New Year, New Beginnings

Happy New Year! Hope you had beautiful Christmas.  I feel quite terrible actually. I have not posted in six months! I don't even know where the time has gone! Once again time has run, well bolted ahead of me!

Hope the last six months have been as rewarding to you as it has for me. Alot of learning on my part and with that, alot of challenges I have overcome. Bringing me to blog once more.
I won't deny. It's been a rough period. Adjusting to a new member joining our family. Observing my little one take on so much for one of her age. I myself, not realizing the repercussions it would create for our family also. I can say is that it takes alot of time and ALOT of patience. But damn! Some people have no comprehension of hygiene!
In between the grand adjustment, I've been filled with alot of banter from all sides of the extended family. I put it down to not having the balls to say it to the person concerned... Instead lets burden the children... I feel this in our culture has become a norm. With so many uses of media to hide behind. We don't take responsibilty -ownership of our actions. To help me grow and cope with the challenge of this Chapter of my life is Playcentre. The place continues to feed me with copious amounts of new found, human behavioral knowledge. I'm still so amazed at how much I've learned. I can't express in words how much I have. If I were a writer than I guess it been easy to explain.

We've made a few changes to our home. Finally taking the last of our pool out. Laying the foundations down for Amani's playhouse. Making a retaining wall. Growing grass. Stripping our rooms. Sanding and re-painting with friends. Baking along the way and meeting some great people while doing so.

Latest pics? Well alot! Which brings me to officially becoming a part of the Flickr mob and sharing here;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/blissfulbrownies/

I love using Blogger, but sometimes its takes far too long to load those pics you'd like to share. A few will follow (as many as I can load without pulling my hair out). The rest can be viewed on Flickr.

I am sharing an especially magical moment with you all. My daughter's fourth birthday. Special because it was, by request a Kitty Cat Pink Party!!!

I hope you all have had an exceptionally well deserving break as I have. Thank you my viewers for staying in touch. It feels quite rewarding to know that you view my ever more babble on the wonderful World of the web!

Till next month.. I promise! Peace be with you

Happy Baking All!

s

Iulai's Ninja-go!!!

 

Happy Fifth Birthday Iulai!

Taking That Break

So, I've been stuck home for the last two weeks with the sniffles! It ran a muck through our household. Causing our somewhat 'routine' to become a chaotic 'jungle' of survival!!
Our 'little' person, is finally coming out of her drizzly, snotty stage and is out enjoying some special time with her Aunty. Catching up with duck friends at our local reserve and probably enjoying a bite to eat too!
This has given me some much needed time. Time to ponder on the last two weeks of hibernation (the best description I can give my readers).
Surprisingly, alot has happened during my absence to the "Real World". Alot of which I did not anticipate.
A lot of which, ofcourse. I do not want. - I have come under Scrutiny.
So, unfortunately instead of this post being about my latest cake - which I add was oh so challenging! A greatly - Anticipated challenge. One I refer to constantly since hibernation. To be one of the most  rewarding exercises I have completed this winter. It is quickly becoming my point of reflection.. The completely hand-crafted Lego Ninjago cake I made for who I call one of my dearest friends. Her name Lui. She is a Mother to two beautiful children who are now also my Daughter's (favourite as she calls them) friends. This intelligent and faithful friend has supported me since day ONE! In my personal, and professional path she has shown me to value what is important and fight to keep it!
Images of her son's cake have been posted by admin on our Facebook page. I will also post these up following this post. I feel it deserves its own post and not a run-on from this post.
I didn't want this post to end up being one of banter but its beginning to look this way.
I am re-evaluating my priorities. One I was reminded by another friend to take!
So, sitting here on my comp, thinking about what an awesome haircut I was treated to yesterday, and sipping my living water. I type this:
I will be taking a break from Blissful Brownies. I am going to take this opportunity to build on some much needed one on one time with my Daughter. Often I get swirled into list of commitments. None of which include my daughter. So, at times like this. When I am exhausted from being sick. When everything starts to pile up from my absence. I reflect on how much time I HAVEN'T spent with my baby. I cannot be of any use to anyone if I am unhappy with the amount of time spent with her.
The next four weeks will be time spent with her. Getting out all those little projects that have been in the back burner... Blogging.. Spending time abroad with loved ones and gearing myself up for the next stage of my life... Welcoming our new Step-mom!
I hope that you can join me on my new adventure. I look forward to Blogging once again.

Happy baking All and God Bless

Dee's 21st!

Miss Dee turned 21 in February. We partied up over the weekend... Well Dee did! :)

I sent forth 'sparkle' brownies. She had not tasted my brownies before but trusted me to make her cake! Buzzy! Her request was simple...
Bling and lots of it!!! - But not tacky! The cake was made a Valrhona Red Velvet. I can proudly say this is my Signature handmade key. I finished it with 24k Gold. Entirely edible except for the diamante trim. The gold was an absolute delight to work with. This cake took quite some time to render. A lot of time spent planning. With that, a lot of patience.
Below are pics (excuse the poor quality). Dad was rushed off his feet with a full weekend too! I could not use his camera to capture a better shot. I would have loved to show up the shimmer detailing over this cake.
Happy Baking x

Sparkle brownies

The Key

 

 

Mothers Day

A very Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful Moms out there!

This is just a short post. To the 3 special friends- Mothers who have touched my life. 

A dedication and tribute to them...

Happy Mother's Day