wordless wednesday

i want to make...

...a gift for my boys' scoutmaster.

 he has been released and will be attending the new spanish speaking branch our stake just formed.  he is a wonderful scoutmaster and will be missed.  so i pulled out my stash of scout fabric last night to look at and try to figure out what to make him.

.... a lap quilt, wall hanging, table runner, placemats? nothing is sounding right.  do any of y'all have an idea of what to make for an outdoorsy scoutmaster in the army?



a small kind of accomplishment

i didn't have as much time to sew this weekend as i thought i would. it usually works that way, right?  but i did get a small project done.  

this might have been a small project but i feel i've accomplished something.  because this set of scriptures has been in need of covering for a while.

crafty catch-up

last week i helped a friend finish up several projects she wanted to get done before going to visit family.  so i thought this week i would get some of my own finished.

i finished the rainbow suncatcher that i started back in june.

and made a candyland suncatcher

to match the hansel and gretel cross-stitch i still haven't finished.  does anyone remember when i started it? because it has been so long i don't.  i do know it has made a several moves and had to be started after 1995 because the copyright and print date in story book cross-stitch.

i made this petticoat/skirt that i should have months ago.

to layer with this dress.

i made a couple more of these bags.

and picked up some button making supplies.

because i love this fabric so much i don't want to toss out even the smallest bits of it.

i still need to finish my ruby gloom doll.  i'm making her from the strawbeary doll pattern in amigurumi. of course i'll need to adjust the pattern a little; ruby is not that tall.  she's a chibi. 

 when i ordered my buttons i found these bandages and had to get them!

my kawaii tape came this week, and i am waiting patiently (not really) for my washi tape. 

 i'm trying to think of a weekend sewing project to get lost in.  no i'm not going to work on my cross-stitch or ruby gloom because my fabric stash is screaming at me to come and play.

cupcake challenge ::: week 18 ~ london olympics

last week the london 2012 olympic games started. hurray!

we have been enjoying watching the amazing athletes compete along with the special events that have been broadcasted.  the opening ceremony was spectacular.  we were all slightly disappointed that the doctor and tardis didn't make an appearance.  apparently we were not alone...

we are not amused.

but we got over our disappointment quickly with the lighting of the beautiful olympic cauldron.

there are more pictures of the lighting of the cauldron here that y'all should check out.

now onto this week's cupcake challenge ...london olympics.  i found this cupcake decorating set a while back.

i made a box mix devils food cake and my chocolate butter cream frosting.

chocolate butter cream frosting
1 cup butter at room temperature
4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder

cream butter, vanilla, salt, cocoa powder.  slowly mix in by alternating powdered sugar and milk.  you may not use all the milk or powdered sugar depending on the texture you would like.

wordless wednesday

cupcake challenge ::: week 17 ~ s'more cookies

last week my boys went to scout camp and had an amazing time.  they got to swim, fish, climb rocks, go repelling, and put their wilderness survival skills to the test by spending 24 hours with only a knife, rope, and water. one thing they didn't get to do was eat s'mores.  i thought i'd make them s'more like cupcakes.

i made up some cookie dough from this cookie recipe and filled the cupcake liners about 2/3 full and baked for 20 minutes. 

then placed a marshmallow on top and baked for about 4 minutes until it got a little golden and toasty.

then took the cupcakes out and topped with a kiss. 

cupcake challenge ::: week 16 ~ no bake cupcake

i had a request from an extra special and amazing  little birthday girl for some cheesecake cupcakes today. 

i took the easy road on these cupcakes and went for the no bake kind using the jell-o brand.  i make a few adjustments to the recipe on the box. 

i like using 1/2 a cup of butter.  using 5 tablespoons leaves the crust kinda dry, hard to work with and it crumbles a little too much. so a little more is worth it.  i also use half and half instead of instead of milk for extra creaminess.

foil lined liners work best for these cupcakes.

these liners are perfect for my girlie. her favourite color is black.

now, i'll let y'all in on a little family tradition for my birthday girl.  her daddy doesn't want her growing up. he doesn't want any of our littles growing up but she is the baby and has to stay little.  for a few years now she has been 5 or 4 years old.  this year she turned 5 next year she will be turning 4.  it will probably be this way till she is 30.

she was such a happy little girlie to open the card from her daddy and see the great big 5 on it. it's great their little tease can go on even with the miles between them!

