Ghosts of Projects Past: Garden Party Cupcakes

This summer I got a book from the library called Hello, Cupcake, just for fun. I didn't have any special occasions, but the boy loves desserts, so I decided to get crafty and make him some fancy-schmancy cupcakes. My favorites in the book were the Garden Party Cupcakes. The tiny radishes! The peas! The cookie crumb soil! I had to make them.

And here they are:
I liked this book because they use things that are easy to find and for the most part easy to work with for their decorations. I know fondant looks pretty, and I've seen some really awesome cakes made with it, but I think it tastes gross. And I think it's kind of difficult to work with. I want to make something that looks and tastes good. My little pea pod twirlies aren't as good as the ones in the book because I couldn't find green licorice strands. I had to buy a package of Airheads, a package of Jolly Rancher Fruit Chews, a package of M&Ms and a box of corn flakes for these, and somehow I ended up with no orange chewies! I was going to do tomatoes instead of carrots, but I only had enough reds for the radishes (and I loved them so!) so even though my piping skills are not fabulous, I piped on the carrots. They were delicious (another great thing about the book, pretty easy but oh-so-yummy from-scratch cupcake recipes. These are vanilla, and we also tried the almond, delicious), but the fruit chews and chocolate and pretzels made for some strange flavor combinations. Chocolate on graham crackers, however, mmm mmm good.

I also made petit fours with mini almond cupcakes for some neighbors who took care of things around the house while we were away, but I forgot to take pictures before I delivered them. Oops. They were very pretty and delicious.

Ghosts of Projects Past: Altered Book

This isn't really a past project, since it is definitely still a work in progress. I've really been getting into paper crafts lately, and scrapbooking isn't really my thing. I'd like to keep a journal, but I'm just not good at writing every day (though I have found a system that works for me. I still don't write as much as I'd like to but I'm getting better). Then I discovered the altered book or journal. It was a bit scary at first. Being a loyal Barnes & Noble employee for five years and book lover, the idea of cutting, pasting, painting, and coloring pages of an actual book seemed ludicrous! But the projects I was seeing were so amazing, I decided to buy a book at Goodwill for 79 cents that I would never read (an old children's library book called New Amsterdam Days and Ways, some good illustrations, and the old library checkout log still taped in the front. It called to me) and give it a try. Now I'm cutting pages out of Goodwill books like there's no tomorrow. Here's my title page, the first of the finished pages you come across in my book:

The weekly theme when I started (I've joined an altered book craft-along on Craftster) was birds, and peacocks are one of my favorites. This is the first page I did in my book:

Next I started on a series of rainbow pages. I haven't finished yet, but here's what I have so far.

What's inside the envelope, you may be wondering. Why, it's a love letter!

The next theme I picked off the list was carnival and hands. I came up with this spread:

Who's that behind the curtain?

And the full fortune teller spread:

Eventually the other side will have a dancing girl behind the door, I just haven't had the proper inspiration to do her justice yet.

My last finished (almost) spread is black and white themed. I'd been collecting objects with one in mind, and I finally felt that I had the finished idea in my head. It's also my first try at a zentangle or in my case a zendala.

The images are from a children's literature anthology, they are by Maurice Sendak, one of my favorites. You may spot these in other pages that I post in the future. I'd like to find a quote to put under the zendala, but I haven't found the right one yet.

I'll continue to post pages as I finish them. I haven't been giving my book as much attention as I would like to lately, but with rainy, autumn weather ahead I'm planning to spend some cozy evenings with a cup of hot chocolate and my book (and scissors, paste, paints, and crayons of course).

Ghosts of Projects Past: Poison Undies

In an effort to get some content up for folks to enjoy, and to show off some if my older work, I bring you the first installation of "Ghosts of Projects Past."

This is one of the favorite projects that I've ever done. I made it for the Summer is for Metal Swap on Craftster.org. My partner collected quirky underoos and loved hair metal, especially Poison. As soon as I found that out this project was born, because who would be more at home on a girl's undies then Bret and the boys?

The Poison undies set was the product of nearly two whole days and one all nighter (literally, I was up until 6:30 the next morning, I do my best work under pressure). The time spent was really worth it, I love these! And so does my partner. Her fiancé was amused and slightly creeped out by them (and who wouldn't be? Bret Michaels gazing at you from your lady friend's derriere would be considered creepy by most).

You die hard Poison fans may be wondering where the fourth member of Poison is. Well I highly overestimated my embroidery speed, and swaps always have a deadline. I figured it would be best to send on time even though CC was missing (but don't worry, he sent a note. He's busy shredding a solo onstage, he'll join the band when he's done). And anyway, who doesn't love getting a package in the mail?

To check out some more metal crafts by the talented folks on Craftster, head over to The Gallery of Hardcore Craftiness (and click on "Show Images Only" towards the top if you don't want to read all of us heaping on the praise over our oh so metal crafting skills).