Time to whip out the flag cake!

I saw this cake in a magazine when I was around 10 years old and for some reason fell in love with it! I have tried to make it every year that Im home around the fourth of july. There are so many recipes of course, but I have always used 2 cake boxes! I just make 2 rectangular cakes, then turn them both out of their pans, frost one and cover it with thinly sliced strawberries, layer the second one on top and frost the entire thing...then make your cute flag on top! I always use cream cheese frosting, but this year I would love to find a dense enough whipcream frosting...that sounds good with the fruit!
YUM!!

Emergency Preparedness...where to start!

Hooray for me I found a way to START food storage. I doubt you will ever see me at the cannery or buying loads of rice and beans (especially if I have to change them every year...who does that?) but luckily, you can buy this handy bucket at costco containing 275 servings and has a 20 YEAR shelf life! (and for 69.99 or 79.99 online with free shipping) So, I figure its a start and a very "easy to store" start. I was thinking you could just buy one a month if you are trying to get to a year (for 2-3 people)
I also found this at the same place and figured it is nice to have all this stuff in one place. (99.00)
SO, in an emergency, I may not be eating delicacies, but I will be eating...and my real plan is stocking up on candy bars because they will be in high demand! here or here

I finally got to wear my homemade shirt!

Rob graduated yesterday...so I finally got to wear it! It was so rewarding to know that I was sporting my own little creation! Also, the anticipation has been fun, because I had a couple weeks to find the shoes, skirt and bracelet to make the shirt look good. Anyway...here it is! (please dont mind the hair, Rob wanted it down even though it may have looked better up!)

Mothers Day Brunch at the Beach...

Here are the pictures of Mothers Day Brunch today. We are at the Beach (outerbanks) with 10 other families, and so we made a special sit down brunch for the moms. It was pretty simple, but really fun for the moms to sit down together and eat while the husbands fed the kids!

I made these simple oilcloth wallets for each mom. Rob made the food, waffles and strawberries, and egg sausage casserole.

I was going to use real flowers...but the food lion (the only store open) did not have anything good...so I improvised. (The real way to do it is with striped cookies, but I needed white and red). I know...its funny...but it turned out cute.

Dare to Paint it: Part 2

Ok, a couple years ago...I decided to pick up a paint brush for the first time in my life and paint a picture for Rob. (the first one is mine) It was really fun, and if you can stand homemade art I think it makes a really great gift. Choose something that they like (fish is the easiest...but Im sure other things are paintable), go to michaels and buy a cheap set of oil paints and a canvas, then I would google image what you want to paint to give you an idea how! I just did it little by little in my spare time. Rob liked it so much, he wanted to make a companion painting! So here is our little set.
If you start thinking about it now...it would be ready for father's day...

Make Mothers Day Special #5: Start Hinting!

Time to start the hints. Now is about the right amount of time to hint, because it is enough time for him to actually do something, but not too much time that he still can forget! I like this line, but you can use any that work: "Honey, dont tell me what you are doing for me for mothers day...I really want it to be a surprise this year." If he starts to answer, (no matter what he is about to say) cut him off and say "no seriously, dont even hint at it, it will be so fun to find out on Mothers day! Im SO excited"

OK, so Lets review:

Making Mothers Day Special

1. Host a brunch for other mothers

2. Decide what you will wear and add any necessary accessories

3. Clean your house the day before

4. Make it about your mother

5. Start Hinting!

and the Twirly Skirt winner is...

"KATIE"

who said "Love these. I looked at the pattern online but I am confused with the cutting out... a sewer I am not!"

Congratulations! Post here the color of skirt or exact skirt you want and Ill ship it off asap!

As for my other contestants, THANK YOU for entering, it was so much fun. I may seek permission to sell the skirts (because I love making them and picking the fabrics so much) but in the meantime, try to make one and email me if you run into problems or if you have any questions about it!