celebrate CREATIVITY in all its forms

A Bushel of Apples

Who doesn't love a beautiful apple orchard?  A recent family orchard-excursion not only yielded a ton of apples for us but also sparked the inspiration for this fun-filled post for you.

Grab a cup of java or better yet, pour yourself some apple juice and relax for the read. 

With 40 colorful photos featuring creative apple ideas, this is my biggest post ever.

Any visit to an apple orchard results in a huge haul as you can see from Jordy's bag. 

By the way, apple picking will definitely bring out the competition in siblings as Jordy and Cameron attempted to out-pick each other.

 

Carter Mountain in Charlottesville, Virginia was the destination spot for this outing.  We made the trip with three other families from our neighborhood and all the kids had a blast.  

By the way, do you know how hard it is to get a group of kids to do what you want, all at the same time? 

One second after I snapped this photo, everyone in this shot scattered in a different direction.

 

I'm sure we picked more apples than we'll ever be able to eat.  Of course, the treat is in the plucking.

As you're picking your apples, consider gathering a few apple branch twigs as you spot them on the orchard ground.   

I'll show you how you can put these orchard twigs to good use further down in this post. 

Since we're on the subject of apples, I thought it would be fun to take a closer look at a variety of projects that feature this tasty and popular fruit.

 
The apples in the sink look delicious but it doesn't get much sweeter than this cute, cloth doll in the photo below.

I made her more than a decade ago and it was nice to dig her up to include in this post.  

Check out that apple apron.

Before attaching the plaid apple-shaped fabric to the apron, lightly stuff the shapes with cotton fiberfill. 

Fabric strips tied in a bow represent the apple leaves and they also add a nice fanciful twist to the project. 

I checked and even after all these years this doll pattern is still available if you click here.

We're still talking apples and this 2-page scrapbook page captures Jordy's first visit to an orchard as well as his first-ever bite of an apple when he was about one year old.

It's great to look back on these old photos, reflect on that fun afternoon and marvel at what a big boy Jordy is today in comparison.

Remember, that's what scrapbooking is all about.

  

Here is a closer look at a few of the details on this layout you may want to try on your own scrapbook pages. 

This embellished, khaki-colored fabric piece is an example of how layering a series of trinkets can add dimension and interest to a scrapbook page. 

I also used a favorite apple-definition rubber stamp which you'll spot again throughout this post. 

I repeated the apple-lettering element by using the same stamp to customize these chipboard letters which are positioned across the bottom of the scrapbook layout.

Customizing chipboard is super simple.

You'll need a rubber stamp, stamp ink, acrylic paint, clear sealer or decoupage glue and chipboard letters.   

Chipboard is available in a variety of shapes, letters and patterns.  Paint the chipboard letters the desired color and set aside to dry completely. 

     
Once chipboard is dry, use the rubber stamp to add the lettering to the alphabet. 

Let rubber stamp ink dry completely and then apply a layer of acrylic clear coat (or decoupage glue) to give the letter shine and durability.

 

Meanwhile, an apple a day, keeps the doctor away, right?  Do you think this kind of apple counts toward that healthy eating motto?

Eat these in moderation and you, your doctor and your dentist will be fine.

There a lots of sugar cookie and royal icing recipes to choose from but the ingredients below work best for me.

The cookies from this recipe are crisp and sweet and the frosting is perfectly smooth with a thick consistency for easy spreading. 

Just click the photo below to print this recipe.

  

The above recipe will yield about a dozen cookies. 

Be sure to set aside a small amount of dough to create some fun dimension to each cookie.

   

Utilizing that set-aside dough, use a leaf shaped fondant cookie cutter to make lots of little leaves to adorn the apple cookies. 

These mini leaves are not only cute but also make great bite size treats too. 

    
 
Add an apple green color to the mix by decorating the leaves with icing or decorating gel.

I also added a few sprinkles to each leaf for a bit more texture.

