Birthday Bash, Cake Smash, Pool Splash

Daddy's Girl is one year old!  She actually had her birthday a while ago, but I decided to wait to post about it after Summer Swimming was over.  So now it's finally time!

Boo and Mr. MadeIt both helped me make Daddy's Girl a birthday banner.  Boo loves to help me with my projects.  Even though she makes things go slower, I love that she likes to do these crafty projects with me.

 We had Daddy's Girl's birthday party at the swimming pool, because she LOVES to play in the water.

We had the traditional cake smash.  (In case you're wondering what's up with the pattern-less spots on the birthday banner, they're where I blanked out her name, since we don't do real names on this blog.  Well, my name really is Jill...or is it? ;)

  

Daddy's Girl didn't like the cupcake.  But she's adorable anyway.

Turns out, she just didn't like the frosting--She DID like the cake!  Once I flipped her cupcake over and showed her the cake part, she loved it.

And we all got cupcakes, too, of course.  I used the recipes HERE and made yellow and chocolate cupcakes from scratch.  The yellow cupcakes turned out yummy, but the chocolate were a little dry.  I'll have to tweak the recipe and try it again.  (Here's the pin, if you'd like.)

Some of my family got to come, so that was nice.  Doesn't Daddy's Girl just look like she's having the time of her life?  Swimming pool, grandparents, and a ball--what more could a baby ask for?

Boo had lots of fun swimming around, too.  Note to self, though:  Be sure to take more pictures of the not-birthday child.  I only got a few pictures of Boo!  Sadness...

I love Daddy's Girl's face in this picture!  "Come back here, Ball!  I'll use my Jedi Mind Powers on you!"

It was a great party.

Happy Birthday to My Blog!

{This giveaway is now closed.}

As of today, I have been blogging for one year!  Happy Birthday to my blog!  This is what I wrote in my first ever post:

I love to make stuff. There's just something about taking raw materials and creating something! And I love to see what other people make, get inspired, and learn how to make new things. So here's my contribution. I hope you like my blog.

Wow, I think that was also my shortest ever blog post.

To celebrate my blog birthday, I want to have another giveaway.  I made these flower hair clips for one of you wonderful readers.  Thank you all for supporting me in my blogging.  I love reading your comments, and hearing about you making my projects.  

(I learned how to make these flowers from this tutorial, by the way.  They are easy and lots of fun to make!)

{This giveaway is for my followers.  If you aren't following already, it's easy to change that!}

Ways to enter:

(You can pick any or all!  Leave a separate comment for each entry.)

1--Tell me which of my posts is your favorite.

2--Tell me what you would like to see more of on my blog.  (More about my life, a specific type of tutorial...)

3--Share your favorite of my posts on your blog, with your Facebook friends, or with your Twitter followers.

4--Follow me on Facebook.

The winner will be chosen on Friday, November 18.


Good luck!


And happy crafting!

Chocolate Celebration Cake Recipe--Happy Birthday to Me!

Happy birthday to me!  It was my birthday recently, and I got some really great stuff, like a book about making patterns from clothes you already have (and altering the patterns to create new designs), and another about machine quilting in sections.  Oooh, I can't wait!

And to make a great birthday even better, this was my birthday cake!  It was soooo good, all that chocolate and caramel...

Chocolate Celebration Cake--is it chocolate for a celebration, or a celebration of chocolate.  I'll let you decide.

Hey, no licking the screen.

Not only was it good, but it was also easy.  Here's the recipe:

1 box of your favorite chocolate cake mix, and the ingredients to make it.

1 can dulce de leche, heated to a spreadable consistency (You could also use sweetened condensed milk, cooked down to a caramel consistency, or soft caramel candies, melted down.)

1 can of your favorite chocolate frosting

Assorted chocolate candies

Make the cake according to the package directions.  Bake it in two square/circle pans--we're making a layer cake.

Once the cake layers are completely cool, turn one layer out onto your hand, then place right-side-up on your cake stand (or green cutting board, if you're me).  You may need to cut the top flat so the second layer will have a stable foundation.  A bread knife works well for this.  (Now you get to nibble on the yummy cake you just cut off!  One of the joys of making your own birthday cake!)

The dulce de leche or other caramel goes on now.  Save some to drizzle on at the end.  Then top with the second cake layer.

Frost.

Pile the cake high with your chocolate!   If it's chocolate, or tastes good with chocolate, it can go on this cake!  I used Reese's peanut butter cups, Rolos, M&Ms, peanut butter chips, and mini marshmallows.  The M&Ms and marshmallows helped break up the large amounts of (delicious, but not very colorful) chocolate.  To add additional visual appeal, I cut my peanut butter cups in half, to show the centers.   

Drizzle the leftover caramel over all the chocolate goodness.

Now all that's left is to enjoy you're amazing deliciousness!  Yummm!

Mmmm, caramel.

I should have heated up the caramel a bit more so it would flow better.  Oh, well.  Tasted great anyways!  So much chocolate.  So much caramel.  So good.

This recipe is adapted from one I found in the Taste of Home magazine.