Fenton House Apple Festival and Fairy Shop Birthday Party

While Rio went to the Fairy Shop grotto to celebrate a friend's 7th birthday party, we took Ila to the Fenton House for the apple festival. We bought many different varieties of heirloom apples and stopped for a venison burger. Rio is the meantime was transformed into the flower fairy. The fairy dust must have gone to her head, as she is currently cleaning out her room & tossing toys that she doesn't need into a big waste basket. Our new policy - no new toys till Christmas. She even recorded the promise in her diary. We'll see...

Our favorite new album: Renee and Jeremy

It's a Big World - free music!

Smashin' Pinatas Birthday Party

Not that Maria slaved over the last month making Snow White and Ariel (or maybe so she says), but just in case you're inspired here's a guide how to make your own pinata.

How to make your own Pinata:

Step One

Blow up a balloon and tie a knot at the end. Then, place the balloon on the 10-inch bowl for stability while working.

Take newspapers and tear (don't cut) into strips about 1 inch wide and about 6 inches long (you tear so the strips have fairly rough edges and that helps to make a smooth overall surface).

Pour papier-mache paste into a disposable bowl and dip the newspaper strips into the papier-mache paste. Then, spread them at an angle (and overlapping) onto the balloon thoroughly covering it.

Continue doing this until the balloon is completely covered with one layer of paper. It'll take up to 24 hours to dry.

Cover your leftover papier-mache with saran wrap so that it won't dry out. If it does, then add some warm water.

Step Two

After your first layer has dried, take a long piece of strong yarn or string, double it so that it is even stronger, and wrap the midpoint of the string around the bottom of the balloon, pulling the ends up to the top. Then tape it to the balloon in a few places and knot together the ends of the string 6 inches above the top.

Step Three

Now, with strips of Disney magazines, cover the balloon (including the string) placing the strips at a different angle from the first layer (using different colored strips lets you distinguish one layer from the next, ensuring a uniform overall thickness..)

Again, allow the second layer to dry.

Step Four

After the second layer is dry… Guess what? A third layer, to make it almost indestructible (almost is the key, unless you have a handy pocket knife at the event).
Cover the balloon with newspaper strips, covering in yet another angle. You should smooth over any rough edges that might come about.

Step Five

This is where you cut a 2-inch square hole on the top. But don't cut all four sides of the hole - only three sides so that it will be like a flap and you'll be able to close it later.

Step Six

This is where you start decorating! You can decorate however you like. Choose colors that suite your theme, add different colored tissue squares and glue them all around, add streamers, etc.

Step Seven

Make sure the inside of the pinata is completely dry before you fill it (so that the candy won't stick to the sides). Fill it about halfway with all kinds of candy, trinkets, little gifts etc.

After filling the pinata, tape the flap that you made and cover with more decorations.

Papier-Mache Paste:

This is the recipe for a smooth, light paste that is very easy to work with.

Combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 2 cups cold water in a bowl. Add this mixture to a saucepan of 2 cups boiling water and bring it to a boil again.

Remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons of sugar. Then, let it cool (it will thicken as it cools). Once it cools, the paste is ready for use.

Gayton Road Festival

Busy Day

125th Anniversary Picnic at Rio's school. Luckily the weather cooperated.

And later - sleepover playdate at Hudson and Leyton's house, while mommies went to see 'September Issue' at the Everyman Cinema. Ila didn't get the memo that she's supposed to sleep when the babysitter says "Sleep time" and insisted on reading one book after another.