There was a birthday in the house yesterday, our daughter is now 16 and yet it doesn’t seem 2 minutes since I was asking for help with the birthday bunting for her 13th birthday.

Perhaps some of you remember it? You can read all about it hereΒ Each time the bunting comes out (and that is regularly plus it has been loaned out too) I’m grateful for all the help and good wishes I had. We love to look at each piece and remember from whence it came. My plan for this birthday was to give a vintage twist to the birthday table. I’m not sure I achieved it but I do think it looked very pretty and that’s okay with me. I don’t have much pottery etc.that’s floral so began by raiding the garden.

Lavender and orange Potentilla, two favourite colours of Charlotte’s, displayed in a sherry glass. I’d really had the idea of lovely soft pastels hmmm, not very easy in mid October but I did find a few late blooming roses.

Originally I tried to display the roses in a pink and white gingham box with the use of an oasis but it didn’t work. I then resorted to the jam jar above but I’d cut the roses so short I still needed to use the oasis. Now the oasis was visible so out came the ribbon box – I’m pleased with the results, it’s just the thing. BUT, my favourite of all has to be the pink shrub in the tea cup.

I’m well chuffed with this and so was our daughter. Next came the cake or cakes. Having decided to make cup cakes instead this year I wanted these also to have a vintage twist and shot out to the shops for a few flowery additions, as this isn’t the kind of thing I usually have in the cupboard. So cakes baked, cooled and blue icing added, I reached for the icing syringe.

Now this is vintage and was given to my parents as a wedding present in the 1950s. On TV, everyone seems to use icing bags. I’ve never used an icing bag but I’ve been using this for most of my life, shame I’ve never improved my piping skills though!Β Wiggly bits done, on with the flowers and ta-dah!

Aren’t they fab? Hubby thought they, and the table, looked good and our daughter, through rose tinted spectacles, thought they looked professional! I’m happy.


It was worth the effort. the table looked so pretty it was a delight to sit there and eat. Hubby normally only has one iced bun at a time, as he’s more of a savoury man but this time he had three! Praise indeed.