Shirley's Party Advice Part 7 - how did they all get so big...

[stealthsquiggle]

Part 7 - link to previous one to follow!

I have lustre dust. Bought it this morning :)

I've just finished re-labelling the "Grog" Onto the "Sea Water" now...

DS has just broken out in spots so it looks like we're on Chicken Pox round 2 in the Blathers house.

This is going to make buying cake bits significantly harder!

Bother those spots.

Is DS ok?

Is your cake shop somewhere where you could leave DS in the car for 2 minutes?

He's fine so far. It was day 3 that as the most miserable with DD.

Cake shop is a lovely little family run thing that does have single yellow lines outside. My plan is to ring them tomorrow, request what I need and see if they'll get it ready for me so that I can run in, pay and run.

I'll do a Tesco order for the cake ingredients.

I'm sure they'll be happy to do that. Fingers crossed for an easy passage through CP for DS. My little brother gave me mumps when I was 14 - I missed almost a whole term of school and I was not impressed.

Not that I was suggesting that would happen to DS - just that it is probably just as well to get it over with rather than him have it as a teenager.

Ha! No I'm sure he's just got Chicken pox and will be over it in a week.

The whales arrived for the jellies today. They are perfect

Considering lining the bottom of the little plastic cups with plain sponge cake to make some 'sand' or sea bottom. I was also wondering about sprinkling sherbert on the top to make some sea foam...?

I have a seaside mould with shells, starfish, etc. If I posted it to you then you could make some in chocolate /candy melts to go on the sea bed?

(they are teeny - 2cm across at most)

I love the idea but the whales sharks are only about 5cms long. I was going to make the jelly in individual cups.

I do like the idea of things on the sea bed though. I have some little sugar stars than might make good star fish...

Do you want the mould anyway for the cake? There are some cupcakes somewhere in my Flickr cake set with them on.

It could work for the cake! I could hide some shells in the biscuit sand :)

Do you think the sponge and sherbert will work?

Sponge definitely. Sherbet I don't know - can you experiment and feed poorly boy jelly?

Good idea! He loves Jelly :)

cor this is a massive thread, but can I be cheeky and butt in?

can any of you party experts offer any advice re my Christmas party thread here?

any tips gratefully received

Sounds like you have a good party there LowLevel!

Something I've fancied doing is a cocktail party. I went to a version of when a student and worked well. Around the kitchen were home made recipe cards with cocktail recipes on and lots of shakers, stirers etc. Everyone was asked to being a specific bottle of booze and a mixer. Then everyone dumped sald booze in kitchen and made their own cocktails! Great conversation starter, lots of fun. You could make it Christmassy. You can provide the booze instead or not, depending on your budget.

Games are an idea for quieter people or those not drinking/dancing. John Lewis has loads of quick fire games in store

Oh and in my experience people love mulled wine!

Cards Against Humanity is a good game for drunken people. It's easy enough to do when tipsy and creates some hilarious results.

Who's/What's in the bag is good too and a little more restrained.

Whingeing - will comment properly later as if I combine typing on my phone with DH's driving then I will throw up, but as I see it you have 2 options - grown up sophisticated and chic, or silly. Which are you more inclined to?

THanks all.

I guess grown up for this one, but I'm saving games ideas for our CHristmas day gathering!

I just don't think I can organise games for fifty people spread over several rooms whilst running around fetching drinks, tidying empties etc.

Anyone got any big batch cocktail/punch recipes?

To save yourself from running around after everyone, do you know a couple of teenagers you can hire for the night to do all that?

Right, am cake baking tomorrow, I need tips!

I know I should have started it by now but 10 years of the PILs disapproving of my housekeeping has left me paranoid so I've been cleaning like a loon instead. I still think there is loads to do but if I don't make the cake tomorrow, it'll never get done. I've got the running club night out tomorrow night and then I'm face painting for 3 hours on Saturday so tomorrow is my last full-ish day to do it. Party is 11.30 on Sunday so I also have some of the morning to panic and buy a cake from M&S finish bits off

Jellies is definitely a Saturday night job I think.

Blathers, DH hid tidied the shell mold and I have only just found it. Is there any point in my posting it in the morning?

I've found some jelly shapes (in the cupboard that I'd bought and forgotten about ) that will do the job so I think given that I'm hoping to have the cake finished by tomorrow, it might be more hassle than it's possibly worth at this point.

I just need to buy something from the Wooly Hugs auction and I'm going to get going. A little boy in DS's class, but in Y1 (they have mixed year group classes) lost his Daddy to a heart attack last Sunday. The auction is for Winston's Wish so it seems fitting to donate somehow