Travel Outfit

You will have to ask Leah where her AG Doll is going in this travel ensemble. I made an unlined version of the coat and hat from McCalls pattern # 3900. I have never had much use for fleece, but I like this gray for a "wool" coat look and the fact that it is a little stretchy and I don't have to worry about finishing edges. I have had this trim for about 30 years and decided to use it all up in this project. The dress is an elongated top with a lace hem and velcro all down the back. Leah already has a dress made from that red baby corduroy, so now she can match!

The Bird Princess: A Cautionary Tale?

Lucy is 7 1/2 and has been writing stories since she could... well, write.  I love to see her imagination at work.  Lately, she's been writing longer stories and asking Billy or me to type them up.  So, for your reading enjoyment, here is her latest feature. I left her spelling and grammar as she wrote it.  Her only commentary is that the part about the baby bird being sent down the stream is from the story of baby Moses.  

The Bird Princess

Once there was a bird, a lonely bird who lived in a ragged old nest.  She was the most buttyfulest bird in the world!  Her feathers were softer then a puppy's fur.  Her beak was shinyer than a kitten's eye.  And she sparkled like a crystal.  Evryone liked her.  I bet you wonder why is she so poor?  Well a long time ago a queen bird had a baby bird.  The baby bird was her.  Now the king bird was angry about her uglyness.  He sent 15 gards to banesh her.  They set her in a stream.  Thats when the queen became angry,  And a war started.  A nother bird found her and cared for her.  The new bird was named Coconut.  She helped her get buttyful.  But now the princess lives on her own because she was getting to old.  One day as she sat in her nest.... Boom Bam Zat Wat! Birdzilla was there.  Birdzilla was taller then a skyscraper.  Shaped like a bird but was just green SLIME!  The lonly princess knew what to do.  She flew strait to Birdzillas chest.  "OWWWW" said Birdzilla.  He fell strait to the ground.  The king took her back and the war stoped.  And evryone was happy.

The end.

Name This Cake

Today is a day to go in the history books. It is the day that the PERFECT CHOCOLATE CAKE evolved.

Here is how it happened . . .

I have previously posted the recipe for Man Pleaser Chocolate Cake as given to me by a friend years ago. And I have been making it quite a bit lately. This morning I started making a milk chocolate cake mix with the regular directions and realized I had sour cream and wanted to make the Man Pleaser. Was it too late? I had way too much water already in the bowl with the mix for the Man Pleaser, so I decided to just add the pudding, sour cream and chocolate chips and see what happened. But then I realized I only had a large box of vanilla instant pudding instead of the required small box of instant chocolate pudding. I poured that in a small bowl, added about 1/2 c. baking cocoa and decided the extra pudding and dry cocoa would off set the extra water. The result was truly the very best, moist, chocolatey cake you will ever taste.

As they say, the proof is in the pudding! or in this case, the empty cake pan!

After you make it, help me name this recipe! Unless you agree that it is . . . . . .

The Perfect Chocolate Cake

1 box milk chocolate cake mix

1 1/2 c. water

1/3 c. oil

2 eggs

1 large box vanilla instant pudding mixed with 1/2 c. baking cocoa

1 c. sour cream

Mix all ingredients together till smooth. Batter will be thick. Stir in

1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Bake in 9X13 pan (oiled and floured) at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool completely.

Frosting

1/2 cup soft butter

1/2 cup baking cocoa

3 c. powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. milk

Beat well and spread on cooled cake.

More American Girl Doll Clothes

The other night Leah's mom noticed her doll tucked in all proper on the pillow and Leah (age 6) scrunched up at the foot of the bed! So here is the blanket and pillow and nightgown I made to give the doll her own sleep station.

For the nightgown I extended the length and sleeve on McCall's 2609-top, and used narrow bias tape on neck. I used two sections of slightly gathered 1 3/4" lace for a collar and bottom ruffle. The back enclosure is velcro, applied as directed for other tops and gowns in the pattern.
Leah's doll also "requested" this purple colonial dress and shawl, also from McCall's 2609.

Just another stitch in the seams of love that bind us over the miles! From icy Washington to sunny California, I hope there is another grandchild that knows how much I care.

Baby Shower Gift: Reusable Wipes

I recently went to a baby shower for a friend who is interested in using disposable diapers and reusable wipes.  I had never really heard of reusable wipes before (makes sense, though... people had to clean baby bottoms before Pampers ever thought about it, right?), but they were on her registry and looked pretty simple to make, so I thought I'd give it a try.  

I cut pre-washed, unbleached flannel in to 7 1/2" x 7 1/2" squares with a rotary cutter, serged around the edges and called it a day.  Well, I guess I made a little case for the wipes and appliquéd a couple of onesies, then called it a day. :) 

Best wishes, Deanna and Aidan!