Yeah, I made that.

New Etsy Shop: Feather & Webb

2010-08-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

In case you aren't friends with me on facebook (hey, why aren't you friends with me on facebook?), I have a new Etsy store! Drumroll please! Introducing Feather & Webb!

I'll be selling my dream catcher necklaces, some other handmade jewelry and some choice vintage items. I just opened it last week and I've already sold one necklace AND I've had a lot of interest. I don't have everything up for sale yet, but when I do I'm gonna pimp it so hard on all kinds of blogs. How awesome would it be if I could start making some real money with this stuff? Very awesome.

So, go check it out for yourself and tell me what you think! I want to make this shop as good as it can possibly be and I am TOTALLY open to any and all suggestions.

Feather & Webb

I also plan on starting a new blog for F&W, so stay tuned for that, too.

Thanks, guys! :)

P.S. Be facebook friends with me (facebook.com/imuhwinner) and Feather & Webb (facebook.com/featherandwebb)! Yay!

BF BIRTHDAY: Part Two: Carrot Cheesecake

2010-08-09T06:56:00.000-07:00

As promised, here's the birthday cake.
It was super good.
{Cheesecake Factory's Carrot Cake Cheesecake Recipe}
The cheesecake layer was like a huge layer of delicious, delicious icing--
under the layer of delicious, delicious icing.
{Magnolia Bakery's Cream Cheese Icing}
I used a half recipe and added a lot more powdered sugar.
I got the recipe book from my friend Tina.
She's the best.
I made those carrots and junk out of marzipan.
It was like making stuff out of edible play-doh.
Well, I should say yummy play-doh.
Edible play-doh is kind of redundant, as I learned from my cousin, Derek.
Who ate the stuff at a tea party when we were little.
They weren't real cookies, dude.
Sorry to throw you under the bus, D, but it was weird.
You're cool now, though.
This list isn't as pithy as I intended when I started the exercise.
I probably should have just written a real post.
Let's reign this back in.
Here's a birthday cake.
I made it for my favorite boy.
It was good.
Theeeeee ehhhnnnnnd.
:)

BF BIRTHDAY: Part One: Tamalés!

2010-08-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

My boyfriend is the cutest.
I like him a lot.
It was his birthday.
I made him tamales.
They were a bitch.
But they were worth it.
He liked them.
So did I.
{Pork Tamales with Double Chili Sauce}
I also made him a cake.
I didn't make that cupcake.
But I did make that pineapple.
And my mom made my table cloth.
I like my mom, too.
Cake post next Monday.
{sneaky peeky here}
:)

Pillow Chalk

2010-07-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, Sean and I took a trip up to DC to see our good friends, Tina and Aaron. They just bought a BEAUTIFUL new house and I was trying to come up with a good housewarming gift. A couple weeks before the trip, Tina sent me a link to an "Etsy: How-Tuesday" and asked if we could do it together when I come up. I didn't want to waste precious Tina time behind a sewing machine, so I whipped it together for her as kind of a surprise.

The pillow instructions say to hand sew each rosette on, but, while I was sewing the rossettes at a Purls meeting, Kelly suggested I sew them in bunches of three to save time. GENIUS! I think it looks more lush/rich this way, too.

She liked it. She had just gotten this great new chair and I think it looks super on it.

Tina has a great eye for decorating (even though she doubts it at times) and helping her get some stuff this weekend was so fun. She painted a couple walls in her kitchen with chalkboard paint, so I had to chalk it up. It was a really fun weekend. We:
went to the Smithsonian and saw some ruby slippers, among other things
saw a TON of vanity license plates
risked my life for a Bomb Pop
had vodka gummy bears
had a half-smoke at Ben's Chili Bowl
saw the Lincoln Memorial, among others (my favorite was FDR's)
had a picnic in the front yard on the fourth (so much fun)
and so much more.

I'm sad it had to end. But there's always next year!

LOVE YOU, TINA! And remember to trust yourself! You know what's up. :)

MORE PIE: Blackberry

2010-06-21T15:57:00.000-07:00

One of my Purl Gurls, Beth, is an awesome gardener. AWE. SOME. Her entire backyard is full of lush vegetation, flowers and what seems like, magic. Sometimes she'll be giving me a tour, and pointing out what everything is and then she'll say, "And that's a potato plant. How did THAT get there. Oh well." ...Stuff just grows! She doesn't have to do anything! Stuff just shows up! It's pretty much THE place for vegetables; You aren't a squash if you aren't in Beth's garden. :)

Anyway, one Sunday a couple weeks ago, Beth was going on about how awesome she is and how she's the best gardener ever and how she'll soon have blackberr--"YESS," I say, "BLACKBERRIES. WANT. LOTS." BTW, Beth doesn't really go on about how awesome she is, although she could, because she is. That's just what I'm thinking when she tells me things like, "I have an old bath-tub full of worms eating and pooping and making compost into fertilizer." I should probably keep a better check on my awe/jealousy, but it's so hard!

Beth followed through on her blackberry promise and it was up to me to turn those beautiful berries into something delicious. I was considering blackberry cupcakes for a while, from this cake recipe and this frosting recipe, but that was too complicated. I didn't have a lot of time. Then I remembered a recipe I saw for rhubarb tarts a while back. That recipe, specifically the corn crust, also seemed too complicated, with a bunch of crazy ingredients I didn't have.

However, the idea stuck, and after a little research, I decided on this recipe for the crust, and this one for the filling. Yes, I actually made the crust this time, and you know what, it wasn't that bad. Super easy, actually. And the inherently sloppy, or charmingly rustic, as I call it, method of making the tarts was super chill and turned out pretty great. I think if I ever do these again, though, I'll put a layer of ricotta or something in there too. Yumm.

I had some leftover filling and a super-old Pillsbury crust in the fridge, so Sean's mom got this lovely giant tartlette/regular tart.

In conclusion, my friends are awesome and I'm super lucky to know them, let alone eat their blackberries. :) <3

Mixed Berry Hand Pies!

2010-04-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hey, look at these! Aren't they cute? And the pies aren't bad either. :) Here's how I did it: defrosted frozen mixed berries (couldn't find any fresh at the farmer's OR flea market) + store bought crust (cheating, I know, but I just wanted it to be a quick, easy project & I'm not good enough at crust making to notice a big difference between my "from-scratch" and Pillsbury) + {these directions} + a little personal touch on top = sweet little pies for my sweet little Purls. Love you gurls! :)

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (minus the rhubarb)

2010-04-05T06:55:00.000-07:00

About two weeks ago, I was shopping in the Publix produce section and stumbled upon, what I thought was, some exotic variety of celery. It was red instead of green and kind of weirded me out until I read the name on the package: rhubarb. Immediately, delicious memories of summer family reunions with my Grandma's strawberry rhubarb pie started flooding my mind and my mouth. Her SRP was the best and I always went back for seconds. The tartness of the rhubarb really allowed you to appreciate the sweetness of the strawberry. And the crust, oh my grandma's crust. The flakiest, most delicate crust EVER. I immediately started thinking of excuses to try baking one myself.

