"Dream, When the Day is Through....."

"Dream -- that's the thing to do..."

Okay, so this may sound super ridiculous - but yes, I have a cake blog... but I also have this blog, so I can still blog here about cakes. Sortof. In a way.

Wow. I just said blog a lot.

OKAY so, top secretly - when I'm bored, or feeling crafty - I will search the internet, or places I have been, for cakes. New designs I could put on a cake, or themes I could use. Or sometimes, I will see a cake, and it will be such a good idea to me - but look sad in it's attempt. You know? Well anyways, I've decided to blog about some of the cakes I dream about making one day. I can't make them at random - but every once in a while someone will fall into my lap with an idea for a cake that is exactly like one I have in my "one day cakes" folder of pictures - or, someone will fall into my lap with no idea what they want, so I can suggest something. :o)

Here, are some of my cake (hopes).

A Waterslide Cake

Because - seriously fun!! And plus, the people are so cute. How could I not want to make this cake???

A Lego Cake

Because - COOL! Duh.

A "Draped Fabric Look" Cake

Because - I think this is so neat. It's modern, but still classy and traditional.

A Diner Cake

Because - Look at the detail!!! And it's so cute, I can hardly stand it. I have to eat that tiny float.

A Baby Cradle Cake

Because - I think this could be really cool, if the whole thing was edible. And a challenge, too!

A Pizza Cake

Because - SOOO COOL. I will probably make this as a "just because" cake one day. Because it's so fun!

A Blanket/Furniture/Tiny Things Cake

Because - Maybe this ties in with the whole, draped fabric cake. I also really adore the idea of a tiny sleeping fondant baby, with a tiny fondant blanket.

A Barbie/Princess/Dress Cake

Because - I had my mama make me a few barbie cakes, and they were awesome! Now, I have my girlish dream of putting fondant in the picture as well, to really make it come alive. :oD

A Baby-in-the-Tub Baby Shower Cake

Because - How funny, to have a baby showering as the cake for a baby shower... right? Right? This could be realllllly cool, if done properly.

A Tilting Hat Box Cake

Along with a great many other cake ideas I have not put on this post - is a stacked hat box cake I found online. Coincidentally, my dear friend is having a baby - and we were talking about what she would like for a baby shower cake, and she emailed me a photo almost exactly like the picture I had of the tilting hat box cake. So I'm mentioning it, because I do really want to make it, but I'm not providing a picture, because a) I accidentally deleted it out of this post, and b) I will be making it this Saturday, so just keep your eyes peeled on my cake blog! http://trishacakes.blogspot.com

:oD

Happy CAKE-ing!!!

(And Happy, Happy FALL!)

THE GOAL

Fall is soooo my favorite season.

I'm always feeling like I could make a million plans, and get them all done.

I love wearing big fuzzy sweaters, and admiring the Halloween decorations...

I love the crunch of the autumn leaves, and the crispness of the grass after a night frost...

I love the fresh air, and the loss of bugs...

I love the colors, the new school year, and the slow of the summer madness.

I love it all!

Mind you, Spring used to be my favorite...

The start of sunny days, the burst of a million blossoms, and the vast overtake of buds and plants everywhere. But this is a season for picnics and walks (before the bugs come out), and I never feel like a hard-working person.

-- SO --

It's Fall. Maybe not officially - but nonetheless. And so I'm feeling motivated in a big way! As you have previously read - I am mucho displeased with how little time I've been spending on myself. I have gone so long without working out, or getting my hair done, or anything... I put myself on the back burner, and slowly disappeared (it felt)...

When we went home about a month ago (to Calgary) I had my hair cut and colored for the first time in approximately two years. I felt horrible - sitting in the chair, with my frizzy looking hair, and to make things worse, someone came in to have a brief conversation with my hairstylist - and rudely commented on his way out "oh I feel zo bad for you, zat is a lot of damage."... Screw you, guy!!! :op I really don't like rude people. Bottom line, at the end of my hair care session, I had a ten minute discussion with three people in the salon about my age - they all weighed in thinking I was around 16 to 17 years old. REALLY??? (I'm sitting here, thinking I must look at least 35.) Well - I used to hear about how young I looked, but that was a hundred years ago.

(Pre-kids... you know...)

After that, I came back home, and started to spend some time each day doing something that I used to love. Guitar, drawing, quilting, crafts... whatever it was, even if it was for a few minutes a day. It was a struggle, I'm not going to lie... but totally made me a happier person.

A little while later - I went out and had a pedicure with my mother-in-law, for the first time since I was pregnant with my baby girl (which was the first time since I had given birth to my son) - it was great to take care of myself!

So...

So far my plan has been top secret.

Of course, by being top secret that means I can't hear from people ("How are you doing with that whole... thing?" "Oh... that's terrible..."), and I have no one to disappoint.

But. I totally don't care anymore!

I set a goal for myself - a suuuper duper, unavoidable, totally reasonable, achieveable goal.

It is to lose 6lbs each month, from now until next July.

That's like 1.5lbs a week. (Easy peasy!)

In total... that would be 60lbs!!! And I would be back to my pre pregnancy weight. (We're talking pre-pre-pre pregnancy weight)

So

I'm 6.6% into my goal. (We do not discuss poundage) -- approximately.

I will update progress. Of course.

And how am I achieveving my goal?...

:o)

By using Wii EA Sports Active.

(I had to say it, in case it helps me use 60lbs. So I can prove that it works!)

Hey, man - it's working so far!

Quilt....... therapy?

So... I think I've discovered something about myself.

When I'm anxious about something, or when I'm excited for something, I always find myself making a quilt. Sometimes it's rushed, or sometimes I take my dear sweet time making it.

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I made a lot of quilts. A LOT.

I was excited, and part of me was excited to use all the pretty quilt prints I couldn't with my son, because my husband said they were "too girly"... :o

The closer to my due date I got, the more intricate my quilts would get. The more time was put into them. The more I was kindof getting bored with quilting. And everything else.

Now? I'm waiting this week... for Thursday. It could get here faster, if I willed it hard enough!!! :oD But alas, I must wait.

We are going home, to Calgary, to visit my mom and dad and everyone, while it's summer. Ohhh yes, summer. I haven't been home to Calgary while it's been anything but winter, since I was 16. SIXTEEN!

I am very excited. And, we all were sick last week/the beginning of this week, so I'm glad we're all getting that out of our systems in time for our vacation.

I haven't wanted to quilt in FOR-EV-ER, but this week I already had my sewing machine out... and I was looking at some squares I had cut and ready to be organized and... well... today, I made that quilt! I quilted, and now, I feel a sense of calm. LOL like it's therapy!

And so, I made the Happy Baby Girl Quilt - the fairy fabric on the back is flannel, from my mom - and the front, all the happy colors, I picked out to be a happy summer baby quilt a while ago but never got around to sewing.

Until today!

Ta-da!!!

Cake Mix Cookies!

BEST

DISCOVERY

EVER!

Cake Mix Cookies

Ingredients:

1 Cake Mix - any flavor (I used white)

1 egg

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup water

3 chopped baker's semisweet chocolate squares, or handful of chocolate chips

Beat together cake mix, egg, oil, and water.

Stir in chocolate.

Spoon tablespoon-sized dough about 1" apart on a greased cookie sheet. (Pam with flour is my hero here.)

Bake 12 minutes @ 350 degrees.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Thin, light, delicious cookies.

Easy easy easy.

Enjoy!