Gayle Trent

Killer Cakes – Issue 41

Gayle — Mon, 14 May 2012 05:51:25 +0000

Welcome!

Here at Daphne’s Delectable Cakes, I’m getting a lot of requests for cakes that look like other foods. So, I’ve taken to the Internet to search for some inspiration. See what you think of these:

This one is from TipsyCake in Chicago.

Or this asparagus cake from Sweetapolita. Click on the link and then scroll down to see how delicious the cake looks once it is cut!

Finally, here are a burger and fries served up by Bakerella. As always, a step-by-step pictorial guide is available at the link!

Sew Deadly – Issue 43

Gayle — Wed, 09 May 2012 05:43:42 +0000

Marcy’s Musings

I finally got around to making this pattern I bought from Follow The White Bunny a while back. It’s a pindsvin, which is Danish for hedgehog. I love this little guy rowing his teacup along with his spoon, and now he is adorning a tote bag.

The pattern was fun to stitch and took me only a couple of evenings. I used a metallic lavender thread to encircle the hedgehog (dubbed “Pickles” by Lianna Trent). If you work with metallic thread very often then you already know this; but if you don’t, be aware that it tends to knot up easily and that it can be hard on your fingertips. I found myself wishing I’d worn finger guards to work with it since I had to grasp the needle very tightly in order to pull the thread through.

Be sure and check out the blog Follow the White Bunny and the blog &Stitches for more fun stitching news!

Killer Cakes – Issue 40

Gayle — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 05:55:09 +0000

Welcome!

If you haven’t heard the news yet, Gayle Trent is going to be writing another mystery based on my adventures. This one will be called BATTERED TO DEATH. I don’t have many details to share yet, but I’ll keep you posted as I find out more about the book.

Project Spotlight: Adorable Panda Cupcakes by Bakerella!

How cute are these?! Bakerella will show you step-by-step how to create your own mini panda cupcakes if you’ll click on the above link!

Sew Deadly – Issue 42

Gayle — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:13:39 +0000

Marcy’s Musings

Hey, guys! How are you? I’m so glad you stopped by. My friend Amanda Lee is participating in a Writerspace chat tomorrow, Thursday, April 26, at 9 p.m. Eastern Time at http://www.writerspace.com/chat/. Please stop by and chat with Amanda and with all the other authors who will be participating. There will be lots of prizes given away, including a signed copy of Amanda’s account of my latest adventure, The Long Stitch Goodnight.

Project Spotlight: Free Pattern from The Prairie Schooler

Here is an adorable springtime pattern for you from The Prairie Schooler. Click on the link above in order to download and print the free pattern. It shouldn’t take too long to make, and it would make an adorable card or sachet.

Killer Cakes – Issue 39

Gayle — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 05:57:36 +0000

Welcome!

I hope everyone is doing well. My friend Amanda Lee just had a new book come out. The Long Stitch Goodnight, the fourth book in the embroidery mystery series, was released on April 3. Amanda will be chatting about the new book on Facebook this afternoon at 3 p.m. Check her FB page for further information.

I was looking online for some inspiration for a book cake for Amanda, and look what I found from Charm City Cakes (home of Chef Duff Goldman):

Isn’t it great? If you’ll click on the link, you can see the individual books a little clearer. They’re all by Poe.

Sew Deadly – Issue 41

Gayle — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:41:14 +0000

Marcy’s Musings

The other day, it was storming and I needed something to keep my hands busy. I didn’t have a particular project ongoing, so I opted to make this gift bag. I got the tote bag at a dollar store, free-handed the flower onto the tote with a marker, and used French knots and straight stitches to flesh out the design. Now, I realize that I could’ve probably bought a gift bag at that dollar store for the same amount I paid for the tote bag and saved myself the trouble of embellishing it. But, this way, when I give a gift, the bag becomes an “extra” rather than a throwaway. It could be used as a reusable shopping bag, kept folded in a purse to use when buying small items. Plus, it kept me busy while the storm raged on outside.

