It's been go-go-go since we got back from holidays. We've been attending festive Christmas markets with our soap, making up lots of gift sets between events, fighting off colds en masse, and celebrating a third birthday! I didn't think I'd find the time to put together the party but we did - thank goodness - and I think it all went down fairly well.

Isla was delighted with the party food. She snacked for about an hour before her friends arrived, taste testing everything and making sure it was all just right.


This cake! It was brilliant! A pink ombre cake iced in buttercream, with four chocolate layers inside sandwiched with caramel treat. The ice cream cone is filled with a cupcake, and then iced to look like an actual ice cream. Delicious.


I took a chance making cupcakes inside flat-bottomed ice cream cones and they were brilliant. Really pleased with how these turned out, and will make them again. I filled them about half way with cupcake batter and then baked for about 15 minutes. Perfect.


We even had ice cream themed goodies to take away (thank goodness for Pinterest!). These are pinata ice cream cones! They're filled with sweets, topped with a meringue, and sealed with icing dipped in sprinkles. SUCH A WINNER.

I'm so pleased that we survived another year as parents, and got to celebrate this magnificent and marvelous little girl. As I sit typing, she's sitting on the carpet playing with blocks and building a tower. "Daddy, I like your yarn socks," I can hear her say. "Did you make them daddy?"

I love that we live in a house where our children totally think that everything is - and can - be made by hand. I love that they prefer things that have been handmade too, which is something I'm sure that they'll outgrow so I'll just enjoy it as much as I can right now. And I especially love that daddy does in fact have "yarn socks" on (his favourite ones) and I made them for him last year about this time. Knitting, it's my winter sport.