Thursday, May 29, 2008

Friday Show and Tell - and Twin Update



First of all, I want to thank so many of you for your prayers this week. God is indeed working in our family's situation. Be assured that you are making a difference in our lives by your faithfulness in praying about something that you don't know anything about. There is much more to face, but we know we do not face it alone.

Tonight I'm doing Part II of a series I like to call "I Used To . . . " When I was a young stay-at-home mom, I kept very busy creating. DC would always ask me why I didn't relax in the evening. I'd say, "This is how I relax." If I wasn't sewing, I was crocheting, or knitting, or cross-stitching, or crewel embroidering, or making pillows with a quilt top in the cathedral window pattern. Does that ring a bell with any of you quilters? I don't think I have any pictures of any of the dozens of pillows I made, but I did find this picture of the pattern on the Internet.


For quite a few years, I made the kids' birthday cakes - at first out of Wilton cake kits, then later cut shaped cakes. This was my first, for Kristen's 4th birthday - just before Christmas.

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(I decided to put Feisty's 4th birthday picture from my last post in here to compare with her mommy's 4th birthday picture - no, I didn't make it!)


I used the same pan for Santa for her 5th birthday. The kids and Daddy used to go pick out the Christmas tree up in the mountains while I spent the day making the cake.

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For her 6th birthday, we went to Holly Hobbie.

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Raggedy Ann for Birthday #7.


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Kevin didn't seem to have as many special cakes - I'm not sure why! But here's his 4th birthday.

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Kevin's 5th birthday.

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DC's cake for his 39th - he looks about 25! He must have wanted a boat in those days.


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This one was for my mom.

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Then I branched out into baby showers.


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After these, all of the cakes in the album were ordered from Baskin Robbins! I guess my cake decorating days were over. But it was fun while it lasted. And it makes a great Show and Tell!


I don't have any new pictures of the twins this week, but I can report that they're changing every day. They've really discovered each other this week and are interacting - touching each other, exploring. They are both laughing and giggling - so much fun to hear. They are developing in different ways - Kate is trying to stand up in your lap, and using her hands more. Emma is starting to roll over. Someone who saw them for the first time this week said it is so fun to see such tiny little babies doing big baby things.

For more Friday Show and Tell stories, stop by Kelli's blog, There Is No Place Like Home.







39 comments:

nancygrayce said...

How creative! I love the giraffe cake! In fact I just really like them all.....I'll bet the kids look at those and really appreciate your lovingly making their birthday cakes. I'm praying.

Anonymous said...

Those cakes are no great!! Very good job!! My cakes don't look good at all -- even after I have taken a cake decorating class.

The quilt looks gorgeous. I used to do needlework and am just getting back to it -- it is relaxing, and fun to watch something develop bit by bit.

Sharon Lynne said...

You are so talented--with the cakes and quilts. My step-grandmother enjoyed quilting and handmade a quilt very similar to the small-triangled one.

Great pictures of Feisty and Care Bear! They look so happy and full of energy.

I know how hard it can be to find insurance. We are self-employed, so we buy our own. I'm on a Blue Shield plan-PPO with a $4000 deductible. It's $241. per month. Does not include prescription coverage. Each of us are on individual plans. Part of the reason I'm trying to find FT work is to get better benefits.

Pam--in America said...

I love that quilt pattern!! Too bad you didn't keep any of your pillows.

I've never been able to decorate a cake well, but yours look great. I'm sure your family loved getting such special treats!

Diane@Diane's Place said...

I've done some quilting and some cake decorating in my time, and both are hard work, no matter how much you like doing them. Good job with both the quilts and the cakes. Like you, I don't do much of either anymore.

I think both of the big girls look like their Mama, but Care Bear favors you a lot. I'm thinking the little girls are really going to favor their Mama and their big sisters too.

Happy Friday and weekend, Dawn. :o)

Love and hugs,

Diane

Susan said...

Those cakes were certainly labors of love....and very cute.
Susan

Hootin Anni said...

