apron wings

Rootbeer Float Cupcakes

I have been wanting to make rootbeer float cupcakes since I read about them on My Paper Crane. I found the recipe on cooksrecipes.com. I added a litlle rootbeer concentrate to make it extra rootbeer-y, and I used store bought whipped vanilla frosting for the "float". They turned out pretty yummy!

Cupcake Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/4 cups root beer
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (18.25-ounce) package butter yellow cake mix with pudding
3 large eggs
1/3 cup crushed root beer-flavored candies 

Topping Ingredients:

Crushed root beer-flavored candies, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Use the amount of root beer (1 to 1 1/4 cups) as indicted for water on cake mix.
3. Combine root beer, 1/2 cup butter, cake mix and eggs in large mixer bowl. Beat at low speed until moistened. Increase speed to medium. Beat until well mixed. Stir in crushed candies by hand.
4. Spoon scant 1/4 cup batter into each paper-lined muffin cup. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 2 to 3 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely.
5. Frost Cupcakes and garnish with additional crushed root beer-flavored candies, if desired.

Makes 2 dozen cupcakes.

The Napping House

My little boy has always fought sleep, I think he's afraid he'll miss something, but with strep throat this past week came the blessing of nap time. If I took too long blow drying my hair I would come upstairs to find him passed out and hanging half way out of bed. He just couldn't seem to get enough of this healing sleep. On one lovely, cool, and breezy day he was sitting in the big comfy chair on the porch listening to the trees and his grandma and I and just dozed off. He was so cute, he slept for an hour, right through all the picture taking.

Whatver Happened To The Peculiar Purple Pie Man of Porcupine Peak

Another summer shirt because, there are never enough. I used McCall's pattern M5388 and a vintage Strawberry Shortcake sheet. Like most little girls in the eighties I loved Strawberry Shortcake, I don't think my sister and I actually had any of the toys but we did have a strawberry shaped toy box that was amazing. I wish I still had it.... anyway a set of sisters from church did have the toys, the town (strawberryland) and the dolls in all their scented, plastic, glory. I always wondered if they knew just how lucky they were. They have brought Strawberry Shortcake back for the kids of today but I think she's super lame, and you'll notice they've left out the Peculiar Purple Pie Man, he was an awesome villian. Let's just hope they don't get their hands on Rainbow Bright!

Pajama-nas

First off I would like to say that I made a vow at the beginning of this month to be a better "poster". I really am trying, in explanation of the lack of posts Tony had strep and it pretty much crippled life for about 2 weeks.

That said, I've been on the hunt for new pajamas for him. I haven't found anything to suit my taste or budget so I set about making them myself. He really wants character ones and even the most poorly made ones are still $15! I had some good character fabric in my stash, with my mommy math I figure I need about 8 pairs of pants considering they'll be in heavy rotation. Here are the first 2 (Pattern-New Look #6446):

He's partial to the "spider-man" pants, or as he says "spider hand pants"

Thank You Dorothy Parker

I recieved a theatre scholarship today that will pay for 21 credits this year thanks in a big part to this lady. That and my shabby acting skills.

Flashback

While checking out whats new on FredFlare.com, I came across this!!!

I had the same one when I was little, it was my life. I pretended to use it more than I actually used it but I loved it. I also used to flip over my bigwheel and pretend I was making ice cream, I don't really know how I got that out of that but oh well.

The Ugly Pattern

Do not underestimate the ugly pattern, with a little imagination it can be wonderful. Simplicity 3738 at first glance is not that exciting, expecially the weird bolero jacket, not to mention the dress once finished would looks more like a maternity dress. As I am not pregnant, and seldom wear dresses, I made it my own.

I love this shirt, it is so comfy and flattering. I used a contrast fabric for the middle piece to make it more fun. The olive green is Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton and the blue floral is a cotton vintage print I picked up ages ago at a flea market. I can't get over the lovely gathering on the front and back, and the buttons are just about the most perfect blue I have ever seen.

I am planning on trying to make this pattern as a dress again in the near future, it's gonna take alot of pattern alteration to keep it from being so huge but I'll try.

Another one

After the success of my lemon shirt (Simplicity 3835), it felt only right to make another one out of some lovely vintage fabric. In fact, I'll probably have ten by the end of the summer.

You may recognize the fabric from my nappy bag. Love this print, I had to work really hard just to get the front and back out of what was left. I even saved every scrap I had left over, maybe I can use them to make my mom some patchwork pants a la Claire on mushrooms in Six Feet Under.

I thought I would take some better pictures of my lovely lemon shirt as well. The last pics did it no justice.

Check out my weak ironing skills. At least the lighting is such that you can actually appreciate the beauty of the fabric.

Beware of Pirates

To be fully prepared for a Pirate Party you first need pirate garb.

For Mommy:

A skirt (Simplicity 7229) made from a lovely polka dot and skulls.

For the birthday boy:

A striped shirt, wonder under, and fab skull and crossbones fabric were used to make this super fun shirt for the big three year old.

Now for the party, he had a blast even though he only had one "kid" party guest. The rest of us just behaved like kids. They had the best time at the spray park just the two of them. How often do you get the whole park to yourself?

When asked what kind of cake he wanted he answered "blue"

Blue it is.

There was bubble blowing,

Treasure map reading,

and of course pirates.

And at the end of the night the birthday pirate/black spiderman even helped clean up by sending the balloons to Balloonia