A Rose by Any Other Name Would Smell DELICIOUS

So, yes, I haven't posted in quite awhile...but would you believe that it was because I was too busy creating awesome crafts to share? Well, believe me or not, that's what I've been doing.

I've been knitting, sewing, baking, and stitching to my heart's content! Some stuff for me, lots of stuff for others! I'm going to post them one at a time, so that you can savor them all individually, how does that sound? Hope it sounds good.

My first little project was to make some amazing Rose-Pistachio Cupcakes, from the pages ofVegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, one of the most amazing cookbooks I've ever owned!

Now, I love rose-flavored or scented anything, it's an addiction, for reals. So I searched far and wide for the right ingredients; the outskirts of Portland in an international food store to acquire rose water, and a ridiculous number of co-op's and groceries, to find everything else.

I think the end result was completely worth it. What do you think?

For frosting, I used the recipe in the same book for Fluffy Vegan Buttercream. I failed when I attempted to make that too, rose-flavored, and ended up with a melty pink mess, but the second attempt turned out beautifully, hand-whisked and all.

The cupcakes themselves could have been a little more moist, but I gladly ate half of them regardless. I have made them about three times since and like to think I have perfected them.

Anywho, I'll keep craftin' and keep the posts comin'. I want to give a quick shout out to my girl Kendra who has joined me in my venture to create awesomeness. Thanks for visiting, check back soon!

I Iz In Yurr Blawg, Showin' Yooz Kraftz

In case ye be wonderin', this is not your loverly Miss Mykal. This be your friendly neighborhood Kendra, hijacking the blog to wave some of my own crafts in front of your lovely faces. I believe this will be heading towards a collaboration effort, so...I'll be creepin' around. More.

(I'm smiling at you. Widely.)

And now onto the show!

This summer, I've been focusing more on visual art. In June this meant constructing this:

Since originally snapping this photograph, the miserable looking cow dangling from the moon has been fixed. The yarn is stitched further up on the little dude's stomach and shoulder, so he sits more upright.


How 'twas made: It involved a balloon. The balloon was inflated. It was then slathered in paper mache, three layers high (not counting how many things of paper mache it took to shape the craters). Balloon was popped and removed (this involved a knife, a lot of shaking, and then repatching). Craters were added. Acrylic paint was applied. Two holes were made at the top and fishing line was wound through. Black yarn was used for the cow's lasso. The little cow toy was purchased and then hand sewn onto the yarn.


Viola.


Aside from this, I have this friend who I like to draw cartoons of. So here are some of those pictures:

For now, I shall spare you the pictures of the painting. I may need something to blog about in the future and they're my back up plan. But I didn't tell you that.


-K

Hello Cupcake!

I got a great cupcake book for a graduation gift called, What's New Cupcake? the sequel to the book Hello Cupcake, which I also own. What's New has a wealth of great decorating ideas, one of which my friend Kendra and I decided to try out; cupcakes that look like pies! Armed with my brand new Wilton Dessert Decorator, I thought this would be a breeze...not so much...

A decent effort, considering I am a complete beginner but I have every intention of trying again. Kendra and I took the rest of the frosting and and made the simpler pink and blue frosted cupcakes. I was most excited to use my new Rainbow Decorating Sugar, I had been searching for it for a long time and finally found it in the baking section of Joann Fabrics and Crafts.

Hope to have better results to show off next time. In the meantime I'll try and hone my skills.

Hooray!

Hello there! I am so very excited about this new little venture I'm embarking on. My intention in starting this blog is to keep myself creating things and maybe get some feedback, and ideas for more things to try out! I am a collager (yes, I have coined the adjective), and have been for many years, and recently I have had a great interest in knitting and baking.

My title is taken from my favorite poem, Wild Geese by Mary Oliver. Here it is in it's entirety;

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes
Over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
The world offers itself to your imagination,
Calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –
Over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

Thanks for visiting! Come on back and check out my crafts! I'll post as often as I can :D