A Touch of Black Magic

Every year I make tons of sweets for the Halloween, I can't help it, something about that cool crisp air. It just sparks the imagination. This year I wanted to make Cake pops. Cake pops have many names, cake balls, cake truffles, the list goes on!

These are made with Red Velvet cake. The process is very simple, but its also time consuming so if you are looking to make these, make sure you have a few hours set aside. I'll be posting my recipe and tips I learned from scouring the web.

This year for Halloween I was genuinely stumped on a costume I like to come up with something original or work from something I can my own flair to. I was a Victorian Marionette doll this year. I made a Marionette from balsa wood and ribbon. I attached chains at the ends and clipped it into lace back blazer. I also wore a striking pink and blonde wig made by California Costumes. I found it at this Halloween and Magic shop. The Shop is called Mr.G's Magic and Costumes and they have been there for 14 years. They had a great selection of costumes and wigs. I liked that I was able to try on  my wig before I purchased it. The staff was also wonderful. Very helpful and courteous I hope to be back soon.

For makeup I used Urban Decay's Book of Shadows Volume II. I decided to go with a sorta of Harlequin Doll look. I think it came out nicely. My necklace was made from sewing a bow onto ribbon and adding a secondary bow with a cross charm. As for costume its self I wore my lace blazer, silver blouse and black peasant skirt with platform peep toe pumps by BCBG. I used my headband from past post on my wig. Its great to make a costume from new stuff as well old. I hope to next time get some white face paint and paint my own mask on.

Of course Halloween is not complete without a Jack o'Lantern to ward off evil for another year. My sister bought me the largest Cinderella pumpkin she could find. It two me hours to carve and I think I scooped about 10lbs of pumpkin guts out. I was making this year's pumpkin a tribute to the Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington. I think he came out tiny bit sinister but I liked it. Pumpkin Carving has long tradition in my family I learned from my father who has such amazing ideas, which always inspired me.

Now for the Tasty recipe!


Red Velvet Cake Devil Pops

Ingredients
1 box Red Velvet Cake or 1 Red Velvet Cake from Scratch
1 bag Wilton Dark Cocoa Candy melts
1 bag White Chocolate Chips.
2/3 cup cream cheese frosting store bought or made from scratch [ I made mine]
Lollipop sticks
Styrofoam or Box top with holes poked in it to let cake pops dry.

Optional:
Lollipop bags
ribbon
Small pumpkin

Instructions

1. Bake the cake according to box or recipe and let cool completely. Very important the cake is completely cool.

2, Crumble the cake into a bowl with two forks. It look sorta like fluffy couscous.

3. Add frosting, now you may have a little more, but mix the icing into you cake crumbs until you get a play dough texture.

4. Roll your cake into balls and place on baking sheet. When cake is all used up place Cake balls in freezer for about 30 mins. And begin melting chocolate in double boiler.

5. Remove the cake balls from the freezer and dip the ends of each of lollipop stick in chocolate then into ball. Once ever ball has a lollipop stick put back in freezer for an 1 hour. The reason behind is you want the stick to be able to adhere to the cake ball.

6.Take the cake pops out and dip in remaining chocolate . Go slowly and take your take time, one you dip chocolate add two white chocolate chips and slip into the Styrofoam or box top and let cool..

7, Serve and EAT! As for my display I used a small pumpkin that I cut with a knife and then stabbed with a bamboo skewer. After that I just popped the Cake pops in!

Well That's all for my Double Double Boil and Trouble this Year!

Dream Big!
Sorianna



Photo Credits : Eva Quinquinio and Bobby Choate

Playing with Wire and Clay

Today was a productive day even if I was sleepy through most of it. The weather was nice, nice cool crisp fall day. I made and crafted while watching movies. I watched "The Dutchess" it was better than I expected. It was very inspiring thee's something really elegant about about period movies.

Now onto the fun stuff, I made this octopus pendant today as experiment for some new jewelry I've been dreaming. the process was pretty easy I'm happy it has sort of has a bubblegum look to it. I really love octopi they are so cute!!!! I plan on making amigurumi one. I also finally have a picture of the unicorn horn I promised to make for dear friend of mine who absolutely loves unicorns.