Apply a small amount of icing to the back of the leaves which will act as an adhesive when dry.  These little leaves are the perfect touch and I think they actually give the cookies more character. 

My neighbor thought the white icing strip was a fake worm but it's actually supposed represent light reflecting off the shiny apple.  

You could roll a tiny worm out of dough, bake it and apply it to the cookie like the leaves for some additional whimsy.

  

Here's a quick look at what the cookies look like in a shade of apple green. 

To get this color I used regular green food coloring in the icing recipe and then continued to add drops of yellow food coloring until I got the desired color. 

     
   
Meanwhile, if you're making your apple cookies to give as a gift, little tags are a really cute way to dress up the packaging.

You'll need assorted cardstock, a tag punch and an apple punch to create the shapes.

If you don't already have a tag punch in your crafts arsenal, I highly recommend it. 

These tags are really handy and you'll find yourself using them on a variety of projects and homemade treat-packaging.

Enter my trusty apple definition stamp again.  I told you this stamp was versatile. 

Of course you can use any stamp you like as a background but this one is really perfect for the look I'm after.

After punching out the tags, simply stamp the length of them with the apple stamp. 

Create an opening for the ribbon using a small-size hole punch.  

Insert the ribbon through each hole and your done. 

You can see another way I used this versatile rubber stamp if you click here.

 
This is just one more way to enhance apple cookies to make them even more special to the recipient.  

I think these individually wrapped cookies practically look like they came straight out of a gourmet bakery.

It's easy to see how a small touch of creativity can make an attractive product even prettier.

 

If your sweet tooth needs some additional satisfaction, you can't go wrong with caramel apples.

Caramel apples are my favorite treat of the season especially when covered with chopped pecans. 

Hmm, probably not great for your teeth but oh-so good in your tummy.

   

Time to pull out those apple orchard twigs I mentioned earlier.  Make sure you give them a thorough scrubbing.

Have you already figured out what I have in mind for these twigs?

    
Skip those flat, wooden popsicle sticks and consider incorporating this un-common element into your caramel treats.

Stick an orchard twig into the center of the caramel apples to serve as a fun holder.

I love the natural, slightly rustic element that these apple tree twigs add to these handpicked apples. 

  

Of course, the handmade apple tags can also be used to add a finishing touch to your caramel apples. 

This would make a great teacher gift and I suspect it would get gobbled up before the last school bell rings.

   

Now we all know that apples grow on trees.  But wouldn't it be great if an apple tree near you produced this kind of crop?  

Say goodbye to wayward pins and needles.  With this jumbo apple pincushion you'll never step foot on a lost pin again. 

This project only requires a few fabric remnants, felt squares and some cotton stuffing.  Cut six elongated oval shapes with slightly tapered ends. 

The ovals shown here about 13-inches long with an approximate center width of about 5-inches. 

Pin right sides together and stitch using a standard 1/4-inch seam allowance. 

   
Pin right sides together and stitch using a standard 1/4-inch seam.

After stitching all six shapes, you'll end up with a ball-like result as in the photo below. 

   
Stitch the final section together, making sure to leave 3-inch opening for stuffing. 

Turn inside out to right side and stuff with cotton.  Close the opening by hand with a slipstitch. 

     
For the stem, roll a small square of wool and hot glue the edge closed.

Cut apple leaves out of contrasting felt or wool.  There are any number of ways you can embellish the leaves.  In this case I simply added a zig-zag stitch around the edge of the felt.

Hot glue the leaves and stem to the top of the apple.  This apple pincushion is about 10-inches tall from stem to bottom.

Here's another way to decorate the leaves.  Hot glue jute (a type of rope) to create the leaf veining in the yellow apple. 

Jute is available at most hardware stores and can be used for a variety of other fun projects. 

I'll share some fun jute projects later in an upcoming post. 

  

This red apple pincushion is even more jumbo and sits at about 12-inches tall from stem to bottom.  The larger the oval fabric shapes you cut, the larger the finished apple. 

