Let them stitch cake

 One of my sources of inspiration for the forthcoming sampler was a book that I've had kicking around in my studio for years. 

It's one of those books that I could look at for hours.  The bright bright pinks, the super saturated yellows, and the unbelievably over the top patterns and textures are so satisfying.    The technicolor pictures are not in focus, but the color is so, so rich and vibrant, and the decoration, well, I love decoration.  I am a self-described maximalist.  When friends or students as me if they should stop or keep going with whatever it is they're doing (painting, embroidery, cake decorating) I always say keep going.  If this decorator had not kept going, would there be a polar bear on the roof of this honeymoon sugar shack?  No way.  And it would be worse off for it.  Just imagine it....it would just be a roof, you know?

And these.....well these remind me of a particularly great cake from my childhood.  My mom made one, and I can't remember if it was homeade chocolate (probably) or Betty Crocker Confetti (which was my favorite as a kid) but I do remember that it was served at the beach, and that there were probably sparklers since I was born on the fourth of july. 

I recently cruised through the cake decorating section at the local craft store and was beyond horrified to see that there, next to the doilies, were dolls with no legs!  Dolls with no legs?  Instead of going to the trouble to hollow out the part for the doll, now you can buy a doll with no legs and just stick the pick right into the top of the cake.  I was appalled.  Half the fun of a doll cake was getting to keep the doll afterwards, right?  That temporary skirt was fun and all, but there was a real doll in there, and she was mine!   

Anyhow, whether you are a cake froster or not, please stop back on Monday to see the newest sampler, inspired by cake decorating.  And if you're working away on the original sampler, please do post an image over in the flickr pool to be entered into the drawing for the new one.   

Have a great weekend!