Another Princess Birthday Cake

You might remember a few months ago I made a Snow White cake for my daughters birthday.  Both my girls loved the cake and ever since January I have heard nothing else from my oldest daughter.  Her birthday was last week, I let her pick her cake, colors, and princess.  She had a whole isle of cakes to pick from, strawberry, cherry, chocolate, lemon, carrot, spice.  Wanna guess what she picked?  White.  Just like her father.  So I had her pick a second cake, I need at least two boxes anyway.  Hoping she'd pick a fun flavor this time she picked: fun fetti.  At least it has a little bit of color in it.  White and White with sprinkles.... just like Daddy.

I ended up using 3 cake mixes, two white and 1 fun fetti, 2 tubs of frosting, and about 6 hours of my time.
But she loved it.

Pink John Deere Baby Quilt, Finished

After 4 months of hard work and many many needle pokes to the finger I have finished my baby quilt.  Just in time too, I'm full term this weekend and we're expecting her within a couple weeks.  Take a look and please leave a comment and tell me what you think.  Constructive criticism is often helpful.  Keep in mind it's not perfect, but it's actually the most perfect one I've made, it only has a couple minor mistakes.

The center stars are hand pieced with pink John Deere licensed fabric.  The borders were, believe it or not, the hardest part, tore them off several times and switched fabrics a couple times before I liked it.

Hand quilted with little tractors around the outer-most border, backing is John Deere flannel.

Now all I need is a sweet little baby girl to wrap up in it.

Fudge Nut Bars

These are delicious. Seriously. To prove it...every single bite was eaten before I could even get a picture. Enjoy!

Fudge Nut Bars

Dough:
1/2 cup (1 cube) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Filling
1/2 pkg chocolate chips (I did handful of milk, and a handful of white)
1/2 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 tbs butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix all dough ingredients together in large bowl. Press 3/4 of dough into bottom of 9x13 baking dish. Cook filling ingredients over a double boiler until everything is melted (Option: you can also put all filling ingredients into a saucepan on your stove on LOW, stirring occassionally, until everything is melted. LOW is important...not 2 or 3, but LOW). Pour Filling over dough. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 of dough over the filling, and sprinkle chopped nuts if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

John Deere Baby Quilt... Pieced

I have absolutely loved this project, up until this week.  I finished piecing the center last week, and this week I started my borders, I started with a thick green border, then a thin yellow, then a white, and was about to continue when I realized I hated it.

So!  I tore off the borders, rearranged colors, started with the thick green border again, wait... I hated that already.

So! I tore off the borders... again, then rearranged the colors, realized I hated the yellow I picked.

So! I went to the fabric store and picked a new yellow, rearranged the colors and put the borders on as you see them here, and I finally love it again.

I wasted about 3/4 of a yard of fabric on this project with all the borders I cut then realized I didn't like and threw out to start over, but it's finally pieced.

I have 4 weeks left to quilt this beauty before it's owner (hopefully) arrives!  I'll be going back to the fabric store this weekend to pick a flannel backing, probably a light solid pink, the binding will be an assortment of the pink fabrics used in the stars.

If I have time I'm going to quilt some little pink tractors inside the green border around the quilt, but that might take more time than I have.  Guess I better get moving, huh?

Curtains, Blankets, and a lil' Decorating

Is it seriously May already?  I cannot believe how fast time has flown.  Life has been so busy.  I finally finished my school work for the semester and the weather has been relatively nice.  The baby will be here in about 7 weeks!  I can't believe how little time I have left.  It's sparked a sort of motivation inside me to hurry and finish a few projects before she's born.

I just finished these receiving blankets for a friend's baby this morning, they've been on my table for about 3 1/2 months now.  Double-sided flannel with a simple blanket stitch around the edges.  My blanket stitch skills are in need of improvement. 

Two nights ago I had my husband help me finish this bookshelf I made last spring.  I painted the sides with a glossy white (it's washable now!) and he helped me drill the screws in so they don't poke out the sides anymore... that's always good right?  The last touch for this shelf will be to router some nice edges on it, but until I break down and buy a  router, I'm stuck.

Yesterday I finally got all the girls's toys moved into their own bedroom, so I could set up the nursery.  I at least have furniture set up so if she comes early (I can dream right?) she'll have a place to sleep and clothes to wear.  I need to get some decorations up on the walls, but honestly I don't have any yet!  Eek!  I have a few I plan on making, but haven't done it yet.  I don't even have the right color of vinyl for some wall art!

I did however, make some curtains for her room.  I've gone with a John Deere theme, so the curtains are pink, green, and brown.  They block out the light really well, which is nice, seems her window faces direct East and that morning sun is quite bright.

A couple weeks ago I painted my girls's bedroom, (white, boring I know.)  I spent a couple days after that putting up decorations and what-not to make it look cute.  It's my first room in my house that is officially FINISHED!

I hung their memory boards over their beds with a little bit of vinyl wall art underneath.  

We finally got them some nice beds, instead of just a frame and a mattress, and the beds look so cute with the quilts on them.  I love it.  (can't see it well, but the baby quilts their Grandmother made are hanging above their beds as well.)  Lemon bars:  and Pillow

Flower Garden:

I hung their hand print paintings above their closet, and their "watch me grow boards" are set against the wall to the right.   The small picture frames on the left.

I hung the "Walk Tall" board I made above the door and their temple pictures next to the door.
All their toys are under the beds in drawers or in the closet to keep the room uncluttered.

The baby quilt is almost pieced.  Hopefully I can finish the piecing this weekend.  Wish me Luck.