Homemade Cakesters!

I found this FANTASTIC idea at www.bakerella.blogspot.com. If you've never been to her site, you have GOT to check it out!! She made a similar "cakester" using Red Velvet cake for V-day. I used Butter Fudge Recipe cake mix and a homemade buttercream icing recipe that I found on her site, too. It's out of this world!







Ingredients and Directions:

Cookies:
1 pkg cake mix
1/2 cup butter (softened)
2 eggs

Beat eggs and butter, then add cake mix. Spoon mixture (or to ensure uniform cookies, use a small ice cream scoop). Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Buttercream Icing
1/2 cup butter (softened)
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 t. vanilla
1 lb. confectioner's sugar
1-3 T. milk (if needed, as needed)
**For chocolate, add 1/2 cup dark powdered cocoa**

Beat butter and cream cheese, then add vanilla. Slowly add sugar and continue mixing until smooth. You'd add cocoa now if you were making the chocolate icing. You can also add milk if the icing is too dense for your liking.


Once the cookies have cooled, simply plop a dollop of icing in the middle and add the top cookie. Smoosh to perfection!

Matching Outfits

My friend and I got together yesterday and had a blast making some outfits for her daughters. They're just simple A-Line dresses with capris. We shortened the length of the dress and added a ruffle, then added a matching ruffle to the capris. I think they'll look adorable (when it finally warms up enough to wear them!). Ruffle Tip: Cut double the width of the ruffle and seam allowance, and instead of hemming it, fold the ruffle (wrong sides together) and gather BOTH raw edges, then attach ruffle to bottom of dress (and lining). Saves an enormous amount of time! No one likes hemming!

A new outfit for the boy

The girl is always gettin' new stuff, so today it was the boys' turn!

Chiffon Ballerina Skirt

If you've ever tried working with chiffon, you know it is a royal pain in the rear! I'd bought some a few months ago because it was only $1.44/yd and I figured I could certainly come up with a ballerina skirt cheaper than the $15 they charge at the ballerina store.

Attempt #1 was a disaster. I had to come up with a new plan. One that didn't involve hemming! This is what I came up with...

I just doubled the length of the skirt that I wanted and folded it over. Both ends are at the top. I serged and stitched them, then turned the seam inward, and stitched another seam again (this one for the elastic casing. I fed the elastic through and french seamed the ends together.

It turned out just like I wanted! All for about $0.40!

Book Covers

I wanted to try a new "recipe" that I found!


I don't know why I can't make this a hyperlink... you'll have to ctrl C then ctrl V...

http://www.fiber-images.com/Free_Things/Projects_Patterns/free_patterns_sewing.html

Danish Woven Hearts

I found a video for this craft idea. It uses the same familiar concept of making Danish woven heart baskets, but instead of using paper, you use fabric. I had to soak the fabric in glue/water to stiffen it. The girl wanted them to be purses, so she stitched the side seams on the machine.

Here's the link:
http://www.curbly.com/DIY-Maven/posts/5784-Curbly-Video-Podcast-How-to-make-woven-fabric-hearts-

My very first quilting attempt

I wanted to see if I could do it. That's usually how my projects come about. The boy asked for a bed for "Power Rangers" his Webkinz, so I figured I could come up with something "bed-like". I didn't use a pattern... well, I tried. Originally, this was to be a pinwheel quilt job, but those pinwheels, well, they're hard and confusing. So, this arose, instead! He loves it, and that's all that matters. I had to learn how to miter corners - need to practice.

Getting a head start on summer!

This is the "Hallie" top that I posted earlier. It's smocked with chevrons across the front. I added a ruffle to the hem to close up the lining, so this top is completely lined - the smocking back is hidden! I wanted to make some shorts to match it... they have a ruffle, too.

Here's a new pattern I tried. It's a Children's Corner pattern called "Mary De". I absolutely love it! It crosses in the back and closes with 2 buttons situated horizontally. I actually shortened the top - it's supposed to be a dress!Ahh, and more ruffle pants!

Busy smocking

Here's that dress for my daughter's friend. The smocking turned out pretty good. I really like the lace trim. It makes it look old-fashioned, and in my opinion, smocking only works one of two ways... either old-fashioned or totally retro. There's really no in between!

Another Bishop

I've been trying to get a bunch of things ready smock/hand sew so I can take them with me to Florida. This is a bishop I made for a friend's kid. It's one of the prettiest things I think I've ever made. The girl picked the fabric out herself, and I must say, for this dress, I don't think she could have picked a better print. All of the seams are in french! Ooh la la! And it has one of those fancy hidden hem things and lace trim around the collar. I'm so excited!

Trying out a new pattern... the smocked "Hallie"

I REALLY like this pattern! I can't wait to get it smocked and finished. It has a fantastic sash and a ruffle hem (which I can't add until I'm done smocking it - it'll be FULLY lined!) I added piping along the top and bottom of the smocked insert. It was my first go at it. I think it makes it look more "professional". I can't decide if I should use a coordinating gingham for the pants, or stick with the polka dot. What do you think?

