happy weekend!

i hope you're enjoying the long weekend, i know i sure am.  the pool is open, the sun is shining, and the grill is hot.

have a great weekend!

cake pops : the book

i was so excited to see in my google reader yesterday that bakerella has announced her new book, cake pops, will be available in early fall!  i couldn't be more excited.  in fact, i just pre-ordered my copy (not even $11 from barnes and noble or amazon).  i seriously cannot wait.  its like christmas is coming early. 

 in the meantime, check out my cake pops to tide you over until the release of the book [and the zillion new cake pops i'll be attempting to make].

happy times

this past week has been quite a whirlwind.  monday i flew to chicago; wednesday i flew to ft. meyers for work.   thursday i flew from ft. meyers to charleston, sc for my sister's master's graduation.  she graduated from medical university of south carlonia with a masters in rehabilitation services, a focus in speech pathology.  we celebrated on friday night with ryan's family, some wine, and a yummy cake.  

congratulations again jessica!

breathing a little easier

ryan and i recently visited the do it yourself home mecca that is home depot.  unfortunately, it wasn't for some new hardwood floors or even a ceiling fan to put in the bedroom since its ridiculously warm in the summer.  this trip was for some plants.  yep, plants.  i got inspired with the sprouts i've seen from my window sill garden, to take it to the next level with some indoor house plants.  and as a bonus feature, they will work to keep the air inside our home clean.  

since i'm still waiting for some my window sill sprouts to reach about three inches before re-potting, i went ahead and indulged myself in some bright colors for these pots.  and at around $2 for a terra cott a pot and $4 for the plant, its a quick and easy way to update any room in your house.

first up - spider plant.  its extremely easy to grow [and most importantly, forgiving it you forget to water it for a few days].  i put this on one side of the couch so i know its working hard to purify the air.  

the other one i picked up is a croton.  with the green and yellow coloring, it looks great just about anywhere in the house, right now its sitting on the dining room table.  with minimal watering, its another easy plant to experiment with.  

now assuming i can keep these plants alive, i may venture back out to and pick up some more.  i've got my eye on this 3 pot planter [only $4 from ikea!] for my dining room table.  i don't have kids or pets so i might live on the dangerous side and perhaps experiment with some various style of cacti for these pots.

and i'm loving the natural look of this planter, also from ikea, for some burro tails in the bedroom.  

know of another easy plant to care for?  do share. 

cupcake topiary tutorial

still in love with my cupcake topiary from last week?  me too.  so let's see how i made it.

: bake mini cupcakes according to package instructions.  one cake mix makes about 96 mini cupcakes.  that's why its a good idea to have 2 pans.  also, i'll let you in on my secret for making mini cupcakes.  use a small scoop to fill the liners, it keeps the pan clean and ensures a consistent size.  

: gather your other supplies : terra cotta pot, dowel rod, styrofoam ball [i used a 6 inch], stryofoam for inside of terra cotta pot, and toothpicks, lots and lots of toothpicks.  


: at this point, you could paint your stryofoam ball but i didn't.  you could also think about laying out the cupcakes liners with toothpicks before you actually attach the iced cupcakes, but i live on the edge and i didn't do this.  and things worked out ok.  just attach the stryofoam ball onto the dowel rod and then again into the terra cotta pot.

: ice your cupcakes.  you can make your own icing, or use a pre-packaged option.

: start attaching the cupcakes, sticking about 3 toothpicks halfway into the stryofoam ball and then the cupcake on top.  i found it was easiest to alternate sides when attaching cupcakes to evenly distribute the weight.  

: continue working around the styrofoam ball until its full.  add a bow, and ta-da, you're done!

feel free to email me if you have any questions.  and please let me know if you make one yourself.  good luck!

sugar high

i recently saw this "sugary sweet love" photo shoot one of my favorite daily reads - hostess with the mostess.  i haven't been able to stop thinking about the bright colors, the gorgeous details, and sweet touches that make this photo shoot so amazing.  i have a passion for special events and hope to one day be able to take that passion into my own special events company.  for now though, i'll have to keep dreaming about this idea...

for the rest of the photos, check out part 1 and part 2. 

how does your garden grow?

mine grows on my windowsill.  at least i hope it will.  i dream of one day having a yard to call my own where i can plant vegetables and herbs and fruits until my heart [and tummy] is content.  until then, my window sill will have to do, since landlady isn't down with us planting our own garden.

now, let's get real: i've never grown a single plant in my life, so this attempt to grow something is just plain crazy.  i've planted strawberries and tomatoes, along with some burning love and forget-me-nots.  once the seedlings get about three inches tall, google says i'm to replant in a larger container.  of course i'm already thinking about how i want to paint the containers in a bright colors, like these.

