Within you lies a great and wondrous future.

I was asked to make some Gonzaga themed cake  pops... maybe a bulldog.

:::gasp:::

Bulldog. 

Really?

I went on a search to the local shops for a chocolate bulldog mold as a back up and kept my fingers crossed that I would be able to make a bulldog cake pop... or something that resembled a bulldog cake pop. 

 

Elliott hates it when I make cake pops... ;) 

 

 

Here is my bulldog... looks like a bulldog right? I think I'll be able to make them a bit more smooth next time... maybe making the mouth piece ears on wax paper before then adding them after the dunk... 

I held up one of the bulldogs to Elliott who is 3... and asked him what it was... "Doggie cake pop!! mmm" Whew. ok well at least it looks like a dog.  Text a picture to Aaron and asked him what it looked like... "Bulldog!" ok. Mission accomplished... and I didn't have to use the bulldog mold that I found that didn't really look like a bulldog. 

 

Did the rest of the cake pops in red and blue with some opposite color sugar sprinkles. 

 

COMPLETE!!

me likie. 

 

 

 

Today's Positive Thought
 
Within you lies a great and wondrous future.

XOXO

Previous Comments:

Emi - holy crap. just when i think I can't get any more impressed. you go and do it again.

Aaron - Well Adam's reaction says it all...these cake pops rocked! Nice work baby and delicious as always too :) Elliott certainly approves!!! I love you and appreciate all you do XOXO

If you want to be happy, be.

When Elliott was a babe we did some serious baby proofing of the house.  One of the many things we did was put this spongy padding on the edges of our extremely sharp edges of our table in the family room.  You can see it behind the adorable younger Izzie in the picture below...

We got the table from IKEA (love) soooo not the greatest quality.  When we removed the spongy padded goodness it took the first layer off with it.  Awesome.  I finally got tired of looking at the ugliness of it and did something about it.

Tore up a bunch of paper and then started the process of mod podging it to the table.  FYI: once you start the whole fun-ness (yes, that's a word in the land of Aimee) that is mod podge you want to do it on every surface of your house.  I'm having a hard time controlling myself. 

 

Added some fun quotes and a square of bike paper. :) Me likie.

Put it outside on the porch to bake/dry in the sun and so Elliott wouldn't glue one of his many cars to it.

Complete.  I love how it turned out. Yay!

If you want to be happy, be.  ~Leo Tolstoy

XOXO

Previous Comments:

Jme - It turned out really cute!!

Aaron - I love the "new" table. Sooooo much better than the damaged look after removing the padding. :) Very nice work there crafty-pants. XOXO

Within you lies a great and wondrous future.

It's a purse kinda day.  First purse I was asked to make and given a idea of color... this is what I came up with...

I dig it.  First one I've made where I made the handle and lemmie just say... big fan.  I think I'm gonna keep er this way.

Yay!

Now onto the Twin. 

I live in a world where I think EVERYONE  loves in your face bold, fun, bright fabric.  I was trying to not pull a homer (give Marge a bowling ball for her birthday with his name engraved on it) and really pick a fabric that my sister would enjoy and that looked like her. 

Oh my goodness.

I was in paradise for a good hour on sensory overload trying to pick.  I kept going back to the bright fabric.  I ended up emailing two photo's to my mama and let her make the final choice.  I then called the mama and asked her thoughts....

She thought I should go with the lighter version. 

I thought I should go with the darker version. 

After some thought and more talking to the mama I went with the lighter fabric.  Sheesh who knew making a choice could be so hard. 

There she is.  Twin's purse :)  Me likie.

I wasn't sure if she would enjoy a flower accent so I decided to hold off on it and see what she thought and mail her one if it turned out she did want one :) Who knew I would be lacking so much confidence when making the Twin a bag. 

I just wanted her to really really really enjoy it.

So this was my 6th or 7th... 8th... I dunno maybe my 10th purse I've made and I haven't made one for myself yet.  Since it was my birthday too decided to give myself a little present.  Mostly because I couldn't resist this bike fabric I saw... seriously... how cute is that??

Mmm. Yes. Very Aimee.

 

Thought up a new concoction for the flower accent on the front... soon that one (on the purse above) will be ditched and replaced with the new idea... along with sending one to the Twin. :)
Happy purses!

Within you lies a great and wondrous future.

XOXO

Previous Comments:

Charise - Love my purse! I think I would have liked any version you gave me :) Can't wait for the flower!

Mom - SO CUTE! I think you made the right choice on Twin's...love it. And yours is so YOU! Love the bike fabric. Man you should sell those puppies!

Liz - You are ridiculously talented!

We all need someone who gives us the courage to be who we're meant to be.

A few months before Izzie's birthday we sat down together to brainstorm what she would like to do for her birthday party.  She came up with a handful of idea's....

1.  Beach party

2.  Lego party

3.  Soccer party

4.  Science party

5.  Ice Skating party

6.  Skateboarding party

7.  Magic party

First she was stuck on the soccer party.  Couple weeks go by and she decided she wanted to change it to a Lego party.  Then she decided to wanted to change it to a skateboarding party.... since she had already changed her mind so much I let her stew on that idea for a bit before preparing for the party.  The last one stuck!  Skateboarding party it is!  Whew. 

Here is the invite I made:

Searched high and low for some mini skateboards to go on the cupcakes.... finally found some two days before the party!  While shopping for supplies I saw a cupcake stand for $40... now I love me some cupcakes but I wasn't willing to drop 40 for a stand.  Made my own for under $3.00.

w0000000! :) 

She's crafty.

We all need someone who gives us the courage to be who we're meant to be.

XOXO

All you've got is all you can give and that will always be enough.

I was working on some items for Izzie's auction on her school and a friend in Boise saw it on my facebook status.  She msg'd me asking if I would be willing to donate some cake pops to her daughter's school to auction off.  We decided she would make a coupon and the person who won it could redeem it and I would send down some cake pops from Spokompton.  Well it turned out they wanted them the day after memorial weekend.  Perfect! I could make them while in B-town and leave them for her.  Cut the shipping out.  Schaweeeet! 

It was for winners son's birthday.  They chose chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting.  I then dyed white chocolate to the colors desired and dunked the cake in that.  They asked if they could have a basketball cake pop.... BSU colors.  Um, sure! ;) Never done that before. How hard could it be.  Hahah. Hard! Here is the finished product. 

 

I did about 12 basketball cake pops and the rest were dunked in blue white chocolate with orange and blue sprinkles.  I think they turned out pretty darn good!

 

All you've got is all you can give and that will always be enough.

XOXO

I love life and life loves me!

Ohhhh how I enjoyed my  quilting class!  Our teacher Annie was such a joy, so patient, kind and the time flew by!!  Izzie came with me to our first class so she could pick out the fabric for the quilt and I could get her input and she could help me out.  Some good Mommy and daughter time :).

I was so consumed in my craftiness induced bliss I forgot to take pictures during the beginning! Here are some of my first pictures of absolute joy...

 

Ohhh it's getting exciting!! 

Setting these aside... thinking about using the fabric for the border and bright pink for choice of ric rac! Izzie's favorite fabric she chose had some pink in it she kept talking about along with her second favorite was pink.  What a fun choice to make some of her favorites pop!

I finished the border at home.... (the blackish gray fabric with black dots)...

Annie being the oh so nice and amazing teacher that she is.... invited me to come into the shop while she was working.  We picked the backing fabric (on sale, score!), sewed the back fabric together to the width and length needed, grabbed the batting and Annie showed me how to attached all three layers together to prepare to baste (sew) all three layers together.

Whew all three layers safety pinned together ready to sew!

 

With Annie's advice I decided to sew the inside of the quilt with hot pink thread and then switch when doing the border to black.  She showed me how to do the beginners diamond pattern and off I went to begin my adventure some more at home.  I was determined to finish this up before I left for Boise (two days later) where we would be celebrating CJ's, Little A's and Izzie's birthday's as a family.

Got the diamond pattern sewn! Whew... now to sew the ric rac around the edge between the outside border and the blocks.

 

Son of  a ..... don't you hate it when that happens!  Luckily I had bought the exact same ric rac for a skirt for Izzie that I hadn't used yet.  Cut a few inches off and problem solved.   whew. 

Removed the extra batting and fabric now it's time to attach the binding.  I was super confused as to how to do the corners of the quilt.... YouTube to the rescue!  Oh my how I love technology... can't tell you how many times the internet has saved me.

woo!

Now to do the not so enjoyable part.  Hand sew around the entire edge of the binding to attach it to the quilt to be finished.

 

Look!! I finished!! 

Ta-da!

I was soooo excited.  I was so happy I couldn't stop smiling, giggling and showing Aaron for his praise!  I think I surprised myself that I finished it in the time I set out to finish it.  Amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it and don't give up.

Check it out!

My dad holding it up at the family birthday party (that post is scheduled to post in two days!) Izzie was shocked and looked so happy!  Izzie: "I was really excited you finished it! I was really surprised you finished it because your machine broke.  My favorite part is the pattern on the front.  I like the fabric on the back too!  Mommy, I love the whole thing"

Awe. Melt a mama's heart. Seriously.

I love life and life loves me.

XOXO

Previous Comments:

Annie - Aimee! I am so proud and excited! It is beautiful and you're one talented lady. Thanks for the compliments about my teaching, however, you are the one who did a great job! Happy Belated birthday to Izzie! Big Hug, Annie

Ame - Yay! Thanks for the compliments Annie :) Loved your class... might have to take another one soon!

Jamie - Yay!! It's beautiful!

Ame - Thanks Jaime!! :) Can't wait to see your finished project.