Stacy is always making cupcakes and topping them with the most beautiful swirls of frosting. They're almost too pretty to eat. Almost. But this time she has outdone herself. Behold the daisy cupcake topper. They're made with gum paste, also known as sugar paste, pastillage, or sometimes candy clay. It starts as a powder, gets mixed into a dough, and dries crispy like candy (think Neccos). If you loved playing with Playdough as a child, you're going to love this stuff!

You can find gum paste mix all over online (try Wilton brand) and at specialty baking stores. Add water according to the mix's directions and knead into a soft dough. You can also add food coloring to tint the dough at this point. Roll the dough out into about 1/16" to 1/8" thick.


Using a cookie cutter (we used a daisy similar to Wilton's push 'n print cutters), cut out your shapes.


Next, color in any parts you want to accent using a food coloring paste or gel (we colored the flower centers). Let your shapes dry completely before putting them on a cake. This can take 24 hours or more! Then place on top of your cupcakes or cake. Don't these just scream Spring?

The Birdies have been busy getting their gardens ready and when we saw this tutorial we knew it would be a great addition to our backyards.

The ever talented Cathy, the woman behind Cap Creations, has been making these darling bird feeders for years and we are so excited that she agreed to be a guest on our blog today and share her tutorial. Be sure to go check out her site and blog.


Materials
Cup and Saucer
Spoon
1/2 inch Copper Pipe (Pluming section of hardware store.)
1/2 inch Copper Cap (Also in the pluming section of hardware store.)
Sandpaper
All Purpose Adhesive
Birdseed
Water

1. With sandpaper, lightly sand the bottom of the cup.



2. Lightly sand the top of the saucer where the cup will sit. This will allow for a better bond.



3. Apply the adhesive around the base of the cup where it will touch the saucer.



4. Attach the cup to the saucer, press firmly. Add weight to the top while drying, books work good.



5. Sand the bottom of the spoon and the small spot on the saucer where the spoon will sit.



6. Apply adhesive to the spoon. I also apply adhesive to the stem of the spoon where it will hit the edge of the saucer.




7. Attach spoon to the saucer. Press down firmly. This perch is for the birds! he! he!

8. Now this next step is the hardest but it must be done properly if you want it to come out right. You must wait for the adhesive to properly dry/cure before moving on. :) This must be done and could take up to 24 hrs. Read the directions on whichever adhesive you select for dry time.

9. Once adhesive is dry, turn the cup and saucer upside down and sand a small spot in the center of the saucer.


10. Sand the top of the 1/2 inch copper cap.



11. Apply adhesive to the copper cap.



12. Attach the copper cap to the bottom of the saucer. Pressing firmly again add weight to the top as it is drying.



13. Now again you must allow this to properly dry. This seems like forever! But you need to let it dry for the proper time if you want it to last.

14. Place the copper pipe in the ground.

15. Place the Tea Cup Bird Feeder on top, by placing the pipe in the cap that is attached to the bottom of the saucer. My copper pipe is about 3 feet tall but you can make it any desired height. Smaller heights are good for pots.



These will last for several years. This one below is one of my favorites and is about 6 years old! It is still very sturdy! And does not need any repairs and never has needed any repairs. I did use the E600 on this one. Lovely lovely! And a big thank you to my son for all of his help! Those are his hands in all of the photos.

It's only a week until Mother's Day, so here's a quick and easy project you can make for your mom (or yourself!). I found this plate for $1 at an antiques flea market and fell in love with it. I've been looking for something to add to the bottom to make a sweet cake platter for over a year now. I looked in antique stores, at Target, my own closets--nothing seemed right. Then I finally struck gold. I found a little votive holder for $4 at Anthropologie, and event though it was four times the price of the plate, it still turns out to be a $5 cake platter. Seriously, you can't beat that.

Upcycled Cake Platter Tutorial

Supplies:
Ceramic plate
Small candle holder, tea cup, or bowl
E6000 or other ceramic glue


1. Decide which end of the bottom piece you want glued to the plate. You could use a candle holder, a small tea cup turned upside down, or even a small bowl or flower pot. Line the edge of the bottom side with glue (I like E6000).


2. Press glue side down in center of the bottom side of the plate. Hold for a few moments. Allow to dry for 12-24 hours.


Ta-da! I think that was my shortest tutorial ever! I would love a trio of these using different plates with different sized items on the bottom for some height difference. I'm heading out to the Snohomish Antiques & Art Faire May 15th to find some more great pieces.

