RATZ swap for July -Needlebook.

This was so much fun to make!

I enjoy the process of creating something from scratch so much, and this was no ecception.

For July we were going to make a needlebook for our swap partner. I always wanted to make one, so I started at the moment we got the mail about who our partner was.

I had mostly free hands on this one, because my swap partner was very open about her likings.

So, here are the needlebook:

I'm really enjoying making crochet edges, so you will probably see a lot of that from me in the future.

Details about this needlebook:

-Made by me, no particular pattern, but with lots of inspiration from other bloggers and Flickr users.

-Appliqued leaves, ticker tape style.

-Linen and cotton fabrics, with felt for the "pages".

-Crochet edging in teal cotton yarn.

-Closure with wooden beads in the ends.

My swap partner in The Netherlands got her needlebook, and I'm so happy she liked it!

Now I'm stalking the postman to see if my needlebook will be arriving soon:-)

There are so many great entries in the ratz swap group, so I can hardly wait to see which one is mine.







New York Beauty and other beauties:-)

I am a swap maniac, and when I got invited to join a pillow swap on Flickr, I said yes at once.

This swap is a little different, because you make a pillow with no particular person in mind, take a photo of it and send it to the swap administrator.

She will then post the photo of the pillow in the Flickr group, and when the swap deadline has passed, everyone who sent in a photo will vote for the pillows.

That was sooo much fun!

I have not yet received my pillow, but I know it will be great, because I had a hard time voting. All the entries to the swap was gorgeous!

I made a New York Beauty block, and it turned out pretty well as a pillow.

It has envelope closure at the back.

Here it is!

My swap partner did not get it yet, so I can't tell you where I sent it;-)

Now for the other beauty...

I love roses!

The real roses are the most pretty ones, but I like roses in all forms.

When I found a free paper piecing pattern for one on the internet, I just had to give it a try.

It was a lot of fun to sew this, many itty bitty pieces, but thats the beauty about paper piecing, it gets accurate no matter how small the pieces are.

I embroidered some details around the stem of the rose, and finished it with some simple quilting and a crochet border.

I'm having a blast at my sewing room these days, I'm feeling so creative! New ideas for things to make pop up in my head all the time.

I started my summer vacation today, so I have four weeks to do what I wish, and that would be sewing:-)

We are going on a couple of trips as well, but I think my sewing machine will come with me on at least one of them.

To my readers, have a nice week!









RATZ and Table Top Swap.

Wow, another blog post from me already!?!

I have to show you some of the things that came in my mail for the last month or so...

I'm swapping a lot, so it's very exciting to wait for the mail every day:-)

The RATZ swap is going on once a month, and I have been lucky to have great swap partners.

The june swap was for magnets, and when I got mine, I was so excited! They are very pretty, and so "me". Take a look!

I love the felted hearts and the rick rack roses. They are now placed on my fridge!

Thank you so much, Nan (Crazy Knitter)!

I also recieved my wonderful table runner from the Table Top Swap 2.

It is gorgeous! Lovely, bright colors and text fabric, and I love the shape!

My swap partner also sent some lovely extras, two place mats, a spool of thread and measuring tape ribbon. I love it all.

Thank you so much, Dusty911!

Now I'm off for some quality time with my sewing machine, I started my summer vacation this weekend, so I have lots of time to sew:-)

Have a nice Saturday!







Some more show and tell...

I'm really sorry it's taking me so long to write these blogposts, it seems blogging is just not prioritized when it's summer. Not that this summer has been the greatest, it's just rain, rain, rain... But it gives me a lot of time to sew!

Soooo.... Let's see if I can pick up the thread where I left you.

My birthday is in june, and I usually have a little party with my closest family and friends.

I made a cake for my birthday this year, and a couple of people have been asking me on Flickr for the recipe.

That's a little hard to give you, since there is no specific recipe for the cake, but I'll try!

But first, a photo of it:

I make a regular sponge cake:

(I write it down in metric measurements, and try to convert it to US measurements)
You will need a round pan that is about 26 centimeteres (10-11 inches) in diameter.

6 eggs

2 desiliter white sugar

2 desiliter all purpose flour

1 desiliter potato flour

2 teaspoons baking powder.

US:

6 eggs

0.85 cup white sugar

0.85 cup all purpose flour

0.42 cup potato flour
2 teaspoons baking powder.

Whip the sugar and eggs until it's stiff and forms peaks in the bowl.
Sift flour, potato flour and baking powder, and carefully mix it with the eggs/sugar until it's blended.
Grease and flour your pan and pour in the batter.
bake at 160 degrees celcius (320 fahrenheit) for about 40 minutes (you will have to check the cake with a toothpick to see if its done).
Cool completely.

Decorating:

You will need marzipan for this! I buy mine and roll it out myself.
So...
First you split the cake in half and moisten it with milk or juice. Then fill it with what you like, I usually go with razberry jam and vanilla cream. This one however, I filled with chocolate mousse and sliced banana!
Cover the cake with a thin layer of whipped cream.

Make 2 paper circles that are about 4 inches smaller in diameter than the cake. Center one of the circles on the cake.
put the mazipan on top of the cake and the paper circle
(  A little advice on rolling marzipan: Use flour and make sure the marzipan does not stick to the surface of your table. You can easily brush the flour off the marzipan when you are done).
Take the other piece of paper and center it on top of the marzipan. Mark around it with the dull end of a knife (dont cut through the marzipan!!!). Remove the paper, and cut like you do when you cut a pizza. Roll out the "slices" of marzipan to the edge of the circle.
Remove the paper circle that was underneath the marzipan.
Put on whatever berries you like. Strawberries, razberries, blueberries etc...
Just before serving, sift confectioners sugar on top of the berries.
This is very yummy, and for those of you that don't usually get marzipan cake, you should really try it! It tastes really good. But if you are allergic to almonds, please don't try this.

Enjoy!

I'll try to make another blogpost sooner this time:-)