:D

I bought myself a cabbage

It was a couple of years ago now... I was walking along and saw these cabbages sitting outside a florist shop. I bought myself one - it made me happy. I thought I would extend the purple happiness by planting the cabbage but my thumb is NOT green (or purple) and the cabbage died. But not before I had enjoyed its purple and almost teal green beauty.

Otherwise known as Kale or Boracole this ornamental cabbage has become a popular item as a floral decoration.
Here's a photo I took recently of a cabbage arrangement in a restaurant.

You guessed it! I'm up to purple in Nic Howard's Colour! Or is it Color? class at Big Picture Classes.

:D

More Blue then moving on

They're up to purple in Nic Howard's Colour! Or is it Color? class at Big Picture Classes but I got stuck on blue. At last, I have finished my blue layouts. It was hard. I think it was mostly because I was lacking in any choice of blue papers and cardstock and embellishments..

It really is AWESOME to be able to go to the beach in the middle of winter. Instead of swimming the kids get creative with sand and shells.

Reuben didn't want go to the city and see the Vivid light show around Circular Quay and on the Opera House. But I think he actually enjoyed himself. I'm looking forward to next year's display. It really was fabulous - especially the show on Customs House.

It doesn't matter what the weather is like, it is always a wonder to look out across the bay. I love the colours of the beach, the sea and the sky. I can hardly believe that we live within walking distance of this lovely scene.

:D