Cupcakes were a hit and Pilobolus

First of all, my cupcakes did not arrive in Chicago in great condition. The video below of this week's Subway Alumni Show illustrates the messiness and apparent deliciousness of my cupcakes. Thanks for the huge shout out Sprout and Eric!



Last night Corey and I went to the theater at the University of North Alabama to see Pilobolus perform. It was extraordinary to say the least. Look them up on Youtube if you have time. Their movements are so controlled and the choreography was just so different. My mind was totally blown by the final piece. The dancers wore only dancers belts in a few of the performances, and many people got up to leave. I don't understand because even the tickets and posters featured half-naked people in various formations. It's not a big surprise to see a few ass cheeks. But apparently some people found that offensive and left. I wouldn't care, except every time the doors in the back of the theater opened, it distracted everyone in the dark theater. I just found it rude. We even stayed for the Q&A session afterward. I feel so fortunate to have been able to listen to such talented performers discuss their art. The most amazing part is that the majority of the group began dancing in their early to mid twenties and haven't trained all their life for this.

I've started on my first cross stitch project and it's coming along quite nicely. I'll talk about it more later. Tonight the ladies are coming over so hopefully I'll be motivated to get a little more completed. It's chilly here, so I think I'll cook up some soup and snuggle up in my pj's tonight while I craft. I really do enjoy winter.

Inspiration strikes again

I am completely finished embroidering Telisha's apron now! It looks great. I will be posting pictures later when they're uploaded. Lonnie and I got a wild hair this morning and we're finally learning to cross stitch. It started because I thought I would make my friend Jeff a Simpsons themed piece for Christmas. I actually found a pattern that kicks so much ass that I had to get it. It looks pretty involved, so I thought I should get some practice in before the pattern gets here. That's when Lonnie and I headed to Hobby Lobby on our lunch break. I'm going to make a wine trivet for Lonnie. Luckily I don't have to hide it from her. And hopefully it will turn out nicely, even though it'll be my first cross stitch.

In other crafting news, I figured out how to make my own cross stitch patterns in Photoshop. I've made two so far today. One of a mudkip (joke for my roommate) and a Jack Skellington for Lonnie. Lonnie is actually cross stitching a bear right now and it seems to be going well.

And if you were wondering what ever came of my cupcakes, wonder no more. The Subway Alumni received them and ate some. Proof is in the video below!

Epic Cupcake Fail?

I made the cupcakes last night using a new recipe I found online. The guys at The Subway Alumni Show like confetti cupcakes, and I've never made them before. After Corey and I got the ingredients I didn't already have and got started on my experiment. These didn't turn out exactly how I imagined for several reasons. 1. I couldn't get the blue icing dark enough. 2. The cake wasn't as moist as I'm used to. 3. I've never used a piping bag to ice cupcakes. 4. I should have used buttercream frosting instead of cream cheese. But the end result is delicious, no matter how unattractive they may be. I know this because I ate one for breakfast. Diet, what?

I hope they make it to Chicago in one piece. I've packed them quite well using a new air bladder I recycled from an Office Depot shipment. I'll just go ahead now and post the recipe.

Funfetti Cupcakes
1/2 cup milk
3 large egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp butter, soft
2 tbsp rainbow sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a measuring cup, whisk together milk, egg whites and extracts. Set aside
In the bowl of an electric mixer (or a large bowl if you prefer to work by hand), combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir to combine. Cut in butter with the paddle attachment at low speed (or cut in by hand), until mixture is coarse and sandy. Add milk mixture and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl and continue beating for 20-30 seconds. Stir in sprinkles.
Divide batter evenly into prepared tin. Bake for for 15 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire cooling rack before frosting.
Makes 12.

Trying New Things

This weekend I worked a lot on the apron I'm making for my best pal, Telisha. I am using the same gnome pattern that I used on Kris' purse earlier. I went to Hobby Lobby and picked out some new floss and a floss roller. It was only 99 cents, and thank goodness because it doesn't work at all. It looks a lot like a fishing reel and it rolls the floss onto the bobbin very loosely. I don't like it at all. I think I actually left it at my parents' house, too.

Tonight is craft night at my place, and we'll be watching Forgetting Sarah Marshall while we get crafty. I will hopefully finish up most of the apron.

I ordered a few things on the Internet last week, too. First, I'm addicted to the TV series True Blood, so I ordered the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, Dead Until Dark. It was only $3 and I couldn't help myself. Next, I'm making some cupcakes on Wednesday for the guys at the Subway Alumni Show. I bought some icing tools that I've never tried before. Why not get fancy, ya know? The tools were actually very cheap on ebay, too. As a bonus, they're not used, either. Heh... Using used utensils freaks me out. Anyway, I'll get to try those out, along with a new recipe I found for funfetti cupcakes. It looks delicious.

You Don't Gnome Me! Completed Project

It took me a few days longer than I thought it would, but I finished the bag I was working on. With the elections (I am a rabid media watcher) and me being sick, it was a little overwhelming. But as Corey and I watched Gone Baby Gone last night, I stitched the final touches on my cute little gnome.

This weekend I am going to start on Telisha's Christmas present, an apron with gnomes on it. She was my gnome inspiration, actually. She has cute little gnomes on her front porch and even has shirts with the little dudes on em. Hers will be a little more elaborate than this bag, so it will take a little longer. I'm going to my parents' house this weekend, so I will have a lot of down time at night when they go to bed and on Saturday when Mom works. And of course Monday is craft night, so I'll have several hours to work on it then.

Again, I need a new camera. Mine is actually on the fritz right now and only works when I gently coax it. Some of the pictures aren't too bad, but the one of the little cottage is just way too blurry.

Coming To The End Of A Project

This weekend was a good one filled with candy, hockey, and family. Corey and I visited his son, Carson, for Halloween and took him to his football team's party at the hockey game. His coach did lose him, but he was found and we never have to deal with those parents again! Other than all that hectic stuff, I did get some stitching done. I am nearly finished with the purse I'm working on now. I put some cute little gnomes on it for my BFF Kris. Tonight is craft night, so I'm sure I'll complete what I have left of this project. Then it's on to the next Christmas gift!

I have a good feeling about this. If it only takes me one week to complete a project, I'll have all of my Christmas gifts finished way before the deadline. And since I was sick last week, I didn't get to stitch as much as I normally would, so perhaps I'll finish two projects a week. I really don't have that many to make, either. We're going light on the present giving this year.

I found this pincushion on Etsy.com earlier and I loved it! I keep losing needles in the couch, and I think this would stop that. Not to mention it is completely adorable. I might just have to break down and buy it for myself after Christmas. I've been a good girl and kept the shopping to a minimum, which is a huge deal for me. We went clothes shopping this weekend and I actually didn't buy anything for myself. Granted, I was having a fat day, but there were still shoes I really liked!