Chocolate cake in a tin can
Ever since I saw the post about baking a cake in a tin can on Oh Happy Day I wanted to try it!! We did it last week and it was sooo much fun!
I did the cake with the Thermomix, a cooking robot that is really really helpful for me!
After baking it, cut it into layers and fill with your favourite filling. It was soo much fun to see the cake grow inside the tin can. And really, it was very easy. We think is a nice and different way to bake! Hope you like it!
Maria
A felt fish garland
I made this garland for the pictures I took of Nico and that I told you about here. Today I would like to show you the DIY. Really simple and you can make them with your favourite colors or shapes! You just need some felt, wool, and thread.
It was really fun making it, and now it decorates our house!! Hope you like it.
- Maria
Alvaro Sanz and the traveling karibu
Last weekend I had the amazing experience of attending an Alvaro Sanz photography workshop in a lovely town by the sea in Asturias, where I live. He is a very talented Spanish photographer, and travels all over Spain and abroad with his incredible workshops. Alvaro is also Nanook’s father, so he had this idea: when he travels, he takes photos of a little karibu toy which he later shows to his son when he gets back home. That way there is always a connection between the travels, the father and the son. Isn’t it a lovely idea?
So that little Karibu has already been to Morocco, France, Sweden, all over Spain and more… and always comes back home with a picture!
I love the idea. Thanks Alvaro for being so inspiring, always.
The String Shelf
I completely adore the String Shelf. The String system was design in 1949 and over the last years has become one of the most popular pieces of classic scandinavian design. We got one for Nico’s room — we call it “the treasure shelf”, because this is where he keeps his most valuable toys at the moment.
Robots, dinos, rockets. But the most important toys are the Star Wars ones, because they were a present from Uncle Javi. The toys belonged to him since he was little, and now they belong to Nico, 30 years later! Such a lovely present.
We are very happy with our String ! Hope you like it!
- Maria
Decorating a baby’s christening party
I had so much fun decorating this party for a newborn. I always thought of white and craft for the occassion and sweet details for a baby girl. It was all made by hand, so it is really a handmade and natural party!
If you want to see more pictures you can see more here and here. Hope you like it and it gives you some ideas for spring parties! It seems like spring has finally arrived after a long long rainy winter!
- Maria
ONE YEAR AGO WE WROTE ABOUT:
• MozartKugel, a wooden musical ball• Stitch ‘n Kids: the Sewing Machine
Decorating a baby’s nursery, wallpaper on the ceiling
A few weeks ago I told you about the nursery I had the pleasure to decorate. Today I would like to share the lovely wallpaper we used — instead of putting it on the wall I put it on the ceiling! It looks different, don’t you think?
The paper is one of my favorite nowadays. The Ferm Living, Harlequin. I am completely madly in love with it! Hope you like it!
- Maria
Babydeli: a really nice place in Madrid
Today I would love to share a very charming shop in Madrid: Babydeli. Well, it is not only a shop, but a place with lots of things going on. They have food, toys, books, you can celebrate your birthday, and there are also very interesting workshops taking place every week. Located in the very heart of Barrio de Salamanca in Madrid, we always go if we are visiting.
Definitely, Babydeli is a place to find what you are looking for and also having a healthy snack!
Newspaper Easter eggs
Last year we had some friends over for Easter with us at home. It was an especially rainy one, so we did some crafts. We loved doing this ones with newspaper.
Great fun we had! And quite easy and cheap!!! 
- Maria
A pallet bench for a baby’s room
Today I would like to share the pallet bench I made for a nursery. I love pallet wood, like I told you last week with my son’s coat rack. This time I painted the pallet in white and added four wheels. A matress for comfortably sitting. I made the cushions with grey and white fabric with stars and clouds, and made the garland.
It is now in Manuel’s room and I really hope he enjoys it!
Maria Cañal
A tree coat rack
Today I would like to share the tree hanger I made for my son’s room. I did it myself a few years ago and I remember it was much easier than I had expected! I made it with palet wood and it looks great in Nico’s room!
We decorate it acording to the time of the year and the season! It is fun! (Inspired by the great great Camille Soulayrol.)
Hope you like it and hope you give it a go. It looks good in many parts of the house, as long as you have a free wall!!
