Heart of Mary

It's that time of the year again when I get to bake these cookies....

Before baking

Even if I've made them in different moulds many times now, the outcome never ceases to fascinate me! The details are just amazing!

After baking

Springerle cookies differ from most cookies as it uses baker's ammonia as the leavening agent.  (Baker's ammonia was the primary leavening agent used before baking soda and baking powder came to being. ) They have to be air-dried for about 24 hours before baking in order to keep the integrity of their design and are baked at quite a low temperature, resulting in a white cookie.  They are soft and cakey, rather than crisp or crunchy. They are traditionally flavoured with anise but since I don't like anise, I use vanilla extract as flavouring instead.

Springerle moulds are quite expensive and hard to find here in Australia. I have 7 of them now but I bought them one at a time over the course of three years 😉. I only make these cookies for special occasions like Christmas and Easter.

Last October, when two of my kids flew to the US to attend their cousin's wedding in NY, I sent over these...




Last Christmas season, I sent another batch overseas, this time to my family in the Philippines.  My brother, who also lives here in Melbourne, went home for another brother's 60th birthday.


If you would like to learn how to make springerle cookies, HERE is where I learned to make them from.  You can find a lot of moulds online especially in the US.  One of my favourite shops to get them from is this Etsy shop. In Australia, I found some here. I hope you will be encouraged to try them!

I wish you all a blessed and meaningful Holy Week. May you experience Christ's glorious Resurrection and be filled with true Easter Joy all the days of your life!



PS.  I have listed another four "Cakes from the Heart" softcover books in my Etsy.  As these copies were printed before the error on the Yema Cake page was discovered, I will be sending the corrected PDF along with the book. Anyone interested, just head on over to my shop!

{If you aren't interested to read about the backpack (again) then feel free to scroll down to the bottom for some news on the printed "Cakes from the Heart" book I am selling.}

So...I'm back again with one last backpack.  As I've mentioned the other day, I was going to make another bag, this time, for an adult.  I am actually giving this to my soon-to-be 22 years old niece for her birthday in March.  I noticed she was more into fabric drawstring and/or tote bags than leather bags so I thought this would be a perfect present for her 😄.



Unfortunately, I made a mistake in cutting the fabric pieces for the side pockets, so instead of them being elasticized, I had to make do with simple slip pockets 😭.  They're alright, I guess, but I was a little disappointed nonetheless.


I ran out of polyester webbing so I just made the fabric straps.  They turned out well and coordinated with the black plastic sliders.

I am so pleased with the three backpacks that I made and I certainly loved the time I spent sewing them, even it meant late nights for me! I probably will pack up my sewing machine for now (or if I can be bothered, I might just make small zippered bags and/or wristlets out of the excess fabrics before doing so!).

Ok, so now for some news on the printed book.  I recently ordered three more softcover copies from Blurb as they were discounted again.  I have now listed them on my Etsy shop.  The price is still much lower than the selling price over at Blurb but higher than the first time I listed printed books on Etsy because my price depends on how much I got them for (meaning how much discount I received). If you are interested in purchasing a copy, you can do so here.

Just dropping in really quickly to say a huge 'Thank You!" to everyone who bought the Cakes from the Heart eBook in the last couple of weeks! It has been heartwarming (and a bit overwhelming) to know that many of you really believe in what I do and want to continue baking with me and learning from me. I hope you will have loads of fun baking all the cakes in the book! As much as you say I inspire you, I am also, in return, inspired by you, to continue creating and I am now really pushing myself further so I can deliver a Book 3 in the near future 😉. I hope my cakes will remain a part of all your family occasions for years to come!

Some of you have been asking if you can buy a printed copy of the book. As I've mentioned in my last post, I've checked the prices over at Blurb and they are really high! This book is even more pricey than the first book because it has more pages. Anyway, Blurb offers discounts quite often and if you sign up for an account, you will get notifications when these discounts are available. You don't really have to buy it at full price.

Recently, Blurb offered a 40% off if you buy at least 4 books so I took advantage and ordered my very first hard copies. After much anticipation, my books finally arrived today!



Just like the Frosted Heaven book, the cover came out a little bit dark. I don't blame the printer though.  To be honest, my cake photos aren't very professional and were all just taken from my old iPhone. I don't do any styling or what not. I take photos not really for the intention of putting them in a book.  It just so happens that they end up in one! The photos are not too bad though.  They just look better in their digital form!

Other than the darkness of the cover, everything else is great! I do feel ecstatic to see my hard work come to life.  I know it's a simple, little book but I am nevertheless proud. 😊

Anyway, I don't really need four copies of this book. I bought one hardbound book and three softcovers. The good news is....I have decided to sell the two softcovers on Etsy! If you really want to have a printed copy, here is your chance to get it at a much lower price! And whoever will buy these two copies will be the first two people (aside from me, of course) to own one!

Want it? Go get it from Etsy now!

UPDATE: The two copies are already SOLD. I am listing my THIRD and LAST softcover.  You can grab it here.

UPDATE: Third copy is SOLD as well.

Book Two.

Yey!

