Wednesday 9 July 2008

Rainy afternoon...craft time...

Another rainy afternoon, now I know I should be a bit fed up with all the rain we are getting at the moment, Hey it is the British summer time after all. When it rains this hard I feel it gives me just the excuse I need to ignore the gardening (unless I take up underwater gardening) and to just simple NOT DO the housework because that would make me just plain boring...no, a rainy afternoon is just the thing I need to get on with some guilt free crafting time... Its the end of the school year and I am caught up in a flurry of school trips, PTA events (baking cakes)! and end of term productions...Drama, Violin, Choir, the list goes on. I am so enjoying seeing the fruit of all the years work, also a little sad that the first school year for my little one is nearly over. I was in his classroom today (helping with a school activity) as the teacher ran through the itinerary with the children I looked around at the lack of personality to their cosy class room, the things that made this class room theirs...their name badges, the words of the year, the home corner, reading corner and of course all their fabulous art work...all areas now clear and I presume put in bags for them to bring home on the last day of term...
So whilst the rain came down later in the day and I found myself sitting at the kitchen table planning the weeks baking I thought I would add a bit of colour to the cakes I was needing to bake. So I popped into my craft cupboard and pulled out a few favourites...
After punching many, many perfect circles...with a little bit of sticky tape and a few colourful plastic (hygienic) sticks...
...there you have it, little flag style toppers suitable for the best sand castles or to decorate cakes with...
So the baking begins and the list is a long one, the cakes are made first so I can nibble on them whilst I cook...

TIP... if you bake a lot of cakes and like me, you get a bit fed up making butter icing...make it in large batches (as long as your butter is well in its best before date) and store it in plastic boxes (similar to the ones you get at take aways) and keep them in the fridge. Take them out a good hour before baking to soften the icing and if desired you can mix in colour or flavour (vanilla, almond etc...). The children like helping me with the batches as we usually end up with a Kitchen like a Christmas snow scene.

18 comments:

dottycookie said...

Oh that's such a brilliant idea! I helped in the classroom today too, and was thinking about making some cakes to give to the children to say 'thank you for having me this year'. I love going in to help, it's the highlight of my week!

Unknown said...

Great tip on the butter icing - doesn't it always seem that bit too much of a faff to do at the end of a long baking session - getting some out of the freezer before you start the session is just brilliant!

dutchcomfort said...

Love your happy cheerful decorations!
Those end of the school-year days are always a bit strange, sad and happy at the same time.

JuicyFig said...

wow - the cakes look ace! you must have the patience of a saint to do all that!

top tip thanks!

Kath
x

French Knots said...

I'm really enjoying the busy end to the school year - sports day, plays, schhol fete - but looking forward to the long holidays even if the weather is rubbish.
Tasty cakes!

Anonymous said...

Only you would think that such gorgeous looking cakes need further embellishment!! They do look good though! We too are up to our eyes in sports days, teddy bear picnics, leavers ceremonies etc - I love it all, but do find it a real challenge to make sure that the right child is in the right place at the right time!! Enjoy it all and remember only a few weeks until the summer holidays :)
xx

Anonymous said...

Wow Suz,
They look yummy...bet the kids'll love them. You have some great ideas:)
hugs
kxx

periwinkle said...

scrummy looking cakes, like the bouncing rain pic too, there has been too much of that lately!!
lisa x

April said...

I love those flags!

April xx

Sarah said...

Mmmmm yummy looking buns and a great tip there about the icing

Charlie P said...

So many great ideas in one post! I love the cake thingies and will definitely be trying the butter icing tip :)

Hello, I'm Sally. said...

Cute little toppers! Great idea to personalize your baking.

My son starts in school next year, I'm both excited and worried!

julia said...

What a fantastic idea! How did you do the circles, and why do my cakes never look that good!
Julia x

Linda said...

Fabulous cakes and stuff Suzie. I don't mind the rain, any excuse to knit! Those freezer biscuits are great too, I can't remember where I saw a recipe though, but they are good for kids to decorate.

julia said...

The bag was a £2 bargain from Portabello Road market, how I wish I'd bought more!
Julia x

Kitty said...

The end of the school year is always a bit sad, isn't it? Especially this year for me as my eldest leaves her primary school in readiness for 'big school' in September :-O How did that happen? It seems like only yesterday she was a baby! x

Mrs Moog said...

Oooh those butterfly cakes look very yummy - I bet they love you going in to school!!

xxx

Anonymous said...

Excellent idea about making batches of butter icing...your cakes look very funky!
Margaret and Noreen