hoppy bunny day...

To us, Easter is a time to get together with family and enjoy each other. This year we are going to my parents house as we didn't know until yesterday that Jason wasn't working today. Anyways...on to the real reason of the post!!!

Most of you might know that I've been taking cake decorating classes over the last year. I take the classes at JoAnn's Fabric (thought Michael's offers them too) and they are Wilton Decorating brand classes. I took my first one in Olympia as a birthday present and my last one and current one in Vancouver! I am really liking it and I've done plently of spur-of-the-moment cakes for work stuff but this week and weekend was my first time really sitting down, planning out, and decorating of a cake. I'll let the pictures take it from here :) You can see all the pictures here, on my picassa site! There are a lot more to see then what I'll post here.

standar or jumbo? jumbo please :)

experimenting with color!

messy workstation means you're working hard!

supplies: cupcakes (jumbo sized), twizzlers, mini chocolate rabbits, chocolate eggs, malted eggs, frosting (not pictured)

first try. not my favorite but a good start!

Wilton Tip #233 Makes "grass" and "hair" and was my first time using it!

in the process of piping grass...

voila! LOVE IT!!!

#2. This is when I figured out the bunny ears needed to hold up the basket handle.

#3

#4. added flowers :)

#5 - my personal favorite!!! I added the flowers all the way around. Time consuming but adorable.

#6 - can you tell i ran out of frosting??? heehee.

The cupcakes were loosely based off of these. Personally, I like mine better :)

AND NOW!!!! THE CAKE!!!! (yes, I made a cake)

filled with strawberry goodness. this is my first fruit filled cake. you put the white rim of frosting around the outside so that they filling doesn't leak out onto the cake.

crumb coat done.

and here you have a Basketweave Cake!! I learned this in the final class of the second course! I knew I had to try it out for bunny day! Chocolate eggs decorate the bottom (since I accidentally didn't go low enough on the bottom...whoops)! It certainly isn't perfect but it is cool. I only have to refer to my manual once at the very beginning...

close up!

AND DONE!!! I LOVE IT!!!

all together. i'll get a better picture tonight at my parents of them all looking nice and in order! I am really proud of myself and finally putting my skills to use. I can't wait to decorate more!!!

(first) reusable bag...

Another project down. I really am starting to get the hang of this sewing thing...at least the basics! I had some fabric left over from the first project (curtains) I really did all by myself. So instead of throwing it away I put it to good use! My Mom helped with the ideas and a quick tutorial but i did all the work myself.

sewing the corners. this helps the bag "sit flat"

here goes nothing...this was the hardest part of the bag and once i understood the concept...it was SO easy!

Voila!!! A handmade reusable bag.

Very spacious...it will fit lots of groceries.

reinforced the handles a bit...and thought of this idea all on my own. this was my first time sewing continuously...meaning at every corner i would switch the line i was sewing. this involves keeping the needle in the fabric while picking up the foot and roatating the fabric.

a project YEARS in the making...

It all started a few years ago when I bought some wall decor. This specific peice started the theme of my kitchen...starwberries!!!

This peice of wall decor is still in good use in my house...along with many more additions over the years! Then one day, at least 2 years ago, I went into Michael's in Moscow, Idaho and found these...

So you may be asking yourself how I know it is AT LEAST 2 years...well that is the minimum amount of time I've been away from Idaho :) Back then when I bought the ribbon I had the foreshadowing (I guess) to see what I would use it for. I had always wanted to sew it onto some dish towels but only recieved a sewing machine a year and a half ago. I guess this project was just meant to be. Also, it should be noted that I did not lose the ribbon in the last 2 years...through 3 moves :)

It really was one of the easiest projects to do so don't be surprised if you get some :) You just take an ordinary dish cloth - it could be colored if you'd like - and sew the ribbon on the end sewing both the top and the bottom of the ribbon to the towel. And voila! The first ribbon took me about 10 minutes to do, the next sides only took me a few minutes! MAYBE a half hour of work total if you include threading the bobbin, threading the machine, and all the sewing to do 2 towels with ribbon on both ends!

trying to keep it straight...

double wrapping the ends under - to avoid fraying :)

towel in action...

so simple!

in one night...