A while ago when I was really itching for spring to arrive, I saw a fabulous article in the Martha Stewart Living Magazine. It showed how to make your own flower pots using concrete, peat moss, and perlite. I just knew I had to try it for myself. I duped my unsuspecting husband into joining me in my endeavor. The word concrete rolled off my tongue and suddenly we were in the car on the way to the hardware store. We gathered all the supplies along with a basket as our "mold" and then we were ready. For all the measurements and directions you can visit Martha Stewart's website article here.


First we duct taped the basket so none of the mixture would be able to seep out after we poured it in.


Next we mixed the items in our wheelbarrow and then spread some onto the bottom of the basket.


We then placed a box inside as our inner mold and filled in all sides with more mixture.


Then we let it dry for a few days before cutting the basket off. Then we drilled some drainage holes in the bottom of the finished pot. Voila! Isn't it pretty? I love the weaved look. You can file the edges down so they are smoother, but I really liked the rustic look so I left mine alone. My mom received this pot as a birthday present and it looks perfect in her backyard. I am hoping to try some more kinds now that I know it was successful!

Thanks to all of you for entering our Button Boutique giveaway. It sure was popular, and we know why since Button Boutique has some fabulous products! The winner is...

Midwestern Gone Idahoan

Well, by now you should know that we love crafting and we really love crafting with friends. There is something special about working with others to make something beautiful. We all know that crafting by itself brings joy into our lives and if you share your craft with others you can see how this joy can quickly expand to touch the lives of so many people.

We are not the only ones that believe in sharing your talents and crafting together. Jo Packham and Nancy Soriano created a three day conference in Minneapolis, MN for individuals looking to network with other like minded individuals, learn a new skill and market their products.

The Creative Connection is an amazing event that will have some fantastic speakers there to teach and inspire you. Just look at the class list. AMAZING!

This event is sure to be a wonderful opportunity so grab a friend or two. You can register HERE.

It's a little late, but this post is in honor of Earth Day. (I was just too busy on Earth Day to post it!) Recently we got a copy of a new crafting book called Tree Craft: 35 Rustic Wood Projects That Bring the Outdoors In by Chris Lubkemann. When I first heard about it, I admit I wondered if it would be a little hokey. Okay, I was totally wrong. This is such a cool book! Check out some of the beautiful projects Chris shows you how to make using tree branches or stumps that you can find for free. They're totally "green." And several of them would make great Mother's Day gifts. . .





My favorite is probably this curtain rod. Have you noticed how expensive curtain rods are? Even at Target? I could go walk around in the woods behind my house and find a curtain rod just laying on the ground! Brilliant!

The other thing I like is that these projects are not just for cabins. Yes, most of them are PERFECT for cabin decor, but I could see myself using these in my own home, too. Like how cute is that spoon hanger? That would be darling with kids photos hanging from it for Mother's Day. . .hmmm, I feel a project coming on!

If you want to find a copy of Tree Craft, start here. The photography is great, the instructions are clear and simple, and the ideas are genius. Love this book!

One year for Mother's Day, my husband got me a copy of Adobe Photoshop. It is an amazing software program that I use almost every day. Recently Stacy got a copy from her husband as well, and she has been using it with her new camera. Because it is professional photo editing software, it is way more powerful than we actually need. I know I'm missing out on a lot of what it can do because I don't have time to take a class to learn how to use it.

At my job I've had the opportunity to use Photoshop Elements, which is geared more toward people like us. We're not quite on a professional level, but we still want professional results. What I really like about it is that it combines the best of Photoshop with an easier-to-use interface. Basically, I don't have to be a graphic designer to get the most out of my photos. Here's a sample of some simple editing I did in Photoshop Elements that made a huge difference:



So I've got a little birdie secret for you: Adobe is offering Photoshop Elements for $30 off through their Web site through May 10. It's only $69.99. That is a great deal when you think about how much better your photos will look! And if you like making videos, they have a bundle that combines Photoshop Elements with Premiere Elements 8, which is their new video editing software, for $50 off (so for both it's $99.99). Premiere is definitely on my Mother's Day list! (Hint, hint! I hope my DH is reading!) Maybe you should forward this to your DH. I'm just saying.

Here is a tutorial for a simple purse that can be used on almost anything.



You will need:

Ribbon
Glue
Sewing Machine (optional)
String of beads--not sure what this is really called. You can find it at craft stores or cake decorating stores and it is sold by the yard



Fold your purse ribbon in half and then make a pleat at the top.

Sew it in place. If you don't have a sewing machine you can either hand sew it or try gluing it.



Next, glue on your coordinating ribbon and then the purse "handles".



Now add this to your card, scrapbook page, or gift tag!