Cake Baking 101

This week's domestic challenge came in the form of a sugary sweet multitasking treat! I'm all about time management -- so I decided that I would combine two "to-do list" tasks into one.

Today, I had an interview to be a Frog Camp facilitator for the TCU First year experience program. Part of the interview included a two minute "personal introduction" where the applicants basically had creative control to showcase who they are. I wanted to think out of the box, so I got to thinking domestically!

Now, I'm not a baker, but I stumbled upon a recipe of a cake online that I've been excited to try out. I’ve checked out this rainbow cake on several blogs – it absolutely amazes me! Color + Cake = Probably Delicious

For my interview, I decided I could make the cake symbolic. I made each layer stand for something that described me!

RED: Reminded me of hearts, which reminds me of relationships. One of the mottos that I live by is that relationships are the most important thing in life.

ORANGE: My favorite coffee mug is orange. I am slightly (completely) in love with coffee. It’s a great relationship: I drink it, it keeps me awake. There’s not much I’d rather do than have a great cup of coffee in great company. I also love scoping out not-so-well-known coffee shops around Dallas/Fort Worth

YELLOW: Reminds me of the SUN! I love the sun. I could bask in its warmth all day, and in the Spring/Summer, I usually do! (Even January, I’m still sunburned from playing outside yesterday)

GREEN: I always associate this color with growth. My college years are all about growing, improving & learning. I like to pursue things that will benefit my growth, for example, I am a Young Life leader for a local high school. This role has helped me grow spiritually, realize the importance of acting selflessly, and develop self-discipline.

BLUE: Reminds me of where my heart is: Lake Travis in Spicewood, TX. I work at a camp, T Bar M, in the summers where I get to love on kids and get paid to play. My favorite part about this job (other than the relationships that come out of it) is getting to drive boats all day!

PURPLE: I bleed purple. My loyalty to my school, TCU, is a huge part of my life! Go frogs.

All right, enough symbolism. Let’s get baking.

I used the following supplies:
6 round, disposable cake pans

6 small bowls

2 boxed cakes (don’t forget the eggs, water & oil)

Food coloring (red, yellow, blue)

3 cans of icing

It was actually very simple! Here’s how I did it:

Compose the batter for your 2 boxed cakes & disperse it into six small bowls.

 

Color each little batch of batter according to the colors you’d like to use. I chose rainbow! Mix the primary colors to make purple, orange & green – dip back to your fingerpainting knowledge from kindergarten!

Pour each batter into a cake pan. It will be a pretty thin layer, but that’s good! Bake each pan for about 13 minutes, or until the cake has risen. Keep a close eye on it, because burnt cakes aren’t fun.

 Layer the cakes by spreading a thin layer of icing between them.

Ice the outside of the cake generously, decorate if desired, and
viola

The cake was delicious,
the interview went well,
and I think this was one large leap toward my goal of domesticity!

thanks
to those following along for the journey!

Correspondence: Sincerely, domestic.

Week two of tackling the art of domesticity. After my first post, I asked some friends about what they thought I should learn before abandoning dorm life for the off-campus frontier. Among some of the funny, painfully true responses they came up with – correspondence made the list. An important aspect of owning a home is your address. No other abode in the world has it! The best use of an address, in my eyes, is communicating through my favorite method of communication: snail mail. Whether you're creating invitations, thank you cards, or just keeping up through the written word - the art of mail is an understated knack that I hope to pick up.

I love the postal system for many reasons:

1. It’s personal & thoughtful. Anything you receive in the mail (minus junk mail) was sent specifically to you. That means somebody was thinking of you and thought highly enough of you to spend 44 cents to mail you something that took them time to compose. (By the way, if you’re not sure how much a stamp costs, visit my friends at www.howmuchisastamp.com, it’s hilarious.)
2. Stationary is one of my favorite things to buy!
3. The notion of a mailman placing letters intended for you is much more charming than that of an internet server, delivering e-mail after e-mail to an address that isn’t really your name.
4. I am a summer camp counselor! Mailing is how I received birthday wishes, sent notes of encouragement to my pals working at other camps, and got news on how my family was doing. In those months at camp – an envelope with your name on it meant a brighter day! Also, now that’s how I keep up with my little campers.
5. If my friends know two things about me, it’s that I love coffee & hate cell phones. Cell phones demand your time & they want a response NOW. I’m a more relaxed personality. Mail craves your reply, but is patient.

