"Thomas the Tank Engine" post round-up

I hadn't planned on posting these cupcakes from my son's Thomas the Train first birthday party, because we all know I'm no baking expert, or cake-decorating expert.

But then a lot of people started landing on my blog by Googling variations of "Thomas the Train DIY Birthday Party" and the like, so I thought it might be helpful to share what we actually did. I also thought it was a good way to round up my previous Thomas posts...  
My husband baked these cupcakes, and then we decorated them together. He made the cake batter from scratch, but we cheated and used store-bought frosting! We're kickin' it on the "Semi-Homemade" tip. The frosting was a white (so likely vanilla, buttercream, or creamcheese?) flavor from Pillsbury or Duncan Hines. I know, helpful.

We didn't use foodcoloring on the frosting, opting instead for Wilton frosting coloring (available at WalMart and Jo-Ann) in red, blue, and black to create gray, light blue, and hot pink red cupcake tops.

I sprinkled some with red and white sprinkles, some with red only, poked some Thomas the Tank Engine Party toothpicks, and placed sugar Thomas icing decorations on others. We bought the toothpicks, sugar decorators, and lots of other decorations from Party City. Some plates and cups were purchased from Target.

For our DIY Thomas the Tank Engine Smash Cake, we just picked out one of our smaller rectangular cake pans and backed it in there. Once it was baked, we cut a good-sized circle from the rectangle (pictured in the collage above). Husband frosted it with gray frosting and I used a Wilton black icing tube to draw Thomas' face on it.

Links to my other Thomas and Friends posts:

Thomas the Tank Engine First Birthday Quilt

Thomas the Train Tank Top for Mommy

Thomas and Friends Fabric Bunting

Thomas and Friends Paper Bunting

Completed: Thomas the Tank Engine Toddler Stack and Slash Quilt

Are you sick of seeing Thomas the Train here yet? Because I've got about three more posts to go after this.

But the LO's Bday is today, so I promise we're almost done!

Also done: the quilt! Last seen here and here.

I didn't end up using the dot bias tape I showed you here; I decided it was too narrow. I scrapped together some of that same fabric and the red leftover from this to make the quilt binding instead. I like how the two turned out together.

There are loads of mistakes, but it IS my first quilt in a good 15-20 years, AND my first one all by my lonesome (without Gramma's help). I'll get better... hopefully.

There are six "stacked and slashed" fat quarters, with the seventh FQ providing sashing in between each row of two. It's a combo of tied with red yarn and machine quilted.

Thomas & Friends Stack & Slash Toddler Quilt
Materials: Thomas & Friends FQ Bundle ($7 - WalMart); pillow ticking, yarn, and red fabrics all from Gramma; extra Thomas fabric from here for the border; batting (~$7 - Jo-Ann sale)
Total cost: Under $20, but we all know quilts cost waayyy more to make than just the materials!

WIP: Thomas the Tank toddler quilt

I know what you're thinking... isn't there another quilt for my son I'm supposed to be working on? I'll get to his Space Robot Quilt soon enough, but always intended for that quilt to be twin or even full-sized. Considering his one-year-old birthday is coming up on May 7th, a toddler-bed sized quilt is more age appropriate.

And I actually hadn't planned on making him a toddler quilt. But I was at Wal-Mart and saw a Thomas the Tank fat quarter bundle on clearance for $7. It just so happened we were planning a Thomas and Friends themed birthday party, so I brought the bundle home even though I wasn't sure what I'd do with it. I'd already made Thomas Train themed bunting (I'll post pictures of that in a couple of days).

So I decided to just go ahead and make a quilt. It's a "Stack and Slash", which I knew about because it was the last kind of quilting my Gramma told me about before she died, and she had one in progress. I have her plans, which called for squares of fabric. But when I Googled "Slash Quilts" as Gramma called them, I came across one tutorial that called for hacking away at fat quarters. Works for me!

Again with the iPhone pictures... perhaps my PhotoShopping will distract you from the dismal picture quality.


This is one busy quilt. Some of my Thomas FQs were duplicates, which didn't help the busy-ness. Plus it's a lot of the same colors.

