Thursday cake

I came home from work today craving a slice of cake.  Two layers, yellow cake, chocolate frosting, home made.  So I made it. 

And I ate it.  Despite not having gone to the gym in over a week.  Happy Thursday!

Caucasian baby of unknown gender

I don't only make baby shaped cakes, although it may seem like it. Baby shaped cakes just happen to be very popular around here for some reason. This particular baby cake went to Wisconsin with a former colleague of mine who ordered it for a cousin's baby shower. The order came in the form of an email that went something like this:

Sorry for the last minute order but I need a baby cake for my cousin's shower this weekend in Madison. It is a Caucasian baby of unknown gender. Please do a chocolate head and a vanilla body.

Sweet things

When 2:30 rolls around I grab a cup of tea and something sweet as a little pick me up. Unfortunately this frosted doughnut wouldn't be able to satisfy anyone but if you're doing some sewing it would come in handy. I crocheted this doughnut pin cushion for my sister whose birthday is coming up. The sprinkles are straight pins so keep an eye on it before someone takes a bite!
This is an actual cake...no yarn here. Mr. T was out of town for a conference so upon his return I decided to surprise him with a chocolate cake with chocolate butter cream. Yum! I'll take advantage of any opportunity to have cake.

Pretties

The girls are currently hyped up on a butt-load of sugar.   In my defense, I put out a giant platter of fruit and veggies.  One stick of celery seems to be missing.   This does not bode well for parents due to arrive any minute.

N

30 Days of Happiness :: Knitting

I haven't knit a stitch in days, and for the last two weeks, I have attempted to cast on for the Tangled Yoke Cardigan. Today, I declared my failed attempts a sure sign that the Tangled Yoke was not to be. Just yet, that is. So I found the Placed Cable Aran pullover in the same magazine, and I just happened to have seven skeins of Cascade 220 in a very similar shade. I enlisted the Bee to help me wind a few cakes, and I have already knit over three inches of the front. This one is going to fly off the needles. I can feel it. And with that, I am happily knitting away. Another reason I'm so happy is that we may very well spend the next week eating leftover vanilla cake. : )

N

30 Days of Happiness :: Princess Tea Party

I'm chalking this one down as another success. I want to tell you all about it - every single moment of happiness, but I am zonked out. Seriously. I eeked out enough energy to bake a quiche for dinner and then clean it all up, but now I am going to rest. Tomorrow. Promise. Just know that fun was had. : )

N

Clocks

:: into the third ball of Patons Classic Merino Wool and plowing through the ruffled rib of the Mara

:: cupcakes just because we're itching for some sugary treats and could use the practice for an upcoming 7th birthday

:: mermaids

:: love

:: only two weeks left until the girls return to school

:: must make the best of it

N

The Bunny Who Found Easter

For the kids - a 'danilla' bunny cake. They naturally fought over the butt.

For the adults - my own concoction of coffee-drenched ladyfingers and real whipping cream and cocoa. I'll be making this again tout de suite. However it may not be the best dessert for travelling as J accused me of caring more about the life of the whipped cream more than the lives of my children. It's safe to say that I drove a little faster than necessary to ensure that this baby didn't wilt. I'm also not ashamed to admit that no sooner had I turned into my parents' driveway, I left the kids and J to unpack the car, ran into the house, and before saying 'hello', panted instructions to refrigerate my pan without haste. So what?

Once my dessert was safely chilled once again, we all went for a hike in the conservation area, but not before my nephews played out a little gargoyle drama. Note to parents: Don't be surprised if the next Condo Excecutive Committee adds this 'situation' to the agenda for discussion.

On the way back home, B made it to the top of the hill first and did her signature pose. Those hills are great for working up an appetite 'cause later she ate three plates of turkey. This girl LOVES her turkey.

After dinner, we played the requisite Sequence, and when the boys got tired of winning, we switched it up to Wizard. I've never played before, but I managed to come in second last place. Not bad at all. I listened to all of the advice and learned fast to disregard it. If you like euchre, you'd like Wizard. And between hands, we made up a list of my mum's wicked skillz. Seriously, the lady can do lots excellently - keeping score, removing splinters, egg salad with and without onions, stained glass, line dancing, laundry . . . Personally, I always make sure she's on my team. Her ears must have been burning 'cause she just called! Holy Toledo. How does she do that?? Well, I suppose it had a little to do with the fact that I hijacked her Corolla to get home last night. Apparently she wants it back. I thought it was my Easter gift. Whateves.

