Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Rainbow Cupcakes

The rainbow cupcakes came about because I thought the rainbow cakes that I saw other people create looked so fun.  However, I was having a birthday party for a 2 year old and his 2 year old friends and didn't think it was a good idea to serve them a piece of 6 layer cake!

I figured I could just make a rainbow cupcake.  My baking adventures are just that, adventures.  I don't really have any hesitation about them, I always assume I can do whatever someone else can.  It doesn't always work out.  Usually when I think I can decorate like other people, it turns out I can't always!!  Clearly I remain undiscouraged!  However, most things I choose to make turn out pretty good, perhaps not as pretty but usually tasty!

I went about the rainbow cupcake with the same theory.  Never once thinking it wasn't going to work.  I am pleased to say it turned out great.

Now the warning is, these took me 2 hours from the time I started making the batter to when I took them out of the oven!  But I think they were worth it.

First, I believe you need to have a denser cake batter.  I doubt a boxed cake mix would work.  I use the Vanilla Cake recipe from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook.  It's easy, taste great and is a little denser than most mixes.

Make your batter and then divide the batter as evenly as you can into six bowls.


Then mix in your colours!  I used the Wilton food colouring gel, it gives you very vibrant colour.  Don't be afraid to use a little extra to make the colours stand out!



I didn't take a picture of the next step because I got too into the task at hand!

Once you have lined your cupcake trays with plain white cupcake liners (because they let the colour shine through!) you need to start with red (or purple depending on which way you want your colours to go) and put a small spoon full sized drop in each muffin tin.  Probably around a tablespoon size.  Once you have put a drop into each muffin tin, try to finish off the rest of that colour by making the drops as even as possible.  Then take a straw and lightly push the batter to the edges of the muffin liner.

Repeat with each new colour you need to be as careful as possible not to press to hard with your straw when spreading so you don't mix the colours.  Also, you should try to get at least some if not all of each colour to the edge of the liner for the best finished effect!!
Once you complete all six colours in the ROYGBIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, purple, in case you didn't learn the anagram above) (omitting I) bake as usual!


They turn out so pretty and colourful!

Next I mixed up some vanilla buttercream frosting (also from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook, good stuff!)

Frosted each cupcake and topped mine with smarties in order in the shape of a rainbow.  I chose smarties because I thought they would be easier for the little children to chew.  You can always use skittles or any other candy that has all of the colours!




Almost done, cut into the cupcake to see the pretty colours of the rainbow!!! 


And EAT!!!!!

Enjoy these bright and colourful cupcakes!!



Rhys's 2nd Birthday

Rhys's birthday had a rainbow theme.  Thanks to some creative pins on pinterest and Rhys's love of talking about rainbows!!!

Perhaps most little boys wouldn't like the rainbow theme but Rhys loved it!  We had tons of colour everywhere and the beautiful sunshiny day made it perfect.

I made some new crayons from old crayons for take aways (with stickers because what child doesn't love stickets!!!)



I made Rhys his own little banner that will be going in his room after!!



Then I made the cupcakes!  I have seen many recipes and pictures posted all over the internet of the rainbow cake!  I thought it was a really neat idea but it makes such a big cake and Rhys is still such a little person.  I thought I would try it with cupcakes!  It turned out great and here is how I did it!




 Then on the the fruit rainbow.  I found this on pinterest but wanted to at least try to incorporate 6 rainbow colours (same with the cupcakes!).  Indigo is such a hard colour to incorporate!  I think it turned out very pretty and was a hit with the kiddies and parents!



Not quite as colourful but definately healthy and less messy are these kid friendly veggies cups.  I have seen lots of pictures for veggie cups in beautiful glass dishes with veggie sticks and dip at the bottom for adult parties!  So I thought I would find fun paper cups to do the same thing for the kids.  They were a hit and we didn't have to worry about double dipping!!



I love candy and they are very colourful to add to any rainbow themed party!



Here is the spread of colourful rainbow snacks!

Once all the organizing was finished it was time for the fun!! 
We painted
  
Played!
 And had CAKE!!


