All Good Things Must Come To an End

Our local newspaper sells their 'End Rolls' really inexpensively. These are the rolls of paper where there is not enough paper to do another run, but there is still some paper left.

So occasionally I go and get one for the boys. It is great to just roll out a long piece of paper and let them get artistic. Sometimes they trace each other, sometimes they draw maps, house plans, or whatever suits their fancy.

Several years ago when I was an education major, the newspaper would give these to teachers, education majors, etc. Not sure if they still do that or not, but they are not expensive. Especially for the amount of paper you get.

They have 2 sizes, the regular newspaper width and a smaller version for the newspaper inserts.

It's really good for craft projects too.

Cakes, Cakes and More Cakes

I had to make 3 cakes for this weekend. I did a birthday cake (supposed to look like Hannah Montanna's guitar) for a 4 yo girl. Her birthday party was supposed to be last Saturday originally, but due to the snow, it was rescheduled for this weekend. Frank's family also had their family birthday party scheduled for last weekend - where his sister lives (2 hrs. away) and it was rescheduled for this weekend. So I had to do 2 cakes for Friday, we were gone all day today and I have to have the last cake for tomorrow. Luckily I was able to do most of tomorrow's cake yesterday and finished up the details after we got home tonight. So I am officially done, I just have to deliver the last one tomorrow.


This was supposed to be 2 shades of purple, but it turned out pink and purple. I also had never used whipped cream frosting (only buttercream) and it was harder to work with than I thought. It is not very consistent, the stars that I made didn't keep their shape very well, you have to keep it and everything that you are using with the whipped cream frosting cold, the gel or paste food coloring doesn't mix in well but the liquid food coloring makes it too runny. All in all, it was o.k., but it was not one of my best cakes.

The next cake I made was for a baby shower, it was a 3 tier cake with fondant. It took forever. The cake had to travel for over an hour, so I took it to the lady in 3 separate boxes for her to assemble the cake when she got there (I thought it would travel better - I hope it did). It was a 'Pea in a Pod' cake in pink and green. She wanted stripes, polka dots, something similar to a harlequin design, and a pea in a pod.





Unfortunately I do not have a picture of the completed cake (I didn't think to ask the lady to take one for me once it was assembled). :o( Maybe you can imagine it.

Top layer

Middle layer

Bottom layer


The last cake (and quite possibly my favorite) was a birthday cake for a 13 yo boy. (He is a Boy Scout and his mom said she wanted it to look Boy Scoutish or outdoorish.)







I am out of pretzel sticks, so before I deliver it tomorrow, I am getting pretzel sticks and making them to stand in the middle of the rock circle (like firewood).

To say the least, I am all caked out. I don't even want to smell cake or frosting for awhile. I have another cake to do later on this month. Maybe I'll be ready by then.

The worst thing about cake decorating is that you can't do much ahead. I want the cakes fresh, so I wait until the last minute to make them. You can't make the whipped cream frosting ahead of time because it will become weepy, you can't do the fondant ahead of time because it will become brittle. So I started baking cakes on Wednesday and started decorating cakes on Thurs. Alternating baking, cooling, cleaning the pans and utensils, baking again, decorating first cakes, cooling cleaning, you get the picture. 3 cakes in 4 days.

Tutorial: How to make a ruffle without a ruffler

I have 4 boys and other than sewing an occasional baby gift for a girl (and the gifts don't all have ruffles) I didn't see the need in a ruffler. I've heard other women that absolutely love their ruffler attachment for their sewing machine, so if you have one use it, if not you can still make great ruffles. (Not sure what they cost, but even if it was cheap, I didn't see me getting my money's worth out of it.)

But I do make an occasional ruffle and here is how I do it...

I get a length of fabric (1 1/2 to 2 times as long as what I will be sewing it to). Hem one long side. The long side that isn't hemmed I do a basting stitch about 5/8" away from the raw edge.


I then do another basting stitch right next to the first one, this one I sew 1/4" away from the raw edge.


Then I separate the bobbin threads from the top threads and begin to pull the bobbin threads (both at the same time).


It will cause the fabric to scrunch up or ruffle.


I continue sliding the fabric down the bobbin thread (or pulling the bobbin thread) until all the fabric is scrunched up.


I then lay it next to what I plan on sewing to. I gently pull out the ruffle I just made so they are the same width and begin to evenly space the ruffles.


When I sew it onto my item (diaper edge, bottom of a dress, skirt, or top, bottom of pant legs, etc.), I sew it between the 2 basting stitches. (After ruffle is secured onto item, remove basting stitches.)


There's how you make a ruffle. Now, go make lots and attach them to everything and then send me your pictures (or link to them in the comments section). By the way, did you know I love comments? I do, I do, I really, really do.

It's All in the Details

Here are a few more basement picutres that I have been meaning to post, but keep forgetting. (I also have several projects that I have completed over the last few months that I keep forgetting to take pictures of and post, will try to get to that real soon.)

Well, I found a light fixture that I like for the stairs down to the new basement. It looks like an antique lantern.


Frank did extra work to make things look nice for our new basement. Around the outlets he built them up with the reclaimed barnwood (he had to do that some because of the corrugated metal), then I used the metal plate covers.




Can you guess what the barn (faux birdhouse) is made of?


