Todays Jewelry

Organic Hoops. brass wtih 14kt Goldfill. $35

Brass Blossoms. Brass and Sterling Silver. $40


Organic Hoop Necklace. Sterling Silver and Freshwater Pearl. $55. 15.5"long

This is Boo Sadley

We have a new kitty. He has been here for just over a week now. For the first few days he was hiding behind the furnace, but he is out and about the house now. Getting beat up by Banshee, sleeping on the bed, knocking things off window ledges and generally being a kitten. He is only nine months old but as big as Banshee and super lean. He doesn't like having his picture taken but I caught him unaware!
I hope I can get a better pic of his dark gold eyes, he is so handsome. Needless to say we love him to bits already, Banshee is not so impressed................................

todays jewellery

Modern Chandelier. Chalcedony, Amazonite, Olive Jade. $40

Convertible Treasure Pendant. Turquoise, Smokey Quartz, Amazonite, Labradorite, Pearl. $60

Asymmetrical Organic Hoop Necklace. $49 - SOLD

A New Project

Here are some prototypes for shawl pins that I will be making for The Loop Craft Cafe. I am working on several more styles and they should be available in the next couple of weeks.

stepping stones

leaf

hammered ring

fibula

The Last Cake!

Friday night was the final class for Course#3. I managed to finish in class as I had a bit of a head start. My 6" top tier came apart as we were driving so in trying to fix it, I just started putting the fondant on and that gave me a head start. Note: Dr. Oetker Strawberry Mousse is NOT suitable for a cake filling and not very yummy either. boo. I cut it open in class so we could eat some of the cake right there (what was I going to do with all that cake anyway?)

Luckily the 10"bottom tier had homemade lemon curd and it was Awesome. We gave away slices at the Farmers Market saturday morning. Many people had an unexpected breakfast!

All of the roses were made from fondant as a part of this course. Once you get the hang of them, they are surprisingly easy!

Filling that looks better than it tasted. Next time I am definitely going to made something from scratch.

Thanks to Kelly Day and Marilyn Howells and the Cookhouse!!

The Ring that had me Stumped

Now that this ring has been received and fits, I can post a picture of it. This ring was commissioned by Renato for his fiancee Hollie. I was having a hard time coming up with something as all I had to go on was the idea of a 'wishbone'. My ring style tends to be a bit rough around the edges so I tried and tried to come up with something pretty. I also didn't want an image of a wishbone, but to fashion something more 3-D. In the end, this is perhaps more fitting for someone who studies bird bones for a living and whose style tends to be more cool/modern than girly. These pictures were taken before the final polish and bezel set.

Oxidized Sterling Silver and Moonstone

Cake Decorating Course #3

So I am getting to the end of Course 3 - this Friday is the finale where we are doing a tiered wedding style cake. Of the three this is definitely the most work. I would almost prefer to see course three be all royal icing flowers and have a fourth course with the fondant. Doing both at the same time feels very rushed. Last Fridays cake didn't get done in class and I wound up rushing the decoration. So I'll call it a mock-up and save the idea for future reference. The cake was really yummy inside at least! Toba Garretts the Well Decorated Cake has the best cake recipes in it. I tried the peanut butter cake at Easter and it was so easy and had great flavour. For this square fondant cake, I used the Chocolate fudge cake recipe and oh man is it good.......Last night I started baking for Fridays cake and I used the Moist Yellow Cake and added some lemon flavour. I think it is going to be perfect. It is a denser cake which is good for the 10" layer and yet it is actually moist. Her book is worth every penny!


I've included some pics of the royal icing flowers and a terrible photograph of my square cake. Note: fondant does not like rainy weather.....it has now rained three days straight...argh

Chocolate Mocha Truffle cake. The fondant loops did not fare too well in the damp weather and half had collasped by the time I got to class. So there is some patchwork buttercream holding the rather sparse looking bow together. Note the rumples near the base of the cake. Covering a square cake is Hard! and the corners kept stretching - good thing the appliques cover it! I also now see why a tilting turntable would be nice....hint, hint

Easter lilies, morning glory, petunias and pointsettia. I would have liked to explore these more and have had to make a cake to showcase them. I'm sure I will at some point but these flowers are difficult enough to warrant a course to themselves.

Now I just have to decide what my filling for fridays cake will be!