Paper Doll Ana Luisa.

My only niece, the only girl I can spoil, lives 4,000 miles away from me. I always dreamed of playing dolls, playing dress up with my little girl.
So I came up with this idea of making printable paper dolls. We talk on Skype about what she likes, and I make it in paper.
So I finally learn how to scan and color my drawings in the computer, and with the help of my friend Marilena, these drawings can become printable images for everyone.
I grew up playing with paper dolls, and I think it is a fun way to make a little doll more personal.
Feel free to print and play by clicking Here.
I hope everyone enjoys, so I can make more.
Bonequinha Ana Luisa. Como a minha sobrinha Ana Luisa mora muito longe, a maneira que encontrei de brincarmos juntas foi criar essas ilustrações.
Clique nesse link para imprimir a pagina: Bonequinha da Ana.
Espero que voces gostem.

ResGatinhos Cat Rescue.

Animal lovers always get a way to find each other, and my guests this week are very big on this subject.
My cousin and her friend came for a visit to NY. They both happened to be cat lovers, who volunteer their time, money , and energy to rescue cats from the streets in Brazil. They work with veterinarians, get them healthy for a new home, and make sure the new kitties go to a safe environment. They run a non-profit organization called ResGatinhos, which means "Rescue Little Cats".
They also work educating people about feline diseases, how to care for a pet, and try to raise money through donations and merchandise through their website ResGatinhos.com.br. So in honor of their work and their heart, on their last night in my house, I made them a little cat party.

I made these little illustrations to decorate the cake. To download click here.
I also made little banners that I placed in skewers for my falafels, and also attached to straws. If you want to print these banners, click here.
For appetizers I made grilled cheese Catwiches. The sandwich cutters I found on Amazon.
It is always good to meet people that have something in common. But to meet those who go beyond, to help without expecting recognition, is a great pleasure to have in my house.

Minecraft Cake.

Our friend Kevin just turned 10, and I remember he loved this Minecraft cake on a magazine.
But of course I am still recovering from my Halloween party last week, so I couldn't come up with any crazy ideas.
My shortcut was to print a couple of characters in paper and place on top of a cake. The paper decorations I found from this site: Kamibox.de (click the name to go to their link), and the pig was from Minecraft Printables. They were a little more work than I thought. But after some time with patience, scissors, glue and tape, I finished the toys.
By the time I had to make the cake, I had a little more energy and time. So I made all these squares using fondant. I let them dry overnight, before applying to the cake.

I made a rectangular cake, cut and stacked to be more like a cube. After frosting the entire cake, I placed the individual sugar squares. They weren't perfectly cut, so adding the paper decorations covered my flaws, and made it look more fun.
The cake looked a little crazy and disproportional, but the kids had a good time, and Kevin had that big smile on his face. Just what I wanted to see.

Happy Tenth Birthday, Kevin!

Halloween Party.

Finally all my work was put to the test, I am glad to say the party was a success. Nothing broke, nobody got hurt, and it was a lot of fun.
The table was ready on time and there were lots of goodies.

Chocolate roofs, gummy ghosts, sugary pumpkins.
Some disgusting treats. Juice and some little gifts to take home.
The kids played with all the games I made, until they were destroyed, and there was nothing else to do.

And I don't know if it was only the sugar making them crazy.

I had to do something. So when everything else fails, my solution is to put them to play dodge ball.

Besides all the sweets, the grown ups had some healthy options.


And others, not so healthy but so tasty.
Later we went trick-or-treating, and we saw some spooky houses. Halloween is the best. The kids had a great time, and the other parents were happy too.
But I am so glad it is done. It is exhausting to plan, prepare, and execute a party for theses boys.
But they grow up so fast, that I better enjoy, while they want my company.