In a way, I am thankful for how things had happened.  If I hadn't known that someone out there was claiming to have developed a recipe that they had actually copied from here, I wouldn't have pushed myself into finishing this book. It's been a long time coming.

It's a lot of hard work.  I don't think I've slept for more than 4 hours a night for the last two weeks.  And that's just the writing, editing, lay-outing and proofreading part. The work that went to create the cakes is another story. Some people do not realize that, I guess.  Especially when what they like doing is simply 'copying and pasting' stuff into their own Facebook pages or websites.  Sad.

But that's water under the bridge.  My hope is that whoever wants to have a copy of this book, wants it for the right reason.  And the only reason.  To bake!

So here it is. A bit of a preview for you... (click to view on full screen)

Three out of four, at least.  I don't know what happened to the fourth tester.  After an initial email, I didn't hear from her again. Oh well.

Here are the finished bags of the ladies who so kindly volunteered for the job (and finished it!).

From Jenny

From Mimi

From Susan

Aren't those lovely?

I've already done a number of patterns/eBooks and tutorials before but this was the very first time I've had my pattern tested by someone else.  What did I learn from this experience?

First of all, the comments and suggestions from these ladies were very helpful.  There were a few steps and photos that I wouldn't have thought of fixing up had they not told me to do so.  Overall, they did find the instructions clear and detailed and the photos very useful (which is a relief for me!).  If you've ever bought any of my patterns or tried any tutorial on this site, you would surely know that I do not skimp on photos!

What I would probably try do the next time around is have a pattern tested by people I actually know.  Like my friends here perhaps, or my sister in-law (who lives in the next suburb), or mums from my kids' schools. That way, as they sew, they can ask me and show me their work personally.  It would definitely be easier to explain things especially when something is unclear or when something goes wrong.  Sometimes, it is very hard to communicate via email alone and misunderstanding results from it.

Anyway, I am just about ready to release this eBook on "How to make a Cosmetic/Make-up Bag".  This 34-page eBook includes patterns for two bag sizes and aside from instructions on how to sew the bag, I've also added instructions on how to make your own bias binding tape.  It will be available shortly in my Etsy Shop and also on Simple Things.

Thank you once again to Jenny, Mimi and Susan.  Thank you for taking time out from your busy life to help me out.  Hope you learned something from me as I have from you.

Yesterday was a really good day.

Firstly, after a couple of months of anxiously waiting, my eldest son has been offered a place in his preferred university and at the course he really wanted.  The news came as a great sigh of relief.   The university, apart from being a reputable one, is just a 30-minute train ride from our home, making commuting super convenient. I was truly happy for my son! He is turning 18 in a few days, a milestone in itself, and this blessing is certainly a huge icing on his cake.  Yay, we now have an Accountant in the making!

During the day too, I was in the mood to sew another cosmetic bag.  Since I rarely get the urge (and the time) to sew these days, I really had to take advantage of the opportunity.  I also had that strong feeling that I could "perfect" this pattern after a third attempt so I took out our camera and decided to take photos along the way.

And I was right!  The bag turned out beautifully.  The pattern seemed flawless.  I was so satisfied with my sewing...and that doesn't happen very often!




I will choose up to three (3) pattern testers.  Hopefully, there are a lot of volunteers out there so I will actually have people to choose from!

Anyone???

UPDATE (21/1/12):  PATTERN TESTERS ALREADY CHOSEN. THANKS.

Didn't expect me to be back so soon, did you?  Even I suprised myself!

I tried my pouch again today.  And...I am happy to say that this time, it turned out just as I had envisioned it. 

I love this fabric!  It's even much more beautiful in person.

 

Looks small but is actually quite roomy.  The flex frame closure will keep everything secure inside.

The bottom is darted rather than boxed.

I think I got it right with this one...from the shape down to the size.  Just right for bringing along keys, mobile phone, driver's license and some cash for those quick trips.

Now, to work on my pattern...I think I'm going to call this my Errand Clutch.  Be back with that soon!

In 2010...

Baking took up most of my time, especially during the last couple of months.  I never ever imagined I would be asked to make a cake for someone outside my family, much more, get paid for it.  Now I don't even have time to bake for them!  I learned a lot of new techniques and honed my cake decorating skills a litte bit more.


Just a few of the cakes I made during the year.  The top row are the cakes which I am most proud of!

I think my most popular post for the year was the one with the Ube Macapuno Cake recipe.  I received heaps of emails asking for help and advice, as well as, messages of thanks for sharing my recipe.  Really, this is one popular cake among Filipinos!

Sadly, sewing had to take a back seat.  I wish I had more time and more new ideas.  I came out with only two new patterns for my Etsy shop.  But definitely, sales were better than ever before.  Thank you to those who bought eBooks from me.  I hope you all were completely satisfied with your purchases.  Keep on sewing!

Digital camera and toilet paper roll cozies

I just had a trip to Spotlight and purchased some great materials.  My fabric stash is growing and really needs to get moving.  Hopefully, inspiration will set in very soon.

I finished a few more sewing projects but the two I absolutely loved were my daughter's school laptop bag and my black mini messenger bag.


I sewed the mini messenger bag back in September and have been using it everyday since.

