Tulip Time Needleroll HD

I finally finished this Sweetheart Tree needleroll. I've been working on it here and there for over a month. I'll turn it into a needleroll later, when the mood strikes me.

So I now have four more ST needlerolls to go. I plan to do them all because I'm a completist. I have to admit they're getting tedious by now because they're all so similar, but I just have to look at my basket of needlerolls to know it's worth it. I think they're so pretty.

I made a small purchase recently. I bought a "beading mat" in order to make the minimum order when I needed to replace my plastic bead case (which I shattered). What came in was a thick piece of fuzzy fabric, kind of like velour. I was skeptical to say the least. I tried it today, and it's actually pretty nice! My beads don't go skittering across my desk anymore to land somewhere in the carpet (and accompanying dog fur) where they're lost forever. I also picked up a little wooden bellpull rod; I can never find those when I need them.

Recipe

Zeb asked for the recipe for the Boston cream pie cupcakes. Ta da.

Spring Faerie update and Boston cream pie cupcakes

I got a pretty good bit done this week, with the holiday. Another two weeks should do it. But Matt and I have started playing Warhammer Online, which has taken up a good bit of time lately. (If anyone wants a key for a free trial, let me know.)

Cupcakes: Last week I made Boston cream pie cupcakes, which tasted really good. I now have a good recipe for pastry cream and chocolate ganache! The cupcakes were rather messy. I think a cake is a better choice than a cupcake for these.

Spring Faerie update

She's coming along pretty well. I ran out of a color, but my mom's supposed to pick it up today.

Rather annoying news: I found a fradulent charge on my credit card this weekend, so I had to go through the hassle of canceling my card. Argh!

Cookies and cream cheesecake cupcakes

We have a winner! These cupcakes from the Martha Stewart book came out really well. Matt loves cheesecake, but I rarely have any luck with them. These mini cheesecakes have Oreos in the bottom and were really easy to make.

Also, I'm very tardy with my ort jar picture for the Totally Useless SAL. I've been pretty busy stitching on Spring Faerie. New pic tomorrow!

Spring Faerie update

I didn't manage to stitch much this past week because I was pretty sick with bronchitis. Logan's almost completely better, and I'm on the mend finally. I'm really tired of being sick every other month.

To answer those who asked, no, Hobby Lobby did not give me a refund. I didn't ask because the person who told me they used acid-free materials (some student) was long gone, and I had no proof. Believe me, I was so sick when I realized they had framed all my stuff that way. I still have four or five pieces I need to get redone. And umpteen million that aren't framed at all.

Spring Faerie update

Not much progress this week. Still working on that wing.

This weekend I disassembled Dragon Alphabet because Hobby Lobby had not framed it with acid-free materials (after telling me they did). The mat and foam core hadn't burned the fabric, but the frame had! The edges were dark yellow. I washed the piece in Orvus, and it didn't come out at all, as I expected. I brought it to the LNS in Austin to have it redone. The framer is going to use tape or something on the frame to protect the fabric from further damage. I have a few other pieces I need to get redone when money permits.

While at the LNS, I picked up Witch's Hat Scissors Case by Historic Stitches. I just couldn't resist!

I also started TW's Lady of Shalott at long last. I've just put a few stitches in, but I feel good about it.

Kid's sick again: Logan apparently picked up a bug at the hospital. He has a runny nose, cough, and fever, and the doctor said it's in his chest now. Poor kid. Oh, and yes, Mommy did get it too.

Mint-filled brownie cupcakes

This week I tried another of Martha Stewart's cupcakes. I was again underwhelmed. This one has a peppermint patty inside a hard brownie. The peppermint puffed up and split most of the cupcakes. Then it shrank as it cooled and became a hard piece of candy, rather than the soft center they show in the picture. They tasted OK, but I wasn't overly impressed. My mom's coworkers seem to like them, though. :-)