Fairies and Butterflies

I lay awake early on Sunday morning listening to the rain pounding on the roof. 18 children and their parents were due to arrive in a handful of hours for Stella's fairy party and Pearl's butterfly party, which I'd envisaged as a gorgeous sunny garden event. On the weather forecast app, the black cloud had not only raindrops falling from it, but a sparkly great lightning bolt. Marvellous.

But like in all the best movies, the clouds parted and the sun made its merry way through. 18 children and their parents arrived bearing an outrageous number of gifts. They were greeted by one little girl in bright red butterfly wings and another in purple fairy wings (bejewelled by a manic mother wielding pliers and a hot-glue gun at midnight the night before). They dined at a buffet fit for two winged princesses. Their faces were painted by the best niece-in-law that ever their was. The sun shone brightly, with not a lightning bolt in sight, so they moved to the back garden and decorated cardboard wings. Then they bounced and they soared and they danced on the lawn. And their mum caught up with friends old and new, many who'd travelled from Sydney and beyond, and felt grateful for special occasions that brought them all together to celebrate, and grateful for the two incredible little girls who gave them the excuse.

Most of the ideas for the food came from Pinterest. You can find the links to far better executed versions on my tiny board here. Meringue mushrooms? Why not.