Happy Easter, everybody!

N

Happy Birthday Dear

I wanted so badly to up my efforts from last year’s birthday post. Especially since it’s the big 3-0! In my mind, you will forever be 26. That’s so young! I do hope you get your gift soon. However, I remember now that the Purolator lady on the phone specifically said to mark my package a ‘gift’, and in order to hasten the whole exchange with the Purolator pick-up guy who kept tapping his foot and huffing and puffing, I totally forgot. Maybe it’s stuck at the border? I have no idea how come you don’t have it yet. I think you’ll like it. ‘It’ being your gift. I hope it makes up for no fancy post. There is no doubt in my mind that Mr. T will make your day very special, so I feel I can safely slack off.

Remember this cake you made for me? Do you think this was my cake for turning 30? Maybe it was 31. It was SO long ago! I was just glad it wasn't the kitty litter cake. I found the poop scooper in my linen closet a couple weeks ago. It made me giggle.

I miss you, my friend. Cheers!


N

C'est L'Halloween Again

I'm a sucker for punishment. The littlest and her friends had such a fun time at last year's boo bash that I felt compelled to bend over backwards to plan a repeat performance. I pulled a few new tricks from up my sleeve. Witches' hats made out of Pillsbury crescent rolls brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, cardstock skeleton bones ready to be attached with tiny brass brads, and a spiderweb vanilla cake topped with a strawberry jelly spider. That was just for starters.

For two hours, four little girls swooned and danced around a sullen Darth Vader. He defiantly remained in character throughout the party, and subsequently kept us in stitches. He fumed and stomped and answered questions about being tricked into going over to the dark side and loving his saber. He did not dance to La Bamba, and he asked for water to 'avoid dehydrating'. He's definitely invited back next year. That was awesome!

N

Classic Mittens and Chocolate Cake in a Mug

Maybe I am a bit tired of knitting socks and scarves. Or maybe I just needed to switch it up a bit. I haven't knit many pairs of mittens. I find them fussy. I am amazed how some people just crank out dozens without a second thought. I am even more amazed when they give them away to charities as if it was nothing. Mittens are work for me - all the shaping, following the pattern, counting rows, knitting thumbs, and doing it TWICE! Well, I came along a mitten pattern in Weekend Knitting, and it had very minimal shaping, and I figured I would knit the first to fit my hand, and the second, to match the first. I used some of my Briggs & Little wool that I scored at the KW Knitters Fair, and I am happy enough. I think the wool might have been too heavy, therefore making the mitten a bit too roomy width-wise for my hand, but easy? This pattern was easy to do away with the book for a good part of my knitting. Holla.

I've been trolling around the Crafty Crow blog for Halloween crafts and activities, and I couldn't resist whipping up a Chocolate Cake in a Mug. Do you have 5 minutes? Flip. Go make one for yourself. You deserve it.
Speaking of good things and a worthy audience, T and I are concocting a little giveaway to just say THANKS. We've been at this blog nearly two years now. We started this space to keep in touch and continue to inspire each other, but it means so much more than that. For me, I find myself reflecting on my days - how they're spent, what's most important, and seeing the beauty in things that would normally go unnoticed. It's not just writing the blog, but reading other blogs. My bloglines has replaced my daily dose of 'real' news. I find myself trying to be a better parent, a better partner, a better friend, a better person. Blah, blah, blah . . . Seriously back to the giveaway - be on the lookout. Maybe Monday? What better way to start a new week. Please come back. I think you will like what you see. :)

Night,

N

Three Hours

Noon - it was raining. We waited for our guests to arrive.
Pretty raindrops!
1 p.m. - Barbecuing in the rain under an umbrella - not J's idea of fun. He suggested calling for pizza, and I told him to suck it up. Easy for me to say as I sat inside with the rest of my family taking pictures of him and laughing. Hey, it was funny!
2 p.m. - B tried to blow out the six candles. Thankfully some grandparents were able to sneak a few blows in to help otherwise we could have stood there for some time.
3 p.m. - I think she must have wished for sun, because as soon as we had eaten our ice cream and cake, the skies cleared, and it was time for more bocce! Bocce sharks attack!

Happy Sunday!

N

The Excellent-tastic Day Continues

El and I decorated her birthday card invites using a pdf. template from How About Orange.

The Bee and I made more cupcakes using homemade, fresh from the cardboard box, classic Duncan Hines Extra Moist cake powder. T, you can't compete with me - I've bought up the grocery store!

And introducing my Charade sock on two circs! First time! I am loving the yarn, the pattern and the method!! That being said, I am nearly sick of the over-use of exclamation points in this post as well as the last. Settle down, me.

I think we're finally caught up! Oh, I am still only 12 rows into the Woodland Shawl using my bee-utiful Louet from Robyn. I'll take pictures to prove it once it is a bit more substantial than one giant inch.

Later,

N

A Teddy Bear's Birthday

Today was Cherry's birthday. According to B, she turned 4 years old. So we naturally did what any family would do, and we baked a cake and lots of cupcakes, wrapped up presents and hid them (because it was a surprise for Cherry), coloured a pretty card, and played party games like Candyland (I won!!!). B drew up quite an elaborate plan for the party which impressed me to no end. Admittedly, I had to kabosh the jewellery heist portion (this involved sneaking into El's room to steal bead bracelets). It wasn't worth the wrath of El. Of course, good times were had, but the batteries in the camera were recharging, and I was unable to capture all the fun. The picture above was taken a week ago when B and Erica Bear made and dressed Cherry. It was super exciting let me tell you!

Below is the pepto pink ribbed sock I started for B. I finished it up an hour ago - the batteries are STILL recharging. B quite likes it and promptly inquired about sock #2. Cripey, it's coming already! Give your poor mum a break!
Have you ever eaten unsalted pretzels? I thought they would still be tasty without the salt, but it turns out they're all about the salt. That's weird.

N

My New Nemesis - Auto Archive

Hey T.

Actually Auto Archive is more of an opponent at the moment. Huda has lost (or archived) all the messages in her inbox, and I found the location on her computer where her Outlook files are 'archived', but I can not for the life of me open them up or throw them back into Outlook. Doesn't the word 'archive' insinuate a sense of retrieval??? It's really more of a 'Joe' problem than an N problem to me.

Steering away from work, I found the cactus cake picture you requested. Feast your eyes!
Remember how skimpy I went on the green icing - the cake is practically glaring at me from underneath! L's birthday is coming up quickly again. This year I think I am going to go with a reconstructive clothing theme. Confused? I am going to modify the Rip It! and Generation T books for the 11-year olds. We're going to rip up some tees and make sequined wristbands from old sweater cuffs and scarf belts from men's ties. I am going to ask Ciara or Alyssa if they could come over and give the girls makeovers - Jane thought it was a great idea. What should I do for the cake - or cupcakes? I thought little appetizers and finger food would be good for dinner.

I'm leaving work early and heading over to the thrift store. Yippee!

N

Clean Tretorns

Dear T

I finished knitting up the Lopi bowl, and I took 'before felting' pictures, but now the computer won't 'read' the camera, and J is grunting and groaning. That can't be good. The bowl has been through the washer and is now being air-dried and shaped. It was a super easy project, and although I knit it up on two straight needles because I didn't have the right size circs, it worked up just fine. I can't wait to show it to everyone. People will bow down to the bowl. And my sneakers are washed and bright white!

My cousin called me, and she asked ME to decorate her wedding cupcakes! ME! I was thrilled because she has style and taste, and yet she still asked ME!! I may have lots of questions, but for now I will await pictures of what they are to look like. The wedding isn't until June, so I still have a while to stew about it. How did your wedding cake consultation go? Why didn't I ever invite both you and T over for dinner? Maybe I was scared I would scare you guys off with my smothering and oozing enthusiasm for everything weird.

I ripped Tim's CD onto the computer last night, so I have a back-up should anything horrid happen to the CD. I can't believe that I waited this long to run this quick, super easy preventative measure! Anyway, I think I will be able to sleep at night once again.

J is reading B a bedtime story, and I need to listen carefully and ensure he isn't making up the story as he goes. I wouldn't be surprised if Belle cuts the cheese and needs to light a match!

Good night.

N

Logged...

Finally! I've made it. Thanks for settin' her up finally. I've unfortunately misplaced the CD needed to install my camera's software so I haven't been able to download any new pictures yet. Can you believe we still have unopened boxes left from our move in September? I'm positive the CD is in one of those boxes sitting in our "office".

For now, here is a picture of one of my favourite things to bake. Vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting. Yum! Notice my lovely pink Kitchen Aid in the background. You can tell this is an old picture because it was taken in the kitchen of my place back in Canada. Doesn't everything just look so much nicer on a pedestal plate?

Any how, hope everyone has a great weekend. I plan on spending mine figuring out Magic Loop. Have you tried it?