Crown moulding. Yep! I saw this idea several years ago (like 15 or so, so I can't remember where - sorry). Frank's brother is a contractor and I asked him to keep his eyes open for scrap pieces of crown moulding. Of course being the BIL that he is he had to ask 'why?' before he would agree. I told him I wanted to make decorative birdhouses out of them. So, he picked me up several pieces and actually made me some. Frank and I painted this one to look like a barn (I used to collect cow items and I thought it would be appropriate - now I can still use it). It was our first time using crackle paint (so it's not so good, takes a little practice to use that stuff - must follow directions EXACTLY). I will see if I can get hubby or BIL to do a tutorial for me on the faux birdhouses. (I guess you could make real birdhouses out of them, but I just wanted mine for decorative purposes only. Mine doesn't have a hole for the door for the bird, it doesn't have a bottom, and there are no hinges to clean it out. You see it would be slightly more complicated to make a real one, but it could be done.)

Basement Remodel Part 1
Basement Remodel Part 2
Basement Remodel Part 3
Basement Remodel Part 4
Basement Remodel Part 5
Basement Remodel Part 6

Boutique Style Burp Cloths

I love to give burp cloths as baby gifts. It is something every new mother can use (trust me - you can never have too many burp cloths). I know, there I go being practical again. The trouble with burp cloths is that the pretty ones that you buy in the store don't work very well (extremely thin and not very absorbent) and the one's that do work good, well...they're not very pretty.

So, my solution to that problem is that I purchase the cloth diapers (that make fantastic burp cloths) and pretty them up.

Sometimes I just give the mom a mixture, sometimes I stick with a theme (can you guess my theme in the picture above...greens and browns).

On the left burp cloth, I took fabric and covered the end just for a decorative touch. I then took a chunky letter stencil from my scrapbook supplies and traced a "B" (the baby's first initial) with a disappearing ink pen onto the same fabric that I used on the end of the burp cloth.



I then used heat 'n bond (not too crazy about it because it gumms up my sewing needle - I've heard wonder under is better - will try that next) and ironed on the letter. With a tight zig-zag stitch, I went around the edges of the letter.

On the middle burp cloth, I used some flannel camo fabric and covered the middle third of the diaper. (Before I did that, I embroidered a "B" on the camo fabric only.) I ironed the edges under the camo fabric about 1/4" first, laid the fabric on top of the diaper and used a straight stitch around the edges of the fabric.

The burp cloth on the right, I used a grosgrain ribbon (you know it's my fave) in greens and browns. I folded the cut edges under on the sides and straight stitched around the edges of the ribbon. Above that, I used a tan colored embroidery thread and did a large "B" in the background. Then I used a dark green embroidery thread in a smaller font and embroidered "Bradlee" over the center of the background "B."

I like to give them in trios. Just seems like a good number to give. I have seen these online and in boutiques for about $15 a burp cloth. I can make them for much less. I hope the moms like them, they are fun to make.

If you want to do this, you could make up several (in boy or girl colors/themes or neutral colors/themes) and have on hand for a last minute gift (you could always monogram it right before you give it). I have the intentions to do this, but never seem to get around to making any ahead of time (I'm a last minute kinda gal). These would be nice, even with out the monogram or embroidery if you don't have an embroidery machine.

Children's Workbook

I like to get my money's worth on the products I purchase and this is one way that I do that.

I purchased a workbook for my preschoolers (I got mine at the Dollar Store for $1, but I have seen these for as high as $7 or $8 - this would really make the expensive book more economical) . [You could do this for any puzzle or workbook.]


I found an old 3 ring binder and covered it with fabric to make it look better and more kid friendly. Since I have boys, I used a cowboy fabric in darker colors (to resist showing dirt).






I cut 2 lines on either side of the "ring" part of the binder, then I tucked it under the notebook before continuing to cover with fabric.




I folded the edges of the fabric to the inside of the notebook and secured using Mod Podge. This was my first time using this product. I have read rave reviews all over the blogosphere about it.


Then I covered the raw edges on the inside front and back covers with heavy cardstock. You could use other fabrics or materials, but that was what was easiest at the time, not sure how it will hold up (time will tell). This is not necessary, but I like the finished and neat look it gives. Makes it look much better.


I then tore out all the pages of the workbook (they were perforated, but even if they weren't I could use scissors or an exacto knife to cut them out) and put them in clear page protectors. [I already had these around the house, but they aren't that expensive.] I put these in the 3 ring binder.


I did purchase an inexpensive pencil bag to hold the dry erase markers (that I already had) and put it in the front of the notebook (along with a paper towel to erase).


Here is the finished workbook. We can take it with us wherever we go (great in the car) and we can use it over and over again. Anthony can practice writing his letters and Rance can too.

Easy Cookie Recipe

Easy Cookies

1 Cake mix
1/2 C oil
2 eggs

Mix the above ingredients together and drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees and bake until edges are set (Lee said 9 min. are great - but always check your oven because ovens vary). You can stir in some M&M's if you want.

Lee made these for us (completely by himself and he even took the picture for me). I prefer a chocolate cake mix, but Lee prefers a yellow cake mix and since he is the chef, he got to make what he wanted.

This is a wonderful cookie recipe, they are very moist and chewy. It is delicious and easy, but the key is not to over bake them.

(I did these for Christmas and used red & green M&M's and it was very cute. The girl that gave me the recipe made this recipe with a chocolate cake mix and stirred in all pink M&M's - very cute - I love pink and brown together...it would be great for a baby shower for a girl). Anyway I hope you enjoy the recipe and have fun with it.