Toadstool Cupcake Recipe

Last week I shared Teddy's Candy Apple Party Treats with you guys. This week, I want to share his Toadstool Cupcakes.

Aren't they just the cutest!

And really easy to make too. I used our family cupcake recipe...

• 90g Butter
• 1 cup Sugar 
• 2 Eggs
• 1.5 cups Flour
• 3 tsp Baking Powder
• 0.5 cups Milk

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one by one. Sift flour and baking powder. Add dry mixture to creamed butter and sugar mixture, alternating with milk (a little flour, stir... a little milk, stir... a little flour, stir, etc)

Pour into cupcake liners. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 15 minutes. Makes 24 cupcakes.

 For the frosting, I added powdered sugar to butter... to taste. And then added red food coloring. Kitty helped me by adding miniature marshmallows for the white dots.

The Birthday Boy loved his toadstool cupcakes... and so did his friends!

 Isn't he getting big, my little boy!

Speaking of toadstools, have you entered our Weekly Facebook Contest for a chance to win a needle felted toadstool from Fairyfolk?

And, in other news, look what has sprung up in the Fairy Garden...

Yellow mushrooms and moss flowers! Proof that fairies do, indeed, frequent!

Here are the important Fairy Garden links:

2012 Fairy Garden Contest (check out all the magical gardens already entered)

2012 Fairy Garden Contest Prizes (check out all the goodies you could win if you entered)

Our Fairy Garden 2012 (check out how we made our Fairy Garden in a trunk this year)

Blessings and magic,
Donni

Tutorial :: Needle Felted Spring Wreath

I'm so excited to share this Spring Wreath Needle Felting tutorial with you. A wonderful woodland project for fun home decorating.

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Here's a little info on Needle felting - Needle felting requires three tools; wool roving, a felting needle and a protective foam board.

Wool roving looks like cotton candy. When the sheep is sheered, the fleece is washed and dried and then it is 'carded' - brushed so that all the knots and clumps are brushed out and the fibers of the wool all run the same way. It is then dyed... any wonderful color under the sun :-) This roving can then be spun into yarn (for knitting) or it can be felted.

The protective foam board is not absolutely necessary but it is definitely recommended when you are learning to needle felt. The needle is very sharp and if you don't have a board upon which to steady your work, you will find yourself painfully stabbed more than once.

The felting needle is about 3 inches long. As I said before, it is very sharp. The tip of the needle has a number of small barbs and it is these barbs that felt the wool. It works because the outer surface of each fiber of wool has tiny, microscopic scales on it. When the fiber is agitated, the scales hook into one another, forming a tighter and tighter mass. The needle works because the barbs of the needle 'grab' the fibers as you stab it into the wool, depositing the fibers deeper into the wool. The little scales on the fibers lock together, ensuring that the fibers stay in their new place. By stabbing the wool hundreds of times with your needle, you have control over the form of your wool and can shape it as you wish. You can see the barbs if you look closely at the tip of your needle. 

This tutorial will show how to make a gorgeous woodland Spring toadstool wreath... a simple and fast project for beginner needle felting.

These are the things you'll need:
(I have a kit including everything you'll need to make this wreath available in my shop Fairyfolk)

* a vine wreath (found at craft stores)
* red, white and mossy green wool roving
* a needle felting needle
* a needle felting board
 * glue (a hot glue gun works very well but any glue will do)

 To make the two cute little toadstools, please visit this previous needle felting tutorial I shared a little white ago: Tutorial :: Needle Felted Toadstools.

When you have made two toadstools, it's time to make the moss. Break off some of the green wool roving. The size depends on how much moss you want on your wreath... a dime sized bit for a little moss, a golf ball sized bit for a lot. Roll the wool in your hands to make a ball.

Then, gently pull the wool apart with your fingers... try to make a tufty, random shape as you want the moss to look as natural on the wreath as possible.

Place the green wool on your felting board and stab at it gently to flatten it and make it look like real moss. When it is looking like moss, pry it off the board and flatten it between your hands again.

 Next, we will stick the wool toadstools and moss onto the wreath. I used my hot glue gun but regular glue will work well also... you'll just have to hold it in place for longer until the glue dries a little and sticks your wool goodies in place.

Dab a blob of glue onto the bottom end of a toadstool and stick it in place on the wreath.

 Do the same with the second toadstool and then the moss.

When the toadstools and moss have dried in place, find a pretty ribbon and hang your gorgeous woodland wreath.

I guarantee, you'll smile with delight each time you see it :-)

Just a reminder that I have this kit available for purchase in my shop Fairyfolk, including everything you'll need to make a toadstool wreath just like this one.

I have other needle felting kits available in my shop too if you wish to try something else... felted pebbles for lovely home decor, felted pumpkins, felted hearts, felted Spring nests, felted balls as well as kits of lovely colored wool for you to make whatever your heart desires. Please visit my shop Fairyfolk to see them all and look under the 'Needle Felting Kits' section.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any felting questions.

Happy Spring crafting, 

Blessings and magic, 

Donni