tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41698666086050977862024-02-08T03:50:09.449-08:00Craving SugarAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-51649837426695063162014-07-13T12:27:00.001-07:002014-07-13T12:27:31.715-07:00InfluensterYou know how you can stay on Facebook all day long because you see something in your feed that someone else has liked and you click on that to see what it's about and then you end up sucked in? Yeah, that happens to me a lot. Most recently I saw something that my sister had liked and wondered what the hell <a href="http://www.influenster.com/">Influenster</a> was...so I clicked it...and got sucked in when I saw people getting boxes of stuff for free.<br />
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In a nutshell, Influenster uses its legions of members to test out new products for free and those members, the Influensters, review the products on social media. The products are themed and are sent out in boxes called "VoxBoxes." In order to qualify for the boxes you select your expert badges and complete reviews, and surveys. And if you happen to qualify for an upcoming program, WOO HOO! Just sit back and wait for the goodies to come to you.<br />
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Somehow I got lucky and joined just in time to participate in one of Influenster's largest VoxBox promotions. 15,000 Surf's Up Vox Boxes went out. Yes, 15,000!! And I got an email saying that I qualified for a box a week or two after joining. Talk about lucky! After waiting for weeks to get my box (boxes are shipped out parcel post which means it takes the really, really, really slooowww route to Hawaii,) it finally arrived full of goodies that were supposed to make my summer better.<br />
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I'll review my first ever Vox Box in a bit. I'm in the middle of making some breakfast pockets to stock the freezer since I'm starting a new job next week and am trying to plan ahead. In the meantime, check out Influenster for yourself and sign up. Free is normally always good. :)<br /><img align="left" src="http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af64/trendygirldesigns/CravingSugar-sig.png" style="border: 0px;" />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-39845984421871496522014-07-04T19:27:00.002-07:002014-07-04T19:27:52.010-07:00Mango season<br />
I grew up in a plantation camp. It was literally a lot of houses next to the highway, surrounded on every other side by sugar cane fields. The roads were red dirt and so full of holes that you had to drive so slow that walking would get you there faster. I think the road that I grew up on was row 11, and it was all the way on the end with the big tamarind tree. <br />
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Growing up in a plantation camp isn't that awesome. Friends hated going down there if they didn't live there themselves. But there was one awesome thing - there were mango and lychee trees everywhere. As kids we used to pick mango where ever we saw it and you could eat it so many ways! If it was green you'd cut it up and soak it in some apple cider vinegar/shoyu. My lord, we used to drink that when the mango was gone. Hello sodium high! If you knew how, and if you had the patience, you could also pickle it. If it was half-ripe we'd sprinkle salt and pepper over it. And if it were ripe (and not a #9) we would cut that sucker up and go to town! But don't forget to wash your mouth after or it would be soooo itchy!<br />
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I never paid for mango until I moved to another island. Here, people call the police if they see you taking mango off of their trees. Since I'd rather not go to jail over a mango and because it's ridiculously expensive I've done without mango for a lot of years. But I've always been insanely jealous of the mango I see just sitting high up in trees just waiting for a homemade mango picker to come along. Until this mango season, that is.<br />
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See, we moved a year ago and our back neighbor has a mango tree in the corner of their lot that hangs into our next door neighbor's lot. Does that even make sense? Regardless. There is now free mango to be had! $3/mango (farmer's market price!) be damned! The drawback is that when the neighbor picks mango, they only pick the ripe ones and I"m the only one in the house that eats ripe mango! Well, my monkey would but he was a little sensitive to mango when we first gave it to him so I'm still leery about giving him any.<br />
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After years of doing without, I now have mango coming out of my ears but here are a couple of recipes that are helping me use up what keeps appearing on my kitchen counter.<br />
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<b>Magic mango bread:</b> http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Magic-Mango-Bread<br />
This is better the second day (but still good on day 1!) but go ahead and skip the step about letting it sit for 20 minutes. I forgot to do that the last time and it still came out yummy. And skip the coconut. People can be so weird about it.<br />
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<b>Mango cookies:</b> http://www.makeandtakes.com/mango-chocolate-chip-cookies<br />
I've still in the process of baking these and it's my first time. Maybe it's better the second day as well. Right now it's just okay. I used dark chocolate chips and tossed in some mac nuts but I'm still on the fence. <br />
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I still have mango so I may try the DIY mango fruit roll-up that's on Pinterest as well. And when all else fails, keep a couple of mango in the fridge so you can always have a nicely chilled treat.<br />
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Until then, have some bread...or a cookie.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-3118740972296254262014-07-02T13:43:00.000-07:002014-07-02T13:43:33.509-07:00Where has the time gone?Oh geez. A really big, big GEEZ.<br />
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Where has the time gone? It's been a very, very, very long time since I'm even thought about this blog. So much has changed in my life since my last post. I'm now the mommy of an opinionated, mostly independent 30 month old. Not a toddler since he only goes at warp speed (and hasn't toddled in forever!) but not yet a preschooler although I know that is coming up quickly. <br />
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I don't bake much anymore so I don't even know what direction this poor neglected little blog will go in next. Maybe it will become a hodge podge of randomness. Something to help me keep what's left of my sanity after the crazy couple of years I've had. After all, since my days consist of "Don't jump off of that table!" and "No, golf clubs don't belong in the house," am I still considered sane?<br />
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Regardless of all of these changes - births, deaths, moves, jobs - one thing has never changed. I still crave sugar.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-79737395912850812942011-10-23T19:46:00.000-07:002011-10-23T20:41:33.731-07:00Makeover time!<p>Sooooo, notice anything different around here? Yes, I did get a new hair-do and I lost some weight. Thank you so much for noticing! Unfortunately, it's just my header and blog that were the lucky recipients of a makeover courtesy of Jennifer at <a href="http://trendygirldesigns.com/">TrendyGirlDesigns</a>. The real me is not feeling half as cute as my little chicky up there what with my rapidly expanding bump that is currently home to EB. In case you were wondering we are now heading down the homestretch and have entered the 3rd trimester. I've started another blog for my ramblings on that <a href="http://honolulumommy.blogspot.com/">here</a>.</p><p>I am so, so excited for this new look, you have no idea. I have wanted a new look for so long and tried to DIY it but there is just no way. I ended up messing it up even more. But thanks to a busy summer I bit the bullet and hired someone and I am so glad that I did! I want to blog more and more. *Sigh* Just wish I had the energy to do more projects. It's sad really. I have these great ideas in my head (well to me they're great anyway) and I turn the oven on but by the time the oven is ready to go...so am I...to my bed for a nap. LOL </p><p>There are a couple of projects coming up though and I'm excited for those. I have baby shower favors to do (for my own shower, YAY! Okay, so not exactly proper etiquette but so? I've had specific containers sitting in a box since May and this is exactly what I bought them for. I'll claim pregnancy hormones if I have too!) I also have some wedding favors to do which will be time consuming since the bride wants them hand painted. Did I mention those are due a month before EB? Yes, I'm a little crazy. Where I'm going to find the energy I just don't know but I couldn't pass it up. </p><p>Enjoy the new look! I'll be filling in some of the missing items later. Right now I have to tend to the cappuccino cheesecake I made earlier today. I hear it calling from some ganache and caramel drizzle....