Two purple crochet blocks done out of 7!

Yay!  I have finished two purple crocheted blocks of the seven that I need to make!

You can see the third block started with my very bright golden hook!  I'm so happy! 

The pain is there a little but not too bad.  I keep taking breaks so that helps!  Yay!

I baked cookies yesterday!  I made them SUPERSIZED!  For me though, they had too much chocolate. I think the recipe called for 6 oz chocolate mini chips and I used 12 oz big chips.  Anyway, they are gone!  Yum-yum!

This was one of the best parts!  Licking the spoon, bowl and ice cream scoop!  Hey, have you tried using an ice cream scoop to get PERFECT sized, or evenly sized cookies?  I thought that was ingenious but then I am easily impressed!  I am on the hunt for a mini scoop for more 'normal' sized cookies!

Ok.  So, today is Wednesday which is the last day of the workweek, like Fridays for you all in America. Our weekend is Thursday and Friday.  It is the Muslim way.  It took me a while to get used to but hey, we are not here to hear about my experiences living here in the Middle East!  We are here to talk about my cookies and crochet!  Heehee...

Around Saturday or Sunday, according to the Moon; we will have one of our biggest holidays in the Muslim world.  After one long month of fasting called Ramadan, we celebrate it with Eid Al Fitr.  Sat or Sun should be that day.  We will get all dressed up in new clothes and be with family and feast sort of.  I'm SURE non of the food will be on the South Beach approved plan but we will just have to deal with it.  Then, we are off to the village to visit my husband's best friend's family and then off to Dubai next week.  So, if I'm quiet that is why!

Have you heard of SIA?  She is Australian and an awesome singer.  I love her song MY LOVE.  Check her out.

Who knew that a 14 year old would STILL love Sesame Street and think of her Mama to go online and find and print this picture and then color it all the while doing her homework!  I am loved!  Thank you Amu, mi Reina preciosa!

Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely holiday for those whom will be celebrating and for everyone else and your daily celebrations!

Amal's 14th Bday Party!

Here is Ali and Shannon, Amal's friend whom came home with us. We ran some last minute errands to pick up food and then got to blowing up balloons!

An ingenious way to get as many balloons to decorate the outside of the house.

Hanging decorations on the outside of the property so the kids could find us!

Here is the cake. It was by far the hardest cake I have ever attempted. It was a chocolate cake from scratch. Very dense and not too sweet. I was a nervous wreck as it was the first time and one should NEVER experiment for a gathering!

My decorating was not all that. I can do better. I made the icing from scratch but a new recipe and it was a disaster. I used it to crumb coat the cake and the next morning when I took the cake out of the fridge, I started to put my trusted recipe on and it just started sliding off! It took me two days to make this. My skills were a bit rusty but it was much loved by my daughter and that is all that matters, right?!

Here it is cake time and the candles went into place. It was freaking heavy!

Here is my birthday girl with the candles lit and the kids are singing.

Here are just a few of the kids. They loved the look of the cake! I feed off these compliments.

Ok. Three layers of dense chocolate cake. Two layers of Cookies and Cream filling. One layer of really yummy icing that went wrong and then the colored icing. D E C A D E N T!!

Now it is presents time. Waqar made an appearance when I was cutting the cake and actually liked my cake. He normally does not. But I learned now that he prefers dense cakes. Hey, no one noticed that we did not have ice cream and it was not missed!

Another shot of the kids watching Amal open gifts. Nice bunch of kids.

This was pilfered from Amal's camera. I stayed away in my studio with a keen ear but left them to it. Ali's friend stood him up so he was a bit challenging to occupy as he wanted so badly to be a part of the party. We have a FatBoy bean bag and the kids had a lot of fun with it. Hey, hey, in the background, you can see my banner I made. I will post separately on that!

Then the most fun started and that was when Waqar took the kids, one by one, for a ride in his Porsche Carerra 911! Even Shannon's dad got a ride!!

B I G hit!!

I think I need to invite those that did not get a turn over soon.

Shannon's parents, whom are LOVELY, came over and came inside for a spell. Hareth and Shannon got busy on our Sing Star. It was so cute! I have a movie that Amal took too. He then left and the girls started singing for a while. I sent Ali to bed as he had a performance on Thursday. Pics on a separate post. Now, our gift to her is a trip to Dubai this coming weekend!

And that is it! I have talked this kid's bday to death! I'm done! She has started the countdown for next year now!!

Hope you had a GREAT party Amu and that your friends enjoyed it all. Thanks to everyone whom helped make it a success!

Alia out!

Cake Balls for a birthday girl!

Amal wanted to bake something to take to her class for her actual birthday which was last Monday, the 10th of May. We have been watching and reading Bakerella's site and that woman is amazing! With what ingredients we can get here in Muscat, we came up with these and they were so good I ate the remaining ones (9 of 'em) and got sick! Duh!!?? Anyway, this is not about moi!

