Diaries, Calendars, Planners, New Pens!

 

I can't be the only one who loves a fresh new diary!  I have spent the last hour or so pleasurably filling it in with lovely new coloured pens. Sticking fancy stickers on birthdays.  Popping in term dates, holidays, Father's Day and Mother's Day, Easter, Christmas, pre booked houseguests and potential houseguests!  I refuse to apologise for the fact that fresh new stationary turns me on!!!!

 

This is my second Erin Condren Life Planner and I love it!  Fancy monthly tabs, plenty of space for writing everyone's important bits in and not too bulky that you can't take it out and about in your handbag when needed.

 

While this is my personal planner I have other calenders around the house too so everyone knows what's going on.  A Kikki K family calendar hangs in the kitchen and everyone gets their own column, including a family line for group activities and a line for birthdays too.  I also use the calender on my iphone and ipad which is easy to use and update when out and about.  There's a calender in the study and maybe one or two in my craft room (just because they are terribly pretty!).

 

Overkill  you might think, but in this house, if it's not written down somewhere, it's not happening!

 

Please tell me you're the same and not one of those special types that can totes remember everything off the top of their heads?!

 

 

 

 

Some serious craft room mess!

I think it's safe to say that my craft room has become a dumping ground for stuff!

Seriously, how many tote bags does one girl need hanging on the door?!  And what you can't see hidden behind the door is shameful!  More bags of course, hanging on hooks, a stretcher bed and our old fold in half dining chairs that surely we can't throw out.... they might be useful at some point in time!



 

The bookshelf is vaguely tidy as I did have a massive magazine purge (which just about broke my heart!) but I tend to fill up all the nooks and crannies with 'things' that make actually accessing the books like a wee dance.  They have to be taken out in a twisty fashion just so for fear of knocking and breaking any of those special dust collectors!

 

And look at the piled high mess on top!  Don't even ask me what's in some of those tubs and boxes!

Having a crafty table is such a bonus.  I have that lovely big green cutting mat to use right next to the sewing machine... so why would I actually use it for that purpose!?  Instead, lets cover it with things that I have been too lazy to put in their proper spots!  And then lets use that as an excuse as to why I haven't been sewing anything... I don't have any room!!!

These lovely pj gift boxes where heading straight to the garbage bin at work on the weekend... almost sacrilegious!  They are terribly cute with little ribbon sides and clear lids which I thought would be perfect for little skirts and tops to go in.... if I ever get back to sewing any!!!

How could I go pass the 50% off calender stand at the shops when this daily crochet calender was begging to be added to the craft room mess!?

Last night whilst watching some tv I thought I'd start sewing some of those pesky ends in on the Mario rug while I wait for the last red ball of wool to arrive and instead I tripped over my long forgotten rainbow granny stripe rug.  It was just what I need to keep me calm as I stupidly watched Wolf Creek on my own until the wee hours.  Can I make a suggestion and say never watch it?!  I rarely go to bed and have nightmares and this one gave me some.  I think it was the freaky laugh that did it me.

 

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas with family and friends.  Wishing everyone a Happy New Year too.  Good luck with your resolutions if you make them!  Perhaps one of mine should be to have a craft room clean up!

My creative space...The Peppa Pig Party

Better late than never, right?!

 

Miss Matilda turned four at the start of the month and we went with Peppa all the way!  She really is the bees knees and quite hilarious as an adult to watch... especially since I read somewhere recently that a close inspection of Daddy Pig reveals a head that closely resembles a dick and balls!!!

 

(I'm sure Matilda will love reading that when she gets old enough to trawl through this blog!)

 

It was a hot hot hot day so the party had to stay inside (unfortunately!).

 

Party games included Musical Muddy Puddles, Pin the Tail on Peppa and Pass the Piggy Parcel!  I also managed to make mini Peppa Pig colouring books for everyone to keep them entertained at the party table! Party bags included Peppa Pig hair clips and pony tail holders found at the last minute at Best and Less...score!

 

 

The cake might have been a little on the large side!  The benefits of the husband owning a bakery meant that I was able to ask him to bake and bring home a slab cake to cut Peppa out of.  He walked in with a cake almost a metre long and half a metre wide!!!

 

Below is how I've made lots of my birthday cakes and it generally works out well.  I would normally bake a standard size cake or cakes earlier in the week and freeze them.  On the day of cake construction just take them out of the freezer and cut out the shape/s you need.  Cover completely with buttercream icing and then use the ready rolled stuff like a jigsaw puzzle on top!  Because the cake is frozen there are virtually no crumb issues when cutting out the cakes and the chill sets the buttercream icing really well.  By the time you get around to cutting the birthday cake the next day you have one deliciously moist defrosted cake to eat and enjoy! 

 

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Other lovely creative spaces are right this way!