One Sweet Slice on Cupcake Wars! Plus, Cakemaking Tips from Janell!

If you've been reading my blog for a while you'll probably remember the post I did on my amazing cousin Janell and her cake business, One Sweet Slice. Well this week she's got something new for everyone!

Make sure to check your local TV listings for Cupcake Wars on the Food Network! Dish and DirecTV in Utah have it starting at 6 PM. Comcast, I believe is 9 PM. Check out her audition video HERE. I'm so excited to watch her fight to win, and I hope you check out both her store and Sunday's episode of CupCake Wars! 

 

I'm re-posting the interview and tips Janell gave us in case you missed it. Check out her One Sweet Slice Website, Facebook Page, and, of course, her new store!

Almost 6 years ago I got married to my incredibly funny & good looking husband. Now I was somewhat preoccupied with my wedding that day so I failed to recognize the beginning of something new for my cousin Janell. :) She had recently taken some cake decorating classes and volunteered to make my wedding cake, so I gladly turned my cake over to Janell. The only directions I had to give her were my wedding color (pink) and the kind of cake topper I wanted (a bride and groom figurine). She took my poor excuses for cake plans and turned them into a beautiful wedding cake I was in love with! I'm proud to say that mine was her first official wedding cake!
Over the last (almost) 6 years her hobby turned into a thriving business, One Sweet Slice that has gone from great, to amazing, to spectacular! I've personally watched her make several of her cakes and each time I'm amazed at how incredibly creative and gifted she is. I've seen her do things with frosting that I didn't know were possible. She has even been recruited to make specialty cakes for large events and parties (including a Twilight party). You'll also be glad to know that her cakes taste as good as they look! I stole her cupcake recipe after she brought a batch to my baby shower because they were so amazing. I get compliments every time I make them, although they can't compare to Janell's. Until now she's been running her business out of her home, but her success has grown so much that she is in the process of opening her own store in South Jordan, Utah!

Let me tell you a little bit more about her:
Janell is my beautiful and incredibly talented (so talented that your jaw drops to the floor after meeting her for 5 minutes) cousin. She has a very handsome husband, and 4 beautiful children (the youngest was just born a few weeks ago). I would put Janell in the category of the SuperMom! Her house looks like Martha Stewart herself decorated it, she runs a successful business, she's very active in the community and her church, and, let's face it, she's gorgeous! Not to mention that she's the nicest person you'll ever meet. So when I asked her to take time out of her crazy busy schedule to participate in this post she didn't hesitate to say yes.

So here is some great advice and inspiration from my amazing cousin!
*************************************************************************

How did you get started?

I was bored. I went from going to school and working fulltime to watching our first born sleep all day and needed something to keep me busy. I went into Roberts Arts and Crafts and saw a sign advertising cake decorating classes and decided to give it a try. The beginner class was held once a week for four weeks and I immediately loved it which led me to take 3 other decorating courses. After that I began making cakes for family and friends, my first wedding cake I made was for my lovely cousin Candice :). After that cake I received a lot of encouragement and decided to participate in a Bridal Show at Southern Utah University which is were I booked my first non-family wedding cakes.....and that's when the craziness began. I have made a lot of cakes since then and for about five years I keep the business really small. The demand has been overwhelming and my husband and I decided to open a storefront in South Jordan! We will sell cake for weddings, birthdays, special events and cupcakes.

What were the best classes or learning experiences you went to that you would recommend to others?

Wilton was the best way to start, just to learn the basics with working on cake, fondant and icing. These classes also helped me know that I had a natural talent for cake design and that I enjoyed it. One of the best classes was from Carrie Biggers in Salt Lake City, she is amazing and is known nationally since she has competed on a few TV programs. There are also annual cake decorating conventions that offer a lot of classes. I would also recommend joining a local ICES group (International Cake Exploration Sociate) which is where you meet with other cake decorators to learn and network. The last thing to recommend is joining a cake forum to learn tips and ideas, the best I have found is Cake Central.