By the way, you could also fill these pincushions with aquarium pepples instead of cotton and use them as door stops, paperweights or even bookshelf decor.

     

Talk about a great crop.  If only I could get my hands on a packet of seeds that would grow into trees filled with these.

With magic seeds like that, I'd plant a huge pincushion orchard and invite crafters from all over to visit and help themselves to the beautiful (and functional) produce. 

 
So many apples so little time.  

The inspiration for creativity is always bountiful when you're working with a bushel of apples.

BOO TO YOU(fall fun, scary scrapbooking and sweet treats)

Have I ever mentioned that Fall is my favorite time of year?  Well, it is.  It's my absolute favorite season. 

I'm sure I'm not the only one who loves the beautiful colors, the crisp, breezy air and the whimsical  Halloween symbols that represent this delightful time of year. 

Meet a few of our newest family members of the seasonal variety.  Every year we use several trees in our yard to prop up these friendly, straw-filled characters.

It never fails that at least once, I'm momentarily fooled into thinking there is actually someone standing in the trees at night.  Now that's spooky, alright!

 
 
In addition to the scarecrows, we also blow up this big pumpkin figure in keeping with the Halloween spirit.

I've never been crazy about this humongous blow-up pumpkin head but I always get over-ruled by Boris and the kids and so every year... up it goes.

Speaking of pumpkins, another tradition in my household is our annual pumpkin carving event.  Boris typically supervises this event because I don't care for touching the sticky, stringy pumpkin innards. 

I know, that's picky but I'm just happy to stay behind the camera on this activity. 

 

Pumpkin carving sure has come a long way over the years.

There are so many cool tools and patterns available to help make pumpkin projects easier with more professional looking results.

I can't wait to see the finished carvings produced by this determined crew.  I'll check back a little later in this post to see how they're coming along.

 

While we're still on the subject of pumpkins here's one of my favorite scrapbook pages featuring Jordy during one of our pumpkin patch visits a few years ago.

I love this photo of him and I think his cute, curly hair makes him even more adorable.

Here's a closer look at a few of the details I used to spice up this layout including letter stickers and a few pre-made pumpkin die cuts.

Layering embellishments like this can help add depth and dimension to a scrapbook page which creates a nice, polished effect.

 

Anyone have a taste for a ghost pop?  These are super simple to make and the entire project can be turned over to little hands to complete. 

To make these, you'll need Tootsie Pops, white paper towels, thin ribbon, glue and some googly eyes which can be picked up at any crafts store.

Count on young crafters to insist on sampling a Tootsie Pop during the construction process.  It's OK and par for the course.

These treats look perfectly spooky all lined up like this.  The mouths were made using a hole punch and black construction paper, which I think works better than using a black marker (which tends to bleed into the paper towel).

These ghost pops also make nice treats to hand out to classmates.

Let's check in to see how my pumpkin carvers are doing.  Looks like they're making pretty good progress but they're not done yet. 

Keep working guys, you're almost there.

 

The highlight in our household this time of year is the excitement surrounding Halloween costumes.  When Cameron and Jordy were really little, I always coordinated their dress-up as you can see in these cute photos from Halloween 2001.

It's a treat just to look back on how tiny they were back then.

 

Of course, with every new trick-or-treat night there is another opportunity for me to scrapbook the event for fun and posterity. 

Here's an example of another of one of my coordinated costume efforts in this 101-Dalmatians themed layout below.

As my kids got older they started picking their own costumes and expressing their own individual costume style, tastes and in some cases, their ghoulish interests.

Two years ago Cameron and Jordy were both pretty scary looking as you can see in this scrapbook layout entitled Frightful X 2.

Here's one more Halloween scrapbook layout from a few years ago.  Cameron dressed as a sweet witch, Jordy channeled a favorite Power Ranger and Boris was a big hit as he strolled the neighborhood as a devil dad. 

