Wily Wednesday 2/16/2011

Welcome Back!! It's our 2nd Wily Wednesday & we're going to pick right up where we left off, making the 3rd & 4th tiers. If you missed last week or need to reference it CLICK HERE.

4 Tier Diaper Cake Pt. 2

Let's get started!!

Step 7: On this tier, tier 3, I used 8 diapers. Take your other paper towel tube and wrap one diaper around it. I faced the front of the diaper toward the tube. In my opinion it lays nicer. Try it both ways & see what works for you. Take your 2nd diaper & wrap it around the first, overlapping where the first left off. Hard to explain so I hope the photos helps. 

 

Repeat this step with all of your diapers. This is hard if you have smaller hands like myself. Use your body or the counter to help hold everything in place as you wrap. It should start looking like this. Once you have all of your diapers wrapped, place a rubber band around the tier to secure it. Repeat this step for Tier 4. I used 4 diapers on tier 4.

   

Slip both tier 3 & 4 onto your stand. You can turn your tiers until the cake looks even/perfect. You now have your finished cake!! Great Job!

Now comes the fun part. Decorating that cake! Decide what you want your cake to look like or what you want on it. EX: Color themes, ribbon, gifts. Smaller items work better but get as creative as you want. For the cake in this tutorial, I used what I had on hand but obviously you'll want to do some shopping ahead of time. I purchased some ribbon from The Ribbon Retreat this past summer to make hair bows for the girls. I used the left overs on this cake. I also got out some clothing that was given to HC for a baby gift & rummaged though toy boxes to pick out a few toys. You can use things like onesies, bath towels, hats (these look cute slipped over tier 4, see the bottom of this post for an more examples)



Step 8:  Cut & seal one end of your ribbon. You can cut it at an angle (like the photo), leave it straight or whatever you like. To seal the end, run a lighter quickly across the end. You can also use Fray Check or a pair of pinking shears. Pinking shears will help you skip sealing & add a decorative end.  

Decide what you want to be the back of the cake & which tiers you want ribbon on. You don't have to use ribbon on all layers especially if you wan to add a bath towel or onesie. Start wrapping the ribbon around your first tier. Cut & seal your ribbon's end & hot glue (you can also use E6000) the ends together. (Be careful not to get glue on any of the diapers. You want your Mommy To Be to get use out of everything on her cake) Repeat this for all 4 layers or just the layers you want done. 

Once the ribbon is set, you can cut the twine, string or rubber bands off. Your ribbon will hold the diapers in place.

I've added a 2nd layer of ribbon, for more color, using the same steps as the first ribbon.

Step 9: Once your ribbon is added you can start working items on the cake. I chose onsies for my 2nd tier. I folded the onsie in 3's as seen in photo. It may take some practice placing it just as you see fit.

Next I wrapped the onsie around the tier, tucking one sleeve down into the diapers. This helps to hold it while you shape the onsie as well as giving it a finished look.

I added a 2nd onesie. I just overlapped them to show details of the first. To hold these on, I ran a smaller ribbon around them, gluing the ribbon together in the back. (NOTE: If you decide to add onesies or a bath towel, you would not need the ribbon from Step 8 for this layer since it would not be visible.)

On the 3rd Tier, I added another onesie. This time, I folded it in 3's length wise still using smaller width ribbon to hold it in place. I also used 2 ribbons for more decor.

For the 4th Tier (top), I laid 2 pairs of pants, overlapping one another, on the tier & again used ribbon to hold this in place.

Next I added a few rattles by tying them to the decor ribbons. I didn't get super fancy with this, but you can. Add a bow if you'd like. Bows just add to the cuteness.

I stuffed socks into the ribbon on the 1st Tier. There isn't an exactness to this. Just stuff & arrange the way you see fit. Then step back & look at your cake. I always find ribbons that need rearranging or a rattle that needs moved. 

For this Diaper Cake, I didn't add any books or packaged items. If you want to do that, simply place a piece of your packing tape onto the back of your item, dab a small amount of glue onto the tape & then attach it to the ribbon on which ever layer. The main thing to remember is you want every last item to be usable. It's a good idea to pre-plan where you might stick something because once it's glued down it's harder to move it. .

Once you feel it looks good, you have your finished product. You just made your first diaper cake!! Congrats & Great Job!!

Here's my finished product.....

Here's a few others I've done.....

Workouts

I feel I need to say something before I begin. What's new? I always have something to say, correct or clear up. That's my nature. Always dwelling on what I said or did wrong. It's so fun to be me. Wily, pronounced WHY LEE, is another word for crafty. I Googled it because I wanted to be creative in my wording & apparently I didn't Google it good (or should that be well?) enough.

