A MATROYSHKA MOMENT ...

It's a special friend of mines birthday today, so our 2 families celebrated last night, by going out for dinner together - yummy Italian food was what we had.
Birthdays also mean birthday gifts - she has a real love of all things Russian, especially Matroyshka dolls, so whenever I can , I try and include something Matroyshka for her. This is what I came up with for her this year ...

When I saw these cookie cutters and edible transfers on the Flour Fancies website, I knew that I had to get them. I made sugar cookies and iced them with royal icing. The icing has to be completely dry before you add the transfer, so I left them to dry overnight. Applying the transfers was easier than I though it would be. You cut them out with craft scissors, brush a thin layer of light corn syrup onto the back of the transfer, and then you stick it onto the cookie, making sure that you have no air bubbles trapped underneath it - very easy.

Next was 2 pincushions - 1 to keep next to her sewing machine, and the other (more a needle keeper, I guess), to take with her for those on the go projects, that she takes to soccer practices and places like that. The little matroyshka doll, was a key chain that I found at World Market, and the bigger one was sold as a Christmas decoration last year - I snatched her up at the post Christmas sales. I can't find the website where I originally found this idea, but all I did was cover a styrofoam egg with a piece of velour, and squished it tightly into the base of the doll - quick and easy, but oh so cute:-)
Girl Childs room is almost complete - all that's left to do now is hang some curtains and tidy up the last few things lying around, and we'll be ready to reveal her new, teenage pad!!!