My Birthday

September doesn't really have a holiday to decorate for, so I always decorate for my birthday. I decided I wanted a different birthday wreath this year, the last one's kitschy vibe was rubbing me the wrong way after all the birthday's we've celebrated. (Part of me loves the old one, but I just wanted a modern one this year.) I printed the bunting from this site. Ignore the fact that I connected the R incorrectly. I guess I could fix it...

 Ok, I love the candle! I used a coffee stirrer, and covered it with baker's twine. Plus the flame, it makes me smile. Happy Birthday me.

Necklaces for Kindergarteners

 On Monday I was feeling distressed about how little time I have to craft. My daughter decided to fix that by asking me to help her bead a necklace.

Not exactly what I had in mind to do during naptime. This is what we made. She wanted very tiny beads so I mostly did it, luckily we didn't use a pattern.

Tuesday afternoon she comes home and tells her how her friend from landsharks (elementary school cross country) loved her necklace so much. Nan told her she would make her one and bring her it. Hooray! *sarcasm* I got to make another necklace! *sarcasm*

She picked out the beads threaded five on, and gave up for me to finish it. I decided to be more charitable like my daughter and husband and happily make it. It was much more pleasant that way.

 My daughter came home from school on Thursday after landsharks in the morning, with only one necklace so I can only assume her friend loved the necklace.

More Cowns

I think crown posts will soon come to an end. I might make another crown or two for my baby boys as they are preschoolers, but I'm pretty sure my daughter isn't going to want to give crowns out at birthday parties for very much longer. In the beginning of the summer a friend turned 6 and we gave her a crown. After walking around our box store in vain, I suggested shopping on Amazon. Instead Nat asked me to make a crown, she designed it all herself, and told me how to make it. She wanted it to say queen not princess. She wanted a very long veil just like Rapunzel, she picked out the fabric and the jewels.

Dog Cake

When my third child turned 2, life was in a bad place. We still had two weeks of summer vacation, I had started some medication for depression but it wasn't really working yet. I didn't want to do anything other than yell at everyone. I was mad and angry. But the day before his birthday, I willed myself to get up enough gumption to bake a cake. I threw it in the freezer, the next day/his birthday I willed myself to decorate it. I knew life would go on quite fine if I didn't make him a cake. I knew in the scheme of things no one would care, but I also knew I would regret it for a very long time if I didn't make the cake. (I'm living a life of minimal regrets with the depression, I'm accepting that I'm sick and can't do much, but I knew a 2nd birthday was different then day to day.)

It was a beyond easy cake to make, less than an hour, but considering all that was going on, it was a monumental cake to make. Never has it taken so much courage for me to make a cake. 

 I used pudding frosting, it was beyond easy, if I wasn't in a postpartum depression fog, it would have been beyond easy. Since I was this is a trophy of accomplishment.

I used Kraft's Pudding Recipe, because its easy and delicious. I wondered how it would work as a decorator's frosting. Since I wasn't trying to be professional, and just please three kids it worked great. It has a bit of solid mass and fluffiness anyway because of the pudding. 

what you need

1

pkg.  (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

1

cup  cold milk

1/4

cup  powdered sugar

1

tub  (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

make it

BEAT pudding mix, milk and sugar in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in COOL WHIP.

SPREAD onto cupcakes immediately or store frosting covered in refrigerator up to 24 hours.

Back to School Wreath

The Friday before school started, life was beyond chaotic, my house was a mess, there probably was a baby crying, but I came up with a wreath idea and wanted to make it before school started. So I did. And guess what when I finished the house was still a mess, a baby was probably sleeping, everyone else was coloring with crayons. 

Since I used the same polka dots from father's day, the wreath was quite easy. I took a pin and poked holes through the crayons at the same point, and then took fishing line and beads to make my crayon bunting. It was very easy. All the kids wanted to help, no one was allowed, I worked at the bar while everyone else had to color at the table. I'm mean like that.

Its so cheery and jaunty. I looking at it.