According to my own post on Facebook I started my project for tonight "4 hours ago." I made curtains for "the brown room" which I guess I can now call my craft room as I have had multiple crafting sessions in there :) I always seem to get the urge (energy) to sew in the evening around 6 ot 7 - when TV isn't too good and Jason isn't usually home. The problem was that my craft room had no blinds and looks out into our backyard...which was dark...and scary. That is, until tonight! That is right. I made 2 panels to form one window curtain in-one-night!!! I'm proud again, I must admit. This project involved a little bit more than my last curtain project. Mainly because I was making 2 curtains to fit in one window so I had to measure everything to make sure it would look good together! I think I did a mighty good job! I am a big fan of the "ruffle at the top" look for a few reasons: 1) it lets less light it because it fills in the gap at the top between the window frame and the curtain rod. 2) it allows for a little bit of room for error as it is meant to look scrunched. Those are two solid reasons and good enough for me. Jason has planned for me to make curtains for the bedroom using this technique but also adding the extra good (but positive outcome) of blackout fabric. We'll see when I get around to that one... As for now - the pictures of my newest project.

hemmed the sides first.

folded over 2 cm. i used cm because that was the side that had an "even" measurement point to look at on the tape. i am not that smart...heehee.

folded it over 3 1/2 inches. the 2cm was folded under.

the pin right now is holding the folded under 2 cm in place while i hemmed it up. i did this thank to the advise from my mom. if you don't turn the fabric under and if you leave the "raw" edge exposed it will fray when you wash it. See Mom...I do listen :)

hemming the rod pocket. the space on the bottom (left) will be where the curtain rod will slip into, leaving the 1 1/2 on the top (right) to "scrunch"

it is quite the set up i have. a few days back jason brought the tv and cable in here...maybe that is why i've been getting so much done. though i found out tonight sewing and watching the news don't mix because you can't hear the tv...oh, and my ever present helper. he loves the sewing room - mainly because he loves string and there is plenty of that around!

sewing away!

before

after. i still need to hem the bottom but i'm only going to hem it up less than an inch so it won't look much different!

what to do next...i want to try to make some kind of bag...we'll see :) i'll keep you posted!

apron a la annie...

I must say, I am proud of myself. I made an apron all by myself. For all you crafty people out there that might not be a big deal but for me its a great accomplishment. Oh, and I did it with only about 20 minutes of a "break down" on one piece. Pretty good all in all. I'll let the pictures explain the rest!!! Don't be surprised if in the next year people start getting homemade presents from me!

making the pattern. notice my helper...???

pins galore! i was so afraid of it moving too much while i was cutting...

please ignore the pj's. focus on the apron.

:) so proud!

sewing on a round edge :)

finished product...now to figure out who to give it too!!!

fabric: 1 3/8 yard = $4.99

tie fabric: $2.99

brown thread: $1.50 (to be reused again and again)

I used a 40% off coupon on every purchase towards the supplies for this apron. Thank you JoAnn's Fabric!

so approximately $10 for a gift. not to shabby!!! and next time i'll be even more efficient at it!

ps. thanks Mom...for all those times you tried to get me to sew. sorry it took me so long but better late then never...right???

pps. i know there is no pocket. it looked funny. plus really...what do you use the pocket on an apron for anyways???

covering up the clutter...

I LOVE my shelf that my husband built me back in Novemeber or so. And for all that time we've either had it uncovered, or the curtain was too long, or the curtain was shoved into the shelf (looking awful). So my Mom and I devised a sewing plan to help the situation out and I am so proud of the results. Now, I cannot take credit for the sewing but I can take credit for the design and purchasing of the buttons...hey, you have to start somewhere!

This will be the view when guests are over so they won't have to look at...

the lovely litter box. This way instead of the curtain dragging on the ground near the litter box then being shoved up into the shelf (getting litter on the shelf) it just buttons up!

Thanks Mom!!!!

thanks mom...

Without my Mom this post would not be possible. Today I started AND completed my first successful solo sewing project! I've had my sewing machine for 1 year and 3 weeks and today it got put to great use! I even had to re-thread the bobbin (thankfully I still had the instruction book)!!!

My Mom and I bought some fabric from JoAnn's a month or so (more like 2) ago...and it has been sitting in my "craft" room since. The "craft" room is really my catch-all room with hopes and dreams of being used. This was probably the second time I used this room besides to go in and get the vaccum or put something in the Goodwill pile.

The task at hand was to make a curtain for the bathroom. For our wedding and part of Christmas my parents have gotten us basically everything for our bathroom from the shower curtain, vanity item holders, towels, and so on. Our bathroom needed some softening up since the walls were bare and every week I've thought about making this curtain and today I did it!!! Now, my Mom is great at sewing. She even used some our Halloween costumes and some clothes growing up :) She even sewed alot of her own clothes when she was growing up.

Back when we bought the fabric my Mom helped me make a curtain for our little front window...okay...really, I watched her. Today I basically did just what she had done (see Mom, I DO pay attention :)

Here are the results. I am very pleased!!! I went with the Paisley pattern because our bathroom is all one color with pretty un-patterned accessories and we have a sign on the opposite wall from the window that says "Happily Ever After" with a paisley pattern on it that was a wedding shower present/decoration from our family friend Liz.

Before...

After :)

With the lights out...

Nice because it still lets in some light but adds to much to the room!