8/31/2026

Welcome to... Magginolia's first blog! Although I havent completed the other sections yet, my hope for this site is to post about my projects. I am creating this blog seperate from my project log as a space to just talk about what's going on with me, my interests, and maybe answer prompts that I find on other sites

Funnily enough, there hasn't been much going on in my life that I feel that i can really blog about. I am going to school, working, coding, living, but there isn't much storytelling opportunity there.

I am in a time of crafting. As I am making this blog, I have a few different unfinished projects that I need to work on at some point. This website has taken up a lot of my time, which I don't mind as I am having a lot of fun. I also have a denim vest and pants set that I am almost done sewing, I just need to finish the top-stitching and add fasteners to the vest. I love sewing, but have only ever really done my sewing from patterns. What I like about patterns is there simplicity, yes, but also the hunt for style. I spend a lot of time thrifting and going to estate sales, and you wouldn't believe how many amazing vintage patterns I have found. The denim set I am currently working on comes from the Simplicity 7489 pattern, circa. 1970. My mother taught me how to sew on her machine from the 90's, which is now mine, along with the serger. Her teaching has been invaluable, but I think I am ready to graduate to a new form of sewing. I want to learn how to drape.

Do I have the slightest idea how to drape? No. Do I have delusional confidence in every new project that I take on? Yes. I have so many things floating in my head that I want to make, but the patterns for them don't exist. Draping for me feels like the logical next step in my designing journey. I have a big house-sitting job coming up, and am planning to put some of that money into a dress form and other beginners draping supplies. Wish me luck in this new endeavor. Updates soon to come.

I did have a project mishap this weekend. Cake decorating is a hobby/career aspiration of mine. I went to culinary school and focused in pastry, but even now sometimes I feel like a fraud. Looking back, however, the story is a little funny. I had two orders for a birthday party on 8/29, a Hungry Caterpillar cake for my nephew and a giraffe cake for my nephews cousin. Long story short, one of the layers of the giraffe cake wouldn't come out of the pan because I forgot to put a parchment paper circle on the bottom. Normally this wouldn't be a huge issue, however, the pan I was using had a diamond pattern covering the bottom which I think made the cake grip and stick badly. the bottom of the cake hollowed out, but I continued to the crumb coat thinking I could fix it. I have fixed cakes like this before.

This cake caused insanity. The top of the cake was an acute angle, raspberry preserves were leaking from the sides, and it was crumbling with each pass from my offset spatula. It was unsaveable. I was also very tired this day, my feet were hurting, and I was losing motivation to complete this project by the minute.

If I had a nickel for everytime I have cried at my local Albertson's, I would have two nickels, but it's weird that it happened twice, right? I called my sweet boyfriend, and he immediately drove to the Albertson's to give me an almond tea from HTeaO, a hug, and to help me shop for ingredients to remake the cake. My second cake turned out fine, and with the help of my boyfriend who also went to culinary school and who crumb coated the other cake for me and mixed frosting colors, my least favorite thing to do, I was able to finish two beautiful cakes. I couldn't have done it without him.

Although I can look back and laugh now, I think this incident reflects my struggles with imperfection. Even for mistakes like this that can happen to the most experienced pastry chefs, I find that I tear myself down to an unreasonable degree. I am hoping that as I continue posting to this site, and as I continue to build on my different skills, I will learn to better deal with imperfection.

That is about it for this blog. I think this will be a great opportunity for me to document some of the things happening in my life and my thoughts about them. This fall and winter especially feel as if they are going to be very eventful and fun. Back soon! xoxo- Magginolia