[image from diyideas.com]

and how fun is this tin can garland?  definitely want to try this idea from bhg.

let's just hope i get to the next step.  any tips for container gardening, do share.  this black thumb lady needs all the help she can get.  

get ready for something awesome.

i've been wanting to make a topiary for my house for quite some time.  and after seeing abby's at tales and trails, i got even more motivated.  i kept my eye out for a topiary to overhaul from a local thrift shop, but haven't been lucky to find one yet.  i was also trying to think of a homemade mother's day gift to make for my mom.  something i knew she'd love and get a kick out of.  

so i made a cupcake topiary.

pretty awesome right.  and my mom loved it.  and so did my family who got to eat the cupcakes.  i'll definitely keep this project in mind for my next party.  what a fun way to share desserts!  stay tuned for a tutorial in the coming days...

two vines chardonnay from columbia crest

its been a while folks, but let's grab a glass of wine.

this week, in my glass is two vines chardonnay from columbia crest.  this chardonnay isn't overwhelmingly oaky and its lightness makes it perfect for pairing with fish, chicken or even drinking on its own.  from the first sip, it tastes much more expensive that its typical $9 or $10 price tag.  the wine offers a fruit forward apple and pear aroma with a hint of lemon citrus but don't worry the creaminess that follows outweighs the citrus and ends with a fruity finish.

this wine is produced in washington state.  i didn't know until recently that washington state is second only to calinforina in wine production in the united states.  the state is home to more than 600 wineries.  who knew!

wine: two vines chardonnay, columbia crest

price: ususally under $10 but sometimes i find for as low as $7 at trader joes

now that we are experiencing warmer weather, i like to enjoy a glass of wine [or two] outside on the patio.  but i dont want my white wine getting warm, so what's a gal to do?  enter my woozie.  what's a woozie you ask.  only a coozie for your wine glass.  kelsey gave it to me for my birthday and i must say, its come in quite handy these past few weeks.  plus no one can tell just how generous of a pour i give myself.

what's your favorite summer drink?

menu planning

i finally went to the grocery store today, for the first time in about a month.  gasp.  we've been eating out like none other or munching for dinner, even worse.  i've been to the store quickly to get my necessity (cheese) and ryan's (beer), but that's about it.  i decided it was time for me to get back into the kitchen...so i sat down this morning and planned the menu for the week. 


monday : cilantro lime shrimp with rice
tuesday : chicken carne asada tacos
wednesday : leftovers/grill out
thursday : bang bang shrimp
friday : leftovers
ryan and i will be travelling this weekend for mother's day so i don't have to worry about cooking saturday and sunday nights.


also breaking news from the weekend: i finally cleaned off the dining table, so we can eat there, instead of on the couch.  i hate eating on the couch - unless its cheese and crackers with my wine.


i'm also getting back into the groover of packing my lunch the night before.  i picked up tons of fresh fruit and veggies from the store today, that will help with my goal of eating fruit with breakfast or lunch.  i also got some bread, since we ran out of that last week.  whoops.


what's on your dinner menu this week?

april goals : let's recap

remember how i mentioned april was a busy month for me?  keep that in mind as we review my goals...


craftiness :

: make project to-do list: fail.  i was overwhelmed.  perhaps this month.

healthy habits :

: explore cities : whistler and sonoma, didn't get to see much of vancouver.

: eat a healthy breakfast : i'm so proud i accomplished this, most mornings.

food & fun :

: ride peak 2 peak experience in whistler, bc :

: enjoy trip to sonoma, ca with ryan

: sing along at carrie underwood concert

: try 1 new dish :
other :

: take pictures : fail - does my iphone count?

: send postcards : fail.  i did purchase them though.

: weed through magazines : mom, i got a huge stack to give to you!


not to shabby if i say so myself.  i'm pretty proud of what i crossed off given all my travels. 


onto may's goals.


craftiness :
: mother's day gift
: paint something
: make a new piece of jewelry
healthy habits :
: do something that resembles exercise 4 days a week
: start composting
: eat a piece of fruit with breakfast or lunch
food & fun :
: grill another fruit as dessert
: see ironman 2
: go strawberry picking
: have fun at jessica's graduation
: try a new dessert recipe
other :
: enjoy trips to charleston, chicago, and ft. meyers
: find a new spring dress for date nights
: make trip to goodwill


what are you hoping to accomplish this month?