Monday, November 22, 2010

My First Tutorial

I like reading other blogs and seeing the crafty cutesy things that others can do. I by no means feel that I am crafty or cutesy,  but I tried out a new cake technique and it turned out pretty awesome, so I thought I'd share my secret.

Shayla's zebra cake. Pretty simple, really.



For the zebra effect, take small rolled out snakes of black fondant and lay out a pattern over an unrolled slab of white fondant. (make sure you put in little "y's" because zebras don't have perfect stripes.)




Carefully roll out the fondant and the black wormy parts will moosh in with the white. If it doesn't stick it's because you have too much powdered sugar in between them. Just wipe it lightly with a wet paper towel to get it to glue together then roll it a little more.




To make the bow just cut out strips of fondant about an inch wide and 5 or 6 inches long. Curl them over and "glue" the ends with water. Pinch them off a little so they are tapered.  Let them dry out a little overnight and then use melted white chocolate as a glue to put your bow together.



Vio-la!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Snow Day

Let's get this out in the open first. I loath winter. Especially now that I have a 45 minute commute across wind swept farm land and blows snow around creating treacherous conditions.

But today- today was awesome. It was snowing snowballs. I mean it- the flakes were all stuck together and it was coming down in preformed snowballs. My sister brought her kids over to hang out while she helped my mom. Dallin wanted to play in the snow... I thought for the first time in *years* that I wanted to too! I put on my snow boots and a sweatshirt (my coat is still in a box somewhere).  Sadie even got in on the action and came up with some snow gear. I haven't had that much fun playing in the snow in forever.







We built a snowman and made snow angels.  I dragged Dallin around on the sled and he *tried* to drag me. I knew he wouldn't be able to- but he insisted so I let him try. It was hilarious.  We even had a good old fashioned snowball fight.  (Sadie can only hit about one in ten- but she always makes that one count.  She got me in the head almost every time she hit me.) 



Then it was inside for homemade soup and hot homemade bread!  Not a bad beginning to winter.

It got worse. I sang Christmas songs all day and even popped in the Grinch for the kids (right, the kids- not me.) Our tree is up but not decorated. If I'm not careful I may start getting in the Holiday mood before Thanksgiving this year.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Good News Bad News

I always like to do the bad news first. I don't know why.  I guess I'd rather end on a slightly higher note than the one I began with.  A few days ago I was rummaging around barefoot in my room and *sloshed* my foot in a puddle.  That's never good.  We found that there is a long crack in the foundation of the house.  The smell of the old wet carpet pad would make your toes curl.  I have subsequently moved out of my bedroom- hopefully temporarily.  I'm sort of half in the room next door and half living at my sisters.  One sister is out of town for work so I'll sleep in her comfy bed while she's gone.  We'll see what happens when she gets back. There are plenty of spare beds at my parents house. But I've been spoiled with how awesome- and how big- my bed is. I forgot what it's like to sleep with my feet hanging off the end of the bed because I'm too tall for it.

You ready for the good news?

All this means that the wall has to get torn out and *that* means

That's right! The killer corn husk dolls are going to be but a memory... or recurring nightmare.

Pulling down the panelling on the wall also revealed the former occupant's taste (my big brother had the room originally) so for your viewing pleasure, and as a respectful farewell to the decorating taste of siblings past:



I think I prefer the sports wallpaper.

Monday, November 8, 2010

.0003 Seconds of Fame

Dear Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,

Hi, I don't know if you remember me, but I was one of the zillions of Pocatello-ans standing in a crowded, sun-stroked group of screaming idiots on your visit to my hometown (area).  If you don't remember me by name, then perhaps you can re-watch tonight's episode. About 45 minutes into the show, just after the family pulls up to the house in the limo, you scanned the crowd.  I'm the gigantic fuzzy blob of white that's waving (but not looking at the camera because I was forbidden and threatened that if I did, I would not be on the show).

I would like to thank you for my first Hollywood exposure tonight (as well as a possible exposure to skin cancer).  I waited long and terrible hours for that split second of TV time.