u/imbrium101

I've always made birthday cakes for the family. Im not great at the decorating part, but can make a cake pretty. Just don't ask me to make it look like anything! The rule is to give me a flavor profile you want, and ill do it.

This year, my son turned 13 on July 4th. He told.me "chocolate and strawberries" I do believe I delivered!

Edit: I made a strawberry sauce that is between the layers. I used some of the strawberry sauce in the buttercream, as well as ground up freeze dried strawberries in the frosting. So there really is a lot of strawberry flavor in this one!

I got Cleo back in 2005, when I was living on my own, long before my husband, long before kids. She has been there for all of it: every move, every new chapter, every big moment. She was there when we brought both babies home, quietly asserting that she was still the one in charge, and honestly, she was right.

Cleo was not the kind of cat who settled for sitting beside you when sitting on you was an option. She would headbutt her way into your hand and demand to be petted, pawing at you or crying out the moment you stopped, as if to say, "I didn't say you were done." And you were never done. She made sure of that.

My brown cow. The old lady of the house. She has patiently taught every cat and dog that passed through our lives how things work around here. She has been a constant,warm, insistent, hilarious, and deeply, thoroughly loved.

Her kidneys had been giving her trouble for a few years, and she had been on a special diet and blood pressure medication, fighting hard and still charming everyone who came near her. But her little body was finally ready to rest, and we couldn't ask her to keep going just for us.

I will miss her more than words can say. The house is already quieter in a way that hurts.

​

I got Cleo back in 2005, when I was living on my own, long before my husband, long before kids. She has been there for all of it: every move, every new chapter, every big moment. She was there when we brought both babies home, quietly asserting that she was still the one in charge — and honestly, she was right.

Cleo was not the kind of cat who settled for sitting beside you when sitting on you was an option. She would headbutt her way into your hand and demand to be petted, pawing at you or crying out the moment you stopped, as if to say, "I didn't say you were done." And you were never done. She made sure of that.

My brown cow. The old lady of the house. She has patiently taught every cat and dog that passed through our lives how things work around here. She has been a constant — warm, insistent, hilarious, and deeply, thoroughly loved.

Her kidneys had been giving her trouble for a few years, and she had been on a special diet and blood pressure medication, fighting hard and still charming everyone who came near her. But her little body was finally ready to rest, and we couldn't ask her to keep going just for us.

I will miss her more than words can say. The house is already quieter in a way that hurts.

​

I got Cleo back in 2005, when I was living on my own, long before i met my husband, long before kids. She has been there for all of it: every move, every new chapter, every big moment. She was there when we brought both babies home, quietly asserting that she was still the one in charge — and honestly, she was right.

Cleo was not the kind of cat who settled for sitting beside you when sitting on you was an option. She would headbutt her way into your hand and demand to be petted, pawing at you or crying out the moment you stopped, as if to say, "I didn't say you were done." And you were never done. She made sure of that.

My brown cow. The old lady of the house. She has patiently taught every cat and dog that passed through our lives how things work around here. She has been a constant — warm, insistent, hilarious, and deeply, thoroughly loved.

Her kidneys had been giving her trouble for a few years, and she had been on a special diet and blood pressure medication, fighting hard and still charming everyone who came near her. But her little body was finally ready to rest, and we couldn't ask her to keep going just for us.

I will miss her more than words can say. The house is already quieter in a way that hurts.

Lilliana- by Hooked on Sunshine

I used sultan shadow colorway 15 (black to light teal)

Finished size is just over 4ft square. Had to repeat the last 4 rows a couple times to get an edging and up to the black yarn to finish out the color fade.

1st two cakes were worked individually- teal to black, then black to teal.

The last 2 cakes were cut at each color change, to extend the fade of the color.

Took about 2 months- but I was doing other little projects on the side.

43f- Back in October, I woke up one morning and experienced sharp pain in my ankle when moving. Super sharp, excruciating, take your breath away and make your eyes water type pain. Went to urgent care, put in a brace, and referred to a podiatrist earliest available was a month out. Within a week, the pain was moving up through my knee, thigh, and hip. Deep burning aches in the ankle, sharp pain above the knee, and back of knee. Went back to urgent care, they suggested PT and a walking boot. Started PT.

November- saw the podiatrist, scheduled an MRI in December. Continued PT. Pain in hip/low back continued to worsen. Tingling in foot increased as well.

December- MRI showed tendinosis (2nd picture). Podiatrist wanted continued PT, and referred back to GP for knee & hip issue.

January- Saw GP and he wanted to wait for more PT before proceeding.

February- Follow up with Podiatrist- Ankle pain minimally better from PT, but the burning and tingling in foot continued. Strong washes of tingles down the thigh and back of calf. Podiatrist referred to a Knee specialist, and back to GP.

March- Knee specialist did exam, and x-rays, finding nothing. Went back to GP again, and he finally agreed to an MRI. Continuing PT

April- Finally got the MRI of back and results (1st picture). Well crap. That explains so much. Now I've been referred to a physiatrist, but that's still another month out (why is it always a month for the first available?!). Continuing PT in the mean time.

I tried Gabapentin back in December, but the morning nausea was so intense I couldn't continue. I'm taking meloxicam now, but it doesn't seem to help much. The burning ache down the side of calf/ankle is still a problem. Sharp pain in the hip/low back hasn't improved. The tingles and buzzing in the foot are frequent, if not quite constant.

Please give me hope that making it through this next month to the appointment will give something new. PT helped the worst of the ankle pain, though it still burns and aches, and occasionally that real sharp pain returns. The knee and hip haven't really backed off on the pain or burning at all. And doing the exercises at home as well. My activity is severely restricted these last 6 months, and it's making me stir crazy.

Ive been working on this for a coworkers wedding in August. Its currently sitting just shy of 3 ft unblocked across, thats at the end of 2 balls of hobbii sultan. I'll be adding 2 more (controlling the color change so that its just one cycle fade, but 2 cakes). Im not too sure how much size those last 2 will add.

Is that too small for a wedding gift? Im doubting myself now. I have time to make something else, but not sure I can get more of this yarn to add to it.