Cakes and Cupboards

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-13T17:34:00.002-06:00

February Cakes

2012-02-12T19:16:00.007-06:00

Lavendar Diaper Bag Cake

2012-01-22T17:26:00.002-06:00

This is a 12 x 18 sheet cake that I cut in half and stacked (double layer 12 x 9 cake). Really enjoyed doing this one. One day I am going to post more than just a sentence or two with my photos, but for now it will have to do!

Noah's Ark Cake

2011-12-17T11:14:00.004-06:00

This 11 x 15 cake was carved ever so slightly and the design was inspired by an invitation I found online. It would be cute in fondant but I thought I'd give it a whirl with all buttercream.

Christmas Cake Balls

2011-12-10T20:16:00.002-06:00

I have joined the cake ball craze so popular with lots of cake enthusiasts. I have been experimenting with Italian Cream Cake Balls and Peppermint Cake Balls. Still tweaking the peppermint ones but the Italian Cream ones were a hit...must make those again.

For the Italian Cream ones, I just used crumbled white cake mixed with cream cheese icing, and then mixed with toasted pecan pieces and coconut. Rolled mixture into balls; let harden in freezer for about an hour, then dipped in white candy melts. They were delicious, if I do say so myself!

The peppermint ones were also made with white cake and cream cheese icing, except that I added a little peppermint extract and crushed peppermint candies to the icing. They were also dipped in white candy melts then topped with crushed peppermint candies.

Black and Pink Baby Shower Cake

2011-12-03T11:06:00.001-06:00

I used my cake projector to help me with the nice writing here...just in case anyone thinks I did the writing freehand! I really like that font. Must. use. again.

Littlest Pet Shop Cake

2011-12-02T18:23:00.003-06:00

This was the first time I put fabric ribbon on a cake. Read a good tip on Cake Central to back the ribbon with contact paper so the oil from the icing doesn't seep through and stain the ribbon. Seems to have worked! Customer provided the figurines.

Traditional Pink Buttercream Roses

2011-11-18T22:51:00.001-06:00

Teal and Brown Color Scheme

2011-10-29T14:48:00.001-05:00

I enjoyed doing this color scheme.

Icing Smiles

2011-10-10T20:04:00.004-05:00

Enjoyed doing this cake through a great organization called Icing Smiles. Check out their website at www.icingsmiles.org. It was for a little boy with Barth's Syndrome who loves fishing, playstation gaming, and nascar racing.

90th Birthday Cake

2011-10-10T19:55:00.002-05:00

Did this last week for my great aunt's 90th birthday...

Baby Shower Cake

2011-10-10T18:23:00.003-05:00

Shower was yesterday; healthy 8.5 lb. baby came today. Welcome to the world, Molly Lucille!

(BTW, today is also my first born's 21st birthday. )

Here he is 21 years ago with his father...

Wish I could hold him in my arms like that ONE MORE TIME. Actually, just wish he was at home so I could at least give him a hug. (He is away at college.)

I'm going to go cry now.

Beth and Adam's Cakes

2011-05-19T07:32:00.002-05:00

Pretty pleased with this bride's cake. Made my own sugar flowers.

Sarah's Black and White Graduation Cake

2011-05-19T07:28:00.002-05:00

Sheila's Cake

2011-02-17T11:04:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday, Jaci!

2011-02-11T17:22:00.003-06:00

Haven't done a Dora cake in a looooong time. Happy Birthday to my grandneice, Jaci. You are precious.

Cheyenne's Cake

2011-01-21T09:03:00.001-06:00

Ashley's Wedding Cakes

2010-02-16T18:29:00.004-06:00

Cigar Box Cake

2010-02-16T18:11:00.004-06:00

David is my "baby" (younger son) and he turned 18 on January 31st. He specifically requested a cigar box cake for his birthday. I'm not exactly sure why....but I would guess because he is now officially old enough to smoke a cigar if he wants one!

Lace Play

2010-01-15T22:14:00.003-06:00

My Mother Turned 70 Today

2009-11-01T22:12:00.006-06:00

My mother turned 70 today

and we celebrated.

I cannot even begin to express what this woman means to me...

how much I appreciate her...

how incredibly thankful I am to God for her.

Who has been there for me like my mother???

She has given so much of her time for me.

Even after I grew from child to adult,

she has continued to be there for me

in so many ways, both big and small...

all of which add up to a lifetime of unselfish giving.

Thank you, Mom.

I am so incredibly grateful for your love.

Happy Fall!

2009-10-08T21:08:00.003-05:00

Diaper Bag Cake

2009-08-19T14:41:00.005-05:00

Hello Strangers!
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I hope y'all are doing okay and have had a good summer. I'm almost embarrassed to even pop my head in here it has been so long since I posted. Surprised I remember the address to my own blog!
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But lo and behold, I just realized I do have a new cake photo to post. I actually decorated a cake this past weekend.
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And the amazing thing is, I liked it too. :-)
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So here ya go...my diaper bag cake....done for a baby shower at my home this past weekend. Guess if the cake is for a boy or girl.

Cake was made using two 10" square cakes stacked and carved just slightly to create curve of bottom of bag. Covered totally in fondant, which is rare for me! Shoes and pacifier are also made of fondant, while the bottle was made from candy melts using a mold. This was a fun cake to do! And much easier than I anticipated.

Kids and Time

2009-07-01T09:11:00.006-05:00

Kids grow up so fast, and time flies, doesn't it?!
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Seems like it was just yesterday that this first photo was taken of my guys...

And now look...

In the time since I last posted I watched my older son Daniel graduate high school...

Watched younger son David compete in the Ford/AAA National Autoskills Competition in Dearborn, Michigan...

Doesn't he look handsome in his uniform?

His father was quite proud. Can you tell?

Let's see. I also interviewed for a job for the first time in 19 years...teacher's assistant...which I wasn't offered...darn it! I need to follow up on that though.

Organized/taught crafts at Vacation Bible School at my church.

And the last couple of weeks...the last couple of weeks have been spent life guarding kids (nieces and nephews mostly) in the pool. Brad's sister Carole from Nashville came for a visit, and my brother's kids who live in town need some respite from this heat! So this is my excuse for spending lazy days by the pool. My own kids? They are too busy with work and social outings to spend time in the pool.
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Hope you all are having a good summer! And if you are getting lots of rain, please send some this way! We need it! :-)

An Exciting Week

2009-04-26T13:06:00.006-05:00

View of the Inner Harbor in Baltimore

"The Pride of Baltimore" - Isn't She Beautiful?

Well, it was an exciting week for the Edwards family last week. Brad and I spent most of the week in Baltimore at Fells Point. Brad had a conference to attend and I tagged along for a nice getaway. We stayed at The Admiral Fell Inn, in the quaint area of Fells Point, and I got to do some sightseeing while Brad attended meetings. Actually, Brad had one day free so he did some sightseeing with me on his free day, which included visiting the aquarium and just meandering around the Inner Harbor. We were fortunate that day to have very nice weather and it was just an overall lovely day.

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But the highlight of the week was getting a call from home to learn that David, son-number-two, with his partner Chase, placed first-in-state in the AAA Ford Autotech Competition. That means he has followed in his brother's footsteps, who placed first last year and went on to compete in the national competition in Dearborn, Michigan. So it looks like we will be returning to Michigan in June.
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We are tickled for David. And I'm thankful for a husband who has passed on his love of tinkering with cars to his kids, as well as an instructor who has spent many hours mentoring my boys.

Chuck Wall, Chase Wall, Instructor Charlie Melton, David Edwards

Pink Roses and Strawberries

2009-04-18T14:22:00.003-05:00

What can I say? I like strawberries! :-)

This was made for one of my favorite people in the world, who is turning 80.

Happy Birthday Mrs. B!

