Getting Ready for the Party

Photo courtesty of the Sun-Sentinel.

Ever since she turned one, I've thought about making a doll cake for Sophia for her second birthday. And although I don't expect myself to create something anywhere close to the cakes in the above picture, I do have high hopes for the one I plan on making for her in just over a week.

Up until about 10 minutes ago, I've been wondering how I'm going to pull this off. What, with working up until her birthday, I didn't know if I'd have time to make a doll cake "traditional style". All of the recipes I've found so far describe using 2 round cake pans, stacking the cakes once baked, covering them in wax paper, freezing them, and cutting the cake to form the shape of a skirt. Whew...makes me tired just thinking about it. Luckily, though, I was able to attend a Pampered Chef party with Coolskool a few years ago and learned that they actually sell a batter bowl that is oven safe and the perfect shape for making doll cakes. I put up an ad on the trading post here at work earlier this morning, asking if anyone in my area had one I could borrow. Would you know that I immediately got 3 responses from people? So on Monday, I will have a borrowed Pampered Chef batter bowl with which I can attempt this whole doll cake project. I will post pictures once completed, no matter how it turns out!

Not Complete - but close

The day before I went to the doctor for my wrist I was able to finish crocheting this sweater. I look forward to buying the perfect buttons for it in 2-3 weeks when I can finally remove this splint. :) I'm very happy with it - I actually like it more than the picture in the pattern and I can't wait to eventually get to do some little bloomers, too!

Tea and Flowers

I love pictures. I love getting the chance to capture the colors of beautiful gifts, even long after the tea has been enjoyed and the flowers have wilted. These gifts came from my wonderful husband and beautiful daughter, in honor of my vestation. The tea filter in the first picture is part of a "tea tumbler" that Sophia picked out for me at the sporting goods store here. She hasn't stopped saying "Mama's Tea" every time she sees it.