Poppy Pretties...

 At Mia Bella Gardens there is a field of poppies...
 Well, that's not quite true...
it's actually a garden bed
of pretty poppies.
Last year I went seed scattering mad,
and now early in the summer season,
the garden is a mass of prettiness.
 Poppy bud beauty...
After the drabness of the winter,
 isn't the minty green of the buds and leaves luscious?
 You have to wonder how so much flower is packed into that small bud!
Poppy pretties...
Nature spoils us with their beauty...
Nature spoils me,
Because this is the vista outside my lounge room window.




Cupcake making for kids!

It was with much fun we had the pleasure of 'testing' a cupcake kit for kids
for our local Whitcoulls  bookstore !
First we make a batch of vanilla cupcakes
and let them cool before icing them.
 The kit had the smallest rolling pin you've ever seen in it...
cute little cutters, and fondant in pink, yellow, white and blue.
This kit is quite educational too...
with fondant in primary colours mixed to make new colours,
Yellow + blue = green...
So that's a bit of science isn't it?
 The fondant passed the taste test...
Kids would love the different flavours...
 pink strawberry was the best!
 The little cupcake stand was a trick to get the cupcakes on...
But this was the end result.
Cupcake making with fondant icing...
Now there's an idea to keep the children entertained 
during the weekend,
or holidays!

DIY Willow Wreath...

The countdown to Christmas is truly underway, 
have you been doing any planning?
I thought I had better get a move on with that,
 so I sat down  with pen and notepad, and planned away!
Every year I have a colour theme,
and this year it will be the traditional red, dark green and white.
I'm going to make book page butterflies,
Scotty dog decorations in white felt,
and a decorated wreath.
Those bits will go nicely with the felt reindeer made last year,
and all the other Christmasy things,
 I have made or collected over the years.
Don't you just LOVE Christmas?
When do you decorate your house?
Are you like me and decorate in the first week of December?
The large wreath was today's creation
 and it should be dry enough to decorate in a few weeks time.
Here is how you make a willow wreath...
There is a little willow tree 
in the house paddock at Mia Bella Gardens,
so I gathered some of it...
As well as some thin wire...
                                               and secateurs.
The next task was to strip the leaves and tips from the willow...
 Then cut some small pieces of wire...
 Choosing some of the longer lengths of willow bend into a circle....
 Using the wire, bind it together in three of four places....
 Don't worry if it's not perfectly round, 
as you shape it as you weave more willow into it.
 Keep weaving and twisting, poking the willow into the circle...
give it a squish and help it shape into a circle.
If you have access to willow, have a go at making a wreath...
It is lovely to work with as it is so supple.
It took me about 3/4 of an hour to make this....
Quite therapeutic actually, all that weaving.
 
 And here it is...
ready to hang and dry...
Don't the poppies look pretty framed by my DIY willow wreath?





Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...