elliemoon

BURIED IN FROSTING.....

i think my post title says it all. i have three cakes in progress that need to be completed by tonight and tomorrow morning. i will meet you back here monday with photos and details! until then, its off to frosting, shaping, and many many batches of fondant. have a great weekend!!!

PULLING IT TOGETHER

i've finally got these donations ready for an annual auction at our elementary school::

two baby's blankets::

two coordinating changing pads::

 i think they look great together..........like so::

i've got a bunch more of these sets to make as gifts. thankfully, pregnancies last for nine months!

did i mention i'm also making a cake for the auction? i've got a lot of work ahead me. i'll be back here tomorrow with my baking progress! happy thursday!

WEEKEND DISCOVERY

we found these tucked away behind some ivy at nana's house! everyone was very excited and plans have been made to keep a careful watch for any signs of hatching. 

 

very little is being accomplished these days with anything fiber or fabric related. oh well, i will eventually get back to it. i do have more than a few works in progress and also a baby gift or two to get underway. oh, and lets not forget that beehive thats still not completely assembled! the bees arrive may 8th.....two weeks. gulp!

"DIRT IS AWESOME!"

an announcement made by o in the midst of an 8 hour digging fest.

he dug up this little sprout and asked to plant it in a safer spot......i love my little nature boy!

 

GENERATIONS ON DOWN

big b went into the garage today and came out with these fantastic old boxes. they were made by his grandfather! the boys helped him scrub them up a bit and make them as good as new. he then gifted them to o and the little big man for their art supplies! they were ecstatic and spent the next hour organizing and swapping and rearranging, etc etc.

these were just what they needed. they each have a desk in their room and, after that huge clean out, both desks were fully packed out. now with these art boxes tucked under their beds, their desks are almost clutter free and they each found three or more "lost" objects that they had completely forgotten about.....ah the joys of organization! 

MUSIC IN THE AIR

this past weekend we did tons of spring cleaning. we started in the boys room and totally overhauled it. everything in its place and lots of clothes on their way to donation. summer clothes are in the drawers, but so are a couple of turtle necks (this is new england after all). 

the little big man was very happy to lend a hand organizing and was even happier when big b brought up his drill and finally mounted his guitar hanger. 

he's been so patient about this and we've been meaning to do it and meaning to do it and now....its done and everyone is happy!

i've got to get started on those lessons. he is turning into quite the music fan and once he learns his basic chords there are more than a few songs he should be able to play around with. he is requesting an ipod for his birthday this year!

o got busy rearranging his bulletin board. these were such a great idea, especially for o. he loves to hang onto special drawings and pictures and tack up all of his favorites.

now, on to the girls room!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BELLA!!

it seems completely impossible that she is already 3. i think these last three years have proved to be some of the busiest we've experienced. there is no doubt that she is growing up though; swimming lessons, fashion choices, her very unique personality is really emerging now and it is so much fun to watch and be part of.

without further ado, here is the cake for the big event::

and one for scale (i think it was heavier than her!)::

all those hours of work......gone in a split second. but its all part of the fun! and there's that tongue again.... gotta love it!

 

 

HAIRY SITUATION

well, it's bella's birthday.......and what with the sickness and easter and prepping for her cake and birthday celebration, this little doll will not be making it to the event. i've spent quite a bit of time on this weave i've got going on and am a little nervous that i'm spending a lot of energy on something that might not work out.....perhaps i should have done the hair AFTER i was sure this doll was going to look the way i imagined::

hopefully it will all pull together. at this point my kids are used to getting an additional present or two a week or so after the fact......i always feel bad when a project doesn't make it to the party but they're always psyched to get an additional gift when all the excitement is over, so i guess i shouldn't worry too much.

i've also been spending a lot of time outside these past few days. its so nice to be out and digging around and watering and just landscaping in general. my goal for this summer is to get this area finished::

here's an aerial shot::

this is my perennial flower garden (plus a little mint and rhubarb......and soon some chamomile). i want to get it to the point where i just weed and watch it fill in and flower each year! things are looking good from the bird bath left....by early to mid summer all of that will be filled in and you won't see any dirt. to the right, still needs work. thats where the moved shrub now lives. a little transplanting and a few investments at my favorite garden shop and i should be all good!

i love that dwarf weeping cherry tree (hard to spot in the picture).....i believe thats what it is. we saved it from a full shade spot where it never flowered and its LOVING the sun.....look at all those blossoms!

see you tomorrow with some cake pictures!

FERNS AND ARTICHOKES

i don't know exactly why, but i definitely have an affinity for ferns. i love them. we have quite a collection of kinds that we've found and transplanted to our shady backyard. there are also more than a few wild varieties to be found at the edge of the woods behind our house. after a day of raking, you can see that some of the early ones are starting to unfold:: 

we have a very bare bones get-away up north that is absolutely buried in the most beautiful ferns you've ever seen. big b is planning a trip up there soon to begin work on running water and a flushing toilet!! hopefully there will be photos and progress to report all summer.......but things tend to move slowly up there so we'll just have to wait and see.

and now, for the artichokes. these are one of my favorite springtime treats. i made stuffed artichokes for dinner tonight.......in my opinion, there are very few things that smell as good as artichokes slow steaming on the stove! the whole house smells amazing!

 

TRANSPLANTATION

i'm so happy i finally got this thing moved. i realize you can't see the actual shrub itself, but its one that has needed a new home for a while now and i'll supply a better photo when its blooming. i've put this one with two others that are different colors so i think the effect will be nice. bella took care of the watering::

always the first to lend a hand.....especially when things look promising for a messy situation! hope you all had a lovely weekend and enjoyed the weather if you're around these parts. i love this time of year; watching everything popping up, checking for progress each day.