This 2-page layout appeared in 601 Great Scrapbooking Ideas book, published a while back. 

Scroll down to the end of this post to see Cameron and Jordy's Halloween costumes this year.

Newsstands and bookshelves are loaded with great material for Halloween ideas and projects. 

I really enjoy browsing these publications for great photos and projects and every year I find something new to try for the spooky season.

Now don't go losing your head over this next sweet treat. 

Hands down, this is one of the easiest treats to whip up.  I'm a big fan of simple projects and this fits the bill with practically no cleanup when finished.

 
Just melt white chocolate wafers in the microwave.  Drop a teaspoon of the soft chocolate into these skull molds which can be picked up at any crafts store in the baking section.

Let cool for about 20 minutes until hard and then simply pop the skulls out of the molds.

Stack a quartet of the skulls into plastic treat bags, tie the top with a ribbon and adhere a fun sticker.  They're creepy looking but oh-so sweet.

By the way, these packaged chocolate skulls would make great, unexpected goodies for school teachers.

As promised here's the finished effort from my pumpkin carving trio. 

Jordy's scary-face, Cameron's mummy-face and Boris' fire-face all get a big orange thumbs-up in my book.

Lights out!  This pumpkin carving technique really shines when you flip the lights off because you can really see the intricate carvings more clearly in the dark.

These look great on the front porch at night.

Meanwhile, my kids really enjoy the costume dress rehearsal almost as much as Halloween night itself. 

This year Cameron itched to be a witch, while Jordy drooled to be a grim ghoul. 

I think these costumes will definitely scare up some good trick-or-treat candy as long as Jordy is careful with that scythe. 

     
Here's hoping your Halloween season is safe, fun-filled and all around spooktacular! 

Boo to you.

Sweet September

Can you believe it's September already?  While the Summer season is clearly winding down, it's still a little toasty on some days in my neck of the woods. 

If you're in the same boat and looking for ways to cool off, I have just the treat that will do the trick. 

     

Today's tastiness is a little about ice cream, a bit about fruit and a whole lot about waffles-but not necessarily the kind of waffles you eat for breakfast.

I'm talking waffle cones here.  Did you know you can make your own?  I discovered this marvelous home-based ability earlier this year and I've been whipping up waffle cones ever since.   

I'm a bit of a gadget gal anyway so I'm always game and on the lookout for new fun tools and appliances for crafting and kitchen projects.  This waffle cone maker is my latest, greatest toy.

     

Recipes to make gourmet waffle cones, elegant wafer cones and chocolate waffle cones come with the waffle maker. 

To make the waffle just drop a few tablespoons of batter onto the hot iron.  It only takes a few seconds to cook.  Lift the iron top, remove the flat waffle and place onto a paper towel. 

The waffle is really hot at this point, so use the paper towel to help fold one end of the waffle over a special cone-shaper.  Roll the waffle and hold in place for the few seconds it takes to cool down and harden. 

At first, it may be difficult to avoid having a small opening in the bottom of the cone, but with a bit of cone-rolling practice you can get the bottom portion air tight.

I think that any opening in the bottom of the cone just means your tasters will have to eat their ice cream that much faster. 

Tip: if the cone opening is a concern, you can always drop a miniature marshmallow in the bottom to create a seal and keep the ice cream from dripping through.

This is such an easy creation.  The waffle cone maker does all the work and there's also very little cleanup. 

I think these cones look pretty good and they taste great as well, with a sweet wafer, cookie taste and the right amount of crisp.

         

There is something about the taste of homemade, with its use of natural ingredients that almost makes me want to turn my back on store-bought. 

These waffle cones also stack up quite nicely for easy storage.

      

Another fun thing about these waffles is that when they're warm, they can be molded into just about any shape. 

If you want a dessert that's less casual and bit more "grownup" try molding the waffle using the inside (or upside-down outside) of a small bowl. 