Keep on Trackin'

2009-04-10T18:33:00.003-05:00

I do this type cake so much it's embarrassing. It's the drizzle cake. :-) But hey, it works.

This was done for a friend I haven't seen in years but whom I keep up with via internet. She was in town and I bribed her with this cake for her boyfriend (a train lover) to get her to come by my house. It worked! :-) The chocolate plaque says "Keep on Trackin'".

Happy Easter Everyone!

Monday Meditation

2009-04-06T17:13:00.002-05:00

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.

~Buddha

Another Florida Gators Cake

2009-04-02T09:37:00.003-05:00

I did a cake for a friend's child yesterday. 'Tis tradition. This year I am thankful I didn't have to do anything hunting or wrestling related like in years past! lol
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This year I got to do a simple Florida Gators cake. I've done several of these in the past, so nothing exciting, but "easy" works for me, especially since my cake decorating hands have gotten lazy.
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Happy Birthday Tyler!

Monday Meditation

2009-03-30T10:04:00.002-05:00

Good manners and kindness...I don't always get 'em right...far from it...but I do value them and like to think I strive for them. I certainly admire them when I see them in others and appreciate it when these virtues are practiced on me! On that note, I found these quotes that speak to me today.

A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person. ~Dave Barry, "Things That It Took Me 50 Years to Learn"

Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength. ~Eric Hoffer

Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use. ~Emily Post

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice. ~Author Unknown

Don't be yourself - be someone a little nicer. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966

Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not. ~Samuel Johnson

When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people. ~Abraham Joshua Heschel

The best portion of a good man's life - his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love. ~William Wordsworth

The kindest word in all the world is the unkind word, unsaid. ~Author Unknown

Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree. ~Marian Wright Edelman

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~Leo Buscaglia

Kindness is the greatest wisdom. ~Author Unknown

Wish Him Luck!

2009-03-24T16:39:00.001-05:00

Today son-number-one is competing in the State Championship Economics Challenge, scheduled for March 25 at Millsaps College in Jackson. The challenge is put on by the Mississippi Council on Economic Education and provides the opportunity for at least eight students to win $1,000 scholarships. Can you say "college book money"?
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In addition, winners in the 2009 competition will have the opportunity to represent Mississippi in the Regional Economics Challenge on April 27 in Atlanta.
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Son-number-one placed 30th of 1,600 test takers in the first round of test-taking which got him to Millsaps. Not bad, eh?
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Wish him luck!

Oh Happy Day! Another Celebration!

2009-03-24T15:31:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was a big event in this family. Son-number-two had his braces taken off. He lived with those things for over two years; and probably set the record for patient with most parts and pieces breaking! No more worry with that! :-) What was it his auto-mechanics teacher told him? His teeth were so crooked he could eat corn on the cob through a picket fence??? Something like that...
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My mother took this photo for us:
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Okay, so you can't see his teeth, but I had to show that photo off anyway because my child has his arm around me. Now if I can get son-number-one to do the same. :-)
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Here's a close-up:

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Purty nice, huh? :-)

Happy Anniversary to Me!

2009-03-22T16:54:00.005-05:00

I just realized that Monday, March 23rd, will be my one year anniversary. Woo-hooo! It will have been one year since I joined the YMCA.

Don't I get a free t-shirt or something for that?! :-)

...especially since I have gone faithfully all these months...at least 3 times a week; unless I've been out of town.

Just tooting my horn, as there was a time I could not have imagined that I could stick with an exercise routine this long.

I CAN teach an old dog new tricks.

Monday Meditation

2009-03-17T09:34:00.007-05:00

Okay, so it's not Monday. I'm a little behind but have been wanting to include this quote somewhere as one of my favorite quotes.

My niece Jamie, nephew Skeeter, nephew Cody, niece Christie

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

~ Maya Angelou

Unclogging the Blogging

2009-03-14T19:30:00.004-05:00

Well, has anyone noticed I haven't blogged lately? :-) I didn't think so. lol

Okay, seriously, I know for a fact my mother and sister check my blog so I guess I do have *some* readership. :-) And I think there may be a few of my cyberbuds that check on me from time to time too and for that, I am grateful. I want y'all to know...I am alive and well here!

But, I have really lost my blogging mojo. In fact, so much so that I set my blog to private this morning, thinking I will keep it that way until I get my mojo back since I've not been writing. However, my mother did not like this idea when I told her and basically demanded I unprivatize it...and seeing as I am a well-behaved child at 47-years-old, I said "Yes Ma'am!"

So here I am blogging about not blogging...

Hi Mom! I love you! You are THE best mom in the world as evidenced by the fact you read my blog when I'm not blogging. Is this not THE BEST MOM? :-) How lucky am I?

Speaking of my mom, she gave me *my* box the other day. This is a plastic box filled with old photos she wanted me to have when she is gone. She is always on top of things so she decided to give me the box *before* she is gone and I APPRECIATE THAT! We had a good time going through that box.

Here is one of the photos from that box. NOT the greatest photo; my mother says it is embarrassing, but I love this photos because I am reminded my mother didn't always have white hair....which reminds me that she used to pay my siblings and me 10 cents per hair to pluck her gray hairs...which reminds me that I need a child willing to pluck *my* gray hairs. But then I would be broke...

-My mother, me, sister Dana, sister Jeanine, and Aunt Deb-

So now my blog is unclogged.
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Happy Saturday Everyone!
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(Got a cake to do April Fool's weekend so maybe I'll have cake stuff to post.)

Monday Meditation

2009-02-23T08:16:00.003-06:00

~As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.~

Proverbs 23: 7

I remember the first time I read the little book As a Man Thinketh by James Allen, titled after the proverb above. For me, the message was so simple yet so profound.

Here is a snippet of this little book.

What do you think?

Monday Meditation

2009-02-16T08:29:00.004-06:00

Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task.

~William James

Ways to Overcome and Cure Procrastination

(copied and pasted from ineedmotivation.com) :-)

Procrastination can put a complete stop to your life. Putting off things to do, only leads to more overwhelm down the road, and thus creates a state a paralysis, where nothing ever gets done. You can learn to overcome procrastination, here are a few tips to help you:

Divide and conquer. A big task can look too big to tackle at times, as it is so intimidating and overwhelming. This is why you have to break the task into smaller, more manageable ones, and go through them one by one, as if each one was an important task on its own.

Use the reward system. To give you an incentive, or a boost in motivation to do a certain task, give yourself a small reward if you accomplish it on time. Whether it's a certain food you treat yourself to, or a gift you buy yourself, it doesn't matter, as long as it inspires you enough to get the job done.

Don't waste any time. Sometimes, you may not do something because you feel like you don't have the time to finish it. Try looking at such a situation from another perspective. Tell yourself, 'how much can I get done, in the time I have left?' Do as much as you can in the time you have, and soon, you will notice that you're not lagging behind that much anymore.

Have a "to do" list. It's always better to write things down then to have it just sitting there in our mind, where it can get lost with all our other thoughts. Therefore, write down all the things that you are putting off, and keep this list in clear sight, so that you are reminded of it. Then, as you do each task, cross them off, and go down the list. You will not believe the wonderful feeling of accomplishment as you cross all the items on your list!

Clean environment = clearer mind. Try putting things in your office or home in order, and keep it tidy and clean. Being in order helps to cure procrastination, as you feel less overwhelmed by all the papers and such lying around your space, and cleaning creates a discipline that can help you when it's time to do a certain task.

End of day preparations. At the end of each day, go over all that you have to do the next day, creating a schedule, and thus making you aware of what's to come tomorrow. This will mentally prepare you for what's ahead instead of being surprised and feeling in over your head.

Okay, folks, you see where my mind is; now it is time for me to get off the computer and accomplish something!

