Bentos # 94 - Easy Christmas Bentos

I managed to squeeze in another Christmas Bento just before we went off to Singapore for a holiday last week - very easy ones with just sandwiches cutouts, and Girlet doing most of the decors. Also took a shortcut in the form of Christmas Tree Marshmallow (from Cold Storage, KL), which was a real treat for the kids, besides brightening up the bentos.

They had the bentos at home as none of the decorations could've survive a transportation farther than the one from the kitchen to the living room. *_* Here I got them to pose ala Angeleye's Darius with their thumbs up.
For Girlet's bento, she decorated the tree with edible markers (bought from Cake Connection, PJ) and candy coated chocolate sunflower seeds (from US). She is getting a quite handy at making bentos. She also requested to add in the Princess pasta which SIL had just given her. It's adorable with shapes of castle, carriage, flower, slipper, and two princess figures.

Thanks, May, for the Princess pasta. Girlet absolutely loves it. For those who don't know, it was purchase from DaPaolo Gastronomia in Paragon, Singapore at SGD 6 per pack. And thanks for the pack of Winnie the Pooh pasta too.

Babylet had plain white bread. I gave the Santa a bit of texture with the hat, moustache and beard. Girlet chose to put a wink on Santa. Babylet is actually rather fearful of Santa (as was Girlet when she was 2), so she was happy that she can eat up Santa. Silly girl!
Boylet's bento was the easiest as he requested for a snowman. Decided to give the snowman a bowtie to smarten him up ala Arlene's style.

And to Shoppingmum, who asked about the small star cutouts, this was the puncher I used. Not sure of the brand, but got it from the stationery section of Parkson. Have also seen it in Jusco.

Bento Swap

Recently I had a Bento Swap with Our Story. It didn't occur to me to take a photo of what I got for YL. Duh!! But there were a Doraemon bento box, 2 teddy bear silicon cups, a pack of spiderman pasta, and some 100 yen shop stuff - quail egg moulds and several bento boxes. YL's post is here.

And YL got so many things for me that I feel so paiseh. What I requested were some things from Daiso and the Disney pasta. She added so many extras, including things from her recent trip to Hokkaido. And knowing that I 'collect' pasta, she has sent not one, but five different packs of various pasta shapes. We're so spoilt with choice now. Thank you very much, YL. And Muak, Muak, Muak from the 3 kiddos.

Cutters, picks, sauce bottles and lunch cloth. *swoon* Babylet immediately claimed the Hello Kitty cutter as hers.

Organic wholewheat animal pasta and Organic teddy bears pasta. *drool*

Brown Rice Assorted Shapes Pasta. *more drool*

Halloween pasta and Winnie the Pooh pasta. *add kid's drool too*

Also thanks to my sister, Biblo, who made arrangement for the delivery and collection of the packages. Why sound like accepting some award liddat... hehe...

YL, you're the BEST!! And thanks to your SIL too.

Backdated post - What Hubby Bought in USA

D'hubby came back from his trip to USA two weeks ago. I had whined about being left behind with the 3 kiddos (I also missed out when he went to Europe earlier this year), because although on working trip, he extended his stay to include some sightseeing. So he had very obediently? guiltily? bought me ..er... us.. lots of stuff. Something I learnt from the kids... whining works.. hehe... An overview of the things here. After the food scare in China, I had second thoughts about using the silicone cups from Daiso for baking since they are 'Made in China'. So got hubby to buy drop by Michaels to buy some cute silicone cups. Hey, I had to google the store and get the exact address for him first, ok? Unfortunately, these Wilton cups are also 'Made in China'!! Erm, safe or not? Would you use them for baking after all the negative news in China?

Silly Feet and Silly Critters silicone cups. So cute right? Yes, I'm aware they are sold in KL (at a bakery equipment shop 'Pavilion' in Gardens, Midvalley), but of course more expensive compared to US. If hubby didn't go to US, I would not have bought them 'cos I'm just calculative that way.

Flower cups that comes in pink and yellow, and bear cups in beige and brown. And some picks too. I totally heart this Puzzle Cakes! Build-A-Cake Set. Comes with 6 round cups, 6 half moon cups, 6 diamond cups and 6 pie shapes cups. And have instructions for three cake designs. Of course creative people can create more fun shapes, but I'm not one of those people. *_* Very cool huh? And best of all, the cups can be used individually for other purposes too.

Then Hubby decided to buy these two car and butterfly cake mould too. Erm.. not something I would have bought myself, being expensive and can only use for one purpose only.... Better don't say too much or he won't buy any more things next time. So, good job, darling!

He got some cookie cutters too - Mini Noah's Ark. That's because he doesn't know how many cookie cutters I actually have. I'm quite sure this set is also available in KL.

Moving on to the foodstuff. I gave hubby a broad instruction to buy anything cute, colourful and not available in KL.

Kookyculinary very kindly posted a photo of the pasta shapes that she usually uses, and I printed the pic for hubby as a reference. He had very dutifully followed the picture and bought the same items! Cookies!

We snack a lot on dried fruits, so Hubby got these, among others. Since they are non-organic, boylet and I will have to pass those yellow coloured ones which is preserved with sulfur dioxide or risk aggravating our asthma/eczema. The two girls can have those without sharing. The cherries are super yum! The kids love Nutella, and d'hubby's friend recommended Noisella, a Belgian chocolate and hazelnut spread which is supposed to taste even better. Haha... what a name! Let's hope the taste is nicer than that. Unfortunately some leaked during the flight.

Hubby also bought a two-tier Barbie lunchbox from KLIA. It's too big for Girlet to bring to school, but will be perfect for our yet-to-happen-if-ever picnic. *_*

I've always commented that he's not good at buying things. But this time, he has done pretty well. *Muak!*