      

You can also use a pastry brush to apply a coat of chocolate Magic Shell to the sides of the cones or bowls.  

If you do this, you must freeze the waffle cones/bowls first, because the Magic Shell only activates when it's applied to a cold surface.  After applying the chocolate keep the cones/bowls frozen until right before filling and serving.

It's important to do all molding while the waffle is still warm.  Once the waffle cools down it hardens and can't be shaped without breaking into multiple pieces.

However, if your waffle breaks apart up during forming, don't fret.  Just save the broken pieces in another bowl as waffle bits.  Young tasters in your house will love these too.

     

Another way to enjoy these waffles is to cut them and use them as toppers.

While the waffle is still warm, use a large knife to slice it into four equal pieces.  This creates adorable little waffle triangles.

 

These triangles are perfect on top of servings of creamy lemon and pistachio pudding.  

The triangles can also adorn a dessert tray or tea party platter.  You could also simply stack them and serve them as mini wafers for a light and easy after dinner treat.

   

Looking for a sweet-tasting house warming gift?   Imagine several of these cones, delicately wrapped in pretty tissue and presented in a nice bakery box. 

Include a container of homemade ice-cream and your gift recipient will be blown away by your efforts.

      

For another beautiful and refreshing dessert, consider filling the cones with fresh, assorted fruit.  Drop them into a few tumblers for upright support and easier serving. 

For more of a wow factor, offer them in an old fashioned drink caddy.  I think this has really nice presentation value.  

     

What do you think your guests would say if they saw this coming their way?  

My parents were visiting me the day I snapped these fruit-filled pictures and Mom and Dad really enjoyed eating my photo shoot props.

     

By the way, you can decide decide how light or dark you want the waffle cones or bowls as well. These shades in the photo below represent what you can achieve from the first 3 of 7 temperature settings on the cone maker. 

The smaller the setting, the lighter the cone color. 

 

Of course friends and family will devour this dessert regardless of the color of the waffle, as long as the cone is filled to the brim with something delicious.

Just ask Cameron and Jordy about that.  Oh, wait-their mouths are full right now.

 

As you can see there are loads of great ways to put these waffle cones to good use.  They're not only fun to make but even more fun to eat.

Yes, I definitely think this is one dessert that's guaranteed to ensure a Sweet September.   

Plentiful Cookbooks, Photography, Julia Child and Pistachio Pudding

I have a weakness for cookbooks.  There, I said it. That wasn't so bad.  Yes, a cookbook weakness is definitely what I have.  

I'm sure I've mentioned my passion for fabric and patterned crafting paper here before, but now I'm adding cookbooks to that list.

Perhaps this particular fancy wouldn't seem so questionable in my household if I actually used my cookbooks more often.  After all, I'm not the most skilled cook in the kitchen.

My husband, Boris recently asked me why I have so many books filled with recipes when I rarely ever use them. "For the pretty pictures of course", I replied. 

While that response drew a hearty laugh from hubby, I wasn't kidding. 

 

It's true, I love cookbooks for the pictures. 

My affinity for these books relates to the way the food is styled, lighted and ultimately so deliciously photographed that it makes me almost want to take a bite out of the page.

If a book makes you want to take a bite out of it, that must be a pretty powerful book.  While photographs can create a favorable impression about a cookbook, I think the same can be said about blog photos.

I really enjoy practicing new photography techniques, using props and staging and generally discovering better ways to make my blog photos look good enough to... well, to take a bite out of them.

Of course, many early cookbooks included detailed hand-drawn illustrations like the ones in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck. 

I think it would be pretty neat to see a companion version of this classic cookbook featuring all these great recipes in glorious, full-color photos.

  

While I just started reading a new biography on Julia Child, I recently finished reading My LIfe in France .

What a wonderful book filled with Ms. Child's observations about living, loving and cooking in France.  I was particularly drawn to the intensity and determination she brought to bear as it related to her efforts to write her first cookbook, her "cook-bookery" as she called it. 

