Crock Pot Cake

This cake is pretty darn good. You bake it in a crockpot. So if your oven is full of something else, like a roast or whatever, you've got a place to make dessert.

It's also a great way to save a little energy and no frosting is needed. We love it served with vanilla ice cream.

I didn't take a picture of the finished product. It was eaten too fast.

Look Who's One! and a Festoon

Happy Birthday Big Al. His mommy stripped him down to eat his cake. This boy knows how to party!The rest of us kept our clothes on and had cupcakes and ice cream.Another blurry picture. The other grandma and grandpa were there and so were some aunts and uncles.For his fabulous first birthday, Mimi decided to try to make a festoon that I saw over at Joy's blog. The rest of the banner was made by his mommy with her new Silhouette machine that she got for her birthday.First you pick out some tissue paper in some pretty colors, although this would be a great way to use up tissue paper from gifts from other occasions. You could also use pattern tissue for that shabby chic look. (Just trying to be green.) Then you cut the tissue into strips, I cut mine in about 1 1/2 inch strips.

Then you stack the strips, I stacked about 15-18 strips together...

Then you sew down the middle of the strips, it doesn't have to be exact...

Connecting the strips together by adding the next pile and continuing to sew...

Until you have a festoon as long as you want...

Then you fold the strips on the sew line and cut through the tissue to the sew line...

Then you watch an entire Oprah while you cut and cut and cut. Then you fluff it and ruffle it until it gets big and fluffy. And that's it. It'd be a fun holiday decoration (green and red, or orange and black). For a school function with the school's colors, or how about a baby or bridal shower. It was a fun and easy project. I think I'll be making some more. Thanks Joy.

Cute Birthday Ideas For a Cute Girl

Happy 5th birthday to the first little sweetpea! Isn't she the cutest? Her mommy had a birthday party for her last Friday.She had a garden themed party. You could use some of her cute ideas for a baby or wedding shower too. She made the banner on her cricut machine. If you click on the picture you can see the details better.Mommy found the lollipops at the Target dollar section. The flowers were cut from her cricut too. Flower pots and wood circles cut with a jigsaw made an adorable cupcake holder. Green spray paint and ribbon like trim finished it off. She didn't glue it together so it's easier to store.

The little clear cups have dirt cake and gummy worms in them. You know that recipe, right? Made with oreo cookies and stuff. CUTE ideas Mommy!

Sunday Sayings

"I have learned to place a high estimate upon the love of mother. I have often said, and will repeat it, that the love of a true mother comes nearer being like the love of God than any other kind of love." Joseph F. Smith

Finishing Up Easter

Are we sick of Easter posts yet? Well, here's the last one from Mimi's Cottage for 2009. Janis, Sue, and I went up to the Rock Loft (an adorable gift shop in our area), to their spring open house. I put my name in for a drawing and look what I won. Cute bunny sitting on an Easter Egg.

This cute guy was having a great time at the Easter egg hunt the Saturday before Easter.

The sweetpeas in their Easter outfits. When I tried to dress their mother and her sister in matching dresses their mother always pitched a fit....

For the past few days the weather has been lovely.

So the mister and I finished up the sprinkler system...

Planted some roses and perennials...

And readied the ground to plant the lawn.
It's supposed to rain for the next two days. Sigh.

Happy Birthday X 10

Today we kicked off the 8 birthdays in 20 days festivities. It's the Mister's 62nd birthday today. We also have 2 daughters, 1 daughter in law, 2 grandchildren, 1 nephew, and 1 significant other's child born in the last week of April or the first week in May. Oh yes, and in that 20 days we also celebrate Mother's Day. So happy birthday to the Mister. He was 23 and I was 17 when we met. The time has just flown by. I also want to wish Janis's husband Roy a happy birthday today too. I met Janis through blogging a few months ago. Her husband was born on the same day, in the same year, and in the same city as my husband. Weird, huh?

Beloved House Giveaway

Catherine Holman is having a giveaway! I LOVE her work. I've been an admirer for a long time. Go on over and leave a comment. You might get lucky.