Diaper what.???Yes... Diaper Cake!

Well Hello!
I know by now you all have read Abby's wonderful blogging! Forgive me but I really enjoy calling it blogging! Anyway, I am new to this as well. So, I hope you enjoy my first attempt in the blogging world! We both have some great ideas and hope everyone can get some enjoyment out of The Turquoise Penguin!!!

With spring here and summer right around the corner, it is time for showers! Baby showers of course! I know they happen year around but there do seem to be more this time of year. With this in mind, I wanted to share a fun little project with you... Diaper cakes.

I have made several of these and they are so much fun to do and people love them. They work as a great centerpiece and a great gift. If you are hosting the party, do this as your gift and it does a little double duty for you as decoration as well! Whoohoo!!!

Like Abby said, I apologize for not having any pictures during the making but hopefully I can explain it pretty well. Next time I will take pictures throughout the process. I promise!

"INGREDIENTS":
50-75 diapers
burp clothes/wash clothes
onesies
baby products such as lotions, shampoos diaper rash cream, etc.
baby bottles
pacifiers
stuffed animal or something to use as a topper
ribbon

Now... the ingredients can change depending on how much you want to do. You can add more clothing or maybe a bottle cleaner or even a bigger item if you wish. Completely up to you!
I usually try to follow a theme, maybe the invitation or the bedroom decor. Pick something so you can gather items similar in color to make it look more cohesive.

ASSEMBLY:
Find something to set the "cake" on so you can transport it easily. (I have used an inexpensive cookie sheet and pizza pan. This can be part of the gift as well.)

roll the diapers from end to end and secure with a rubber band.
once you get enough to make a layer of the cake wrap a ribbon around the diapers to secure them as one piece or one layer.
Repeat this for each layer. (I would suggest sticking with 2-3 layers.)
After you have made your layers, tuck the onesies, washclothes, bibs or whatever you have gotten into the layers. Pull out some of the diapers and replace them with bottles or lotion, again using whatever you have purchased.

Top the cake with a stuffed animal or something to finish it off. I used flowers for one cake and I thought it turned out pretty cute! You can tie in pacifiers or rattles anywhere and especially in a bow!

These can also be very cute for a wedding shower or housewarming party. You can use hand towels and wash clothes for the diapers and tuck in kitchen gadgets or household goods like hand soap and candles!

So... good luck, keep an open mind and HAVE FUN.

But... if you just love this idea and can't stand the thought of getting all the items and putting it together, just let us know. We would love to make the next centerpiece for your shower or party!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Kathleen

Birthday Cupcake Deliciousness.

Well, here I am. I'm officially doing it. I'm blogging! Is it weird that I totally feel like it's the first day of school?? Yeah? Regardless, I'm excited. So with the song "Electric Feel" by MGMT rockin' in the background....away I go.

While I was going through my blogging stalk list - I found the idea to make ice cream cone cupcakes. In a round-about way I found out that the recipe was on the back of your typical sugar ice cream cone box. Brilliant. Now, all I needed was a reason to make these...I mean, sure, I could just bake them but then I'd eat about 20 and give 4 away. Not really logical.

So - my friend from work, Katherine, was turning 39. BINGO, I've got a reason. And regardless of age - everyone likes cupcakes. Everyone likes ice cream. And well, if you don't - you're weird. Ha! Just kidding. Or am I?

So - I started out with a box of Funfetti mix - because that's the best mix for birthday's and followed the directions on the box. Next step was to put the ice cream cones in the muffin pans. Now, on the back of the ice cream box it said to line the muffin pans with foil around the bottom of the cone. Brilliant idea. This helped the cones not tip over. Sorry for not having any "in the process" pictures - remember, this is a learning process. :)

Here is my best attempt at a "baking" picture

Now, when the back of the box says to only fill the cone up 3/4 of the way with batter, do it. Don't try and be a rebel like me and fill them up just a little bit more or you'll get this.
See mom, I CAN follow directions!

Now for the icing! TA-DA! I stuck a little chocolate chip Teddy Graham to give it some spicy-ness after I dropped some sprinkles on them.

I found Pilsburry icing in a can, with a tip already on it! Best invention ever. Why didn't I think of that??

In the end, I'd say that these took me no more than an hour from mixing the batter to adding the final Teddy Graham. Honestly, easiest recipe ever.

Shout out time: I will say that after watching my friend from Purdue, Ann Marie, start her own blog http://whitehouseblackshutters.blogspot.com/ she truely has been an inspiration. I've watched her blog grow and now I'm amazed by all of her little "do-dad's" (for lack of a better word) on her page. So...thank you, Ann Marie - for being such an inspiration!

Happy Saturday! <3 Abby