<br /></p><p><img style="border:0;" src="http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af64/trendygirldesigns/CravingSugar-sig.png" align="left" /></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-72631788830790776102011-09-24T10:16:00.000-07:002011-09-24T11:16:42.046-07:001st birthday luau!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110811_183519-1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 402px; height: 347px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110811_183519-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />In Hawai`i we celebrate first birthdays like no one else. These tend to be huge affairs rivaling one's wedding with tons of food, entertainment for the kids, musicians for the adults, etc. Crazy, crazy. Let me tell you, I'm already worried about planning my little one's 1st birthday and I've still got about 3 1/2 months left before we even meet the little guy! Lucky for me, this has been a summer of toned down mainland 1st birthday parties so cookie orders were placed for 50 and below (with the exception of the order I'm working on now.)<br /><br />The<a href="http://craving-sugar.blogspot.com/2011/09/ladybugs.html"> ladybugs</a> were done at the same as some really cute Hawai`i themed cookies for a former Hawai`i local now living in Vegas (or what we locals call the "9th Island.") You may remember the <a href="http://craving-sugar.blogspot.com/2011/04/welcome-baby.html">baby block</a> cookies that were done earlier this year, well these Hawai`i cookies were done for the hostess of that baby shower. Yay for me that she trusts me and after she said "slippers and coconut trees" she let me run with it. Now you know that I don't like the make cookies the same unless I have too. Like coconut trees. What can you really do to a coconut tree to make them different from one another? The answer? Not much so all of my trees were identical but to dress them up a bit I added an outline and sprinkled some sanding sugar on it.<br /><br />The slippers were a bit more fun. I wanted to have a pair of slippers and didn't have time to order one (okay, I'm lying. I didn't order it because the one I wanted was copper and I couldn't justify the price. LOL) so once again I hand-cut the cookies and made each cookie a little different from one another.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110811_183203.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 398px; height: 472px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110811_183203.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Yes, people wear camo slippers. I actually have a pair from Michael Kors, believe it or not!<br /></span></div><br />I also busted out that faithful #1 cookie cutter again (which will be getting another workout in a week) and had some fun with them.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110811_182958.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 402px; height: 299px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110811_182958.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">My favorite of these has to be the honu (turtles) swimming.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">Now that these cookies have been eaten I can share a secret. These cookies went out on the same day and when I packed them up I neglected to notate what order was what and the boxes were all the same. I was really, really worried that I was going to get a phone call/text/email/FB message asking me what the heck happened! Thank goodness the right cookies made it to right party!! I've learned my lesson, I swear! The next time multiple orders go out, I'll mark the boxes, I promise! <br /></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-30077303811268092642011-09-15T19:46:00.000-07:002011-09-15T20:20:38.996-07:00Ladybugs!In addition to Diego and monkeys, I also made ladybugs and Hawaiian themed cookies this summer for 1st birthday parties. First up were the ladybugs for the little lady in Arkansas. Such an adorable little girl! I'm branching out into making tags for cookies as well and it packs so much better than tying them with ribbon! For our little Southern cutie I did some giant ladybugs, okay, well not completely giant. They were 4" x 3.75" and gave them a little heart shaped mouth.<br /><br />*Side note: In February I bought these teeny tiny mini heart sprinkles from Williams Sonoma. They are seriously the best decoration I could have bought. EVER. Remind me to post pictures of all of the cookies these sprinkles have been used for and I have barely made a dent in the bottle! I am not kidding. You can find these online everywhere. Pick some up. And angled tweezers to place the hears exactly where you want them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110802_203323.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 533px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110802_203323.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> Here are the ladies, all bagged, tagged, beribboned and ready to steal the show! At least until the birthday girl comes along! Just for fun, I added some 1 cookies decorated to match. Fun, right?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110806_181324.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 396px; height: 295px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110806_181324.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Hawaiian themed cookies are up next!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-51818192006027866422011-08-27T20:36:00.000-07:002011-08-27T21:29:45.192-07:00Camden's Circus Cake<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110826_215023.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 404px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110826_215023.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Today I completed what will be my last cake for a while. It tired me out more than I expected - heck, you try rolling out enough fondant to cover a cake in between bouts of nausea! But apart from a few air bubbles, the cake actually didn't give me a lot of trouble.
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<br />The cake was a circus theme and apart from flavors, I was given free reign so I decided to make the cake a show ring and featured 3 acts - a Dumbo-type elephant, a tiger and seal. Honestly, I loved the little elephant and I so <span style="font-style: italic;">did not</span> want to put him on the cake. I mean, look at him! He is obviously too young to be in the circus because he can't even do his act yet, the poor little guy! He's probably just nervous and he'll be better next time. The tiger and the seal were able to do their acts just fine - they're pros, you know.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110826_192338-1-1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 181px; height: 193px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110826_192338-1-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />For the cake itself I went with bright primary colors. Originally I thought about doing swags of red fondant but having never actually done swags I thought it might be a tad too ambitious and we definitely didn't want it to fall off of the cake so I went with crescent moons, green stars and some sugar animal lay-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ons</span>.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110826_192338.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 349px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110826_192338.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />You see that big space in the front there? It's still missing a little something. What's a circus without some snacks?? I took a cupcake and piled on some white chocolate <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ganache</span> and then added some popcorn that I had made out of fondant and then brushed with colored powder. I also made a cupcake wrapper and a popcorn sticker...you know, just in case no one could figure it out.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110827_074309.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 364px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110827_074309.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />After everything was put together I think it came out pretty cute. Of course I would have loved to do so much more like a smaller tier for a ring master and maybe some peanuts but I ran out of time and energy. Oh well, maybe I can give it another try later. Or not.
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<br />Well, it's time for the circus to head on out of town. They have to get ready for the next gig.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110827_073942.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 321px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110827_073942.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-38871884164905453512011-08-20T10:00:00.000-07:002011-08-20T13:04:54.933-07:00Birthday cookies, oh my!This summer has been a time of birthday party favors for sure! It started when my sister-in-law asked me to cookies for her 3 children's birthdays. No, she doesn't have triplets, she just decided to ask for all 3 at once. And I thought I liked to plan ahead!
