Sierra's Birthday Cake

I cannot believe tommorow will be Sierra's 12th birthday!  When did that happen? :(

We celebrated her birthday with a pool party this past weekend.  She requested that I make her birthday cake-the giant cupcake cake!  So fun!

I have decorated many cakes since I have taken a Wilton cake decorating course.  This class was not only fun, but it sure has come in handy.  My family does not like store-bought bakery cakes.  I have decorated many cakes and have LOTS of pans and a whole box of decorating supplies!

This particuliar mold is SO easy, even if you have NEVER decorated a cake before.  Kudos to Wilton....  It is fast, easy, and the decorations are endless on this one.  Really!!

If you have a frosting bag and a star tip you are good to go!

This is one giant cupcake!  I decorated the bottom portion of the cake (chocolate)with a "32" Wilton star tip and the top with my fav "1M" tip!  It decorates SO fast and it has that WOW factor like you spent hours decorating(but you didn't) ;)

Sierra also wanted some baby cupcakes to compliment her giant cupcake! 

Here is the Wilton mold that I used to bake the giant cupcake!

http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-2105-5038-Giant-Cupcake-Pan/dp/B000UPRAXA

I purchased mine at Target and I am sure other stores have this great mold, too!

So sweet, cute, and delicate-looking!  Okay, so is the cake! 

Happy 12th birthday Sierra!

Dress Gone Wild!

Did you ever buy fabric and plan on creating something specific with it, (like a dress) but don't even have a pattern in mind, but you just KNOW what you want to do?  Does this make sense?  I purchased this fabric at Joann's a few months ago and I knew immediately when I saw it, I had to have it.  I had to have it because I thought a summery-type dress would be perfect for this fabric.  I purchased what was left on the bolt.  2 1/2 yards and NO pattern in mind.

I went home and looked through the mounds of patterns I have purchased over the years and not one seemed to be the "one".  Since I only had 2 1/2 yards of fabric it really narrowed down choices.

I found this pattern- a New Look #6980.

 

I liked all the different versions in one pattern.  Yes, this is the one!  I chose the short version of View C. 

When I went to cut the pattern out, the fabric was just shy a few inches.  I tried moving it up, down, sideways, etc.  to get it to"fit".  It just didn't.... So I decided to cut it and it would probably be fine.  I usually hem my dresses more than the pattern says too.  After sewing the dress, it was WAY too short...

When push comes to shove, here it is!

I had to add 4 inches of solid brown fabric.  There is just enough zebra fabric left over to make a headband.  Whew...

Here is the back of this dress.  I LOVE that it has thin straps.  I can still wear a normal bra and the straps won't show.  When constructing this dress, I tried the dress on and strategically sewed the straps to perfectly cover up those hideous bra straps(one of my pet peeve's).  I HATE bra straps showing!

I really like how this dress turned out.  It was an easy pattern to put together.  I will definitely sew another one.

Question to self:  Isn't it just easier to walk into a store and buy a dress?  Sewing a garment takes planning and time.  Not to mention if you hit a few snags.... My mother would tell me"just buy a dress". 

But, having one-of-a-kind, perfectly tailored for me garment.... PRICELESS!  Also, I'm just crazy wild about sewing.... ;)

I'm Slumbering...or so I wish!

Just before school started, my 2 DD's and I were at Hobby Lobby.  For my oldest daughter, it is fun for her.  For my youngest daughter, NOT SO MUCH.... She hates the fabric store!  I dread going there under these circumstances, but we had several errands to run and this was one of the stops.

As I was picking up what I needed, my youngest DD, Sierra, came to me with a bolt of fabric and said, "Mommy, can you make PJ's with this?  I love this fabric!"  It could have been the most expensive and ugliest fabric on earth and I would have bought it anyway.  I wonder if she is "growing up" and her creative juices are coming out...  I was shocked to hear those words from her.  Sierra wanted PJ's from this fabric and I almost forgot everything else I came to the store for because she definitely threw me a curve-but a very rewarding one!

Whooo would have known? ;)

Sometimes, it is just easier to cut 2 fabrics at the same time-which is what I did!  Sierra now has an assortment of Fall PJ's.

The owl applique is a freebie on sewforum and is just adorable!  The flower applique is my go-to- applique from lynniepinnie.com.

If you were wondering, both PJ bottoms are a capri-length.  This was also Sierra's idea and a great one!

Sierra's creativity is so refreshing and I am SO proud of her.  Proud, yes.  Scared, too.  Why you ask.... My sewing room is in jeporady.  To be taken over by a sassy pre-teen, twilighter, and book-lover.

And..... I'm loving every minute of it. ;) 

Window Boxes with new life!

It seems as if all my home decor projects have been put on the backburner.  Summer vacation and summer heat does not lend inspiration for outdoor home dec projects.  This morning I woke up to a cool 68 degrees and it gave me the jolt I needed-almost more than a cup of coffee...

The morning newscasters were all talking about how "cool" it was outside,  Hmmmm, maybe Fall IS coming to Arizona.  With one of the hottest summers on record(that's what they claim) 68 degrees is almost jacket weather here.  I know....strange!

I had this "planned" a few weeks ago when I was at Lowes and discovered such pretty flowers and then spray paint.  Honestly, all summer they have looked barren and pathetic.

Some well-deserved flowers and 2 cans of spray paint later.....

Ahhhhhhh, Cleaned-up window boxes, pretty flowers, and cooler weather.  My outdoor furniture is brown and now my window boxes look like they belong in my backyard.

Why I am blogging about such a simple, simple project?  Sometimes the easiest projects are the ones we never get to.  This has such a nice effect for something that costs SO little and took less than an hour.

Now, a tall glass of peach ice tea, a chair, a good book, and then---- time to smell the flowers.....

 

Sierra's Pink Hawaiian PJ's

My Mom recently gave me a pink Hawaiian short-sleeved shirt basic shape t-shirt.  I liked the pink and the Hawaiian embroidery.  If anyone "knows" my daughter, Sierra, she LOVES anything pink and anything Hawaiian.  This shirt was a match made in heaven!

I grabbed my scissors as fast as I could and cut the neckline, made cap sleeves, cut the bottom hem and made strips!  I think I was SO excited to change this shirt that I forgot to take a before picture. :(   With the scraps of knit, I added a ruffle detail around the neckline.

I found fabric in my stash to compliment the shirt to make PJ bottoms.  I incorporated a casing at the bottom for ties for some added fun!

 

Sierra LOVES her new comfy PJ's-no surprise there.....

Thanks Mom! ;)