I already have one regret... can you guess what it is? All of that stripey coordinate seems to've ended up to the right of the quilt. That's the last time I ask my husband how he likes my quilt layout before I sew it.

Here's a shot after I've added some of the border. I like the contemporary look of a sans-border quilt, but I'm adding one to the quilt to both add size and in an attempt to neutralize all of the busy-ness.

Why I picked stripes to take away "the busy" I have no idea.

Oh wait, yes I do, that's another husband thing.

I was cutting this pillow ticking I had from Gramma's stash in order to use it as a muslin for a pair of shorts, and husby remarked that it looked like railroad overalls. So when it came to this quilt, it fit all of the requirements; it was free, I had tons of it (a whole bolt), and it fit with the railway theme (well, kinda).

Overall, I like this "Stack and Slash" method and may make another, more colorful, one. It looks like a lot of work, but was actually one of the fastest and easiest quilt tops I've made (this is my first return to quilting since probably middle school). I like that it doesn't waste a lot of fabric-- I was able to use the entire FQ except what I lost when I was squaring up my blocks. That said, your blocks do shrink a lot as you go along thanks to all of the seams.

WIP: Thomas the Tank toddler quilt

The Thomas and Friends Toddler Quilt is chuffing along nicely.

Incidentally, I'd never heard the word "chuffing" until watching Thomas the Tank Engine. Not even sure if I'm spelling it correctly.

Must be a Brit thing.

Onto the quilt progress.

I've finished the back (yes, I know it needs pressing, it's that obnoxious pillow ticking)...

...and made some continuous bias tape from the polka dots used on the back. I'll bind the quilt with that.

I've never binded bound made a quilt with binding before. Gramma always had me sew the quilt right-sides together, like a duvet cover, then flip it right-side-out and insert the batting, before tying it and stitching the opening closed.

And speaking of tying quilts, I'l do a combo of tying and machine quilting here. First time machine quilting too.

Things I Fancy: the Pajanimals' Swan Rug

In case you can't tell from my previous Berenstain Bears and Barney the Dinosaur "Things I Fancy" posts, I watch a lot of Sprout.

And in case you can't tell from my Pinterest, I love anything Jim Henson and the Muppets.

So of course I love the Pajanimals, their sweet lullabys, and especially their bedroom. And what always stood out most to me in their room is this round swan rug, which you can see in these stills I grabbed from their "La-La-Lullaby" video:

 Very Anthropologie! I can't seem to find a similar one online, not even at Anthro.

As of this fall, the Pajanimals have gone from singing lullabys in music-video type vignets on Sprout, to starring in their very own series. Good news for Pajanimals fans, but... the set has since been changed. And the swan rug is gone. But some good changes have also been welcomed into the Pajanimals bedroom. I'm going to be talking about those, too, once I get used to the all-new Pajanimals!

Pan Am costume: there's still time before Halloween!

I'd love to be a Pan Am gal for Halloween, but I'm not too sure I'd want to go the "sexy stewardess" route. Nope, as the mood board below indicates, I'm thinking more along the lines of "Christina Ricci jet-setting vintage bombshell" as seen on ABC's Pan Am.

Just like there was a vintage explosion on the Halloween following the debut of AMC's Mad Men, we're sure to see plenty of flight attendants this Halloween.

My sewing machine is still in storage because we're still on the ranch, but it's not too late for you to wear a Pan Am costume on my behalf! I've done some of the work for you, choosing easy-to-find patterns with pencil skirts and jackets (so you don't have to buy two separate patterns).

1. Simplicity 2154 - Obviously this "Simplicity Retro" pattern is from the right era, but the fit of the jacket is slightly off for the stewardess costume. It's not as tailored, and is looser around the hips. But made from the right fabric, it's sure to look authentic to the era.
2. Butterick 5147 - Has a pencil skirt and a fitted jacket, with the correct length of sleeves. But the collar is all wrong.
3. Butterick 3037 - Has the four buttons, just like the show, a close fit, and the perfect collar. The skirt and sleeves are too long, but that could easily be fixed. This is probably the pattern I would choose.
4. Royal Blue Suiting - $5.75/yd from Fashion Fabrics Club.
5. Pan Am Bag - These are all over the Internet thanks to the show, this one is $89 from Brookstone.

