Busy Beaver

Well, I have just been a busy beaver over the last couple weeks. After a successful testing period, I have started sowing seeds for my 2008 garden!! I started onion sets and pumpkins because they take the longest to mature. I also started lettuce because I decide that I am going to try to do a lettuce year-round inside. So far, everything has sprouted and is looking good. Next month, I am going to sow basically everything else (corn, carrots, peppers, peas, tomatoes, cucumbers and beans). The herbs need the least amount of time and will be sown in April.

With our horrific winter (13th most snowfall of all time!!!), I am dying to get out there. So, I am still doing things inside. I started two terrariums which are proudly displayed on my mantel. I got the idea from the Today Show. The made the small ecosystems out of apothacary jars! Genius! I loved the look so, I put pebbles on the bottom of jars and topped that with potting soil and planted baby tears. They look fantastic. The green goes with my decorating scheme in my living room and the pebbles even match the stone in our fireplace! Perfection!

As for my other indoor activities, I cut back and repotted my poinsettias. This is my first year trying to regenerate those. So far, so good in that regard. In addition, I made up a plan to get a four season garden in my containers outside. And the plan goes like this: spring will be tulips. Summer will hold the impatiens, double impatiens and German ivy. Fall will be mums, zinnias and ornamental kales. And winter will be miniature evergreens. That's the plan and now I need to implement it.

I have some of the spring started however, I will need to collect more bulbs to continue this plan in full bloom next year. Summer is a done deal since these plants are the ones that I have been nurturing for years. Fall will needs more in the actual application. I bought zinnia and kale seeds that I will start when everything else is being hardened. I will propegate the mums in the spring by taking some cuttings. As for winter, depending on my budget, I will start this one in fall. All seasons will be in there own boxes for easy maintenance and swap outs.

And that is the deal from the busy beaver so far. I can't wait until March!!!

Birthday Doll Cake

Well, I am done with my first doll cake and I must say, I think it looks great! Here is what I did:

I baked a yellow cake with a dome pan from a Bake and Fill set. Since there was batter left over, I baked the rest in a 12 square bar pan and that made the cake that the doll is holding. I put the dome cake over a double layer 9 inch yellow cake and filled them all with whipped chocolate ganache. Next, I frosted them with white buttercream frosting. That completed the cake assembly. Now, for the fun part.

Once the forsting was set, I kneeded 2 pounds of pure white fondant with some pink icing color. Then, I rolled it out and wrapped all but the front of the cake. Next, I inserted the doll pick and wrapped her bodice in pink fondant also. I edged the pink dress in buttercream rosettes and made buttercream ruffles in the front. Then, I dusted the ruffles in gold pearl dust it make it shiny. Lastly, I attached the small cake by balancing it on popicle sticks and made her a necklace of white fondant rolled in the pearl dust and viola:-)

I priced it out and the materials were $27.80 and it could be served up in 50 slices. I have done some reading around and it is customary to either charge three times the price of the materials or a price per slice. Three times the ingredients of this cake is $83.40 or $1.67 per slice. Since the going rate is $2 to $3 a slice, I am pretty much in the ball park with my price.