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<br />First up was Diego for my nephew. For those of you who don't know who Diego is (like me, I had to google him,) Diego is the cousin of Dora the Explorer (now her I've heard of!) and he take adventures with his baby jaguar which confuses me because I swear jaguars were endangered so shouldn't Nick pick another animal?? What kind of message are they sending here?
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<br />Anyway! Here I am thinking this will be easy, he's a popular cartoon character so there's bound to be a cookie cutter somewhere, right? Nope! Then I realize I will have to hand cut this guy. Have you seen Diego? His hair is in points around his head like so:
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.euclidlibrary.org/Libraries/Kids/Diego.sflb.ashx"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 339px;" src="http://www.euclidlibrary.org/Libraries/Kids/Diego.sflb.ashx" alt="" border="0" /></a>The cookie could have been made round and then I could have have put Diego onto that but you all know how I feel about the easy way. Besides, then I would have had to use the projector and I just didn't want to do that. So the Craving Sugar solution? Hand-cut them, of course! So here's the finished product, all hand-cut and decorated free-hand, no KopyKake used at all. I'm so proud!
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110628_175956.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 398px; height: 296px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110628_175956.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />Diego was followed by monkeys for my niece and let me tell you, these cookies were HUGE! As in <a href="http://craving-sugar.blogspot.com/2011/05/wowza-busy-month.html">monster truck</a> huge! I really wanted a cute monkey cutter, and just the face because I think if you have an entire monkey, it's just not as cute. After searching, I finally found a copper cutter that I liked at <a href="http://www.coppergifts.com/cookie-cutters/pc/Monkey-Head-Cookie-Cutter-p2237.htm">Copper Gifts</a>.I like Copper Gifts - your order comes with a packet sprinkles that I ended up using on some slipper cookies (to be posted later.) =o)
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<br />In all honestly, I did <span style="font-weight: bold;">not</span> expect the cookie to be so huge. Yes, I looked at the dimensions before I ordered but it didn't compute in my pregnant brain so it was a shocker! But, the girly monkeys did turn out pretty cute and they all have their own little personality. I think the birthday girl liked them too. (Sorry, picture of the birthday girl not included.)
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/IMG_20110717_203054.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 402px; height: 381px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/IMG_20110717_203054.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />The next cookie isn't due until November so there's some time to figure that one out. It's Strawberry Shortcake and wouldn't you know it, there's no cutter for that either. And to top it off, there's a made-over Strawberry Shortcake! This will be interesting!
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blogs.starbulletin.com/fashiontribe/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/strawberry.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 301px; height: 399px;" src="http://blogs.starbulletin.com/fashiontribe/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/strawberry.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Do I go with the version I grew up seeing? Or the newer, I don't quite recognize her, apart from her hat version?
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<br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;">There are still a few more summer birthday cookies on the way! More later!</span>
<br /></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-17809498730340078152011-08-18T19:40:00.000-07:002011-08-18T19:54:15.862-07:00A cookie for me!I have been so quiet lately! It's not that I don't have a lot going on because I do, but it's more the <span style="font-style:italic;">what</span> that has been going on that has kept me quiet the past few months. There's a cookie that I have been waiting to make for a while now and earlier this summer I had the chance to do so. Without further ado, I am pleased to present the cookie that I made for myself! Well, for myself but to be given to other people.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/IMG_20110629_194615-1-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 246px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/IMG_20110629_194615-1-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br />Now I'm not sure how much cookie time I will actually have after baby arrives but I'm still going to try to find the time AND cram as much in as I possibly can now! I will be giving up caking for a while, though. I have one cake that's due next weekend and then I'm wrapping up the fondant. Although now that I think about it, it would be easier to give up the cookies rather than the cake since cookies (a) take up more space and (b) are a lot more time consuming. Hmm, I think pregnancy brain has gotten to me. Better not over-think.
<br />You know, I think I'll eat some B&J's Chunky Monkey and not worry about anything else right now. Back with more updates later!
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-4228286144693546452011-05-21T20:00:00.000-07:002011-05-21T21:17:02.745-07:00Wowza, busy month!This month has been crazy. Really crazy for me! I have been baking and baking since the middle of April and I am happy to have a break! I love baking, really and truly, I do but the dishwasher was being a little vocal about the amount of squeeze bottles and tips on the counter not to mention the lack of space in the apartment.<br /><br />Here's a quick round-up of May (minus a picture of a birthday cake and the Cinco de Scotty cookies that already had its own post:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110422_205949.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 261px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110422_205949.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I was a little skeptical when I found a cookie cutter for the state of Hawai`i but I have to say, it works! I just need to work on my spacing and we'll be representing the 808!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110502_210640.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 299px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110502_210640.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cookies for my first corporate customer! The design represents the Core Values of an international company based here in Honolulu.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110510_210540.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 537px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110510_210540.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>VROOM!! The monster trucks are rolling in!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110510_174210.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 534px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110510_174210.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>These bad boys were made for a special little boy who turned 2! I think this must have been an awesome party with some HUGE (think 5"!) cookie favors! Happy birthday Mr. Nolie!!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110511_170709.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 537px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110511_170709.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Relay for Life cookies for Nolie's mama! She's an awesome woman with a huge heart for others - there really should be more people like her!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110510_214539.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 534px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110510_214539.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110515_134344.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 299px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110515_134344.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110517_191234.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 402px; height: 300px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110517_191234.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Peace cookies for a 5th grade graduation. Most of her classmates got a peace cookie brushed with some luster dust for hippie sparkle, her close friends received a cat cookie with a peace color. Interesting fact - so far, every time I have tried to type "peace" whether here or when emailing back and forth about this cookie, I have typed "peach." Maybe I should buy some peaches....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110517_191140.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 298px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110517_191140.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Well, that's May so far. What's next?<br /></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-80078976164683590102011-04-27T20:11:00.000-07:002011-04-27T23:03:14.019-07:00Cinco de Scotty!Happy Cinco de Scotty! AKA: Cinco de Mayo and Cinco de Boy's Day, in my head anyway.<br /><br />This weekend a friend of mine is hosting her annual Cinco de Mayo (known as CDS within our group of gals) party and since I can't be there in person, I decided to combine a shipping test with some surprise cookies. I had a small window of opportunity since her party is clear across the country but I was able to jam this out in 24 hours and delivered them to the post office quickly. I'm happy to say that only 2 cookies broke in their journey across the Pacific and the continental US. Of course, 0 is always better but 2 is good.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110422_210035.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 535px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110422_210035.