Jikana Damaru

Magnetic Charm

Christmas is but 9 weeks away, and Fern's first birthday is less than 2 weeks after, so I'm starting to think about ideas for gifts... today I wandered into my local Early Learning Centre, where I discovered they are having a 'spend $100 get $20 off' offer. The ELC barely ever have sales, so I grabbed and layby'd a few items for Fern, including these:

Blue Sand and Water Playtable $145 (I desperately wanted it in pink, but restrained myself - what if I have a boy next?!)

Pink Wooden Toddle Truck - $75

Whilst I was there, the following item also forced itself into my shopping basket. At $15, how could I resist? Yes, its magnetic letters - mine in lowercase but avail in assorted colour combos and also in upper case. I have cheekily written a couple of subtle messages for hubby.... ;)

Black crows

I made and decorated a tree for Easter with hand made birds, so I thought for Halloween I would do the same. Initially I used the same pattern to make a bird but it looked too sweet. As I could not find a pattern for a crow or raven I decided to make my own.

I used a black fabric with subtle black lurex running through it to give them a sparkly touch. I used pink wire and beads to make the feet and black diamantes for the eyes.

Halloween Fabric Crows

You will need:
Black fabric
Black thread
Needle
Crow pattern (below)
Pink wire
Pink beads
Silver rings
5mm Ribbon
White pencil or pen
Pins
Black diamante
Fabric Glue
Toy filling

Print and cut out the crow pattern below.
Fold your fabric into two, with the right side of the fabric facing inwards, to give the two sides of your crow.
Draw around the pattern using a white pencil or pen if using dark fabric (don't forget to mark the opening points).
Pin the two pieces of fabric together and cut around the lines leaving a 5mm border round the edge.
Hand stitch along the lines, leaving the opening unstitched.
Turn crow inside out (I use a chopstick to to fully open the beak, tail and legs).
Hand press the seams open.
Insert pink wire up through one leg hole and down the other.
Stuff with toy filling (again I use a chopstick to get the stuffing into the beak, tail and legs)
Hand stitch the opening closed, pushing the needle and thread up through the top of the neck to create hanging loop.
Sew small silver loop onto base of neck, thread ribbon through ring and tie in bow.
To create the feet, thread 6 pink beads onto the leg wire. Then for each 'toe' bend the wire back on itself and thread 3 more beads. Repeat for each toe. Tie round base of feet to finish.
Glue diamantes in place for the eyes.

I will blog about the Halloween tree as soon as I finish it!

Have a sweet day!

~ On the Move ~

Finally tomorrow is the big day - we get the keys to our new house and start moving in!!

I am so exciting, slightly overwhelmed as to the task ahead and still can't quite believe it is happening.

Will be back soon when I am sorted!

Halloween maple apple cupcakes

Maple apple cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
150g (5.2 ounces) self raising flour
60g (2.11 ounces) unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
60ml (2 fluid ounces)maple syrup
200g (7 ounces) grated apple
Vanilla butter cream
Pink food colouring
Black edible glitter

Cooking instructions

Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C.
Line muffin tray with paper cases.
Beat flour, butter, eggs, cinnamon and maple syrup in a bowl with an electric mixer until mixture is a pale colour.
Stir in apple and divide the mixture between the paper cases.
Place in preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Remove from oven and place cakes on wire rack to cool.
Add pink food colouring to butter icing, mixing thoroughly.
Put coloured butter icing into a piping bag with small nozzle.
When cakes are cool, pipe butter cream icing in peaks on top.
Sprinkle glitter on top using a small paintbrush.
Stick cupcake topper in top.

To make the cupcake topper,

Download and print the "Poison" label below x2.
Place double sided tape on the unprinted side of the label from edge to edge.
Press a cocktail stick into tape
Place the second label over the top of the stick and press firmly together.

See Halloween cake stands and cases for where to buy cupcake wrappers.

As I have to have a gluten free diet, I substitute the self raising flour for Gluten and wheat free self raising flour.

Have a sweet day!

~ Dining Table and chairs ~

We really need a new dining table and chairs.

Requirements are that it needs to be able to seat 12 adults as when Mr A's family comes to visit there is currently 11 adults and 10 kids.

We found this nice extension table at Freedom - when extended it is 3.2m long so this will work. When closed it is still 2.2m.

The chairs that match it weren't bad as well and currently on sale (which never happens when you need things but this time we are in luck)

Can anyone suggest some other good extension tables they may have seen?

It's a wrap

The lovely Jodie @ Poss Bloss asked me to photograph her adorable creations.

Here are a few of my favourite shots - the rest I am about to mail off to Poss Bloss headquarters!

'ipanic' - when realisation and destiny collide

Months ago, I was persuaded to enter a 60km mountain bike race in the Southern Highlands, competing against a thousand or so fellow cycling enthusiasts.

I agreed because:

a. I thought it might encourage me to get back on my bike post-pregnancy

b. The race was MONTHS away, leaving me plenty of time to procrastinate about point 'a'

c. A number of friends were doing it, and I don't like to be left out

... but mostly I agreed because

d. My husband sneakily entered me at 5.30am before I got up one morning and then 'surprised' me with it over breakfast.

It's not as though riding a bike is new to me; before Fern I used to ride quite a lot! It's just my body is not quite the same as it was here just before I fell pregnant:

I'll admit that when I'm tired or stressed I eat... and this year, I've been both. A lot! Plus, my body just doesn't look the same as it did before, and I wonder if it ever will again.

I've had this race in the back of my mind over the last few months, but it seemed so far away I figured there would be plenty of time to get fit and psyche myself up before the day. But now all of a sudden it's three weeks away. Is three weeks enough time to get myself into enough shape to finish the race... the same day as I start it?

Today I did 20 sit ups and half an hour on the trainer and started my diet which included a row of dark chocolate, a spoonful of Nutella, and 4 Fererro Rochers.

Heaven help me. :)

ps. Thanks to James for the tommy-toning-tips, I'm gonna give it my best!