A week later, my boyfriend's uncle invited us to Easter dinner and, just like that, excuse--check. Saturday we went down to the Farmer's Market and bought some fresh, local strawberries--check check. On the way home we stopped at Publix to pick up the rhubarb and guess what, they were all out--ch-what?! I guess a lot of other people had grandmothers with great strawberry rhubarb pies, too. I was a little discouraged, but not completely, so we went home, sans-rhubarb, and I started googling strawberry pie recipes. Most recipes I found weren't baked, but chilled, with the strawberries suspended in some kind of gelatinous goo--not what I was looking for. I found a ton of strawberry rhubarb recipes but none with just strawberries. I had to make a decision: would I puss out and make a non-grandma jello pie or would I risk it and go all strawberry.

I chose to risk it, and it turned out great. It was super easy to make, too. I bought some pie crust, lame, I know, and used this recipe from Epicurious.com and just substituted the same amount of rhubarb with strawberries and cut back on the sugar a little. Even the lattice top was really fun and easy thanks to this tutorial. It wasn't my grandma's pie, nothing I make ever could be, but everyone at dinner seemed to enjoy and so did I. THEEE ENNND. :)

{ Lattice-Topped Strawberry Rhubarb Pie }

Buy my stuff!

2010-03-22T20:59:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! In case you haven't heard, I opened an Etsy store! Right now I'm just selling my dreamcatcher necklaces, but I have plans. BIG plans. Also, any feedback would be great. Like, are the descriptions good enough? Should I have more inventory? Are the necklaces priced fairly? Thanks guys! Love you! :)

{etsy.com/shop/imuhwinner}

Here it is.

2010-03-04T15:13:00.000-08:00

Made these babies for my boss' b-day.
They had cream filling and everything.
He liked 'em.
Not the best pictures.
Tripod's on the way.
Might be selling some junk on Etsy soon.
That's about it.
Extra points if you get title reference.
:)

VAP!

2010-02-22T15:12:00.000-08:00

About a week ago, I was cleaning out my spam mail and found an actual letter from a group in LA called The Virginia Avenue Project. I'd never heard of the project, so I did a lil' research and found out they're kind of an after-school program for kids interested in the theatre. I guess it's based on the NYC's 52nd Street Project, if you're familiar with that. But anyway, it's a great organization. The kids that enter the program have something like a 100% graduation rate, and 90% of those go on to college, and 85% of those are the first to do so in their family. Isn't that amazing?! Needless to say, I was totally on board to help these guys out.

They said they found me while doing research for a logo. I bet they found my Children's Way 5K logo through google, and wanted me to do a logo for their 5K. By the time I found the email amidst all the offers for erectile dysfunction pills and free iPads, the email was a little old and I worried they might have found someone else to do their logo, so I replied as soon as I could. Luckily, the next day, there was a letter in my inbox and my mind was working to solve this logo problem.

Initially, I resisted the idea of the something forming a shoe print, because it is so much like the Children's Way 5K, but finally gave in. It's just so perfect, I couldn't help it, and that's the one the client chose, so whada'ya gonna do? I like how it turned out, but I still think the little orphan Annie one could have been super cute.

Poppy Copy

2010-01-18T16:14:00.001-08:00

So, my sister is an amazing writer and she's thinking about starting to copy write, which I think she'd be AWESOME at. She asked me to make her a logo and here's what I've come up with.

I think the last two are my favorite, the very last, my very favorite. This was a really fun project. And if any of you need a copywriter or want to collaborate on anything before she gets her site up, drop my sister, Jessica, a line at: kikajess@gmail.com!

Global Warming Can't Melt This One

2010-01-05T15:34:00.000-08:00

Here's a cute-ass polar bear I crocheted for the holidays.

Here he is in his tiny little scarf. TeeHee! :D

Toilet Cupcake

2010-01-05T15:29:00.001-08:00

A couple weeks ago, my toilet overflowed. It was super gross, but that's not the worst of it. Apparently, it leaked down into my downstairs neighbors apartment and it was gross for him too. So, I made him this cupcake to make up for it.

Christmas!

2010-01-05T14:53:00.000-08:00

Internet, meet Kitchy. She is my new KitchenAid stand mixer and I love her. My boyfriend gave her to me for Christmas. I love him too.

Here she is in action. Look at her, creaming that butter without breaking a sweat. Beautiful.

OH! and here is her friend, Cuppy the cupcake carrier, full of delicious cupcakes. My boyfriend's mom got her for me. Isn't she great?

Here they are together, hangin' out, chillaxin after a hard day of cupcake makin' and carryin'. Don't they look great together? I see a long and happy relationship in their future. :)

The Bee's Knees

2009-11-19T15:20:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! Look what I did! It's my first Etsy Treasury! Yay! :D

Click here to check it out and leave a comment, if you fancy. And while you're there, go ahead and get me one of those quartz necklaces. I mean, you're already there, you might as well...

The Perfect Purse

2009-11-17T10:45:00.000-08:00

I've been on the hunt for the perfect purse for about a year now. That hunt has consisted of browsing various sale websites during downtime at work and glancing at boutique stores' slim picks, and so far, I still don't have the perfect purse. All the purses I see are too expensive, not well made, not the right color, etc. You may be wondering, as I have this past year, "Is there such a thing as a 'Perfect Purse?' And what makes it so perfect, anyway?" Well, take a seat.

The Perfect Purse must:

1. be big enough to hold a sketchbook/laptop, but slim enough to not get in the way. I'm big enough as it is. I don't need any help knocking breakables over as I walk through tiny stores.
2. have a pocket on the outside for easy keys/cell phone retrieval.
3. have a handle that stays on my shoulder and doesn't make me go crazy by falling down all time.
4. be leather, but not patent. No more of that faux leather crap. I want the real thing and I want it to last.
5. be classy enough for work, but casual enough for the farmers' market.
5. be dark green, gray, brown, taupe, red-orange or some other color that strikes my fancy.
6. be under $200.

Now, I realize we all have different ideas when it comes to the perfect purse, but this is what I'm looking for, so shut up. :) As you can see, that is kind of a lot for just one purse to live up to. But I'm a good hunter. I've been patient, and here are some contenders.

The Woven Bags.
I LOVE this treatment. The purse I have now is woven and I hate to give it up. It meets all of the rules except for No. 4, and that is why I have to find another one--it's made of cheap faux leather and is falling apart! I wish I was rich enough to have a bag made for me, because I would just have it duplicated, but in real leather. But alas, I am not rich. But about these two bags, I won't get them for the same reasons. No. 1 is not made of leather and No.2 is way too expensive.

The Understateds.
I really like these guys. No. 3, though not shown in the picture, meets all the requirements. It has a slit pocket in the back and another, detachable strap for the shoulder. I also really like the color; bold, yet still kind of neutral. No. 4 gives me a very 80's vibe, like a rolled down slouchy boot cuff, but like the 80's, it wouldn't last long. It's not made of leather. Boo. I like really like them both, but I have to eliminate No. 4. Sorry No. 4.

The Tote-cases.
These guys are serious. They are very structured and ready to get down to business. They both meet all my requirements. I think I like No. 5 better than No. 6, though. The oversized stiching and big buttons are too playful for me. The long zipper pulls on No. 5 add just the right amount of flair, dare I say, the perfect amount? I do kind of wish No. 5 came in a more interesting color, though, like dark green. THEN it'd be perfect.

The Sloppy Hobos.