Don't forget the white gloves, retro-fab shoes, and pill box hat! Here's Threadbanger's tut on "How to Make a Pill Box Hat":


Have you made a Pan Am Halloween Costume? I'd love to see pictures and hear what pattern you used (if you used one).

IKEA Emeryville wants to "Fix This Kitchen"

IKEA apparently has some series called "Fix This Kitchen". Never heard of it.

Buuut... it sounds like a great opportunity:

Do you have a friend or loved one who has a real passion for cooking but is trapped in an outdated, nonfunctional, unorganized or just plain ugly kitchen? Now's your chance to nominate him/her to receive a kitchen worthy of a gourmet chef! 

IKEA's hit series, Fix this Kitchen, has decided to make an extra, very special online episode... but we need a kitchen to renovate and we need one NOW! 

We are looking for homeowners who LOVE to cook but are in desperate need of a completely new kitchen. We are also looking for YOU...our accomplice in this mission. If your nominee is selected, you will help our team SURPRISE your loved one with a top-to-bottom kitchen makeover from IKEA. . .. and we'll be there film the whole renovation.

The casting call I spotted on Craigslist says you CANNOT nominate yourself, probably because they want the whole accomplice/nominee duo. The duo also has to live in the same area within an hour's drive of the Emeryville IKEA (no mention of the one in East Palo Alto), and "either the Accomplice or Nominee must own the home that is to be renovated". Sooo... a landlord can nominate their renter and get a free kitchen? That's kinda sketchy.

The best part is, the labor and new kitchen are free. But, in a rare peep inside the world of home makeover shows, the casting call says the IRS will be notified of the gift and you're going to have to pay taxes on it.

Anyway. To apply for a kitchen makeover from IKEA Emeryville, and have it shown on "Fix This Kitchen", apply at FixThisKitchen.com.

And to watch the mystery show this design TV lover has never even heard of, tune into A&E on Saturday mornings. (That's right, I'm IN BED Saturday mornings. And the only time A&E is on in our home is when my husband is watching those creepy "The First 48" shows. Or "Hoarders". Or "Intervention". Or "Storage Wars". A home design show on A&E makes as much sense as one on TLC... wait a minute.)

Things I Fancy: Berenstain Bears' Owl Lamp

I've been wanting this owl lamp from Target, but was trying to avoid the whole "Put A Bird On It" craze.

But recently, I noticed someone else had it, too:

Screenshot of "Berenstain Bears: Think of Those in Need" cartoon on YouTube.

Scan of "The Berenstain Bears and the Week at Grandma's" book.

Maybe the Owl Lamp, $39.99 at Target.com, isn't such a bad idea after all!

Is Design Star's Cathy Hobbs already an HGTV employee?

Cathy Hobbs, Design Star Season 6 hopeful.
Credit: HGTV.com

Judging by the comments on HGTV's Facebook page and the HGTV Design Star Blog, Cathy Hobbs has got to be this season's least-favorite contestant. Mostly, fans are complaining about her poor, Nina-Ferrer-esque attitude.

Even posts that have nothing to do with Cathy spawn dozens of comments, such as this one on the Design Star Blog touting Dina Manzo's impending Design Star appearance. Among the comments: that Cathy Hobbs is already an HGTV Canada employee.

Huh? If you already know me, you know that in addition to fancying homes, I also am super-into TV and media (and doing research). So I just had to check it out myself.

What I found: Cathy Hobbs is not necessarily already an HGTV employee.

Here's what her bio says on HGTV Canada:

Emmy award-winning television personality Cathy Hobbs is the founder of the interior design firm aphereä, based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and the Co-Host and Executive Producer of Metro Residential.

Therein lies the confusion. People are reading that and thinking that Metro Residential is an HGTV show. When actuality, it's not. It's not even a national show. It's a local show that airs on WPIX in New York.

The reason she's on HGTV Canada's website seems to be because she's appeared on their "Top Ten" show, which is similar to a VH1 "I Love the 80s" countdown or clip kind of show. Correct me if I'm wrong, but she appears in a commentator-type capacity, not as a host or designer. Or to rephrase that, she does appear as an "expert" designer, but not actually designing rooms.

