Blue bloom
Blooming
Bridal headband
These ones are all finished and ready to adorn a pretty head.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
A few new pieces in the Etsy shop
I haven't done a big update to my Etsy shop for a while, so I've added three new pieces. Each one is very different, one of a kind, and fun. Enjoy!
Blue bloom
Blooming
Bridal headband
These ones are all finished and ready to adorn a pretty head.
Blue bloom
Blooming
Bridal headband
These ones are all finished and ready to adorn a pretty head.
Constance & Eniko
Cesare Paciotti F/W 09.10 Ad Campaign | Constance & Eniko By Mario Sorrenti
Cesare Paciotti just released their fall/winter 09.10 ad campaign, featuring models Constance Jablonski & Eniko Mihalik as shot by Mario Sorrenti.
It's a more luxurious feel then their last F/W 08 campaign, then featuring model Bianca Balti, and which I still like better, but this is quite good as well.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
NEW FACES AT EMPIRE
SHARDA, ERIKA, MEGAN AND SASHA - BRAND NEW FACES JOINING THE EMPIRE FAMILY FOR THE SUMMER
Tuesday...
Hooray for short weeks!
Just a quick announcement, but Matt and I are giving ourselves a mini-vacation this weekend. We are leaving Thursday evening and will be back Sunday. Pieces purchased on Thursday/Friday that are not made to order will ship Monday.
Random photos...
We've been working on the yard quite a bit over the past few weekends. Here's a bit of our new lawn and some shade plants including hostas and viburnum. You can't see the hydrangea in this photo, but it's pretty big and blooming already.
Our new sidewalk full sun garden. We wanted it to look a bit natural and wild, while providing color. There are a few zucchini and tomato plants here as well. Low maintenance was our goal.
The alley garden I planted with a wild flower mix that is suppose to be good for butterflies and requires minimal watering. There were already some daylilies planted by the previous owner. Lots of lovely poppies. This side of the house gets tons of weeds for some reason. I see some in this photo and it drives me nuts.
We also planted bell peppers in the sidewalk garden. Did I ever mention that our sidewalk garden is big? We haven't planted it all quite yet.
I planted a bunch of pots again this year, and this woodland-esque one is my favorite.
The loyal dog (holding a down position until "released"). We've put Indy on a new training program. Have you seen those Perfect Dog infomercials? Well, we decided to get it for Indy because the one problem we have with her is that she wasn't coming when called in some situations. Well, after watching the DVD series (per the recommendation of a vet assistant who said it was really effective), we realized we had to totally re-program Indy because the traditional method of training with treats was all wrong (according to the DVDs). It really works! I can go on and on, but just wanted to mention because until the training is finished, she has to wear the special collar and leash that you can see in this photo.
Happy Tuesday!
Just a quick announcement, but Matt and I are giving ourselves a mini-vacation this weekend. We are leaving Thursday evening and will be back Sunday. Pieces purchased on Thursday/Friday that are not made to order will ship Monday.
Random photos...
We've been working on the yard quite a bit over the past few weekends. Here's a bit of our new lawn and some shade plants including hostas and viburnum. You can't see the hydrangea in this photo, but it's pretty big and blooming already.
Our new sidewalk full sun garden. We wanted it to look a bit natural and wild, while providing color. There are a few zucchini and tomato plants here as well. Low maintenance was our goal.
The alley garden I planted with a wild flower mix that is suppose to be good for butterflies and requires minimal watering. There were already some daylilies planted by the previous owner. Lots of lovely poppies. This side of the house gets tons of weeds for some reason. I see some in this photo and it drives me nuts.
We also planted bell peppers in the sidewalk garden. Did I ever mention that our sidewalk garden is big? We haven't planted it all quite yet.
I planted a bunch of pots again this year, and this woodland-esque one is my favorite.
The loyal dog (holding a down position until "released"). We've put Indy on a new training program. Have you seen those Perfect Dog infomercials? Well, we decided to get it for Indy because the one problem we have with her is that she wasn't coming when called in some situations. Well, after watching the DVD series (per the recommendation of a vet assistant who said it was really effective), we realized we had to totally re-program Indy because the traditional method of training with treats was all wrong (according to the DVDs). It really works! I can go on and on, but just wanted to mention because until the training is finished, she has to wear the special collar and leash that you can see in this photo.
Happy Tuesday!
Monday, June 29, 2009
TWD's Party Cake...Confetti for Everyone!!!
The wonderful baking members of Tuesday with Dorie Baking Group delved into the Perfect Party Cake recipe chosen by Carol of mix, mix... stir, stir. The cake is a light, tight crumbed cake with a brilliant white coloring. The flavor is superb, with a lemony background flavor to be coupled with so many different flavor combinations.
Overwhelmed with the choices, along with the slight altercation with limited time to bake, fill, and frost; my choices became greatly reduced. I was going to fill the top of the cake with pretty frosting daisies. A beautiful tribute to summer time and lemons. I could not because I did not start the cake until after work last night. The frosting had me wiggling by eyebrows in a knitted sort of way.
