New Blog and Valentine's Day!

I am going to try really hard to revamp my blog in the next couple weeks!  What you see now is a BIG change from what it was!

For my first post under this *new* look, I am going to talk about Valentine's Day.  This year, I wanted to do something different for my husband.  We normally do a nice dinner {in or out} and a small gift for each other.  Nothing big, but we like to acknowledge the day by doing something special.

I jumped over to Pinterest to find something fun.  A friend of mine pinned a 14 Days of Love- gift list with cute little sayings.  The key is each day the person receives a small gift with a saying to match it (ChapStick = "Thanks for "stick"ing by my side" and so on).   I decided I liked this idea and this was the way I chose to go with a slight twist.  I did the "12 Days of Valentines".  I ran to the store and gathered some items I thought my husband would like.  He doesn't eat a lot of sweets or unhealthy foods, except for when I buy them for him! I got home and packaged each item in a white lunch bag with a little sign I whipped up in Photoshop.

In case you are interested in doing the "12 Days of Valentines", I've attached a printable for the tags. {If you don't have it together today to do 12 days, you could always cut out two and make it the "10 Days of Valentines" and start on Wednesday! You could also do a big basket of goodies on Valentine's Day with everything in one day.}

Here's the list of items I used:
"chews" = Gum
"hot tamale" = Hot Tamales Candy
"combo" = Cheddar Cheese Combos
"nuts" = Pistachios (his favorite!)
"black and white" = Oreo Cookies
"stick" = ChapStick
"color" = Skittles
"flamin' hot" = Cheetos Flamin' Hot
"super glue" = Loctite Super Glue
"fish" = Swedish Fish
"mix"  = Chex Mix
"snicker" = Snickers Candy Bar

 

Have fun!!!

Finally!

I know, I know... it's been a looooong time! The reason I haven't been on is because my laptop is pooping out on me. The wiring to my screen is disconnecting (or something) and it makes my screen go all white and then I can't read, see, change my screen until I tilt the screen allll the way back (nearly breaking it off the base.)... It is very frustrating and has caused me not to use my laptop since we moved! So... no editing or updating my blog. Anyway, in the next few days, I hope to update quite a bit [for as long as my patience lasts].

In this post, I'm going to add pictures from Madison's wedding (back in July). I helped Madison with most of her wedding: decorations, invitations, favors, centerpieces, cake topper, etc... but the most fun thing was the CUPCAKES! I think they turned out really nice and I'm glad she loved them as much as she did.


I hope you enjoyed these as much as I did making them! It was a blast!

See you tomorrow! (Hopefully...)

Apron Fork

I know that title sounds funny... but it is literally what I worked on today. It is rare for me to start a project, finish it, and blog about it all in one day! Today, I managed to do just that. When I was little (and my grandmother was still with us), I remember her having a large wooden fork and spoon set hanging on the wall in her kitchen... well... a few months ago, I was thrifting with my sister and I found a matching FORK! It was only $1.00! I snatched it up, not really caring what I'd use it for. I just love it because it reminds me of my grandma. Since then, it's been sitting underneath the end table just waiting for me to get an idea for it. A little while after I found it, I decided that I was going to strip it, antique it, put hooks on it, and use it as an apron rack in my kitchen. [cute, right?!]

I thought today... today is the day to work on that fork. I've been putting it off but I'm just going to do it! So I did. I ran to Home Depot in the morning and picked up my supplies (drop cloth + sand paper + paint + hooks = $16). I decided against the antique because I found this color of paint. I think I like it a little bit better.

I came home and got started. First, I sprayed the hooks black.


Then I sanded the fork and sprayed it using Rosemary Hammered Rustoleum spray paint.

I'm really happy with how it turned out. I think it'll look great with the green tints in our new kitchen! I had to predrill the holes to screw in the hooks- 6 total. Here's the finished product!


When we move [in another month], I'll make sure to share a picture of my Apron Fork hanging on the wall.

I'm also still waiting on the copyright release or permission from the photographer from Madison's wedding to upload pictures of our crafting. Hopefully it'll be soon!

UC Cupcakes

A friend of mine from work has a son that graduated this June (congrats, Shane!). She asked me if I'd be interested in making some cupcakes for his party and I happily accepted. He is going to be attending the University of Cumberland in the fall and will be wrestling for them! Their wrestling team is red and black so I decided to make red velvet cupcakes (with yummy cream cheese icing!). I thought it was fitting that they matched. My niece helped me make 4 dozen chocolate 'UC's for the toppers and she did a wonderful job! I'm really happy with how they turned out and she said everyone loved them!


Next post: Madison's wedding!

Bryant Street Festival

My sister (One Star Away) invited me to the Bryant Street Festival in Pittsburgh this year to exhibit by cupcakes! Every year, she and her neighbors have a hot dog booth to feed the wonderful people that come out for the Festival. {It's like a big yardsale - street shopping - vendor selling neighborhood party... so fun!} I decided that cupcakes would be perfect for such an outing (especially being next to the hot dog booth!). With her help, I made 9 different types of cupcakes: Classic Vanilla, Death by Chocolate, Mocha, Lemon, Red Velvet, Dirt (chocolate with crushed Oreos), Chocolate Mint, White Chocolate Raspberry, and Bananarama. Here's how they turned out!

Dirt and Death by Chocolate

Lemon

Bananarama and ChocolateMint
Mocha

Red Velvet

Vanilla

My Table

I really loved the White Chocolate Raspberry ones but had no good pictures. I don't know what's going on with my camera, but I cannot seem to get many clear pictures lately. I've been messing with the settings, so I'll have to actually sit down and take some time to figure it out.

I had such a blast baking and preparing for the festival! I even redesigned a 'new logo' especially for my cupcake 'shop'. I was inspired by a cupcake business card I saw on Vistaprint, but added my own little flares, fonts, etc. It was so fun and I absolutely love the new logo!
I will update again soon. I just made "UC" (University of Cumberland) cupcakes for a graduation party. I've been excited to get them online! Thanks for reading!

Catching Up!

It's been a while since I have updated!

Well, I didn't register for the DIY Wedding show soon enough (missed it by 2 days...). Since then, though, I've been doing a lot of wedding planning help and baking and designing and creating! Here are a few of the things I've been up to:

One of my colleagues is having a baby girl in August and our 'work baby shower' was the last week in May. She and her husband are decorating the baby's room with blues, purples, and butterflies. I picked up a few supplies (12 pack of butterflies from the Flower Factory, felt, scrapbooking paper, fleece, a styrofoam ball, a candle bowl, moss, and a big butterfly from...actually... the dollar store!), brainstormed, and this is what I made! I think it turned out really cute!

The weekend of June 17-18, some of my other coworkers participated in the Relay for Life in Green. The theme for their booth was "Grease" and they asked me to make a wearable Grease Lightning. After waiting for some good boxes to use, I took about 2 days, hot glue, red paint and glitter glue and made up this cardboard car. It was about 5 feet long by 2 feet wide. I was happy with how it turned out.


The next project was a small one. After school one day, I was checking my email before I left. I have been getting the daily cookie recipe from Martha and this one I couldn't pass up. I printed it out and ran in to show our guidance counselor and another colleague. It was for S'Mores Cookies! Yumm! I came home and made them that day. They were pretty tasty- though much better the first day (the marshmallow starts to harden). Also, next time I think I'll make the cookie part a little smaller to get more of the chocolate/marshmallow taste in each bite!

Next post: Bryant Street Festival!

DIY Wedding Show

I think I'm going to join the DIY Wedding Show in Pittsburgh in May! I need to get some inspiration to get some samples done!!!