Overall,  2010 was a very good year.  I am grateful and thankful for everything, despite the fact that I lost one of my brothers in May.  I am aware that I am not getting any younger (and will in fact turn another year older in a few days) but I am more fulfilled now than in years past.   I have a loving and supportive family.  They are very happy with my little successes as I am with theirs.  We are all healthy and materially blessed as well.  I need not ask for more.

I know we all have things to thank for and lots to look forward to.  May we all have a blessed 2011!

When it comes to my cooking, my kids are my biggest fans. Although I do not cook anything fancy, they nevertheless look forward to most meals because they know I would cook up something they would love to eat. And the dessert...that makes them even happier. One of the things I would want to pass on to them are, of course, the recipes. I would love for my children to learn to cook the food that they grew up with and be able to share them with their own families in the future.

For this reason, I have started an important project...my recipe journal. At the moment, the recipes I use are all over the place -- in cookbooks, computer printouts, handwritten notes, etc. My dream is to have a single compilation of my family's most loved recipes. It would include recipes that have been handed down to me as well by my own mother and my aunts.

I would like it to be very personal. It is certainly much easier to type up the recipes on the computer but I would rather have them handwritten. So when my children would read through the recipes, they would have memories not only of the food but of me.

Today, I bought myself a hardbound notebook and then I dressed it up with my fabric journal cover.
 

I purchased the fabrics from Spotlight a while back. You've seen glimpses of them in my patchwork zippered pouch but this recipe journal is a more suitable use for them.


I haven't started writing a recipe down yet. I have to do this with patience to make sure it will be a beautiful legacy. The first page I will be reserving as a dedication page so my kids will know that this was lovingly done for them.

Can't wait to get this project going.

Yes...I made another one of my pretty toilet paper roll cozies. This is very similar to the first one but I would say, is a much improved version. The size is more exact and also, it is sturdier because I had lined it with cotton batting. This way, it would hold its shape and won't collapse as the toilet paper is being used up.

I took pictures as I sewed. For whatever it's worth, I went ahead, laboured, and made the pattern and instructions for it. I personally think the cozy is a pretty neat idea, though I am unsure if many people will be interested in making one for themselves. It is really just one of those simple, functional things that I love creating.

To come up with one standard size for the cozy, I had to look at the different brands available in our local supermarket. I found that as far as sheet size is concerned, the Australian standard appears to be 11 cm by 10 cm (about 4.3" by 3.9"). However, different brands had various number of sheets per roll and also there's one-ply, two-ply and even three-ply. The main difference, I think though, lies on the thickness of the paper because this ultimately determines the total volume of the whole roll. For instance, the inexpensive supermarket brand with 210 sheets and thin paper had less volume than the more expensive kind with extra thick paper and only 180 sheets.

In the end, I decided to settle with the Kleenex brand. I figured, this was a brand that most likely existed worldwide. Its size and volume is also comparable to most of the other good-quality brands I saw. Having said that, I am quite certain the cozy will fit any regular, standard-sized toilet paper roll out there, whether it's Kleenex or not.

The eBook is finished and is now listed in my shops, here and here.

For a chance to win a FREE copy of this new eBook, just leave a comment below. Sign up to be a follower if you aren't one yet. And please do not forget to include your name, as well as a way to contact you (email, blog, etc) in case you win. Entries close on Sunday, the 22nd Wednesday, the 25th. Winner will be announced the following day, Monday, the 23rd Thursday, the 26th. Hope you can all join, thanks!

A couple of ladies have emailed me recently asking for some help with my water bottle carrier pattern.  I've decided to make this post to give some tips not only for them but for others who have bought the eBook from me as well or for those who are thinking of doing so in the future.

The main concern has been how to pin the circle base to the cylinder body so it will fit neatly.  Before I proceed, it is my assumption that: 1) the required seam allowance for the cylinder was followed strictly, and 2) the circle base diameter was correctly obtained using the formula in the eBook.

Why does the circumference of the circle base seem bigger than it should be?

The answer is...because it really should.  The unsewn circle base includes the seam allowance, therefore, it's circumference is slightly bigger than the circumference of the already sewn cylinder.


When aligning the circle base to the cylinder, do not attempt to pin together along the edges because it will not work.  What you should be aligning to the cylinder is the (imaginary) stitching line, as shown in the photo above.  To do this, press the edges together, push the center of the circle in and pin where the stitching line would be.  You may not find the exact fit immediately but as you adjust the pins, it should end up fitting correctly.

After you have sewn the pieces together, you will see (as in the photo below) that the circle base is pushed in.  The final circumference of this circle is now exactly the same as the body of the carrier.


I don't know if my explanation was clear enough, but again, with accurate seam allowances and correct circle diameter, you shouldn't have any more problems.

Let me know how it works out for you.

...I got my first cake order! Was reluctant at first to accept because I was afraid I would stuff it up.  It was for my sister in-law's niece, who, for her 17th birthday, only asked for one thing...a soft and light chocolate cake. As most cakes in the shops here are heavy and super rich mud cakes, my sister in-law thought of asking me to bake for her.

So glad I did...I was super pleased with how the cake turned out and I got great positive feedback from those who feasted on it!