Recipes of buttercream frosting have drifted in through my kitchen mixer and never to be made twice. I am not a buttercream frosting fan. A hot-meringue buttercream intrigued my curiosity. Heating egg whites and sugar in a double-boiler, the whites get whipped for 3 minutes. I thought my arm may fall off after the first 45 seconds. I was trying not to watch the timer count down so I switched arms. The bowl almost flew off the pot of simmering water. Okay, coordination does not run in my left arm. This was like being at the gym, telling myself that 15 seconds more is really not going to kill me. Great! I have an out -of-shape arm. Timer goes off and I get to take a break. Where's my water bottle?Next, the mixer gets to do the rest of the work. Love the mixer! 3 sticks of butter dropping one at a time into a mixer brings in large quantities of guilt. Do I get to nibble on a small slice or be
completely rebellious and eat a full-sized slice?I had to finish making the frosting to decide just what I was going to do. Blueberries and raspberries. I had a jar of wild blueberry preserves dying to be opened and the beautiful blue color would stand out from the white of the perfect party cake. I was stingy with using buttercream as a filler on top of the wild blueberry jam, consequently, I had plenty to frost the rest of the cake with. Smooth frosting on the sides and spoon swirls on top, using dabs of extra wild blueberry jam to give a slight blue hue to the top of the cake only. Fresh blueberries were in order along with bright red raspberries to give the right summer coloring. The cake is a quick, evening masterpiece and now I think I will take it to work to share so that I stay away from over nibbling.
I love the texture, flavor, and color of the cake. This recipe has won my heart and taste buds over as a permanent go to cake recipe. For those of us that constantly try new recipes, this is a huge compliment! The frosting was yummy but I still have problems with buttercream frosting. Some of the problem stems from knowing what ingredients went into the recipe and the other is texture. The frosting is just to slippery and buttery feeling in my mouth. Great go to recipe Dorie...Thank you for sharing with the rest of us! To see the other TWD baker creations using the Perfect Party Cake, go here.
For me, I already am a faithful parchment paper user from way back for the bottom of a cake pan.
King Arthur Flour had a cake flour that I wanted to try and so I did for this recipe.
The sugar smelled delicious while rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar. Pretty little yellow flakes could be seen throughout.
I had plenty of batter for two 9" baking pans. I refuse to show the bowl that held the batter because there were a few finger markings where I may or may not have licked the leftover batter clean.
The cake had a perfect golden brown coloring when done baking.
Very easy to slice and add fillings. Overall, great recipe...LOVED IT!
One of the most beautiful weddings...
I loved looking through all the photos of Ginny and Ed's wedding. Gorgeous. I spotted them first on 100 layer cake blog and then on Once Wed. All the colors, flapper vintage style, straw hats, location... PERFECT.
I love these dresses!
Old world charm.
That bride is beautiful... so much sophistication! Makes me want to plan a garden party with the hubby so I can have an excuse to buy a flapper dress and straw hats... I wish I'd thought of it for our wedding!
Photo credits: Josh Goleman
I love these dresses!
Old world charm.
That bride is beautiful... so much sophistication! Makes me want to plan a garden party with the hubby so I can have an excuse to buy a flapper dress and straw hats... I wish I'd thought of it for our wedding!
Photo credits: Josh Goleman
6/29/2009
Hot and new at modelwerk: dewi driegen
Crazy, crazy... looks like the dutch are seriously coming and they intend on staying.. not that we mind of course since we are proud to announce that dewi driegen is from today on represented by modelwerk!
since dewi got scouted by the age of 13y. she certainly has started young to accumulate all those highly prestigious jobs every model is aiming for. she has shot the chloé campaign and was part of the gucci campaign we all remember so well since the models each had a little child as accessory.
dewi has shot for french and spanish vogue, harpers bazaar and has done every international show there is.
to top all this off.... dewi is based in europe!!
source runway pics: www.style.com
since dewi got scouted by the age of 13y. she certainly has started young to accumulate all those highly prestigious jobs every model is aiming for. she has shot the chloé campaign and was part of the gucci campaign we all remember so well since the models each had a little child as accessory.
dewi has shot for french and spanish vogue, harpers bazaar and has done every international show there is.
to top all this off.... dewi is based in europe!!
source runway pics: www.style.com
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sweet Melissa Sundays - Double Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Double Dark Chocolate cookies sound intense, beyond the expected flavors of a basic cookie recipe. Sweet Melissa Baking Book has given a new meaning to whipping up a quick batch of cookies. Dried tart cherries, cocoa, and chips combine to create an explosion of fun flavor. Cherries and chocolate together in a cookie did not fit into my thought process. I love chocolate covered cherries but in a cookie? 
My stash of horded ingredients included a small packet of dried tart cherries, double dark cocoa from King Arthur flour, and Callebaut white chocolate chunks. Too much dark chocolate and I would be left with all the cookies to eat. Since I am trying to behave myself lately, modifying the recipe slightly by altering the dark chocolate to white chocolate was in order.
Those available to nibble loved the cookie and the rest will go to work with me tomorrow and shared. There is nothing worse then a stale cookie in the house along with the guilt that goes with the stale cookie. Freezing leftovers is such an easy concept and I finally have myself trained to label and date bags before filling.
Thank you goes to Megan of My Baking Adventure for choosing this week's recipe. The hardest part to this short recipe was the chilling time. About 3 hours total before the baking process could begin. To see the rest of the baker's cookies, go here. You can go to Megan's website for the recipe by clicking on this My Baking Adventure link.
P.S. ~ When I took the cookie dough logs out of the refrigerator to cut and bake, I was shocked at just how dark the cookie dough was. My cocoa from King Arthur Flour had something to do with the color too. The cocoa has intense flavor and dark color.
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