Deliberately Domestic

Feb 23, 2010

It's here - my new site!!

Deliberately Domestic

It isn't 100% the way I want it, but the rest of the changes or minor cosmetic details. The main structure will remain the same. Anyway, feel free to move on over there. I've got a lot of fun stuff lined up and I can't wait to share it with you all. Thanks!!

Under the Weather and Under Construction

Feb 17, 2010

Sorry for the lack of posting lately. I was just getting my groove back after the holidays and then our house was hit with a nasty bout of sickness. First the little guy, then me, and now hubby. I just haven't been able to shake off the fatigue yet, so I'm moving a little slow around here.

Anyway, I am very excited to announce that I will be moving my little bloggy to a new address very soon. I noticed awhile ago that my postings were less and less about the Bolsa Chica business and more about me. I decided to just follow my postings and move to a more appropriate location to suit.

I'm not quite ready to reveal the goodness to come -- but keep your eyes and ears open for an announcement coming soon!

Now, back to the tissues and chicken soup I go!

Boy Stuff

Feb 3, 2010

So, let's be honest, mother's of boys: there just isn't too much cute stuff in the way of crafting for boys. Thanks to a blog I frequent, that is all about to change!

Made By Rae is spending the whole month of February posting crafty projects oriented toward boys! I am so excited. I've already found some great ideas, and we are just starting out. Make sure to head on over there and make the most of this short month!

Cake decorating

Feb 2, 2010

I've wanted to take a cake decorating class for a long time. My mom always made beautiful cakes and I want to be able to pass that on to my kids. I loved watching my mom bake and create fun decorations just the way we wanted. I do tend to get a little over-ambitious about things, so I wanted to make sure I really like decorating before I invest in a class and all the tools.

Thankfully, a friend from my old workplace is experienced in cake decorating and agreed to give me a lesson in the basics. She was a great teacher and I had a lot of fun! So, without further ado, here is my first cake - a prototype for little boy birthday cakes to come!

I think the coolest tip she taught me involves cookie cutters. The Dino on top was a cookie cutter that I placed on the cake, leaving a slight imprint. Then you trace the outline with icing, and fill it in using a star tip. So easy, versatile, and cute!

- Monica

Christmas Aprons

Feb 1, 2010

Really? I'm still posting about Christmas -- in February!? Sorry, folks! Things just take a little longer with a kiddo. In fact, it took me about five minutes to type this one-handed while using my other hand to make sure my little man doesn't drag the laptop off the desk. Wiggly worm! Yes, he's gotten to the point where he wants to hold everything, and of course everything goes straight into his mouth! You should see him stare at our food -- he can't wait to start eating some of his own. Patience, young one, just a few more weeks! I am so excited to get started on making my own baby food! Yippee! Now, how did I get on this tangent anyway?

Ah, yes, Christmas presents. Well, this year most of our Christmas presents were homemade, which I was very excited about. I love putting time and energy into the presents I give people. I love thinking about them while I'm crafting and putting love into every detail. My husband's parents always host a big Christmas brunch, so aprons were a no-brainer for them. I made a butcher style apron for Gary, and a little more feminine/vintage style apron for Cyndi. (I also made one for my fabulous sister-in-law who is a really great cook, but I didn't get a picture of her). So here they are, being modeled on Christmas Eve by the infamous brunch hosts themselves!

I made up the patterns using different free tutorials on the internet as my guide. As you can see, I also utilized my embroidery machine and added their names. I had a lot of fun making these and will definitely be making them again -- maybe I'll even made once for myself, or my little chef!