a little thatched cottage

i never made gingerbread houses growing up, but i always wanted to. two years ago we did our first kit house. it was pretty fun, although the baggie of icing was just gross by the end. and my fingers were raw from the gumdrops. plus i wasn't too pleased with the kitschy aesthetic. as much as i enjoy some good fun obnoxiousness, i wanted a more interesting house. last year i was pregnant and sick so i just did a kit again. lazy lazy.

this year i determined to make one from scratch, AND to fulfill a lifelong dream and thatch the roof with shredded wheat. i think it came out okay--my original idea was to do a "gnome home" and have it like a miniature house with logs and mushrooms around it. alas, after all my hard work making meringue mushrooms they sort of disintegrated after a few days and after that i just lost my motivation. still, i did the roof which was fun and i think it came out pretty cute in general.

you can't see it in this picture, but i also sifted some powdered sugar on top to look like snow. so CUTE.

next year i'm making a hobbit hole. anybody have a gandalf figurine i could put in the front yard??