Lights on the Tree

So I have a fabulous husband who put the lights on the tree for me and did a fabulous job. I am so far behind on things this week and last night I went to my parent's house so I didn't accomplish much on the list of things to do after work. Blake is back on orders so he gets off around 3 a few days out of the week so he put up the lights on the tree for me. Just thought I would mention how much the little things mean to a busy woman/mom. Other big news: Highlights appointment today at 3:30! So overdue and needed.

Festivities

So I have started working out again in the mornings before work...I hate getting up but the love the feeling. It is so nice to get it over with, but I love my sleep...the little I have. Bailey and I put up the Christmas tree last night while Blake went out for a few hours. Things were going good until I realized there were 3 very large bugs at the bottom of the box waiting on me. Oh Jeez...I am not a bug person. I started freaking out and asked Bailey to keep her shoes on to help me stomp them. I then went and grabbed the wasp spray and sprayed them in the box and then through the box outside. I am going this afternoon to purchase plastic bins for the Christmas tree since we keep it outside in the shed. I am so glad I went ahead and put it up because if those bugs would have gotten in my house...lets not even think about that. So I have to put up the lights and ornaments this week...I will try and take my time doing it but I doubt I will be able to stand having something halfway done. I have so many things to work on this week before going out of town for Thanksgiving ~ Sewing projects, cleaning the house, putting up Christmas decor, Getting highlights and cut/trim (way overdue!!! it has been 3 months - this is an emergency), Christmas cards, Pictures, Painting the hallway.... oh and planning out the biggest shopping extravaganza of the year "BLACK FRIDAY".

Also, today is my dad's 60th birthday! How exciting...Blake is purchasing his gift today. I know...so last minute, but I couldn't think of anything to get him so Blake is going to get something from the golf store since Dad is becoming a regular on the golf course since he retired a few months ago.

Cupcake tower - flowers in blue and pink

I designed this cupcake tower based on the napkins used for this baby shower. The mother-to-be is waiting to find out what she is having so the napkins had bright blue, bright pink, and bright green on them. I was hesitant to try out fondant because 1. It doesn't taste good 2. It can be expensive 3. time...since I am teaching myself, I don't have time to make mistakes or practice a lot. So I did some research on fondant and found that a lot of people love using marshmallow fondant because 1. It tastes better 2. It is cheap to make 3. EASY!

So here are the pictures of my first cupcake tower:

Inside of cake: Chocolate icing

23 cupcakes: butter/yellow cake with cream cheese icing & marshmallow fondant flowers

Top of tower: (2) 6 inch yellow cake with cream cheese icing & marshmallow fondant flowers & bright green ribbon

Cupcake Tower

Me with my first cupcake tower!

Halloween 2009

I don't decorate much for fall or Halloween, but Bailey got this pumpkin at her school Fall festival the Friday before Halloween so Blake and Bailey carved it out.

Blake and I took Bailey to my parent's church for their Harvest Festival. My sister was in charge of the cake walk so I made a cake for it. I made it with cream cheese icing, but it doesn't dry at all so you can not do too much detail unless you make the icing more stiff and that takes away the taste so I did just a small design and it still turned out cute. I also made white flowers out of marshmallow fondant to stick on top but I forgot to take a picture of that.

Bailey was a very pretty lady bug and she had a great time with her cousins - Police officer "Logan" and Butterfly Fairy "Abigail". After the Harvest Festival, Blake and I went to a costume party. Blake went as "Charming" and I was a princess.

Learning as I go

Sewing is definitely not a relaxing hobby. Some people may think you just take the fabric out of the bag and begin but there is so many steps involved before you can even begin. I thought the same thing about cake decorating before I realized the long process of making icing and getting the cake ready before you can even begin decorating.

Steps before sewing: sew sides that may unravel, dilute the fabric, wash the fabric, dry/line dry the fabric, iron the fabric, iron the pattern, cut the pattern, pin the pattern on the fabric, cut the fabric, AND then you can start.

Then the hard part starts- you have to figure out what the heck the pattern is saying in a very short fragment. There is no explanation with pictures or dictionary. I have to open all my books and refer back to each one to read a sentence/fragment AND then it still doesn't make sense. I learn from watching others do it and then I can copy it, but having to do what is says from reading is so hard for me to figure out which is why it takes me 2 hours a night for several nights to finish one project. I usually quit when I reach a point of not understanding and then I have the rest of the day to figure it out in my head - which I usually do and am able to start off where I left the night before. I had big dreams of making so many things, but honestly I understand why boutiques charge so much for their homemade items because there is a lot of labor and hours that go into each piece. I am hopefully getting better and learning from my mistakes as well as learning the "language of sewing" so I don't have to refer to three books each time I read a sentence.

I don't want to discourage anyone from learning a new hobby because it is very rewarding once you finish a piece that you spent many hours on. This weekend I am going to teach myself how to make fondant shapes. I have spent a few hours researching it this week and watching videos so I have a good understanding of it. I have a cake due on Saturday for my parent's church cake walk and another cake due the following weekend for a baby shower. I love being able to switch back and forth so I don't get burnt out on either one. Wish me luck!

Here are other pieces I have finished since my last post:

My first sewing creation!

I'm so excited to show you my first piece! I worked on it for three nights in a row because I wanted Bailey to sport the wedding colors at the rehearsal dinner - she is the flower girl so she needs to be pretty at the rehearsal dinner. Tonight is my last sewing class and I will finish my pants! So those pictures will be posted soon. I have worked on my pants longer but I had help from the teacher - with this dress I figured it all out by looking at another dress I bought Bailey from a boutique. I know this is a "simple" dress but it still took over 6 hours to make! I will of course get better and make fewer mistakes but I am really proud to say that "I did it all by myself".

Bailey's Flower Girl Bows

Bailey will be a flower girl in only TEN days! She is wearing a family heirloom dress at the wedding and changing into another dress for the reception - which is why there are two bows needed. I made these for .40 cents each...they would have cost at least $5 each at a boutique. I learned how to make bows by watching the tutorials on youtube.com.