Jikana Damaru: 04/06/10

It's my Blogiversary

Today is such an exciting day for me - it is the one year anniversary of my little blog - my "blogiversary". I remember that very first post - wondering what would I say and if anyone cared. Would I be able to find things interesting enough to keep people coming back (still wondering about this one).

I have made some wonderful wonderful friends though the blog world - lovely lovely ladies who I have never met but know more about my daily happenings than most people who I see in the school playground every day! These ladies are so kind - they leave lovely comments that make me smile and keep me encouraged. Some extra special ladies send special gifts "just because". I have come to the conclusion that to be a blogger means you must be special - you are constantly giving to people you have never met and you do it because it makes the world a happier place.

As a birthday present for my blog I am planning a blog makeover - I am hoping to look a little prettier in the coming weeks so please keep coming back and I promise that I will try to keep things fun and exciting for the next year to come.

Now to find some cake to celebrate with...

Alexander the Great...

Over the course of your life, many people come and go... I've never really been one to hang on to old acquaintances for sentimental sake; I don't need a billion friends on Facebook and I don't feel resentful about losing touch when friends move away on different paths.

There are few people I can truly envisage myself remaining friends with for the rest of my life... but Vanessa is one of those people.

We met at Uni while we studied Communications, and we've shared many years of laughter, tears, share houses, backpacking holidays, the odd triathlon, weddings... and now babies.

Vanessa lives in the UK -- she's been there since 1999 when she arrived on a 1-year working holiday that turned into a 10 year hiatus, working her way from production runner to Director of a successful company. One of those revoltingly over-achieving types, she also managed to conceive an annual film festival in the UK and produce a short film in the time she has spent away.

Despite the great physical distance, Vanessa has been and will always be a rock in my life. That's why I am so thrilled to announce the arrival of her amazing baby boy, Alexander...

Congratulations Van and Haydn, you will make truly amazing parents and I can't wait to share the journey with you... um, do you think you might mean it this time when you say you'll be coming home at the end of the year??

xo

Easter table

Some of the details............

Hand made chocolates

Chocolate bunny heads

I had so much fun putting my Easter table together this year and it all came together in the end! Saturday morning I got up early to get my Easter Topiary tree finished, which is something that I had wanted to blog about but didn't get finished in time. I had bought a small plant pot for the base but it still looked too big, so I dashed out to the garden centre to pick up a smaller one. Whilst I was there I had a quick peek at the Easter decorations and saw the fake grass mats. I instantly fell in love with them and as I have a woodland-themed baby shower coming up I justified their purchase to myself as they would get used more than once!

I painted the plant pot for my Easter tree and whilst it dried I started setting out my Easter table. I laid my Easter table runner down the centre and laid the grass mats on top. I placed my cherry blossom and pussy willow Easter tree at the end of the table with hand painted eggs and bunnies hanging from it. I lined my Easter basket with a pink gingham napkin and filled it with foil wrapped chocolate eggs and placed it at the end of the table with my large bunny. I filled my Easter bunny bowl with pastel-coloured peanut M&M's. I then hid my small white bunnies amongst the grass place mats. I placed white bunny candles in my hand painted egg cups and put them alongside my Easter bunny lollipops. The Easter bird houses I used as place settings. By then my plant pot had dried so I assembled the egg topiary tree together and placed it in the center of the table.

That's when I decided to make banana cupcakes with chocolate buttercream nests that I could sit amongst the grass, so obviously my strawberry cupcakes needed to be decorated with flowers so they could also sit amongst the grass! As time was running out I decided to use coloured M&M's instead of flowers to decorate my cupcakes.

On Sunday afternoon I hid my Easter cupcakes and Easter egg chocolates amongst the grass on my Easter table, filled my wire baskets with all my wrapped handmade chocolates and enjoyed the rest of the day!

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter!