a couple more costumes for you.    a last minute costume, based on the blue wolf hood (http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=372996.msg4389447#msg4389447)  i already had. i decided to dress as Wolf Rain's Blue character's human and wolf form. http://images2.fanpop.com/images/soapbox/blue-the-human-wolf_24119_1.jpg?cache=1249313641

  i found this tutorial http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Cute-Kitty-Paw-Mittens/#step1, and made some paws to go with the hood.


it's a bit dark, but the fur is the same dark blue fur from the hood.   i left off the pads on the toes, because i am lazy.


forgot: wolf eye makeup...


and without the hood



 and my husband decided to dress as the robots from Disney's The Black Hole.
http://thepropstop.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/android.jpg

  i found some "mint in package" discount jersey sheets (the hem was VERY crooked), and studied my model (above).  i cut a pattern from an oversized sweat shirt, and only attached the arm strips at the shoulders.  there is an invisible zipper in the back, and 1/2 in cording through the collar. also, super shiny stretch material for an undershirt and fingerless gloves (he was dressing for a halloween performance for his band, and needed to be able to use his fingers)





happy halloween!

   as with most of us craftster fans, i made my kids costumes.   each time there's something new to figure out, and when i do, i gain more confidence in my sewing.   although, my window is cut short because our particular city is really stupid and has Trick or Treat, or Beggar's Night, on the Thursday before Halloween.
   this year, my oldest, who just REALLY got in to M.A.S.K. wanted to go as Vanessa from Venom's side.
http://www.frankshemanpage.net/mask_sword02.JPG

my nine year-old wanted to go as Storm from the 90s X-men cartoon
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cq-h1RCj4yI/SBWG1sxkElI/AAAAAAAAAr0/h6IOndPW6CU/s400/CartoonStormInMotion.gif


     my oldest was a tad picky about the coveralls that she would wear, and it was impossible to find a Storm costume like the cartoon, so i committed to making coveralls for both girls. and it had to be done well because both of them decided that they wanted to be able to wear the coveralls as normal clothes for school. ( i love these kids)    i used a shirt and pants from each daughter to make a pattern. then made a muslin mock-up and marked the waist line. we had lots of fit issues, and i learned how to adjust a pattern for a full bottom  the back pockets are from the jeans, and the front pockets  are similar to the Diesel Hush jeans.   Storm ended up with a black jumpsuit, like the movie, to minimize visible panties.








lots of top stitching, as you can see.

 and i even made spats, using a Threadbanger tutorial, for Vanessa's boots.


and on the kids

so, we've been on quite the muffin kick.   the salty-sweet bacon craze inspired me to find a maple bacon muffin recipe.  disappointed by the lack of flavor in the recipes i found through google searches, i concocted my own.



   1c. + 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour         1 egg, beaten                                         
   1.c wheat flour *                          1/4c butter, melted
   3/4c. sugar                                  4 Tbs. maple syrup
   2 tsp. baking powder                     1 Tbs. maple extract (imitation is okay)
   1/4 tsp. salt                                 6-10 slices bacon, crumbled or chopped
   2/3c. milk
  * you can use all-purpose in place of the wheat flour. i had it on hand, and threw it in.

   Preheat oven to 400 F. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar, make a well in center.  in another bowl stir together wet ingredients. pour in well, and stir just until combined. stir in bacon, and divide in to 12 muffin cups. sprinkle tops with sugar (it gives it a wonderful crunch) and bake for 18-20 minutes.



  mmm, bacony goodness.  although, my brother suggested a whole slice of bacon in each muffin

so, while trying to whips up a quick batch of chocolate muffins, and being slightly distracted by my "little helper,"  i made a mistake that ended up being pretty tasty. (i forgot the baking powder)  after a few bites, my husband and i agreed that they tasted like Cocoa Wheats: a hint of chocolate and not super sweet.  and they look like them too!


   1/2 butter, melted          1 egg, beaten          2/3c. milk
   1 tsp. vanilla                 1 3/4c. flour
   3/4-1c sugar                    1 heaping Tb Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  mix all ingredients well.  batter will be a little thin.   divide into muffin cups (regular size), sprinkle tops with sugar, and bake for 18-20 minutes
  

for my mother's birthday, back in august, i was inspired to try something a little fancy.  i searched and searched for recipe similar to what i wanted, and came up with this: 3-layer white cake with raspberry whipped cream topped with ganache.  i used this recipe for the layers, and based my whipped cream on the one here too: http://www.yumsugar.com/Celebrate-Spring-White-Cake-2970478

pre-ganache


topped




and the cake plate my mother gave me, that she bought when we lived in West Germany

a local fabric store was going out of business after 50 years. found lots of goodies in their sale. one was a remnant of mesh embroidered with beautiful flowers. as soon as i saw it i new what i wanted to make with it.  two years later i was able to create the dress. ( i got pregnant with my son in between, and had to wait for time, motivation, and my shape to come back )  i'm not great at creating patterns, so i altered New Look 6468, cutting out the panel for the sheer embroidered remnant, and adding a small lace-up section

my husband found a neat zip-up from goodwill 11 years ago, and asked me to make another one for him.  so, we found some cheap fabric at jo-ann's (that way if this didn't turn out, it was no big loss) and i went at it, carefully tracing all the panels of the jacket, marking seam allowance, and trying to adjust pieces that had stretched and were misshaped. there were tons of panels, side tabs, and lots of top stitching.  it was a little stressful, but both my husband and i are extremely happy with the result.  i think i'll be making another soon.

here's the finished product





and the new jacket by the old one

just a few things i've made over the past few years (all are linked thumbnails )

nothing too special. cut image from old Garbage shirt, attached to an altered long-sleeve T. (the sleeves flare slightly)


my friend asked me to save his worn-out Alice in Chains shirt. and this is what he got


resized a giant men's shirt, and cut out letters and Haro image from a green shirt


one of my favorites, it took a bit to figure out how to make the web more stable.


striped shirt from goodwill into two new shirts




another striped shirt into a T with envelope neckline, and white band


and used the turtleneck, cut in two, to make cuffs for a track jacket


cut out the image, and used scraps to add more detail for an Evangelion tank top


and last, found a GIANT moo-moo at goodwill, "new with tags," as they say. transplanted the mandarin collar and key-hole to a white shirt (it ended up with short sleeves) also, made vents at the bottom trimmed in the fabric from the moo-moo


and turned the rest into a skirt, with exposed white ruffle underskirt, and tie waistband (it's a little hard to see, but it's tied into a bow)



thanks for looking!

I needed an outfit to wear to a friend's wedding. i raided my fabric stash and found this giant remnant from the curtains i hemmed in our living room.  i winged the skirt, and added an exposed ruffled lining.  the top was from New Look 6468, the top band cut from the curtains. the weather was nice enough that i also got to wear this for my anniversary date last night

i came upon this recipe in 2004 while searching for the perfect Strawberry Shortcake to make for my husband's grandmother's 70th birthday.  Strawberry Shortcake is her favorite, and she said this was the best she'd ever had! the cake is not spongy like angel food cake. it has the flavor of a delicious waffle, but more dense and crumbly.

you need 6 cups strawberries total.
Filling:
5c strawberries
2-3 Tbs sugar.
 
  cut 4c. in halves or thirds.  coarsely mash add 1 cup sliced strawberries. mix with sugar. cover and refrigerate.
 
Shortcakes:
2c. flour
1Tbs. baking powder
2 Tbs sugar
10 Tbs (1/2c. + 2Tbs) COLD butter
1/2 tsp. salt.
3/4c heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
  preheat oven to 425. stir together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder.  using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in butter to pea-sized chunks.  stir in heavy cream to form a soft dough. turn onto lightly floured surface (may be crumbly). knead a little to help it stick. separate into two balls. (i make one slightly smaller. i use this as the top so it doesn't smoosh all the filling out of the sides )  flatten balls in 2, well-buttered, 9-in round pans.(not all the way to edges) bake for 13-14 minutes, until golden brown.
removed to cooling racks. spread 1Tbs. butter on the top of designated bottom cake, and 1Tbs. the bottom of top cake. cool.
 
Whipped Cream:
whip 2c heavy cream with 1/2c powdered sugar (or to taste) and 2 tsp vanilla to stiff peaks.
 
to assemble:
  spread 1/3 of whipped cream on top of bottom cake. spread filling (you may want to strain off some of the juice and set aside for drizzling),top with another 1/3 of whipped cream. add top cake. top with remaining whipped cream and sliced remaining strawberries (or you can use extra strawberries in the filling and save some for the top)  DEVOUR!