Shirley's party advice part 5 - Here to Help - come and say Hi

[Blatherskite]

Didn't notice we'd gotten to the end of the thread!

[Tinkerisdead]

Yes.

A note to any mnetters who need party help
There are 3 of us here who sit around waiting to advise in parties. Do not be put off by our delia put downs or gallstone chatter.

Do please interupt us, we will happily advise you on themes, games, decorations. We do a mean line in themed food ideas and advocate the use of blue jelly...a lot. We also have two cake competition winners on hand too.

Ask away*

[stealthsquiggle]

Yes - parties - bring 'em on .

I really want to do those string eggs Blathers found - I am kidding myself that I might be able to find time in the DC's holidays to do them with them as pressies for GPs.

(on a non-party note, I have come down from the adrenaline buzz of presenting a webcast and winning a prize to realise that the dull ache and gunk in my chest aint going nowhere and yes I do have a full on chest infection . Waaaah)

[Tinkerisdead]

Oh no stealth. I can imagine how crap that feels. Dd2 and i have a cold. Im praying dd1 doesnt catch it as her asthma seems controlled at last. Me, ive been milking the ventolin. So then yesterday dh starts clearing his throat saying i think ive got your cold.

I said be glad you aint got asthma too then man flu.

[Blatherskite]

Sorry you're feeling rotten Stealth. Do you have a quiet weekend coming up to recuperate?

I got my 7th RSVP this morning so after only giving out the invites in Tuesday, I've already got replies from everyone. Your wording was obviously just scary enough Stealth :)

I've stopped feeling as guilty about the boy who wanted to come too as another boy in DS's class has been asking if he can come too. Somehow, because it's not just 1 anymore, I feel less like we've left him out.

I can now concentrate on how I'm going to do this cake. What flavour are mountains? I'm thinking probably chocolate/chocolate fudge. Maybe put some choc chips in for rocks? Trex frosting definitely looks like snow, I just need to work out how to make it less tooth-achingly sweet

[stealthsquiggle]

I think mountains are chocolate. Possibly with white chocolate rocks.

It depends how you define "quiet" - DH is leaving pre-dawn tomorrow and won't be back until next Sunday. However I suspect the DC may not entirely go along with my plan to spend the weekend with my duvet....

[Blatherskite]

I think you might be right. Maybe mixed choc chips with choc fudge between the layers?

Get the DC under the duvet with you and watch a movie. It won't be totally restful but better than nothing. I prescribe at least 1 take out/no cooking/no washing up dinner too :)

At least it's not you jetting off this time.

[Blatherskite]

I'm trying not to get too jealous that all the comments on the Delia thread are along the lines of "oh, I knew the asparagus cake would win..."

[stealthsquiggle]

- yours needs close up photos to appreciate quite how fabulous it is, though. Have you noticed that there is a link to the photos on the home page now? I can only see photo galleries on my phone - Internet Explorer won't let me move forward and back through the gallery

No TV in bedroom, and duvet on sofa + DC could not be described as restful. I may be flying next week if everyone ever stops arguing about who would pay and how but not far - then both home for a week, then me off to the US again. It is not normally quite this manic and yes, I am glad me and my gunky chest are not doing long-haul flights just now.

[Tinkerisdead]

I knew that asparagus cake would win...

[Blatherskite]

I never really go to the homepage. Tempted to ask MNHQ to add some close up photos

It must be really hard to be in different places so much. I hope you have a good week together.

[Blatherskite]

Ooh, you're a meanie sometimes DW

[Tinkerisdead]

Im only teasing i promise! You know i love you really, look at the lengths i went to on gall stones! I got my mate stripping off for ya!

[Tinkerisdead]

And you should ask for some close up images to be added, you deserved to win and show it off!

[stealthsquiggle]

My DC were singlularly unimpressed - DS asked how many entries there were, said "is that all?" and then went on to list all the other cakes I have done which were better than the asparagus cake

[Blatherskite]

Nah, seems a bit "look at me". MNHQ chose my cake based on the photo on the thread after all. If others people can't see the brilliance, that's their problem

[Blatherskite]

Although, having finally been and looked at the other cakes, I'm not sure I should have won either!

[Tinkerisdead]

You should!! You both should!! They told you it was the detail in uour plates of food so you are both deserving winners!

[stealthsquiggle]

They chose them for different reasons, though, Blathers - the other one was fantastically done (especially the scrabble tiles), yours is incredibly detailed and beautifully modelled, and mine is just nuts.

[Blatherskite]

at "mine is just nuts"

There are some other amazing ones there though. I'm glad I wasn't choosing!

[Tinkerisdead]

I feel like martha stewart today. I've got one friend making a birthday cake asking for blow by blow tips which is making me laugh. She is freaking out at a crumb coat saying she normally sticks icing down with jam!

Then another friend, our best man, who's just adopted. Its his wifes birthday so i sent him a message saying mothers day will be more important so make sure you go to town on behalf of DS. He was like birthday?!! Mothers day?!!! Useless. So he just messaged saying hes git her a spa day, clarins an a scarf!!

I seem to be the events woman today. But ive chosen my own mothers day present this time and sent dh a link to avoid theme park tickets again.

Lets talk Easter again. Blathers is doing string eggs and egg boxes. I still need a menu for easter sunday and possibly make eggs or decorations for the easter tree. I'd love to do blown eggs but a 4yr old perhaps aint ready for that?

[Blatherskite]

I've booked myself in for a 10k on Mother's day. I know at first glance it doesn't seem like a treat but - it's an hour and a half to myself (although I'm hoping the run only takes an hour ) and the calories I burn off will mean the children* can take me out for lunch and I can have a dessert guilt free. There is method in my madness

I'm definitely doing the egg box lunxh but term breaks up the week before so I still need to plan for Easter Sunday itself. I'll do another Easter egg trail definitely. Haven't decided on the string eggs yet

*DH

[BobbiFleckmann]

ARGH ladies, I need your URGENT party assistance... I fear I have overreached myself on a sweet tree job. the entire polystyrene ball has just collapsed down the wooden dowel "trunk" and I have only one remaining polystyrene ball (party is sunday, looks like there will only be one tree EEK).
anyone got any great tips for a total idiot on how to stick the sweets in to give full coverage of the ball without being too heavy? I used a lot of lollipops, going to have to cut back on them and use more jellies. Have toothpicks. Do I cut them in half & have them closer to the ball so fewer sweets? at least i have the remnants of one ball to practice on ;-(

[Blatherskite]

Hmmm, I've never made a sweet tree so am guessing but would think your jellies idea would work best.

Off to google sweet trees

[stealthsquiggle]

I would take the opposite approach - find a way to better secure the ball. Could you superglue something (a 2p coin?) to the top of the ball and put a ribbon around the ball to secure it, maybe?

Alternatively, marshmallows and flumps are very light

[Blatherskite]

Good idea Stealth!

Back to Easter briefly - DW, Craftplay have ELC "Make an Easter Hen" kits for 99p at the moment which your DD1 might enjoy.