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Horses masquerading as pinatas. Don't knock it, I worked with what I had. You know, pinata cookies are fun to make. You can make that horse any color combo you want, the brighter, the better! Who cares if it looks like the Crayola box exploded?<br /><br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110422_205259.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110422_205259.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Beware the mustached hombre...<br /></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110422_203051.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 536px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110422_203051.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Have a great party guys! Wish I could be there!</span><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-27347945449079625352011-04-24T23:39:00.000-07:002011-04-25T00:41:11.029-07:00Easter Round UpWhew! Easter is over, thank goodness. Did the Easter Bunny visit you? I know he was at my friend's home this afternoon. I didn't have my phone on me so I couldn't take a picture but there was an actual photographer there (my husband and I had to take photos with good old EB,) so I may be able to provide some evidence of his existence. In case you are wondering, he wears a purple vest that has eggs embroidered on it.<br /><br />I have been so busy this past month that it really isn't funny, and I'm not ready for a break yet. I still have 2, possibly 3 projects to complete before mid-May and then I should finally be able to rest my poor Breville for a while. My poor stand mixer (the 2nd mixer in 3 years thanks to my Kitchen Aid Pro Series breaking on me!) has been busy churning out cookie dough, cake batter, frostings, fillings and icing! But, once everything was baked and frosted we had an Easter that made the kids, both young and old, happy.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110421_065054.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 534px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110421_065054.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Cookie pop pot - one of the easiest projects of the week! Bake cookies on a stick, decorate. Buy a pot kit, cover with scrapbook paper. Insert cookies, done!<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110424_082522.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 536px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110424_082522.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">This Easter Bunny got a little too excited about the candy and fell head first into the barrel!<br /></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/SAM_0137.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/SAM_0137.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110424_083552.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 534px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110424_083552.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Bunny ear cookies - these are missing the photo of the finished project. They were bunny cupcakes <span style="font-style: italic;">a la </span>Sugarbelle<span style="font-style: italic;">.</span> Very cute. May have to ask the photographer for that picture.<br /><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110423_200831.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 398px; height: 534px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110423_200831.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Decorated chocolate dipped Oreos.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/SAM_0123.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 403px; height: 310px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/SAM_0123.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">My second foray into disco dust. Still a little unsure about this element.<br /></span></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/SAM_0135.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 300px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/SAM_0135.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The Peep family! I don't know about you but mainstream Peeps are not my favorite. Last year I made my own out of homemade marshmallow, this year the cookie version, next year...still unsure.<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110418_171504.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 299px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/IMG_20110418_171504.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/SAM_0109.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 477px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/SAM_0109.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Let's just ignore these bunnies. They're a little upset right now. I think someone stole their eggs and I'm pretty it's the dude in the candy barrel.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/SAM_0131.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar2/SAM_0131.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>"Please don't decorate me! I'm ready to come out now!"<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;">That's it for now. I'm exhausted and headed to bed. Thank goodness my hubby took pity on me and washed the dishes. Tomorrow we embark on the next project. Wish me luck!</span><br /></div><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-36032567165106846462011-04-17T16:09:00.000-07:002011-04-17T16:15:42.811-07:00Welcome baby!Agh!!! I can FINALLY write about this!!! I have been barely holding myself back from blogging about this for weeks. Weeks I said! Today is my friend Andi's baby shower and while I would love to be there, small problem. It's in Vegas. I'm in Honolulu. So since I couldn't be there, I sent cookies. The only problem was that I didn't want her to know what I was doing. Now, I love surprises...when I'm the one doing them. Unless you plan on showing up with a cashier's check for a gazillion dollars, please don't surprise me. I had to avoid her for a few weeks lest I slip and either hint as to what I was doing or just come right out and say it.<br /><br />You may ask yourself how I managed to do this and the answer is easy. I managed to use my cyberskills *insert eye roll here* to contact the person hosting the shower (thank goodness for Facebook!) and asked about sending cookies for the party. I think it helped that Andi asked me to do bring some cookies to Vegas last summer to celebrate the hostess' baby. Once we agreed that I would be able to participate, in my typical fashion, I'm steamrolled my way into a design and didn't ask for any one's opinion.<br /><br />I had seen the cutest baby cookies on Amanda's blog at <a href="http://iammommy.typepad.com/i_am_baker/2011/01/peeking-baby-cookies-contest.html">I Am Baker</a> and I had been waiting for an occasion to make them. Since Andi doesn't know what she is having, I thought this was the perfect opportunity. The invite was polka dots and the decor was blocks so I decided to combine all 3. I didn't have a block cookie cutter but since it was less than 3 dozen cookies and went ahead and hand-cut them. It's a little crazy but if you think about, the cookie was straight lines so it was easy to do.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/SAM_0083.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 297px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/SAM_0083.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I'm so glad I took a picture of the cookie with straight lines!<br /></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/SAM_0085.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/SAM_0085.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Once baked I added lines to notate the sides of the block and flooded the cookie. Once that was dry, it was really time to have fun. I didn't do any a lot of wet-on-wet with these cookies but I did incorporate lay-ons, my poor un-used food color pens, and disco dust. Somehow my orange dust seemed larger than the blue and green so I didn't care for that much. I am making some dragonflies this weekend though so the blue and green dusts are getting another workout.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/SAM_0087.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 299px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/SAM_0087.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Half of the babies were girls so I used teeny tiny hearts to make bows. I used a pair of white hearts for one cookie...it turned out too much like Pebbles from the Flintstones for me.<br /></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/SAM_0088.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 270px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/SAM_0088.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Now, I dislike tying ribbon on bags but since I wanted to send these 100% complete, I found polka dot ribbon started to cut them, and wouldn't you know it, I didn't have enough ribbon! These guys had to go out the following day in order to make it to Vegas in time but I REALLY didn't want to go back out. I ended up kicking my husband off of the computer (it's okay, he was only playing Bejeweled) and trying to figure out how to make a cute tag that would tie in.<br /><br />Now, here's where those cyber-stalker skills came in handy again. Andi had painted a mural onto her nursery wall and posted a pic of it. I copied the pic, pasted into Word and added a text box. Tags complete! Look at me - I can work in IT. Not. I'm happy to say that each cookie arrived safely thanks to self-sticking bubble wrap. The next time I ship cookies I am definitely using that again!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/SAM_0090.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 281px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/SAM_0090.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Yes, that's one of those school paper cutters. Doesn't every home have one?</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/SAM_0097.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/SAM_0097.