Sep 19, 2014

Fun Food Friday - Fruit Jelly

 How incredibly cute is this?!


This week's Fun Food Friday is Fruit Jelly, a fun find from our local Asian grocery store.  I went in to get rice and bath scrubbies, but couldn't resist when I saw this package.  

Look!  It's not just cute,


and, it is....


Green Apple, Strawberry, Grape, and Pineapple.


Once in a blue moon, I'll tuck one of these into the kids lunch boxes as an added treat.  Each one only has 24 calories, so it beats a chocolate chip cookie.  It is a bit like jello, but it is made with seaweed instead of gelatin, so the consistence is different and hard to describe.

There are tiny chunks of coconut which add a tropical note.  Imagine eating a fruit flavored lollipop on the beach sitting next to someone wearing coconut scented sunscreen and that's sums up the effect.

To eat it, just toss your head back and squeeze the bottom of the plastic cup.  As soon as the vacuum between the jelly and the cup is broken, it plops right out and hopefully into your mouth.  


So, what does the girl think?


She can't talk cause her mouth is full, but it gets a thumbs up.

Be sure to check out past Fun Food Fridays here.

Sep 12, 2014

Fun Food Friday - it's a frosty one


Little Emily is a cutey who knows what she wants.  After pouring over lots of Pintrest cakes with her mom, she knew what her birthday cake should be.  

It needed ombre icing similar to this one from Carolina Cake Artistry
with white chocolate snowflakes.


Except it needed all the figures like this one from

but iced in butter cream, instead of fondant, 
with lots of "glitter"
and absolutely no pink!

Oh, and she has tons of friends so it needs to feed 60 people with extra for the family. 

Often, a fondant covered cake just can't be translated into butter cream, and I'm willing to bet the ombre colored icing on the 1st cake was done with an air brush, which I don't possess.  

But I thought I could swing it.  Luckily it is 2014, and  there is a you tube video for everything including ombre icing a cake in butter cream.  The finished cake isn't perfect by my standards, but I think it turned out o.k. and Emily was happy with her birthday present (the cake) which is what matters.


Don't forget to check out past Fun Food Fridays.

Sep 10, 2014

Sewing a 1940's-50's Girl's Outfit - Pt. 1

Last week, I offered up my post "Cake and Crinoline" as an explanation for why I'm putting my other projects on hold.  I'll be showing off the cake on this week's "Fun Food Friday".  

But you won't have to wait that long to get a glimpse of the Crinoline part of that post. 

With only 16 days until the wedding, it is time to get serious about making outfits for the upcoming 1940's/50's themed wedding.
.   

Step 1  Find a pattern.  
With so little time, I have no interest in drafting 2 patterns from scratch.   Luckily, I picked up these 3 vintage patterns at a yard sale about 7 years ago.  A quick rummage through my pattern file, and they are now in my hands.  

As I scan the back of the envelope, I feel a rush of excitement.  Could it be  true?  I double check the numbers.  YES!!!!!  The Butterick pattern (the bigger image) is just the right size for my daughter.  A chorus of angels begins to sing, while rainbows, and songbirds fill the air. 
O.K., not really, but I was very happy.   

Step 2  Find the fabric.
I found so many adorable vintage style prints that would have been perfect, and every single one was shot down by my daughter who insisted in THE TONE.


 Her:
"mom, you know I'm kind of into solids, right?"  

Me:
 "o.k. come to the fabric store and help me pick something out."

Her:
Silent, as a look of terror spreads across her face.

 Despite my threats of choosing something very pink 
(she wanted blue) 
with huge cabbage roses and lots of frilly stuff 
(we're in that I don't want to be cutesy phase)
I ended up at the store alone.
Sigh.......

Finally, after a ridiculous amount of agonizing on my part,  I choose a very simple fabric with a grid of dotted white lines forming diamonds on a blue back ground.   



The verdict:
"It's nice" she says.

Next time, kiddo, it's cabbage roses all the way!!

Step 3 Fit the bodice.
This is when things got tricky.  In my excitement to choose a pattern, I didn't realize the front bodice pattern piece was missing. Luckily, the front facing was there. I used it along with the back bodice section to draft a new piece for the front.  I have plenty of muslin on hand, so I cut out the bodice section, basted it together and tried it on her.

Hmm... a bit long and blousy.  But what did I expect, the kids got a high natural waste and she's still on the willowy side.
A few strategically placed pins later, and all was well.  I marked a new waistline and released her from the "torture"(her word) of fitting.

Next up, 
Pt. 3 Matching Seams
Pt. 4 Finished Dress

Sep 5, 2014

Fun Food Friday




This week I've got a DIY chicken soft taco bento packed 3 ways for you.  

To save time/sanity, I put the bentos together the night before and stick them in the fridge.  In the morning, I can pop them into the lunch bags, along with a drink, an ice pack and some kind of fruit to round things out.

Each lunch has:
2-4"flour tortillas, some roasted chicken, cheese, carrots, & 2 mini cookies.   

I pack each according to the kid it will feed.  For example my little guy (the bear) has cheese cubes because he eats everything seperately.  If he had shredded cheese, he'd eat it shred by shred, and lunchtime would be over with him having eaten nothing but a tablespoon of shredded cheese.  Not good for the super skinny boy.  I also cut his carrots into smaller pieces to make them easier and quicker to chew. 

He along with big sister (pink) get dipping sauce (chick container) for their carrots.

Big brother (blue) on the other hand, likes his carrots plain, so no dip chick for him.

Want more Fun Food Friday?

Sep 3, 2014

Cake and Crinoline

As if I didn't have enough unfinished projects. (grin)

I haven't forgotten about the charging station plan, or Freddie Mae's cabinet, nor the multitude of other projects I've finished and am just waiting to blog.  And I haven't completely forgotten about my garden just yet either.  However, they are all going on the back burner while I work on 2 very important projects and they will be 

FUN!

The first  is a cake that a friend has commissioned for her little girl.  It's "Frozen" themed, 3 tiered, with blue and white swirled vanilla cake, iced in butter cream, and embellished with figurines (provided by the mom), and white chocolate snowflakes.  It is due for delivery this Sat.  so Hopefully I'll have nice entry on that coming up.

The second project is for my cousins wedding at the end of September.  They are having a 1940's/1950's theme and have encouraged guests to come in costume.  I am so excited about this.  My cousin and his intended are amazing, intelligent, and vibrant  people so I know this event will be unforgettable.  Still, it'll be a challenge to get an ensemble for myself and my daughter done in time.  With choices to make regarding patterns, fabrics, hairstyles, and accessories, my decision making skills are going to be strained to the limit, and  I can't wait to get started.  

Check back in later to see my progress. For now, I'm off to visit every crafts, fabric, and cake supply store in the city. 

Wish me luck!