Duck cake with marshmallow flower cupcakes

I made this duck cake for a baby shower. Due to time restraints I used the regular store bought frosting, which in the summer.....not so good for piping! Unless a drippy look is kind of what you are after but I was not. None the less it came out cute. I didn't plan on blogging this at the time so I don't have the best pictures, but you will get the idea.

Her colors were purple, so I made purple marshmallow flowers on the cake & the cupcakes. You have probably seen these all over the place and they truly are as simple as they seem. They are just very time consuming. I made small flowers with 5 petals each for the cupcakes, the main flower on the cake had over 20 petals.

Simply cut a mini marshmallow in half and dip in colored sugar (I even colored my own sugar.) I pinched the top of the petals to help shape them. Keep a washcloth nearby to wipe off your scissors every now and then because they get sticky, so do your hands. Arrange and you are set! They look fabulous and much more complicated than they are so you are such to get ooohhh's and aaahhhh's.

Here is an example up close, I love that they used other decorations besides the colored sugar. I will have to try that next time!

My first attempt at crazy quilting- a partial craft fail!

I saw the tutorial for an amazing hussif and wanted to make a crazy quilt version for my aunt since she had been showing me a little bit about them. I know how you are supposed to start them but I figured to heck with it & just starting sewing random pieces together. It worked out but I did have to adjust a few here & there.

I typically embroider with the cheap-o version of pearl cotton. That was not going to work with this, I hated the way it looked. Once I don't like something about a project I put it aside until the day comes when I feel like I don't hate it anymore. I was also having problems with the embellishments. Typically I am too hard on myself, but I don't want to be the person that gave the gift someone was all to happy to give away at their next White Elephant party :(

When I showed it to my aunt though she LOVED it. I am sure a huge part of that had to do with the fact it was ME making it, bless her heart. She wants me to finish it and someday I will......when I don't hate even looking at it!

Zombie gingerbread men ornaments

After seeing similar ones online, my sister asked me to make some zombie gingerbread men ornaments for my niece. Easy as pie! I took my largest cookie cutter and made a thin cardboard template. When I make templates I like to use the cardboard from cereal boxes (and similar items) because it is sturdy but thin.

Now after cutting out the shapes all I had to do was decorate them. The first one was kind of blah because my creative juices & confidence weren't flowing. He's still cute though right?

The next one was even better...

One of his eyes is hanging down, and I simply ran the thread across to make his ribs. The best part is his "brains!" I used long bouillon knots to make them stand out. My husband even said it was a little too gross. Bonus points for grossing out a man!

The final one was a tie I think.

He was "stitched" back together and had a bandaged head- with more brains popping out. To finish them all off I fused the backs to more felt. This did not work so well for the mummy head! Zombies are a pretty popular theme right now, I hope my ideas help you!



Learning Brazilian Embroidery

A year ago at the Rocky Mountain Sewing Expo I came across Brazilian embroidery, and I have been in love with it ever since. I talked about it so much my aunt ordered us the kits! We actually have 4 now but I have only started the first one. It came with a giant book of all the different stitches and I can't wait to finish learning them all. Here is the beginning of my first one.

3D cookie cutter pancakes- Yum!

Sometimes engaging toddlers in breakfast that is not filled with a rainbow of colors and frosted can be a challenge. I don't have any pancake molds, but I DO have awesome metal cookie cutters my aunt bought for us though- a perfect substitute. Davis loves animals so the Easter set was great for him, and Logan is a dinosaur fan, so our other set was for him.

Generously grease your cookie cutter and pan. Fill your cookie cutter about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way full. The batter will expand a lot and you don't want them to overflow. You will have to experiment with one to see how much yours need filled. Keep your heat on medium (again an experimental pancake will be needed to adjust for your stove). Once they are set flip them over. I wish I knew an easy way to do this, but honestly I just used my fingers & flipped them fast.

After they are done I used a butter knife & freed the edges & then slipped them out. I also used some mini chocolate chips & my food coloring to add some effects. Side note: I think the T-Rex was too big for this & he came out with some injuries :(

Penguin & his accessories

While shopping at Joann's (yeah!) my sons found these small stuffed animals. Davis ADORES animals especially small ones so I knew he needed one. However this time Logan also picked out a matching penguin. When we got home Logan found a "home" for his and Davis really didn't care about his penguin anymore (*sigh* toddlers)

I've had this Japanese felt miniature toy book I lost for a year, & since finding it again I have been dying to find a reason to make something out of it.

Penguins need fish right? So I made one fish for penguin much to the delight of my 5 year old. We then decided penguin needed a bed, little did I know Logan would decide he also needed a FISH shaped bed. I whipped together his bed and I must say I am proud of myself. I should have made the folds better but I assumed in a week penguin would be old news and I would be tossing it out. I assumed the same for the fish I made for him at work the following nights and they could have been made better.

Penguin is now a very big deal in our house and it looks like I will be making penguin LOTS of things for quite awhile!

"Dead bride" Halloween costume

I am obviously not keeping up on my posts LOL! So look forward to a ton being posted this month.

Anyway I was lucky enough to have my friend ask me to help with her daughters Halloween costume. She wanted to be a "Dead Bride." They found a $5 dress at Goodwill. There was supposed to be a wine stain on it but we never saw it. I had another "Fallen Angel" costume & I used part of that as well.

BEFORE

I cut the top off the fallen angel costume & sewed it under the lace at the top of  the dress. This was HARD! It was very hard to get my machine in there and it was even harder around the zipper in the back. Since it was just a costume though I didn't really worry about super straight lines & etc. I added some gathered tulle at the top & then sewed a strip of fleece over it on the inside so it wouldn't be scratchy for her. She also needed darts added because it was a little big. I also added black lace down the front. Finally I added more tulle at the bottom (added on the inside with my serger) and then I tore it. Very therapeutic I must add :) They were going to add some dirt & blood to it but I never got a picture of  that.

Overall I am very happy with it and I think it was one of the best projects I have done so far!

AFTER