Husqvarna Viking Serger

Sew, Mama, Sew is having a giveaway for a Husqvarna Viking Serger here:  http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=9630
I need to tell you why my life would be better with serger.  Right now I am using a yucky Brother sewing machine that is being passed around my church.  I Praise the Lord I have a sewing machine, since I have not been able to afford a new one.  I am saving up for a sewing machine, but I only have $50 saved so far and since I want a good quality machine it is going to take a while.  I have started a business from home, making aprons.  It should not take long to make an apron, but because I have to stop frequently to fix my bobbin, sometimes it can take me all day to make one apron.  I want to specialize in my "Mommy and Bath time" aprons, but it is made from towel material.  My sewing machine HATES terrycloth and the bobbin pops out like every five minutes when I am trying to do a simple hem.  If the bobbin is not popping out then my tension is going crazy and my thread breaks.  With a serger, especially a good quality one like the Husqvarna Viking, I could serge up the hems lickety split, in no time at all.  I could make all kinds of fancy edges and stitches on my aprons also.  I would also like to start making cloth diapers with Velcro for my friends, they are very expensive online and there is a definite need for them, but it takes me so long to make my aprons that I do not have time to expand my business.  I would also like to make my skirts and Christmas gifts, but by the time I get done with an apron, I am so frustrated with my machine that I don't have the time or energy to pull out more sewing.   (It doesn't help that I keep dipping into my earnings to buy groceries!  LOL)
If I am picked to win the serger I would be very grateful and it would be a tremendous blessing.  My husband would thank you too, he won't have to hear my sighs and "uggghs" when my machine goes ballistic.
Thank you very much!
Milinda

A lot of cake videos!

I have been following along on Kerry Vincent's fantourage page, although I have no idea how to post any comments on there!  LOL  I found a ton of cake videos, be sure to check it out!
http://www.fantourage.com/kerry_vincent/193983

Wilton also has some good cake videos, you can check them out here:
http://www.wilton.com/ask-nancy/basics-of-rolled-fondant-podcast.cfm

Don't forget to check out TLC.com for full episodes of Cake Boss (although they don't have any full episodes today just clips and decorating tips)
http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/cake-boss/

 and DC Cupcakes.
http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/dc-cupcakes/

TLC has some great decorating tips from both shows and recipes and stuff. 
Food network has some clips from some of their cake shows too!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/delegate.do?fnSearchString=cake+challenge&fnSearchType=site
Too bad they don't have full episodes since I don't have TV reception I miss all the great cake shows!
I'm looking for some more great cake video sources, please share them with us!  I love to hear from everybody!

Happy Decorating!
Missy

Vintage Va-voom sew along

I came across a great vintage apron sew along for a vintage pattern at vintage vavoom.  She  did a three day sew-along where she teaches you to follow a pattern, cut out the material then put it all together.  I have not had a chance to stop and read everything yet, so I wanted to share it with y'all so I can find it again next week when I do have time.  Be sure to check it out, she tells you what pattern you need and everything!
1.  http://vavoomvintage.blogspot.com/2010/07/tutorial-im-gonna-teach-you-to-sew.html
2. http://vavoomvintage.blogspot.com/2010/08/apron-sew-long-day-one-cutting.html
3. http://vavoomvintage.blogspot.com/2010/08/vintage-apron-sew-long-day-2-sewing.html
4. http://vavoomvintage.blogspot.com/2010/08/vintage-apron-sew-long-day-2-sewing_14.html
5. http://vavoomvintage.blogspot.com/2010/08/vintage-apron-sew-long-day-3-finishing.html

She even has a video showing how to do a slip stitch, so be sure to check her out!  I have a similar pattern to do, so I will need to read this first!
Happy Sewing!
Missy

Disclaimer: I do not necessarily agree with everything on her site, but she has some great sewing helps.

Apron themed Banquet

We had an apron themed banquet for our revealing party for our Praying Sisters.  It was so much fun, the only thing is that after looking at my pictures I realized how much weight I have gained!   Ugggh!  It's been too hot to walk anywhere, I need to start doing exercise videos but my VCR broke!  Okay back to the party!  As everybody probably knows by now, I have a fascination with aprons!  So I was so excited that Pam, our coordinator for Secret Sisters liked my theme idea!  My pictures are kind of fuzzy, so sorry about that!

To decorate, I hung a clothesline from the ceiling and then hung aprons up with clothespins.  I hung a clothesline on each wall.  I also tied waist length aprons across the window.  I then tied any leftover aprons on the backs of the chairs.  We borrowed tablecloths from everybody  and put the like colors

together for the tables.   We were going for a country look and put mason jars with zinnias on the tables and I made candle holders with short mason jars that I put a tea light candle and buttons in.  We drank out of mason jars and put the flowers on crocheted doilies or washcloths that my friend Susan makes and sells.

We used all kinds of aprons.  I put up my vintage smock aprons, My clown apron I got at a yard sale when we were first married,  aprons that I am making, I even still have the apron that I got from the ladies missionary group at BBC like 15-17 yrs ago!  I borrowed aprons from my friends also.