She spent 10 years researching, testing and tweaking her recipes and manuscript before finally getting it published.  

    

Did you know Julia Child was nearly 50-years old when that first masterful cookbook was published?  Shortly after that she launched her successful PBS television series; The French Chef. 

A reminder to us all that you're never too old to pursue your passion.

       

How timely that there's a new movie that depicts Julia Child's life, fortitude and wide-reaching influence on those who aspire to do great things in the kitchen (and elsewhere). 

I haven't seen this film yet but with the incomparable Meryl Streep (in the photo below) portraying Julia Child in Julie and Julia  you know the movie is going to be delicious.

           

OK, enough about Julia Child (and Meryl) for now. 

Getting back on track here with my obsession with cookbooks and photography, I'm so glad bright, glorious, deliciously colorful photos rule the day when it comes to modern day cooking tomes.

When I look through cookbooks these days, I often think to myself, "I want to create pictures just like that".

I think there's so much that can be gleaned about photographic staging from simple shots like the trio of photographs on the back of a dessert book shown in the photo below. 

Consider the ice cream sandwich in the center shot which I was particularly drawn to.  When shooting ice cream sandwiches, stacking them can make for a much more dramatic shot. 

The same kind of stacking technique can also create visual interest when shooting cookbooks, as you can see in the very first photo in this post. 

Check out the cover photograph in the book Outdoor Entertaining.  It's beautiful and it gives me some great ideas on how to stage some of the handmade and embroidered napkins that I often share on this blog.

Keep your eye out for an upcoming tutorial how to make double-sided, handmade napkins like the one on my table here.

    

You may have noticed I have a particular fondness for books by Williams Sonoma (always inspiring photos + one of my favorite stores), but I also love cookbooks that combine my interest in photography and crafts.

Provence quilts and cuisine combines tasty-looking recipes along with beautiful scenes from Provence, France.  Interspersed between the recipes and locale pictorials you'll find quilting projects that are just as lovely and easy to make.

    

Take a look at one of the double page spreads in the Provence cookbook in the photo below.  That French bread practically jumps right off the pages and the tomatoes look so delicious and fresh-picked.

The various projects are equally well-photographed.  You can almost feel the texture in these pictures thanks to the extreme closeups. 

That's a good technique to keep in mind when photographing your own blog subjects.

Speaking of French cuisine, A Table in the Tarn: Living, Eating and Cooking in Rural France is another beautiful cookbook.  This book details the efforts of two food lovers who restore an old manor house and ultimately transform it into La Manoir de Raynaudes which became a popular boutique guest house in rural southwest France.  

A Table at the Tarn is filled with lovely photos of food and the rural French landscape as well as dozens of mouth-watering acclaimed recipes from the Manoir's own menu.

Every day, I learn more and more about photography techniques including lighting (my weakness), staging and project placement for the best result possible.  

My study of cookbooks (among other materials) has been a wonderful resource that not only helps me develop my photographic eye, but also touches on all the skills I want to improve.

 

I think you get the point of my ode to the cookbook.  They're certainly good for more than just cooking.

Perhaps one day, I'll get around to using these books for the recipes inside.  I'm sure my family would like that.  Until then, I'm happy to keep snapping away.

You may be asking right about now, how pistachio pudding factors into this discussion. 

I snapped this pudding picture a few weeks ago.  While it may not be cookbook or magazine quality, it was inspired by the kinds of photos I've spotted in my dessert books.

I just love how the texture of the waffle-bit is so clear, I can almost taste it through the screen. 

    

By the way, look for the pudding photo in the shot above to surface here again soon.  It will be featured in an upcoming blog post on how to make homemade waffle cones along with some awesome ideas for serving them.

As I continue to try to improve my photography and attempt to make my pictures even more attractive and appealing, my ever-growing collection of cookbooks helps me with that effort in a big way.

