Lemon Coconut Cupcake Hat

Last year about this time I began to explore the concept of creating my own pattern. I had seen many cute cupcake hats, but none that were quite to my liking. They were all cute, but they were missing something... So I decided to play with fuzzy yarn, hoping it would create the over the top touch that I was looking for. And thus, the Lemon Coconut Cupcake Hat was born! I love lemon! Absolutely LOVE lemon!

Well after playing around with the pattern and finalizing the right fuzzy to plain yarn ratio, I then decided to put my pattern into print. Hoping someone might understand my explanation enough to make their own adorable fuzzy cupcake hats. I put the pattern on ravelry.com, decided to sell it, and it became a hit. Last night at "Stitch N' Pitch" I had a sample hat out on our table and actually met someone who downloaded my hat pattern! I was so excited... I wish I would have gotten her name. After her, many people continued to pick up the cute little hat and exclaim at how adorable it was. So I decided it was time to post the pattern here for ease of anyone who picked up one of our flyers last night. BTW, If you didn't read my mom's post earlier about "Stitch N' Pitch" and are wondering what it is, well it is a chance for local needle artists in the Milwaukee area to attend a Brewers game and not look funny as they knit, crochet or do other needle work in the stands. Last night was our first time attending and aside from the AWFUL heat, it was fun! We met a lot of locals who do wonderful work in our area, some for profit, some for charity and some who recycle sweaters into yarn!


~eem

Pineapple cake

My grandma Lucille was the baker in our family before she started losing her sight. She made this AMAZING pineapple cake, and I must get the recipe ASAP! Although as I made an angel food pineapple cake I thought of her. This was once again fueled by my pinterest obsession where I saw a pin of adding a 20oz can of crushed pineapple to an angel food cake mix. After baking the cake I sliced it in half and layered it with cool whip and strawberries. Then I topped it with more cool whip and strawberries. I planned on taking a picture, but it was GONE before I could. I think next time I will play around with the type of cake and filling, but keep the pineapple/strawberry combo. Hopefully it will be just as delicious, but I'll be able to snap a picture before it is all gone. Until then enjoy the pin that inspired this delicious cake!

Source: livingachangedlife.blogspot.com via Sara on Pinterest

~eem

Strawberry time!

It's peak strawberry picking time here. Yesterday morning the girls and I headed off on our adventure bright and early. The pick your own farm closest to us opened at 7 and it was about a 40 minute trip.

We arrived just 15 minutes after opening and the fields were full of pickers and strawberries. We picked about 25 pounds and headed home.

Next came freezer prep, cutting off the stems and giving them a good wash. We let them dry and then into freezer bags, for now. I'm waiting for a cooler day (it was 85 yesterday) to get my jam on.

Here's a link to a website that will hook you up with local pick your own farms in your neck of the woods, as long as you're in the U.S.A., Canada or Britain.

Happy Picking!
~mpr

Baby Bumblebee Topiary

We held another surprise baby shower at work this year. I swear there is something in the water at our work! This one was for my dearest friend, Maria. I made yet another floral arrangement for the shower, but on a bigger and grander scale to fit Maria's personality. Instead of doing a small pot mixture of baby clothes and flowers, I decided to venture into the land of topiaries. If you would like the full tutorial on how I make my floral arrangements, you can view it in an earlier blog post here.

But here is the before picture of the topiary...




And here is the after picture!



~eem

Never send a man to do "women's work"...

So this week I made a grocery list and sent my hubby to the store. On that list was "sugar cookie dough" to make mini-deep dish fruit pizzas. An idea from my pinterest obsession. I was excited to make them for my dear friend Maria's surprise baby shower at work. Wednesday night my hubby asked me to make him some of the cookies he bought, and in the drawer I found CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH. OY! So I made some for him and the next night I made some of the mini-cookies with the chocolate chip cookie dough. I was hesitant at first to try the fruit pizzas with the chocolate chip cookie base, but thought to myself... Chocolate covered strawberries are yummy... so what the heck! And they were delicious! So in this case my husband's accidental misread of the grocery list turned out to be a success! They were a big hit at the shower and I had coworkers asking for the "recipe". HA!

Here is a picture of the finished product!



Mini-deep dish Chocolate Chip Fruit Pizzas

Cookie Base:

1 package of break and bake chocolate chip cookie dough

Break the already divided cookie dough in half again so you get 48 pieces. Press each piece into the bottom of a mini muffin pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes. Allow to rest in pan for 2 additional minutes after removing from oven. Cool on baking rack. Serve with Fruit Pizza Frosting and fruits of your choice.

Fruit Pizza Frosting

1 8oz package of softened cream cheese
1 8oz oz container of cool whip
1 package of Dream Whip
1/2 cup of milk
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients with hand mixer until smooth and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Enjoy! I also made a batch with sugar cookie dough and found that they took a little longer to bake and firm up... about 6-8 minutes, with 2 minutes of rest time out of the oven.

~eem

Summertime summertime, sum sum summertime

I have been lax in getting posts in. I am blaming it on the B-U=tiful weather we have been having. Since I spend the bulk of my day sitting in an office, I try to spend as much time as I can outside when the weather is cooperating. Hey, I live in Wisconsin...this doesn't last very long here.

One of my favorite things is walking the dogs and now that they're healed (they were neutered a few weeks ago) we are back at it. Second favorite thing to do...go to Brewers games. I'm going to two this weekend. Other than that, I am getting my sewing projects ready for the Stitch and Pitch game on Tuesday, June 19. I still have to get the flyer done and some business cards, but that can wait FOR THE LAST MINUTE...cuz that's how I roll.

I was browsing around on the MS Challenge Walk Wisconsin website yesterday and found a boat load of fun pictures from the walk last year.



this one is my BFF, me and my oldest daughter



Peace~
Marian

Revenge of the "mother" weed

We called the pricklers when I was growing up, I'm pretty sure what I have is from the thistle family. My neighbor and I firmly believe that there is a "mother" plant somewhere between our two yards. The "mother" plant grows wild under the earth, sprouting her babies in our lawns and flower gardens. I have dug and dug and dug, seriously down 2 feet, to get to the "root". Last year I went after her with a vengance. Before I planted one annual or new perrinial...I dug up my entire flower garden. I moved the perrinials I wanted to keep, into buckets of soil, while I dug into the ground to find the "mother". I found teeny tiny tenticles, resembling fine hair and blasted that with weed killer. Next I put a product that prevents weeds from coming up into the soil. I replanted my perrinials, planted some new annuals and thought my job was done. But no, I was wrong. She's back and with a vengance.

Any ideas on how to kill this "mother"?