Sophie: Mummy, what’s this (Translated: Hey Mummy, what’s up with this yellow packet?)
Evan: Make jelly make jelly

Making Jellies

1. Prepare materials

- 1 Packet of Agar Agar powder (Swallow brand, yellow packet, white colour which meant no colouring)

- 1 Plastic Jug

- 1 Saucepan

- Jelly moulds

- 1 litre of water

- Fruits (Optional)

- Sugar (Optional – We used a little, about 1 1/2 tablespoonful for 1 litre of water. The packet recommends 250g!)

2. Use a small kids’ table so that everything can be done at their level. Wrap the table with a tablecloth. In our case, I used 1/4 of a plastic table cloth I got from Cold Storage. After we’re done, we just wrapped and threw it away. Ok, not very environmentally friendly I know. Note to self: Will figure better way of doing this.

3. First we got the girls take turns to pour the litre of water into the saucepan. We did it little by little so that they could manage the weight. They did pretty well although Sophie wasn’t impressed. Evan loved doing this.

4. Next, we made the agar agar according to the instructions on the packet. We boiled the water on low heat and stirred in the packet of agar agar, added sugar and left it to cool. Meanwhile, the girls "fought" over the jelly moulds which we got from Ikea. They are heart shaped silicon moulds. Our lesson was on LOVE which explained the heart shaped.

5. Then we got the girls to place the chopped up strawberries into the moulds one by one. This would help to brighten up and sweeten the jelly since we avoided using sugar and coloured agar agar. Sophie loved this one while Evan was nonchalant. Haha… it was great coz Evan helped Sophie to finish up pouring earlier on and Sophie helped Evan complete her moulds. They had great teamwork!

6. When the agar agar cooled down, we got the girls to pour the agar agar into the moulds and left it to set in the fridge. After an hour of playing and some story telling, we served them the strawberry filled agar agar.

I think the girls really enjoyed the whole process!

The next morning, we were bored. And we had some leftover cardboard after fixing up the table. What did we do?

We made a little play table with one side AND used the other side to play a game. We just drew different shapes and she was to step on the shape that I call out. Simple but so fun!

I woke up with a idea yesterday morning to make something for Sophie. I always get the BEST ideas early in the morning just before I wake up – in that strange moment between being asleep and awake.

Sophie loves to put coins into the coin box SO i thot I’ll make her a new toy. I just took a shoe box, cut a hole and gave her a box of stuff that fit that hole. It’s great, better than trying to look for a toy for this purpose. And it took me 5 mins – find a box and a pair of scissors. Of course it helps that I’ve been hoarding shoe boxes, egg cartons, fruit containers for a while now. For such a time like this! Ha!

The best thing? She loves it.

James never fails to amaze me with the things he can do.

Check out this jajabings junior character he made.

He used the Amos iClay Animal Land World’s Softest Clay given by Sophie’s newly appointed Godparents. It’s part of Sophie’s Christmas presents. Hee… i think we’re more entertained than she was.

Sophie and her friends tried some finger painting this week. Here’s the result… looks more like body painting…

Evan’s got paint all over, Kyla ate some paint, Sophie went contemplative.

Sophie’s new hat
Originally uploaded by sophie8mths

My MIL actually made this super nice hat! Sophie is actually willing to wear it for a while before she takes it out.

Making our own stuff
Originally uploaded by sophie8mths

I got REALLY tired of shopping for boring and repetitive baby clothes. So i decided to decorate my own.

I can’t quite sew. I used to cry coz i couldn’t finish my crossstich for home econs. My grandma had to finish it for me. But i can cut and i can decorate. So here goes – my first attempt.

I got good Bonds singlets from Aus. Did i mentioned cheap too? Ya cheap. I got the buttons from some shop around here and placed them on the singlet and on the dining table, planning to sew them. Quite idiot proof right?? But my MIL came along and saw and sew them on for me. Hee hee.. so nice…

The truth is that i was SO inspired by SueAnn’s stuff – these amazing handsewn little cupcakes that she’s selling at Shermay’s Cooking School now. You must check them out! And I got some ideas at the Brissy flea markets too.

Hopefully this interest lasts. Haha…