For the last two weeks, I’ve been stalking the baking section at Chapters looking for cupcake recipes. Been thinking about getting the Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes: 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone’s Favorite Treat.

Then I thought it might be better to make something, and try it and get a feel if I really want to make that many cupcakes. I might have just wanted some cupcakes and not want to take up a baking habit.

I found the Red Velvet cupcake recipe online and adapted a vanilla buttercream recipe and made it with lavender. It turned out yummy, but it’s a lot of cupcakes in one batch. I have learnt one thing, I don’t need a whole books worth of cupcakes. Just a few recipes now and then should do it for me.

Criteria: Easy to use, not very expensive, and for Mac!

My must have:

• Scrivener
  Really cannot write a paper without it. It’s THE BEST TOOL for writing because you can use it in so many ways based on your own preferences. I love the snapshot feature, and the way you can easily outline and move ‘index’ cards of documents around. Here’s a screen shot of my recent essay as outlined by virtual index cards.
  

  scrivener screenshot

• I do finish my documents in Microsoft Word. Which the latest version for Mac is actually quite good.
• My notetaker: NoteBook, really not perfect however, since I don’t like the pdf integration. Would also be nice if I could import powerpoints since all my profs likes to teach with powerpoints. But it’s better than any alternatives.
• I like Curio but for notetaking, it seems strange for me.

Also useful:

• Skype for teleconferencing with classmates for group projects.
• Google docs for working on shared documents. It’s not perfect but better than sending docs back and forth.
• Limesurvey for conducting surveys. Love how easy it was to use. And it’s opensource!
• Have been using RefWorks as my citation manager, but lately I’ve been using Zotero more. Not that I love either, but they are better than nothing.

In particular, I got it for these following projects which I found most attractive. The number of projects I can make out of this software more than justifies the price for the software. And on top of that, there are more variations I can make by using the software to customize.

Projects I really liked that lead me to buy it. There are 22 projects in all, and also the free quilt patterns she’s been offering from her website. The ‘extra’ quilts are also customizable.

Truest Triangle Quilt ©David Butler

Sunset Throw Quilt ©David Butler

Shiny Diamonds Quilt ©David Butler

Carry Anything Carry-all ©David Butler

Pinwheel Floor Cushion ©David Butler

Argyle Love Pillow ©David Butler

Afghan Stripes Quilt ©David Butler

Sunflower Pillow (Square) ©David Butler

I don’t love the fact that it only runs on windows but other than that, it’s been a lot of fun and I can see myself spending hours on the computer changing patterns and enjoying sewing up the projects.

Features I love for the quilts is the ability to change sizes and layout of patterns etc. Really get to customize it. Once you’ve done that, you can get print out of the yardage requirements for your customized project.

Looking forward to making some projects from these!!

More photos:

• EQ slideshow.
• Amy Butler Softwares {amy butler alert}
• Review – Amy Butler Softwares
• Amy Butler’s Sewing and Quilting Software

All photos used with permission from Amy Butler Design.

New Pet airline carrier launches in select cities. Am definitely going to keep an eye on this. I think they are missing a market for not being in Canada. We’ve got essentially a monopoly on flights here and until July 1st Air Canada still didn’t allow pets to fly in cabin. But Pets or note, niche market or not, any new airline is taking significant risks in this economy.

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Made with flannel and the pattern is the Amy Butler freebie Birdie the Cat. I plan on making more. It was pretty easy to execute, and overall, pretty satisfying.

On the way over, I checked and found that Webs was only a short detour, so we had to go. G got some time off from driving and I was in hog heaven in yarn. It was a beautiful store even if it wasn’t as cozy as threadbear (which G liked more) but Webs had more yarn!

I was so overwhelmed, I didn’t even take photos. Silly me. (G said that just about everyone went in said they were overwhelmed.)

Of course, I shopped the back warehouse, but was also finally able to find just the right yarn that I was looking for to work with my Kauni from Seattle for a project. So, for now, I present the relatively small but lovely stash I got from my detour. Highly recommend checking out the store. I know I will the next time we’re driving by again.

As it is evident from this post, I try to look for yarn stores or xs stores just about every place I visit.

Since High School, I have been borrowing my mom’s Singer Genie for my sewing projects. I don’t sew much, but it’s been living with me for the lat 5 years at least. I love it. But I’ve been looking for a new machine but couldn’t afford to get a really fancy one. But I wanted a slightly more sophisticated machine than the Genie, which is a super nice but basic model.

With some more research I found a model I was willing to pay for that was in my price range. After waiting 2 more weeks to do more research and to make sure I really still wanted it, I went in to get it a couple of weekends ago. So far, I love it. It’s the Husqvarna Viking Emerald 118.

Still a mechanical machine with enough stitches to deal with basic needs, but I paid extra for the 118 model for two features which I now think are must haves. (Didn’t even know they were must haves until having tried it.) The 118 has the push button needle up/down, and the speed control. I’m planning on mostly sewing piecework/appliqué quilting. Which makes these features super handy. Needle up and down is so useful for when I’m working on appliqué and the speed control lets me concentrate on just the sewing and manoeuvring without having to be concerned about what my feet are doing. So, it’s great.

Got mine from The Sewing Centreon Yonge south of Eglinton. Joe has been in business for a long time and he’s knowledgeable and didn’t try to up sell me one little bit. Just only what I needed, and I figure, when I outgrow this machine, I’ll really need to save up for a nice pricey fancy one In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy this one to the fullest.

My only complaint? It’s much bigger and not as compact as the Genie, so I can no longer put it away in the cupboard as easily. Got to find a new place to store it when it’s not in use that’s not on the eating table.

You know what this means, sewing FO for the blog, and fabric and pattern stash to buy.

Knitting Resources Handout

I created a handout for the presentation and if this might be of interest to others, I’m sharing it here. The link will expire in a year, if it doesn’t work for you, please let me know.

Ps: This is a pdf file with external links. The blank spaces on the handout are copyright material that I had permission to distribute in class but not for other audience.

Fantastic list of sewing machine reviews. I wish I could have participated, but blog was stupid. In any case the information is super.

Anyway, will start up with entries soon. Right now, have to start my work finally.

Sorry for the ugly. I hope to have this fixed soon.

Might be time to change some things here too. But for now, I’d rather be knitting. But both blog and knit will have to wait while I work on course work.

Currently trying to write a big report for one course and as often is the case, blogging comes to mind as a form of procrastination.

My courses for the summer session:

• FIS2173 Information Professional Practicum
• FIS2175 Managing Organizational Records

While I applaud this student’s efforts the fact that (s)he has to do this is a sad commentary on the state of some education and society.

I love also how the fact that the school and parents banning the books makes it even more appealing to kids to read them. It’s like they don’t know the first rule of kids, deeming anything bad means they’ll just want to do it even more. I’m actually glad in this way, they are getting the kids to read these classics in a round-about way.

Really want to do this, but might not have the time. But maybe you’ll be able to knit a square.

She just loves all the attention.

Pattern:

Design A – Girl’s Lacy Cardigan, Hat and Bootees from Sirdar 332, Little Sweet Peas

Yarn:

Twilleys of Stamford Sincere Organic Cotton

Needles:

US 5 / 3.75 mm, US 3 / 3.25 mm

Date Started:

December 20, 2008

Date Finished:

February 22, 2009

Modifications:

Didn’t make buttons and buttonhole but two snap closures.

Will I make it again?

I’ve made another hat. Don’t love the outfit as much as the hat since it was so small and needed so much sewing up.

Made for

Jocelyn’s baby girl!