In the meantime, I think you can see how plentiful cookbooks, photography, Julia Child and pistachio pudding are all related in my world.

Now, I'm off to practice my picture taking... with cookbook in hand of course. 

When I'm done, maybe, just maybe I'll open one of my cookbooks for a recipe.

Monkey Business

There's nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread throughout the house.  When that bread is banana bread, that's even better.

These mini banana bread loaves are not only delicious but with a special finishing touch, this particular bread can also help raise a lot of "dough". 

       

It's that time of year again when students, parents and volunteers scramble to bake, create and make all kinds of goods to be sold for worthy scholastic causes.  Yes, it's time for THE ANNUAL SCHOOL FUNDRAISER. 

I enjoy working on fund-raising efforts because it typically turns out to be a nice creative outlet for me.  I've taken on my share of school projects in the past too, a few of which you can see here and here.

This year I supervised the Oglesby home-based banana bread production line.  I also had the good fortune to snag a dedicated, hard working, all-volunteer staff.

There are a ton of delicious recipes for banana bread.  I personally love banana bread with nuts, but with so many childhood nut allergies these days we played it safe and stuck with a favorite no-nuts recipe we found in this fun cookbook for kids.

Cameron and Jordy are eager beavers when it comes to things like this.  I suspect any kid would love being let loose in the kitchen to get their hands dirty with flour and bananas. 

Of course, I'm still working on getting these two to enjoy kitchen cleanup just as much.  Wish me luck on that one.

 

We wanted to wow potential buyers with our product,  so we decided to spice up the packaging by attaching handmade recipe cards to the bread baggies.

It never hurts to incorporate a little craftiness into the picture and this little monkey die cut is adorable and just right for this project. 

A die is a metal plate that contains a raised image or lettering that is used in conjunction with a press tool like the one shown in the photo below.

The metal plate is topped with a square of colored cardstock and then the two pieces are fed through the special press.

As the metal plate and cardstock come through the other end of the press tool, the pressure cuts the image into the paper and a die cut of the image or letters is created.

 

Repeat this step several times.  It's a good idea to target specific portions of the image with smaller pieces of colored cardstock to get the exact monkey part you need as you go.  This avoids cutting monkey parts in colors you don't need which would waste a lot of cardstock.

Once all the monkey pieces have been cut, separate the various cardstock pieces into like-shapes.  Then, put your volunteer staff to work assembling everything.

OK, I just had to throw in this photo of my little monkey-boy.  Jordy has the most adorable smile complete with irresistable dimples and a few missing teeth. 

Meanwhile, I think you can tell that this mini-assembly line is the perfect project for little hands. 

    

Decorative craft chalk (found at most crafts stores) is an easy way to add some depth to the die cuts.  Plain die cuts typically look pretty flat so when you introduce a bit of chalk into the picture it really helps the image come alive. 

After chalking the monkey shapes, adhere them to cut cardstock.

     

You can see how much nicer the cards look with the chalk-shading on the monkey parts and along the edges of the card. 

Pull out the label maker to make the ID's and a corner-rounder punch gives the cards nice curved edges.

        

By the way you don't always have to glue down every part of the die cut image.  I decided not to adhere the monkey tail to the card and I think leaving it loose and free-flowing adds a cute dimension to the project.

Another tip: Make the recipe cards well in advance of the fund raising date so you won't get jammed up making bread and cards at the same time the night before.  We made these cards several weeks before we actually needed them and it was nice to have them finished early and ready to attach to the bread.

     

The addition of the banana bread recipe (or just the ingredients) on the back of the card helps bake sale browsers know exactly what's inside the bread before they buy it.  That can be very useful information to many families, especially those with allergies in-house.

Print the information from your computer, cut it down to size, round the corners and use double sided tape or glue to adhere the recipe to the back of the card. 

      

Be sure to use the strong twist ties that come with the mini bake sale bags to seal the bag tightly so the bread stays fresh.  The mini bags with twist ties are available at most crafts stores that sell baking accessories.

