Gris Gris

 

         The rock bit into my back, ripping the thin fabric of my dress. It was quickly followed by another and another. Tears streamed down my face, as I tried to run away from them as fast as I could. It was of little use. I couldn’t escape them. The three of them grabbed me by my long dark brown hair, pulling me to the ground. I curled into a tiny ball to avoid the flying fists and swift kicks they delivered to my back and sides.  If I was small enough, I could detach myself from my body and float away from the pain. I lifted my eyes, to look at my attackers. The three of them towered over me, the glistening patent leather of their shoes, shining as they came down towards my body. Their brown faces twisted in hatred. I could almost feel the anger radiating off of their bodies, all of their energy focused on me.

Birthday Daisies

My coworker had her 23rd birthday and I just had to bake her a cake. Many cakes. Many mini cakes. Cupcakes!!!! My favorite! :)

My intel told me that she liked daisies and the color yellow so I created a spray of daisies for her to enjoy. I did a simple half batch of cupcakes and used my tips to decorate the daisies for her.

Needless to say, she liked them :)

Baby Shower Cake

I made this cake for our Elbow to Elbow Consultant. We're having her baby shower at school during out planning period and I decided to make a cake to practice.

I think my next project will be my lettering and shapes with the frosting. I could have used the spray frosting to color the bacground and of course, FONDANT!!!

It looks rough and my perfectionist side is NOT happy. SMH...oh well...on to the next procrastination.....

Oh the Places They'll Go...

My kiddies graduated today and I was so proud of them. So proud in fact that I made 144 cupcakes (only 120 were edible :-/...guess those directions about temperature aren't suggestions....) and brought them as refreshments. I saw an idea last week for "Oh, the Places You'll Go" cake for graduation and it inspired me.

This is a close up of one of the cupcakes. I made 100 with the simple graduation cap but they aren't as inspiring...

 

The full box

To make them I simply used a box recipe (yes box!!!) and baked them to semi perfection. (Perfection would not include me burning a batch).

To decorate I googled the book and pasted the images into a word doc. I then printed it on a color printer, cut out the shapes and taped toothpicks to the back. Insert into freshly frosted cupcake and done!!!!

Cheesecake Pops

I created this cheesecake pops a few weeks ago but never put up the pictures. Never been a fan of cheesecake :-p but I guess some people like it. Either way, I took the No Bake Cheesecake Mix and put rolled the balls out and coated them with graham cracker crumbs. I then took candy coating and drizzled it over the cheesecake, in order to make a cage-like decoration that the ball would rest on/in.

(Sorry it's sideways)

On top of the pop is a dab of strawberry and a light dusting of powdered sugar. 

Took them to work and they were devoured. I was late that day trying to get them and everything else in the door, but I think I was forgiven for the delicious treats I created. :)

Oi! Como vai?

It has been a long time since I've blogged, namely because I haven't been procrastinating prettily for some time. Instead of my usual habit of creating something, I have been learning how to speak Portuguese.

Why Portuguese?

• Because I want to move to move to Brazil
• I found the best website
• It just sounds sexy ;)

I just finished my vision boards (pics to follow) and I have teaching in Brazil as one of my main goals. It is one of my top 30 before 30. It might be a week, a summer, a year or the rest of my life, but I think that it is an experience that I would love to have.

The most essential tool in my language development has been BUSUU.COM!!!! Everyone who has ever wanted to learn another language should go to this site. Not only do I have vocabulary lesson and writing examples, I have the opportunity to speak with native speakers (who always correct me ). It has sucked up a considerable number of hours as I pursue my language aspirations.

My Language Garden

Até breve!!!! Tchau!!!

Baby Birthday Cake

     It has been a while :( Here is a cake I made for Elon, a baby I babysit sometimes. He just turned one so needless to say, I was pretty excited.
       I had originally planned to make a cake in the shape of a one or a giant children's block with his name spelled out on the sides. Sorry to say, but my imagination exceeds me skill. I had a hard enough time making a two layer cake, regardless of making it square and cutting out the shape. SMH

This is the end result :)

        I used the 3, 5, and 21 tip to decorate it. Halfway through I ran out of frosting and had to make some more. I used the recipe below to make up some more (Thank God for my marshmallow fondant phase because I had the powdered sugar on hand)

EASY VANILLA FROSTING
1/3 c. soft butter 3 c. confectioners' sugar 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla About 2 tbsp. milk Blend butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla and milk. Beat until frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency. http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,166,150190-244203,00.html

After I finished, I think that I will use a bakery comb to clean up the sides and make a stiffer frosting. I would also practice my handwriting in icing, but as this is my second cake and my first layered cake, I think that's good enough for now.

Random Poem That I like :)

We'll talk on the phone for hours, and its the little thing about you that I adore. 
We are friends, yet I was just your friend before! 
But deep down I hope and wish I was so much more...

Backgrounds

Easter Sunday left me feeling creative!!! After thinking about my next project and a wasted 30 minutes perusing Walmart wares (procrastination :( ), I came home and discovered Sketchpad. I LOVE this app which allows me to create backgrounds for the drawings I do. I especially love the spirals that it creates and the general ease of use. 

I especially love the one to the left :) 

It makes me think of dust motes, specifically the dust motes under my bed, which I will get to....soon...

Holy Moley :) Reminds me of blood cells and pineapple slices...kinda a gross combination, but the general effect is nice

 Makes me think of the strings from my yarn when                       I knit

Brilliant Blossoms

One of the first projects I completed was creating paper flowers that I hang from my ceiling. I get a lot of flack from my sorors over the color of my room, but I love flowers and living things. Below is the picture from the Martha Stewart website. I absolutely love the colors and I can see them hanging from the ceiling of my wedding. LOVE <3

The flowers came from Martha Stewart in an individualized package. I managed to get them for three dollars and used them to center the design of my room. In the picture below, I painted the giant flower based on the blooms. 

To make the picture, I took three pieces of foam board and sketched out the blossom and painted it with acrylic paints. Ties the room together and brings a lightness to the room. I absolutely love, love, love flowers but as I have a BAD track record with real ones, this is as close as I can come to having them in my life.

My room (believe me that it does NOT look like this anymore...#procrastination)

This is my room and below is me in it :)

Me with the blooms in the background

Magnificent Magnets

I love these magnets!!! I went with my friend Katy to her Relief Society meeting. Best decision ever!!!! I don't know hat I expected, seeing as I am not Mormon, but I loved it. We discussed earthquake preparedness, money saving tips, STARTING BLOGS ;) and making magnets. Needless to say I took to the making blogs like a fish to water, admittedly very thick water as it took me a minute to figure it out, and have created this site of my projects.

The magnets were the cutest idea. We took glass marbles, glued scrapbook paper on the back with Modpodge and simply glued large magnets to the back. I loved it and immediately created three. I see a whole range of projects that can be created for this: Crafts for Mother's Day for my kids, magnets for the board in my classroom, and even wedding favors and decorations. What another pretty way to procrastinate!

A Brave New World

Today marks my first blog entry. I have been searching and searching for yet another procrastination from my life as an elementary school teacher. I love my kids but it is nice to have my own endeavors and my own chance to be creative. I love making things and am regularly teased by my friends for the extent of my crazy crafting. Already known as the cupcake queen around school, I wanted to find yet another outlet for my massive amount of crafting energy. I hope you enjoy