Lia Ahryn is One!

Lia is one year old!

And with this and more, we couldn’t be more grateful to God for what He has done for us for the past year. We thank God that both Lia and her mom are healthy and well which was very different from the circumstances we were in, more than a year ago.

Her first year marks another step in our journey as parents in raising two distinctly different girls. Every day is a challenge and yet each day that passes mean another blessing has been received, another experience gained, and another life lesson learned.

Looking forward to this weekend as we celebrate her First Birthday. 

Happy Birthday Lia, we thank God every time we see you. 

Flower Power

 

 

Afternoon at the Poly

We noticed Lia doesn’t have as many high-quality photos as her sister. We blame this to camera phones which are so convenient to use while DSLR cameras are so heavy and troublesome to lug around.

So yesterday, just before sunset, we headed to one of the nearest parks in the neighborhood which was Republic Polytechnic’s school grounds for a quick shoot- just to document the last few days of Lia’s babyhood.

Knowing it’s a Sunday, we thought it would be a perfect day to take photos. The sky was overcast but thank God it did not rain. And we managed to have a few memorable shots, especially of the sisters together. The second photo is my favorite!

By the way, it’s only three days before Lia’s first birthday! It’s a cliché, but I’ll say it nonetheless, time flies! And boy what a year it has been.

More updates soon as we gear up to celebrate her birthday.

Fika: Ikea's Stylish Cookbook

Last Sunday, one of Jane's Mother's day presents is the much talked about IKEA cookbook entitled  Fika: 30 Classic Swedish Baking Recipes from Bite-size Cookies to Festive Cakes.

Fika simply means “coffee break” in Sweden and more contemporarily, it means socializing with family or friends over a cup of coffee, tea or even fruit juices. It is often accompanied with sweets or pastries.

The word has been coined by reversing the Swedish word for coffee which is kaffi or kaffe. Much like what our Filipino parents did during the hip culture of their teen years. Incidentally, the Tagalog word for coffee is kape (kah-peh) which is not far sounding from the Swedish kaffi.

The Fika book is actually a cookbook. With recipes, ingredients and photos of it, baking procedures, and the photo of the finished product. But what separated it from the usual cookbooks was the manner the photos of the ingredients are illustrated. As you can see in the following photos.

Unlike your ordinary cookbooks wherein the ingredients were in containers, bowls and pans, Fika is composed of pages upon pages of pyramids and mastabas of all-purpose flour, perfectly-arranged and equally-spaced fruits and nuts, and droplets of vanilla extracts or water. It's like seeing all the baking ingredients in a whole new light. And with this kind of presentation, it makes the art and science of baking more interesting and entertaining even.

The hardcover book will look good at the coffee table and great as a conversation piece. It is also reasonably-priced. 

Get your copy now, (or don't if you do not like to). Haha! Meanwhile, let me choose which of the 30 yummy recipes should we bake soon and probably try to build one of those flour pyramids just for the fun of it.

Cheers! 

Mother's Day 2015

To the mother of my children, Happy Mother's Day.

Thank you for giving us your everything.

Top 10 Free Mother's Day Crafts and Printables

Mother’s Day 2015 will be this coming Sunday and I have collected a number of card and craft printables from various websites for you to make just in time for Mother’s Day. All are in trend, easy-to-do and most importantly it’s FREE!

There are thousands of sources and even thousands more of printables but I have streamlined it to my top ten favorites. Take your pick or take it all!

This may be used as a greeting card front, to be framed as a plaque, printed as a gift tag or a sticker label. Download the free printable from The Painted Arrow here.

This watercolor print is from Ash and Crafts. The JPG file which can be printed nicely up to 5" x 7" can be downloaded here.

You're The Best Mom Card and Envelope from Key Lime Digital Designs

Get the free printable and how-to here.

Mom wouldn't mind opening another box if it is presented like this! What a thoughtful surprise from The Dating Divas. Download the gift craft printable here.

This gift wrap, ribbon and tags set can be downloaded from Lia Griffith

Click here for the download links.

If you are throwing a party for Mom,

be sure to get this Mother's Day Banner and Party Kit from Oh Happy Day.

Download it here.

Or if your idea of a special day is to serve breakfast in bed, why not make this simple craft to make it even more special for Mom. This free Mother's Day Breakfast in Bed Printable is by Studio DIY and all can be downloaded here.

If you're up for a little craft challenge, here's one from Martha Stewart.

You can get the petal template for the Flower Pop-Up Card, complete instructions

and video tutorial on her website.

Giant Paper Roses. And why not? Fresh flowers will last for a day or two

but this one will surely go a long way. You can also opt for a smaller version by reducing the scale of the template. 

The petal templates are from Martha Stewart and can be downloaded here. There is also a video tutorial on her website. While the Green Wedding Shoes shared a step by step instructions (pictures) which you can visit here.

And lastly, Hello, Wonderful shared this Kid-Made Mother's Day Book Printable.

You can get it from here and have your kid finish it.

You’re welcome. Enjoy the freebies!

Actually, any craft done by kids would make an adorable gift. Doing her chores to make her feel like a queen (even) for a day would also be appreciated. Giving her a day-off or bringing her to the salon or spa for pampering would also be very much welcomed. 

Avoid gifts such as a new vacuum cleaner, apron or a mop this time. And if all else fails, a new designer bag, or jewelry always does the trick.

What would you give Mom this Mother's Day?

More Paper Flowers

We're still on it!

With 26 more days to go, it's still paper flower-making every night before bedtime at around 1, 2, or even as late as 4 AM last weekend. Last week we made these huge purple flowers which reminded me of ornamental cabbages used in flower arrangements. They have bright purple centers which make them more attractive. 

And for this week, we've started making these gorgeous white blooms which looks like a hybrid of gardenia and peony. Jane said this is her most favorite among all the paper flowers we have crafted so far. And I have to agree, I kinda like this one too. It's simple, subtle and elegant at the same time. 

One more flower variety to go and it will be in orange. After settling that, it will all be multiplying the numbers before the big install!