Puppy Love

2009-02-13T12:58:00.004-06:00

I've been playing around using Lorraine McKay's puppy sculpting tutorial. Lorraine is one of the best fondant figure sculptors I know and I love to see her in action. It's also fun just listen to her accent. :-) She sells downloadable tutorials on her website but she also offers a few free tutorials on youtube. So check out her stuff!
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This is my creation from her instructions:

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Monday Meditation

2009-02-09T08:15:00.002-06:00

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

-- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Second Child Gets Second Best?

2009-02-07T22:26:00.007-06:00

I haven't been a very good blogger lately. I say this especially because I let my second-born son's birthday come and go without blogging about him. He turned seventeen on Saturday.

First-born son got a blog tribute on *his* seventeenth birthday. He even got a special birthday dinner cooked by me; a special cake baked by me...la-de-da-de-da...

Second-born son...nothing.

Okay, in my defense...I asked him if he wanted me to cook him something special on his birthday; he started rambling on about how he had this and that to do. It was obvious his plans for his birthday centered around being out with friends. He is seventeen with a healthy social life. I get it.

His birthday cake this year came from Fresh Market. I didn't even take a picture.

He ate at Margarita's Mexican Restaurant with friends. This is the only photo I got of him that day, courtesy of his friend's cell phone...

Hmmm...do you see a pattern here?

What can I say about this son?

Well, he is adorable.

He is resourceful.

He has always been mature beyond his years.

He is an incredibly driven individual when he sets his mind to something.

He makes my day better just by being himself.

But mostly, what I want to say about this second-born child is that he has given me seventeen years of JOY.

His father would agree...

Okay, maybe there has been a little grief in the mix...

but mostly, pure joy.

I cannot imagine life without him.

No cake...No special supper...A late tribute...

...but a very thankful and proud mother.

Happy Belated Seventeenth Birthday David.

Monday Meditation

2009-02-02T09:38:00.003-06:00

Hmmm...Habits...

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."

~Aristotle

"Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of."

~Anonymous

We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.

~John Dryden

Chocolate Cake with Pink Polka Dots

2009-01-30T22:36:00.007-06:00

It was my niece Aleila's birthday this past Tuesday. I was out of town so I promised her a cake for her sleepover this weekend. She requested "a round chocolate cake with pink polka dots". She's easy to please. I can do that!

Happy Belated Birthday Aleila! :-)

Looks are Deceiving...

2009-01-21T16:32:00.004-06:00

I made a cake today. It's for my music minister's wife, who fell off a horse and broke her collar bone! Yikes! That does not sound fun...I hope she is on the mend soon.
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The cake is deceiving though, as there is nothing cherry about this cake! It's just a chocolate cake with Italian Meringue Buttercream. I used the chocolate cake recipe on back of the Hershey's cocoa can. :-) It's actually a pretty good recipe...
But you know me....I like things to look pretty...so added some cherries I had on hand to the top for decoration.
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And the chocolate medallion you see there has been dusted around the edges with gold dust.

Looks good enough to eat! (I hope it's good enough to eat!)
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But now I'm in the mood to find a really great chocolate cherry cake recipe. I did make a pretty good Cherry Garcia cake once. It's a recipe made with Cherry Garcia ice cream that my friend Amber turned me on to. But I think I'd like to try something different...some kind of chocolate cherry combo with maybe a cherry filling...

Got one of those recipes by chance???
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I'm going to google...

Michele Foster's Rolled Fondant Recipe

2009-01-21T09:29:00.007-06:00

Now that I am no longer doing cakes for profit, I am no longer ordering 20 lb. buckets of Satin Ice fondant either.I miss that but I just can't make that investment any longer. So in order to be able to still make the occasional bow or sculpted decoration for a decorated cake, I need a recipe that I can whip up that won't cost an arm and leg and won't be super difficult to make either.
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One recipe I tried a couple of years ago when I first started experimenting with rolled fondant is called Marshmallow Fondant.

Yep, it's made out of marshmallows. I tried this recipe after reading rave reviews about it on the Cake Central forum. It is easy and cheap to make, this is true, but I must confess the texture and ease of use just doesn't compare for me personally after having also worked with Satin Ice fondant.
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So last week I tried another recipe I found on Cake Central after again hearing rave reviews from people who said they preferred the taste and texture of this over the marshmallow fondant. The main challenge for me will be finding glycerine in town but I read it may be available at health food stores. If it's not in my local health food store, I will have to drive 30 miles to the Michael's across town to get the Wilton brand or order over the net. (This is what I did for this first batch...ordered from the net.)
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The verdict: while I found this recipe to not be as easy or cheap to make, it *did* score points in the texture and ease-of-use department, so until I find something better this is my new favorite fondant recipe.
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If you try it tell me what you think. And if you have a favorite fondant recipe yourself, let me know!

Monday Meditation

2009-01-19T08:38:00.002-06:00

If the only prayer you say in your entire life is "Thank You,"’ it will suffice.

~Meister Eckhart

(And a song just because I like it...)

Another Tiffany Box Top Attempt for Kris

2009-01-14T16:20:00.008-06:00

I did a cake for my friend Allen today and since I had creative freedom I decided to practice on my box tops again. (This is for you Kris.)

Instead of using styrofoam like I did on the red hat cake, I tried the gumpaste method. First, I cut a 1/4" sheet of foam core board to the size I needed. I am sure you could probably do this without even using foam core, but I liked having a little substance under my top so that I didn't have to worry about breakage. Then I rolled my gumpaste out, brushed one side of the foam core board lightly with water and laid it on top of the gumpaste. I used a pizza cutter to cut the excess gumpaste off; then flipped the top over. (Make sure your mat is dusted well with cornstarch so that the gumpaste doesn't stick to the mat.) I also used a fondant smoother to smooth out the gumpaste on top; smoothing out any imperfections as good as possible and then making sure that the edges still lined up with the edges of the foam core as perfectly as possible. If you smooth out the gumpaste a little past the foam core, just flip over and trim again. I set this aside.

Next I cut 4 strips for the sides of the box top, approximately 1 1/2" wide and a bit longer than each side of the box top. (Excess to be trimmed when putting the box top together.)

I let all this dry overnight.

The next day, I melted candy melts in the same color as the top; put into a decorating bag with the tiniest tip cut out for piping, and adhered one of the strips to the foam core top using the melts as glue. Trimmed the ends of the strip using an exacto knife to line up perfectly with the box top. Did the opposite side the same way. Then the other two sides. (Is this making sense Kris?)

Once all sides were adhered I went back and filled in the seams with more candy melts. I used my finger to wipe the excess; and after the melts had dried even used a flat razor blade to shave off any excess candy melts that may have gotten outside of the seams.

To me, this method looks a bit neater than covering with styrofoam, but if doing a round top, styrofoam is probably the way to go.

Monday Meditation

2009-01-12T15:31:00.005-06:00

"There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

-- Albert Einstein

Sunday Afternoon Naps...

2009-01-11T19:59:00.003-06:00

Daniel, Age Two

Did you get yours in today?

2009 Cake Classes Begin!

2009-01-02T13:31:00.004-06:00

Have I mentioned I've been considering teaching cake decorating classes?

Yep. For months. But I've had other things on my agenda that have kept me from getting serious and actually going forward with those classes. You know...important stuff like laundry, occasional family meals, laundry, time at the gym, blogging, (wait, I haven't been doing much of that, have I?)...

But I finally got serious, seeing as it is the beginning of the new year.

Yep.

And I wanted to share my progress for you to see...

Okay, so it's just my niece Emily from Nashville hanging out with me....

And I didn't actually get paid to teach her to decorate (if you don't count hugs)...but the girl *did* learn about rolling and cutting fondant...and dusting with luster dust...

And darn, I must be a pretty good teacher. Just look at those shell borders she did all by herself!

