Fine Art Friday!

I had to show this off!
This morning my 6 year old daughter brings this painting out to take to her show and tell today at school. She told me that she did this painting last night in her room when she was supposed to be going to sleep. (well, okay you can stay up if you produce art... lol)
I made sure to take a pic before she took it to school.
I LOVE it! And not just as a Mom, but, as a woman who loves to look at art.

Writing Poetry Wednesday

TODAY by CraftyTeresa

My thoughts,
as dark as the sky outside
and as full as the clouds that promise a downpour soon.

Too full of information!
Even though I need to stuff more in...
Too full of dark thoughts!
Even though I need to think more...

I wish I could be as the zen monks of long ago.
Only the present existed.
Only the self existed.
Zen...

But, no.
I am a mother.
I can't afford the luxury of the present.
I can't afford the luxury of the self.
I am all to all.
The opposite of zen.

Someday I will be sad that I'm not all to all anymore.
Someday I will recieve my zen-me time.
Someday I will look back and be glad.
BUT!
Today I am a mother.

Quick! Mmm-Mmm Monday!

Here's a really good chocolate frosting recipe, I think I got it from my Grandma:

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

3 Tab Margaine (or Butter) slightly melted
3 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup Cocoa
1/8 teas Salt
1/4 cup Milk (plus some to get the right consistency)
1/2 teas Vanilla

Beat well till creamy.

Yep. That's it.
I've put this together the way you're SUPPOSED to put together frosting, and I've just dumped it all in and "beat well till creamy"... both ways worked.
Ross makes Hershey's recipe for Brownies from scratch with his own addition of chocolate chips and I made the frosting. It's an annual tradition for him to take in his brownies around his birthday. THIS year, he didn't advertise, the newer people at work didn't know about it and he came home with LEFTOVERS! YAY!
Enjoy!

Kind of boring Crochet Friday

Today was Crochet Day at my friend Sarah's house. I LOVE Crochet Day.
I brought my project for the LDS International Art Competition to work on. I'm about half-way done with the crocheting part of it. But, then after that's done I'll still have a lot more to do on it.
Today I got two rows done and then crocheted a whole row that I had to take off, because it was done on the wrong side. argh!
It's an abstract crocheted wall hanging. It depicts coming up from Sin and repenting and becoming pure. It's based on a scripture from Isaiah about how "though your sins be as scarlet... they will be as white as wool" ... you know, something like that.

I keep entering this Competition... even though I realize that it's an International Competition and a Foriegn works of art are more likely to be accepted than mine from Salt Lake City.
But, Hope is Eternal.... and I keep trying.
Also, professional artist enter this competition too... I had no hope of winning in the painting category. I entered paintings twice.
Once for the very first competition, and once when Ross and I were dating. Then I got wise and made a crocheted wall hanging (like a hanging quilt but, crocheted) depicting The Beginning and then down through the ages through my pioneer ancestors to me. Yeah, it wasn't accepted.
I've never seen anything crocheted be accepted ... unless it was some sort of really fancy doily art. Usually in the textile section quilts, REALLY nice quilts, win.

All of my last entry's pics are on the other computer that doesn't work, otherwise I would post them...
This year's project is a secret until it's picture has been safely mailed in before October... my deadline.

I'm going really crazy abstract this time... and no matter what happens, I will keep entering.
Wish me luck!

Writing Haiku Wednesday!

My month has been SO BUSY, but now I find myself with a half of a week with Ross home, kids home and fun things planned. No stress. Aaahhhh.... I'm not even peeking at April's calendar stuff. Nope. Not till April 1st. And then I might think it's a joke... :)
Enjoy my haiku.


Rushing like the wind
Schedules, Errands, Everything!
Now, breathing slowly...

by CraftyTeresa

Mmm-Mmm Monday

Today I will share my secrets to making a cake mix taste great.

1. I always sift the mix. It gets rid of lumps and adds some air.
2. Add flavor to the water. For a chocolate cake I make hot chocolate out of the water.
If I want a peachy flavor I add the juice from a can of peaches.
Lemon cake? Add lemon juice to the water.
I added Vanilla Hot Chocolate to a yellow cake mix... it was pretty good.
3. You can add a small package of dry pudding mix to your cake mix.
Your cake extra tender and light.

Like Jello Poke Cake? Here's what I do:
Bake the cake.
Poke holes using the end of a wooden spoon.
Pour liquid jello all over cake and refrigerate.
THEN
Make a complimentary flavor of PUDDING and fill in the holes!
Cover with Whipped Topping.
THEN
To show everyone what flavor your Poke Cake is inside:
Use colored sugar to make a picture of the fruit flavor on top of the whipped topping.

Other Flavor Ideas:
1. Do you like Cherry Chocolate flavor?
Use a chocolate cake and cherry jello for your poke cake... perhaps around Christmas time?
2. Use a yellow cake mix, pineapple jello and coconut pudding for a Pina-Colada cake!
3. Hmmm, I haven't tried a Lemon/Lime Poke cake yet... that sounds nice!

Have fun!

Photography Friday

Okay. I was asked to make a wedding cake. I haven't made one since... the 90's... and that was BEFORE I got all my Wilton stuff. This is her second wedding. Her husband died before we moved here, so I never knew him. She is a very independent and energetic 70 year old, who can be taken for a woman in her middle to late 50s. She can definitely out walk me!
Her fiancee' loves chocolate cake, so the cake is mostly chocolate. :)
Since it's Easter Weekend she wanted an Easter themed Wedding Cake.

Here's a small step by step:
Bottom layer is Chocolate, with chocolate frosting in the middle.
Middle layer is Yellow, with chocolate frosting in the middle.
Top layer is Chocolate. Did I mention that I used Hot Chocolate as the water?
And Vanilla Hot Chocolate for the water in the Yellow mix.

At this point, Thursday afternoon, I was hitting my creativity wall. Things come easily to me, and suddenly the frosting wasn't smooth, the cake looked like it was TOO BIG of a project and I was scared and frustrated. Ross and my friend said over the phone that it looked just fine... what? So, I cried a bit and got over that wall and my mind figured out how to fix it.

This was my solution: cello wrap! Isn't it pretty and springy? Plus, the cello wrap would protect the ribbons that I thought of putting around the cake too...

Here's the ribbons. I wanted to make sure you could see the pretty green swirly cello wrap under the ribbons. The green grass really matched the cello wrap and filled out the cake.

Aren't the bunnies cute? I wanted to make sure the new couple would have a little something to keep from their cake to remember their day.

Cakes are like balloons and flowers... they just don't last! Ethereal!

Here's the final product with the material around the bottom. So pretty!

What do you think? An Easter Wedding Cake! I think she will love it as much as I do!