What a little wine, some candy and some well placed icing sugar can do

So, Dianne,  my beautiful and generous friend and blogging partner in crime at no reEats has an annual gingerbread house decorating party that I have had to miss for the last three years in a row because I am usually off on my christmas trip at that time. I was kind of exited but kind of stressed out by the fact that I was going to be able to attend this year's festivities. You see, as much as I love to drink wine and glue candy to a gingerbread house, I am mildly terrified of the other women who partake in this yearly event. To say that some of them are competitive would be like saying that I like to eat a little bit. The first time I went, I was so naive. I went to the Bulk Barn and just bought a bunch of festive looking candies and figured I would just wing it when I got there., expecting nothing more than good conversation, snacks and wine and a bunch of beaches moms relaxing with a nice little craft. By the time I arrived, the keeners were already there with their tool kits, their sketches, their glue guns and their additions and pieces that they had already made themselves at home. There was a crazy, off kilter Dr Suess house that night and the rest of them looked like maquettes for some millionaire's ski chalet by this hot new Norweigan architect, Sven Svenersson.

My sad little house, covered in dripping icing and mismatched candy looked so sad and juvenile by comparison. * see Halloween's house for reference



NEVER AGAIN.

That brings us to yesterday. I had all sorts of plans and designs. I was going to do a rustic log cabin using different sizes of pretzel sticks and I would build a porch with an awning at home to take with me. Unfortunately, that would require getting out of my pjs and going back to bulk barn so that idea was scrapped. I poked around the internet, did some drawings and I finally settled on a simple black and white colour scheme with a humble thatched roof. I thought I would throw the competition off because they would expect a riot of colour and over the top landscaping from me.
I made the windows and doors at home in the afternoon and spent at least an hour cutting the ends off of black liquorice pieces and then cut the rest of the liquorice into rustic looking bricks because I am insane.

Someone else clearly stole my log cabin idea

as much as i hate to admit it, the pepita roof is brilliant

How cute is her trophy reindeer over the door?

someone said it was very French  Provincial 

* This was the house made by our friend, Halloween. See my very first ever gingerbread house

KEENER ALERT! 

Isn't that just a winter wonderland? She cheated by the way.

For various reasons, most of the heavy hitters did not make it and so it was just a small group of five decorators and everyone was very solicitous, sharing candy and shrubbery, giving suggestions and, most importantly, letting me eat their skor bits after they were finished tiling their roofs with them.
A great time was had by all and I am not sure who ended up winning the prize- whoever it was , it wasn't me but I am very happy with my quaint little house. Take lots of icing sugar, add black liquorice and wheaties and an ample dose of sparkling wine and this is what you get.
I think I might have to add some landscaping this week though.