I really like these two bags. Like REALLY like. Unfortunately, No. 7 is super expensive (and no longer available), but I couldn't leave her off the list. She's just so great. But No. 8, now No. 8 is do-able and everything I'm looking for. I'm a little worried about the flap getting in the way, but I can overlook that for now. For now, I think I'm in love. After a year of searching, waiting and complaining, guys, I may have found my purse. (EEE! :)

P.S. A special thanks to Ana for turning me on to endless.com. That's where, in the end, I found most of these. So, thanks! :)

Jenna's B-day Present

2009-11-05T19:46:00.000-08:00

Here is a little guy I made for my "niece," Jenna. One side has sleepy eyes and the other side has open eyes! I stole the idea from some etsy lady I can't remember anymore. I want to make another one for my other "niece," but I'm a terrible, lazy "aunt."

Anyway, the following video might be the cutest thing I've ever seen. I can't thank my "sister" enough for it.

I don't care if the appreciation is forced. I know if she knew what "thank you" meant or knew who I was, she'd really mean it. :) LOVE YOU GUYS!!! Can't wait to see you for Thanksgiving! *MUAH!*

P.S. Here is a tutorial for a similar/way better style toy: Making Felt Monsters

Apartment Tour, Part 1

2009-11-03T06:37:00.000-08:00

Heyyyyyyy! Welcome to my new apartment! Can I get you something to drink? Take a seat and admire all my hard work! :) I apologize for the blurriness and all around poor photography. I was borrowing a friend's camera (thanks, John!) and didn't realize how bad they were 'til I gave it back. Oh well. You'll still get an idea. :)

This is in my kitchen, above the sink. I love the scalloped trim at the top. My mom made the cute little curtain--thanks, Mom!

This is also in the kitchen, above my little table. That yellow thing is a lightbulb shade I crocheted. My AMAZING sister, Jessica, sent me the lamp cord kit and this link a while ago, and I was so inspired I went to making one just like it. I couldn't figure out how they got their ruffle so tiny and delicate, then Jess told me I had to use smaller yarn which makes sense, but I'm not making another one. :)

This is also in my kitchen. If you can't tell, my kitchen is the room I'm most happy with right now. All the other rooms need some MAJOR help, but my kitchen is small enough to not need much.

You know that light pendant I said I was gonna do? Well, I did it. And it kinda sucks. I used yarn nearly the same color as the wall, so you can barely tell it's there, which is fine because I didn't wrap enough yarn, so it's sagging in the back. :( I'm thinking of taking it down and wrapping some more yarn around it, but it was such a huge pain in the ass I probably won't. Also, I want a new couch.

So, that's it for now. Thanks for stopping by! You're all welcome anytime! When I get the rest of the place in order, the bedroom and bath, I'll post again, but don't hold your breathe. It'll be a WHILE before that happens. K, bye! Don't be a stranger! :)

Crappy Halloweiners!

2009-10-31T14:13:00.001-07:00

Hi guys and Happy Halloween! Here are some sweet treats I made for the spooky holiday. They are spiderweb sugar cookies & brownie bug bites. I stole the idea for the bug bites from Bakerella, that's why they look like spiders, but mine only have six legs (made of pretzel sticks) 'cause eight legs didn't look very good--so sue me. :)

This guy is gonna fuck you up.

This guy is scared of that other guy. His name is Howie.

These cookies were really fun to make and pretty easy, actually. I used a recipe from a book I have, but any simple sugar cookie recipe will work. I didn't use royal icing though (it's so gross). I just mixed confectioner's sugar with milk to make the right consistency, and eventually the top dries hard enough (I recommend drying over night) to stack and package without ruining the design and the inside still stays gooey and soft.

Yay! Now go eat lots of candy!

Bananas Foster Bread, kind of

2009-10-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

So, I've crossed a few things off my TO DO lists and this is one of them: Bananas Foster Banana Bread from the Brown Eyed Baker. I did leave out one main ingredient though, the rum. I know, I know! The best part, right? Well, I tried to get some, but it was Sunday and the liquor store was closed! Stupid puritanical values bleeding into state policies, ruining my banana bread. Well, actually, I can't really say it ruined the bread, it's still REALLY, really good, but it could have been so much better! Another thing I would change, that the boyfriend suggested, is putting some of the walnuts from the yummy, crumbly top into the actual batter, to give the bread itself some texture. But other than that, the bread was super moist and flavorful, not gummy in the middle, with just the right amount of banana flavor. Mmmm. I think I'll go have another piece right now.

Some other things I can cross off my TO DO lists:
-pendant light (pictures to come)
-egg in a basket (sorry, no pictures, didn't last long :)
-light in the kitchen (pictures to come)
hmmm...it seems like I've done a lot more...
-OH! The portfolio site, that was a big one, but you knew about that :)

I guess I still have a lot more to do. Stay tuned!

Bucket List

2009-10-21T00:50:00.000-07:00

What do you want to do before you die? I know, kind of a morbid question, but getting laid off has made me, or rather, allowed me to question where I stand in life in relation to where I'd like to be standing. The truth is, I'm not happy where I am. Don't get me wrong, there are parts of my life that I love (i.e. boyfriend, family, and for the first time in my life, hairstyle(!), but for the most part, I don't really feel like I can honestly say I'm LIVING my life as fully as I'd like to be.

But, I don't need to justify this post. Let's just say when I stumbled upon this site it got me thinking about what I'd like to do before I die. I couldn't fit it all on a polaroid, so here is another TO DO list. Before I die I want to:

1. be recognized internationally as a great graphic artist/design an internationally known brand.

2. live in a major city, i.e.: London, New York, Chicago

3. live in a foreign country, i.e.: France, Italy, Japan

4. shop at a market in India.

5. fluently speak another language/s. I'll be honest, this will probably never happen. I have the worst memory EVER.

6. have lots of really great friends, all over the world, with really comfortable couches. :) But first I have to get better at making them.

7. grow my own food. Backyard garden, fruit trees in the front yard, goat in the backyard (goat cheese...mmm) or farm, doesn't matter.

8. work at/own a bakery.

9. ~~fall in love.~~ check :)

10. live in a van down by the river--seriously! I've always wanted to throw away all my possessions and just live simply.

11. have a puppy/baby. For most of my life I've resisted the idea of being a mom, but we'll start with a puppy and see what happens. :)

12. learn how to walk in heels.

13. be healthy/in shape.

14. be genuinely, undeniably sexy/single digit size and keep it that way.

15. shave my head, but only after I accomplish no. 14.

16. own a Chloe bag.

17. find that perfect pair of jeans. I know it's out there somewhere.

18. be well read. I have a lot of time for reading now, so if you have any suggestions, I'm looking for something good.

19. be more articulate.

20. learn to work a letterpress.

21. bake a souffle.

22. knit a sweater.

23. learn to sew clothing.

24. go to a live taping of 1. Conan O'Brien, 2. Price is Right, 3. What Would You Do? (I kind of missed the boat on that last one).

25. see The White Stripes in concert.

26. find something at a garage sale for a quarter, then take it on Antique Roadshow and have one of those guys tell me how much they creamed their corduroys when they saw it 'cause it's so rare and worth way more than it should be.

27. stop giving a shit about what people think.

28. trust myself.

29. help as many people as possible.

30. love as many people as possible.

31. be as honest and genuine as humanly possible.

32. be able to say, "I could die right now," and actually mean it.

33. live.

{beforeidieiwantto.org}

Caitlin is Pretty Awesome Dot Com!

