Ice Cream Sundae Cupcakes - For Isabella

We celebrated Bella's Birthday this past weekend at The Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor.  The kids got to make their own sundae, the adults indulged in ice cream cake.  Both desserts got rave reviews and my family was checking out the Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches, that they sell in the store, so I think we'll be back some day.

Sarah and Bella made these cupcakes inspired by Bakerella.  So cute and yummy too!  It was a sweet and special day for our little granddaughter.  Happy Birthday Sweetie!  Love you Much!

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26

Time to pick Apples!

Each year about this time we try to make a trip to Tree-Mendus Fruit Orchards in Southwest Michigan to pick fresh Apples.  We ride the hay wagon out to the orchard, fill the buckets with Golden Delicious, Gala and Red Delicious apples and eat a few right off the tree.  We have to buy the Honey Crisp apples in the farmstand.  They aren't available as a "U Pick" variety.  A stop or two along the way and lunch at Redemak's in New Buffalo make a perfect day for us.

Source: Cindy Rippe - Seasonal Treats - Apples on Pinterest

 

 

I've been wanting to make Pie Pops since seeing them for the first time at http://luxirare.com. There are great tips and recipes on the Pillsbury and Bakerella web sites if you want bake them too.  I don't know if I'll go as far as making my own Apple Pie filling like Cindy at Skip to My Lou but it does look delicious! 

Now if the weather would just cooperate we could actually plan the trip.  Wish me luck!

Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking 
if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.   
                                                                                                                              ~ Voltaire

Baptism Decor using Photos and Clip Art.

I'm a member of the Designer Crafts Connection Blog group and we post projects on the First Monday of each month.  Click the 365 Days of Crafts Logo on the right to see all the creative ideas that we have to share.  To celebrate we also have a giveaway! Read through to the end of the post for information on how to enter.

The theme for the month of September is parties, baby showers, wedding showers, etc., basically anything to do with decorating for a celebration.  I chose to share the quick and easy decorations that I made for my nephew, Cash, at his Baptism party.  This was a picnic and the decor was casual but I still wanted it to be special for Cash and his family.

I saved a small picture of Cash, added wings with Photoshop, and printed a whole sheet of them.  After cutting out circles of glossy blue cardstock, I layered the photos (cut just a bit smaller) and cardstock with Glue Dots. 

I printed a Bible clip art image for some of the flower centers to reinforce the blue and white theme. After all the circles were finished I glued them to the centers of inexpensive daisy flowers with Glue Dots.  The daisies were sold as a bunch and I just popped them into the vases. Light blue twin sheets from Walmart ($4.00 each!) worked perfectly for tablecloths.

I used the same card stock to make the cupcake toppers.  Again, I used Glue Dots to attach the images.  This time I glued them to lollipops after trimming the excess cellophane around the candy.  So cute!  I wish my cupcakes were as tasty as they were beautiful.  I tried to be creative with the recipe and they turned out to be more like heavy brownies than light and fluffy cake.  Lesson learned !  Test and Taste before you serve dessert to a large group of people!

SEPTEMBER GIVEAWAY!

We have something special this month - a set of Scrapbook Soup, Series 100 DVDs!  Scrapbook Soup is now airing on your local PBS TV channel.  Check your local listings and if it isn't listed, call the station and request it!  Program managers always like to hear what their viewers want to watch.

TO ENTER: Visit all the Blogs on the DCC Hop and stop at Life in the Craft Lane for the details on entering for a chance to win this wonderful set of DVDs.

I'm joining A Stroll Thru Life: Tabletop Tuesday  and

this week.  Stop by for a visit!

Lunch at the Kintner House Part Two

I promised to tell you more about our lunch at Kintner House Inn today.  Our hosts were very sweet and the Victorian Decor was pretty but I'm sure you want to know about the food right?  They offered a nice menu with light entrees that were perfect for the Tea Room atmosphere. 

I think this is Elvin's Chicken Salad with Pink Arctic Salad and Banana Bread

The selections were delicious and plated beautifully.

This the Joey's Egg Salad Sandwich with a Mandarin Spinach Salad and Chips.

We were served an assortment of beverages from the Beverage Bar.  Assorted glass containers on a Victorian Buffet.

My favorite container was the Bee Hive beverage dispenser.  I thought it might be vintage but I found several sources to buy one on the internet.  I'm tempted to get one of my own.  How about you?

Isn't it cute?  Also, did you notice the little bees and grasshoppers in the wallpaper behind it? Unexpected, but perfect placement.