I also played with copper wire and aluminum wire to make some rings, my sister had brought up wanting a thumb ring I don't often make rings from wire, its something I have not experimented with very much. The copper wire I included red heart and I braided the wire and worked on the focal. I like how it came out I think next time I want to use a hammer to flatten the braid. The second which was done in aluminum I used glass pearls and focused more on coiling the wire. The ring I made with aluminum wire fits more on the ring finger than the thumb.

That's about it for what I played with today I'm contemplating my next tutorial project, and possible mask give away or giveaway fo piece of jewelry, My camera is broken so I've been working with what is one hand. My Applejack crochet project is mildly on hold, that much crochet will give me arthritis.  I want to try and get some painting in this weekend as well. Maybe some more hiking if I am lucky.

Take care and Dream big

Sorianna

This is Halloween! Amigurumi Pumpkin

I just love the month of October, Halloween and the smell of Autumn in the air. Fat round pumpkins, gourds, and squash, can be found everywhere along with delicious apples! The smell of warm cinnamon is enough to make any house smell like one of most wonderful places. I've recently been very into Amigurumi, which is the Japanese word for knitted or crocheted stuffed animals or anthropomorphic creatures.

I started crocheting years ago, my mother taught me how. She's amazing what she makes, scarves, warm afghans, and ponchos. I never really had the patience to keep up with stitch count back then. I guess it just took me time to slow down.  This is a little Jack o'lantern I made and have  named Little Cinderella! I am hoping to make white or cream colored friend for Little Cinderella named Lumina. I can't wait to go to the Pumpkin Patch and pick out beauty for this year. I think my Halloween costume might be a bit Pumpkin inspired too we shall see!

Now for the pattern:

Amigurumi Little Cinderella Pumpkin Pattern

Supplies and Tools
Pumpkin Worsted Weight Yaen
Chocolate Brown Worsted Weight Yarn
Light Green Worsted Weight Yarn
Black Worsted weight Yarn
3mm or 3.75mm crochet hook
Poly fill
Yarn needle.
Stitch marker or Scrap yarn

Abbreviations and Symbols
sc = single crochet
stc = stitch count
ch = chain
sc2tog = single crochet two together, this meant as a decrease
sl st = slip stitch
rnd =round
* = repeat
Row =  Row

Pattern notes: I used Impeccable worsted weight yarn. You also do not have join rounds if you prefer working in spirals, that is up to the individual. Also Gauge of the hook does not matter unless you looking for making small pumpkin like mine, if not jsut make sure you yarn and hook match in size.


Pattern;


Body


Rnd 1 : With pumpkin yarn ch 2, sc 6 in second ch from the hook. join with sl st [stc 6]
Rnd 2 :ch 1, sc 2 in each sc,join with sl st, [stc 12]
Rnd 3 :ch 1, *sc in each sc, then 2 sc in the next sc*, join with sl st [stc 18]
Rnd 4 :ch 1, *sc in the next 2 sc, then 2 sc in the next sc* join with sl st [stc 24]
Rnd 5 :ch 1, *sc in the next 3 sc, then 2 sc in the next sc* join with sl st [stc 30]
Rnd 6-10 : ch 1, sc in each sc, join with sl st [stc 30]
Rnd 11: ch 1, *sc2tog, sc in the next 3* join with sl st [stc 24]
Rnd 12: ch 1, *sc2tog, sc in the next 2* join with sl st [stc 18]
Rnd 13: ch 1, *sc2tog, sc in the next 1* join with sl st [stc 12]
Stuff with poly fill
Rnd 14: ch 1, *sc2tog all around* [stc 6]

To enlarge Diagram click here

Rnd 15: sl st all arround [stc 3] bind off and weave in

Stem 
Rnd 1 : With Chocolate Brown yarn ch 2, sc 6 in second ch from the hook. join with sl st [stc 6]
Rnd 2-3: sc in each sc [stc 6]

Note: The stem you do not have join rounds. simply work in spiral.