All in all, it’s a lovely concept in my eyes.

Three things that I wanted to explore while learning the art of correspondence were appropriate greetings and farewells, unconventional mailing tactics, and how to make crafty stationary rather than buying it. 

Greetings & Closings:

Library Online: this link is a great resource for the dos and don’ts of addressing people of title. For example, how should I write a letter to the former president of the United States, the pope, an Indian chief or an earl?

Write Express: this link is a great resource for a very understated aspect of the letter: the closing. What if you confused a businessman by closing with “Love, Geraldine” or puzzled someone that you care for by ending with a cold “Regards, Jack”… picking your final written words is nearly as important as the content of the letter. This resource has so many to choose from! My favorites from the list are:

• All best, always,
• Cheers,
• Health & Happiness,
• Warmly,

And my favorite:

• Truly,

Unconventional Mailing Tactics:

• Sending inflated bouncy balls with the message written on it
• Sending whole fruit with the message on it (watermelon or cantaloupe work great – but the postage can get pricey!)
• Mailing a beach ball, not inflated. The message is readable once the receiver blows it up.

Also, I dabbled in making some crafty, personalized stationary for a pal who just moved and has a new address. It’s sort of a house-warming gift. Playing around with monograms, computer shortcuts, and even knitting made for a fun, personal process.  I’ll post pictures once my camera starts acting properly!

I encourage you to take seven and a half minutes to write a letter this week. Some might consider mailing things old-fashioned, but it's a guaranteed way to make somebody's day! 

Knitting: My First Stride Toward Domesticity

As a sophomore at TCU, I’ve lived on campus for three semesters. Three semesters chock-full of meal plan dining, staff-cleaned community bathrooms, and laundry services. However, one week into my fourth semester on campus, I see the light at the end of the tunnel: junior year is quickly approaching! TCU’s requirement to live in on-campus dorms for two years is almost up – I’ve paid my dues. 

Next week, three friends and I are signing a lease to live off campus. My roommates and I are so excited to be alleviated of the monotonous BLUU (the on-campus cafeteria for you non-horned frogs) food and freed from tiny, shared rooms that are supposed to triple as kitchens and bathrooms. The only downside to our future 4-bedroom duplex is the realization I had this week: I have no domestic bone in my body. Sure, I clean my room and do my laundry – but cooking, paying bills, decorating a real space and hosting events at my new abode? Now that will be new territory for me.

The purpose for this blog will be to document my attempts at domesticity. This semester, my goal is to prepare myself for life off-campus. To venture into the new frontier that is creating a new space and thriving in it! Over the next several months I want to develop life-skills that will help me out around the house: sewing, cooking, crafting, gift-wrapping, handiwork and gardening. I hope to pick up entertaining tips:  etiquette, invitation making, cocktail concocting and the art of wearing high heels.

This week’s mission? Knitting!

Knitting will be useful next year for hand-making thoughtful gifts for Christmas or birthdays. Around the house, knitting could even be used for making potholders, napkin rings or other homey items! The sky’s the limit. Confession: I already know how to knit. I learned in sixth grade because I wanted something to pass the time during exams. Since then, I dabble with the needles every year when winter rolls around.

However, this year, thanks to this blog I am stepping up my game. I’ve been making ear-warmers for my close friends the past couple of weeks. Ear-warmers are great items to knit because they don’t take long, they’re practical and you can make them look very different according to what kind of style you’re trying to complete. Long story short: ear-warmers are quick, easy, cheap & lovely. Sounds like a wonderful equation to me!

Here are some examples that I’ve made for some sweet friends:

I prefer to use size 15 needles and wool to knit with. This combination creates a thick, soft garment that keeps you warm and of course, lookin’ GOOD.

 I would say that this first stride toward domesticity has been successful.

If you're interested in learning how to knit, this online tutorial is very helpful: Here's the link! Check out "Slip knot" (that's how you start), "Casting On" (Setting up your needles) and "The Knit Stitch" (that's how you actually knit).