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Congratulations Andi & Doug! I hope you had a fantastic shower! And if you happen to see this on FB before you find out the cookies are from me, you never saw this!<br /><br />Amanda from I Am Baker, thanks for sharing your great idea!<br /></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-88855995537498129522011-03-25T23:51:00.000-07:002011-03-26T00:47:24.811-07:00Cookies and a good-bye<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110317_084456.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 414px; height: 298px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110317_084456.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Last week was a sad week. We laid to rest a man who, is his 92 years on this earth experienced things that many of us have only read about. A man without whom I would need not be married to a man that I love deeply and who infuriates me every day [=o) ] We laid Grandpa C. to rest one week ago yesterday and while it was sad to see him go, we rejoiced knowing that he made it to 92. Quite a feat! (He passed the day after his birthday.) And before he left, he managed to see most of his family and have good moments when he knew who everyone was.<br /><br />Grandpa C. was a sailor who was stationed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. I can't even imagine what that must have been like for him. The things that he must have seen and experienced could be Lifetime movie material. An avid golfer, even at 91 he worked part-time at a golf course so that he could golf for free and he instilled that love of golf into his sons who, in turn, instilled it into their sons. My hubby is of course, the best golfer of the bunch.<br /><br />For Grandpa's service, my sister-in-law asked me to make some cookies to celebrate that love of golf I'll be honest - when I first heard the request I started to think "what the heck?" I had never heard of anyone doing decorated cookies for a funeral. But my husband assured me that it was something that Grandpa would have liked since Grandpa had a sweet tooth.<br /><br />I decided on 3 designs of cookies, all related to golf in an almond sugar cookie frosted with RI. I know the cookies were a hit with the church ladies and the kids but for me, the true test was with my father-in-law. I never saw him eat a cookie but after the services he walked around the guests with the last of the cookies, making sure that everyone saw them and got a cookie. I have to say, that form of appreciation is almost good enough for me.<br /><br />Since golf is such a huge part of my in-laws lives I had to go slow with these cookies. Each step that I made, I was sure to check with the hubby, lest I commit some horrible golf faux pas from which no one would ever recover.<br /><br />First up was the all important golf bag. While most of them have black golf bags, I just couldn't stand that though of having such dark toned cookies at a funeral so I went with blue. Nice and bright - and it would go well with the next cookie. After the flooded cookie had dried, I added some detail including the d-ring, a "zipper" and pockets. Each golf bag had a slightly different set of golf clubs that I piped in stiff RI. Since I would have had to go back and create lines in the club heads (don't ask what the lines are for. The hubby's clubs have them. I looked.) I decided to take the easy way out and just use the stiff icing and voila! Lines!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110316_135634.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 293px; height: 389px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110316_135634.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Cookie number 2 was a golf scene and I truly wish I had taken more pictures of these cookies. While the cookie below just has a lone tree, some cookies had sand traps and water hazards! After this design had been flooded with the blue, I added clouds, then flooded with the green, and added the hole. Once the cookie dried, added the flag and pole for a 3-d effect. I was planning on numbering the holes but those flags were small! Oh well, best intentions and all that.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110316_135558.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 310px; height: 231px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110316_135558.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The final cookie in theory, should have been the easiest. It was a flipping golf ball for crying out loud! But no, it wasn't. I went through trial and error with this one. I cold have used MMF which would have been the easiest way to go and would have held dimples very well. But, I wanted to continue using RI so I blew through half a dozen cookies trying to find the best way. I don't know if my process was the right way, but it got the job done.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110316_135648.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 329px; height: 246px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110316_135648.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />While I still can't believe I did cookies for a funeral, in the end, I'm glad I did them because in my heart, I know that Grandpa would have enjoyed them.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-23165513597911551912011-02-02T20:28:00.000-08:002011-02-02T20:58:53.592-08:00Year of the Rabbit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110130_163929.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 297px; height: 392px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110130_163929.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Tomorrow marks a new year - the year of the rabbit! Rabbit people are calm, conservative, detail-oriented, graceful...things that I am not. They also tend to get along extremely well with others. Again, something I do not do. Thank goodness I was born in the year of the horse. Horse people are impatient, rarely listen to advice, good with their hands, and have contradictions in their character. Yup, that pretty much describes me. As my husband and he will definitely agree.<br /><br />To celebrate the Chinese New Year I decided to try a new medium - wafer paper. The paper is easy to use. Since I don't have a printer to print edible images I went ahead and purchased paper that already had the images printed on them. To use, just cut your paper to the desired size, brush a thin coat of corn syrup onto your frosted (either RI or fondant will work) cookie, and placed the paper onto the cookie. Turn the cookie image down for 30 minutes, then turn over and allow to dry completely for 12 hours. That's it! Once the cookie has dried you can embellish the cookie by adding decorations - maybe more icing, sugar pearls, really, whatever strikes you.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110130_164051.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 281px; height: 373px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110130_164051.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Why yes, that is a little cookie easel!</span><br /></div><br />Once it's complete you have cookies that look like you slaved over them for hours!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110202_184454.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 213px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110202_184454.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Kung Hee Fat Choy! (That's happy new year.)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-49385833720830284182011-01-15T14:41:00.000-08:002011-01-15T22:33:52.647-08:00Fight like a girl!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110115_123205.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 269px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110115_123205.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I was on FB the other day and I noticed a pic of a family member that she had titled it "Fight like a girl" and it was an awesome shot of her with fists raised and a pink hat on, ready to take on breast cancer. It inspired me to make some cookies for her and since I wanted to try out a new icing recipe from <a href="http://www.bakeat350.blogspot.com/">Bake at 350</a>, the timing was perfect.<br /><br />I decided to bring back the <a href="http://craving-sugar.blogspot.com/2010/03/feeling-lucky.html">camo</a> cookies that I had made for my brother's last deployment but make them girly and pink (BTW, I have an awesome pair of pink camo cargos with an embroidered dragon on the back. Love them...except they shrank a lot in the wash and no longer fit. Do you think if I could stretch them back out if I shove myself into them? The washing machine and I need to have a serious conversation as it keeps shrinking my clothes.)<br /><br />Back to cookies, camo, all the way!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110114_144217.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 313px; height: 218px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110114_144217.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>It was my first time using this icing and while I loved the consistency when it was first mixed - it reminded me of marshmallow fluff - I wasn't too fond of it after I thinned it out. Maybe it was just me but I ended up with a lot of bubbles once the cookies had dried as you can see below. Also, even after 24 hours the icing wasn't as stiff as I was used to. When I packed the cookies up the writing on the cookies got smashed and let bits of black frosting all over the cookie. It definitely was not up to my standards but I'm hoping she will like it anyway. It's the thought that counts right?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110115_123251.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 287px; height: 382px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110115_123251.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>See the little ribbon in the corner? Little last minute detail. And sadly, you can see where the bubbles popped in the icing as well...a lot.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110115_123106.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 313px; height: 233px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110115_123106.