2009-09-28T14:06:00.001-07:00

It took more than a few people's help, a night with no sleep and fear of living in a cardboard box to make it happen, but I finally did it. I finally have a portfolio site. It's not great, but I don't hate it. It's REALLY simple, but it allows the work to be the hero and will be SUPER easy to update.

So, check it out and tell me what you think! Also, if you know of anyone looking for an art director or some freelance work, pass me along? Thanks!

TO DO: Port-f-in'-olio

2009-09-23T12:55:00.000-07:00

I have something embarrassing to admit: I am a graphic designer and I don't have a portfolio site. I know, I know. Please don't think less of me. I was hired right out of college, so I never needed one and I've just never gotten around to it. Well, now I need one. I was laid off a couple weeks ago, sad, but on the plus side, it's just the kick in the butt I needed to get a portfolio site up.

A year ago, just before graduation, we were all given the task to make an identity for ourselves. After a lot of thinking, I came up with: Caitlin is Pretty Awesome, Design & Stuff. Long, I know, but it's kind of tongue-in-cheek and shows I don't take myself too seriously. I like it and I have a bunch of promotional material all made up for it already, everything but a website. I bought a URL last year, but I haven't done anything with it.

So, now I have to figure out how to make this site. I've been looking around for portfolio layouts that 1. I like and 2. seem simple enough for a novice web designer to pull off. Here's what I've narrowed it down to:

Above: Rebecca Thuss. I like it 'cause it's simple. The navigation is just copy=easy, and the thumbnails allow work to be compared and seen as part of a larger design aesthetic, but, when clicked on, allow for a closer look. {rebeccathuss}

Jessica Hische. This is the same basic concept as Rebecca's site, just a little fancier. The thumbnails are always clickable, which is a major plus, and it just looks a little more like she knows what she's doing. I just don't think I know what I'm doing enough to pull something like this off. {jhische}

Neither Fish Nor Fowl. I like this site because it's more like a blog. It's not stuffy or permanent feeling. It would be easy to update with new stuff, and I feel like I could add more personality. The framework seems easy enough, too. {neitherfishnorfowl}

I think I'm leaning towards the last one, but I really don't know what I'm doing. If any of you out there have any advice, or know of anything that will make this process easier, PLEASE let me know. Thank yooou! :)

TO DO: Breakfast

2009-09-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

Egg in a Basket. I've been wanting to make this ever since V for Vendetta. {overthehillandonaroll.com}

Potato Pancakes, Mère Blanc Style. {thedailyspud}

Sausage & Cheese Pinwheels. The savory version of a cinnamon roll. Yum. {stolenmomentscooking}

Bananas Foster Bread. Oh man, that topping. {browneyedbaker}

Sticky Buns. This is a video tutorial. Looks easy enough. {thebackhomebakery}

Blueberry Fritters. When I lived in Canada, my mom and sister and I would go to down to the local farm every Sunday and get a couple apple fritters. It was so much fun and so delicious. I bet these blueberry ones would be really great, too. {stolenmomentscooking}

Breakfast Pan-cake. Genius. {sweetsavorylife}

Caramelized Pear and Walnut Muffins with Coffee Icing. I'm drooling over here. {afoodiefroggy}

Mocha Chocolate Chip Muffins. {mygourmetloveaffair}

Banana Espresso Muffins. These look really neat, but I bet they taste even better. {overthehillandontheroll}

Homemade Pop-Tarts. Might be a little more work, but probably totally worth it. {bakememore}

Donut Muffins. Two of my favorite things in one yummy treat. {bread-and-honey}

Cinnamon Roll Muffins. These would be great to bring into work some chilly fall morning. {beantownbaker}

TO DO: Apartment

2009-09-04T08:44:00.000-07:00

So, because I don't have a camera, or really any time to do anything, this blog has kind of been put on the back burner. But not for long! I'm gonna start cooking again and here's the idea: Stuff I WANT to make, but probably won't, but might, but prahhhbably won't. So here is my TO DO list of apartment things I'd like to do (...but most likely will not).

Above: DIY Pendant Light. I already talked about this on my other blog, but I'm serious about this one, I really want to do it. It'll look perfect in the the corner above my couch. {Pickles.no} & {CraftyNest}

DIY Tea Towels. Just a fabric marker and you're on your way to a super cute, modern accessory for the kitchen! {Apartment Therapy}

Magnetic Bathroom Jars. I just need a strong magnetic strip and jars with metal lids! Genius! {GneissSpice.etsy.com}

Bathmat. It's made of rags! But, I'll be honest, this one probably won't happen, but I still really like it. {cocoknits.com}

Knitted Puff. This one isn't gonna happen either, but again, I really like it. {pickles.no}

3D Framed Stuff. I love this idea. I feel like it would be easy to do, too. {ohjoy.blogs.com}

Floating Book Shelf. Or rather, a shelf made of books. Also, I want that puppy. {cutoutandkeep.net} & {Apartment Therapy}

Okay, so that's my first TO DO list. Like most of my TO DO lists, not everything will get done. MAYBE one or two things IF I'm lucky. But that's not really the point of this list. It's really just to inspire me, and hopefully you, to make something I'll love.

I have a bunch more lists up my sleeve, including:
TO DO: Sweets
TO DO: Breakfast
TO DO: Accessorize
and tons more! Stay tuned and send pictures if you end up scratching anything off the list. :)

Ana Garcia Photography

2009-09-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

Here are some logos I worked on for my friend, Ana. She's a really talented photographer in St. Augustine and I was so stoked when she asked for my help with a logo and business card. This top one is my favorite logo, but admittedly, not Ana's style.

I liked this one too, but again, not really the feeling Ana was going for.

This logo suites her much better and I'm glad she went with it.

Here is her business card. In the end, she went with a different photo, but I like this one better. :) They're both great, but this one just felt right to me; ghostly and modern, but with an old world quality.

She's still working on a website, or I'd link to her here, but just email her or call her up! If you need a photographer or just someone fun to hangout with, Ana is your gal. :)

Coconut Cream Pie

2009-07-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, I made a peach-berry pie for The Dalton Agency Bake-Off. The pie looked good (my first attempt at a lattice top and it was a hit), but it didn't taste very good (either the peaches weren't ripe, or I accidentally added grapefruit instead, 'cause it was SOUR). Anyway, Felicia let me borrow a glass pie pan, and to thank her I wanted to return the pan with a pie in it! So, that's what I did.

I remember her saying that Coconut Cream Pie is one of her favorites, so I headed over to my go-to recipe book, Epicurious.com, and found a recipe that looked pretty good, kind of intense, but pretty good. But after I got into it, I quickly realized I was in a little over my head. Pre-baking of crust, tempering of eggs, whipping of cream--all new for me, but I think I muddled through okay.

It was so creamy, with just the right amount of coconut flavor, and the pre-baked crust was crispy even days later. yum. I might have over-whipped the cream a bit, but I think I stopped just in time to save it. Felicia loved it and I must say it's one of my better attempts at, well, anything. It was so. good.

Untitled!

2009-07-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

It all started with a concept pitch for Bealls. Dalton needed three words for a subhead in a handwritten style and couldn't find a font that was just right, so they asked me to jump in. "No prob," I said. I just wrote out the words, scanned them in, did a little live tracing in Illustrator, and done. Easy peasy. We sent the concepts to the client and they liked the script so much, they asked for the font. Thus began my font making adventure.