If you're on a budget, what are the essential cake making/decorating tools to spend your money on?

A handless bench scraper to smooth the icing, a good rolling pin, sharp pizza cutter, 2 good fondant smoothers, a variety of cutters, a turn table that locks, basic round tips and spatulas.

What's your favorite cake you've done?

Honestly, every new cake becomes my favorite. They are individually designed which always brings new challenges and satisfactions. If I had to pick a cake to spotlight, I would pick three :). One is a topsy turvy cake that had a lot of bows and gum paste flowers. The second is a cake that was make for the Osmond wedding, I incorporated a crown into the design and was able to use new skills and the event was just amazing. The third would be a cake I made that was very traditional white on white cake, it turned out very cute and it was fun to make.

What's your worst nightmare experience with a cake you've done?

Ha....do I really answer this or should I just try to sound perfect! I would say it happened when I went to deliver a cake to a reception that was located at a house. When I knocked on the door a lady answered and told me the venue changed! and it was 25 minutes away. Of course I was in a rush and I had 5 other cakes to deliver. This event caused a chain reaction of other minor events and it was extremely stressful. Oh and on the same day, a bride picked up her cake and when she was driving to her reception, the cake tipped over! So on top of being late and stressed, I had to go fix a cake to make it look beautiful. In the end, everything ended just fine and all the brides were happy.

What are your best sellers?

In regards to cake flavors - Most of the time, brides come to a tasting and without knowing what cake flavors they'd like so I provide a few cake samples for a tasting. My most popular are Raspberry Swirl, Chocolate Chunk and Red Velvet. In regards to cake design - All of my cakes are individually designed so rarely do I make the same cake twice.

What kind of things will your new store offer?

Over the last five years I have built a strong clientele by selling wedding cakes. This will continue to be a focus but I will also offer birthday cakes, specialty cakes, cake bites, brownies, cake shakes and of course...cupcakes!
What tips would you give for mom's who don't want to do it professionally, but who'd like a few basic tips for making cuter family birthday cakes?

Make sure you have a good base to work with: a moist evenly baked cake, cool it, level it and then stack it correctly. Then ice the cake and make sure to use enough icing (with real butter) to get a smooth clean look. Then the fun begins, design the cake with the individual in mind and I'm sure they will love it. If you can't come up with something on your own, the Internet is full of creative cake ideas.

Store location - 1644 West 10600 South, South Jordan, Utah
Email address janell@onesweetslice.com

Facebook fanpage , http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/One-Sweet-Slice/272448060474

***********************************************************************
Everyone be sure to check out her website and facebook page. If you've got a wedding, birthday, shower, party, or even a girls night coming up give her a call!
And don't forget to get yourself a delicious treat from her new store when it opens up!

And a big thank you to Janell for all of the advice you shared with us! You're amazing!

Guest Blogger: Danielle's Favorite Babycarriers

Today my sister Danielle has made another amazing list of some of her favorite things. Today's topic is Babycarriers. After reading this post I've learned that my baby carrier is actually harmful to my kids legs! Who knew? It's not like they write that on the box.

So if you're in the market for a way to carry your baby but save your arms READ ON!

Danielle has done her research well :)

Hello there, it's Danielle again. :) As promised I have returned to share with you what I know about my VERY favorite baby items... baby carriers. :)

If you are wondering WHY you should try babywearing go here :)

10 reasons to wear your baby

Babywearing can be a confusing topic, because there are so many different kinds and brands. I'm going to cover what I believe to be the three main kinds of baby carriers. And I'm going to start with my favorite kind to use for the itty bitties, as in baby's who aren't really mobile yet, need good head support and are happy to hang out and snuggle for longer periods than they will be once they get older. I used this the most often from newborn until 9 month's old. Though it will hold much older/heavier babies!

