Saturday, August 13, 2011

Mini Diaper Cakes and a Wipes Clutch.

homemade craftsSo Leah's baby shower has come and gone, so now it's finally time to share all fun stuff I made for her big day.

And PS, this was a gender neutral shower.  With an Owl theme.

First up, Mini Diaper Cakes.

I really like diaper cakes.  I've always found them to be pretty fascinating and the people who make them, well, brilliant.  I, on the other hand, took the easy way out :)  I kept trying to figure out what I wanted the centerpieces to be.  I'm all about form meets function.  I mean, flowers are super pretty, but they die.  And then you throw them out.  Or, if you're me, you leave them in the vase for 3 weeks and let mold form around the stems.  Remember, this is a judge-free zone. :)  Chenyways, I decided I should do diaper cakes. Mini Diaper Cakes--for 6 tables--this way Leah could actually use her centerpieces. For the baby's butt.

Right or wrong, this is how I did it.

Ingredient List:

  • A pack of diapers--I did newborn, about 50 or so... 
  • Rubberbands.  Skinny ones for the diapers.  Fat ones to hold them together.
  • A center structure.  I used these bamboo pencil cups from the $ Tree--but you could easily use a tin can.  *also--you could just use like 3 or 4 more diapers instead of a structure.  I had just already purchased these pencil cups for another idea I had that fell flat and I didn't want to waste them.
  • Jute.  This is optional--you could use ribbon, or whatever you think of to hide the outer rubber band.
  • Paper fillers.  Again, optional.  This is used to cover the top of the cake--you could do some fabric rosettes!


1.  The ingredient list at large.  Well ok, it's missing the paper fillers.  We could have real problems.
2.  So take your diapers and roll them up tight--secure with skinny rubber bands.  I needed like 7 or 8 for my mini cakes, but it will all depend on your center structure and how fat or skinny it is.  You'll know the right amount when you can lift it up by the center and everything comes up with you.  

3.  Wrap your Jute--or whatever rubber band hider you've come up with--around the center of the cake as many times as necessary to achieve the look you want.  
4.  You know, like that picture.  

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And finally....this is where you add your embellishments if you will (and I think you will).  I used the paper fillers to cover up the top of the center structure and then added this little felt owl to the front.  Ya know, cause it was an owl theme shower!  I used the jute on the wings to tie it all together.  
And, what goes better with diapers than wipes?!?!  I would think vodka, but that just shows how much I know.....

I made this pretty thang using a tutorial from Homemade by Jill.  My wipes case was a little bigger than the template, so I just cut out the fabric a little bigger.

I ended up adding a snap to this--which it doesn't call for--cause I'm pretty sure that I melted the case's snap with my glue gun.  Listen, it's not my fault that J Chen couldn't man up and finish his strawberry daiquiri--what was I supposed to do, not drink it?!?! PLEASE.  So yeah, that was likely a intoxicated human error.  :)  But isn't pretty?!?!??!  

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I made it especially in that fabric to match the KATE SPADE bag I got her!  Listen, there is no way my girl is gonna be running around MP with a freaking Winne the Pooh diaper bag, ok?  Ok.  And no, it's not a knock off, and yes, Leah I will be expecting one in return.  ;-)




l think the two will be very happy with one another!  The baby and Leah of course! Not the Kate/Clutch combo ;-)

Oh, and because I didn't know where else to put this, I wanted to show you these little hats I made her.
Clearly the rosette is detachable!  No wishful thinking over here.  NEVER.  
I made these using a knitting loom.  You know, for kids.  J/K, lots of adult wannabe knitters use them. Wanna give it a whirl?  Check out how sweet, fast and EASY these little hats are with this tutorial!

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Big (who needs a REAL diaper bag) Smile,
B.Chen

all crafts Homemade Projects ~ Add Yours {8/16}

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Hi.

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I just really wanted to stop by and say hi.  HI!!!!!!!  It's been a crazy seven days with J Chen's week long birthday celey, not to mention crazy FAT days.  Oh, and working on a TON of inventory to sell at my Stylist's salon.  Whew. 