Smocked bishop - completed!

In all, it probably only took about 3 hours to smock. I do it while scavenging through all of those TiVo programs that you don't really WANT to watch, but feel obligated to sit through because TiVo took the time and trouble to record it! ANYWAY... (pretend I didn't say that if you don't feel that same twang of guilt).

Pattern alteration

So, I tried out a new pattern. Simplicity 2825. It's a cute twirling dress with long sleeves... or at least it's supposed to be. Suggested fabrics included cottons, but I think this pattern would only work with a heavier fabric (cord, velveteen). I decided that it would work if the sleeves were chopped off. And as it turns out, the sleeves made PERFECT leg warmers - for my SON! He concluded that he wouldn't have to wear pants when he was out jumping on the trampoline if he was wearing his leg warmers.... brilliant! I also added a sash to break up the pattern.

A-line set

I've had this fabric a while, and I'm just now getting around to trying the ruffling thing. The girl requested "pants with ruffles"... so it inspired me to try it. I didn't cut enough off of the dress length, so it's a little long - which is really quite fine. She'll be able to wear it all summer.

Jumper

This is for a friend's kid... she picked the fabric out herself. It's fully lined. (Oh! That reminds me... I forgot to handsew the opening!) I tried using a metal snap instead of a button and elastic loop. Their hair always gets tangled up in the button! We'll see if maybe this is a better way to go!

Bow holder

Asking my daughter to find a hair bow in her "basket" was really not a fair request. That poor basket was a mess! So, I came up with this idea. I just took a hand-held mirror and stuck some braids on it, tied a ribbon to the handle, and voila! The long tails of the ribbon make for a perfect hair bow organizer! Plus, she can look at herself in the mirror - what girl doesn't love doing that?! (And judging by the fingerprints, she's already put it to use!!)

Bow Bustin'

I admit it. I have an addiction... more than one, actually. But this time I'm referring to my addiction to ribbon. I decided to put it to good use. I made every one of these bows today. It took a couple of hours, but it was well worth it!

Bishop Tutorial

Here's a tutorial Jnet and I put together on making a bishop dress. I hope it clears up the confusion that some of those pattern instructions can inflict!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=v3b9gt1.73ij2g2x&x=0&y=-o2c407&localeid=en_US

Holiday Eating Tips

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the holiday spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they’re serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It’s rare. You can’t find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? Have one for me. Have two! It’s later than you think!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That’s the whole point of gravy. Pour it on! Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes! Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat!

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they’re made with skim milk or whole milk. If it’s skim, pass. Why bother?

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a holiday party is to eat other people’s food for free. Lots of it!

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. Now is the time for long naps! You need to be rested so you can circle the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at the buffet table, like frosted holiday cookies in the shape of Santa, position yourself near them and don’t budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention.

8. Same for pies. Apple, pumpkin, pecan. Have a slice of each! When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it’s loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards!

10. And the last tip: If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven’t been paying attention. Re-read tips and start over! Remember, January is just around the corner!


Motto to live by – “Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming “WOO HOO, what a ride!”


Have a very Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Jammies for the kiddos

Every year the kids get matching Christmas jammies... Right now they think it's the coolest thing EVER. But, they're young.

Walker Organizer Pattern and Tutorial

This is so easy! I wanted to post a tutorial... Here it is!!


Materials Needed for 2 organizers:
1 yard of fabric
Thread to match
10 inches of hook and loop tape (SEW-ON!!)


Step 1 - Lay 1 yard of fabric out (the way it comes off of the bolt - do not refold)



Step 2 - Cut fabric lengthwise right down the middle! You'll end up with 2 pieces of fabric doubled over approximately 1 yard long and about 11-12 inches wide, depending on the original length of the fabric.



Step 3 - Right sides together, sew along the edges leaving a 3" opening for turning. Clip corners.



Step 4 - Turn.



Step 5 - Press.



Step 6 - Align hook and loop tape about 9 inches apart. The fuzzy and the loop sides should both be on the SAME side of the fabric. This will be the flap that wraps around the bar. Pin and sew.



Step 7 - Turn fabric over (velcro side DOWN). Fold bottom of fabric up about 16", then fold the top back toward the bottom about 8". Then fold back up toward the top about 3". You're creating the pockets by sandwiching the fabric on top of itself.



The final folded fabric should look similar to this:



Step 8 - Sew the pen pockets into the smallest, top pocket. Sew ONLY into the TOP 2 layers - do NOT sew through entire thickness!! Then sew along side seams through all layers. Be sure the flap at the top is OPEN - you don't want to accidently sew the flap closed!



Give it a final pressing and it's ready to go!!

Facebook

I have joined Facebook... bear with me as I figure it out.