Tie Wrap (Moby/Boba/Sleepy)

(Family trip to the Zoo, 3 months old)

(about to ride the Polar Express, 6 mo's old)

This is the kind of baby carrier I have used the most. It's comfortable (no straps digging into your shoulders), safe (the baby's head is right up where you, can frequently check if they are breathing.. and you can kiss that sweet smelling head!), and pretty easy to use. It's also one size fits all. My husband (who is quite a bit bigger) and I can both use it, and it fits us both perfectly!

I think this type of wrap intimidates a lot of people because they think it looks complicated. Hey, I thought it looked complicated too! Then I went to the store, and the sales woman showed me how to put it on. I took it off and put it on by myself one time with her watching. That's all it took. I don't even have to think about it anymore. Below is a video demonstrating how to put it on.  (FYI, Boba Baby just bought Sleepy Wrap, this is the kind I own.)

One way to put the baby in.

This one above is how I wore my baby most of the time. She loved it. She felt very secure, and when she was most upset and wouldn't sleep the wrap was heaven sent. She would calm down right away and fall asleep. The warmth of your body, the sound of your heartbeat, the snug comfortable support. It feels like she is back is your womb. :) Though I do suggest trying it for the first time when your baby is happy, letting them get used to it for a couple of minutes before deciding your baby doesn't like it. We all handle new experiences differently, and everything is new when you are a baby. :)

Again, I just want to say how much I loved this wrap. If I was going grocery shopping, I would put it on before I left the house, and then instead of getting out the carseat and sticking it in the cart (which makes it too tall for a shorty like me to see over!), I would pull her out of the carseat and snuggle her in, and she would be happy as a clam the whole time. Some people have said to me, "oh, it's such a pain to get them out/put them back into their car seat!" Well, I personally think it's just as big of a pain to pull the car seat out, lug it around and then get it back in the car. Especially because, inevitably, at some point in my shopping trip my baby will get upset and I'd have to take her out of the car seat and try to push the cart one handed while trying to see around the car seat. Arghh!!
Anyway, I also used it a lot doing housework when she was fussy, and keeping my hands free so I could chase my older child at the park/mall/zoo/etc.

In fact, after I got my wrap, I found I tended to leave the car seat in the car most of the time. My little stick arms hate carrying that heavy thing around anyway, haha. And they are finding that too much time in a car seat can be bad for babies. If you want to read about it, here's a link Car Seats are for Cars. And besides.. they are only little for so long.. I wanted as many snuggles as possible. :)

Below is one more video for this wrap, a cute daddy showing how to do the newborn baby cradle carry. You can also switch them forward facing once they have good head control, and even nurse in it. There are a ton of videos on youtube showing you all you can do with it, and how. Just search 'moby wrap carry' or whatever kind you decide to get. :)

Newborn Baby Cradle Carry

Back Pack Type Carrier

(Ergo/Boba/Etc)

Ok.. on to our next one! So, baby carriers.. the one you have probably seen most often in the past are those little backpacky ones with the baby's legs hanging straight down. I had one of these.. I hated it. Almost never used it. It's SO uncomfortable! And confusing to use. And I've learned since then that it's also uncomfortable for babies! In fact, it's bad for their hips to have their legs hanging like that. It can cause something called Hip Dysplasia.

And while I hated the one I owned, I do love the idea of the backpack type carrier. I feel like less granola minded moms and dads are more likely to try something like that. But I hadn't found one I could really get behind until I discovered the Boba and Ergo, which are very similar in their make, with a few differences in options. (There are a few other brands too, but these are the ones I am most familiar with.) I've only ever used a Boba, so that's what's mostly what I'll talk about here.

I really love the Boba for babies that have started to become mobile. I adore my sleepy wrap, but when Nora started to be able to get around on her own, I found I was putting her in and taking her out multiple times.. and just walking around with a big strip of fabric tied to me, that seemed kind of silly without a baby in it. ;) This is also one my husband can use. There are adjustment straps in several places to make it fit. So, to start with, here are a couple videos showing you exactly what a Boba Baby Carrier looks like and how to use it.

