Shirley's party advice part 3 - in which Shirley may make a guest appearance

[stealthsquiggle]

We appear to have filled another thread

You can (obviously) make roses the same way out of normal sugarpaste / modelling paste / gumpaste.

I would just go for the recipe amount on the fairy cake - if she comes back with a larger number, then you/she could just make a plain iced cake for cutting behind the scenes. It's not worth re-working the whole design for especially as you are not being paid. I need to come up with an idea for my father's birthday now, and start on DH's cake which is all planned in my head. I am hoping I can get several cakes worth of decorations sorted this week since I don't need to be sociable in the evenings. I may also make a start of end-of-term presents for teachers in my dreams.

I need to post a picture of the cake my Sister got me for my birthday. Hang on....

oh those are fab, Blathers. I have never tried piping roses - I noticed a friend posted some she had done at a cupcake course over the weekend - I must get her to show me how. I have just about mastered getting a good piped "swirl" on cupcakes, but I think the roses need a different nozzle (yet more "stuff" )

I must admit, I've kept the box and the polystyrene ball the cakes were skewered into so I can try one myself one day

TheScottishPlayer - waistcoat will, I swear, make it into the post tomorrow. It seems bizarre given that I haven't talked to a real person (other than the postman and the odd "Good Morning" on school runs) so far this week, but I have not had a chance to go to the Post Office at all.

In the meantime, look what I treated myself to - apart from being a general good investment, I wanted something to make cakes/ cake pops which would appeal to small boys for the village fete. I think it should be about the right size.

No worries, Stealth, the party is a few weeks away yet. Love the skull - I got www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKULL-CROSSBONES-CROSS-BONES-PIRATE-ICE-CUBE-TRAY-MOULD-CHOCOLATE-SILICONE-/230794845830?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Food_SM&var=&hash=item7b69f80005#ht_1392wt_1156this recently to melt chocolate in. I'm going to get some cellophane bags and make some cardboard toppers to staple on to them for the party bags. I've just come up with the menu for the party, what do you think:

Grub & Grog:
Cutty Sark sarnies (using pirate ship cutter)
Cutlass cheese biscuits (nigella's cheese biscuit recipe, using cutlass sword type cutter)
Peg leg crudités
Cap'n blueberry muffins
Jelly rodger boats (from Fay Ripley book - I've given up on blue jelly)
Brownie ships (brownies with sails in them - could do with a better name)
Cannonballs (melon balls)
Ruby treasure (strawberries)
Apple Grog

Just realised I'd forgotten about the deadman gingerbread - did you try out the cutter Blathers?

To save you balling melons what about cheesy ball crisps as cannon balls? Food list looks brill though. Please take photos of all these details its what makes it.

£4!!! I got that exact same ice cube tray from Poundland a few weeks ago.

I guess it's too late for telling you that now though.

Could you cut the brownies into boat shapes and print some red stripey paper to make the sails? I would call them....hmmm, going to have to think about that one.

You'll never guess what happened last night. Talking to an old work colleague and were talking about me maybe working for her - doing children's parties!! It'd be helping out doing games and face painting. I've never face painted anyone but DS though and I'm wondering if I could...?

TheScottishPlayer - food plans look fab. Do you have a suitably pirate-y font to print labels so that everyone "gets" it?

Brownie Bateaux???

and Blathers - really exciting about the party-related job - I am sure you could do face-painting no problem (although I have to admit there is a lot of skill to the high-end stuff - I did hire a face painter for DD's jungle party because I had seen her at other events and she is fab - website here - now a team of about 5 or 6, I think, and they are fully booked, so there is clearly money in it).

Long John Brownies?

The photos of the faces on that site are amazing!! I've only ever done DS as a pirate and Spiderman! Bit worried now.

I've got loads of face paints so I guess I could practice though and I'm fairly sure I saw the local ACE doing a face painting course....

It would be great if this works out as I've already worked with both the ladies so know they're nice, they want some help doing crafts and games as well we I'm definitely more confident with and they run a song and rhyme type class most mornings which I could maybe move into helping out with then DD goes to school. In the meantime, weekends suits - and it might provide an outlet for my party planning obsession

I've got it! Brownie Celeste

Not technically a pirate ship but famous enough that the adults should get the idea?

A face painting course would be fun anyway and is bound to come in handy for something..

I thought of you today, TheScottishPlayer - in my endless hunt for ink cartridges for DS (common or garden washable blue ink cartridges - do no children other than mine use fountain pens any more, FGS?) I passed a charity shop where one of the staff was just finishing a complete window display of pirate stuff. I was wondering how pleased she would really be if someone walked in and said "yes - I'll have all of that" - she had toy telescopes, bunting, costumes, a pirate ship (duplo, I think).... all the makings of a pirate party.

Well, I'm already pretty much booked to do a party in July

Sh*tting myself. Have found a course for beginner training but it runs this Friday and the coming Tuesday and then not again until September! It's by a proper Face painting Association painter so should be good. Waiting to see if MIL can babysit so I can go. It'll be worth the cost just to be the 'greatest Mum ever' the next time my kids want their faces doing

I've been practising on poorly DS and wriggly DD today.

You will be the coolest Mum ever - I can just imagine DS bouncing into school to tell everyone that his Mummy is a proper, qualified face painter

look what I found for dragon party

I am going to run out of time at this party if I am not careful

Stealth they are brilliant. Im actually laughing out loud at them.

Blathers well done on the face painting thing. My mil does glitter tattoos so now im wondering whether i could do similar and go in with her. Never knew there were courses. Im actually really jealous.

Stealth - waistcoat received and it's fabulous! Haven't tried it on him yet but I think it will fit. Can't thank you enough -MN and the people who use it are just amazing sometimes!

I am glad it arrived ok and fingers crossed for it fitting!

I've been asked to do 2 parties and I've not even had an "interview" yet!

So scared that I'm going to be rubbish.

Couldn't swing the babysitting for the course so can't go until September. Got to wing it until then. Have volunteered myself to paint friends kids faces at an upcoming party for practice. If it goes badly, I'm going to cry

Blathers if it goes badly so will the kids

Perfect fit Stealth - DS loves it! Thanks so much. He particularly liked the red stars lining!!!