Cupcake wars

This is my first post from my phone! Yay for being up to speed with technology!!
Today I made red velvet cupcakes from a box and tested out the new Betty Crocker Frosting creations. Let me saw that I am a red velvet snob. It has to have a certain flavor and tang. The box didn't do it. But it's a cupcake and red, so it doesn't have to be mind blowing for an afternoon treat.
I made the cotton candy flavored frosting creations, and have to admit I am not a fan. It was thin and any piping was out of the question, plus the flavor was wanting something.
But it made a pretty picture and my shortie #2 gave his approval. It's blue and red and sugar, it had shortie's number.

Entering the Man Cave

The only thing my hubby asked for in our new house (while we were looking for one) is a space for himself. A "Man Cave" if you will.

Well, we found a beautiful home that we love. It has more than we could have hoped for. (Including all the charming fix it's that come with that)

The unfortunate thing is he has to share his space. So I am making it my personal mission to make it as manly of a cave as possible. I'm still on that mission.

Much to my delight, we got this lovely entertainment center from one of hubby's friends....

It's a great piece of furniture, but doesn't really fit (physically) anywhere in our house that has a TV. So it got placed in the garage for further reflection.

It's awesome, and I hate wasting anything...especially anything awesome. So, eventually I came up with a home for our awesome entertainment center.

Curious? Me, too. Cuz I haven't transformed it. Oh, it's in the works but for now I will tell you that it's going into the entrance of the Man Cave. Stick around, though, cuz I'm motivated. And it's going to be awesome. (K, I'm done saying awesome.)


The thing I do have to show you? The first of my repurposed items for the man cave.

This is the Ulster Rugby shirt that my darling entrusted me with. 

Chopped the bottom off below the armpits.(politely ignore the wrinkles, please)

My pillow measured 13 1/2" x13 1/2" so I measured over 15" from one side seam and drew a line from hem to the top cut line...and cut.

Now I had a piece measuring 30" wide with this horrible seam right up the middle. So I cut it off.

Now I got a little fuzzy headed and sewing machine happy from here out and didn't take anymore pictures, but here's a run through of how it went.

I sewed the raw edges together to create a long piece of fabric with the hem on either end. 

Laid the pillow on top and figured out where I wanted the hems to overlap. Turned it inside out and sewed along the edges.

Cut the black detailing off of one shoulder, cut out the ulster logo and used it for a reverse applique on the U-shaped black detailing.

Centered the finished detailing on the case and stitched it down. 

Ta-Da! A manly pillow for the Man Cave. It's actually amazingly better looking in person, but this picture will do for now :)

TO THE MAN CAVE!!!!

This joke has been tossed around Facebook in the past couple days and it's sooooo funny that I thought I'd share it here, too! (This isn't my joke, and I don't know where it came from, will add the credit when I find out)

Just Doing Her Job

A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard.
The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall.
In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.
He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened.
He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.
As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went.
He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?"
She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world I do
all day?"
"Yes," was his incredulous reply.
She answered, "Well, today I didn't do it."

Try it Tuesday

Ok, see that lovely banner up there? -----^

I can't get it centered. I've tried...and tried...and tried. Searched for answers on the net, no dice.

Any web savvy people out there who can help me fix it? That'd be awesome. You're a rock star.

Unstoppable Pencil Container

So the life in a new house (our first home, YAY!) has been interesting...2 countries of stuff to fit into one house takes creativity when it comes to storage solutions. Sure, I could run to the local DIY store and pick up the latest and greatest in organizational solutions, but what fun would that be?
Just after New Year's, Mom and I ran across this stuff.Maybe you've seen them? Downey Unstopables They're in the detergent aisle and they're fun. But I digress.
We gave them a try and I had this empty bottle staring at me just begging me to do something with it. Now, call me anal, but even completely clean I wasn't going to stick snacks for the shorties in there. Did that stop me? Nope.
So I pulled off the label and stuck all 3 pieces in the dishwasher (top rack). What came out was this...
And you know what it looked like to me?The world's greatest colored pencil corral. Fits like a dream in a diaper bag for my daughter and it's clear so she can see all the pencils that are in there.
The cap has an opening big enough to easily get the pencils in and out, too.
I love this. I need more. And those ridges look like the perfect canvas for some chalkboard paint or Mod Podge. With all the craft supplies in this house, I foresee lots of cute Unstopable containers in my future.
BTW, I'm not naive enough to think my 4 yr old will keep her pencils in here all nice and tidy, but a mom can dream, right?

Repurposed

I have a confession.

I haven't knitted in about 3 weeks. (gasp).

Been sewing....will return to life with yarn shortly. :)

Proof in the design

Just wanted to share some gorgeous pictures my SIL, Lindsay, took of one of my creations...proof that I am still designing, I just need to get the lead out and write some patterns up! I have a few hats and tops to share, but I need to get working on them...This was my replication of an Anthropologie top I found last fall. Mock cables line the front making the chest area give as needed without having to adjust for boob size. Love that. Back panel is crocheted and all edges are crocheted for finishing along with the crocheted detailing at the neckline. The strap is double knit for a smooth and sturdy tube.