Leaf
Row 1: ch 2, 2 sc in second ch from the hook.[stc 2]
Row 2: ch 1, sc in next sc, then 2 sc in next sc, [stc 3]
Row 3: ch 1, sc in next sc [stc 3]
Row 4: ch 1, sc2tog , sc [stc 2]
Row 5: ch 1 sc [stc 1]
Bind off and weave in

To make the body look like a pumpkin refer to the Diagram. Lastly attach all parts and embroider your own face on with black yarn, or even use beads for eyes. you leave him blank and make a few for nice table arrangement!

I hope this was easy to understand I've never written a crochet pattern before. Thee is plethora of information of how read patterns and how to crochet, and a lot of sites that offer some very awesome patterns out there! If you have any questions leave comment below

I am working on making a mask for a Halloween give away! See you next Time!

Dream Big!

Sorianna

Well the Results are in....

I worked very hard for "Play with Clay" challenge on Instructables. I made two entries of which one was featured my "How to 80s style Earrings" and a second entitled "Glamorous Plumeria /bracelet made from polymer clay." I did not make it into the final rounds of the competition but, I did enjoy competing. I really like how glamorous this piece actually came out. I was very nervous about using myself as a model. I think it would be a lovely wedding piece of jewelry for any bide after I finished making it, which was a side thought after final completion.

 My current projects have been focused mostly on Amigurumi , Japanese style of crochet for making tiny plush toys.  I have made an invincibility star, elephant, teddy bear and currently hard at work on  a "My little Pony: Friendship is Magic" piece. The Star was fun to make the pattern is not mine I found it here .My camera broke on my birthday, in September. working on trying to get funds together to continue sharing my ideas and pieces with my tiny corner of the world. I'm also very busy with trying to my body back in shape at the moment! That's all for quick update at the moment.

To make the choker go here:
Glamorous Plumeria /bracelet made from polymer clay

Keep dreaming!!!
Sorianna

A Trip to Georgia

Miss Mad Hatter in watercolor pencil by Sorianna Choate

I recently traveled to Georgia, to visit my Husband's family for the past week. It was a great trip filled with warm family love, pumpkin butter and cinnamon rolls. It started with a trip to visit the fabulous Heather Ozee, my wonderfully talented cousin, her husband and her amazing two girls Roxy and Isabel. We played arts and crafts all day and my puppy Tor romped with the girls as well. I had a chance to test out watercolor pencils, it was love at first brushstroke. Also Heather had the house decorated for Halloween, one of my favorite holidays! I did this quick sketch after talking about Miss Roxy's upcoming birthday party. I really liked how easy the pencils were to use. Also Alice in Wonderland is great theme for any party! My talented cousin runs a shop on Etsy, a blog and here's her Facebook page Heather Ozee Designs.

Pretty Purple Tiara by Sorianna Choate and Kayla Porter

After spending the day with them we headed up to Suwanee, to my mother in law's for barbecue and some football. As always the food was amazing! My sister in law and I started on our crafting odyssey. I worked out the kinks in my next how to project which I will attempt to finish this weekend. I made a lovely purple tiara for her, I learned how to crochet a granny square, baked chocolate chip cookies  and made cinnamon rolls. It was a blast I visited with my amazing half brother Shane and his step mom Marcia! I was surprised with early birthday cake by my mother in law, it was delicious! I also partook in daily tea as well. Notes on the tiara, this was combined effort of my sister in law, Miss Kayla and I, she helped make roses with me and placed them after I finished all the wire work, Its good to be home, though I enjoy visiting family I wish I had more time. My husband was there too I promise! He got in some great naps and play time with all the little fuzzies!

Family Christmas, Hattiesburg, MS 2005   

On a side note today would have been my father's 51st birthday, I miss him dearly. I would like to think he's relaxing on a beach right now with the moon right over him, his fishing pole in his hands, with great a big smile on his face. Also good music playing the background

As always, dream big! Remember to tell those you love that you love them.

Sorianna <3