So what do you think? Huh? Huh? Pretty good, huh?! A totally unique Emily design! Bring on the people. I can do this! ;-) (Or I had one heck of a student...)

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T11:50:00.003-06:00

This is my confession: While I love Thanksgiving and what this day represents...the simplicity of getting with family for a good meal and reflecting on the blessings in my life...I am always glad to see the Christmas Holiday go. Is it sacrilege to say this?...That the season that celebrates the birth of Christ has so many negative connotations for me?

It's not that I don't love some aspects of Christmas; it's just that overall, I am at war with myself during this time; not feeling like I live up to my own expectations; worrying that I'm not living up to others' expectations as well. Will my gifts be good enough? My house pretty and clean enough? Will I seem happy enough? Will I be too happy even...when others around me are hurting??? War, I tell you, in my mind...

But then New Year's Day comes, and I am at peace again. I sit here; breathing deeply and feeling hopeful again. I don't know why. Nothing has changed except my attitude. Is it because I have lived through my self-imposed stress; and come out feeling maybe I did no real harm to anyone? Or that, now that it is all over, I have a clean slate to get things right the next go-round? :-)

Whatever the reason, I love New Year's Day. It's a day like any other I know...but in my mind, it represents hope; forgiveness (of self more than anything); and rebirth. What does the future hold? Something good I am sure! How will I live this year? As if every day were a gift. It may not happen; but in my mind...I am hopeful.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Red Hat Cake

2008-12-28T12:49:00.006-06:00

A cake! A cake! I actually decorated a cake today...
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,,,for sweet Mrs. Hess; a woman who loves her hats. I couldn't pass up this request as how many people get to celebrate a 90th birthday?!
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Anyway, it's been awhile....and this was a learning experience as there were some firsts for me with this design.
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#1: First time I carved styrofoam with an electric knife. The hat is fondant-covered styrofoam and the brim is fondant-covered foam core board. Using an electric knife on styrofoam is a messy job...and not as easy as I thought it would be.
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#2: First time I covered styrofoam circles to replicate box tops. This is not as easy as I thought it would be. (I learned I should have measured because my box tops ended up being smaller than the box bottoms after I got the cakes iced. Oy! Hate when that happens! I tried to disguise but oh well...I'll measure next time and cut cake accordingly.)
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#3: First time I tried to throw a two-tiered cake together in a matter of a few hours. Okay, well, maybe not. Come to think of it, I'm pretty good at misjudging the amount of time it takes to do a proper job on a cake. :-) Thus, my work isn't as neat as I would have liked it to be. But hey, I got 'er done!
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Happy Birthday Mrs. Hess!

Ah, I'm The Baking Professional; Yes I Am!

2008-12-24T21:02:00.008-06:00

The ONE thing I was asked to make for my family's Christmas Eve lunch today was cream cheese braids (recipe in a previous post). Being the "perfectionist" I am I thought maybe I could improve on the "looks" of the braids by trying different cutting techniques instead of the standard straight cuts at 2" intervals as suggested in the recipe.
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Soooo....wanted to share the results of my experiments here.
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Let's see...we have the cream cheese braid with criss-cross cuts...I thought this was going to be reaaaaaallly pretty... -
And this one...well...I can't remember WHAT cutting technique I used but that's okay as it obviously doesn't need to be repeated...

-
And here is the standard straight cuts as suggested in the recipe...thank GOD I did get two of these out of the batch. :-)

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Have you ever heard..."If it ain't broke...don't fix it"??? :-)
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Happy Baking and Merry Christmas Everyone!

I'll Have a Blue Christmas...

2008-12-23T07:29:00.005-06:00

I'm having a blue Christmas here...kinda...sorta...
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I'm still on the snowflake petit four kick. Did a few dozen for neighbors. Blue this time; dusted with pearl dust.

And how do you like my pajama bottoms that Dana gifted me with for my birthday?

They say "Life is Good" but have "blue" flowers. :-) I think I'll stay in them all day long.
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Stay tuned...I actually have a cake to decorate this weekend. It's been awhile...

Snowflake Petit Fours

2008-12-18T07:11:00.007-06:00

I don't know why blogger keeps turning my photo sideways but I give up!

These are for the teachers at the high school. I wasn't in the mood for red and green, so tried a little ivory coloring in my poured fondant to highlight the white snowflakes. Hmmmm...not so Christmas-y but that's okay.

We're Home...

2008-12-14T12:32:00.015-06:00

And I hope a picture is worth a thousand words as words just aren't coming to me these days! I did include captions and will say that "Paradise" pretty much sums up St. John, USVI, and life at Tradewinds Cottage for a week!

The Caribbean...it really *is* warm in December...even in the water...

And I must confess...while glad to be home to see my kiddos and family, I am missing those views and that warmth; and the feeling of carefreeness that comes with it all...

But I am thankful for having experienced it at all!

Thank you Brad; and thank you Mom and Dad and Jo Ann for watching out for the boys. It is because of you, I realize, I am able to have these experiences.

Hope y'all enjoy the photos...

Brad relaxing on our new favorite beach at Little Lameshur Bay

One of the many beautiful beaches...but which one!?

View of Johns Folly Bay from our bedroom window

And the view out the living room windows!

On the deck looking out at our neighbors down below us

One of the many beautiful tropical plants growing in the stone ruins at Annaberg Sugar Mill

One of the few photos of me in my granny skirted bathing suit (which Brad loves ;-) ) and sneakers :-)....overlooking Caneel Bay

Brad enjoying the warm water at Little Lameshur Bay Beach

A totally deserted beach at the end of the Europa Point Trail

Bouganvilla at the Annaberg Sugar Mill Ruins

Another photo of Europa Bay Beach

The view from Estate Concordia just up the road from "our" cottage

Brad enjoying view of the famous Trunk Bay Beach

Another view from the living room

Little Lameshur Bay Beach as seen from a window at the stone ruins up on the hill

The gorgeous blue water again as seen from Annaberg Sugar Mill

And that's it folks! Thanks for looking!

2008-12-03T07:38:00.006-06:00

Psst...Threeeee.

It's Officially Christmas Season, Eh?

2008-11-29T16:18:00.004-06:00

Well, since it is officially Christmas season I have been in crafting mode. That's because my *ideal* Christmas would be one in which all my gifts were handmade. That *never* happens, though, and the truth is, I'll be lucky to craft 1 or 2 items, but I did manage to get THIS done today...in all of 10 minutes. ;-)

I thought this was especially appropriate for my friend Sandy ("Mrs. Palmer") who is an elementary art teacher. I hope she thinks it is as cute as I do.

The idea came from Andrea at Big Creek Cottage who participated in Chris' I Can Make That Party. Click on Chris' link to check out all the other great crafting ideas for Christmas.

Okay, what can I work on next???

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Thanksgiving Blessings...

2008-11-27T17:40:00.004-06:00

Thanksgiving blessings from our home to yours...

Hope you took time to see the beauty that surrounds you...

(We missed you Dana. Very quiet here today without you and the Michael Mathis clan. Here is my prettiest picture for you. xoxo)

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

2008-11-24T20:56:00.004-06:00

Okay, 2nd post in a day! Woo-hoo! I'm posting this so I'll have this "recipe" handy when I need it again. I was going through my pantry today seeing what I had on hand and plugged a few ingredients into the recipe finder on allrecipes.com. Love that feature on allrecipes.com...where you plug in ingredients and get a list of recipes containing those ingredients. Anyway, I ran across a recipe that would use my rotel tomatoes and black beans. I think the recipe was actually called "6 Can Soup" but it's basically a chicken tortilla soup. I changed it up a bit so here is my revised recipe:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts boiled then cut in pieces
1 can Rotel tomatoes
I can black beans, drained
1 can Mexicorn
1 small diced onion sauteed in bit of butter
1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
A little bit of fresh snipped cilantro (I don't usually have this on hand but bought some for ??? the other day... :-) )
1/2 packet McCormick (or other brand) chili seasoning mix (I don't know why I had 1/2 a packet in my cabinet but that's what I had; I expect you could use the whole packet :-) )
garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

Mix and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes. That's it! Good on a cold, rainy day and would be good with crumbled tortilla chips on top although I didn't have any of those on hand.

