Lovely Lala!

Pssst! I have a secret. It is lovely Lala's birthday today and I thought I'd write a little post as part of her present.You arrived during the Melbourne Cup nine years ago and have since always known how to make a dramatic entrance. I was expecting a fourth boy so you were a sweet and delightful surprise. I felt like I had suddenly gained a tiny ally. You felt the same way when you gained a sister six years later.
You have been displaying less of your feminine side of late but still have a highly individual sense of style, wit...
and charm.

We so enjoy your eclectic array of friends, talents and abilities and how you harbour no fears when introduced to new ones.
I learn every day from your brave joy de vivre, your simple insights, your affection and your understanding beyond your years.
Happy Birthday, little Lala. We love you very much!

Senor Arana

Don't worry ladies! I couldn't wait. We got some dug up roots out of the front dirt pile where Big Fella is building. We wrapped them in black electrical tape pilfered from the boys Weapons of Mess Destruction/modding area. Some small surgical adjustments by Mr Eagle Eye and his steady thready fingers and
he lives....Senor Arana means Mr Spider in Spanish according to Google translator. We thought it was a nice, piñata-ish name. (Does it follow that Arana Hills in Brisbane must mean Spider Hills?)

I think I love him. He may be hiding in my cupboard by Sunday and a Spotlight soccer ball piñata may be hanging in his frangipani tree. I don't want eight year olds to beat him with a thwacking stick. He already looks like he's been beaten with an ugly stick. Does he look very anxious to you too?

Incy Wincy

Spiders in Queensland get a pretty bad rap. There are only a few nasty ones and most are quite loveable if they stay outside. There was one outside a student house I lived in that stayed for years. His name was Bulbous Meatybody (because he had one) and we fed him tiny scraps of meat and the occasional bug. Any way it seems my older daughter shares my fondness for the wee beasty as she has requested a spider piñata. 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!

How do you like THEM apples?!

The apples are coming later. Meanwhile we have been trying to get through the list- once we decipher it. A proper domestica mummy would have files on her computer and printed sheets. I've run out of printer ink so she gets a scrunched up back of a pamphlet. I did make a kids' party Pinterest board to collect ideas. Like a squirrel gathering nuts- or a nut gathering squirrels.Chop, chop, Cinderlala! Make those spider ice cubes.
Draw those ghost faces.
Here are her nine scary garden ghosts- because she's nine! I may be quite fond of them by the end of the week. WOOOOOOH!
Maybe not so much when I walk out at midnight and it's dark and the outside light is on. They are just bin bags with scrunched up paper brains and a bit of wool to tie them off and hang them.
A fresh day with zealous B2 up at Dawn's crack again. We are talking about a twelve year old here not a teething toddler. He wanted to get to school early. A local radio station was coming to interview people and the band and choir were playing live.
There was a bouncy castle, brekky, a coffee wagon, a stage with the live radio and finally the big red Channel 7 helicopter. That was our favourite.
I think I like helicopters. Flossy only likes to wave at them.

"Please don't send me away!"

They have good bits to photograph. I think I'll blow this up for the Boysworld entrance.
We liked the loud large police motorbike too.
It was early for a sleep so I called in at our old kindy where Flossy is going next year. I was wondering how she'd like it. All those shorties in one place and toys and paint. Look at those orderly straight lines. Loosen up, Floss.
The utter joy on her face made me feel a bit slack as I had all this stuff out for the others when they were much younger. There is an easel under the house. It needs to make a comeback.
Now we're getting a bit more into the kinetic art.
While she sleeps it off, a quick bit of Pavlova magic. Can you spot them?
Father still hasn't moved off the couch and Nanna seems to be taking a cutting. It looks like Red Dog is back from the Pilbarra.
That plant might be safer out on the patio.
Finally we arrive back at the reason for the post title. Anna's mum's apples on a cushion in the lounge room. It's like decorator Cluedo. Thank you Mrs Bartlett. It is lovely and gets on nicely with the patchwork one from the Ipswich op shop. I left the label on so people know it is really a NEW thing in my house and, sorry it's crushed, but you know I don't iron... I have Pavlova furnishings to make.

So You'd Better Get This Party Started!

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...

His Own Private Idaho

Look what somebody sent me from his very spanky new i-phone, where he is camping on the beach at the top end of Bribie Island. He kayaked across from Donnybrook on the mainland for a little break. Bless!

(This may mean I'll be up some time soon for a cup of tea in the Woomba!)