Tag Archives: children’s parties

Happy Halloween!

Cookies & Biscuits, Halloween October 31, 2015 Leave a comment

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Ignoring the historical significance, it’s not hard to see the appeal of Halloween for kids. Dressing up in a crazy costume, calling on your neighbours so that they can give you sweet treats, and eating so many sweets that you’re bouncing off the walls – what’s not to love! Last year Lulu declared Halloween as the ‘Best Day Ever’ – for me that title will always be held by Christmas, but Halloween does provide the best opportunity to practice some kitchen alchemy and explore the darker side of your creativity to create some gruesome party food.

Here are some of the Mook and Lulu Halloween offerings for this year.

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Mook’s Bicycle & Scooter Party

Bicycle Party, Cookies & Biscuits, Party Themes September 15, 2014 Leave a comment

 

Mook's Bicycle & Scooter Party

Mook’s Bicycle & Scooter Party

Birthday Parties can be an expensive business. So this year, when Mook wanted (needed) a new bike, we talked about ways that we could scale back on a birthday party as she was having such an expensive present.

She was very gracious, possibly helped by the fact that we bought the new bike two weeks early, and we all sat down and talked about possible party ideas. Lulu hit on the great idea of having a ‘Bicycle and Scooter Party’ – which went down well with everyone, and so, this year Mook’s Party was a fantastic reminder that simple pleasures can be an absolute delight – and don’t need to cost the earth (literally!).

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Quick & Easy Easter Make for Kids – Carrot Garland

Easter, Party Decorations, Peter Rabbit Party, Things for kids to try April 17, 2014 Leave a comment

IMG_2067Easter is another great opportunity to try something new with the kids, and brighten things up with some Easter decorations – and this Carrot Garland certainly fits the bill.  It’s very quick and easy to make, and should keep the kids busy for an hour or so.

You will need:

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The Writing Process Blog Tour

Musings April 1, 2014 Comments: 4

My dear friend Becky recently contacted me to ask me to join the Writing Process Blog Tour. Becky’s blog http://pagetoplate.blogspot.co.uk reveals her exploration and recreation of food in literature.  Having been fortunate enough to sample some of Becky’s fabulous cooking, and being aware of her great knowledge of literature, I can think of no finer person to enlighten readers of the wonderful relationship between food and literature.  Do pop across and have a look at her blog.

As part of the Writing Process Blog Tour bloggers answer four questions about how they write, and then introduce fellow bloggers, who will continue the process.  Here are my thoughts about my writing process.

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Valentine’s – Love and Biscuits x

Uncategorized, Valentine's Day, YouTube February 14, 2014 Leave a comment

Video short of our iced cookies

Last Minute Valentine’s Gift – Cherry Truffles

Party Food, Valentine's Day February 13, 2014 Leave a comment
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Valentine’s Cherry Truffles

Valentine’s Cherry Truffles – A Remedy for ‘Oops!’

Surely, we’ve all done it?  Valentine gifts often start appearing in our shops while we’re still recovering from the excess of our New Year’s celebrations. The roses, chocolates, pink champagne and cute teddy bears fill the shelves of the ‘seasonal’ aisle so far in advance of the ‘big day of love’ that we walk past them for weeks. They serve as a vague prompt to St Valentine, but cease to be a timely reminder of the need to purchase a pink, or red, love token for our nearest and dearest in the crucial few days before the 14th February.

I’ve walked passed the garish pink display many times with the promise of ‘I’ll get something next week’, only to experience that ‘oops’ moment on the eve of Valentine’s Day.

If that happens to be you this year, then here is the perfect solution – a homemade gift, using a few store cupboard items.  Of course, if you don’t have white chocolate, biscuits, cheese, or more importantly, cherries, in your cupboard, then nip and get them and feel virtuous that you didn’t just buy that withering bunch of roses. Valentine’s Cherry Truffles!

You Will Need:

The Battle of the Peter Rabbit with Floppy Ears and Other Tales from a 6th Birthday Party…

Cakes, Cookies & Biscuits, Party Food, Peter Rabbit Party February 1, 2014 Comments: 4

IMG_1583Lulu’s Peter Rabbit Party

There is something quite refreshing about a child who lives in the moment, a child for whom time, as a concept, is rarely used.  Refreshing that is until you try to usher said child out of the door to avoid the mad dash up to the school gates, or when a major event appears on the horizon..

Lulu was telling everyone she met that her birthday was in January, even before Christmas.  Since she went back to school she has asked with increasing frequency “when is my birthday?”, or “is it my party tomorrow?”.

Over the past week, she has witnessed the planning for her party and the creation and steady progress on her birthday cake, and the questions have been coming thick and fast.  This year Lulu asked for a Peter Rabbit birthday. She came home last Saturday in the midst of my struggles with Peter Rabbit’s ears, which (as previously mentioned) refused to stand upright – a bit of creativity with a couple of cocktail sticks and a safe place to dry and….bingo! Peter Rabbit with appropriately pointy ears.

Lulu didn’t see the finished cake until the morning of her party and, despite previously telling me that Peter Rabbit looked only ‘pretty good for a rabbit made of icing’, she was one happy bunny (sorry, couldn’t resist).

Peter Rabbit Birthday Cake

Peter Rabbit Birthday Cake

Here is how we did Lulu’s Peter Rabbit Birthday Party.

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Clear the house, check out those community halls – traditional children’s parties are making a comeback!

Musings, Party Planning October 21, 2013 Leave a comment

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We’ve heard some great news – traditional children’s parties are making a comeback! As the economic downturn tightens its grip on family finances, and the wave of popularity for home crafts rides on, more families are shunning expensive soulless party venues in favour of parent-styled children’s parties at home, or in local community facilities.

A recent survey commissioned by Buttons Children’s Parties found that nearly seven out of ten parents said they were returning to creating their own, more traditional, style of parties.  So we’ve put together some top tips for holding your child’s party at home, or in a community hall.

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Breadstick turns into Lightsaber – Jedi mind trick?

Party Food July 21, 2013 Leave a comment

ImageWell, my lightsabers do not have the menacing hum, impressive glow and, thankfully, the power to shear someone in half, but the ooh’s, awesome’s and cool’s they received suggested that the white chocolate and glittery sugar had worked some kind of magic at our Star Wars themed party.

If you would like to try making breadstick lightsabers, here’s how I did it.

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