Front Carry

Back Carry

I was lucky enough to borrow a friends Boba wrap for a trip I went on over Thanksgiving. My husband, my 4.5 yr old (Ainsley) and my 1.5 yr old (Nora) flew across the country to Florida. We went to Disney World for 2 days and then took a Disney Cruise for 4. And while this was an amazing trip, and TONS of fun.. corralling my chitlin's throughout the week was quite the ordeal. I began to appreciate the Boba before we even got on the plane. I can't imagine how much more work it would've been to get our baggage checked, go thru security, and get us all to the terminal and on the plane without it! She just hung out the whole time. I was able to hold my prone-to-wander 4 yr old's hand, my carryon bag and occasionally have a free hand to push buttons or hand snacks.

(us in the airport)

Once we got to the Magic Kingdom I realized that pushing a stroller through the packed streets was not an easy task. Nora is also too little to wander on her own two feet, she would be knocked down by the jostling crowd so easily. Also, she wanted to be up where she could see things! There's a lot to look at! I'm pretty sure my arms would've been ready to fall off by the end of the day, from holding her up to see everything she was curious about. Instead, she happily hung out on my back checking out the sights and pointing things out to me. :) I even got her to take a nap in the middle of the day by turning it around and laying her head on my shoulder. This was a miracle! This girl does NOT want to sleep anywhere but her bed. It made the rest of the day SOO much nicer!

(Cinderella's Castle!.. as if you didn't know.. )

I borrowed the wrap with Disney World in mind, and was surprised how much I used it on the cruise as well! I don't know if you realize this.. but those boats are HUGE! And REALLY not stroller friendly. Anytime we headed out of the room to go do something, I'd snap her on.. and then she'd bob along until we got there, and then I'd let her out and she could go play. The Boba was easy to just take my arms out and leave the stomach strap on and it would hand down my backside until I was ready for it again. Though it does roll up pretty small too and fit in my bag easily. I have to tell you, I cried a little when I had to give it back! I'm still on the look out for used one. These kinds of baby carriers are definitely the priciest, (The Boba is $120-$125 and the Ergo starts about there and goes up to $160 depending on the kind/fabric.. while the sleepy wrap is only around $40) so I'm stalking local classified and baby sale sites. It's hard to justify to my husband paying for a new one since we probably only have one more baby left to come.. but if I could go back in time, I would definitely splurge for one!

(meeting Ariel)

Oh! and another reason I favor the Boba over the Ergo (besides being slightly more affordable) is the way they handle newborns. The ergo requires you to buy a separate insert to accomodate a small child. (which is pretty pricey too!) The Boba figured out an easy way to make theirs work for little ones. No additional purchases required.

 Here's a video on how to convert your Boba Carrier for a newborn.

Ring Slings

(Maya Wrap/etc)

I tried a ring sling when my oldest was a newborn, but didn't know how to use it properly, and so it never really felt safe and I stopped using it. I borrowed one to demonstrate in one my childbirth classes when Nora was about a year old and realized how much I loved it! (Again, tears were involved upon return.) It's kind of the perfect blend of the other two wraps. It's comfy and cosy like the sleepy wrap.. but it's super easy to put on and take off like the Boba. It's probably the easiest of these wraps to put use. And for the ages where they are still sitting on your hip, it's the best!! Another amazing arm-saver. (It's also a less expensive option, the brand name ones can be 50-75, but you can find a bunch on amazon for around $30.)

This is my favorite wrap for doing things where my munchkin will want to get up and down. Nora is always wanting me to pick her up.. and then 15 mins later, she wants back down again. The Boba was awesome at the airport because I knew she was going to be there until we got on the plane. If we're at a zoo or something I love the ring sling because she can hang out with me, then get down and play until she's tired again, and then back in the sling and it's SO easy to put on and take off. And I love the way you can tighten the wrap just by pulling on the one strip of fabric. ( I am NOT a fan of the slings that are just a circle of fabric, with no real way to adjust the size. People come in SO many more sizes than S, M & L. If you are an in between size, your wrap will never really feel snug enough or secure.)

Here's a video showing how I used the ring sling.

