Step 9: Ah forget about it, I'm bored with the steps, I'm sure you are too

So the super secret project was hubby's birthday cake.  And here's a look:

It's the Muppets Treasure Island!  I found out that taking a holiday with the person you're secretly trying to make figures for, doesn't always work out so well :(  pout

I got Piggy, Gonzo, Kermy, and Statler & Waldorf for the prow all done, I had wanted more of them, but just ran out of time.  It was good though, Chocolate cake with chocolate swiss meringue buttercream.  yummm  I made planks out of modelling chocolate and used that to cover the entire outside, the cannons were fondant, the figures were gumpaste.

I also made hubby an ice cream cake out of Chapman's no sugar added ice cream - I puree'd a bunch of strawberries, added it to softened vanilla ice cream, layered it with low sugar chocolate oreo cookies, and the vanilla, and froze it in a loaf pan.  He loved it, and it meant he got to eat cake on his birthday, that made me happy :)

This week is another venture into cupcakes - some for the store, and some for work.  I've got a pina colada cuppy in mind, and a chocolate espresso cream - might even do a strawberry one.. not sure.

Here's another shot of the cake, have a good week everyone!

Step 8: Make a list of all persons harmed, and make amends with them

Alrighty then, so here we go:

M's wedding cake, the only time I've had a malfunction with a cake - and just my luck it was her bloody wedding cake.  Le Sigh.  I still beat myself up about this one, hard to let it go.  I did email afterward and offered to return the moola or make a cake for a birthday or something else, never heard back from her though.

Husband:  That poor bastard has to put up with me swearing every time I'm overly tired and my fondant isn't working.  Or when I've been so wrapped up in my art I've forgotten to eat for 9 hours and I'm a bit 'touchy'.  He always sounds a bit trepidatious if things are going well, the kitchen is quiet save for the movie in the background, it's like the calm before the storm I guess.. occasionally things go smoothly and I don't have to pitch a fit :)  He knows I'm working on my anger toward the art, and I make things up to him in other ways.

Like making dinner or doing the laundry pervs... knock it off *wink*

Roommate: The poor bugger doesn't know how to deal with me when I'm pissy.  He thought I was this calm, mild-mannered person when he moved out here, little did he know.  hehe  I make sure he gets part of the goodies if there are leftovers though, so I make amends that way.

Other than that, I think we're good.

And on to other things.  The office is packing up and moving... or should I say a few of us are packing the office, the rest are packing up their cubicles.  I get to deal with a lot of it, but that's part of my job so I'm trying to take it in stride.

I'm considering entering my latest cross stitch into the Calgary Stampede arts competition.  There is the issue of size, you can't enter anything larger than 120" in perimeter... I forgot to measure it last night, so if it's bigger the point is moot.  I have 1 more sheet of pattern to finish, just the bottom corner, and it would be a good incentive to get it done - having a bit of drag happening with the ambition on that front.


They also have a cake decorating competition.. so I'll be looking into that as well.  Could be a busy weekend :)  yay!

Step 7: Humbly ask him to remove shortcomings

Alrighty campers - we're halfway there, and then we'll move on to some other things I have planned.  For this post, I will - as the steps instruct - humbly ask him to remove my shortcomings.

heh hem....

'Oh Sir Gumpaste,  I humbly ask that you remove my shortcomings.  That you remove the temptation for me to violently hurl my modelling implements across the room when things aren't going my way.  That you help me stop swearing like an overweight trucker in a fender-bender during an August heatwave / ice cream shortage whenever I have problems with my fondant.  That you'll help me stop being so jumpy that if I'm concentrating on something and the cat meows outside to come in, I don't jump and swear at the same time while I run vibrantly colored icing all over the side of a pristine cake.  thank you.'

There, stick that in your cornpipe and smoke it.

So last week we had greek night (kindof).  I made lamb burgers with a gorgeous feta and creamcheese spread that was liberally schmeared on top of the warm burger patty, topped with fresh red onion, new tomatoes and crisp romaine lettuce.  All of this on a warm toasted bun, served with a healthy side of greek salad.  It was a fantastic trip to flavor town, if you'd like the directions I can send them to you.  Later we had 'Chapmans brand no sugar added' vanilla ice cream, co-op brand chocolate frozen yogurt (no sugar) and fresh cherries and strawberries on top.  Deeelicious!

Last week I did not go to work.  I wasn't protesting or anything, just took some time off to hang at home.  As much as I'd love to vacay in the OK, unfortunately I'm not made of money yet, so it's home for me to clean, organize, and stitch.  I was doing a lot of work on the super secret project, and I'll post some pictures soon.

I went on a field trip to see what the new office for work will be like.  Pretty much what I expected, it's a cubicle, there's no free parking, you have to take transit there, and there's no lunch room.  Blah.  So I shall take every opportunity to enjoy the current office while I'm here, and to show you what I'll be missing, here's a little thing I like to call "Ka Kaw!"

They're pretty impressive.  Well, they are impressive, but taking photos on my phone is not.  We have hawks at the old office, quite a few of them, and the video was of them riding the wind and kawing at each other.  

Step 6: Entirely ready to have Sir Gumpaste remove the defects of character

Poor Sir Gumpaste, I'm putting an awful lot of pressure on a made-up deity.  I hope he recovers.

In any event, I suppose praying to Sir Gumpaste to remove my defects is as effective as praying to anyone else.  Really I think it'll boil down to doing the work myself, finding some sort of serenity while I work.  My art angers me, is that normal?  haha

Last night I delivered cupcakes to Make 1 Yarns in Calgary - they have knit night every Tuesday evening, and the last Tuesday of each month I bring them goodies.  Normally I deliver a cake, but cupcakes seemed like a fun idea, and probably less mess to clean up afterward.  I may do it again, the response was good and it sounds like I've got an order for a birthday cupcake cake out of it.  I'm not a huge fan of cupcake cakes, hopefully it's not the type that's just a bunch of cuppies shoved together and covered with a schmear of icing over them, then decorated to look roughly like the actual shape of something... they're usually awful.  I've seen 2 or 3 that aren't horrible, so we'll see how it goes.

Tonight is lamb burger and greek salad night.  I'm looking forward to it, and then afterward, more of the super secret project will be done.  I almost got caught last night, so hopefully he didn't see it.  It's exciting and stressful at the same time... I'm literally wandering around the kitchen trying not to make any noise so he can't hear me in there... if he thinks I'm on the computer I can sneak in a bit of work :)  Do not underestimate my sneakiness...

A little word here on coffee.  I love coffee.  It needs to be good coffee though - 7 Eleven is not it.  I am currently enjoying a Tim Hortons 'like' blend from work, and I must admit it is delicious.  There is something very zen about that first cup of coffee in the morning.  I don't know that people are only addicted to caffeine, I honestly think there's something in the whole process of taking even just a short moment to enjoy that first sip, letting the aroma and the heat fill your senses - it is bliss.

It's supposed to rain later today, I may be barbequeing in the downpour - I will probably look something like this: good times!