I've Been Tagged

2008-11-24T17:21:00.005-06:00

Crystal at Crystal Wants to Share has tagged me to list 7 random things about myself. She knows I've been having a hard time blogging these days and so is trying to give me some "material". :-) Thanks for thinking of me Crystal. I'm taking "random" to mean the first things that pop into my head so here goes:
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1) I keep a bar of Hershey's Extra Dark Chocolate with Cranberries, Blueberries and Almonds in my kitchen drawer and allow myself 2 bricks of it a day. This was a strategy I started to help myself not feel deprived while I was trying to lose weight. It's a pyschological thing, you know?! The key is to only eat 2 bricks a day though and I actually do pretty good with it. Just don't let me make that cream cheese braid mentioned in my previous post. :-) *That* is a diet killer.

2) I ran away from home when I was 19. I know. 19 is a little old to be "running away". I was a late bloomer I guess. I hopped a Greyhound bus to Nashville, but never got further than Memphis. I was escorted off the bus in Memphis by a concerned friend of a friend and was taken to said friend's home and put to bed while my parents drove through the night to rescue me. It's a long story. I was obviously a confused 19 year old. Two years later I married my husband. He obviously had no idea what he was getting into! Our 25th wedding anniversary is this New Year's Eve. I'm glad he's put up with me all these years.

3) I have a half brother I've never seen face to face. Another long story. :-) We've been corresponding via email a couple of years; we've talked on the phone; we've just never met face to face. I'm hoping I'll get to see him one day in person. This is the most recent photo I have of him (with his wife)...

4) I seem to get more comfortable in my skin with age.

5) I'm studying for the Praxis. Yep, the Praxis. (I like saying this word....Praxis.) If I could pass the Praxis (2 tests...one on reading, writing, arithmetic and the other on art), I could get certified to teach elementary art with my degree in interior design. I think. That's what I've been told. I have a friend (who graduated with me in interior design) who has a super job teaching elementary art and she has been encouraging me to do this. So I'm studying for the Praxis. Will I actually teach??? Who knows!

6) I want to go to Glacier National Park in Montana. Actually, I have a mile long list of places I'd like to go before I die, but this place popped into my head first.

7) I bought a pair of shorts today at TJ Maxx for $3.00. Which brings me to my last random thought...I love a good bargain. Now to actually find some CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. Does anyone else get sidetracked when Christmas shopping? :-/ It is a disease. I need to make gifts instead but what to make...

Wickedly Delicious, Completely Christmas...Cream Cheese Braid

2008-11-24T08:24:00.008-06:00

This photo was taken off the web and is the best I could find to demonstrate what this braid looks like.

With no cake orders; no camera (mine died)...can you tell I'm having a hard time figuring out what to blog about these days!? :-)

Yep, I am having a bit of writer's block!

But with Christmas approaching I wanted to share this recipe; a recipe that was passed on to me by a friend's mother over 25 years ago. When I see this recipe I always think of Christmas, because said friend's mother used to make these every Christmas to hand out as gifts, and oh, if you were a lucky recipient...

CREAM CHEESE BRAID

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 c. butter

2 pkgs. yeast

1/2 c. warm water

2 eggs, beaten

4 cups all-purpose flour

Heat sour cream over low heat. Stir in sugar, salt and butter. Cool to lukewarm. Sprinkle yeast in water in a large bowl. Stir until dissolved. Add sour cream, eggs and flour; mix well. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. The next day, divide dough into 4 parts. Roll each on well floured board into 8"x12" rectangle. Spread 1/4 cream cheese filling on each. Roll up jellyroll fashion, beginning at long sides. Pinch edges together, and fold ends under slightly; place the rolls seam side down on greased baking sheets. Slit each roll at 2 inch intervals about two-thirds of way through dough to resemble a braid. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Drizzle Glaze over tops.

FILLING:

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2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla

1 egg, beaten

GLAZE:

2 c. powdered sugar

4 TB Milk

2 tsp. Vanilla

21

2008-11-15T11:03:00.005-06:00

(Gotta do a countdown at least periodically. ;-) )

On Your Mark...

2008-11-13T07:28:00.003-06:00

I never knew my younger son David was a runner...

...until a few months ago. He has a way of surprising me like that.

He's in eleventh grade and joined the cross country team for the first time.

Most of the kids on his team his age have been running for a few years.

I've learned running takes incredible discipline. It is amazing to see David get up at the crack of dawn to go running before school....no prodding from me. It is amazing to see him set personal goals for himself and achieve those goals.

It is also amazing to see the camaraderie between the teammates.

I look at these pictures and feel pride, joy, and gratefulness.

This has been such a good experience for him.

David is a runner and it makes me smile.

Pythagorean Theorem

2008-11-11T21:32:00.003-06:00

Do I really need to know this to be an elementary art teacher?

Hmmmm...

Stress Relief???

2008-10-31T15:28:00.004-05:00

I called a good friend today and as usual, asked her what she was doing.

She answered "Vacuuming." Then added "My STRESS RELIEF!"

And she was serious!

I don't get it, but to each her own.

OR, maybe this just means I don't have much stress in my life, based on the amount of times I pull my vacuum cleaner out of the closet!

But a long, hot bath would likely be my answer to stress...or hiding under the covers of my bed. :-)

What do you do for stress relief???

(P.S. I found some pretty good ideas for stress relief here. Take a look!)

Orange Petit Fours

2008-10-29T16:47:00.002-05:00

Orange.

And that's all I have to say about that.

40!

2008-10-27T21:46:00.002-05:00

Okay, just teasin'!

I have absolutely nothing to blog about...

:-)

Okay, y'all can get excited for me now!

2008-10-26T14:46:00.006-05:00

Airline tickets are booked as of yesterday. Arrive December 6th. Return December 13th. A week! A WHOLE WEEK...

St. John here we come!

And our home away from home will be...

Tradewinds Cottage. The "Caribbean on a Budget" house.
-
And look what else I found on the net...another picture (taken by another renter) of the view from the deck at sunrise.

.

Isn't that pretty?!
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Did I say I'm pinching myself? Did I say I feel like a spoiled brat? Did I say I am excited?!

Here is my last official cake order...

2008-10-25T12:38:00.003-05:00

And it is just a little order...

For a little baby boy shower...

I am now officially unemployed. :-) And ready for my 25th wedding anniversary trip to the Caribbean...

Caribbean on a Budget

2008-10-24T14:17:00.007-05:00

Well, this one won't wow ya quite like the last one so I call this "Caribbean on a Budget" or maybe "Caribbean on MY Budget". :-)
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Still has a small kitchen....it's cute. Yes, this is sufficient for making coffee in the morning and tropical drinks in the evening, don't you think???
-

Still looks light and airy from the dining room, no???

Most importantly, it still has a VIEW from the deck. No hot tub...no pool...but a pretty darn good view!

Even from the shower...

Even from the bedroom...

And for about 1/2 the price of that last one I'd say there is more money left over for that day sail to Virgin Gorda.

I'll take it!

(Oh, don't get excited for me...I'm still just dreamin'.)

This is THE one...

2008-10-21T08:38:00.012-05:00

This is THE one...it is calling my name...

It is beckoning me to come visit...

Can you just imagine?

Sitting on this deck looking out at this view?

Experiencing this in the morning with a cup of coffee in hand?

Sleeping in this?

Which still offers this view through the bedroom window...