I was told that the desserts were delicious but I was holding out for Ice Cream later in the day.  Maybe next time!

Did you get any ideas about plating a meal for a luncheon of your own?  Plating, which is the art of presenting food in an attractive way, doesn't have to involve really elaborate techniques or anything.  It just makes the food taste better since you are appealing to more than just the sense of taste.  A beautiful plate of food satisfies the mouth, nose and eyes.  It also gives us another reason to be creative!  You know I'm all about that :)

Mary Jo's Design Divas June 2011

Dee Windell - Innkeeper and the Kintner House Family and Staff

 Left to right - top row Connie, Dee, Debbie

Next row - L to R Bradley, Jennifer, Joey

This charming group gave us a warm welcome and made our visit just perfect.  We took a tour of the rooms (there are photos here) and learned a little more about the Inn after lunch before we checked out the local shops.  I look forward to another visit some day.

And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. --Joel 2:26

Princess Party to Celebrate the Royal Wedding

In honor of the Royal Wedding why not let the little girls in your life play dress up?  They love to pretend that they can be a real Princess too.

Princess Dress Up Time - Cindy Rippe

Princess Isabella, Princess Abby, Princess Corina, and Princess Izzy had a wonderful time with the Princess clothes and accessories.

Pink Princess Cupcakes by Sugarbaby's in Houston

Every wedding needs cake!  Pretty pink fondant crowns on pink buttercream and sparkling pink sugar decorate these vanilla cupcakes by Sugarbaby's.

Princess Cupcake Wrapper by Wilton

It would also be fun to let the girls decorate the cupcakes with sprinkles and candies.  You can't go wrong with cake for dessert!

"Every girl can be a princess
Any dream can be
Close your eyes and see
A magic wand and soon you’ve gone
From just you to royalty
You don’t need a grand old castle
Rising in the air
Maids to brush your hair
Your heart is pure, you’re thoughtful
Surely princess, you’re almost there
Why just putting on a tiara
And you aren’t the same old you
My life changed so completely
By just putting on a shoe"

Lyrics from Every Girl Can be a Princess on Disney's Princess Tea Party Album and Cinderella DVD set.

Please join me at these creative blogs:
My Romantic Home
and
The Shabby Nest

and
The Shabby Chic Cottage

Don't forget to check out some of the other blogs while you're there.

It's Pi Day! Or PIE Day in my house!

Today is Pi Day!  A celebration of the number 3.14 or the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Its value can be expressed as a mathematical series that produces an infinitely long number.

I figured this would be a good day to celebrate with a pie you can eat since Math is not really my "thing".

Key Lime Pie - Eagle Brand

Key Lime Pie is my all time favorite!  I've posted the recipe at the Art in Entertaining Recipes blog. Yum!

I also, like Strawberry or Mixed Berry and Lemon Cream Pie.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Zesty Lemon Pie

And then there's French Silk Chocolate Pie, Apple, and pretty much any pie without coconut or custard. That being said; I probably have a piece of pie only a few times each year!  I think it's time to change that.

I've been watching food trends and there have been several indications that Pie will overtake the Cupcake in popularity.  Betty Crocker reported this trend in 2010. I haven't seen really strong evidence of that yet but I'm enjoying the research for sure!

What's your favorite flavor?

Come in a few days for a report on more Dessert Trends.

Sweet Christmas Joy from Bakerella

I'm a big fan of Bakerella.  Her delightful Cake Pops and blog just make me so happy!  I was reading her blog today and she shared pictures from her friend "Cupcake Julie's" Christmas party again this year.  I'm glad I took a few minutes to see what she's up to.  I needed something to get me out of a bad mood.  (You know, one of those days when you know you shouldn't be complaining about things but you just can't help yourself!) 

If you need a little touch of "Happy" too you'll want check out her blog.

Last year's party - December 2009.  I love the sugar cookies, the signs on the dessert buffet, and well... everything!  Wonderful pictures!

http://www.bakerella.com/candyland/

Tablescape from this year's party. December 2010.

http://www.bakerella.com/sweet-soldiers/

Enjoy!

Sneak Peak #3 - The Sizzix Blog Hop - Week 5

Two clues for the Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop today.

The first one is....more cookies!

Image by McCormick

Gingerbread Cookies

I've posted a recipe for the cookies right HERE.


I really enjoy seeing all the ideas created by the Blog Hop Designers and truly appreciate the comments about the projects I've created.  Thanks everyone for participating.  I am amazed at some of the ideas and often wonder, "How did they think of that?  So cool!"  Only two more weeks to go after tomorrow!

