What day is it?

The 8th of August is hurtling towards me at warp speed.  I have a cake to design and make and a party to cater for. ...... "Piece o' Cake!" 

 Oh yeah, just one little hiccup --- 

It is a themed costume party for twins turning 21.

The cake is baked.  Fortunately, this year they were happy to have ONE cake (instead of one each) and they both wanted a 'good old fashioned' fruit cake - so that is now done and needs some time to mature.......smells good!

Today I got on the base layer of Marzipan (Almond Paste).  

The next few days will see the Top layer of (fondant) icing go on.

If you are lucky, I will give you a sneak peak at some of the elements that evolve as the cake is created over the next week.

(Watch this space......If I can get a decent photo of a round cake covered with white icing I will post it!)

Time Out

Ahhh... Just sometimes we need to spoil ourselves.

Good Coffee, a macaroon (oooh sorry) Delice and a free Chocolate.

What more could a Girl want?

Morning tea at Lindt

Oh, that's right - Good Company.

Thanks for joining me.

Well......It's wearable

"Adam Jensen"

Wearable it was ---
- - Finished it was not.
But "Happy Rick is Happy"

Realigning the lapels and tacking up the sleeves and hem at 6:30am on Friday morning when we needed to be at the event - an hours drive away in "Pea Soup" Fog by 9:00am -- NO PROBLEM.....
Did I mention I am just a wee bit sleep deprived?

I don't know about DS#2 but,
I am glad that 'Computer Games Boot Camp 2011' is OVER.





[Footnote:  This Costume is a "One Off" that I made for my Son referencing 2 or 3 screen-shots from the yet to be released game Deus Ex - Human Revolution.     I am not available to make these coats to order.]

Mum.... Can you make me THIS?

Cosplay (コスプレ kosupure^?), short for "costume play",^[1] is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specificcharacter or idea.

"THIS" just happened to be a costume for an event that is running at DS#2's University on Friday - THIS FRIDAY.
"This" just happened to be from a Computer Game that has not yet been released.  
And of course "This" doesn't have a pattern.  
So... This is what I have been up to this week. 
There is a heap more work to do to it before he can wear it on Friday.......
The things we do.......

Shortcuts and Sentinals

I started this morning with the thought..."There HAS to be an easier way".....

Six sentinels each side x 4 sides - 3 leaves per sentinel equals A lot of leaves.

I am all for trying to find an easier - no - more efficient way of doing things and the following was my solution to this months block in.........

"My Heart's Desire - The borders".

First start with a tracing of the completed design

Mark an area where all points are covered
(The diamond in the centre).
That is where I placed a small square of vliesofix.

Placed my prepared shapes over the template

Lightly press.
Sentinels are now ready to sew.

Sometimes when words fail - A poem says it for you.....

A Closer Look

Where there is tomorrow,

there is Hope.

Where there is provision,

there is Faith.

Where there is death,

there is Life.

Where there is winter,

there is Spring.

Where there is Sadness,

there is Joy.

Where there is God,

there is Love.

For my Sister in Law - who lost her brother today, 

and last night gained a Great Niece.

Rest peacefully Dave - the battle is over.

A 3D Challenge

I have a Janome 6500 Sewing machine.  And I am a member of the Yahoo Janome 6500 Challenge Group.

Oh what fun we have.  Each month there is a new challenge to get us out of our comfort zones and dust off some new aspect of our machine that we had not used.

It is not all quilt related.  It is refreshing to re-connect with actual sewing once and awhile. (I came into quilting via a dressmaking - toy making background.)

June's challenge was to create something in 3D.
I did not have a lot of time to put something together and I was enjoying watching what everyone else was doing - bags and bowls were popular.  I decided to 'whip up' a pincushion.

I had bought a souvenir mug from the Australian Quilt Convention in April and it has been sitting on my shelf since then.







I thought about what it would look like with a steaming hot cappuccino, foam rising above the rim and some perfect coffee art.

(Our family always gives bonus points for Coffee Art)...
Of course I now realise that Cappuccinos don't have coffee art - just chocolate. ........
Ok it is going to have to be a Latte then.

The design for the Pincushion 3D Challenge was in the bag.
Because of it's height - it is perfect for my Doll Needles.