But as nice as the bed is with the view, I would want to spend a large part of my time here...

Looking at this...

Ah, I feel my stress level decreasing...Who wouldn't!?

But since I'd have to pull myself away from the deck and that view at least long enough to prepare a meal or make a cup of coffee or some sort of tropical drink, this kitchen isn't too shabby for taking care of those kinds of needs, is it?

Look at those ceilings.

And if I have to leave this paradise, say, to go to the market or one of the casual restaurants down the road or to one of the 39 beaches on this small island, I expect I'd have to pass this koi pond on the way to my jeep...

But back to the house...how about the great room? Can you say "airy and light"? Not that I'd spend too much time in here with that view out there...and 39 beaches waiting to be explored.

39 beaches...and 2/3 of the island national park...but the question is...could I leave this place!? Would I even have to leave this place?!

Did I say this is the ONE?!

Sigh...

Lorraine McKay's Cake Class...

2008-10-18T15:23:00.007-05:00

If you don't know who Lorraine McKay is, check out her work on her website or her blog.
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She is my fondant-figure-sculpting idol and I had the privilege of taking a sculpting class taught by her in Austin this past week. She came to the States from her home in Scotland and this was her first international workshop, so we were a privileged group!
-

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Not only is Lorraine a super talented cake decorator, she and her husband Andy are just really nice, salt-of-the-earth people.
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And what makes her especially cute is her Scottish accent. If you want to hear that accent, you'll have to go to youtube and look at one of her demos. (I should have practiced listening before I left for Austin so I could understand her better once I got there! We had an ever-so-slight communication problem. :-) )
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Can you tell which is the teacher's and which is the student's work below?! I think it is pretty obvious! Perfection comes first...

-

Lorraine, of course, made sculpting look so easy. She has such a great sense for creating the right proportions, illustrating movement, expression and relationship in her figures.
-
Plus, her figures just have that "cute" factor I cannot always achieve! HOW she works her fondant to get it so perfectly smooth and flawless is beyond me. I work my fondant until it starts to dry and crack and Lorraine tells me that speed (from experience) will correct my problems but it seems I'll need lots of practice to get there.
-
It was a fun class.
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Thanks Lorraine and Kyla for making this possible.

18 Years and Look What Happens...

2008-10-10T14:05:00.006-05:00

From this...

To this...

My baby has grown up! Happy Birthday Daniel!

This Might Be Okay Too, Huh?

2008-10-08T18:46:00.003-05:00

Or Would You Stay Here? (See Post Below)

2008-10-06T09:07:00.002-05:00

Just doing a little bit of dreaming...sigh...

Would You Stay Here?

2008-10-06T09:02:00.004-05:00

Hmmm???

Jo Ann's Oatmeal Muffin Recipe

2008-10-04T16:58:00.005-05:00

I want to share a muffin recipe. My mother-in-law Jo Ann wrote this recipe down for me years ago on a little index card. I've used and abused that card so much (stains, spills...I'm a messy cook!) that I can barely read it. So just in case it gets to where I *can't* read that card I'll have a back-up here.

1 cup all purpose flour

3 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup oats

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 egg

1 cup milk

Mix together and pour into muffin tins sprayed with cooking spray. Top with topping (recipe below) and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Topping:

Mix together:

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon melted butter

(I actually like to half this recipe, still using 1 egg, and bake in a little 6-compartment silicone muffin form. I also added some frozen blueberries to the recipe today and they were really good! My oven runs hot so I turn my oven down to between 350-375 and if doing half the recipe, bake for only about 15 minutes.)

Enjoy with a cup of coffee!

Pink Cowgirl Cake

2008-10-04T11:09:00.004-05:00

I must say...this cake was a lot of fun to do and so simple! The hat was much easier to do than I thought it would be with my limited experience covering cake with fondant. (Yep, the hat is cake.) I lost count but this is the second-to-last cake order! All I have left on the schedule now are some petit fours due in a couple of weeks.
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Yeeee-haw!

(P.S. No buttercream borders! This is not like me...)

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

2008-10-03T22:25:00.006-05:00

E-I-E-I-O...

(What does that mean? E-I-E-I-O???)

(Gotta fix that cake board. No horse on the napkin but this child needed a horse. )

And the Winner Is.....

2008-09-30T07:37:00.002-05:00

The winner of the Purgefest Drawing is...

Drumroll....

Deb of Linens, Lace and Lattes! Congratulations Deb.

And runner up...

Sharon of Serendipity!

Thanks guys, all of you, for entering the drawing. That was fun!

Now if you two guys will send me your mailing addresses I'll get these things out to you.

Ah, a couple more things purged...it feels good. Hope you enjoy!

(My email address is lisa-edwards@comcast.net .)

Devilfish Decor

2008-09-27T21:12:00.006-05:00

(If you haven't read my previous post about the devilfish, you must read it first.)

Question:

Who needs Halloween decorations...

Hmmm???

When you have your very own Devilfish!

BwahHaHaaaaa!

Thanks Mom. (Who does read my blog even if she doesn't comment; and who set me straight that the devilfish IS still around but only comes out for the most important of guests)...

I hope I can sleep tonight. :-/

Blowfish Anyone???

2008-09-26T19:33:00.014-05:00

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.

~William Morris~

-
Have I ever told y'all about my paternal grandmother?
-
She was a native Floridian who had the coolest job in the world, or so all her grandchildren thought. She worked in Ft. Myers at what proclaimed itself to be The World's Largest Shell Factory. And it was BIG; especially in a kid's eyes. Think Alvin's Island on steroids...a Souvenir City like NO OTHER. You could buy every imaginable shell at that place; every imaginable piece of shell jewelry; every imaginable shell mosaic doo-dag-thingy. I'm tellin' ya, it was shell HEAVEN. Ah, the memories of going to see my grandmother at work and getting to explore that place.
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And of course, most of my grandmother's gifts to us during that era of her life came from The World's Largest Shell Factory. I can still remember vividly that beautiful doll light she gave me one year made of pieces of shell and pink acrylic. Okay, so maybe it wasn't made of shell...maybe that was acrylic and white plastic. I told myself those were shell pieces. The dress lit up when you turned it on. My sister had a matching blue one. I thought it was the most beautiful thing on earth. I can't believe we got rid of *that*. ;-) Lo and behold, I found her on ebay. $5.99 and I can have her back. ;-)
-
Anyway, when my grandmother passed away, her very large collection of shells (which was evidently collected from The World's Largest Shell Factory), was passed on to my parents; who have distributed some of the collection to us kids. I think the real reason my mother decided to distribute some of her collection is that she was tired of dusting them; and felt it was sacrilegious to keep them in boxes....which is how I ended up with my stash.
-
But in her generous giving of shells, my mother also threw in some other Shell Factory originals, that well, aren't quite so lovely to me.
-
I now have in my possession 2 dead blowfish bodies. In my attempts to purge the other day, I ran across them...wrapped up in newspaper...in a box. WHY do I hang on to these things?

-Do I find them beautiful?
-
No.
-
Are they useful?
-
No.
-
Not only are the things not beautiful or useful, the things are evil, I tell you. EVIL.

No, wait. It was the dead devilfish in the collection that was PURE EVIL. That's right! And I think we actually got rid of HIM. I think we used to have nightmares because of HIM. This is what he looked like:

-

HE would have made a good home accessory, eh? Sitting neatly next to a starfish. ;-)
-
But back to the blowfish....
-
I did read that they are considered a food delicacy in Japan, but that one has to be very careful in their preparation or they can also be extremely poisonous. Did I say EVIL? Anyways, I think my two are past the edible stage.
-
Mom, do you think Mikey would like these for show and tell? Hmmmm? As sentimental as I feel towards them, :-/, I'd be willing to give them up...

