After being distracted by all things ghoulish and horsey, Lala asked if we could get started on the master plan for her party. (Actually I wagged Melbourne Cup to recover from Halloween). This is going to be a cheats' speedy party plan. I got some half price cake mix. It will be green with red veins I think. I was going to do rainbow cake but read about yet another one this morning on the internet and, frankly, it's too much work. This one may have ghosts on it or bolts out the side...not sure. I was going to be uber-organised and make them early and freeze them.
Some party accomplices are lurking amongst the avocados. You are not fooling us, Pavlova Magics, with your lame hiding place. Yes! I am a Pavlova Magic convert now. More cheating! I really want the cases for some more dollhouse ideas but that's another tangent.
Having made the batter I read the big DO NOT FREEZE sign of the package so now I am making a trial cake for afternoon tea. How organised is that? Yes. It is by default. Your point?
This is fun! I've gone all Pollocky with my raspberry ripple bloody veins!
Pity to mix it in but veins we must have. See that lovely black thumbnail where I jammed my finger in the concertina ladder whilst failing to put up a basketball hoop? Maybe I should paint them all black and go a tad goth-mama.
Now while that is baking.....
piñata! How I do love to schmeer paste and paper all over a balloon. This provided the opportunity to catch up with a bit of news via the torn newspapers at the same time, listen to some old Morcheeba and observe Shorty display a shocking disapproval of mess. ( Note to self: I must work on stimulating her grubby genes which are significantly more dormant in her than the other offspring.)
We haven't made one of these since the Great Bunyip Piñata of 2005.
Meanwhile we get a call to deliver swimming bags to school for the Forgetful Brothers. A minor detour! We have cake! Spectaculous! Maybe a bit high. We'll shape it more for the real deal. Thinking ahead...so organised.
A watched piñata never dries. Blow on it please, small demon gnome.
All the cooking has necessitated some quick play dough being thrown together for Shorty. Grandad is most proficient at play dough ball rolling. "Roll it, Grandad!" We are both very proud of him.
She is passing on his knowledge to her goth-mama who she seems to feel needs some instruction in this area.
Now the Pavlova Magic enters, stage right. I think these will be green ghosty things or ogre drool or maybe protoplasm. Remember Ghostbusters? Maybe they could all just lie down and watch a movie? I digress.
This is her party box. The plan is somewhere in the bottom as dictated by the party planner herself. The two dollar shop had a big Halloween sale yesterday just before the Melbourne Cup.
See, I can be organised. My name is Annie and I am a domestica Goth-mama! Stay tuned...
MMMC asked about the papier macho paste. I just use flour and water because it supposedly falls apart a little easier when thwacked. We just plastered it all on, let it dry outside overnight and Lala painted yesterday after we popped the balloon. I'm serious about the make- your- own- party thing as much as possible.
She forgot we had to put lollies in it first so after a bit of quick surgery he was filled up with a modest quantity of sweets through a small laparoscopic incision. I'm only using wrapped ones in case there is an errant chook poo somewhere on the grass.
Here he is after reconstructive surgery.
My one rule with these things is to be a recycling diva (and a tight wad ) and find as much as you can around the house. Milk lids for eyes and Lala had some eyeballs in her craft bag, as you do.
Next there is a Mambo-esque scary mouth but not too scary if you know what I mean. Cardboard is off the 'school bill's paid' manilla folder because I don't open it much.
We used cut fringed garbage bags- the really cheap nasty ones that would split with half a kilo of prawn heads in them- and just wound them around his bulbous meaty body. It was stickied up with a little watered down P.V.A. glue first. (That's Elmer's to you foreign lot.)
Et Voila! Now what do you suggest for legs and be fast because I want to put this hairy baby to bed tonight!