Though I must add that you can definitely use a ring sling for a smaller baby. You just have to be sure you are doing it correctly. Make sure the babies head is up on your chest, within kissing distance. :) And check that their chin is not to their chest ensuring they can breathe.

YES

YES

NO!!!!!!!!

Here's a some videos showing how to use a wrap for a younger baby.

So, there you have it. :) I hope that helped someone out there to simplify the world of baby carriers. And I hope you will give babywearing a try! If you aren't sure you want to spend the money on the unknown just ask around and borrow one from a friend to try it out. (As I did for two of the three I talk about!) It was such a life saver for me, I can't help but want to spread the word. :) Feel free to ask any questions in the comments and I'll come answer them. :) And as always, you can find me at http://www.facebook.com/Danielle4Birth

Thank you for sharing your infinite wisdom with us once again Danielle!

Whenever you buy one of these I will be sure to come steal it from you :)

Danielle's Favorite Baby Stuff

Today we are all in for a treat! My very wise older sister Danielle (who we've discussed many times before) has agreed to share her wisdom with all of us. Not only does she teach awesome Childbirth Education Classes, she is constantly finding the coolest, and MOST HELPFUL things, and now I will not be the only one to reap the rewards of her research. Take it away Danielle....

Well, hello there readers of Candice's Blog. This is Danielle, the older sister here. :) Candice asked me to share some of my favorite baby related items with you all... so here I am. I'm sure everyone who has had a baby finds there are certain things they end up depending on more, or being SO glad they have... well, these are mine. :)

Sleep Sack

As a new Mom I was very nervous both about my child being warm enough, and my child getting a blanket over her head while she slept and suffocating. (I think new mothers worry more than anyone else in the world). So I LOVE these sleep sacks. They can't kick it off and they can't pull it over their heads. It's brilliant :) I have a thick fleece one for the winter and a thin muslin one for the summer.

Bath Tub

Have you seen these upright baby bathtubs?? I love them!

With my first baby, bath time had always been a torture. My baby hated to lay on her back in the water. Her little arms would flail about and she would cry. You could just tell she was scared and unsupported.

When I was pregnant with my 2nd baby I was at a friend's house who pulled out this big bucket looking thing, filled it with water and stuck her baby in. The bucket was just the right size that the baby was fully supported sitting up. Her baby just loved it, splashed water and smiling the whole time. As soon as I got home I found an inexpensive one online and ordered that puppy that day. My daughter always loved it! You can find some pricey ones, but I like the inexpensive Prince Lionheart washPOD.

Mesh Baby Feeder

Every now and then I see something I am sure a mother must have invented, and this is one of those times. I think I have four of these. They are marvelous... you can stick all kinds of food in them that normally would be hard for baby to eat or might be a choking hazard. Grapes were a favorite at our house. Cold baby carrots was also a big hit during teething. My almost 2 year old loved these so much that she still finds them in the drawer and brings them to me. I try to throw them into every baby shower gift basket I give.

Double Stroller

When we found out we were pregnant with our second child I became obsessed with finding the perfect double stroller. I checked out more than I care to remember. I quickly decided against a tandem (that's where the seats are in a line, one in front and one in back). I had a good friend with a Graco Duo and pushing that thing around was like driving a bus! There were some fabulously fancy strollers, and some cheapy ones. I wanted to spend a little more and get something of quality without spending more than we could afford.

When it came down to it I picked the Combi Side by Side.

It's retails for around $200.00 and has some features I loved:

1. It's compact in both open and closed positions (it's the skinniest side by side out there and fits thru doors and between most store aisles, and when it's folded up it takes up no more room than a Graco single stroller)

2. Sturdy

3. One handed push

4. Well padded and has 3 cup/snack holders.

5. Has full recline. Loved being able to lay my sleeping baby all the way down

6. Storage space. It has a basket under the stroller and two big pockets behind the seats.

7. Accepts an infant car seat (tho I prefer to carry those baby buckets around as little as possible)

Though I will admit if I had an extra $500+ I would totally get a Phil & Ted Stroller! The cool thing about their strollers is that it is a single stroller that can turn into a double. You can attach a little back seat to the basket under the stroller. I love it! It's super easy to push and, obviously, as skinny as a single stroller. I think it would be perfect to have as a just in case you need another seat stroller for an older sibling who still might get tired of walking. I'm not sure I can justify such a fancy stroller when I'm not sure how many more babies I will have.. but it's always in the back of my mind.