Since we all used things from home, we did not need to spend very much money at all!  The zinnias came from Pam's garden, and we borrowed the jars from Pam, Cara and Susan.  I had a ton of buttons we used, and I have a lot of tea lights I got on clearance years ago that I have been slowly using.

We put the vintage tablecloths on the serving table and I sprinkled buttons all around.  We had brisket, sweet potato salad, cream biscuits, watermelon, coconut cream cake and tea for dinner.

We all posed for pictures!  Everyone has a unique apron and we all shared aprons stories or memories or in my case facts about aprons.  We then opened our gifts and ate and Miss Debra gave us a devotion and Pam read us a poem about apron pockets and God.  (I have had several people ask me about this poem, I got it from here: http://www.juliabettencourt.com/download/apronpocketsskit.pdf , there are also a lot of great ideas on here too!)

Lynn gave me a new hat a new hostess apron.  Don't you just love this apron?  I've been wanting one for a while!  Chris said my hat is a hillbilly hat - silly man! Thanks again Lynn!

Thank you for joining us at our party, I hope you had as much fun looking at all of the aprons and fun we had as we did!  I'll finish up my pictures with another picture of the cake and another hostess apron.  And a cute baby apron.

Coconut Cream Cake

What a fun weekend I had!  We had our Secret Praying Sisters Banquet at our church on Saturday.  It was an apron theme and I'll post more pictures of the banquet tomorrow, today let me tell you about the cake!  A while ago I saw Paula Deen's Coconut Cream Cake and wanted to try it, but it is not the type of cake you can decorate.  I have just been waiting for a chance to be able to make it for something.  Since we were having a southern food theme, I knew this party would be perfect!

I had my misgivings, after all I have never made a cake before that had to be marinated and was made with sour cream.  When I baked the cake it was very dense.  I made two on Wednesday, one for the banquet and one for the potluck at church on Sunday.  I also made the filling and sliced lots of layers and put the filling between the layers.  Then I wrapped them up and stuck them in my very small fridge and told my husband not to bump them.  I also had to take stuff out of my very small fridge to fit them in there!  LOL  There are two recipes that Paula Deen has, the first one is the one you see on the show all the time which I will probably try next time: Jaime's Coconut Cake which does not need to marinate(it's not really marinating),

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/jamies-coconut-cake-recipe3/index.html

Her other recipe is a coconut cream cake I found in her cook book "Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics" 

Coconut Cream Cake

CAKE

1 cup butter (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar (I used thot not sugar)

5 eggs

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used organic unbleached white flour)

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup milk (I used coconut milk)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

FILLING

1 cup chilled heavy cream

2 cups sour cream

2 cups confectioner's sugar

(I used 1 cup of palm sugar instead and put it in the sour cream first and just let the liquid of the sour cream melt it)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups shredded coconut, plus more for topping

(optional) whipped cream for topping

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Grease and flour three 9-inch round pans.  (I only did two).  For the cake, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy(about 4-5 minutes).  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Combine the flour and baking powder; add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour.  Stir in the vanilla.  Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch.  Cool the cakes for 10 minutes in the pans, then turn them out to cool completely.  (They were very dense and heavy)

While the cakes cool, make the filling:  In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff.  Fold in the sour cream, then gradually add the confectioner's sugar.  (Unless you are using palm sugar which should have been soaking in your cream to melt)  Stir in the vanilla, then fold in the coconut.                     To serve, split each cake layer in half horizontally.  Spread the filling between the layers and on top of the cake.  Place the cake in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 3 days before serving.  When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator and sprinkle with coconut.  If desired frost with whipped cream.  (If you are making whipped cream with palm sugar put the palm sugar in your bowl with the heavy cream while the bowl is chilling in your fridge, this will melt the palm sugar).

To make the clothesline, I took two kabob skewers since they had a pointed end to stick in my straw, and a skinny straw.  I then poked holes in the straw with a straight pin, I first measured to make sure the holes were where I wanted them.  I then took some fondant and rolled it in logs and wrapped them around the straw.  I should have made the "logs" smaller though.

I laid the clothesline down so that I could hang my aprons from them while they dried.  I made "material" by rolling shapes into the fondant and then cut my aprons out.  I then attached them to the "clothesline" with water and wrapped the apron straps around the clothesline.  Next time I will put the aprons in a gallon size baggie while I work and position them all at the same time rather then one at a time.  This will ensure they are more evenly spaced.  My pink apron fell off right before the party so I should have the straps thicker.  I let them dry all day until I got to the banquet when I stuck the clothesline into the cake.

I also made a clothes basket out of fondant.  I made a rectangle and pushed the inside in a little bit to give it a shallow look without having to make a lot of "material" to fill it in with.  I then took a fondant thingy and made lines like a basket has on the sides.  I made three "pieces of material" that I folded and put in the basket and then laid an apron hanging over the side of the basket.

For dinner:  Pam made brisket, Miss Debra made sweet potato salad, Pam cut up a watermelon, Clarissa made cream biscuits and I made coconut cream cake.