STICKY FINGERS

Top row from left to right: Yellow Cake/Chocolate Buttercream - Chocolate Cake/Peanut Butter Fluff Filling*/Peanut Butter Buttercream* - Cookies & Cream Cake*/Cookies & Cream Buttercream*. Middle row: Squiggles - Chocolate Cake/Buttercream. *My own creations.

Yep, that's what I've got, after making dozens of these. And I'll bet you thought you had it rough.

This Reeses Miniature Peanut Butter Cupcake is sitting on the base of a cordial glass - that's how tiny it is. I stole, I mean borrowed, this idea from Confessions Of A Cookbook Queen. You can steal, I mean borrow it too.

S.W.A.K.

MY LITTLE GRASS SHACK

I was asked to make cupcakes for a birthday luau and here's what I came up with: Deep dark chocolate cake with a pink and white buttercream Hawaiian flower nestled in a grass skirt cupcake holder.

The cupcake holders are super easy to make. I used a roll of green crepe paper streamer with matching thread and gathered 1/4" from one edge with a basting stitch and a tight tension using the sewing machine. (One roll will make about 15 cupcake holders.) Next, I hot glued the now ruffled streamer two times around the edge of a paper party/nut cup (I like the fullness). Then I cut vertical snips (all the way up to the glue line and all the way around) each layer of crepe paper. Finally, I tied a piece of raffia around what would be the waistline of the skirt. Here's a little tip, I cut a 1" diameter opening in the bottom of each party/nut cup so that you can gently push out your cupcake without getting your fingers in the frosting (unless, of course, you like doing that).

Here's what a bakery box full of these cupcakes looks like and here's a great video tutorial if you want to learn how to make these flowers yourself - really easy too - if I can do it, so can you!

S.W.A.K.

BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL

Well, it's that time of year again. Yesterday, Frannie began 4th Grade. Do you remember these photos from last year?

Well, I have some sad news to report. After four years, we are saying Goodbye to Hello Kitty. Sniff. Sniff.

This year it is Vera Bradley.

Frannie has chosen the "Very Berry" pattern for her messenger style tote and "Loves Me" as her lunch bag. Yes, it is very nice and stylish, but I miss Hello Kitty already.

That isn't the only change. We have gone from this very cute girlish braid...

...To this very sophisticated French braid:

I guess my little girl isn't so little anymore. (At least she still wears the hair buttons I made for her.)

S.W.A.K.

MOUSTACHE, BARREL, AND GORILLA

My son, David, has just completed his first original video arcade game restoration. It's "Donkey Kong" - remember that? It first appeared about 30 years ago. Of course, there aren't any "before" photos, because who has time to do that when you can't wait to dive right in and get your hands dirty. Trust me - he did a SUPERB job! He took everything apart - I mean every nut, bolt, screw, washer, e-clip, etc. Each and every screw and carriage bolt were soaked in lemon juice to remove rust, all the metal fittings like the door you see here were cleaned and spray painted. Every bit of dirt, dust and years of cigarette grime were scraped and sanded away.

Even the monitor and computer board were rebuilt. David also made a new base for the cabinet and the whole unit was sanded, scratches and dents were filled with a spackling compound and then the whole thing was painted the original blue - or as close as he could get to it. David took an original piece of paint from the cabinet and had it computer matched. This paint color is now officially called "Donkey Kong Blue".

The parts that had to be replaced new were the T-molding, side art, control panel and coin-op overlays (there was just no saving those cigarette burned artwork pieces). I had forgotten how much fun these games were to play. So, if anyone out there knows where Dave can get his hands on a Mario Brothers cabinet - you be sure to let us know!

S.W.A.K.

FLY ME TO THE MOON

Do you by any chance remember this? It's my "I can't believe I actually made a placemat purse." (I've also posted about here). Well, it was quite a while ago, but I had entered this in a contest or something at Martha Stewart. And, although I haven't actually heard anything about the entry, I just found out that this purse has been selected as one of thirteen favorite bags and purses (that's out of 700 entries). You can see it here. What a nice surprise.

S.W.A.K.