arts & crafts

Another snowy night here in paradise.  We're still waiting for the spring to come.  Rather than grilling out with the windows open, I thought this would be the perfect night for an arts & crafts project I've been putting off.  I've been collecting corks for about a year now.  People always collect odds and ends so they can move their creative thoughts into fruition.  This time, I'm actually going through with it.  The only problem is I've started the project now, and I only have half the corks needed to complete the cork board.  The inspiration came from the most recent batch of wedding invitations I've received in the mail.  They are a bit too heavy & thick to hold up under a magnet's strength.  So I thought they deserved their own special board.  Here's to a night with cabernet, rubber cement, Ingrid Michaelson, and pickled green beans from Santa Barbara Olive Co.

all that's missing is patience for the glue to hold

proud cork collection

500+ inches

I have many memories of Easter weekends on a screened-in porch in the south.  There was honey baked ham, deviled eggs, tomato salad and usually a chocolate chess pie that we'd brought home from the church fundraiser.  Of course, made by the hands of my sister and I during volunteer bake time.  I wish I could find that recipe somewhere.  It was so smooth, but also light and rich, almost like a brownie pie.  It gave me a stomach ache every time because I always had to have just one more sliver.  Since moving to the Rocky Mountains 6 years ago, and to Colorado 11 years ago, this is usually what Easter weekend looks like.  Maybe time to reconsider a southern movement.  

view from the back deck  

april 23 10:37am

hoppity hop hop

easter is coming! 

nothing says easter like easter egg inspired cuppie cakes! 

color inspiration

then I prepared the frostings, all from a white vanilla buttercream

viola!

an evening with mini pies

one thursday in april

I received a VERY hard to come by Breville Pie Maker as an early birthday present/valentine's day/just because I love you gift, and to my shame, it's been over a month and I haven't tried it out.  If you've never heard of Breville, they make mainstream as well as unique domestic kitchen stuff.  I saw a Breville toaster oven, with convection features, at the store for $250+ so they are up on their technology.  This pie maker was exclusively carried by Williams Sonoma over the holidays and they sold out in like, 1 day.  The recent said gift was purchased on ebay for an outrageously generous price of $200.  In December, they retailed for $79.99.  In my future today: 4 mini pies in 8 minutes and the last glass of '07 Sebastiani Cab from Sonoma.

it's about time

so i've finally started my first blog.  i have been talking about blogging and been interested in blogging, a seemingly confusing thing, since back in 2007 when i started batter cupcakes.  now that batter is 4 years in the making i have finally figured out that it's actually really simple. everybody can do it.  now we'll shortly find out who actually cares.  the phenomenon of blogging is interesting to me because there are people out there who are making money on their online thoughts.  take "julie and julia" for example.  first a blog, then a book, then a million dollar movie.  amazing.  technology is pretty cool, and i'm excited to be here.