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Words of encouragement cookies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110115_123319.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 320px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110115_123319.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>This cookie was based off the hat they were wearing in the pic.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110115_143454.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 319px; height: 237px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110115_143454.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>All packaged up and ready to go. Yup, coordinating ribbon too 'cause I'm cool like that.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">My overall verdict on the other icing recipe is that it's a hung jury. I haven't any problems with the recipe that I normally use so maybe if it ain't broke, don't fix it? I just wish I knew what happened. Even after I thinned the icing to flood I let it sit and got rid of the bubbles before transferring it into bottles/bags. I still have some icing left over and some dough in the freezer so maybe I'll give it another shot. Honestly though, I think Antonia's recipe has a hold on me and my squeeze bottles.<br /></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-30531988994934029882011-01-13T14:29:00.000-08:002011-01-13T17:17:01.290-08:00Hello, hello! It's been a while. :o(Oh my gosh, I am SUCH a bag blogger! In my defense - I went on a quick trip, I've had friends in town, I've been sick, then my husband got sick and worst of all, my Kitchen Aid died. YES, it died! Can you believe it?? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">KA's</span> are not supposed to break or die, especially not after only 2 quick years. I must have gotten a defective machine. At least I still have my back-up <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">KA</span> although I have to say that after using the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">KA</span> Pro, my poor back-up machine seems doll sized.<br /><br />Here are some of the projects I have tried out since you saw me last:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20101005_215252-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 308px; height: 308px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20101005_215252-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Simple Halloween cupcake guaranteed to make the recipient smile. (How could you not? Just look at that face!)<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20101024_172441.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 317px; height: 236px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20101024_172441.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">My first attempt at playing with my <a href="http://www.kopykake.com/cd_projector_300xk.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">KopyKake</span></a>. In my typical fashion, I of course had to have something difficult in there. It isn't as clean as I would like, even after using a 0 and a 00 tip but it still turned out fun. If you don't happen to agree just nod your head. I won't be able to hear you and will assume we are on the same page.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20101212_201747-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 345px; height: 258px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20101212_201747-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Bacon Pecan Caramel Corn. '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Nuff</span> said. Yum!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110102_181805.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 353px; height: 263px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110102_181805.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Bacon Caramel - yes, I was definitely on a bacon kick. Bacon goes with everything. Whoever says different needs a piece of this candy, STAT.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110102_174141-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 355px; height: 265px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110102_174141-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Caramel Pillows - marshmallows with caramel dipped in whatever <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">yumminess</span> you have on hand. These are toffee, coconut, and pecan. Now, I'm not a huge fan of coconut but these smelled so good! They also travel well. I sent some of these guys to Colorado and some to the East Coast and they all made it okay. Of course, everyone is snowed in on the mainland so that could have helped them stay fresh too. <br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110102_174305-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 361px; height: 483px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20110102_174305-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />That's what I've been up to the past few months. Hopefully I will have a new mixer that isn't doll-like. I have some fun (I think so anyway,) ideas in my head and I would like to play with them. Also, I'd like to try my hand at cakes again.<br /><br />Here's hoping for a great new year! If not, Chinese New Year is on February 3 so maybe I'll just ask for a do over...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-32174945545051137962010-10-17T14:18:00.000-07:002011-01-03T21:27:21.896-08:00Cupcake Cupcake Toppers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100926_181026.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 185px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100926_181026.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I'd like to introduce you to someone. His name is Teeny. Full name: Teeny Weeny Cupcake. Isn't he adorable with his swirl of buttercream, colorful beads and his little M&M cap? Teeny has a friend whose name is Standard Size Cupcake AKA Stan. See - here they are just chillin'.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100926_181353.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 191px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100926_181353.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The other day these two were hanging out in my kitchen and Teeny was griping about how sick and tired he was about being so small so Stan, being the nice cuppie that he is, said to Teeny "Why don't you hop on up. It will give you a new perspective." You know, kinda like that van commercial where the guy has his daughter move up from the back of the van to the front where her brothers sit and she's all amazed. You know the one I'm talking about. Anyway, Teeny hops up and a whole new cupcake is born!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100926_181510.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 253px; height: 163px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100926_181510.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The nice thing about this new cupcake? Teeny is actually a Reese's miniature peanut butter cup! To make this super simple cupcake with the cupcake topper, just unwrap the mini cup, pipe on a swirl of buttercream or whichever kind of frosting you are using and plop him onto your standard size frosted cupcake and decorate with sprinkles and you are done! (In case you're wondering, I used M&M Mini's on the top of the pb cup.)<br /><br />A word of advice: if you are leaving the papers on the pb cup, just make sure your tasters know. For some reason two of my tasters decided to pop the mini cuppie in their mouths as is. Don't worry, they figured it out when they tried to chew paper. Unless you think they need more fiber in their diet. Completely up to you.<br /><br />Now, I'm off to play with my new toy. Hopefully my cookies turn out the way I want them too. If it does, you know I'll share it!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100926_181740.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 259px; height: 193px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100926_181740.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Oh, and that new perspective? It gave Teeny enough confidence to find himself a girlfriend. She's a sweetheart of a girl - all yellow cake with a sweet strawberry middle. They make a cute couple, don't they?<br /><br />How crazy it this - I let life grab a hold of me (followed of course by the standard issue holiday cold) and I've neglected this poor little blog only to come back and find that the <a href="http://confessionsofacookbookqueen.blogspot.com/">Cookbook Queen</a> herself has somehow seen this post! Find her original Cupcake Cupcake Toppers post <a href="http://confessionsofacookbookqueen.blogspot.com/2010/05/cupcake-cupcake-toppers.html">here! </a><br /><br />As for what I'll do next...well d'uh!<br /><br />**Waves frantically** Hello Cookbook Queen from Hawai'i! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to respond!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-22095439112085995802010-09-06T20:37:00.000-07:002010-10-11T23:12:38.437-07:00Logo Cookies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100906_155057.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 297px; height: 221px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100906_155057.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Have you ever tried to put a logo on a cookie? That's been my project for the past few days and I have tried several different methods to determine which one I like the best and by several, I mean about 3 and there's another one that I'd like to try but it involves a sizable expense so I'm not sure when I'm going to experiment with that. Out of the ones I've tried so far, there is no clear favorite. Isn't that sad? I suppose that means I need to keep going. *Insert eye roll here.*<br /><br />I ended up on this path because of a FB request for cookies with a simple logo on them. I could have free-handed the logo (just a simple letter) but as usual, I took it upon myself to try new tricks out. I ended up creating my own stencil which seemed easy enough - image, stencil sheet, pen and an exacto knife.