The second clue is that this week we're working with a Pop Up Gift Card Holder.  Cute idea, I  hope my project turns out as cute as this sample card by Karen Burniston.

Sizzix Bigz XL Die - Gift Card Holder w/Phrase designed by Karen Burniston

 Make sure to check all the designs tomorrow afternoon starting with Amy Anderson and keep clicking all the way through to Vicki O'Dell.  There are over 50 Designers and 5 weeks of projects to inspire you.  Don't forget to come back here though!

Cookies and Sneak Peek #2 - Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop - Week 5

Here's the 2nd hint about my project for this week's Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop.  For the first clue (if you missed it yesterday).  Click HERE.

Sneak Peek #2

 Peanut Butter Kisses!  Yummy chocolate on a chewy peanut butter cookie!  They are easy to make and great for gifts.  If you want them for a special occasion; make extras.  They are DELICIOUS warm!  You'll find the recipe here.

So.......what do these cookies have to do with a Blog Hop challenge with Sizzix die cuts?  Come back tomorrow for another hint!

Cookies and Sneak Peek #1 - Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop - Week 5

I'm working on the Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop project for this week and thought you might a few hints to see what I'm making.  (no.....not the cookies....they are just a clue)  Here's the first clue -

Sneak Peek #1 

Snickerdoodles!  Really simple cookies that are a little crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.  You just mix up the dough, roll it into balls and coat with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.  Yummy goodness!  For the recipe click here and come back tomorrow for another hint.

Thanksgiving Tablescape

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We sure did. A cozy evening with family and friends gave us much to be thankful for. Sarah and her Mom, Mary, prepared a delicious meal. The traditional family favorites that Tawn (Broccoli, Rice and Cheese) and Nani (Broken Glass - jello) added to the menu rounded out a feast that we all enjoyed.  My job was decorate and bring salad and cake.

 

The table's almost ready.  Sorry, I got busy helping and visiting and I forgot to go back for more pictures.

 

We alternated bowls and plates for the salad.  By mixing the limited amount of brown glass with clear we still got a nice look.  The Johnson Brothers Windsor Ware plates (heirlooms from Sarah's family) have an assortment of fruits and flowers on them.

The roses (they were actually more Rust than Red) matched the flowers on the dinnerware almost exactly.

The inspirational Thanksgiving sign that I made for the Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop looked very nice with the colors of the dessert and the bronze antique mirror frame.  (It's so great when things work out the way you imagine them to!)  I often display the beautiful desserts on a side board as part of my party decor.

Isabella and Nani (Great Grandma) check to make sure the Chocolate Fudge Cake was O.K. to serve for dessert.  Bella LOVES "choc-o-late".  We love to hear her say it.  :)  She decided she would like to eat cake first before the meal.  That's my girl!  She waited patiently until after dinner though.

For more beautiful tablescapes, many that are more elaborate than mine, check out Tablescape Thursdays at Between Naps on the Porch. 

Lemonade and Funnel Cakes

I loved the retro style of the professional food booths at the County Fair.  This one, Classic Cafe, sold a variety of yummy treats.

 We ended up at the Classic Bakery in search of the perfect funnel cake. Loved the pink and white polka dots.

Delicious!  We didn't think we would be able to eat it all.....we were wrong!  While watching the little kids try to win a goldfish it disappeared.  The lemonade was so refreshing in the hot afternoon sun!

You don't have to visit a Fair to enjoy these classic treats.  Click for the recipes.  Lemonade and Funnel Cake
 I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

Sweet Treats at the Fair

Have you ever gone to a County Fair with plans to "eat food on a stick"?  That's exactly what Lee and I did.  We didn't have lunch yet so we started with grilled corn on the cob from the local Boy Scout booth and then headed for the "professional" stands.  Lee bought "Steak on a Stick" and I chose a corn dog.  Yum!

I bought my corn dog from Clair's  Classic Treats which was right across the aisle from Chuck's Smokeshouse.

While waiting I couldn't help but notice their assortment of Caramel Apples.

I wasn't ready for dessert yet but it sure got me interested!  We'll be picking apples soon so I look forward to experimenting with some of these additions to a traditional caramel apple.
Caramel Apple Recipes, tips and ideas.

