The girls pose on the stairs before leaving for school. The awesome gothy hooded double-breasted knee-length overcoat was a gift from Baba, as was the crystal pendant and the black dress underneath (actually a shirt but long enough to be worn as a mini-dress).

Delphine asked for a volcano cake for her birthday party, which is next Saturday. I thought it would be prudent to make a practice cake today. The cake is constructed of a 9" wide layer, an 8" wide layer, and a dome baked in a glass mixing bowl (wasn't sure how well that would work!)

As you can see, it bears only the most superficial resemblance to a volcano. Next time I'll carve it into a more pyramidal shape, and make the mountain-coloured icing more mountain-coloured. (The obvious thing would be to make chocolate icing, but Delphine wants strawberry.) Still, Delphine thought it was wonderful, and it was delicious.

Opening presents.

One of the Delphine's gifts was a collaboration between my friend Tanya and me. Tanya designed this cool cover for a recipe binder, and I printed out a few easy recipes. Now Delphine has her own recipe book!

She got some books, a flower press, a paper airplane book...

a very cool yet somewhat overpriced tent/fort thing...

and Cordelia picked out this cheesy plasticky Kosy Kritter Korners thing which she LOVES.

Cordelia made me take this picture.

Cake!

I worked all day getting everything together: I designed a treasure hunt for the gifts, I baked and iced the cake, and I cleaned and tidied up, and it was totally worth it. Delphine loved every minute of her birthday, from the gifts to the cake to her special chili dinner. And I had so much fun putting it together for her. Next up: the party on Saturday. With cake, and explosions!

---

back | gallery index | next

---