So, do you think this is a conflict of interest? Should HGTV should have disclosed this to us, the fans? Or are you a Cathy fan and think she should soak up any camera time she can get (and you'll be right there watching)?

Things I Fancy: Barney the Dinosaur's "idea bench"

Yes, seriously.

I was just watching "Barney the Dinosaur" on Sprout and saw the most awesome park bench ever:

The "idea bench". This picture comes from The Ponder Home, which also shows her kids sitting on a real one if you follow the link.

Here's BJ next to an illustrated version, courtesy PBSKids.org.

It's an outdoor park bench where the two occupants face each other, much like some types of love seats (and these toilets).

But the best part is that it spins! What fun! A full 360 of your garden. Here it is in action, starting at around 6:41:

I want my HGTV!

I really, really try to keep my media and TV related posts on my other blog, but in this case I feel this post belongs over here because of the content and shows I'm discussing.

I get the feeling HGTV feels like Bravo is encroaching on their territory.

With a bevy of shows like "Flipping Out", "Million Dollar Decorators", and "Million Dollar Listing", Bravo certainly is giving HGTV a run for their money when it comes to the volume of Real Estate and Interior Design programming. Money being the key word there.

Bravo's Real Estate and Interior Design programming is decidedly more high-end than HGTV's, which has shows like "Design on a Dime" and others with budgets in the very low thousands-- not the millions. Bravo's shows are also much more reality-based, with story lines outside of the decorating or home buying process, and regular "characters" as opposed to hosts and homeowners.

And now it appears that HGTV is trying to borrow a chunk of Bravo's audience.

First it was the Novogratz's, which HGTV pinched from Bravo's "9 by Design" to star on their own "Home by Novogratz." That's all well and good-- until the HBN episode I watched took a very ugly turn toward reality TV. Or at least attempted it, with a staged scene at a crowded dining table where a design meetin with Courtney and an assistant kept getting "interrupted" by the children.

Now, some of their other programming is trying very hard at "reality", and failing miserably. Tonight I watched the sneak preview of  "Debbie Does Dallas", "Donna Designs Dallas", "Donna Decorates Dallas". Even though she was a runner up on a previous season of "Design Star" that I hadn't watched, my love of television and my fancying of homes means I'll always give a new HGTV show a whirl before deciding whether or not I'll watch it.

And there were two things I noticed within the first five minutes of this show; with it's introduction of Donna's daughters (apparent "characters" on the show) and the playful-sound-effecty music score, this was going for a much more "reality show" vibe. And while I'm not all that familiar with Donna, I can tell she is all about the bling. Even just looking at the home shown in the opening credits, you can tell this show is not meant to portray the average American's home. This is high end.

Hhmmm... those two things sound like a certain other network.

A quick Google search just now lands me on a Scripps Networks press release, which confirms my suspicions of HGTV's angle with this show:

When Dallas homeowners feel the need to bling out their lavish houses, they count on former HGTV Design Star finalist Donna Moss to bring the glitz. During this new design series, HGTV will follow Donna and her daughters Tiffany and Ashley, as they bring dramatic designs to Dallas.

Reading further down in the same press release reveals that HGTV has hired none other than a former "Real Housewife" to do another design show, sniping yet another personality from Bravo. Dina Manzo, an interior designer and special events planner from "Real Housewives of New Jersey", "will bring her lavish and sumptuous events to HGTV in this new weekly party-planning series." Sounds interesting, but certainly not what I watch HGTV for. If Scripps Networks wanted to start a party-planning series, it sounds better suited for the Food Network (a la Sandra Lee), but even that's a stretch.

Bottom line: Bravo does the high-end "reality" based home programming better. But that's why I watch HGTV (it's no secret working there as a producer or blogger would be a dream job for me), so I hope they stop this attempt at Bravo-lite soon. HGTV is my go-to for accessible design and within-reach real estate. And this switch to higher-end design is a bizarre choice while the country still deals with the fallout of the recession and foreclosure crisis.