So tell me about YOUR creative side? What are you making in your spare time?

Killer Cakes – Issue 38

Gayle — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 05:17:24 +0000

Welcome!

Congratulations to Marcy Singer and Amanda Lee! The fourth book in the embroidery mystery series,The Long Stitch Good Night: An Embroidery Mystery, will be released tomorrow, April 3. To help Marcy and Amanda celebrate, we’re giving away one copy of The Long Stitch Goodnight through this blog.

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post. Be sure and include your email address so we can contact you if you’re the winner. On April 3, we will put the number of comments into the random number generator at Random.org to determine the winner.

Good luck!

Sew Deadly – Issue 40

Gayle — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 05:34:05 +0000

Marcy’s Musings

In honor of The Long Stitch Good Night: An Embroidery Mystery being released on Tuesday, April 3, Amanda Lee is giving away a copy of the book through my blog! To enter the giveaway, simply post a comment on this post. On April 3, Amanda will input the number of comments into the random number generator at Random.org for the winning comment! Please be sure and leave your email address within your comment so she can let you know if you’re the winner. Good luck!

Killer Cakes – Issue 37

Gayle — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 05:01:54 +0000

Welcome!

For springtime parties and events, petit fours are the perfect, elegant treats. You might think they’re too hard to make, but try this simple recipe by Sandra Lee:

Cake Petit Fours

Ingredients

1 store-bought pound cake
1 small jar seedless strawberry jam
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 (1-pound) container vanilla frosting
Red, green, and brown food coloring
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup milk
Ice cream (any flavor you desire), frozen hard

Directions

Slice cake into 1/4-inch thick slices. Spread jam on the cake slices and then top with sliced strawberries. Cut cake slices into 1-inch circles and stars and set aside.

Separate the frosting into 3 bowls and add food coloring to reach desired colors (1 to 2 drops of red to make pink, 1 to 2 drops of green to make seafoam and 1 to 2 drops of brown to make cream). Make a glaze by combining the sugar and milk in a medium bowl. Separate the glaze into 3 bowls and tint each to match the frosting colors.

Place cake cut-outs on a wire rack. Fill 3 resealable plastic bags fitted with a star tip with each color of frosting and then pipe desired frosting over. Using a melon baler, add a scoop of ice cream and then sandwich the cut-outs. Drizzle glaze over cut-outs. Let glaze set. Pipe a star on the top of each petit four with the corresponding color of icing. Garnish with a small strawberry slice.

Sew Deadly – Issue 39

Gayle — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 05:20:23 +0000

Marcy’s Musings

The Long Stitch Good Night: An Embroidery Mystery" target="_blank">The Long Stitch Goodnight is being released on Tuesday, April 3, 2012. This book is the fourth in the embroidery mystery series written by Amanda Lee. The book takes place around Saint Patrick’s Day, so I want to share a brief excerpt with you today:

* * *

The movie had just ended. Angus was asleep on his back in front of the television. His long gray legs would twitch occasionally, making me wonder what he was chasing. Sadie and I were sitting on my white, overstuffed sofa with an empty popcorn bowl between us. The credits were rolling, and we were debating who looked better scruffy—Colin Farrell, who had starred in this particular movie, or Johnny Depp, who had not. My vote was for Johnny.

“Come on,” I said. “Can you beat Johnny Depp for scruffy, swarthy hotness? Captain Jack Sparrow, Mort Rainey…? Hello?”

Sadie smiled. “While I’ll admit—”

The phone rang.

I held up an index finger. “Hold that thought.” I answered the phone with a chirpy hello.

“Marcy, I need to speak to Sadie,” Blake said.

He sounded odd, so I didn’t tease him about drinking too much and needing his ride home. I merely handed Sadie the phone. “It’s Blake.”

“Are you ready for me to come get you?” she asked.

I watched her smile fade.

“You’re where? I’ll be right there.” She turned the phone off and returned it to the table. “He’s in jail.”