Icing for Joy!

Just finished icing the cake. I am not very good at smooth finishes and fancy piping etc, so I usually cheat and buy ready made decorations. This year I got some from Lakeland when we were in Windermere at half term. They cost rather a lot, so I think they will have to come out every year from now on!

The plate was a Charity Shop find - only £1, and the ribbon was very cheap in IKEA. The wording is just on a piece of card, I did it with a rubber stamp which I have had for years.

When the children were younger, we usually put a candle on the Christmas Cake - well, it is Jesus' birthday!

I think these figures are really sweet.they are made of some sort of resin [so not edible!] Mary looks remarkably cheerful for someone who has just been in labour, don't you think?

I had a friend in London who used to save one of the best blooms from her passion flower plant every summer. She stored it in a Tupperware box in her freezer, then got it out on Christmas Day to place on the top of her Christmas Cake [which was just iced with plain white Royal Icing]

It looked beautiful - and was a reminder that Jesus was born to die. [Full details of passion flower here!]

Bob just got back from Worship Group Practice at Church - everybody is really busy, what with David Coffey's visit, Kirby Fried Church [our monthly youth church event] and the Christmas Family Service Production. I have absolutely no musical gifts whatsoever, so this is something I am not involved in at all [apart from sewing angel costumes!]