Domestic Diva?

Or I have too much time on my hands?

So, over the last month and ... a half I have been baking and working on some projects, and I thought I would share some of them. (Some are secret and cannot be shared yet. ^_^ I also have some cards to put here soon that me and some people made for charity. More on that laterz.)

First off, the baking.

I saw a yummy-looking recipe over at Centsational Girl for a Spiced Pear Cake. I thought I would give it a whirl. It was okay the first time around, but even though I do like a good pear, the taste of the pear was really muted. SO, I decided to try apples (since it was a possible suggestion). This time it came our pretty tasty, and you can definitely taste the apples.

Her pictures are much prettier, but here's my version of the cake (if you're on FB, then you probably saw this already):

Then, my friend Stephanie had been baking lots of bread -- she has a bun in the oven, so it was appropriate. Not long ago, my in-laws gave us their old breadmaker. It was nice to have it, but the bread's crust is kinda hard, and so I decided to try the recipe Steph had posted for white bread. This recipe is seriously easy, and if you have a mixer (like a Kitchenaid) with a dough hook, then most of the work is done for ya!

Turns out soft and yummy, and keeps in the fridge for quite a while, and with a pop into the toaster, mmm ...!

And then, I have also done some sewing! Since my friend Steph has said bun in said oven (^_-) I knew a baby shower would soon be in the works, so once I knew when the shower was, I got down to business, making the baby two little sundresses, with a matching hat. (The hat didn't make it into the original gift, though, as it gave me issues, but thankfully ....) I love the fabric, and used leftover denim fabric from a previous project to make the ruffles and hat.) I think this is the first time I can recall truly following every step in the pattern.

But the results? Gah! Adorable, if I do say so myself. Even though it looks like one piece, it's actually a sundress with little panties to cover the diaper. I just put them together for ease of photography.

(Oh, and you WILL see that foam head in the future. Hehehe ... love it!)

Spiritually Interrupted

As most of you know, in church I work with the children (aka Primary). Most of my time is taken up with tending to secretarial duties during church.

The only time I really have, during church, for spiritual nourishment is during what we call Sacrament Meeting (basically, the congregational meeting where the sacrament, or as some call it, a communion, sorta, is passed and we have speakers talk instead of just one preacher or priest teaching).

I very, very rarely have spiritual moments when I am in Primary. And usually, frankly, it's when we're singing, but I digress.

But today, and last Sunday, I had recognizable spiritual moments that were ... *sigh* ... interrupted. And it irked me! How sad is that?!

Now, granted, that doesn't mean those were the ONLY spiritual moments I had, but to have them interrupted was, well ... frustrating.

Last Sunday, a good friend was up at the pulpit speaking about one of her brothers, who happens to have been in a very similar situation like one of my brothers. I could really start to feel the truth of her words ... when a child behind me had kicked his toy under my seat and asked me if I could get it for him). No, the child didn't do it on purpose, but the child HAD brought the toy ... and ... I missed the rest of what my friend said. *sigh*

Then today, on a rare of rares, during Primary, the President was giving the lesson to the older kids, and part of what she said was really starting to make me feel the Spirit ... when the door next to me opens with a woman from the nursery needing to find the mother of the child she's leading by the hand, because he has to go potty. (His mother is one of our teachers.) And I had to help her find the teacher in one of the classrooms. I know, I know. It's not anyone's fault. I was just in the wrong spot, and I got interrupted.

But for it to happen twice, on consecutive Sundays, and it be so apparent, well ... what can I say?

Am I being a little whiny? Maybe. But ... don't you WANT to feel good when you go to church on Sundays? I guess I felt a little denied. *soft laugh*

What will next Sunday bring? Hopefully the third time IS the charm and I make it through without being spiritually interrupted.

New Banner!

New banner header! I have been trying to work on a new one for awhile, but I finally got inspired. I found this pretty pic and it seemed very Autumn-y, so ....

Halloween was pretty fun. Was a Hogwart's Student for our church's Trunk or Treat (on Friday), and for Halloween, I was a vampire. I know, a little cliche, but I have some cool teeth that sit over my lateral incisors, instead of normal ones that sit on the canines. They're individual too, and look really cool!

Also, been very, very busy working on some projects -- but at least I had time to finish a new banner header!

Has anyone noticed I haven't posted any of my fanfic for several months? *LOL* No one's mentioned it. *sniff* I have lots written, I just need to do some research for my next part on here, and I haven't had the time -- it doesn't take a lot, I just need to do it. We'll see if I make it for this Friday!

Kitty Pumpkin says ...

Happy Halloween!

Okay, technically tomorrow is Halloween, but I thought I would get into the spirit a little early, and show off my Kitty Pumpkin! I got this idea from All You magazine. However, I couldn't find the size of pumpkin it suggested, so mine is a tiny version. No, really. The pumpkin itself is only about 2 1/2 inches. Awww, cute!

Tonight is my church's Trunk or Treat event, where I will dress up as a Hogwart's student -- Gryffindor, of course! ^_^ I've had this costume for years, but ... it's well made and has lasted a long time. I still need to get some decent pics of it, though, before I decide that it's time for the costume to be retired. (BTW, if anyone cares, the costume is HP movie 1&2 version, as they changed with the 3rd movie.) They are having a "best pumpkin" prize at the Trunk or Treat, and I will enter mine, though I doubt it will win. If there was a tiny and cute decorated pumpkin category, I would be a total shoo-in! ^_^

Tomorrow I'm going to my friend Stephanie's Halloween party. Since it will be indoors, and my HP costume is quite warm, I'm debating what to wear for the party that won't be too warm. I have two ideas, but one will definitely take longer to get myself ready for than the other, and I'm working on a sewing project that I really need to make some headway on. So, we'll see ....

So, everyone, have a happy and safe Halloween -- and don't eat too much candy!

(What are YOU doing for Halloween? What are you dressing up as, if you are dressing up?)

DigiScrap: State Fair of Texas (from the archive)

(Having some issues getting my digiscrap stuff back to my 'puter, I decided to post an old layout -- created a little over a year ago.)

With it being October, and the slight chill of fall in the air, and Halloween approaching, I thought I would share an LO I did of me at the State Fair of Texas, back in '04 (wow, it's been that long?). The picture of me with the cat makeup is actually a funny story. My company had taken us to the Fair (and we were small, so there were only a few of us), and we came across these French gals that were with some troupe, that were doing makeup ... on kids. There were some cats, lions, tigers, butterflies, and other magically glitterful creations, and ... my coworkers dared me to get my face done. Uh, hello! Cool! So, there I am, standing in line, with kids and their parents. I was not the only adult to have it done, but probably one of the few. And, the gals were kind enough to work around my glasses (which, maybe spoiled the effect a little, but...). I LOVED the way it turned out, and when we met some of my other coworkers later (who hadn't been with us), they certainly had some laughs. But I think secretly the had to be jealous. This was definitely NOT an amateur makeup job. What I especially love about this LO is the tinted pic in the background of the ferris wheel. You know, I have technically never been on that one. Maybe one day (the lines are usually really long, and it's kinda expensive, though).