Ok.  I'm hoping to get back on here tonight to show you something. What?  No idea.  We do what we want around here! 

Here's something pretty though:

Hi, I'm a poppy necklace.  More about me later.

Big (OMG I Miss You!) Smile,
B.Chen

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

New Project. New Look.

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Ok, what do you think about the new look?  I'm just really loving the red/aqua color combo--if you couldn't tell from this post.  So I B.Chenified my page.  Done and Done. 

So once upon a time, my husband gave me his birthday gift.  Ok, not his gift.  Not even a gift of his choice, actually.  When I asked him what he wanted this year, he asked for dinner (downtown), the t-shirt I already bought him (I get him a funny t-shirt for every holiday) and for me to get a Silhouette. Well hot diggity Damn J Chen!  You don't have to tell me twice :-)  That baby was ordered straight away and finally showed up yesterday.  Yeah Yeah!

I was pretty confused at first--and oh yeah, still am--but I managed to make a couple of fun new designs.  Now, of course I can't show you those designs yet because they're super secret!  All in good time....

Chenyways, after playing around for a long time I gave it a rest and started working on a few scrap fabric circle hairpins.  So here I am, trying to make the circles even as well as different sizes.  I decide to make a template for myself, so I do what I always do....trace the circles I've already made onto card stock, then exacto knife around them leaving a stencil template of sorts.  After the first jagged circle was cut out, it hit me. DUDE.  This is EXACTLY what a silhouette is for!!!!  OmgOmg.  I'm soooo smart. So that became my first project--stencil templates.  They likely have a "real" name for this, but I do what I want.  Thanks.

First I designed this, using the flower images in the silhouette's library:
Yay J Chen for figuring out the screen shot shortcut!

And then these guys, also from the library:


Once the sheets were cut, I took the stencils and traced them onto felt:

And looky looky what they made!!!!

So I cut them out of felt, stacked them up, hand-stiched through the middle, threw on a button and Voila!  Super cute felt flowers!  I especially like the grey one--that would look awesome on a yarn wreath, dontca think?  Sure you do!  

I know that maybe this isn't the best use of a Silhouette, but I'll tell you what, if it makes your life a little easier, then by all means!  

Thank you for stopping by :-)  Leave a comment if you have time--they make my day!

Big (Ooooh, I figured out the machine-thing) Smile,
B.Chen  

Monday, August 1, 2011

4-Ingredient White Chocolate Butter Pecan Cookies, A B.Cheniful Original!

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Yep, true story.  I made my very own cookie creation one Saturday in May.  And they were yummy!  And beyond easy to make.  I have this thing about complicated recipes--I tend not to do them.  Which is why most of my cookie recipes involve cake mix, like this baby.
Wanna make them?  Hell yeah you do!

4-Ingredient White Chocolate Butter Pecan Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Gather Ingredients:
1 box of Butter Pecan cake mix ( I used Betty Crocker)
1/3 cup veggie oil
2 eggs
1/2 bag of white chocolate morsels. (the normal size bag, not a huge one)

Throw them together:
Combine all ingredients together in a medium bowl, mix.

Scoop!
I used an actual cookie scooper things (like a tiny ice cream scoop)
cookie dough should really be its own food group...


Place in oven for 10 minutes.
fresh from the oven!

Mmmmmm
tah-freaking-dah!
So what have we learned here today?  That cookies don't need an ingredient list the size of Cali in order for them to be awesome.  Oh, and that you should always trust my judgement!

Big (cake mix) Smile,
B.Chen

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Many-a-plans for my new silhouette.


Alright.  I decided to try and knock out another post today because OHMYGOD, my Silhouette comes tomorrow and I'm gonna be BUSY PLAYING!  YAYAYAYAYAYAY!  Yay.  YAY.  Yo, I just pounded the keyboard so hard typing that.  I'm so freaking excited!!!!!!!

Um, wanna see all the cool shit I'm gonna make with it?  Good!  :-)
You can see all of them here, on Pinterest. 

