Another cake

So, for some unknown reason, I volunteered myself to make the cake for my sister-in-law's baby shower. I've only ever decorated one cake, and it wasn't that pretty...I have no idea what I was thinking. So, I searched the internet for baby shower cakes (with SIL's help) and finally came across one we liked. We happened to find it the day of the shower, while the cake was cooling (I'm such a procrastinator). Realizing I could not do it with just icing because my cake decorating skills are just not that great, I decided to make homemade fondant. I wish I had gotten a picture. Anyway, here it is in all its mediocre glory.

I guess it's not too bad for cake #2.

A closer look.

The baby's head is made from fondant...kind of orange fondant.

And here's the beautiful mommy!

She was very pleased with the cake, and it sure was tasty!

Another Giveaway!

So, I haven't posted in a while. Mostly because my camera batteries are dead and I can't seem to find the charger, but lots of other things are going on as well. My sink broke, ran out of butane (which pretty much everything in this house runs off of), ER visits, moving Rodney's mom, trying to find somewhere new to live, and the list goes on. Well, I decided to make a new post that has some giveaways! Who doesn't like a good giveaway? Anyway, without further adieu...

• Make and Takes has a list of giveaways and other neat links.
• Natalie over at natalie's sentiments is hosting a fall giveaway, so check there often!
• Others to come!
  

Giveaway!

Make and Takes if having a giveaway!


I will try to find more giveaways to post.

Very sad news

During my wedding planning I found my way to a message board and have gotten to know the great group of girls on there. Even after the wedding we have continued to post about many things like houses, pets, and even babies. We have grown so close even though a lot of us have never met. One of the girls, Jill, passed yesterday. She was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer last October at the age of 24. She stayed positive and brave through the whole thing. She fought a strong battle, but the cancer won. She is such an inspiration to many of us and we will miss her.

So Cute!

Jess from How About Orange made these adorable ribbons recently. She made a cute checkbook cover using one of them and this tutorial. Definitely on my to-do list.




Caroline from J Caroline Creative made these adorable fobs with this tutorial. These are also on my to-do list.

Cheesecake Brownies

I love cheesecake! Rodney love brownies (I like them too, just not as much as he does, and not as much as cheesecake.). So, the two together are perfect for us! I used a cheesecake brownie recipe from Allrecipes. They were so good! Extremely rich, but good. Oh, and sorry about the funky pan, the nicer looking one was dirty. (Also ignore the little piece taken out of it. I couldn't resist!)

Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
• Ingredients called for in brownie mix recipe (eggs, oil, and water were mine)
  
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup white sugar

Directions:

1. Prepare the brownie mix as directed by manufacturer. Preheat oven to temperature indicated on box. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
2. Spread the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, egg and sugar until smooth. Dollop the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie batter. Swirl together using a knife or skewer.
3. Bake according to manufacturer's instructions. Brownies will be done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan, then cut into bars and enjoy.

Give a Dog a Bone

My poor little Ziggy. I can't buy him stuffed puppy toys because all of them have squeakys, and Rodney's dog, Star, tears squeakys out of them and then there's stuffing everywhere. So, I decided to make him one sans squeak.

I pinned it all togeter so it wouldn't move.

I was having so much fun, I decided to put his name on it before sewing it up. Then I stitched the edges so it was good and sturdy because I had to hand sew it and I didn't do a very good job.

And here's the final product!

And my little pup enjoying his new toy!

I think once I have a sewing machine, and I don't freehand the bone drawing, It will look much better. I think i'm going to make a fish-shaped one next with a bell inside for a friend's cat.

Oh, The Days of Summer

I love summer. I also love ice cream sandwiches! And cute shapes are awesome. Like these western themed molds. They are so totally adorable!


Although, I don't know if I would spend $10 on them. I saw some at Wal-Mart one time that were $4, but didn't have the money at the time and now I can't find them. :(

Another lovely summer treat is snow cones! I love them too! I love extra syrup!


Worst thing about summer: Mowing the lawn! Yuck! Which is what I off to do!

Fig Sugar Cookies

I had picked some figs a few days ago and they were starting to get too soft, so I decided to make Fig Sugar Cookies. I didn't have a lot of figs, so I halved the recipe. I also didn't have the baking powder, but they turned out pretty good! I really need to add more figs next time though.

Fig Sugar Cookies

1 cup chopped figs
1/3 cup water
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder (I didn't use this)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or this)

1. Cook figs with water, stirring frequently, until thickened (about 5 minutes). Set aside to cool.

2. Beat butter with sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Blend well. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix into the creamed mixture. Stir in the cooled figs. Drop by teaspoons onto lightly greased cookie sheets.

3. Bake 375 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove cookies and cool on wire racks.

Very simple recipe. Just watch your cookies because they cook fast! (Notice my browned edges. I forgot about them!)

I think I am going to reconstruct the recipe into a healthier version.

Guacamole

I have been craving Guacamole lately, so I asked my step-mom how she made hers and picked up the stuff for it. Mine was ok. I've had better. I accidentally added to much peppers to it and it was super spicy so, (and I know this will sound gross, but I didn't have any sour cream!) I added Miracle Whip to it. I liked that taste in it though.

Guacamole

2 Medium Sized Ripe Avocados
1 Roma Tomato
1 or 2 slices of Jalapeño

1/4 Bell Pepper Diced
1 Teaspoon Lemon or Lime Juice
1/2 small onion Diced (I used onion powder instead because I don't like chunks of onion)
1 Teaspoon Garlic powder (depending on how much garlic you like)
Pinch or Two of Pepper

1. Cut the avocado in half and take out the pit. Scoop the insides out of the avocado skin.
2. Mix avocado pulp with all other ingredients.
3. Serve with chips and enjoy!
4. Refrigerate.

Room Makeover

My friend found some pillows she loved at
Target that matched her newly made over room, but didn't want to spend $15 a piece on them.
So, I decided that if I could find the right material, we could make them. And we did!


They are a little crooked because we had to sew them by hand (no sewing maching), but they turned out pretty good. We couldn't find pink ribbon we liked, so we used black, which we both liked better.

To make them, we just used half a yard of silky fabric and a spool of ribbon that we found in the craft section at Wal-Mart. The edges were already sewn in so they were smooth. I think it's for decorating. It ended up costing about $6 for both of the pillows.

We also made some candles to match. We used some rub-ons to make the scroll pattern.

My first cake EVER to decorate.

Well, it's pretty sucky. I was at my DH's grandma's and she was baking a cake. She asked me if I wanted to decorate the cake when she got done baking it because I had never done one before. Our friend, John, had come with us and it was his birthday, so I decorated it for the occasion.



I tried to use cream cheese icing. That stuff sinks right into itself. I was also using a book that showed you how to make little animals. I made an elephant and what is supposed to be a hippo. Actually, they were both supposed to be hippos, but i did something and made the nose long on one, so it is an elephant. I messed the elephants knee up, so I had to put a band-aid on it.








P.S. I can't figure out why it is turning my elephant sideways. I also can't figure out how to change it!