Monster teddies

As there are only a few kids coming to Max's Monster birthday party I thought I would make them each a Monster stuffed toy to take home instead of a party bag filled with crap they don't need and stacks of sweets!
So here they are...
Meet the Monsters!

The idea came from a stuffed toy a friend bought Ollie 6 years ago. I think it was called an Ugly Doll.

The ones I made are made from acrylic felt and the hollow fibre stuffing from a pillow. I just hope they hold up to the battering they get. Surprisingly all three of my boys love them. I was sure the 6 year old would think they were too babyish but he wants me to make him one too!

There will be a few more 'monster' posts over the next couple of days as plans for the party come together...

Monster feet

More monster party preparations.
I made these monster feet from A5 foam sheets purchased at the pound shop.
I am envisioning them wearing them to play monster tag, or monster statues, or monster bumps.
Idea and pattern from here

Monster birthday invitations

Max is 4 next week and so we are having a little birthday tea at ours this weekend. We asked him what theme he would like, if any, and he said a Monster Party. This seemed fitting!

So we cobbled together some monster party invites using foam sheets, black and white paper and pritt sticks;

Elephant Hawkmoths continued

You may remember back in August Uncle Tony gave the boys some Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillars. These pupated and have been merrily sleeping in a Quality Street tin in the back garden all winter. The sun is now starting to come out so we thought we had better prepare a home for them to emerge as moths into when they are ready. This should be in the next couple of months. 

This is what we have cobbled together for them.

It involved 1metre of netting fabric (the type you use for underskirts) sewn around a ring I use for drying flowers. I might sew another wire ring half way down to make sure the wind won't blow the net shut on them.

Hopefully they will emerge, mate and lay eggs so we can then release them and nurture some more caterpillars and the boys can experience the great circle of life!

Roman centurion/ Eco Warrior

It was Eco week at school this week and the boys could dress up in something they had made from re-utilised and re-cycled bits and bobs.

Ollie has an obsession with picking up hubcaps at the moment so this seemed a good way to get them out the

Cucumber ice cubes for Hendricks G&Ts

Tom likes a G&T when he gets home on a Friday night. His tipple of choice is Hendricks, which is a Scottish gin that is quite unlike most other gins. It is somehow more savoury and tastes good for you!
Hendricks is traditionally drunk with tonic and a slice of cucumber.
This week I seem to have a surplus of cucumbers as the boys appear to have temporarily gone off it so I thought as a special little treat for this Friday's drink I would make my lovely hubby some cucumber ice cubes. I thought it might be better at infusing its flavour into the gin and tonic and would ensure he always had some cucumber for his drink even if we didn't have one in the fridge.
Method;
Blitz a cucumber with a blender
Sieve the pulp out
Add about 50% water (otherwise seemed too strong)
Freeze in cubes

What could be easier?

 Yum - roll on tomorrow!

Saturday breakfast - Pain perdu and berries

Nothing I can say can tell you how totally scrumptious this was. And I didn't think I liked eggy bread!

Things that entertain a 1 year old - part 1

Charlie spend nearly an hour posting chalks through the hole in the water/sand children's picnic table!

Some Easter biscuits

Thank you Aunty Sally for the wonderful Easter themed cookie cutters. We had a ball making some. Sadly the colours didn't come out quite as sweet and pastel as I hoped but fortunately my children have very bad taste in lurid biscuit colours. I must get myself some proper cake maker food colouring pastes rather than the rubbish you get in the supermarket.