Every Summer has it's Story

Hello hello, all. I know I've been gone for a long time again, but no worries. I have not forgotten about you, oh no I have not. I was just busy letting life happen and that life doesn't happen when I sit at the computer and write on this here blog. So I'm sorry...but not really at the same time.

So where have I been you ask? Well let me just tell you that. I've been at Winkler Bible Camp doing their Leadership Development Program. And that means that when I'm done with that I can work at the camp and stuff so I'm excited. Yup so the last week has been crazy busy but I wouldn't trade it for anything. It's been so great, the people are amazing and the things we do are just as amazing. It's been challenging but that's kinda the point of it...no pain no gain, right?

Over the last week I've had some great opportunities to serve others and to live beyond myself. We had some great session thrown at us about a multitude of topics from serving to prayer to love and everything in between. We also got to spend a day helping out with a cabin full of kids so we could experience a day in the life of a counsellor...and man, was that awesome! To finish up the week we got to head out to TeePee Village and spend the weekend roughing it out in the goonies. Ha, okay it wasn't bad at all...it was so much fun.

So my week was top notch and this coming one is bound to be the same. We have a few more session and then day camp! Stick around my blog to get an update about how everything goes.

So obviously I haven't been baking while at camp...because well that would be kinda hard to make that work. But I did squeeze in some last minute baking before I headed off to camp.

As I guess lots of you know, I love baking for other people and since the school year was over I thought the staff at my school deserved some snacks. And I did just that.

What does summer mean? Well Popsicles and bright colors of course! And cupcakes...well cupcakes belong in any season...but you get what I'm going for at least.

Yup so I guess these are pretty self explanatory as to how I made them...

But I shall explain anyways!

Okay, guys...this is gonna get tricky so read carefully.

So you basically want to grab some Mike and Ikes...got that? good. Now take a toothpick and cut it into thirds...okay here comes the tricky part.

Take one of those toothpick pieces and stick it into the flat end of a Mike and Ike...and BAM! Candy Popsicle.

Alright I hope you got that...if not, here's the link I used for some inspiration. It's a super sweet site with simple solutions for simple people. Sorry about all the S's in the sentence :)

And that's that. No excused to not try these out...they're so easy and my teachers loved them!

Okay well I have so much stuff to get done before I'm off to camp again tomorrow..so I should go do that. Thanks for stopping by. I'lll see ya around here more often, I promise!

Take care,
Sydney :)

A Cake in the Life of Sydney

Hellooooo! I've been away for so long! Well, I've been here I just haven't gotten around to posting anything for a loooong time. My apologies. Please forgive me. Okay cool, thanks.

So what have I been up to lately, you ask. Well let me just tell you. I've been working, studying for exams which start tomorrow, filling out papers for summer camp, baking (or course), and just enjoying life. Yes, that's about all. Now some of those are wonderful, some not so much, but I take what I can get: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

But let's talk about the good...because the good is good and good is good. Baking! Baking is always good. For my French exam this year I made a cake. Awesome right?! I know. Well...we had to present a biography and that was about the only restrictions on it. And since I bake (obviously), I figured a cake biography was appropriate, and fun!

Here she is! I'm pretty proud of this here beauty. It was pretty simple but it took FOREVER! And patience is a virtue I lack. But I got through it. And was it ever worth it! Now because sometimes, rarely, but sometimes, I think ahead..I took pictures of the process so I could make a tutorial for you! You're welcome :)

So let's talk about the inside of this cake. Looks pretty basic from the outside, but don't be fooled! Okay well you probably are...but take my word for it that it's not basic on the inside! I was experimenting with some cake stuff and found this method to make zebra print cake. And it worked! Score! And this is just how I did it.

These are actually test cakes prior to the real thing

Super easy! Okay so basically make a white cake and split the batter in half in two separate bowls and then color one (or both) halves whatever color you want.

After prepping your cake pans, I just grease and flour but do what you do, start by dropping a glob of batter in the middle of the pan. And then alternate between the two colors. Depending on the consistency of your batter you may have to shake the pan to spread out the batter.

Keep dropping the colors until you fill the pans as much you normally do, I did about 3/4 full.

And that's that!

Proceed with  baking as the recipe calls for.

I wanted to share these pictures just for those of you who don't bake, to put somethings into perspective.

Us who bake know that the end result is usually beautiful and people "oohh" and "aahh" over what we make. But it doesn't begin that way. The picture above is what my cake looked like after I stacked it and after my dirty icing was done. Crap, yes it looks like crap. But after hours of work, it will look spectacular. I just don't think people appreciate how much work goes into cake decorating. Now I'm no professional and I don't make a living doing this, but lots of people do. And it's a crazy skill they have developed and worked on just to spend hours making creations for other people. So next time you eat something that was made by someone else, take a second and thank them for the hours of work they put into it.

Okay that was my rant of the day. Now back to the cake.

While I was letting the icing set, I took time to draw on some fondant squares I had cut out the day  before.

I tried to include everything that was important to my life. Things like family, friends, my pets, my work, Christianity, camp, education, and some of the places I've travelled to. I just used some food markers and royal icing to draw on each square.

After my cakes were iced, stacked and ready to go I just iced each square on around each tier and that was that.

This is just me trying to be photoshop savvy and get in a picture of every side. Haha, well it worked, so there!

Pictures outside on the grass while your dog is running around: a dangerous stunt indeed. But I managed, with only one photobombed picture!

Well that's my newest creation. What's new with you guys? How's life?

Did you see my new button? I got an e-award for this here blog. Pretty sweet, eh? I was excited about it, anyways.

Well I should do some more studying or something.

So take care and meet you here next time I have some insights to share,

Sydney :)