Food Mill

Baby food is expensive! And a pain to remember to keep with you. Once my babies are old enough to eat more than pureed vegetables I much prefer to use a little food mill. It's light and doesn't take up much room in a diaper bag. (And you can find them for under $10). All you do is put a little of whatever food you are already eating in and grind it up. Viola! Instant baby food. It's great at home because you know exactly what is in that food, because you just made it. And it's great eating out because you don't have to remember to bring food or keep anything cool/hot OR deal messy containers of what's left over.

Purse Hook

I find I always need an extra hand, and while most baby gear has tons of stuff for baby, I find I still need room for me! I love these purse clips that make your stroller that much more efficient. You can find them in a lot of different materials and patterns and prices. I had the plastic C looking ones in the first picture, and it broke from too much weight. But it's such a handy idea I had to get another kind. This is my new favorite. It's called a mommy hook. :) I love that you can use it to carry many bags on it's own, and then clip it onto the stroller or cart.

When thinking of what to put on this blog my first thought was of the various babycarriers I love.. but when it came down to it, I couldn't pick just one.. so I decided they deserve their own post, so you haven't heard the last of me. :) Hope you enjoy my favorites.. is there anything I didn't list that you LOVE? Inquiring moms want to know! :)

I've used several of these items and they were all fantastic :) I especially love the sleep sacks! Danielle just started a new series of Childbirth Education Classes so if you're in the Salt Lake City, Utah area and looking for a fun way to learn more about Childbirth and all it entails give her a call. She's amazing! Thank you for sharing Danielle!

One Sweet Slice on The News!

Cake Pops

My amazing cousin Janell from One Sweet Slice has done, yet another, amazing thing! She did a segment on KUTV this morning showing Utah how to make Cake Pops, a very delicious and adorable treat! Check out her segment and you can learn how to make a special holiday snack! If you want to learn more about Janell here's the link to the interview I did with her, and the link to her website and facebook page.

Book Club: Risen

Are you looking for a good book to read? Well you're in luck! I have been introduced to a great new book by Britney Jensen, Risen. Here's a little peek at what it's all about:

"Sunny is a fairly typical teenage girl – at least, she thinks she is – but when she wakes up on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, she knows things have taken a turn for the worst. She can't remember who she is or where she came from, and there is something off about her that she can't quite put her finger on. But before she can even begin to find the answers to these questions, she is quickly picked up and whisked away by Finn, a haunted and devastatingly handsome young man claiming to know who, or more accurately what she is. Determined to keep her safe, he takes Sunny to Reverence, a secret ghost town deep in the Montana mountains that is filled with people just like her.

In an atmosphere thick with mystery and mistrust, Sunny learns the secret of what she is and must come to terms with her impossible new existence. But her own mental struggles to accept what has happened to her aren't all she has to deal with. Sunny's presence in Reverence has put everyone in danger of being found by the dreaded Hunters. These highly skilled government agents are trained to track down and capture people just like Sunny, and they're coming after her. The agent assigned to find Sunny is cold and calculating, and he's got a personal vendetta against her that requires him to stop at nothing to get to her.

Risen is a dark, exciting, and at times romantic look into what might happen if something were to go wrong between this life and the next."

You can download and read the first chapter here, but I warn you, this book will quickly run strait to the top of your To Read pile. At least that's what happened with me! You can buy it on Kindle or in paperback at Amazon here. I was fortunate enough to steal some of Britney's time for a quick interview. Which in turn, makes YOU fortunate too because she's got some great advice, and even a few book recommendations for us. Enjoy :)

******************************************************************************************

What made you want to write a book?

