Category Archives: cheers

henry’s birthday

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We had Henry’s birthday last weekend and by all accounts I think it was a success. Moving the party to our local community centre was a brilliant idea (thank you, husband). I’m not sure if I would have attempted sprinkle-covered sugar cookies and glitter-filled snow globes if it had been in our home. I think we all cam home a little glitzier and glamorous then we left.

With the help of my sister-in-law, I made the paper mobiles I first saw over on Jordan Ferney’s blog Oh Happy Day. I cut all the pieces while Erin kindly sewed them all together. They were the hit of the party.

I was amazed at how much the little ones liked decorating their own sugar cookies. I’m sure the bowls full of colourful sprinkles helped! I tried out a new sugar cookie recipe I saw over on The Kitchn. It was a great – easy to make and especially easy to roll out. It didn’t crumble or crack like other doughs I have tried. I would definitely use it again.  There seemed to be no limit of how much icing you could put on one cookie.

The night before the party, Myles and I painted all the lids of the jars for the snowglobes and glued the figurines to the bottom. I did find that the colour from the tree topiary models tended to bleed (as one reader warned me) but they weren’t a disaster. If you’re going to try making these I would also suggest you use a coarse or heavy glitter. The lighter, fine glitter tended to sit on the surface of the water and only blended in when the snowglobes were agitated. All in all the children enjoyed making them and they were a simple treat that everyone could bring home.

I made my own version of the Funfetti cake I saw over on The Kitchn. I used a basic vanilla layer cake recipe I found on Epicurious and my own favourite buttercream icing recipe. The result was a delicious cake that wasn’t too sweet or cloying. I covered the cake in tiny white sprinkles and colourful jimmies which I continue to find all over the house (in the most unlikely places, I might add!)

With two birthday parties behind us this month, today we celebrate my husband’s birthday – so Happy Birthday Myles! I can’t promise you anything on the scale of Henry’s birthday but I will try my best to make it somewhat memorable. I think there is some cake left over in the fridge!

Posted by Emma on December 21, 2011 – 9:00 AM
Filed under cheers, in the night kitchen, you make it

henry’s winter wonderland birthday

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This weekend we are celebrating Henry’s third birthday party.  Henry is what is commonly referred to as a Christmas Baby. At least, that’s what everybody says when they find out that he was born on December 23rd. This year, he is completely taken with the idea of Christmas and has been talking about it since at least October. We can’t pass a tree or an ornament without Henry stopping to gawk and admire. So I thought it was only appropriate that we dedicate his third birthday to the majesty of winter.

Simple Lovely

I’ve been collecting all sorts of inspirational images over at Pinterest for the party. We’re having the party at a community centre in the neighbourhood so we’ll see how much of a transformation I am able to achieve. I’m loving the idea of mixing lots of icy blues and silvers with some colourful confetti-like accents. I think I might be up very late on Friday night with sheets of tissue paper before me!

Creature Comforts, Oh Happy Day, Bonjour Celine, Confetti System

I have two activities planned for the party and I hope they are enough to keep mainly three and four year olds occupied. (I might be pressing my luck!) I thought I would make ahead a few dozen sugar cookies in the shape of stars and have the kids decorate them with icing and sprinkles. This might be a completely, sticky disaster but I think the little ones will enjoy it.

Rolling Pin Productions

I’m also planning on giving all the kids homemade snow globes as their goodie or takeaway treat . I’ll make ahead the jars which requires using heavy duty epoxy glue to adhere the figurines to the lids and then let the kids fill their jars with glitter, water and glycerin.

Anthropologie , Martha Stewart

Food wise I’m keeping it simple. I’m going to make this delightful white sprinkle cake maybe in the shape of a start and provide some good cheese and bread for the adults.

The Kitchn

I’m still contemplating whether or not to set up a little hot chocolate station for the little ones complete with marshmallows and candy canes for decoration. (Could be another gooey undertaking.)

Herz Allerliest, My Sweet Savannah

All of this might seem a little excessive for a child’s birthday party but I think homemade events like this mean a lot in a small person’s life. These are the things you remember when you’re growing up. Maybe all the small details are unnecessary (and yes, probably more for me than for him – I really do get a lot of joy out of this kind of thing) but I think a little celebration on a big day is never a bad thing. I’ll let you know how the actual party goes!

 

Posted by Emma on December 14, 2011 – 9:12 AM
Filed under cheers, you make it

bit of an update

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Last weekend was truly memorable. Not only did I celebrate a birthday but I spent a few lovely days with my parents and family. We certainly got into the festive mood attending an outdoor Christmas market, drinking hot apple cider, decorating a gingerbread house (or jingle bell house as Henry called it) and listening to Christmas carols.

The highlight of the weekend was definitely our visit out to Horton Tree Farm to cut down our Christmas tree. We bucked tradition this year and went with a soft, feathery White Pine tree instead of our usual short needled Frasier Fir. It just looked like the perfect tree standing out there in the woods and I was willing to try something new.

The arrival of the Christmas Tree always means a bit of rearranging in our home and I convinced Myles that perhaps this was the perfect opportunity to try an even bigger change – flipping our living room and dining room. (Something, I’ve been wanting to try for awhile!) After much discussion he agreed and we spent the morning moving all of the furniture around. I LOVE the new setup. Not only does it increase circulation space in the two rooms but it makes our living room much more inviting and comfortable. I’ll have some photo updates for you shortly.

(in the midst of the move!)

We spent the evening eating cheese fondue (in our new dining room) and celebrating my birthday. Henry chose a delicious chocolate cheesecake and some electric coloured cupcakes as my birthday treat. He was so excited and his enthusiasm was absolutely contagious. There was so much goodness all around.

And for those of you who are curious, I’m happy to say that my not so subtle birthday wish list post was a success. Myles and Henry picked up the Iacoli & McAllister No. 5 necklace for me along with a beautiful selection of air plants to which my sister-in-law added even more.

(this is only part of my new collection!)

I also somehow managed to find myself the owner of this stunning Stewart + Brown Freja Blanket Coat in Black Marl which I have been ogling for months now.

A friend of mine purchased it for herself but then found it was too big. When she asked me if I wanted to buy it off of her I couldn’t say no. It was like the coat had heard me talking to it and decided to give itself to me as a birthday present. It will look perfect with the new Salvatore Ferragamo Hobo handbag my parents bought me.

Yes, I was a lucky, lucky girl. But the best part was spending all that time just doing things with my family, completely in the moment and enjoying the smallest gestures. Simply a lovely weekend.

Posted by Emma on December 7, 2011 – 9:13 AM
Filed under cheers