Hello Lovelies. It seems too long since I have sat here and shared anything from Mama Bear’s Kitchen. This year has hurtled itself full throttle into what is shaping up to be one of our biggest year’s yet. Just when we thought our large family life couldn’t possibly get any bigger, I find that we are required to stretch our arms that wee bit further and enlarge our capacity to embrace all that the Lord brings our way. Our family dynamic is changing. One daughter leaves the nest and is happily fluttering away over in her new domain. Another new daughter is welcomed into our clan, with plans to marry our son later in the year. We couldn’t be happier, or prouder of the fine people our young adults are becoming, and the choices they are making.
Category Archives: Vintage
Here comes the Bride
After our little Fairies played in the garden for a couple of hours, it was finally time for the bridal procession to begin. There were some very excited flower girls, and although Kitty got a bit confused about which way to walk, everything else was perfect. The girl’s beautiful cousin Amanda was beaming the whole time. It was truly a privilege to be a part of it all.
Mother’s Day tea party invitations
I made these sweet shabby invitations for our church Mother’s Day tea party which was to be held on our back deck last weekend. The last time we planned a large gathering in our home, which was our eldest daughter’s 18th in February this year, we had an unexpected cyclonic weather pattern move right through. Had to cancel. For our scheduled Mother’s Day tea party, we had massive flood rains hit which blocked most of the roads around us and thrashed our deck wildly throughout the night. Hmm….Let’s just hope these things don’t come in threes, because we are planning a pretty big (gorgeous vintage I might add!) wedding on a stunning property with a marquee in four months!! Wild weather is not an option!
Bohemian baby baptism
When I was asked to create a small cake table for a baby dedication service at church, I wanted to break away from the traditional baby blue or pink colour scheme, and move toward a more bohemian, offbeat theme, using lots of fringing, wood, leather, lace and feathers. I used my gorgeous fringed chenille throw which had a previous life as a tablecloth in the Ukraine ( gotta love Etsy), topped with a crisp white lace cloth. My wooden cake stands were used as risers to add height, with the feature cake taking centre stage of the display. I made dove fondant cupcake toppers to symbolise the purity of new life. I really enjoyed raiding my button stash and gathering bits and bobs to decorate the cake stands and the feature cake, which was wrapped in lace, ribbon, leather strips and feathers. Hand made fondant feathers were tipped with gold in keeping with the boho theme. A simple chocolate ganache cake complimented the feature cake. Mini cupcakes and ginger spice biscuits were also part of the treats.
“I Do” bridal cupcakes
Gender neutral baby shower invitations
I am a classic DIY – er. If you need an invitation made, then I am your gal. None of these non tangible, electronic email invitations please. I insist on using real paper, real scissors and glue. It relaxes me. The more detail the better. The longer they take, the more I enjoy them. It’s just what I love to do. When I finally get a chance to sit down in the evening, I must have something to work on, some craft or project to keep my hands busy. I love the feel of a needle and thread in my hand, or paper, buttons and fabric. I love creating something organic and textural. I love putting things together and personalising them into unique little works of art. I have a few tips on how to make your own vintage invitations HERE.
A vintage valentine’s Day
Valentine’s day usually slips by me unnoticed each year. My time is so valuable and with 8 children at home, I have to choose my party styling endeavours very carefully.Valentine’s Day comes hot on the heels of our wedding anniversary and just before our first birthday of the year, so I have conceded that I simply must let this love fest go. This year however, I was in for a pleasant surprise when some ladies in our church wanted to have a Valentine’s day party. I couldn’t possibly let an opportunity like this pass me by, so it was with reluctance and hesitation (not!) that I asked if they would like me to put together a small dessert table. I had less than a week to throw a few things together and bake like crazy for our sweet little vintage Valentine’s Day celebration. I enjoyed it so much that I think I might just have to squeeze it into my yearly party planning schedule.
Part 2 : A day to remember.
Engagement photo shoot. Part 1
Last week I was delighted to be a part of organising a romantic afternoon tea for a special young couple who were getting engaged. The groom- to- be enlisted my help in setting up a pretty tea table out in a wooded grove where he surprised his sweet girl and asked for her hand in marriage. As you may notice from the photos, the location was actually an old historical cemetery – not the first place you would imagine proposing to your girlfriend! But this grove was beautiful. It was a private, shady hideaway that oozed charm and character. The requested colour was yellow, with a distinctly vintage feel. The bride-to-be loves chocolate and peanut butter, and so the afternoon tea was a simple affair, with my own Chunky Monkey cupcakes, chips and dip (her favourite snack food), and peanut butter chocolate. Perhaps the most exciting element of the table was the placement of the engagement ring. I have an old silver dish with a lid that slides over the top. I tied the gorgeous ring with yellow string and laid it on a bed of crocheted doilies to be discovered by the lovely lady. It was all very romantic. For the props, I strung a few of my handmade doily hoops from the trees, along with some old timber frames and a yellow fabric garland. Other vintage props were scattered around the setting.
The stage is set. Stay tuned to see what happens next!!