Prior to this, I'd never even thought to make a font. I've always thought, "There are so many out there already. Anything I could make would just be redundant." So, when they gave me the task of finding a font editing program, learning how to use found program and creating a usable font, I was a little overwhelmed and, honestly, a little unmotivated.

I started to research font editing programs and decided on FontLab. Then I saw the price, and settled on Fontographer. I had no idea what I was doing, so I started looking for tutorials and found TONS for FontLab but NONE for Fontographer. Luckily, they're pretty similar programs. FontLab definitely has more advanced features, but Fontographer was fine for what I needed. After about a day of trial and error, I started to get a handle on it and out came--duh duduh DUHHH: Untitled. I know, not the best name. After figuring out an entire program and creating my own font, I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to actually name the font. I tried everything, resaving, renaming, yelling, but nothing. If any of you know how do this, PLEASE let me know and I'll let you name it!

As to the font design, I'm not sure it's the most refined font. Just looking at it now, I can see so many problems (line weight variations, kerning issues with 'e's and 'n's, etc.), but I'm still pretty proud of it. It only has a lower case set, because the campaign it was designed for only uses lower case letters. If the client doesn't end up buying sole rights to it, I'll probably add an uppercase set and more glyphs, but for now it gets the job done.

So, whaddaya think? See any glaring problems with it? Any tips/tricks that could help me out in my next typemaking venture? Lemme know! Thanks, guys! And sorry it's been so long since my last post. I broke my camera and it's been hard to document stuff. If any of you have an old camera laying around, my brithday's coming up...Just sayin'. :)

JAZZ HANDZ!!

2009-06-01T10:50:00.001-07:00

Two weeks ago, the agency I work for held a party during the city's Jazz Fest. I was asked to make cupcakes and I can never resist. But this time I made brownie bites with cream cheese frosting and M&M toppers! Yum. They're in the colors of the poster, which I'll get to in a minute.

I had to leave the bites on the counter all day before the party, which was pretty dangerous. The creatives are known scavengers, so this sign was more than necessary. But, I mean, can you blame them for wanting one/seven? :)

Val couldn't resist. She's such a rebel. :)

Here's the poster for the event with my illustrations. Sean did the majority of the design work on this one and I'm still not sure if my illustrations make sense with the rest of the design, but whatev. He did a great job, and he and Tim printed, I think, like 200 of them, which is crazy impressive.

Here they are, all lined up in our front window, NYC-style. :)

A big thanks to Stephanie for letting me use her camera to take these pictures! Here she is at the sign-in station, bouncin' bums left and right. :)

Pen to Paper. I call it. Don't steal it.

2009-05-05T13:36:00.000-07:00

So, I've had a lot of reasons to buy cards lately (birthdays, weddings, graduations, Mother's Days) and I've realized something: St. Augustine has shit for stationary. A quality stationary/card boutique would do really well in this market and I'd like to open one. I'd call it Pen to Paper and it'd make tons of money. Now, who wants to be my financial backer/sugar daddy. Any takers?

Jazz Fest Teaser

2009-04-28T14:35:00.001-07:00

So, I've totally been slacking with my blogs, but it's really just because not much was going on-- not until recently, that is. I've got a ton of stuff I'll be able to post in the next few weeks, including:

the cutest stuffed animal you'll ever see
a website (EEK!) collaboration (Oh, okay)
and (hopefully) tons more!

So keep your eyes open. Until then, here is a little taste of a Jazz Fest Poster collaboration I'm working on with Dog and Pony Show Print-er, Sean.

Love you guys!

Coconut Nest Cupcakes!

2009-04-07T08:14:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday I got together with my good friend, Heather, and made some cupcakes! I wanted to do something Easter-y and when I saw this recipe for Coconut-Vanilla cupcakes in this month's Gourmet, I had to try it. So, I turned the toasted coconut garnish into a cozy little nest for a coconut-jellybean-egg! :) They were so cute!

This is Heather telling me with her eyes to hurry up with the pictures already--alright Heather! You can try one!

Heather wasn't the only one waiting for a cupcake. Finnegan, or as I like to call him, Big-head-dog, wanted to come to the party, too. Sorry BHD, you're a dog. You wouldn't even like them.

Now, look like you're really enjoying it! Yeah, that's it! :)

Man, they were so good. See all those little black dots? Those aren't sea monkeys. That is real vanilla bean, bitches. Hell yeah. AND the frosting was so fluffy and silky, I think because of the coconut milk reduction. I would TOTALLY make these again.

After the cupcakes, we thought maybe we should have some dinner, so we made a pizza! And oh man, was it good. Let's see, what did we put on it--more like what didn't we put on it. There was olive marinara, mozzerela, ricotta dollops, onions, artichokes, garlic, pepperoni, fresh basil, parmesan and, god, I'm hungry just thinking about it.

After pizza we watched 50 First Dates. I think Drew Barrymore is so pretty in that movie; cute and natural, but not too natural. All in all, it was a really fun and delicious Sunday. I can't wait to do it again! I'm looking at you, Heather. :)

Happy Easter, everyone! :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T10:57:00.001-07:00

Even if I never find the pot o' gold, I'm just glad I got to see the rainbow.
Love you guys!

Irish Cupcake (da)Bombs

2009-03-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

So, St. Patty's is comin' up, which meant this month's staff meeting was Irish themed. I wasn't a part of the staff meeting committee this month, but they still asked me to make cupcakes! I guess last month's left them wanting more :) I started searching for a good idea. I initially thought to do chocolate mint cupcakes (one of my favorite flavor combinations), until I stumbled upon this recipe for a Guinness cake. I was intrigued. So I did a little more research and found this recipe from Big City, Little Kitchen and this one from The Reckless Chef. I liked how the BCLK recipe had more dark brown sugar, 'cause I was worried the cake might not be sweet enough with the addition of the stout, but I liked The Reckless Chef's idea of a Baily's buttercream frosting. So I combined the two and created the Irish Cupcake Bomb!

I wish I could tell you how amazing they tasted, but sadly I didn't get to try one. I'm on this crazy diet--it's going pretty well and I didn't want to mess it up. But everyone at the meeting said they were delicious and there weren't any leftover, so I think it's safe to say they were pretty good.

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! And because my middle name has an apostrophe in it (O'Keefe) I don't feel weird saying, "May the luck 'o the Irish be with ya!" Okay, I do feel a little weird saying that... :)

Logo REJECTS: Animal Control

2009-03-05T10:49:00.000-08:00

Here's a bunch of logos I got to work on for a rebranding of the Animal Care and Protective Services of Jacksonville. I love them. They're still deciding on one of mine, but with changes that I don't like. So, here are my original babies:

I think this one and the next one are my favorites.

I feel like I've seen this somewhere before, but I can't remember where and it makes me nervous that I might be ganking it. But maybe I didn't. Let me know if you've seen it somewheres.

Happy Birthday, Jess!

2009-03-03T09:25:00.000-08:00

I made these for my amazing sister, Jessica. They're purple because February's birthstone is Amethyst. I mailed them up to her in Chicago--I hope they got there safely! AND I hope they made her birthday a little more special :)

They're cupcake bites and I got the idea/recipe from Bakerella. I love Bakerella's blog and almost everything she makes.

P.S. I can't WAIT to make this.