I haven't been talking about this blog to my DH. He thinks I spend a tad too much time on the computer & thinks this blog is a crock of crap. What does he know? He doesn't even know how to email. Behind the times much? This morning, while he's rushing around to get ready for work, I inform him that my crock of crap blog got it's record number of hits yesterday & I even got a few hits from outside of Facebook (you might ask me why that matters...well, hits outside of Facebook are people who don't know me & aren't humoring me).

My DH asks nicely, "Thought you weren't blogging anymore?" To which I reply, "No, I just don't talk about it."

DH chuckles, he finds me humorous on most occasions, & asks what got all the hits. "My Wily Wednesday"...I said it all excited like I had come up with the most clever name ever & also informed him what Wily meant. Obviously I should have known that he, of all people, would already know this. He's like a walking dictionary, which is annoying in itself.

He says, with a bit of banter in his voice, "Yes, but it's like the coyote, Wily. You know from the cartoon. It's more like cunning or sly. So are you using it like a play on words?"

UGH!!! WHY DO I TALK TO HIM?? I hate it when he's so damn smart. So for all you others that are smarter than me, YES that is what I had planned all along....sue me, I'm not a writer & I never claimed to be....(PS I love my DH & I love that he razzes me. I wouldn't have it any other way, in my blog tho, I have to give us personality).

And now for the real post.....

It's official. I've lost my mind. Send me the phone number to the nearby loony bin. Honestly I'd prefer a vacation to the furthest away tropical island. I can see myself sipping fruity drinks while the sexy cabana boy fans me with a palm. I don't mind if you wanna tag along, but lets leave the kids at home. Deal?

What has my life become? I don't know if I'm coming or going. Yesterday I tried to get a workout in while DH made a trip to see his parents. RD tagged along w/DH, HC just laid down for a nap & BAM!! Gala wakes up. I didn't mind much that she was awake. I figured she'd have fun working out. I've had to go to the "at home" workout.

Not that I've EVER gone to the gym. I don't even know what I'm talking about. I have rarely worked out in the last 5 years other than an occasional walk. Get off my ass, I'm not a fitness queen.

OK. Right...back to the workout. I wonder if I fell & bumped my head thinking I'd get through the whole thing. It started out great but went down hill fast. Gala started screaming, since her cup of milk was empty, that she needed "Gaba" (Yo Gaba Gaba) on. I tried to persuade her to join me. No dice. Fine. I offered her "fishies". An agreement. This is nice. I keep w/the beat & walk (I'm doing a walking video) myself to the kitchen, grab a bowl & fill it with "fishies". I make it back in, start w/my leg lifts & wouldn't you know it, I hear "pawie" (that's potty, for those that can't decode toddler lingo). Here we go, marching to the beat into the bathroom. I just CAN'T lower my heart rate or this workout was pointless. Gala's peeing & I'm marching. She keeps staring at me. I know she thinks I'm nuts. She even asked me to stop. I make it back yet again & jump in with the lovely Leslie Sansone. We're walking 2 steps forward & 2 back when I step on 100 "fishies". Maybe that's an exaggeration but at this point, I don't care. She dumped the whole bowl on the floor. UGH! What do I do? I yell for the dog. No time to stop in the middle of this...I'm going to finish my damn workout if it kills me. Yeah, no, I didn't. I made it 2 out of the 3 miles. Which I guess is better than nothing.

Today, it's just as bad. I am torn between 3 kids that need me for one thing or another. I'm so proud of Gala w/her potty training. She even takes her panties off for me when she needs to go. Bad thing about that is I have to locate them when we're done. She just came in & needs to go. I sit her on the pot & hear her going. I ask if she's done. Ah (yes, in Gala speak). I go to wipe her. Guess what? Her underwear are still on! Yep, she went. She even went on the potty. Mommy's just too frazzled stupid to check for panties.

Wily Wednesday 2/9/2011

It's here! My very first Wily Wednesday!! What's that, you ask? It's a day I'll share a craft, project, or fun idea w/you. Oh, maybe you meant what the heck is Wily. Well, it is another word for crafty & yes I had to search for that word. LOL        A n y w a y.....Can't wait to get started!!

4 Tier Diaper Cake Part 1

I'm going to break this one down into 2 possibly 3 tutorials. Wouldn't it be fun if I showed you a sneak peek of the finished product? Well, I can't do that! You'll have to wait & I hope you think it's worth it. Here we go....

A list of things you'll need:

10" cardboard cake board
Packing tape or other
2 paper towel tubes---you know the brown part---ha!
1 toilet paper tube--again same as Paper Towel roll
Hot glue gun & glue sticks or E6000
Scissors
Diapers
10" & 12" cake pans or spring form pans
Twine or string
Rubber bands
Ribbon
Lighter or Fray Check
Decorations: Onesies, Bath Towels, Hats, Rattles, Pacifiers, Books, Toys, Lotions, ETC...

