Mermaids and cupcakes oh my

Post-vacation has been a bit of a blur for craft projects and sewing, and I've been sew busy (ha ha) that I haven't really blogged at all! But then, maybe no one is reading! So what was I up to, you ask? For starters, I had to make more baby gifts, this time for my friend Anita's shower last weekend. I didn't have a clue what to make, so the Sunday before, I started looking at fabrics and remembered the Heather Ross Mendocino collection I'd seen. Finally found a fat quarter bundle of very aqua and orange mermaid, fish and sea life fabrics from the collection, and got the fabric two days prior to the shower. Yipes!

I've been itching to make a rag quilt, so again, I dove into Etsy for some inspiration and found a baby quilt I loved. Yes, I used the layout and tag idea, but it's not for sale, so it's justifiable. They are so simple, so soft, and so perfect for a baby gift that I can't wait to make another one! And those fabrics are just the right match for my most swimmingest friend, who is decorating her baby girl's room in orange and blue with a sea life theme.

I also did a twist on my normal dolls, making this one a semi-swaddled mermaid girl. Her arms are free to paddle through the sea as she sleeps, and that makes her just the happiest little mermaid you've ever met. She's got some ribbons to play with and a few different fabrics, and Miss E gave her the thumbs-up. (As well as many hugs.)


In addition to the doll and quilt, I made the cupcakes for the shower, and the recipe I used rocked. It's from a book called simply "Cupcakes" that I found at Barnes & Noble on the bargain books aisle last spring. I made the white chocolate mud cakes, and the chocolate ginger cupcakes. Delicious, if I may say so, particularly with the addition of some rich buttercream frosting. Ah ... and yes, Miss E helped with the cupcakes. You bet. She and I had so much frosting the morning of the shower that I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into some salty chips and crunchy carrots!