Here are my favs:
Customizables



Source
Artables:

Source
Source
Source


Wearables:
source

Source
Printables:
Source

Source

So manyables to make and do!  Thanks J Chen for letting me use YOUR birthday gift as MINE.  Love you!  Think of all the sweetass t-shirts I'm gonna make you!  Like, one a week!  Whoa.

Big (OMG, I can't believe it's true!) Smile,
B.Chen




White. Trash. Bash. The 3rd Annual.

Hey there, hi there, ho there.  Let's finally talk WTB.  The Third Annual. It happened last Saturday, July 23rd--in case you weren't fawning over that kickass flier on your right.                                                    

I'm hoping by now you've gotten caught up:                                                      
Check out WTB The Series here!   
Check out The 1st Annual WTB here!
Check out The 2nd Annual WTB here!!!!                                

  • it was amazing.  
  • The bands were AWESOME!  
  • Per usual, everyone was dressed to the nines.
  • I understand you're jeal.  You can totally come next year!  

    But chenyways ( J.Chen's word suggestion!).....Again, LOTS of prep time.  I started trashing the place on Wednesday night, starting with the living room and kitchen.  Thursday night I strung all the lights in the front yard, set up the santa and snowman inflatables, and nailed tarps to the walls of the garage so our bands would feel totally at home.  :-)  Friday, well, it rained.  Hardcore.  Thunder and lightening.  Baby Bacon was NOT happy.  It threaten to rain on Saturday as well--seriously, I've never been so obsessed with the weather!  Ever.  Like buying new apps for my iPhone just so I could be up to the second on any and all sprinkle embarking on MY DAY.  But guess what?  Like every other year we've hosted, it did not rain.  Nope.  It was muggy.  And steamy.  And 90 degrees.  And well, again, AWESOME.

    I told you that we dubbed this the concert series, right?  Haha, look at this photo!  Chairs galore.  

    Ok, before I get to the goods (read photos of us) I wanted to share with you my new  Signature WTB Jungle Juice Recipe. I decided to go this route this year due to the overwhelming time AND cost of jello shots.  Mostly time--We're talking like 10 hours start to finish.  This takes, oh, about 5 MINUTES.  


    B. Chen's WTB Juice:

    1 gallon Meijer (store-brand) orange drink
    2 2 liters fruit punch (Hawaiian Punch)
    1 liter sparkling tangerine-lime
    1 2 liter ruby red squirt
    1 2 liter sunkist
    1 blue Hawaiian boones
    1.75 L Bacardi
    1.75 L cherry vodka
    2 5ths peach schnapps  
    2 lbs of Frozen Fruit 
    1 5 gal Cooler--we used one of those big orange drink dispensers you see on football sidelines.

    Add fruit to cooler.  Add all liquid to cooler.  Mix it all together.  Drink.
    *note, the frozen fruit is to keep it cool--ice just waters it down.  Serve your ice on the side.  Oh, and the fruit it just a sneaky as the drink itself--you've been warned.

    On to the photos!
    Friday's set up

    Saturday, a few hours before showtime!

    Ah yes, The Chens take on People of Walmart....

    OMG, I freaking LOVE these two!  PS, that's Leah!

    Tramp Stamp and the Wife Beaters

    They GAVE me the microphone.  Sooo much power!

    It's never too early to get them ready for WTB.

    Fred was in HEAVEN
    Seriously, these guys were so awesome!
    My two girls :-)

    The ladies of the Rockford Highlands 

    Bringing back the photo prop!


    See the lights we added to WTB!?!?!  See see!

    I did a little wardrobe change at some point....

    Baby pools are soooo versatile!

    The members of Rodentt

    Who's the trashiest?
    My King and Queen of TRASH!

    An evening view.

    Oh Pattie, no one can touch you and your costumes!

    Rodentt, bringing the ROCK!


    Until Next Year.....STAY TRASHY!!!!!
    And there you have it, my little daw-lings, WTB 2011!  So exhausting, but sooo worth it!

    B.Cheniful will return to it's regular scheduled blogcasts.

    Big (STAY TRASHY) Smile,
    B.Chen