Dr. Dog Poster

2009-02-23T11:39:00.000-08:00

Here is a poster I got to collaborate on with Dog and Pony Showprints for last night's Dr. Dog show at Cafe Eleven. I like it. It's cute. It reminds me of Charley Harper's work, if I do say so myself. :)

This is the opener--Drug Rug. They were really great. I need more of them.

The poster is based loosely on their song, "The Ark," which just happened to be the first song of their amazing set.

Before the show, I went to Target to get a cute little something new for the show, and I found these shoes on sale. They didn't seem too horrible to maneuver in-store and I need to get more comfortable in heels for Tina's wedding, but I quickly realized--the shoes were a bad choice. I had to take a break from standing after every other song which was totally lame--but on the plus side, for the songs I could stand, I could see over everyones' heads :) Can someone please tell me the secret to walking in heels or is it something one just has to practice? Which reminds me of this hilarious thing.

From what I saw of it, it was a great show and I had a great time. :)

T&A Shower!

2009-02-20T07:54:00.000-08:00

Tina and Aaron are getting married! Yay! And being one of the bridesmaids, I got to help her sister, Nicole, with the shower! Nicole did a great job with the food and all the planning and I got to come in and add my little touch here and there--I think I got the better end of the deal if you ask me.

The shower took place at Nicole's apartment in DC so I flew up for the weekend and it was so much fun! I'm so glad I got to go and be a part of that. Tina has such a sweet set-up there in DC--great city, great friends, and great shopping! We visited a free standing Anthropology and I'm in love. But anyway, back to the shower:

Some flower poofs in the colors of the shower/wedding (yellow, black, white, gray). I learned how to make them in my 10th grade Spanish class on Cinco de Mayo (Thanks Mrs. Segui!) but they've become quite popular lately, thanks to Martha.

I also made those tridangle things again and hung them around the apartment and on the door when guests first came in. I love those things. They're so festive and can be easily personalized for any theme.

Here are some favors--crocheted rosettes (thanks Mama Amato for your help) and chocolate-coconut truffles, hand-rolled by Nicole and me (in the silver boxes). I also put together a game of LOVE bingo (we used the necco wafers as bingo chips) and Nicole made handmade gift card holders for the prizes--they were so cute!

And, of course, I made cupcakes. I have some regrets about this batch. For one, I should have done a yellow colored cup, icing, or cake--all the white is a little bland. Secondly, they didn't taste very good :( It was a recipe I'd never used and they ended up tasting like lemon corn bread--bleh! I could tell everyone else thought so too 'cause there were so many leftover :( Oh well, at least they looked kinda cute and added to the theme a little.

All in all, I think it was a success. Everyone seemed to have a great time, and that's all that really matters, right?

I Heart Heart

2009-02-06T12:43:00.000-08:00

I'll admit it. I got a little carried away with these mini cupcakes for a Valentine-themed staff meeting. But it was so much fun! And the staff meeting was a perfect excuse to bake--I could give it all away and avoid eating them all, alone, in the dark :)
But anyway, the cupcakes are Red Velvet with Cream Cheese frosting and various pretty, but relatively poor-tasting toppers. Many people at the meeting noted their resemblance to boobs, which I'm totally fine with (boobs are a pretty big part of Valentine's Day, right? :)
I made these brownie-sandwich-heart-things, too. I just lined two cookie sheets with parchment paper, whipped up two store bought boxes of brownies and spread the batter out between the two sheets (I sprinkled cute little hearts on one). Then I cut them out with a cookie cutter, slapped some strawberry icing on the un-sprinkled brownie and topped it with the other! Super easy and super yummy.
Here they are, all set up at the office. Everyone loved them and commented how I should open up a bakery--maybe some day, some day. :)
I also decorated a little with heart doilies, paper triangles and fishing line. I think everything turned out pretty nicely, if I do say so myself. Happy Valentine's Day!

Candied Oranges are Pretty

2009-02-04T07:48:00.000-08:00

and here they are on a cake!
And here is the recipe: Candied Citrus Slices from Martha
It was so easy! Water + sugar + tangerines + heat + time = DELICIOUS. I used tangerines and navels, but I liked the tangerines better because they don't have as much pith.

I decorated the cake for John Sr.'s birthday (John's mom baked the cake and whipped up the icing). At the party was also a bunch of cheese and crackers, which as I found out, go GREAT with the candied oranges. Salty and sweet will never be wrong. Try it at your next party!

P.S. Thanks to John Jr. for the pictures! Love you, Beb!

The Neck Sock.

2009-01-15T06:43:00.000-08:00

So, over the Christmas break, I took a trip to Chicago to see my awesome sister, Jessica. It was such a fun trip and I can't wait to visit again, but maybe in the summer, when it isn't FREEZING cold! When I started packing for the trip, I quickly realized I was grossly under-prepared for the cold weather, so the night before I whipped up this scarf/sock, that I like to call my Neck Sock. I tried to push, "Nock" but it didn't go anywhere. Anyway, it's really just a crocheted square stitched up one side to make a tube. It was super easy and took like an hour to make (using really huge yarn helped, too).
As you can see, the neck sock goes right over the head to protect the neck, chin, mouth and even nose areas. It can be folded down when necessary or pulled up to keep my nose warm. Most of the time I looked like Bazooka Joe, but I really didn't care 'cause I was warm! Sadly, on the last leg of my trip, after almost leaving it behind everywhere, I finally lost it. But it wouldn't be too hard to whip up another one!

Princess Unicorn!

2009-01-12T08:39:00.000-08:00

Garret loved his Princess Unicorn, but was a little disappointed it wasn't the African America version. In case you don't get it, Princess Unicorn is a fictional toy invented by the show, The Office.

Anyway, I just bought a crappy doll and glued a paper horn on her head. It didn't cost me $200 either! :)

Not the Gumdrop Buttons! :)

2008-12-19T14:39:00.000-08:00

Wine, Not from a Box

2008-12-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

It's the holidays and a lot of us are looking for cheap gifts. What better gift than a delicious bottle of wine! The right bottle of wine is classy, impressive and you'll probably get to partake! "Now hold on there," you might say, "Wine is a swank gift and all, but it isn't cheap. And besides, I don't know a sauvignon blanc from a pinot noir!" Well, I was with you until last night on Fresh Air, when I heard Terry Gross and guests Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, the husband-and-wife team behind the wine column Tastings, which appears weekly in The Wall Street Journal. They really broke it down for a lehman like me and now I feel confident that I can stroll into a wine store and come out with something great. For some tips that aren't included in this brief article recap, head over to my other blog, Mouse without a House! I'd love to have you!

My Office

2008-12-03T10:38:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my office! Yay! I really like it. I'm surrounded with things I love that constantly inspire me--what more could I ask for? Well, I could ask you for things in your office that inspire you--let me know or better yet send me a photo! Hope you all had an awesome Thanksgiving! Happy blogging! :)

The Best 'Thank You Card' You'll Ever Eat

2008-11-24T07:59:00.000-08:00

So, a while back I was using my boyfriend's parent's kitchen A. LOT. They said they didn't mind, but I still felt bad, especially because they didn't get to reap the rewards. They are so generous and I wanted to thank them by making them something.

For some reason I had like five jars of peanut butter in my cuboards and I wanted to use them up. And use them I did.