Wow...those cakes musta taken hours to make and finish! Very impressive.

Mine is all about a project I did for fun this week, won't you stop by? Happy Weekend!!!

The Proverbs Wife said...

Very nice. I'll bet that each recipient felt really speacial.

GranthamLynn said...

Oh Dawn,
What a sweet Show & Tell. I know what you mean about not having any quilted projects to show. I keep giving mine away too!
I loved seeing your cakes. It was a wonderful S&T and brought back wonderful memories for me.
Thanks for Blessing my day.
Sherry

Midlife Mom said...

Wow! I had a lot to catch up on with you! Those cakes are sooooooo cute! I especially like the one you made for your Mom, that is really special and I'm sure she loved it. I used to make some for my son but now days it's usually one from Dairy Queen or the grocery store. I love that quilt pattern. It looks like it would be hard to do?????? I haven't made any quilts for a couple of years since I got into the tote bag and wallhanging business and lately haven't even had time for that much. When the weather is good here I like to be outside as we have such a short summer season.
That's quite a little hostess you have there! She will grow up to be a party planner or caterer! The cookies look good, they don't have to be perfect to taste good!
The twinnies get more adorable every day. I always look forward to see the latest pics of them!
Will keep Kristen in my prayers. Hope everything is okay. xoxo

Constance said...

WOW! You have made a lot of special cakes over the years! I think I have done 2 or 3! Those were really special for your family and I'm sure that now they realize the love that went into every bite! Thanks for showing them to us, it's neat that you have pictures to remind you of those times!
Connie

Timalee said...

Your cakes are all so good, but I Love the Giraffe best, he is so cute!

When my Mamaw passed away I got her scrap bag from the sewing room. Inside there was a peice of a quilt top, about 1'x2' that looks exactly like this picture. I don't now what to do with it, maybe get it framed some day because I am sure alot of work went into even that small of a peice. Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed it!

Love Bears All Things said...

I did too. The only shaped cake I made was the bunny one at Easter one year. I made the kind you decorate with a tube, roses and all. It was really a lot of work and made my hand swell. Not something I would want to do as a regular job.
I've never done the Cathedral Window, though I'm familiar with it.
Thanks for sharing.
Mama Bear

Unknown said...

You are a great cake decorator! I'm glad you took pictures of your cakes to share. Maybe retirement will bring out the cake decorating again? :-)

Christa said...

I love the cakes, very creative. I make a similar bunny cake for Easter, but that's it with my creativity for now (until I retire), I am hoping to take some quilting classes ne
next year sometime.
Prayers continue.

Pretty Life Online said...

You are so creative...nice catch for ST! Happy weekend! Mine's up too hope you can drop by too.

Unknown said...

What fun cakes! My favorite is the giraffe.

Deb said...

Wow, you are so creative - I love all of the different cakes!

I like to have my hands busy in the evenings too - but lately everything else has been put aside for blogging. :)

Carole Burant said...

Omigosh, Dawn, look at all those wonderful cakes you had made! Wow! You would have gotten along well with my mom in those days, she use to decorate cakes as well:-) Isn't it funny to see what characters were so popular from back then...Raggedy Ann, Holly Hobbie, etc. Such precious memories those pictures make!!

So glad to hear that the twins are now interacting with each other...it won't be long that they'll be inseparable:-)

My prayers continue for you....

When you have a chance, make sure you drop by my blog to enter my giveaway:-) xoxo

Mike Golch said...

the quilt is nice as well as the cakes.

joyh82 said...

What great cakes! I really like the panda bear but they all turned out nice.

groovyoldlady said...

I learned how to decorate cakes when the first two kiddos were little. Now I am known 'round these parts as the cake lady (when they aren't calling me "that girl who sings"). I'll have to post some pics too. Your cakes look awesome!

Amanda said...

The cakes look like fun to make. I may have to get a bit more creative for Ella this year. She got cupcakes the first year, and ice cream sandwiches the second!

