Pink and Yellow Colour Crush Reveal

Its my eldest daughters 7th Birthday today and if you've been following you will know that today is the day she is "Retiring" George and we also decided to surprise her with a room reveal of her very own when she got home from school this afternoon.

This was her reaction...

Before breaking into dance....

and then realising she had a huge jar of Rhubarb and Custard Bonbons sitting on the table beside her bed...

and this is what she was looking at...

Please excuse the crumpled quilt cover and pillow cases my iron was no match for those creases. I want to find or make one more yellow throw cushion for her bed.

I was originally going to go with a more fuchsia pink, however the samples I did were only pretty in certain light and this one was pretty in every light. It's called Sweet Caress by British Paints and it's oh so girly.

I've pinned a lot of these wood panel and barn wood headboards on my Pinterest account so I decided to have a go at making one... well my husband made it to my specifications because he doesn't trust me with a jigsaw. I'm really happy with the way it turned out, you can just make out the yellow I painted on the edges (I'll need to post a better photo of that detail at some point). It kinda equates to my contrast piping obsession I have at the moment don't you think?

I really love the soft texture of the Bamileke Juju hat but as I don't think I would be able to explain spending between $200 - $400 on a hat you hang on the wall to my husband, I thought I'd have a go at making a feathery artwork myself approximately $25 later my daughter now has this lovely piece hanging above her bed.

I want to paint her bedside table but I'm still not sure whether to paint it yellow, white or pink. I saw an image somewhere that had a pink table in front of a pink wall and it looked amazing but the yellow would be a great statement against the pink wall and white is timeless and well.... I do tend to want to change things up a fair bit.

So please let me know your opinions on what colour I should paint her bedside table.

My sister made up her Yellow and White Chevron Birthday print for her, and I've had that flamingo for quite some time holding her necklaces.

I haven't quite finished her room yet as you may have noticed from the mess behind her when she was dancing. I have her desk out on the entertainment area ready to prep for painting and a few little bits and pieces to find but it's certainly on it's way.

Finally my Pink and Yellow Colour Crush and my little Flamingo obsession is being satisfied and I'm extremely grateful that my daughter love love loves her new room.

Love Jade xx

Meet George

George is a Monkey.

He is my eldest daughters comfort toy. She chose him as her 1st birthday present and he has been her constant companion ever since.

We both decided that George will need to retire soon. He's missing one ear and the other one is chewed his seams are coming undone and well to put it nicely he is looking rather dishevelled.
Radha has decided that she wants to put him up in her keepsake box along with her other 'valuables' First shoes, 1st tooth, 1st haircut...we don't want him to fall apart completely, so up he will go when she turns 7.

I decided to do a sketch and watercolour of him to frame for her room, so she will still be able to see him every day.

George is so handsome in his Top hat and Bow tie

As I watched George Clooney at the Oscars, looking very handsome in his suit and bow tie I thought "Our George is just like George Clooney, a dapper gentleman who's a little bit cheeky" I always pictured him in a Top hat and Bow tie, so he got them.

Radha would love another George but this time she thinks she will get a pink Monkey and call 'her' Georgina Rosy. He he I love the way kids think don't you?!

I'm very fond of George myself. I think he represents my daughter very well.
George is long and thin with long skinny arms and legs, he is cute, blonde and a little scruffy with a cheeky little smile.

I chose him as part of my Blog name because he also represents one part of my interiors style well too. Classic, timeless, casual sophistication with a sense of humour.

We're both looking forward to putting him up on her bedroom wall.

Love Jade xx
and Radha and George

5th Birthday Party. Part 2 - Party Food

After the fun of sorting out the decorations was just about done I had a slight panic attack when I realised that the only party food I had planned was the adorable Marshmallow Mushrooms.
It was the week before and undoubtedly I would have a whole lot of baking and preparation ahead of me, knowing me and how I always tend to put that little bit much more pressure on myself than is entirely necessary.

The children were beaming after seeing the Party table, exactly the reaction I wanted

So it was time to focus on the party food, Fairy, Enchanted Forest inspired party food.

Here is the menu I came up with.

Butterfly Sandwiches

Chicken sandwiches cut out with a Butterfly shaped cookie cutter

Hubby and my dad were very helpful cutting out and assembling
these an hour or so before our little guests arrived

Gnome made Mini Quiche

 Self explanatory really except Gnomes didn't make them and neither did I

Enchanted Tree Trunks

Mini sausage rolls

Fairy Fruit Salad

Yummy brightly coloured healthy fruit salad

Fruit salad is just so pretty in these polka dot cups

Fairy Wands
Wafer sticks dipped in chocolate and coated in silver petit dragees

Little Fairy Wands and a Wicker garden pot plate nursing a
big jar of Pink Smarties, a necessity for the Birthday girl

Twigs
Pretzel sticks
Lollipop Trees
Green and white lollipops planted in little pots of sugar

Lollipop Topiary Trees

Pink Smarties
My daughter LOVES Smarties, they're her favourite sweet
Mushrooms WOW
Marshmallows dipped in red coloured white chocolate on top of another marshmallow

The adorable Marshmallow Mushrooms that inspired the Theme

Birds Nests WOW
Chocolate spiders shaped into a nest and topped with candy coated eggs

Birds Nests and Twigs All the food was presented on pink, green or wooden dishes

Acorns WOW
Cake balls dipped in chocolate coated in sprinkles and topped with half a pretzel stick

Acorn Cake balls Aren't they adorable as well

Mushroom Birthday Cake WOW

I still need a bit more practice using Fondant but yes
the Mushroom is meant to be tilting slightly ha ha 

I'd love to be able to claim that the WOW foods came straight from my creative little mind but they didn't. I can't exactly tell you who came up with these little gems as once you start looking you will find variations of each.

I'm definitely one of those mothers who believes that you should make your children's childhood magic, encourage creativity and imagination.

I wanted our little to guests to walk in and have a feast for their eyes as well as their tummies and the WOW reaction is exactly what I got. Their eyes lit up and their smiles went from ear to ear.

One very happy Birthday Girl

Even if the party games ended up in tears and tantrums I was content with the initial reaction I got when they saw the party table. 

Thankfully the Party games went off without a hitch.

The Games

1.  On arrival the children coloured in their own Gnome, until all the guests arrived.

2.  They played Stick the Gnome in his Home. Like Pin the tail on the Donkey, except they used the Gnome they coloured in and they had to put him in the doorway of his Mushroom House.

3.  They Decorated Wands to take home.

4.  Played Musical Mushrooms. I had printed out large Mushrooms, they danced around these then had to stand on them when the music stopped.

One of the little boys came dressed as a Fox so instead of What's the time Mr Wolf? they took it upon themselves to play What's the time Mr Fox?

It was delight to see their little imaginations at work.

All in all I can say that all the hard work and effort payed off and the day was a complete success.

My hope is that I managed to inspire someone to bring a little more magic into their child's life.

Love Jade xx