My kitchen helper, John's cat, BAMF (Yes, that's what it stands for :)

I was making a lot of cakes in their kitchen that week, so I wanted to make them one of their own. I found this recipe for a Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Cake. It was SO. GOOD.

I guess I was feeling ambitious that day, because I also made these. Bakerella posted a recipe for Super-easy, 5 ingredient, Peanut Butter Cookies. I couldn't wait to make them and they turned out pretty good. I don't think I'd make them again, though (kinda dry and crumbly).

New Blog!

2008-11-24T07:14:00.001-08:00

Hey guys!

I know I haven't been posting much lately, but I wanted to let you know about a new blog I've started. A bunch of beautiful blogs I watch have great, cheap ideas for home decor but I don't have a home to decor. I don't want to forget about them so I've started storing all the little tasty nuggets in my little blog cheeks. It's called Mouse Without a House. And you are all officially invited into my cheeks.

aHEM

2008-11-20T13:19:00.000-08:00

For anyone interested, I added a new widget down BUY my "About Me" section. You should CHEQUE it out. It may PRESENT you with a few good ideas. Consider it my GIFT to you.

P.S. BUY ME STUFF
P.P.S. :)

Delta Spirit Print

2008-11-10T12:42:00.000-08:00

So, I was reading the Folio a few months back and saw in the concerts section that Delta Spirit, an amazing band from Southern California, would be at Cafe Eleven! I knew a co-worker, Sean, of Dog and Pony Show Prints, had recently put up shop a few cubicles over. He and Tim (another co-worker) started Dog and Pony and are always making aMAZING prints for national bands and selling them at the shows. So, I was curious if they were doing one for Delta Spirit. I went over and asked Sean and he didn't seem to know who Delta Spirit was! The next day he came over and said he'd listened to them and loved them and wondered if I wanted to collaborate on a print. I said, "Obvi!" and I went to listening to their new album, Ode to Sunshine, on repeat for inspiration.

One line that kept jumping out at me, and the one I think really represents their album, is from "Strange Vine" / We are two Indians in the same canoe. That line really hits on the "we're in this together" ideal the album is trying to get across.

So from there, it kind of all fell into place. I googled some indian heads, a canoe, padddles and a river delta. The idea of a cigerrette box kept coming into mind, I think because they all have an iconic, vintage flare. Cigarettes also represent killing yourself slowly just like what can happen when we forget about the blanket. Later, someone pointed out the similarity of the design to American Spirit cigarettes, but I swear, that wasn't my inspiration, at least consciously. Anyway, I gave Sean a rough idea of imagery and positioning and he made it look beautiful. He came up with the color scheme, "Pudding" brown and metallic gold on cream paper. It gave it a really nice "authentic" feel. A beautiful collaboration, if I do say so myself.

So the design was ready and all we needed to do was print. The first photo is Sean printing in his empty cubicle turned print studio. It's really cool 'cause he and Tim just went down to Home Depot and built everything themselves! It's pretty amazing. For a tutorial on screen printing that really shows off their DIY handiwork, head over to their blog and show them some love. They deserve it.

I couldn't wait to hear the sound of the squeegee on screen. When I did finally hear that beautiful sound, I forgot how much I loved it. It's like magic. I won't go into it too much, but I love screenprinting for the same reason I love black and white, wet and dirty, photo development. Both screenprinting and photography can be done much easier digitally, but there's just something about the process, the magic, the love that keeps me coming back to handmade stuff. Accidents that can only happen through trial. Little imperfections that remind us we aren't perfect and that's ok. I did feel a little bad though because Sean entrusted me with printing a few and I totally, uh, "gave them character." I have a big head and little arms. I'm just not sure how well that plan was thought through :) Sean made the table for his long gorilla arms and I just couldn't get the leverage I needed to pull the squeegee down with enough pressure. Oh well. I was happy enough just to see the magic happen.

We ran through the printing process pretty quickly and without a hitch. We had the prints all ready, signed and numbered. All we needed was a concert. The day of, Sean headed down to Cafe Eleven and I met up with him a little later. He was all set up, the show hadn't started yet, and he'd already sold a couple prints! The opener, Whiskey and Co. (we spelled their name wrong on the poster. woops!), hadn't gone on yet. I was hanging around the merch table, waiting for something to happen when the bassist from Delta Spirit appeared out of nowhere. He leaned over and said, "Cool poster." And I said, "Thanks! I really love your music! It's refreshing to hear a band sing of something other than getting drunk and laid. But I was wondering who writes the songs? Is it a collaboration? And how do you live the rock-and-roll lifestyle yet sing about the poor and oppressed? Do you think just singing about social problems and inequalities is enough to save your soul? Also, will you marry me?"

Actually, I wish that's what I'd said. Instead, I just stood there and smiled stupidly. Like a stupid fan. Ugh. Oh well. Delta Spirit finally went on. They were AMAZING. So full of energy and, yes, spirit. I loved it when the lead singer strained his voice and it crackled with raw power. Gave me goosebumps.

After the show, tons of people bought posters. The lead singer, Matt Something, came over, looked at the poster and said, "I get it...But in a good way." I'm not really sure what that was supposed to mean, but I was just glad he liked it. Sean gave them five prints and they signed a couple for us. I have mine hanging on my bookcase at work (Office Space post to come)!

So, to sum up, I had a great time. I had a great time concepting, I had a great time printing, and I had a great time at the show. I would definitely do it again.

This post is dedicated to Tina and her nagging :) Thanks, Tina! Love you!

I got a little too excited...

2008-10-31T07:21:00.000-07:00

So, here is the first pumpkin I carved this season. I carved it on October 10th and it looked like the last picture by October 11th. :( I just couldn't wait! Carving pumpkins is so much fun!

BUT last night John and I carved some more and they are SO COOL. John did his signature anime gaping mouth with a prision tattoo, and I did an owl! EEE! :)

I'm also really excited about my costume for the office costume contest. I'm going as the scariest thing a designer can encounter: a low resolution image. :) Pictures to come...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!

HAP-PY HALLOWEEEEEEN!

2008-10-31T07:10:00.000-07:00

Some Halloween Inspiration from CardCow.com. I love all these salvaged retro cards.

It was so sweet, the wedding and the cake.

2008-10-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

This last picture is the favorite of all the ones I took that day. I wish I'd taken more. Amanda looked so beautiful and they both were so happy. Everything turned out BEAUTIFUL. The church was quaint and cozy, perfect for an intimate wedding. And Amanda really pulled off the decor to give the the wedding a warmth that matched the loved she and Garrett visibly share. It was beautiful.

...And so was my cake. :) I originally planned something like this:

But with white chocolate truffles instead of cocoa. It REALLY didn't work. So I came up with a different game plan 3 hours before the wedding (!) After I helped Amanda decorate the church the night before the big day, I had a better idea of the feel she was going for. In the ceremony, she and Garrett stood under an arch decorated in fall leaves and berries (I wish I'd gotten a picture!), similar to the ones you see on the cake. And with the other design I was having a hard time coming up with a good topper, but with those berries a nest immediately popped into mind. That's where the love birds came from. There are also four birds on the lower levels of the cake, representing Garrett's four boys. I think the autumnal bird thing went along with her wedding much better than stupid looking truffles, so I'm pretty happy.

OH! And more importantly, it tasted AMAZING. I used the same cake recipe that we used for the chocolate grooms cake, but I used a white chocolate buttercream icing with raspberry preserve filling. Oh man, it was SO good. I wish I had some right. now...