Nancy said...

I love your cakes. You are one talented lady! Glad to hear the "twins" news and look forward to more photos. My grandnieces had tubes put in their ears this week. They have kept ear infections since January so maybe this will help. Have a great weekend!

JEWELGIRL said...

You are a cake wiz! You can see
lots of love in every cake too!
Have a great Saturday!

Barb said...

How funny, Dawn. I've made two cathedral windowpane pillows out of leftover fabric from the king size quilt my mil made for me and Rob.

And I made that bunny cake too. Good grief, I made it for my boyfriend's father - when I was in high school. I have the little cake cookbook that all those cakes are in - fun, fun post, seeing all your photos.

Tammy said...

Oh this was so much fun to see the cakes you made through the years! And to see Kristen- and then her little girl, Fiesty, at the same age!

I have never made shaped cakes...ever. I did make a simple, round layer cake for my oldest when she turned 3 and she had her first "friend" birthday with their parents. There were only tiny pieces of it to go around but we had plenty of ice cream on the side! :)
Anyway, I admire you for making so many over the years! Such energy and talent! :)

Continuing to pray for your family, too, dear Dawn...

Nadine said...

I continue to pray for your family situation.

I have to say you made great looking cakes. I bet they tasted good too.

Judith said...

Thank you for a great trip down memory lane, back when we made most everything for birthdays, and other occasions. What wonderful memories for your family.

P.S. I am still praying for God to interfere mightily about whatever is on your heart.

RainyD said...

I have done the cake bit as well - I still do on occasion if my kiddos are wanting something special or different. However, for the most part, I just make icecream cakes for all the birthdays now. That is what the kids request me to make for them, and while they are beautiful, it is hard to make them spectacular!

I am continuing to pray for you and those you love. I am very excited to hear how big the twinnies have gotten - it is hard to imagine such little itty bitsies trying to stand in your lap or rolling over.

Thank you for sharing a little about your past and a glimpse of the girls.

Linds said...

You are most certainly creative, Dawn! Wow! I have never done the cathedral window quilting but it looks fun! I also made all my kids' cakes, and the creations were "interesting". I remember castles, and rondavels, carebears, and strawberry shortcake, ships and then of course, the infamous aeroplane I threw at the wall at midnight when the wings fell off....

Theresa said...

Oh how beautiful. Can you come over and make my wedding cake??????

I'm about to pull my hair out with all the decisions for this wedding.

The twins look happy and healthy and beautiful. I still pray for them.

Kims Art said...

The cakes are all wonderful! I bet when you made them you never thought you would be sharing them with so many. The quilt pattern you shared is one of my favorites. Have a great weekend!

Simply Heart And Home said...

Those cakes are adorable! They are too cute to eat!

News of the twins is always a delight! They are growing so quickly!

Gina

The Proverbs Wife said...

Thank you for answer the question on my blog about what you like to watch in your surroundings.

I too like watching all of the spring buds come back to life. It is such an exciting time. Especially after a long an cold winter.

Linda said...

I'm late getting to this Dawn, but I really have enjoyed it. I think you will be get back to doing those things once you retire. It's just what I do in the evenings. I can't seem to just sit and watch tv; my hands have to be busy with something. I find it so relaxing and fulfilling somehow.
I am praying for all of you. I sometimes feel overwhelmed with all the needs we have, but I know that the Father is not overwelmed at all. He is still in control.
I pray you'll have a blessed, restful weekend dear friend.

Mary said...

Dawn,

I love that quilt pattern and you did a wonderful job on all of the cakes. Isn't it great to have photos of such happy memories?

I'm glad the girlies are doing so well. Thanks so much for sharing.

Blessings,
Mary

Mimi said...

wow,
loved all your cakes...you are going to have such a great time in retirement...you will be so busy that you will wonder how you ever had time to work...

Kelli said...

I loved all of the cake pictures, Dawn! The giraffe and Holly Hobbie are so cute!
~Kelli