- Maria
Lovely wooden toys: Macarena Bilbao
Macarena Bilbao creates lovely lovely wooden toys. She started making kitchens, and they are my favourites. She also makes guitars, cameras, groceries stalls, and other fun stuff, all very stylish and different.
Cameras, and guitars. Nico loves his guitar and played it at his birthday party.
A Spanish magazine: Kireei
We love the spanish paper magazine, Kireei. Not only is it really nice to “touch”, with an amazing quality in the edition, but the contents are very very interesting. We have been reading it since the beginning. This number makes the third and it is dedicated to “living slow”. Articles about slow parenting, and living, crafts, inspiring decor and much more. We have ours at home and we enjoy spending some time with it!
Slow mornings in pijamas! Thanks to Kireei for the wonderful magazine.
- Maria
Mini candy bars
Today I am so happy to write about Terron de Azucar, a lovely spanish brand, run by Rebeca, which makes the most beautiful mini candy bars!!! All in them are so full of details, and all of that in a mini size.
Aren’t they lovely? All made by hand by her and personalized with the theme you want. It makes a wonderful present for the kids. I have tried them myself and I can say they are just wonderful.
Great job Terron de Azucar!
-Maria
ONE YEAR AGO WE WROTE ABOUT:
• Iron-on patches• Comment J’ai Sauvé Mon Papa
• Welcome Celina from Montreal!
DIY: Love Arrows
Valentines day is here! This past weekend we did a very easy but fun DIY. We will use them to decorate the teacher’s present! We used straws, laces, decorated paper, washi tape…
Hope you like them and you try at home this weekend, very rainy here in Spain!.
Maria
DIY: customize a blazer
I have recently been asked by French kids brand Du Pareil au Meme, to customize one blazer of their collection. This is the result of it!
I really enjoyed changing the look of the jacket and I had loads of fun. Nico loves the moustache so we are both happy. It also opened a new whole world in front of me, so now I am always thinking of things to add to Nico’s clothes!!! It can be a bit addictive .
- Maria
Personalized books: Fabuloos Dreams
I am in love with these books! And Nico is even more in love when he sees himself as the hero of his own adventure. Fabuloos Dreams was the best present of this past Christmas.
They can be ordered in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Catalan. It is also perfect to learn a second language!.
With lovely illustrations and text, I think Fabuloos Dreams books are not only books but something the child will keep forever — a book full of memories!
- Maria
A day fishing
Today, I would like to share the pictures I have made for Panasonic, in a challengue about changing photography. I was one of the 10 bloguers chosen to do this. I had to choose a subject I dont usually deal with, so I chose “fishing”. The photos are taken in my adored Asturias, where I live.
I made Nico a bamboo fishing rod, matching the wooden piers. And some felt fishes…
We had a lovely day and we enjoyed our beloved Asturias, the sea, the views, and even the weather!.
Hope you like it.
- Maria
DIY: sock puppets
I think it is a classic to make puppets out of socks. But it is something we have never done at home. Last weekend we finally did it and it is a nice way to spend an evening. It is a really easy DIY and very fun. I very much like changing “normal” things into toys.
Simple but fun! And great for all the free time during wintery afternons!
- Maria
Madrid in Love
Last weekend Nico and I went to Madrid for a long weekend. It was so nice and one of the things we loved most was a pop-up store happening right now in Madrid (only december!). Madrid in Love.
A very special place, full of lovely things and lovely atmosphere. And really nice to visit with your kids!
After Madrid in Love, we went to a very nice place in Madrid. If you are looking for something sweet and tasty, Mama Framboise is the place. Amazing and super nice desserts.
If you happen to be in Madrid, I think they are a couple of lovely places to visit.
- Maria
Last minute Christmas decoration: a heart of light
This is a very easy DIY perfect for a last-minute decoration. I made it with some wire, wool, and christmas lights.
And here is the result. You could do diferent shapes with the wire. Maybe a star or a christmas tree, or you could even spell out words. I didnt have much time to do this, so I chose the heart, as it is the easiest thing to do . After doing the shape you just twine the christmas lights and the wool in the end to cover the cord.
Hope you like it and give it a try. Christmas is just around the corner!
- Maria