Here is a closeup of one of the little balls.

Even closer.

Yum!

Needless to say, they were a huge hit with the kids in her class!

Red Velvet Cake

My daughter Amal (ML), will be celebrating her 14th birthday Tuesday the 10th of May. She is planning a huge party for the weekend and we are 'trying' out recipes! This one was absolutely lovely and yes, from scratch, but a bit dry for me. The one I made previously, was more dense so I am not happy! Still, I will trudge along until I find one that we L O V E!!

I used a basic cream cheese frosting.

Here is a big slice for ya!

And boy, did it taste G O O D!!

I was lucky this time around. Some friends took me up on my invite and came over, had a slice, and took some home! There is one little piece left that I wrapped up and froze! I even lost 4 pounds this week. I must admit, it was 4 pounds that I put on last weekend! So, it is off, I am in the next set of '10's' and happy for it. Now if I can just find that perfect recipe and get over this cold!

Thanks for stopping by.

Hi there!

Been busy around the house. It has been cathartic. Now I am ready to start posting and doing other things. Yesterday, I got a call for a commission for a cake. It was for a baby shower THIS MORNING! I usually need two days notice but it was an opportunity and that seems to be what I need to get going with my Cake Decorating side show...

They know it is a little boy. I love my little piggies here. So cute! Ali insisted the 's' on the end was an 'e'. I hope the ladies could see it for what it is.

Here are my stars. It's all about practice peoples! I love my little silver balls. I hope no one breaks a tooth!!??

I need your help. I have to make 12 pillows and just move from couch to couch looking at them and then going into my studio and looking at my fabs. Nothing works. I think I will have to go shopping!?

Pics to come later. I need breakfast.

Busy week, have a look!

SEWING:

As usual, Uki 'helped' me out while I was working HARD on my Spiderweb Quilt. She got a hold (ok, maybe I threw it at her!? ;0) of a long strip of fabric. She is so much fun!

Of course, I took a much needed break to watch and capture her playing. I had to make sure she wouldn't actually eat it, because she would ya know!

We bought this little foofy bed at Build a Bear, now available in Dubai and originally from St. Louis, yeah! We gave it to Uki and she LOVES it!! I put it at the end of my table as she would inadvertently always sit right in the middle of my work. It is working out a charm! She loves it! You can sort a see my SWQ in progress on the right.

She was going to town.

COOKING:

I made Tahari the other day. It took about three hours and it doesn't look so great here with the evening yellow-y cast over it but it is good eatin'! Hear??

KIDS PERFORMING AT SCHOOL FOR UN DAY:

Here is my Lulu in the front with the Omani outfit. Her school put on QUITE a performance for the 3rd Annual UN Day Concert. Her part was at the end for the Parade of Nations, and Ali performed in the themed A Night With The Stars. She looked beautiful with her stuff on and holding the Omani flag. Jill taught me well as I was able to put on her jewelry and veils by myself! The second night, she chose to sit in the audience with me while Ali performed. There are 65 nationalities at the ABA and yesterday, the 18th of November is Oman's National Day and His Majesty's birthday.

Here is a sweet picture of Amal on the right with her two friends; Farah from Malaysia in her national dress and Charlotte from Holland. Aren't they beautiful??!!

The second night's performance, Ali sang backup of a Hindi song for this talented young girl. The song is Taare Zameen Par.

BAKING!:

Ahhh, now, for this beauty! The roses were difficult and frustrating! It took a lot to get my icing just right. Finally, I got it and successfully made these. My friend made the center one.

My two friends Laila from Time for Tea and Isra from Sew 2B Happy could not make it for a tasting today (Thursday, Happy Bday Lulu!!), you can join me for the next one! I then picked up lovely Paulina from school yesterday, with my two, and Larissa, her mom, met us at home with Duncan Donuts! The kids had the donuts and Larissa and I had my cake and a VERY strong cup of coffee! Sorry Papi (my dad), Soy Colombiana y no puedo hacer una taza de cafe! L and I had fun on the computer ;0 and she liked my cake so much she told me that we should open a cafe!!??

Here is Larissa with a piece and very, VERY happy!!

MMMMMMMMmmmmm good!

BACK TO SEWING!:

Then, I took the kids to Cafe Ceramique and froze my butt off man! We had a great time and when we got home and the kids went to bed, Uki was waiting for me to get back to sewing! Where is my hubby in all this? He left for Dubai for a few days for the Dubai Golf Cup.

So, lots more happened this week but I don't have pics so will omit! Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Poor Ali had a fever and a throat infection! But, before all that...

Ali is in 5th grade. He is a cool (and now sick =[) kid. I figured that I could "share" this with his class. Wow! I have new guinea pigs! The teacher was the most excited! Cute!

Here is another view. I need to practice to become better! Anyone want to volunteer to receive my baked beauties!?

Have a great weekend.