My love of reading! Is there anything better than settling in with a good book and getting lost for awhile? I graduated with a B.A. in English Lit, and after reading so much good literature and becoming attached to so many fabulous novels, writing a story of my own fast became number one on my bucket list.

How did you get started with your story?

One day, while perusing the web, I saw a strange picture of a girl in a graveyard that caught my attention and got things spinning in my mind. She was looking confusedly at a headstone and it just seemed a curious image to me. Out of boredom, I started playing the "What If" game in my mind. What if she was trying to find her OWN headstone? What if she didn't know who she was? What if SHE was the one who was dead? And let the macabre thoughts ensue. It all came rather quickly and it was exciting to me to have an idea that I could see all the way through to the end. Most times, when playing that game, I'd hit a roadblock, or it would just seem, well, dumb. But this was something different, something good, and so I started writing it out.

Is there a character in your book that you relate to?

I think there is a little bit of me in every character. Bossy, confused, protective, funny, introspective, irrational and explosive, yet cautious and prudent. Yep, I'm in there somewhere.

What was the hardest part of writing a book?

Oh my...where do I start? Ha! Since I already had the story and characters in my head, the hardest part for me was learning to be okay to write when the mood strikes, and not set a rigid hourly schedule for myself. I can't force the words if they're not there, and when I tried to set aside specific hours to write, it only left me frustrated. I learned quickly that I don't work that way. Now, I just set a goal of how many words I want to write for the day and try my best to hit it, regardless of if that's in the morning or the middle of the night.

What is the best part of writing a book?

There are so many good parts to writing a book, but by far, the best part is holding it in your hands for the first time after it's complete and thinking, "I wrote this." It's surreal and exciting, and the sense of accomplishment is absolutely priceless. It's like crossing the finish line of a marathon. You're tired and beat, but proud of your work, and against all reason, you can't wait to do it again.

You took a non-traditional path in getting your book published. Could you tell us a little about why you did it, and HOW you did it?

I decided to self-publish after a grueling and disappointing query process. I had requests for my full manuscript from various agencies, all seeming very hopeful and positive, then to get a a response with "Thanks, but this isn't right for us at this time." Talk about a let down. I was about to give up on the whole thing when my husband talked me into putting it out there on our own. It's actually fairly easy to do with minimal costs. It's free to publish on Kindle and Nook. All you have to do is format it, come up with a cover design (I'm lucky my husband and his buddies know a bit about graphic design), and upload it. We found that a lot of people wanted an actual copy of the book, and making it available as a paperback was super easy, too. We went with Createspace.com which is owned by Amazon. They are a Print-on-Demand company, meaning they don't print your novel until someone orders it. This is awesome because you don't have to front thousands of dollars to get your book in print. The costs involved in this are getting an ISBN #, which is around $90, and your own bar code, which is inexpensive as well. It's amazing what tools are available to self-publishers. Now I'm happy to be part of the booming indie-publishing crowd. It's fun and we all try to support each other. If any readers have any other questions on how to do this I haven't addressed, I'm happy to answer! Email me: Risenbook@gmail.com and I'll do what I can!

What, do you think, makes a great character great?

Great characters are ones you can relate to, empathize with, or look up to. I love reading books that I can see myself or someone close to me in the main character. It puts the story that much closer to real life.

What are 3 of your favorite books/series/authors?

My all-time favorite book, one that I read every year without fail is Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury. Seriously, it is the most perfect book ever written and every time I read it I'm astounded at how Bradbury does it. The book is so good you can smell, see, taste, hear everything. If you haven't read it, I recommend it...highly, You're welcome. Ha!
I also love The Hunger Games series. Could Katniss be any cooler? And anything by Neil Gaiman. He's a mad genius.

What advice would you give to people with ambitions to write a book, or publish one they have hiding in a drawer somewhere?