(P.S. I found this vintage-repro poster for sale at allposters.com)

Desire, Dedication, Commitment

2008-09-24T07:57:00.006-05:00

Remember this post?
-
Well, today is my 6 month anniversary since joining the Y and I've gone a total of 73 times in that period. That averages out to 3 times a week, which was my goal. Yay! I do strength training and cardio each time I go. Neither the elliptical nor the arc trainer kick my butt anymore. Amazing as the first time I got on the arc trainer I lasted 5 minutes because my leg muscles felt so weak.
-
I've dropped two sizes and the bod is a bit tighter. It's not a 20-something body, but it's not a doughboy body either. I'm happy.
-
The incredible thing is that I have not had problems with my back since I started exercising. My back had been giving me fits the two years prior...sharp stabbing pains shooting up my back or dull aches going down my leg...many of you had heard me complain about this. I even insisted on an MRI which revealed "degenerative disc disease" but my doctor's advice was along the lines of "live with it".
-
I now realize exercise just has to be a part of my lifestyle. Period. It takes desire, dedication, and commitment (The Y slogan), but the rewards are worth it. I feel 200% better than I felt 6 months ago. I hope I will continue to remember that!

Aren't They Pretty?

2008-09-23T11:35:00.007-05:00

See what happens when I have too much time on my hands? I blog about eyeglass cases. (I should be outside pressure washing the storage building...Now *that* sounds fun, doesn't it!?)

Aren't they pretty?

And where are the reading glasses that came with all these cases?

Gone.

I've lost them, or broken them, and now I am left with all these empty cases.

What does one DO with 7 empty reading glass cases?

More importantly, how does one keep from always losing ones readers?

Why can I not chunk these in the garbage?

Why can't I make myself go pressure wash the storage room?

Ah, the big questions of life...

(P.S. The storage building got pressure washed so I guess blog therapy works.)

It's a Purge-fest...and My First Ever Giveaway!

2008-09-22T17:14:00.008-05:00

Well, I'm SO on cloud 9 from finally ridding myself of the console tv (see post below) that I decided to go hunting in my cupboards and closets to see what else I could purge. I mean, if I am going to encourage Brad to purge unneeded stuff then I have to show I am willing to get rid of my lovelies as well.
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Then it dawned on me, I want to have a giveaway! I want to join the ranks of folks in blogland who have wonderful giveaways in an effort to get their reader-numbers up...or in my case, just to see if anyone besides close family and friends are actually reading my blog. :-) :-) :-)
-
Heeeeeee!
-
SOoooooo....Won't you let my trash be YOUR treasure???!!!
-
Please?! PURRRRRTY PLEASE?!?!
-
If you'd consider letting my trash be your treasure, leave a comment on this post and you will be eligible to win....drum roll...

-
A TRULY....

SPECTACULAR....

EXTRAORDINARY...

ONE OF A KIND...

HANDMADE...

PIECE OF ART!!!!

See...I'm actually not kidding!

-
The LOVELY little handmade vase you see above has sadly been wrapped up in newspaper in a cardboard box in my cupboard for the last year. It is a vase made by potter Susan Brown Freeman of Birmingham, Alabama, (just google her name) and I bought it many years ago at the Chimneyville Crafts Fair, which is a big event here in my area where Southern artisans display and sale their wares. If you sell your wares at this fair, it is an honor, because these people are juried before being allowed to have a booth, as I understand it.
-
As lovely as it is, I just haven't ever figured out what to do with that vase. Actually, that's not the real reason I don't want it...
-
The honest-to-God truth is that I bought that vase to be given as a gift....never gave it (gasp!)...and haven't felt right keeping it since. So I take it out...display it...feel funny about it...put it back in the newspaper in the cardboard box in the cupboard. I think it is bad Karma for me to keep it.
-
So can I gift you with a vase? Post a comment and let me know if you are interested. Drawing will take place a week from today.
-
Oh, and a lucky runner up will receive a FABULOUS consolation prize of two beautiful starfish.

These are the starfish I used on the cake below for my niece but she wasn't interested in keeping them, so they are yours if you want them (and if I draw your name as runner up)...

Make my day...post a comment! (Sorry, but family members ARE eligible for this drawing. It's my blog and I'll do what I want to...big smile.)

(Now let me go shamelessly put in a plug for this giveaway on a couple of message boards. I wonder how much it's gonna cost me to wrap this properly and ship to Japan??? :-/ No worries...I'll do it! )

Oh Happy Day!

2008-09-22T09:00:00.010-05:00

This is a happy day for me...a day I have been waiting for...for years!
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Brad has been in purging mode, and as a result put our old refrigerator and a 5' x 10' dog kennel in the classifieds.
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They had both long outlived their usefulness to us...
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And much to my joy, they both sold.
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That's not what thrills me though. What thrills me is that as part of getting rid of the refrigerator; we made a stipulation that whoever bought it had to take the dreaded...when-will-I-ever-get-rid-of-this-eyesore 1983 console tv!
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Considering that console tv was our first major purchase as a married couple; I felt a little sentimental towards it. (NOT!)
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We actually used the thing short of a year ago (it still works) when I finally pushed it into the guest bedroom to use as a bedside table. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to get it out of my living room. So it became the guest bedroom side table because, well, you know, we might need to use that tv one day. :-/
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I must confess, Brad has ONE MAJOR CHARACTER FLAW, and that is...HE DOESN'T LIKE TO GET RID OF UTILITARIAN STUFF, especially if it works or he can fix it. And unfortunately, there is very little he can't fix. :-/
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So the guy came to get the refrigerator this morning, and he loaded that console tv into his truck as well. He has NO IDEA what a happy woman he made me. No idea.
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I think there is hope for Brad's reformation after all.

Brad is 49 Today...

2008-09-19T09:03:00.006-05:00

My gorgeous, hard-working husband is 49 today. And while I'd love to put together a tribute to him which would entail me spending hours on the computer and going through drawers digging up just the perfect photos then giving them just the perfect captions, my gift to him today does not include playing on the computer!
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I need to get in the kitchen to bake a pound cake.
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But I did find these photos of him on my computer already...some of my favorites... so this will have to do!
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I think this was Daniel's first trip to the water park. And Brad and I both remember we had to take Daniel out of there kicking and screaming he had such a good time. Does this say "good dad" or what?

This was taken very early in our marriage (how do you like those glasses of his?) at one of Brad's closest friend's wedding reception. Hey, that's my *real* hair color, before gray and Clairol. And I was into perms back then, obviously. And I drank Tab??? Whoops, sorry...this is about Brad... (He looks loved, doesn't he? :-) )

Love this...a photo of Brad holding David's hand at the state fair. They are checking out a ride...This says "Safe in the hand of Dad."

Awwwww...and Brad with Daniel, only days old. Do they look peaceful or what???

And for some reason, some reason y'all will all think is odd, this is probably my all-time-favorite photo of Brad. He was building our deck at our first house. See that big smile? He just looks so happy to me. See those grimy clothes? That sweaty hair? Dirt and sweat have never bothered him a bit. This photo to me sums up Brad's personality.

Happy Birthday Gorgeous Husband!

Then and Now...

2008-09-18T08:46:00.006-05:00

Look what I found going through some old photos...

I love the fingers on the chin look. What was he thinking at that moment?

And now... :-) I still see that little boy...but he's all grown up!

Life's a Beach!

2008-09-14T21:00:00.034-05:00

My extended family and I just spent 3 days at the beach. We called it "the beach trip" but I guess you could call it a family reunion. My parents, my aunt and uncle, my siblings and our children and their children gathered together for 3 days under one roof. Here is what we did in those 3 days:

We watched the peripheral effects of a hurricane hundreds of miles away. We were far away, but we still felt it's power.

While that hurricane made it's way to another shore in the Gulf, we played on our shore.

We swam.