I would like to begin by saying sorry for the quality of the pics. You get what ya get when you're working w/a cheap camera & an amateur. :) Also, no making fun of my fingers & hands. It's winter & I'm a nail biter. What can I say?!? Alright let's begin! First things first, making the cake stand & tiers. Make sure you have your hot glue gun plugged in & ready to go.

Step 1: Tape 1 paper towel tube to the toilet paper tube. I used masking tape because that's what I had on hand. I think packing tape is more durable.

Step 2: Find the center of your cake board & dab a circular bead of glue about the diameter of your new long paper towel tube & then attach the tube to the board. Wait for the glue to set (at least 1 minute).



Step 3: Tear off about a 6" strip of tape. Attach half to the tube & half to the plate. An easier way to do this is by cutting the bottom portion of the tape in 2. It will lay nicer that way. This step is very important because it will add extra support to anchoring your tube. You don't want this to come undone later in the project. TRUST ME! You'll repeat this all the way around the tube (usually about 6 strips total). Now you have your stand. Set it aside for now.

Step 4: Using your 12" inch pan, we'll make the first tier. For this tier, I used 32, size 4, Huggies, again because this is what I had on hand. You can use whatever size, brand, etc. Maybe even consult the Mommy To Be & see if she has a preference. Start placing them around the edge of the pan. Always placing your new one behind the old & overlapping about an inch. I face the front of my diapers toward the wall of the pan since I think it lays nicer. You can experiment w/this & do how you like.

It should start looking like this.

Once your diapers meet the first diaper, tuck the newly place one in front of the first. That's kind of hard to explain. I hope the picture helps. Then keep placing them till you have them all the way around the outer layer. Then straighten any that need it & shift them to work your opening to the middle. We don't want a lopsided cake!

Next make a "C" shape out of the diapers & fill in the opening leaving just enough space for the paper towel tube to slip in. Use as many as you see fit. 

It should now look like this.

Step 5: Take your twine or string & lay it around the edge of the pan. You'll want a piece just big enough to tie around your tier. Then cut & snugly tie the twine around your tier. You don't want it to be too loose or you could end up redoing Step 4.

Here you just want to tuck your twine down into the pan. Go at least half way down (to the middle of diapers). Do this all the way around the tier. Again, we don't want those puppies coming undone!

Step 6: Take your stand & insert the tube into the opening of the cake. Then flip the cake & stand over letting the tier slip out of the pan & down the stand's tube.

You now have your first tier. Good job! Repeat steps 1-6 to make your 2nd tier, this time using your 10" pan. I used 20 diapers on my 2nd tier.

OK, I've gotta stop us here & conclude our first Wily Wednesday. We'll pick right up were we left off by making tier 3 & 4 & we'll also get started on some decor--the fun part! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial & will stop back by next week.



Muchiness

There are things in life that take us back to a time or place upon seeing/hearing them. Almost like a sweet daydream, the memories can creep back up on you. Maybe memories are daydreams because it seems two people never recall an event the same. For instance, my sister & I could spend countless hours fighting over who fell off the picnic tables at our Grandparents camp. She swears it was her, but it was me.....Don't believe me? Ask my Mom. Mom's know everything! BUT all of that is not my point. Not even sure I have a point...

When I was young, we never had a VCR. Am I telling my age? I mean, can that be possible? Geez, VCRs are already a thing of the past & we never owned one till I was in the 8th grade (totally guessing here). And I'm not going to tell you how many years ago that was.

We'd go to a local merchandise store that rented them for the weekend. We always got to pick out a movie & of course my sister always hated when I picked. She just couldn't take seeing the same movie for the hundredth millionth time. I can't say I blame her but I was madly in LOVE with Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland. Being the wonderful big sister she is, she always let me have my way. :)

On a side note, my darling sister had to borrow this from me a few months back to watch with her kids. SEE! What a classic!

And here, 59 years later, Walt Disney had Tim Burton make his version of Alice in Wonderland (again, I think I should mention, my sis took me to see this, in theater, while I was pregnant with HC...do you see a pattern? she secretly loved this movie too but don't tell her I said that). I related to this movie in a whole new way & I'm in love, again. Lucky for me, the girls are too.

In this crazy roller coaster of a life I live in, I sometimes think it'd be grand to fall down the rabbit hole & find myself in a world that made less sense than this one. Maybe I'd find myself along the way. It just seems somedays I feel I've lost my "muchiness".

Sleeping Beauty

You know you're a new Mom when you are always worried about the baby when they're sleeping. Is she/he OK? Did she/he turn over on their tummy? Blah, blah, blah....

Maybe you take night shifts, like my DH & I did, when you first bring them home. It's quite comical for DH & I to talk about now. Man the crazy crap we did. I'm a seasoned Mom so this stuff doesn't happen to me anymore......