What are you waiting for? Even if you don't have all the answers, or aren't sure where your book is going, just go for it! I didn't write Risen for anyone else besides me. I wrote it because I wanted to write it. So don't write your book trying to please agents or critics or friends, write it to please you. Write something you would want to read. And if you've already done that and have your MS collecting dust in a drawer, bust that baby out, dust it off, and get it out here where people like me are waiting to read it! Whether that's the traditional route, or the indie route, doesn't matter. Share your talent!

E-mail: Britney.Jensen@gmail.com

Twitter: @BritneyJensen
Website: www.RisenBook.com

******************************************************************************************
Thanks again Britney! You've inspired me in more ways than one, and I can't wait to put that to use. Everyone remember to check out her website and her book! And she's even been kind enough to give us her e-mail address if anyone out there wants to pick her brain some more. Thank you to some of my favorite people (and bakers) at One Sweet Slice for connecting me with Britney! Happy reading to you!

Childbirth Classes & Awesome Giveaway

One of my awesome sisters is doing something awesome. Big shock, I know. You might remember a post I did on her and the Childbirth Education Classes she teaches. You can check that out here. She is starting a new class soon and is offering a great giveaway and incentive!

You can enter to win a Family Photo Session with Cristi Nelson Photography (who is AWESOME! she's done some work for my family) Plus she's offering a $30 gift card to Target or Amazon if you refer someone who signs up for her class! So if you know anyone in the Salt Lake area who's expecting you should have them check out Danielle's class. They'll be glad you did!

Turn a Men's Shirt into a Women's Tank Top Tutorial

So I've mentioned a few times how awesome my older sister is. And she totally is. Today, however, I want to talk about my amazing little sister! Roxanne is the kind of sister that is always doing those things that you always dreamed about doing but never did. Things like taking trips to Tahoe, marching in civil rights parades, getting an apartment downtown and living it up.... Not to mention she's gorgeous, talented and adventurous.
Yeah, she's pretty cool.AND she's a wiz on a sewing machine! She's agreed to share with us a tutorial on how to turn a men's t-shirt into a woman's tank top. :)

The before.

Things you'll need for this project-
Scissors
Sewing machine (or needle and thread if you're feeling ambitious)
Ruler or measuring tape
Pins
Craft pencil or something to mark on the shirt with (I used a crayon)
One of your old tank tops


Cut around the collar to remove it from the shirt.


Then decide how wide you want the straps of your tank top to be. Put the edge of the ruler or measuring tape next to the collar and mark on the shoulder where you want the tank top edge to stop.


Make a straight line from your mark on the shoulder to the armpit of the shirt and cut along it to remove the sleeve from the shirt. Do the same thing to the other side.


I marked it here with a pin.


Afterwards it should look like this.


Then turn the shirt inside out and put it on. Make a mark where you want the neckline to hit.


When you take the shirt off, pull the shoulders together and fold the front collar to the side.


Starting from your mark in the middle of the shirt start cutting up towards the shoulder in a curved shape.


If your shirt doesn't have a pattern on it then you can just skip this part.
If it does than go around the edges of it with some pins.


It should look like this when you're done, with the design outlined in pins.


Turn the shirt inside out and using the pins as a guide, outline where the edge of the design is.


This outline will help make sure that your shirt won't be uneven on the sides.


Take one of your tank tops and put it on top of the shirt. This will work as a basic pattern to make sure that the new shirt will fit you.


Using the tank top as a guide, mark on the shirt where you want the armpit on the new shirt to hit.

Then using the sides of the tank top mark the sides of the shirt. Remember to leave yourself extra room on the sides for your seam. 1 or 2 inches is usually good enough.
And remember to check your marks around the front design to make sure everything is centered.


Next pin along your line.


And then sew.


Turn the shirt right side out and check out your handiwork. Run a hand along the edges you just sewed to make sure there are no gaps or weak points.


Only thing that's left is the sleeves. Fold them against each other and cut off any extra excess.


Almost there.


And then you're done!

Ok, so I think you'll all agree with me that my sister is awesome. Cause there's no denying it. Thanks Rox for being so cool!