Candy, Polka Dots and Pinwheels

It seems like balancing life lately (what needs to be done and what we want to do) has made it important to keep things simple as possible.  We aren't the only ones going through this I'm sure!  So once again, this time while planning for Isabella's 2nd Birthday, there were a few last minute ideas to dress up the party.  We all agreed that this would be a really simple and casual picnic but you know how it goes....Sarah found some cute polka dot plates and while I was shopping for a few last minute food items I saw the pinwheels.  Next thing you know we are playing phone tag with design ideas. In every call we both emphasized the need to keep it simple,easy for everyone and worked really hard at reigning in our design enthusiasm.  So for those of you that expect "over the top", I'm sorry.  For those of you that just want to see snapshots and ideas of "really easy party ideas", here you go!

I took canning jars, replaced the top with cardboard wrapped in pink crepe paper, and poked a hole in the center for the pinwheel.  Lee helped me count the assorted candies to fill and weight down the jars.  They were so easy and looked really cute on the picnic tables spinning in the wind!  The adults took guesses at how many candies were in the jars and the closest guess won the jar full of candy.  The pinwheels were the favors for the children.  I attached the crepe paper and ribbons with Glue Dots which was very quick and easy.

Balloons tied to the corners of the tent repeated the multicolor polka dot theme.

We used the Isabella's banner from last year, which may end up being a tradition for as long as it holds up. The banner is made from scrapbook papers, cardstock and die cut letters attached to sheer ribbon, again, with Glue Dots products.

I loved the cake with the butter-cream crown and polka dots.  It was filled with fresh strawberries, yum!

Sarah made her "Mini Pink Lemonade" cupcakes and tucked the cake stand into Isabella's tutu from last year's birthday. I love how she does the same thing that I do.  Use what you have already in a different way.

We also had an Ice Cream Sundae bar, which was a hit since it was so hot outside, and Nani's Popcorn cake.  Yep, as usual, too many desserts!  But that means everyone gets to take some home for later!

Happy 2nd Birthday Isabella!  Love You Much!

Ravinia Picnic under the Stars

It was the afternoon of our trip to Ravinia to see the Moody Blues. Even though we were looking forward to the picnic and concert, our lives had been so crazy busy that we didn't actually plan ahead.  I knew we had Jason and Sarah's small picnic table, four lawn chairs and a cooler. We thought about buying food and wine but not much more. Well, I think Sarah and I both got inspired at the same time and when I called we collaborated on a really quick and delicious picnic. We loved the finished tablescape!

We started with a Roll Up picnic table.  So cute!  It's 30" X 30" and 15.25" high. We brought our aluminum lawn chairs (a little vintage but really light weight, easy to carry and comfy).  We also had a good quality set of acrylic glasses and plates with matching flatware.  The Bamboo plates, which we used as chargers, were a perfect way to tie everything together. 

Sarah found this cute cloth napkin, matching paper napkins and the votive cups in the clearance bin for .99 cents each.  I gathered my small cylinder vases, cut a bunch of Hosta leaves from my garden and grabbed the "moss" balls from my stash. (artificial but they look so real) I used bottled water from the cooler for the vases which gave them an unexpected but nice frosty look.  I didn't see the colors of the napkin until we met and packed the car but the colors look great together don't they?

I brought cheese and crackers for appetizers.  The basket is lined with a king sized cupcake liner, the cheese ball with almonds is on a vintage milk glass plant tray and the herb and garlic cheese spread came straight from the grocery store. A glass of wine (beer for the guys) and we were good to go!

View from the top. The early evening light, right before sunset, really highlighted the texture of the leaves. 

I picked up Destroyer Subs from the Sandwich Shop at D'Masti Catering. This is a long time favorite of the guys, well actually lots of people in Blue Island, since they've been selling it for as long as I can remember. 

Sarah made the Waldorf Chicken Salad recipe from Southern Living Magazine. We would use less dressing next time but it's really good!  You should try it. (oops, guess I should have brought a smaller serving spoon.)

Fresh, crisp grapes and La Bella Romana Butter Cookies from Angelo Caputo's Fresh Market  in an antique wooden bowl lined with a king sized cupcake paper. The light was quickly disappearing so you'll have to imagine the shine on the grapes and the wonderful color of the cookies :)  

Lovely candlelight on the table and Citronella candles on the ground that outlined our picnic area helped to set the mood and protected us from those pesky mosquitoes.  Time spent together with Jason and Sarah, a lovely picnic, absolutely perfect weather and familiar songs at a live performance of The Moody Blues.  What a wonderful anniversary gift!  The only thing that would have made it better was if Jon and Tawn could have been there too!   Here's to another 35 years together Lee.  LYM!

 

Tablescape Thursday