Friday 15 April 2011

Royal Sailing

As promised I have created the boat cake needed for a party for this weekend. Plain sponge cake with a covering of butter icing in various shades (only pastel, as I always worry that too much colouring sends the kids doolally). I made sharks in the water circling the boat, an anchor with chain and a rubber ring. Hope the birthday boy is happy with it. I certainly had fun making it.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY SMALLEST'S FRIEND. x




Smallest's school is having a coffee morning too this weekend and I offered to make a few cakes for them to sell. The coffee morning is to celebrate the forthcoming Royal Wedding, so I decided to make something patriotic. I planned the cakes in my head but in reality they turned out more like the French flag (if the French flag was pink, cream and pale blue that is!)


They taste good though.
You have to try them before you give them to other people don't you?

Tuesday 12 April 2011

BUSY BUSY BUSY

This week I was inspired by the Jumbleberries Blog.  (http://jumbleberries.blogspot.com/). She had previously made a beautiful Tooth Fairy Pillow to put in teeth awaiting the tooth fairy's visit. 

As I have two boys I thought I would try and make them something which would be more "boyish".  For 'Small' (a budding Astronaut), I made a Rocket.  It is made from felt and all hand stitched.  It is slightly padded and has a small window for a tooth and a larger window for money (Small did ask if a £1 coin would fit !!).  I added an extra large ribbon and it fits just nicely on his bed post.  He hasn't got any wobbly teeth at the moment but at least its ready for when he does - I'm sure the tooth fairy finds it quite difficult trying to find such small teeth under a huge pillow with a weighty head on it.

For 'Smallest' I was going to make a Car tooth pillow, as we have just redecorated his bedroom and the theme is busy traffic.  However when he saw Small's Rocket he decided he wanted a Mickey Mouse.  Again it is made of felt and handstitched ( I think I may need to invest in a sewing machine).  I was quite pleased with how it came out but had forgotton what the initial reason for making it was, hence I forgot the pockets.  I left a small gap at the top of the nose which could easily fit a tooth in but nowhere for the money to be left so I will probably have to make another one sometime.  He hasn't got any wobbly teeth either and probably won't have any for at least a year.  At the moment it hangs quite nicely on his wardrobe door.

Thanks Jumbleberries Handmade for your inspiration.

While I was creating these I made a quick padded heart to hang in my kitchen - no pockets for teeth, as I quite fancy holding on to mine for a few more years and besides the totth fairy hasn't visited me for a long time.  I added a rose which I found on the Felt Fairy blog.

Also this week I made another chicken for my Australian friend's baby, this time without chick peas.  I couldn't find any plastic beans to fill it with so just used stuffing instead..  Hope this one doesn't get quarrantined!

FORTHCOMING PROJECTS
For the last two months I have been making a cardigan for my Mum.  It is a labour of love and I keep putting it off and putting it off but I have to get it finished.  At one point I had finished knitting both sides but one was considerably longer than the other.  I cast off and handed them to Mum to see if she would notice (I had to undo rows and rows and rows and almost start again - I could have cried - she did notice after all!)  I am so close to the end but am now using a circular needle (a what!) and just keep looking at it.  I have now got to pick it up and finish it before we are in the middle of Summer and she no longer needs it.  You never know it could be ready for Winter.  

I have also signed up to the Felt Fairy's monthly make.  For this month I will post my tooth pillows and you never know maybe I can use the cardigan for the May make.

I still have a knitted Minion to make for my neice (not even started) and an Elmo to make for Smallest (made one leg).

I also have a birthday cake to make for Saturday.  A boat is required.  Watch this space.

Saturday 2 April 2011

C is for Cookie

This weekend we are celebrating Smallest's birthday.  He requested a Cookie Monster birthday cake and of course I love a challenge.  Normally I would have planned this cake months in advance and my friends and family would be helping with the drawings, research etc.  However this year I decided to just "go for it". 

Smallest came into the kitchen during the icing stage and said "that looks rubbish" and then "wow that does look like the Cookie Monster" - Phew - I didn't have to throw it at him after all.

I took photos of the various stages just to show how it was made:-


Is it a frog?
or a mess?





perhaps its looking a little more monstery

aha!
We haven't cut it yet (seems a shame) or tasted it, although I did have a blue tongue while it was being made - can't think how?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SMALLEST  X X