I hope my little man had a wonderful time turning 2!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Getting Ready

Our house is trying to regroup after a few illnesses spread out over several weeks.  The house itself is a tangle of our things and we are slowly coming out of the fog. 

Just in time.

Rhys (my baby boy) turns 2 on Monday!!!!  He is so excited, singing Happy To to all day long.  We are having a little party for him on Sunday and as excited as I am and he is, I am a little stressed at the state of my house!

So many things need to get done and not even important things relevant to the party.  I have neat little piles of things everywhere that need to actually be put in their place and not just in the neat little pile!  I have been walking over them for days now but the party must go on and the cleaning must be done!

We (meaning I) have decided on a rainbow theme for Rhys's birthday.  We are going to eat rainbow fruit and treats, throw in some colourful veggies for fun!  Cheesie's (as requested by Liam) and rainbow cupcakes!!!  I have made rainbow themed decorations and take homes and we are going to paint!  I realize that might be a little crazy with 5 children 2 and under but what's a party without a little craziness!!!

We are hoping that Rhys has a great time and enjoys turning 2! 

I will be sure to post pictures of my crafts, baking (arranging) and the party fun!!!!

Wish me luck in getting ready!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Leisure

For all of you out there that are parents, I have had a realization as to what I felt I was missing.

I would read my friends (without kids) facebook posts on the Saturday activities they were doing.  Going for breakfast, stopping at the store, reading for the afternoon, going out for a late dinner and out for drinks late night, etc...  I would feel little twinges of jealousy.  It wasn't that I wanted to specifically do any of the activities they were doing, it wasn't that I wanted my life to be without children, it wasn't that I didn't want to spend the day with my children.  I love my kids so much, it scares me occasionally how much I love them and how I can cry just thinking about my love for them.  So I knew that wasn't it.  I spoke with my wonderful husband about it to try to figure it out.  He said he would take the boys for spurts out of the house so I could do things I wanted to do around the house or I could go out and do what I wanted or needed to do. Those moments to myself are great and I accomplish lots but it wasn't it.  I couldn't quite put my finger on it until last week.  I had an Oprah "Aha" moment.

Leisure......I miss having the time to do anything I want.  Do you remember those days when you basically got to do whatever YOU wanted?  Sure we made plans and had appointments, deadlines and things like that but you still got to decide those plans.  YOU chose when you woke up, when you ate, when you went to the store, etc. 

Do you do that now? 

I wake up when my children think it's time to get up, clearly that doesn't always agree with me and if it's too early I put them back to bed but I have been woken up.  I eat when they need to eat because if I don't, I don't get to eat.  My children are snackers like myself.  So heaven forbid that I am not hungry when they are and choose to eat later than they do.  They eat my food or require me to make them whatever I have.  It's actually helpful sometimes because I make a better choice when they are watching because I want them to make a better food choice!  Some days I want chips but we have yogurt instead because it's what I want them to eat.  Do you really get to choose when you go to the store or has it been planned around a nap, snack or another child related activity?  I do most of my errand running at lunch, so I am constantly watching the clock and speed shopping.  Or we rush to do errands after bedtime so I am still watching the clock because people start pushing me out the door when it's closing time! Saturday afternoon nap time is grocery time.

Most of the activities in my life are planned around my children and are timed by my children's patience level.  I love doing activities with them and watching them experience new things.  I enjoy children's activities because it allows me to free my inner child but some days I just want to pick!!!!

What makes matters worse is when I do go on a vacation on my own, I am allowed to make the decisions for me and me alone (well usually including my vacation partner but still on adult time).  I still find myself making decisions based on the routine of my life.  I need to eat first thing in the morning, noon and 5pm.   So I seem like a senior!!!  I can get by with snacks though.
I usually find myself looking at people with their children and miss mine terribly!  Thinking, oh they would have fun here or we will have to come back here so they can experience it!  Most often I try to cram my mini vacations full of me time so I still seem to be running in fast forward.