<br /><br />Here is my cookie version:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100901_192830.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 221px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100901_192830.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Now, because I apparently don't know how to keep things simple, I suggested 2 cookies for this party. One to signify where the guest of honor came from (above) and one for where he was going. For those, I tried the stencil thing again...it didn't quite work. The logo was too small for what I was doing (baseball cookie) and the RI said "Heck no" and smeared when I attempted to use it with the stencil. Going thing I tried it on some parchment first!<br /><br />These baseballs were done free-hand but because of the size of the logo I drew them on first and went back with a teeny tiny tip to pipe over and fill them. I only did 2 dozen of those guys but let me tell you, my shoulders hurt when they were done! After piping all of the logos I went back with the red bag to add the stitches. As far as baseballs go though, they are pretty cute!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100901_192805.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 222px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100901_192805.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100901_192815.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 220px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100901_192815.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Details make the difference, don't you think?</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100901_192532.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 220px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100901_192532.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Waiting to be bagged.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">I ended up with leftover dough...okay, that's a lie. I was still in baking mode so I whipped up another batch, this one with my favorite mystery flavor (sorry, but plain Jane sugar cookie is just not my fave,) and decided to play with another cookie cutter. I had a special cutter custom made last football season and didn't get a chance to play with it so without further ado, here are the cookies made with my very own super special cookie cutter!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100905_150914.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 222px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100905_150914.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I had the UH logo made in 2 sizes - a 2.5" and a 4" and I'm not going to lie, they were pricey (copper cutters!) but I love them. For serious.<br /><br />I was also thinking of some friends who were at the MSU game and since I had green RI ready to go, I decided to try my hand at a Spartan cookie. Here it is, free-hand.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100906_154133.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 220px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100906_154133.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Sure, my "S" is leaning towards being a "5". I believe my RI was too runny but hey, at least my Spartan looks good. Right?<br /><br />My final (for now) experiment with logos was a USC cookie. While I'm not ready to discuss that technique yet I will say that it worked much better this time around than it did the last time I tried. Maybe because I had more patience this time? (Funny, off track story. I bought new sunglasses - in and out of the store in 5 minutes, hah! Sales clerk gets me new glasses, I look at the box and it says "Impatient" on it. I ask why and she tells me that's the name of the design. How perfect is that for me??! My husband got a good laugh out of that and I haven't thrown the box away yet.)<br /><br />Anywho, back to cookies, I need to work on that particular technique again but I'm think I'm close to really getting the hang of it! Thoughts?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100906_154412.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 220px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100906_154412.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>And one more UH pic to say goodbye, just because I can't let the USC pic end this blog post. =o)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100906_155022.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 221px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/IMG_20100906_155022.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-80654865209670909752010-08-28T18:19:00.000-07:002010-08-28T19:52:31.771-07:00Seashells, seashells, by the sea shore<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-08-08182337.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 329px; height: 246px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-08-08182337.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />You got me, that's not how the tongue twister goes. But, I've got something better than a tongue twister. I've got cupcakes! Not just any old cupcakes. I have sea shore cupcakes! These little cuppies were very simple to make. All you need are cupcakes, buttercream, a chocolate mold, and some chocolate wafers.<br /><br />Melt your wafers using your preferred method - microwave, melting pot, or double boiler - and pour the chocolate into your mold. Pop the mold into the freezer for the chocolate to set. For me it took about 20 minutes because I was impatient. Then you pop those suckers out and lay it onto your swirl of frosting.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-08-08181323.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 223px; height: 298px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-08-08181323.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Now, you'll notice my shells aren't monotone. Personally, I'm not a fan of pure white shells. Why, you ask? Have you been to the beach? Did you ever find a snow white shell? In case you're wondering, I really do mean on the beach, and not something found in a store that was probably bleached.I thought not. Most shells aren't pure white. They have some color to them - so why should mine be any different?<br /><br />Regardless of how you like your shells, these cupcakes are a great way to say goodbye to summer and ready yourself for fall...unless of course you live in Hawai'i and it's summer all year round!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-08-08183635.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 332px; height: 249px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-08-08183635.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-71424401469999882382010-08-10T23:43:00.000-07:002010-08-12T00:06:55.891-07:00The danger of reality baking tv<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-08-03184732.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 245px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-08-03184732.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Do you watch reality tv? What about shows such as Cake Boss, Amazing Wedding Cakes, etc? I do. I can spend an entire weekend watching them even if they are repeats. Yes, it's horrifyingly true - I have no life. Watching these shows does 2 things: it teaches me how to cake and it gives me crazy ideas about ingredients that I obsess over.<br /><br />One such show is DC Cupcakes. Granted, I only watched half of an episode but it was enough. The sisters were shopping and tasted hibiscus syrup. Yes, hibiscus! Who knew hibiscus was edible? I grew up around the flower (how could I not, being from Hawai'i?) but I never thought to eat one. Of course I then <span style="font-style: italic;">needed</span> to find some syrup. That's the advantage of working for a grocery store - I went to the office and bothered - *ahem* excuse me asked - the Natural Foods department if they had any. No luck there. So then I asked the Gourmet division, which, incidentally share the same assistant so yes, I bothered her twice. No luck. She did however tell me that I should stop watching food tv because I would always ask her about specialty ingredients which we never seem to have.<br /><br />So what's an obsessive baker to do? Figure out how to make my own syrup of course! I found some dried hibiscus (which was actually very easy to find) and experimented. The dried flowers turned my syrup into a pretty pink color so I went with pink macaron shells with a white chocolate/hibiscus ganache. Unfortunately the pink syrup didn't translate well with the white chocolate so I had to add some color to pink it back up. I also ended up with lilikoi macarons and a...wait for it...this is a long one...a chocolate hazelnut macaron with vanilla bean/fleur de sel caramel filling.<br /><br />I'm thinking macarons are going to be a part of the Christmas gifts this year. Yes, I know it's August but really, it's right around the corner and I've got more flavors in the works. Besides, if you're over on the East Coast, wouldn't some tropical flavor macarons make you feel warm and fuzzy inside while it's freezing and blustery (using my Winnie the Pooh words here,) outside?<br /><br />And now I am off on vacation, heading towards what we Hawai'i folk call "the 9th island," then it's right back here to deal with more egg whites and almond flour. I'm warning you - there may be more macaron posts ahead! <br /><br />Oh and I also have my version of a maple bacon cupcake but more on that later. My flight is tomorrow and I still haven't packed. Oops!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-9703380289409197262010-07-18T00:20:00.000-07:002010-07-18T01:14:37.975-07:00Bridal Shower<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-07-17095446-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 388px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-07-17095446-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I did my first bridal shower cake today! I was pleasantly surprised by how it all turned out since the fondant and the stacking didn't give me a bit of trouble (could this mean that I'm *gasp* learning?) and there was only a minor incident with a fallen decoration that was easily remedied with a bit of RI. How did this cake come about? Read on...