Women for Women

I couldn't wait for New Year to start my first New Year's resolution of 'giving' more.  I set up my sponsorship of a women with women for women this morning.  I have been wanting to do something to help women for a while now, after all women are very important in families and it can be very difficult for them.  I have always realised how lucky I am to come from the UK where I had a good free education and was able to easily go to University and the fact that I was female didn't have any bearing on my life or ambitions.  I had my children and could continue my work easily - because I wanted to, not out of absolute desperate necessity.

I have heard and read about some good things from this charity.  They don't just give aid, they help with education, training and setting up small businesses so that the women can regain their dignity and rebuild their lives.  I'll post more blogs when I have details of the women that I will sponsor.

100th Birthday Cake - Finished

 Here's the finished two tier cake

And a closer picture of the top tier, complete with ribbons and roses.

Bon Noel

 We put up our Christmas decorations at the weekend, and I thought I would show you a few of my favourites.  These two NOEL's were made by the children when they were very small.  We spent a happy afternoon, me doing the cutting (as they were only 2 and 5) and them sticking the bits together.

About the same time I was doing quite a bit of glass painting and I painted these jars as Christmas lanterns to hold tea lights.

Icing Tier 1

 With just under a week to go 'til the big party, I had to ice Tier 1 (fruit) of the cake otherwise I simply won't have time to do everything this week.  It's not ideal as I fear the cake will dry out too much but it's the way it has to be.

After searching widely for pictures of birthday cakes on the Internet, I looked into a book I have and was inspired to create this.  It's also very fitting as my nan actually gave me the book about 14 years ago when I first started making birthday cakes for my children.  (It's very nostalgic looking back through it to see which cakes I have tried to create versions of over the years...)

 Enough nostalgia and back to the cake.  Daughter thought lilac would be a good colour my nan's cake.  Lot's of the cakes on the Internet were pink, but I do agree that lilac or peach are better colour's for my nan. So lilac was the main colour for the icing on the first tier and the edge of the board is covered with lilac ribbon.  Then I created drapes round each corner out of semi-circles of white rolling icing and made roses out of the same rolling icing.  I'm not very good at piping icing but I am quite reasonable at modelling! For an added special touch I had bought some edible glitter and dipped each rose in that before attaching to the cake

This picture shows how the cake pillars will fit onto the large circle on the top of the cake, with the Chocolate cake (Tier 2) on top. 

Ruffle Dress

 Despite having a really bad cold this week I finally managed to finish the ruffle dress.  It needs a good press but that's all.  The picture doesn't do it justice as it is simply stunning and very flattering when on.  It's very fitted but the ruffle front manages to disguise any less than perfect bits!!

 Here's the pattern, I made version A at  the top of the picture.  You can see from the pattern pieces what a strange shape the front piece is - all curved round at the top so that when it is gathered it pulls it into a normal shape.

 When the two front sections are gathered they are sewn together wrong sides together to form the ruffle down the front.  To hold the gathers in place a tape is sewn on the inside of the dress.  I didn't have any red tape, but as its on the inside I used this grey that I had.  It's on the inside and no one will ever know.

 The sleeves are also fitted and have a zip inserted into a dart.  This means that the sleeve can be quite tight and also shapes the sleeve.

The dress is knee length and has a 'walking slit'.  I finished off the seams by hand as it's much neater on a special item.

Finally, I was unable to get a zip quite long enough in my local shop so I got the longest I could and didn't insert in into the collar as the pattern stated.  Instead I added three little covered buttons and button loops, it works a treat and actually makes a feature at the back of the dress. 

Pop-up Birthday Card

 Here's the special pop-up birthday card that I have made for my nan.

 I stamped and coloured the base picture and then cut a circle of card into a spiral.  I attached one end of the spiral to each side of the card and then stuck on some cut out flowers and butterflies.

I cut a smaller circle of card into another spiral and attached one end to the bottom of the card to make a spring.  I attached more stamped and coloured flowers and butterflies to the spring and then a few more to the back of the card.

I've never made a pop-up card before and I'm really pleased with how well it turned out and how easy it was.  

Cake continues

 Slowly but surely the special occasion cake is making progress.  Daughter made the round chocolate top tier yesterday.  I've wrapped it up carefully and put it in the freezer ready to ice nearer to the day.  I've done this many times in the past with Birthday cakes and it does save a last minute panic.

And I put the marzipan on the bottom fruit cake layer.  After preparing the cake board by covering it with white ready roll icing.