wordless wednesday

cupcake challenge ::: week 15 ~ a little nutty

what's y'all's favourite kinda nutty butter?  around here it is nutella.  i haven't had a kid come over who doesn't like it.  well there was this one.... but that was because he wouldn't try it.  eventually he did and now it is his favourite.

this week's challenge is a little nutty... make cupcakes with your favourite nutty butter. 

nutella cupcakes
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 cup nutella + a little more to frost if y'all want
1/4 cup milk

preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 350*F

place paper liners in the muffin tins. this makes up 18 to 24 depending on how full y'all fill the liners. i filled them 2/3 full and got 18.  i should have filled them a little less than 2/3 full, they kinda overflowed a bit.

mix flour, wheat germ, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy and add eggs on at a time mixing well after each egg.  mix in the nutella. then alternately mix in the flour mixture and milk.

bake for 22 - 25 minutes.  cool before frosting.

the first pan i baked came out a little dark around the edges so i turned the toaster oven down to 325*F for the next 2 and they came out perfect.

these cupcakes bake up flat.

now if any of y'all aren't a little nutty and are just a plain nut go ahead and make cupcakes with nuts.

my brother jcub told me the other day he just didn't want to turn the oven on to bake cupcakes because of the crazy heat. i told him i understand and haven't used my oven to bake cupcakes since march.  my little secret.... i'm using my toaster oven.  using the toaster oven takes a little longer to get the job done seeing as i can only bake 6 cupcakes at a time.  but it keeps some of the heat out of the kitchen. 

wordless wednesday

layered ruffled 4th of july skirts

i didn't get all the sewing i was planning on done this weekend.  i did find my girlies new bathing suits, went to the pool a couple times, and made 4th of july skirts using a tutorial found here.  i'm going to share my adjustments to the pattern incase any of y'all want to make one with my girlies measurements and don't want to do the maths of it.

this one is a 24 inch waist and is 21 inches long. 

there are:

4 connectors (red and white polka dots) that are 5.5 inches by 40 inches. 

4 ruffles (blue with peace sign flags) that are 6.5 inches by 80 inches.

i had to sew 2 pieces together to get 80 inches. if any of y'all end up piecing 2 strips together like i did, remember to add 1 inch for the seam allowance. 81 inches between the two strips = 80 inches after sewn together.

this one is a 22 inch waist and is 19 inches long.

there are:

4 connectors (red with stars) that are 5 inches by 36 inches. 

4 ruffles (navy blue with stars) that are 6 inches by 72 inches.

again i had to sew 2 pieces together to get 72 inches so don't forget to add 1 inch for the seam allowance (73 inches between the 2 strips.)

y'all ready for a little weekend sewing?

i am.  i've prewashed, ironed, and folded a lot of fabric the last couple days and have plans to get some projects started (and hopefully finished.)  these are the fabrics to make skirts for my girlies.

and these....

...a bag to start with and then so much more!

  

cupcake challenge ::: week 14 ~ 4th of july

i bet y'all saw this one coming seeing as how the 4th of july is next wednesday.  we are making plans and getting ready to celebrate independence day; including parade floats, costumes, delicious food, and yummy treats.  there are even a couple practical jokes i'm hearing bits and pieces of in hushed voices.

i used swiss chocolate boxed cake mix, vanilla butter cream frosting, red and blue sprinkles and sparkly gel tubes. 

i had a house full of teenagers helping me with cupcakes this afternoon and they came up with interesting cupcakes of their own.  



they found some red and blue frosting in the freezer and the spray dye from the flag day cupcakes.  add those to the toppings that i got out and they got to decorating.  it was so much fun seeing their creative sides come out and play.

i'll have one of everything bag

i know i've mentioned that i hoard collect yarn.  well, i also 'collect' fabric, craft books, and patterns.  there's a line of fabric i'm wanting but need to make some room for it.  it comes out in august so i've got to get going on stashbusting.  last night i was looking through my stash and came across these fat quarters.

and decided they needed to become this bag.

want a closer look?

it's in the book seams to me 24 new reasons to love sewing by anna maria horner.  i made a couple alterations like pockets on the outside and inside. also i didn't add the tasseles.

i gotta find my next project and make room in my stash for new fabric.  maybe another i'll have one of everything bag in next stop - london.