December 9th

Happy 9th, everyone!

Today I will introduce to someone, who originally is not from Riverland, but these days belongs here like she would have been born here. She moved to Riverland last summer when she was chosen as intern to Barney's Bakery. She wishes to learn everything possible from baking and candy-making, and maybe someday have her own bakery and MMB (Mouse Master Baker) after her name. She loves it at Barney's and they get along perfectly, and just ordered matching working clothes for the holidays, here are Barney and my niece Bibi:

With the internship Bibi also got a tiny flat above Barney's Bakery. I promised her mother (my sister Amy) that I will keep an eye on Bibi, and also see that her home will have everything needed. And did we have fun decorating! We read tons of Country Mouse&Interiors and Mouse Living-magazines (I have been a subscriber for a long time)...

...and finally got it all together in that tiny, tiny place! Bibi loves red&white, and we decided to go for that combination, always fresh and easy to accessorize with little more other color, like green. Here is her bedroom, you can see a picture of his brother Bart there and also Bibi's beloved teddy Albin, and there is the beautiful red dress Bibi wore at Anabel's party:

- But Auntie Anna, the new lamp is not there yet!

- Oh my, just a minute, dear...

- Here we go now, all set!

- Lovely!

- I love it too, Auntie Anna, thank you so much, but we really need to get started with these Christmas-cards, this is my day off and I need to get done a lot of stuff!

- Where's Barney then?

- He is at Baker's convention in River-upon-Meadow, he will be back later this afternoon with all new Holiday baking recipes, can't wait!

- Alright, great, I just hang your mailbox and put up this last decoration to your door and we are all done!

Happy day to you all, see you tomorrow!

❤❤❤

Anna&Mia

December 8th

Hello friends!

Today I wanted to talk about friendship. I have quite a many friends, but my absolute best friend is Adele. She is such fun, always full of new ideas, laughs and energy. She runs her own yarn shop almost on her own, like I told you the other day, but she still finds time to do so much more. Like one morning not that long ago, my doorbell rang, and when I opened the door there she was:

- Good morning, sleeping beauty! It is a beautiful morning, look at all this snow! And look what I found under it all, your snowman lantern, I think it is past its best days?

- Good morning dear Adele, is that a new pom-pom hat?

- It is, that is my new winter-collection called Snow-poms, and I brought you something too, let me help you with it...

- There we go, it looks perfect on you, just as I thought!

- Thank you, Adele, but what brings you here this snowy morning?

- I just woke up this morning, saw all the snow, and thought that your house needs a snowman! A proper one, we will so recycle this old one, I think Brita might be able to use it in her workshop. So hop-hop...

Soon we both were pushing big snowballs around my yard! And in no time we had three big ones ready, and we just...

...Needed to lift them in top of each other!

Phew!

- Now it needs little something still, let me see... Some little stones maybe... Good that you live in Old Stone Path, Anna!

- I know! And maybe a few sticks still...

- Pretty good, but something is still missing, dont't you think Adele? I must run inside, wait a second!
- And this was supposed to be my lunch, but I think Mr Snowman needs it more...

Ta-dah!

-Oh my, I think I should have brought three mugs!

 See you tomorrow!

❤❤❤

Anna&Mia

December 7th

Good morning friends!

I am on my second pot of tea this morning, and still in my bed with some delicious candy canes and gingerbread cookies from yesterday! We had such lovely party, but whole weekend was so busy-busy that I am exhausted still! I am going to take it slow, and sort all happy pictures from yesterday. 

I am making a scrapbook for Anabel for Christmas, and these pictures need to get in too... Or what do you think:

They are pretty great, don't you think? There are a few still, one of me with my pretty party-dress on, just before someone dropped a glazed apple on my bow (never mind, that apple was delicious!):

And then there is this one with Birthday-girl and her new bracelet&scarf (she loved them both!):

...and Bernard eyeing the cake just after Anabel had blown the candle:

These will be the greatest memories for all of us! Now I will start decorating the pages with these pictures, and I think I need third pot of tea too. But just one more thing before I forget: I have opened my calendar too, but have been so so busy that haven't remembered to share my finds with you! On fifth there was a little candy cane, on sixth a present (just perfect for Anabel's birthday!) and this morning I got a little gingerbread man - this calendar is so perfect for my December!

Happy Monday, see you tomorrow again!

❤❤❤

Anna&Mia

December 6th

Oh, what a busy morning we have had! We went down to Riverland Festivity-house, which we had booked for Anabel's birthday, before 6 o'clock. There were me, Bernard, Barney the cat from Barney's Bakery, Adele and Brita. Barney delivered the most wonderful cake...

... candy canes and some beautifully glazes apples, all Anabel's favorites.

Me and Bernard were in charge of decoration...

... And Brita and Adele took care of all flower arrangements. Anabel loves nature, walking on the woods and picking berries and mushrooms so the decoration was built around that theme. Here in Riverland we are lucky to have non-poison toadstools so they can be used on decoration (and eaten afterwards!) too. Brita had also made a beautiful berry crown for Anabel, she'll love it!

But now I must run, there are still so many things to do! Bernard got Anabel's camera from repairs, and also bought her a lot of film for it, so I am sure we will see many pictures later! Happy December 6th, everyone!

***

Six hours later! We are having the best party ever, and I just wished to share this one picture of the birthday-girl today, Adele took it, and the rest we'll see tomorrow! Happy Birthday, Anabel!

❤❤❤

Anna&Mia

P.S. Greetings from Mia too saying that it is not only Anabel's birthday but also Finland's! Happy Independence Day, Finland, and happy second Advent everyone!

December 5th

This morning I was in my kitchen busily writing my to-do-list when I heard the doorbell.

- It is open, come on in!
- It's me, Bernard!
- Welcome! But it is Saturday, surely you are not working today?
- But I am! I have a big parcel for you, I think this is what you have been waiting for...

- Oh Bernard, could it really be...?

- Please take a seat for a while, I will make you a nice cup of tea but I just have to open...

- Oh yes! It is my new rolling pin and set of gingerbread moulds! This is wonderful, now I can make the gingerbread decoration for Anabel's birthday, I already got the dough, but I was just wondering what to do with it without these, thank you so much Bernard! Let me just hug you!

- Now, now, thank you, just doing my job! That cup of tea would be quite enough, huh?

- Oh yes, coming right up!

- By the way, is that a new uniform, Bernard? I don't think I have seen it on you before?

- But it is, I just got it yesterday! Let me show it to you, it comes with a matching beret, and look, the jacket has been tail-ored, ha, to suit me perfectly!

- I love it!

- But now I must run, thanks for the tea, I'll see you tomorrow at Anabel's birthday?

- Sure, sure, and you'll get to taste my baking tomorrow too. Thank you still once!

- No problem, just being a good Postie! See you tomorrow!

After Bernard left, I tackled my gingerbread dough. And I baked, and baked, and baked... Quite a few trays of gorgeously smelling gingerbread hearts, stars and flowers.

Phew! That rolling was pretty hard work!

- Yes! Remembered to make wholes for strings before baking! 

And while those happy treats were baked and then cooled, I ticked off all things from my to-do-list! The very last thing was to decorate those gingerbread, and it was such fun! I only need to attach those strings tomorrow. Now I am all ready for the bed - and also for Anabel's birthday-party tomorrow! See you there!

❤❤❤

Anna&Mia