Riiiiiiiighhhhtttt! It does get slightly better but you never stop worrying especially if you have the type of sleepers I was blessed with (the non sleeping kind). I just had to check on HC. She's been asleep way longer than normal. Did she stick her finger in the light socket I've been meaning to cover & move her crib away from? Don't you judge me! I'll get to it. I had to answer that one crazy thought with: no, the lights never flickered. Did climb over the railing and hit her head on something? No, I never heard a thud. Maybe she suffocated on all her soft n fluffy blankets...yes! that has to be it. Race up the steps & creep in her room. Is her abdomen moving? Yes, OK, she's good.....keep on sleeping my little beauty.....

You're not still lecturing me about the light socket, are you?!?!

Saying goodbye to your best bra

Come on ladies, tell me.....Don't  you hate when you have a bra you love & the under wire pokes through? You know that it's done for......Adios. Hello Garbage.

Well this time I said....NO MORE! I pulled out the under wire & sent it to the laundry. :) That'll show you, Mr. Bra Maker!!

I'm getting ready for Church & head down to get my clothes off the line. I grab all the essentials including the bra I love. I head up, shower & get dressed. I leave my shirt off because I still have a few hours before Church begins. No need to have 6 little hands, caked with who knows what, pawing it. You Moms know what I'm talking about....don't act like you don't. Sort of like the commercial I used to hear w/Joan Cusack...I love you honey but don't you touch me with those hands!

Alrighty that was off topic....so moving on...I head in to blow dry the do & I glance in the mirror...WHY is my right Tata so droopy & my left is a perky princess? Oh, yes, the left under wire is missing. Curse you, Mr. Bra Maker!!!! Adios bra I love. The trash welcomes you.

A teaser

I'm so excited for you to see what I'm working on for Wily Wednesday! A little hint....I'm sure I'll give myself away in the process!

I love all ribbon! I am the type of girl that will stand in front of the aisle of ribbon for hours. I love mixing and matching colors. I love everything baby! I mean, what's not to like? Cute little faces, tiny toes & fingers, & sweet smells (unless they got a package in the pants, not so sweet)!!! I love baby showers! I could search for ideas for these things for days, months, years. I love wrapping! I spend more on the presentation of my gift than I do on the gift! HA! I sure wish I had an endless bank account to spend on this stuff. How about you? 

Here's a few items that are must haves, IMHO, when working w/ribbon.....

E-6000 is a glue. It is handy when you can't be near your hot glue gun. I love my hot glue gun too!

A simple lighter & Fray Check. This is helpful w/keeping your ribbon ends from fraying. Yahoo!

These can be found at most craft stores (something else I love). I could get lost in there!!!

Craft Day Coming Soon

I've decided to get going on these little crafts I've been promising. It's been long enough, eh? I wanted to set a certain day where I could share a craft or something fun. I figured once a week would be good but what to call it? I came up w/ Foxy Friday, Tutorial Tuesday, Funday Sunday or Monday, or Wily Wednesday. Out of all those days Wednesday was the winner. Why? Well because Wednesday happens to be the best day for a post, don't you think? ;)

So make sure you come back & check me out. I'm working on a good one for this upcoming week...Cya then :)

It's a potty kind of house

Before I begin...for those interested, you can view this page on my blog for more info on POP. There's not enough interest to do a series of posts. :)

Incase you hadn't noticed, we got hit with a lot of snow. I believe they said it was an average of 20 inches. Who knows? With all that drifting some spots have 4 feet or more. It's a historic snowfall for us so naturally that's what everyone is talking about. My poor husband, along with countless others, had lots of shoveling to do. I'd say that the whole town was shut down, but No, some had to get out :(

The poor dogs in the community have had makeshift bathrooms dug for them. Mine hates hers. I'm guessing we need to dig her a bigger bathroom? I don't know, but what I do know is she will not poo where she has gone pee. Not even 2 feet away from it. What does she want? I'll tell you. She thinks we need to shovel the whole back yard for her & until we do, she thinks the living room floor looks good enough for a poo. UGH!

Since we've been stuck in this house, we decided to take advantage of it & potty train Gala! We had given it a go about 3 months or so back, but by the middle of the day I could tell this was not her time. I knew when she did decide to do this she'd manage to have it down in no time flat & boy did she impress me! She had quite a few accidents the first day & we went through a huge stack of undies, but by the end of the day she was doing quite well. Day 2 = no accidents! Yahoo! Now we'll take her & get her own undies. I saved back RD's but they are so big on Gala. Poor thing is just about the size of a shrimp. Her little butt check is always hanging out & the drawers are drooping. That just won't do!

Now that Gala's got a good handle on the whole Potty business, what do I do w/the dog?