Some of us even got the courage to stick our feet in the ocean, if only briefly...

We celebrated this little girl's birthday:

With cake of course...

And just enjoyed the beauty that surrounded us in all it's majesty and glory...

There is just something about the sea, isn't there? It is an awesome sight...

For me, it is a reminder of God's power but also of His peace...

And speaking of peace, during that trip some of us managed to nap. Hey, if that's your definition of a vacation...

Some of us just hung out in bed and read.

But the big event of the trip...the BIG EVENT...

A wedding...

...of a gorgeous couple...

I guess it was a fairly traditional wedding...

There was a ring bearer...

Two flower girls...

A best man...

And a maid of honor...

The bride's mom gave away her daughter...

But the non-traditional aspects of this wedding were the best!

They included a piggy back ride...

And guests got to wear shorts or capris...sandals or no shoes at all!

But Brad...he doesn't do shorts...usually...

That was okay too...

After the ceremony we held a reception which included great food...

And cake of course...

But wait...REWIND...

Did I mention that while we had been preparing for the BIG EVENT...

...another was taking place under our noses we knew nothing about?! SOMEONE ELSE snuck off and got married during this trip. Theirs was a quiet affair though...just the two of them...

And we are absolutely thrilled for them.

Yes, it was an eventful 3 days.

I must say these things especially pleased me...

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Seeing Son Number One with his aunt and uncle...

Seeing my mother enjoy the company of her sister...

Seeing my father in the presence of his grandson and great-granddaughter.

Being with my mom! Always...

Anytime Son Number Two puts his arm around his Papaw, I am pleased...

Anytime Son Number One is engaged with his extended family, I am pleased...

I am thrilled to have a photo of me and Brad together, for that rarely happens!

Life's a beach and then you die. I'm glad we got to experience the beach part with extended family this weekend. That, I feel, is a blessing and a memory we will all cherish...

Thank you Dana for making this happen.

Daniel's Closet Renovation - Phase 1 Complete

2008-09-09T10:34:00.005-05:00

I'm so happy to finally be working on this project...converting Daniel's 2 1/2' x 10' closet with a single pole/shelf into 2 separate areas....one area for his clothes and one area for a built-in computer desk.

You can get an idea of what I'm doing looking at virtual photos here.

Phase 1 started with figuring out how to separate the closet (which is hidden by two sets of double doors) into two distinct areas. I did that by building a wall between the two areas.

Even though Daniel's closet space has been halved, by giving him double poles and shelves he actually gained a tad more linear space and AND it is just so much easier to see what he's got in there now.

Now the fun begins with Phase 2: building the desk area. The walls will be covered in beadboard panelling and I've been working on plans/ideas for the desk itself. I have a couple of problems to work around (one of which is the main house breaker box being on the side wall of his closet!) but I'll get these problems figured out.

Having fun.

And More for Ike

2008-09-06T09:47:00.005-05:00

I have no idea who these people are (well, I recognize Bush) but it just made me feel better to post 'em. Got any photos to post for Ike???

Ike

2008-09-06T09:38:00.002-05:00

SIX

2008-09-06T09:30:00.005-05:00

Louisiana State University Tigers:
This one was not just real fun to do with all the tiger detail but I think I got close enough.

(A side note: I am getting old. I used my Kopykake projector to project the image onto the cake. I had the darndest time getting the projector in focus, that is, until I realized after putting my reading glasses on that the image was, in fact, in focus. )

SEVEN

2008-09-05T11:20:00.002-05:00

Well, y'all have seen variations of this cake many times.
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I have done this *same* cake once a month for the same accounting firm for the last couple of years, but since it is number seven in my countdown I had to include it. :-)
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Happy Friday everyone!

EIGHT!

2008-09-04T08:30:00.005-05:00

I must say, I enjoyed making this guy. Can you tell he is a frog??? He is supposed to be a frog. :-) I covered a cake board with the green to make the lily pad which can be removed if they want to keep this guy.

Brad has always told me when we hear the frogs croaking at night that they are begging for rain. I don't know if that is true or not but I thought it was appropriate to be doing this cake today, seeing as we have been inundated with rain the last few days due to Gustav. And even more appropriately, this cake is being transported to the MS Gulf Coast. Thankfully, I have learned the customer had no damage to her home...so the party goes on as planned!

Remembering...

2008-09-01T09:16:00.004-05:00

Today is Labor Day. No partying here today...we are just sitting around watching tv and waiting to see how this hurricane plays out...and remembering three years ago.

Ocean Springs to Biloxi Bridge, Post-Katrina

I just heard the newscaster say "This is not a Katrina" and for that, I am very thankful. Stay safe everyone!

NINE...

2008-08-30T08:34:00.004-05:00

Oh, here is the inspiration napkin:

TEN...

2008-08-30T08:33:00.003-05:00

This is #10 of the last 10 cake orders on my schedule.

Purty Amazing Stuff...

2008-08-27T14:45:00.006-05:00

Even though I am not much of a gardener, I have always thought...since I was a child and my parents let me plant my own little garden on the side of our house (which actually didn't get the best sunlight conditions and was probably the size of a small closet) that gardening is the simplest way to experience miracles.
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I remember how exciting it was for me to go check that little garden, watch the plants grow, watch them get blooms...blooms that turned into cute little vegetables; which continued to grow into much-too-big vegetables. I can remember being SO PROUD finding the HUGEST, ORANGEST cucumber in my garden and thinking that was THE BOMB. Little did I know at that time that bigger is not always better. :-)
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Sticking a little plant in the ground (or even a seed); giving it a little water every now and then; watching what happens...WOW! It is amazing to me still...
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This year while at Home Depot I saw some little watermelon plants. Of course, it brought back memories of the watermelon patch we had at the end of our patio when I was a kid, which was a happy accident from my parents hosing down the patio to rid it of seeds after we'd enjoyed an afternoon of watermelon together there. I'm sure my mother wasn't thrilled with the happy accident, but I thought it was just great.
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So with those happy memories I bought a few of those little watermelon plants. Brad stuck them in the ground...watered them occasionally.
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And lookie here :-) :

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We picked the first of "our crop" of 6 a couple of days ago; not really knowing if the thing was ripe. Brad did some thumping; we've been told to look on the underside to see if it is lighter in color (it was); we've been told to wait until the vine that connects to the watermelon starts to die and turn brown (it hadn't)... But googling I'd also read stuff that made determining whether a melon is ripe or not sound like an art form! Oh well...sometimes you just have to take your chances! We picked it and to our surprise, that watermelon was SWEET and DELICIOUS.
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AMAZING.
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Dirt.
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Sun.
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Water.
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A little plant.
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Time.
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A great, big, honkin', sweet, delicious watermelon.
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Miracle.

Oh, What a Day!

2008-08-23T18:10:00.004-05:00

Okay, now that I've decided to take a sabbatical from cake decorating, I had a day that made me grateful for my decision.

A customer showed up at my house at 8 this morning, to pick up her two tiered cake for her parents' 50th anniversary party. Only problem...I wrote on her order she would be picking it up August 24th...tomorrow. :-P

After I realized the mistake, I asked her what time the party was. 11:00 a.m. 3 hours...whew! I had some time to solve the problem. I got her to write down her cell phone number and the address for the party. I sent her on her way and I got busy. That cake was decorated and delivered 30 miles away in 2 1/2 hours, by 10:30 a.m.

I do okay under pressure; okay, if I have some grace period. Cake turned out pretty good too, although I didn't get a photo because I was kind of in a hurry, you know?!

Then I came home and decorated 8 dozen petit fours and 2 other cakes.

Then I enjoyed a nice meal and 2 lemoncello lemonade's at Olive Garden. And now I'm fixin' to enjoy a movie with my dear husband.

Looking forward to that sabbatical. 11 cakes to go.