<br /><br />Last month the other half and I went out to a birthday dinner for a good friend whose daughter is getting married next weekend. As she and I were talking, I asked if she wanted me to do a cake and/or favors and she said yes. As Aunty started telling me what she was thinking, I immediately said "oh good, I've got it all planned out and this is what we (read: I) are doing."<br /><br />My husband scolded me for that. Apparently, since it isn't a cake for me I'm supposed to listen to what the other person wants. Ooookay. I listened. And it's wasn't so bad (shhh, don't tell him that he was right.) I said chocolate, she asked for lemon so what the heck, make it 2 tiers and we're both happy. Easy, peasy and here's the plan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/PICT0164-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 354px; height: 265px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/PICT0164-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Bottom: chocolate cake, but not just any old chocolate. This cake had another flavor that you had to think about for a bit. What was it? I'm not saying so if you weren't at this shower then we'll just say it was plain Jane (PJ) chocolate.<br />Top: Lemon.<br />Filling: Buttercream. But if you know anything about me, then you will know this wasn't a PJ BC. Nope. This was a lemon buttercream with fresh lemon curd that I made specifically for this cake.<br />Design: Fondant (of course) with butterflies flying up the cake.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/PICT0163-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 322px; height: 241px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/PICT0163-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Notice the embossing on the ribbon and cake board? The invite had an embossed frame around the invite panel so I did a play off of that.<br /></span></div><br />Aunty also asked for 2 small giveaway cakes for the bridal shower games which weren't a problem. Since the top tier was an 8" cake there was still enough batter to make 2 4" cakes and more then enough buttercream to fill them. I found 2 clear plastic boxes at a local hardware store (who knew I could find stuff in there while waiting for the husband to buy lumber??) and decided they would make the perfect boxes for what I had in mind.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-07-17101501-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 338px; height: 305px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-07-17101501-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Doesn't it look like someone caught the butterflies?<br /><br /></span></div>Ready for the final product?<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-07-17095548-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 297px; height: 407px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-07-17095548-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />In case it's eating at you and you need to know, yes, I did favors too but it was just plain old <a href="http://craving-sugar.blogspot.com/2010/02/temperamental-macarons.html">macarons</a> with ganache. Nothing special but they are still so dang temperamental! I was ready to cry. And yet, I'm still willing to whip up more almond flour and keep trying. Go figure! And yes, the colors are off. 2 different cameras, oops. If anyone who was at the shower has better (or any!) pics of the cake, please send them my way.)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-13270311691655083562010-06-23T23:12:00.000-07:002010-06-24T20:40:26.719-07:00Baby Shower Cake and Onesie Cookies!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/MelMattsBabyShower095.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 317px; height: 211px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/MelMattsBabyShower095.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />We finally got to have the baby shower for a couple of CWs after the original date was canceled due to a sick mommy-to-be. Lucky for everyone, she's much better and eagerly awaiting the arrival of their little one who should be coming next week. For me, this meant a busy week, first making up a whole new batch of cookies for favors, then making the cake.<br /><br />Now, I had a design in mind and let me tell you, in my mind, it was great. 3 tiers, edible image, fondant perfectly done....what I did wasn't even close. Thank goodness for CWs who let you practice your caking skillls on them!<br /><br />Note to self: when people (especially those taking photography courses,) with actual (good quality) cameras are taking photos of your wares, remember that all of your mistakes will come through bright and clear. Must either get better at cake, cover up mistakes better, or do not allow photos....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-06-08165135-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 338px; height: 253px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-06-08165135-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-06-23083956.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 335px; height: 250px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-06-23083956.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Not the I prefer one colored cookie over another or anything but they yellow onesies were the cutest, IMO. C'mon, can you picture a little baby boy wearing a onesie that said "Chicks dig me." How cute is that? The Hula Girlz onesie is a nod to my friend, Hula Muvz who produces the original shirt.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/MelMattsBabyShower096.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 357px; height: 238px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/MelMattsBabyShower096.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/MelMattsBabyShower002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 352px; height: 273px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/MelMattsBabyShower002.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Baby, keys, and shoes are all made out of gumpaste.<br /></span></div><br />Now if you're asking what happened to the 3rd tier, I could say that it exploded into cupcakes but the reality is that the edible image I ordered was not what I was expecting. Oh, the image was correct...it's the way that it looked once it was applied to the fondant that I didn't like. I assumed the background of the image would be sheer but nope. It was very noticeable, like a bandage and not quite the image I was going for. Oh well. I'll figure it out.<br /><br />Next up, a break! At least for a few days. Heck, maybe I'll even take the weekend of from anything baking related. Yeah, right!<br /><br />Thank you, Shan, for sharing your great pics!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-43558787365853938292010-06-11T16:46:00.000-07:002010-06-12T01:05:32.519-07:00Baby "Crocs"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-06-08181803-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 327px; height: 246px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-06-08181803-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I made the cutest little shoes last week. Yes, I made SHOES. Not shoes that anyone would want to wear, but they were pretty darn cute. These shoes were going to be a decoration for a baby shower cake that alas, was not meant to be. Okay, to be fair, the shower will still happen but just not this weekend so that means the cookies favors will be introduced to my trash can since they will not survive - darn my efficient border-line OCD ways!<br /><br />Anyway, back to the shoes. Thanks to the genius of makatralsy (I know, you're probably thinking "Who??" but it's okay, I know who I'm talking about so just go with it,)<span class="uploadBy"> I had the cutest pictures to work from. I made a trial shoe and then went to town.<br /><br />I'd show you the individual pieces of the shoes as they were put together...if I had taken any pics of the process. As it stands, I only managed to take 1 little <a href="http://craving-sugar.blogspot.com/2010/06/what-do-you-think-these-are.html">pic</a> of the process and then some of the completed shoes.<br /><br />After each piece was added and it had dried, I had the cutest little life-size shoes a baby has never worn.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-06-08181829.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 324px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-06-08181829.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-06-08181845-1.jpg?t=1276305283"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 314px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-06-08181845-1.jpg?t=1276305283" alt="" border="0" /></a>The shoes are completely edible, but since they are made out of gumpaste, I wouldn't recommend it. Not only are they very hard, it probably wouldn't taste very good. If you'd like to try it, though, I still have the practice one. We'll just have to get you to sign a waiver first clearing me from having to pay for any dental work you may need.<br /><br />In case you are wondering why orange, I'd love to say the parents are huge Mario Batalli/Iron Chef fans (you know, before the Food Network decided to drop his shows and he left IC,) but really, it's because the parents-to-be haven't found out the baby's gender and I was using trying to stay away from green and yellow. And orange is such a bright, cheery color don't you think? Or it could be my construction wife side coming through again.<br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169866608605097786.post-989841858329267502010-06-08T22:55:00.000-07:002010-06-08T22:59:05.591-07:00What do you think these are?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-06-05192806.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 345px; height: 257px;" src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z178/jmnz78/Craving%20Sugar/2010-06-05192806.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Any guesses? *Knock, knock* is this thing on? Any one know what these are, or what they will become?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02178952933474005548noreply@blogger.com0