The Best is Yet to, um, Come!

2008-10-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

So, this past weekend was my very best friend's wedding. It was beautiful and I have pictures of the cake I made for that, but I thought before I post that beautiful cake, I though I should post this one, from her bachelorette party! Isn't it so gross?! And yes, as you can tell from the beautiful granite countertop, I made it at my boyfriend's parents house. SO AWKWARD. But they thought it was really funny too :)

I got a penis cake mold from the local XXX shop (on sale) and whipped up a strawberry box cake to fill it. I used canned strawberry frosting to ice and decorate with AND, I forgot to take pictures of it, but it was also cream filled! Everyone loved it, but I felt a little weird cutting it, not to mention eating it. :)

But stay tuned for wedding cake pictures! You won't want to miss them! I think it's my best work yet!

Also to, um, come:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Extravaganza!
Delta Spirit Prints & Concert
Apple Shoes
Pumpkins
Christmas Gift Ideas
& so much more! :)

Grooms Cake: Take 1

2008-10-14T10:06:00.001-07:00

Hi guys! Sorry it's been so long since a good meaty post, but I've just been so busy with more better and important things! :) No, but I have been busy making stuff, specifically, cakes! But enough explaining, let's get to it.

So, John's dad and I have been known to make a mean cake together. He bakes and I decorate. It's a pretty good partnership. Recently, a friend of John's family (and a friend of mine, now, I guess :) asked us to bake her wedding cake! What an honor! But also, what a heavy responsibility. We discussed it and decided the wedding cake would be too big a project for us. We are only novice bakers after all, even if it looks otherwise :) Anyway, the bride understood but offered us the chance to make the groom's cake. That we could handle.

We wanted to talk with the groom to see what he had in mind and it turns out he really likes architectural, geometric designs, which is perfect for cake design. Also, their wedding will be held at the fort in downtown St. Augustine, Castillo de San Marco. I'm not sure who initially came up with idea, but someone said, "let's eat the fort!" What a great idea!

So we set to looking for the perfect chocolate cake recipe and icing to match. We came across this on epicurious.com: Dark Chocolate Wedding Cake with Chocolate Orange Ganache. Perfect! The orange will bring in yet another element of the wedding, Florida! It's also what inspired the decoration on top.

Now, this was just a practice run, the most delicious run I've ever been on. :) This cake is SO good! Rich, but not too filling. Moist, but not too dense. And the icing. Oh, the icing is so decadent and smooth. This version was made in 12" square pans. The final cake will be 14x14", so the oranges won't look so big and overpowering. Also, I think I'm going to try a different shape to carve to reflect the fort a little more. I tried making some chocolate rectangles to represent the brick work, but it just looked kind of amateur. If I do try it again, I think I'll use molding chocolate instead of a melted chocolate bar.

But anyway, I'm happy with this first attempt. The bride and groom seemed really happy with the effort, too, which is all that really matters. Stay posted for more cakes to come!

I'm a stand out student!

2008-10-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

I was messin' around online and found this guy who came to our school for a lecture and was a judge at our portfolio show and he called me out!

Pret-ty cool!

Check it out!

Amanda's Retro Bridal Shower: The Food

2008-09-08T12:31:00.001-07:00

Pink Lamingtons, Vanilla Mini-cupcakes, Chocolate-Coconut Truffles, Cocoa Truffles

Chocolate-Covered Cherries, Chocolate-Coconut truffles, Pecan-Linzer Cherry Cookies, Marzipan

Rice Krispie Treats & Jordan Almonds

The Spread

Tea cups, saucers & handkerchiefs set up for guests to choose from as a parting gift. We also used teapots and teacups as vases for the flowers and placed them around the house (Great idea, Mom!)

Amanda's favorite gift, Hello, Cupcake! (Thanks, Kellie!)

The dolls in their aprons: Fallon, Berkelee, Amanda, Fallon & Me!

This past Saturday I threw a bridal shower for my very best friend, Amanda. She's getting married to a wonderful man named Garrett and I couldn't be happier for her. I wanted to throw her an amazing shower that she and all the guests would remember. I researched online for a while and loved the idea of a tea party, but knew Amanda wouldn't want something so prim and proper. So I thought a good way to make a tea party fun would be to add a theme, and since I love all things kitsch, of course I went retro! We would all bring our favorite aprons to wear, gossip, and remember the days when feet got sore from standing in front of the stove all day. I bounced the idea off a few people and received good feedback so I started looking for recipes for classic party foods. I decided to go with:

Ambrosia
Cheeseball & Crackers
Bon Bons
Deviled Eggs
Cream-cheese filled Celery sticks
Veggie Platter
Rice Krispie Treats
Lime Coolers
Pecan Linzer cookies with Cherry Jam filling
Pimento Sandwiches and Olives
Jordan Almonds
Marzipan &
Fruit Kebabs

I remembered to take the close-ups of the treats after everyone had already grazed, so just know I didn't set them out half-full like the pictures suggest. Also, sorry the pictures are so blurry, my sister, Kellie, did a great job photographing the shower, but the lighting was difficult to work with. We got a lot of great shots though, and there are more on flickr.

Anyway, all of the food was homemade (just like they would have done in the 50's) except for the Jordan almonds, Marzipan, and Chocolate-covered Cherries. My mom and sister were lifesavers and stayed up with me all Friday night to help make my vision for the shower come to fruition. And I think we really pulled it off. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, which is all that really matters. And Amanda seemed really happy with it all. She was especially happy that she got to take all the left-overs home! :)

We played some really cute games too, and hopefully I'll have pictures and links for those soon.

Edible Flowers that Don't Taste Like Flowers

2008-09-05T13:39:00.001-07:00

The Almond Pain-in-the-Ass Cake

2008-09-05T13:10:00.000-07:00

So, this one I didn't bake. It was an Italian wedding cake with cream-cheese rum frosting and my boyfriend's dad did an awesome job on it. It was DELICIOUS. But I decorated it. I got the idea of scaling the almond slices from the Martha Stewart Wedding Cakes book. And it took FOREVER. But, I think it came out pret-ty nice.

There's Always Money in the Banana Stand Cake

2008-09-05T10:14:00.000-07:00

Before I tell you anything about my baking skills, I have to give props to my boyfriend's parents for letting take over their AMAZING kitchen every once in a while. I would use my own, but theirs is SO much nicer. They had a professional come in and lay everything out. Everything is at arm's length and organized so thoughtfully. AND they have a stand mixer which is really fun and easy. Recently I seriously dominated their kitchen for 3 straight days, trying to get stuff ready for a bridal shower (post to come) and they were so nice about it. I couldn't even give them any of the product because I wasn't sure there'd be enough! I felt so bad but I am so grateful. I can't thank them enough, so I think I'm gonna make them a cake (post to come).

But anyway, this cake is named in honor of one of my favorite shows and the chocolate-dipped bananas often a plot point in it. It's a banana cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting. I should have garnished it with peanuts, now that I think about it, but the shaved chocolate was really good too. It was delicious, but I'm not sure I would make it again. It kind of ended up tasting like banana bread with frosting on it, which, don't get me wrong, sounds delicious, but if I wanted banana bread, I would have made banana bread. The frosting was REALLY good, but I've never met one I didn't like. Here are the recipes:

"Best Ever" Banana Cake and Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting