Halloween Cupcakes

Yup, ANOTHER decorated edible item. I'm catching up on my backlog of things. I promise this is the last of cake decorated items for awhile. Then it'll be onto knitting while I try to complete quilts completely to show off here :P

I went to a Halloween party this last year. I made Ghiradelli chocolate cupcake filled with Bailey's chocolate pudding. They were deeeeeeeeeeelicious. Plus they were decorated thematically.

 Mummies that I decided were ghosts when the frosting didn't want to behave. The sparkle gel I used for the mouth & writing was a bit watery making it hard to work with. But in person it really was very nicely sparkly. Kinda like Twilight vampires.

Graveyard with chocolate wafers & gummy worms. The headstones were challenging to cut the edges off to make them headstone looking.

Cupcake Cake

So for some reason I lost the pictures I took from each class...the only one I have left is the little mini cake I made. Let me know if you guys would like me to post a tutorial on how to apply a coloring outline to a cake. It's really simple and makes everything so much easier.

The sides (doesn't it look awesome speckled? ...Too bad it was actually cake bits. My cake got dried out from sitting in my car all day, still tasted AWESOME though, so it worked out well) with the little ribbon I made at the bottom.

The very top! We were taught how to trace an image on wax paper then carefully apply it to the cake so you end up with a coloring page on top!

Cal's Anniversary Gift Is.....

A knitted monster!!!!!!! Yup.I made him a knitted monster (please excuse the very clutter desk picture...it was a last minute picture). This little guy's name is Cecil the Computer Monster. The pattern came from the book The Big Book of Knitted Monsters by Rebecca Danger (yes, there are 2 different links, 1 to the book and 1 to her Etsy store). He was a little challenging to knit (those ARMS!!!) but very much worth it. I mean LOOK at the cutie, he has a belly button and everything. I am definitely planning on expanding the monster family (as soon as I stop getting distracted by all the other pretty knitted projects I keep running across....). He was a great way to use up some yarn (...from a Gryffindor scarf...boooooo I'm engaged to a Gryffindor...long live Slytherin!) and I highly recommend the book or even just the individual patterns. Each one has a very cute little story that goes with the pattern as well as options on how to achieve different sizes and recommendations of skill level needed. I didn't have any problem understanding the pattern at all. I do suggest you be at the very least a very confident beginner who can work in the round on double pointed needles. And really it's just the small amount of stitches that go around in the round that make it the challenge.That and sewing pieces together properly.

Sorry For Falling Off The Planet

First off, WOW I'm a total fail at keeping updates apparently. So this one here is just a mini update and teaser..with hopes I'll behave and continue to update again. I've been thinking about picking it back up. But I've had so many projects come by (some completed some have errr...been derailed shall we say?) that it seemed a bit overwhelming to update you guys all on it! I know, having an excess means I have PLENTY to work with for times when I'm not being as crafty.

All the awesome holidays have come and gone (in fact they're getting close to coming back around) including my birthday, my anniversary, Thanksgiving (ooooooh the food....), & my Grammie's 93rd birthday (party time!). Those holidays also mean that I have lots of little projects that came about for the holidays. But to find out what those amazing things are you'll have to stick around. However, my anniversary gift to Cal will be up later today (I'll be doing it immediately after I finish this post in fact!) I promise! Since I'm just getting back into the swing of posting again (on this blog & hopefully my other blog) I'm only going to promise to post once every other week with the goal of posting twice a week here eventually. Hopefully that works for everyone. Now then! Everyone enjoy your evening and thank you to those who have continued to hang out and check my blog(s) out.

Blue Dots Flannel Quilt

I had originally pulled the fabric out for another quilt that I was taking a class for because I'd lost the instructions for this one. Unfortunately after I'd ironed everything I discovered I didn't have the correct amount of fabric. However I did find the instructions for the quilt! Yeah! Since I had everything ironed out I just went ahead & cut the fabric in prep for making the quilt. Well, about a week later I finished up my project & needed another one to work on. I actually finished the quilt top in about a day. A day very filled with sewing! It's all soft & cuddly since it's made entirely of flannel & the backing is going to be flannel as well.

I still have not put backing or quilted any of my quilts (I know have 3 quilt tops). I know I'll get them done soon. I busted my knee at a knitting class (which was a very fun class, I'll tell you about that later...promise!) so I'm hobbling around trying not to agitate it. Because it's my driving knee it means I'm not driving or operating sewing machines. Hopefully I'll get my cupcakes made for my cake decorating class.

Block #1

Block #2

 Completed quilt top

Right now I'm working mostly on a super secret project for my 7 year anniversary. It's absolutely silly but it's perfect. I'll reveal it after I've given it to Calvin so you can giggle at it too. I have my next knitting project decided as well. I just need to visit Knitique to purchase the supplies. It's gonna be puuuuuuuuuuuuurdy.

Challah Infinity Scarf

Sorry I missed Wednesdays post, my pop got his toes squished on Tuesday so we got to spend waaaaaaaay too many hours in the ER. They took good care of him though. I set my posts up the day before they post...so...well...the ER visit threw THAT off track! Oh well.

I know, I haven't shown you my cake decorating class stuff yet! I'm thinking I'm just going to do a montage of all the classes that way you won't get all bored at badly frosted items (I was informed the star I tried to make on a cookie looked like it was walking....apparently stars are not my frosting fortay)

Last week I finished up my Challah Infinity Scarf. I got the pattern at Knit Purl when I went on a trip with my mom & aunt. The store btw, is gorgeous & packed full of goodies. The pattern looks like it might be complicated, but it wasn't, I was able to work on it easily while at Stitch N Bitch. It took me a couple weeks to finish it mostly because I didn't work on it every night or for very long periods of time (I think Stitch N Bitch was the longest I did weekly). There is a lot of end weaving as almost every strip is almost a separate entity. I really do recommend the pattern though, sooooooo pretty & really easy. You just need to know how to add yarn, secure yarn, knit, & purl. The yarn I got at Knitique & is the Cash Vero #28. It's cashmere, merino wool, & acrylic. Soooooo soft....

Not the greatest picture, but I'd just completed it & it was late, you'll excuse me I'm sure. :P

I'm actually not sure what to take with my to Stitch N Bitch, I don't start officially a new project till Saturday during a class. Maybe I'll start the 1 skein shawl I also got at Knit & Purl...we'll see!

Comic Con Bags

So is everyone else dragging this Monday or is it just lucky me? I think it's just something about Mondays really...Last Friday I had my first cake decorating class & I had a ton of fun, I'd tell you all about it but that's for a later post...Wednesday's in fact!

Now, if you're late in the game of catching my posts here's number 1 & number 2 in the series.

So, the final touches to costumes were the bags. I wanted something that was cool looking, was NOT a shoulder bag of any sort, the bags you get from Comic Con are giant enough (they fit our lunch pails & enough paperwork to kill a forest everyday). I figured since I was going to be wearing a belt & so was Cal, that the best choice would be hip pouches. They wouldn't need watching as much & certainly hard to snatch & grab unless they want the whole body. ...Plus they look awesome. I ended up using the hip pouches throughout the con & not just on the day that I was in costume. Just made life so much easier to have hands free! I always seem to get the bags that slid off my shoulder. Who wants that in a crowded place?

From the outside (please let me know if it's still sideways. I'm going to fix it after I finish the post), the bags looked like this (why yes! I DID make a matching wallet, doesn't it rock?) The green bag was actually bought, but I made the Apothecary patch & put it on to make it fit the rest of them.

 & showing the lining of the bags & wallet. Super duper cute, I know. I know....

Alright, so that completes this 3 part series. Next series will likely be my cake decorating class since that's my September class. Actually I think I have a class every month till December. Awesome.