Walker Organizer

We're getting geared up for our Christmas trip to the Nursing Home. Last year a friend gave me a bunch of fabric to make bags and totes for the inmates (and I'm referring to the inmates at the nursing home - NOT prison inmates!... there was some confusion!). This is what I came up with. It's got a large pocket for books or magazines, and a smaller pocket for glasses and pens. The flap folds over a bar of the walker and fastens with velcro for easy removal and washing. I'm quite pleased! The whole thing is fully lined for durability. Thanks goes out to the boy (who is feeling MUCH better) for holding it up for me!

Matching Christmas Jammies

Since we're homebound due to a stomach virus, we had to postpone our plans to mummify the rooster. I decided to sit down and sew something - it's been weeks! These are for our friends. I made some for them last year, and the kids liked them so much, it's going to be a tradition... well, until they're teenagers!

The girl made a pillowcase!

The girl has been bugging me since yesterday to sew something. She found this fantastic fabric stashed way in the back... it's butterflies - and it sparkles! How will she ever be able to fall asleep on such a beautiful pillowcase?! She did a fantastic job. All I did was iron the top seam! Way to go girl!

It's November

Apparently, someone is confused. It's November and our high tomorrow is 39 with a chance of snow.

*sigh*

http://www.cocobayresort.com/photogallery/antigua_vacation_photos.htm

It's fall today

The kids have been enjoying the mountains of leaves. The boy went out today just as a gust of wind sent sheets of leaves down from the treetops. He looked at me with excitement and said, "It's fall today!!"

Yes, indeed. Fall is here!

Pizza Pinwheels

I found a recipe for these somewhere in the labyrinth that is the Internet.

Just take crescent roll doll and lay out 2 triangles together, so it's still a rectangle. Flatten with a rolling pin then add cheese and pepperoni or whatever you like. The green one's happen to be feta, mozzarella and spinach.

Roll them up tightly, then slice roll into pinwheels. Bake according to crescent roll package.

Perler Bead Tic-Tac-Toe game boards

The girl wanted to raise money for Heifer International. In order to raise money, she made 8 Tic-Tac-Toe gameboards to sell. They took about an hour and a half each. Her friends each contributed hand-made crafts to sell also. That, and the generosity of our friends, family and neighbors, enabled her to raise $280! That will buy a goat, 6 rabbits, and about 35 chickens for families in need across the globe. You can find out more about Heifer Project by visiting www.heifer.org.

Jack-o-lanterns

We try to do jack-o-lanterns every year. This year, the girl dove right in with both hands. She cleaned, cut and carved the fancy starry-eyed Jack.

The boy, on the other hand, was NOT happy about the cold slime. He only likes cold, slimy things that one might find outside. Cold, slimy things within the shell of a pumpkin, well, that's just down-right scary!

Bookmarks

I got this fantastic idea from Jnet (who else?). The bookmarks are just a long piece of ribbon doubled over and decorated with a charm and some beads. They loop and the beads at the end act as a fastener. So you place the ribbon loop around your book or magazine then just slide the bead to secure. You can drop the book, fan the magazine, give to small children, and they still stay in place!

This pile is for the inmates at the old folks' home. We're planning on going for Halloween. Since they're not allowed to have candy, the kids and I are bringing in some magazines with those fancy bookmarks for them.

Crocheted Washrags

Well, a little old lady told me a few weeks ago that these 100% cotton washrags were just the best in the world. I figured it'd be a good way to try out new techniques. This is a Basket Weave Stitch... directions for those interested:

Ch 28 loosely
Row 1 - Dc in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across: 26 sts.
Row 2 - Ch 2, turn; skip 1st dc (work FPdc around post of next 3 dc, work BPdc around the post of next 3 dc) repeat () across, hdc in top of beginning ch: 26 sts.
Row 3 - Ch 2, turn; skip 1st hdc, (work FPdc around the post of next 3 sts, work BPdc around the post of next 3 sts) repeat () across, hdc in top of beginning ch.
Rows 4 & 5 - Ch 2, turn; skip first hdc, (work BPdc around the post of next 3 sts, work FPdc around the post of next 3 sts), repeat () across, hdc in top of beginning ch.
Row 6 - Repeat Row 3. Weave in ends.

Blueberry Jam

It's finally cool enough that making jam didn't seem like a monumental task! I made 2 batches of organic blueberry jam today. Yes, blueberry! Won't it make those everyday PB&J's seem so much more exotic!?

Ocean Box

The girl has to make an ocean box for her Science Class. As the year goes on, she'll have to add different animals and geological details. Dad is even going to provide her with REAL sand for the ocean floor.

Tae Kwon Do Test

We've been really busy lately. We just got back from a trip to Nini's. It was so much fun. We got a chance to play with my nephew... he just turned 5 months.

The boy has really been involved with Tae Kwon Do. He had his first belt test last week and was awarded his white belt. Such an honor!

Dorothy Halloween Costume

A friend's daughter wants to be "Dorothy" for Halloween. I'm going to surprise her with this when I go over this afternoon. It's my first successful attempt at a Peter pan collar. I changed the pattern a bit - I wanted the bodice to be lined. The lining actually made the collar go in easier - no hand-sewing the binding!!