Autumn Breezes - Kite Party

Afternoon delights, Autumn breezes, & Kites....I just ♥ how this Whimsy Petite Picnic Party came together

Miss Kyla, 6, was so excited about her first ever birthday party,  so we really wanted to make it a very special celebration for her & her friends

Kyla loves kites so there began the theme for the soiree

Despite forecasts for rain we had the perfect autumn afternoon.  Nestled under the shade of beautiful big trees at a local park, the sun was shining, the skies blue & most importantly, there was a breeze in the air

The beautiful & very excited guest of honor

The picnic setting of crisp white furniture, pretty lemons & pinks made a beautiful contrast against the vibrant green grass in the park

As guests arrived they set to creating beautiful artwork on kites - the client sourced these kits online -  The girls had so much fun making them & the autumn breeze at the seaside park was ideal for flying them.  The kites were the main activity of the party but also acted as a memento and thank you gift from Kyla to her friends

Co-ordinated printables by Polkadot Prints

When I found this adorable buffet & old tea trolley at a local junk yard I just knew they would be perfect for this party....although they certainly didn't look this good until my handy husband spent hours stripping & repainting ...But I am so glad he did, they looked gorgeous!

Refreshments for both the children and their parents were

displayed until it was time to eat

Kyla & a number of her guests have food allergies.  Her mum & I are also very "sugar high" conscious & decided against a range of sweet treats on this occasion.  With this in mind we created a very simple but yummy afternoon tea for the girls to enjoy as they took a rest from flying kites, playing ring toss & having fun with hula hoops 

A light snack of banana cupcakes, sweet homemade popcorn,

slinky apples & cool refreshing water

served under the shady trees topped off a perfect afternoon

Scrumptious low allergen banana cupcakes

topped with colourful pinwheels by Whimsy Petite

Slinky apples are a great way to have fun with fruit!

{Fun, yummy, economical & healthy - perfect!}

Before long the girls were back out in the sun enjoying their perfect autumn afternoon

...and best of all....Kyla had a fantastic time with her friends celebrating her special day just the way she wanted to!

 

{A huge thank you to Jordan of Polkadot Prints for collaborating with me & designing the gorgeous printables for this event, & the ever talented Luke of Voice Photography for capturing such stunning images of the day}

'Til next time

Take care...but have fun doing it!!

Tash

Winter warmer

Winter is definately starting to show itself here.  Its getting harder to brave getting out of bed in the mornings and the evening chill starts to set in around 4pm.

With the cooler weather upon us, its a good excuse, well for me anyway, to fix some good old family favourites in the kitchen.  Wholesome, filling, tummy warming recipes that are just too much to eat in the Queensland summer and have a special place in our home in the cooler months.

I've been super busy, and perhaps getting a little carried away, in the kitchen this afternoon after picking up some very well priced vegetables at the fruit shoppe today.....how could I not stock up on pumpkin at only 29 cents a kilo!!

The kitchen has been a buzz with 5 recipes underway all at once.....and let me tell you the house smells delightful!  A traditional lasagne, vegetable lasagne, pumpkin soup, banana cake, caramel cakes....mmmmm yum!

What I am most looking forward to though is a slice of that fresh banana cake with my cuppa tonight when I snuggle under the douvet to watch my favourite shows, Greys and DHW.

Banana cake was a childhood favourite in our home.  I always remember looking at the bananas starting to get a little past their best and excitedly thinking...oh shame, now mum will have to make a banana cake!  I look forward to sharing our favourite recipe with you tomorrow!

Until then enjoy your evening and keep warm!

Tash

Apple Cider Donuts (or is it doughnuts...)

There is nothing yummier than a nice hot donut and a warm drink on a cold winters day! I discovered some scrumptious doughnut recipes today on the Recipe Goldmine site.

This one particularly grabbed my attention; I haven't tried it out yet, and of course will be substituting the flour for a gluten free option,  but think this will be one to try out over the weekend! After I go hunting for a donut cutter tomorrow!

Makes: 20

Ingredients:

1 cup apple cider
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Vegetable oil or shortening (for frying)

For Glaze:


2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup apple cider

Directions:


Boil apple cider in small saucepan until it is reduced to 1/4 cup, 8 to 10 minutes; cool.


Beat sugar with shortening until smooth. Add eggs and mix well, then add buttermilk and reduced cider. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in another bowl. Add to liquid ingredients; mix just enough to combine.


Transfer dough to lightly floured board and pat to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with 2 1/2- to 3-inch doughnut cutter; reserve doughnut holes and re-roll and cut scraps.


Add enough oil or shortening to fill a deep pan 3 inches; heat to 375 degrees F. Fry several doughnuts at a time, turning once or twice, until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove to paper towels with slotted spoon.


For glaze, mix confectioners' sugar and cider. Dip doughnuts while warm; serve warm.




Happy baking everyone