I feel that I am probably not alone, so I just wanted to share the revelation I had last week.  I know it won't change anything and frankly I wouldn't change my life for all the money in the world.  I love my children, my husband and my life.  We live in chaos most of the time but have a great time doing it.  I feel a little better knowing what I thought I was missing.  My leisure is taken from me for now but everything is a phase of life and it too will change.  It's not likely to happen soon but I will probably miss it when it does!

I hope everyone can find a little leisure in their life and can enjoy the chaos as it happens!!!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Spring prep

The sun is shining and the weather is a little warmer!  For today only perhaps but it's on it's way to warming up.  We are finally on the back slope of the cold weather.

And my shoes, dresses, crops and t-shirts couldn't be happier!



Spring also seems to inspire people.  There are a lot of new things happening at my work and new things too come.  So spring is going to be hectic, confusing and perhaps life changing for me!

I look forward to Spring for the warmer weather and being able to get outside.  I am excited to be able to go for a family walk outside after supper.  It's still a little chilly (which takes forever to get dressed for) and a little too much snow (that wagon only does so well on the crusty stuff) to get out after supper and still leaving time for bedtime prep!





I have plans, just like I do every year, for a beautiful garden.  Maybe this year is my year!  Hopefully we will have some beautiful tulips (or tululups as Liam called them last year), I planted them in the fall and covered them to protect them from my very healthy squirrel friends!  Last year Liam commented on how pretty the tululups were and every day we came home he told me that with that sad little voice that we didn't have any pretty flowers.  Guilt won and we had better have some
tulips!!!!



Do you make new plans for the spring?  Is the spring more about changing your habits or behaviours that January 1st?

Monday, March 5, 2012

Closet Love

Due to some necessary prepping for our bathroom downstairs, as in removing our old chimney.  January was spent fixing my closet because there was giant hole in it!  Which wasn't so bad but means that not only will we eventually get a new bathroom in the basement, I got 3 more feet of closet space!!!

Now who is going to tell me that's a bad thing!  There was a lot of dust and soot, one crappy evening when I suffered a paint fumed headache but it all resulted in my wonderful new closet.

I have found baskets for the bottom of my closet but not for the top yet.  There are certain sized I need and can't seem to find any to go with my colour scheme.  I am looking for cloth baskets so they will be easier to remove from the shelf and not scratch the paint!  Still searching, let me know if you know of any place to get some!!

The bottom shelves were going to hold baskets as well but my children have decided that this is the best place to hide and play toys.  I don't have the heart to ruin it for them just yet!!

I hope you enjoy my closet as much as I do and I will post a new picture once I find the perfect basket!!!!


New doors since my closet before was only one door!!!  So much more space!

Having all my clothes look so organized makes me happy everytime I open the doors!!!




I found these fabric boxes on sale in this pretty pattern. And this is the best hiding/play place around!




This is my dilema, I currently have these baskets but they scratch the paint and just aren't working with the closet.  Searching for two side by side fabric baskets.  My problem is two are too wide and one is to small!!!


I just want to say I love my new closet and it makes getting dressed in the morning so much better!!  I can find all my clothes and even found some clothes I forgot I had!!!

Old Navy Shoes


Now some might think I have a slight shoe problem but I tend to dissagree.  I love shoes and try not buy any that won't work with my wardrobe and lifestyle!!  That doesn't always work, I have a pair of 4" almost 5" Nine West gladiator heels that I have worn twice but they were so fun I couldn't leave them behind!!!! 

I went shopping last week with my handy list in tow.  I was searching for a great transition dress from winter to spring and a blazer.  I came home with a tunic, a pair of wool shorts and two pairs of ballet flats from Old Navy!!!  I even shocked myself when I left Old Navy with nothing but two pairs of shoes!  Not usually my first choice for shoes but they were just so cute and such a great price!!!

This red/orange shoe is a perfect pop of colour to add to any outfit!



This shoe I purchase with a bright royal blue toe instead of the yellow for a little taste of spring!


If it would just stop snowing, I could wear these great new shoe purchases!!