A pretty ribbon is a nice way to finish off the packaging.  I love this green and white polka dot and the ribbon also conceals that boring twist tie.

Finally, add a strip of double-sided tape (not glue) on the bottom of the card to adhere the recipe card to the back end of the bread baggies.

If you tape the card so that the bottom of the cardstock is level with the bottom of the bread, that will help the card stand up straight for display.

Once the bake sale buyer has devoured the bread, they'll have this cute little card to hang onto for future reference.  This banana bread would look great on any bake sale table from any direction. 

I really think presentation is just as important as content.

We baked and packaged two-dozen loaves and I think an attractive offering like this is a great way to draw greater interest to any bake sale item.  

Huge thanks and hugs go my little volunteers for pitching in every step of the way.

         

By the way, I suggest you bake a few extra banana bread loaves to serve at home. 

When your young helpers have finished their monkey business, I think you can guess what they're going to want to bite into.

Mom's Day

If you're trying to think of something special to do for your Mom, how about a Mother's Day breakfast-featuring pancakes.  

Now these particular pancakes aren't your typical flapjacks.  These pancakes are not only ball-shaped but they also contain much more than meets the eye.

     

This bite-size twist on breakfast is called ebelskiver which is a traditional dish in Denmark.  My ebelskivers were made using a special stainless steel pancake pan which has multiple wells to hold the batter and gives the pancakes that sphere shape.

The pan fits right over the stove top and can be used on a gas or electric appliance.  Mix up the pancake batter and pour a tablespoon into each well.

The surprise treat when it comes to ebelskivers is what you put inside them.  Each one gets a yummy filling and just about any favorite flavor will do. 

I selected an assortment of fillings this time around including a delicious lemon curd (which has a combination sweet and tart taste), gourmet red raspberry preserves (which is one of my all time favorites) and my kids' top option-milk chocolate wafers.  

        

Drop a teaspoon of filling or a few chocolate wafers right on top of the batter you just poured.  Then add another thin layer of batter over the top to cover the filling. 

You can't walk away from the stove during preparation, because it takes a very short amount of time for the bottom to brown and then you have to quickly flip the pancakes.

Once the sides cook to a light brown, use wooden skewers or toothpicks on both sides to gently roll the pancake ball over so the other side can brown completely.

 

When everything has browned nicely, simply dump the pan and all seven of the pancake balls will tumble out. 

Finish off the pancakes with a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar and your Mom's Day breakfast is almost complete.

By the way, once you bite into one of these little pancake balls you may never go back to traditional pancakes again.

The pancake and filling are a perfect combination and this is one breakfast where you can skip the maple syrup.

To make the morning even more special, add delicious decadence to the plate with a few chocolate-dipped strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream. 

You may want to keep this idea in mind for future reference because you can also use the pancake pan for more than just breakfast fare. 

Among other things, consider using a light pastry recipe and fill the balls with chopped, cooked chicken breast and broccoli for savory hors d'oeuvres.  Just imagine the possibilities.

In the meantime, Happy Mom's Day to all and Bon Appetit.

  

 

Let Them Eat (cheese) Cake

If you're looking for a quick and easy dessert to whip-up this holiday season, then have I got a recipe for you. 

These bite-size, mini-cheesecakes may be small but they pack a big flavor and they're picture perfect for any festive gathering.

You won't need many ingredients for this treat.  Gather a few dozen vanilla wafers, two, 8-ounce squares of cream cheese, 2 eggs, 3/4-cup sugar, 1-teaspoon of lemon juice, 1-teaspoon vanilla ,1-can of cherry pie filling and one box of cupcake tins.  Preheat oven to 325-degrees.

Set the vanilla wafers and cherry pie filling to the side.  Mix all other ingredients together until creamy. 

It doesn't hurt to have a set of little hands to help you with this part of the process.  Thanks Jordy!

     

Place one vanilla wafer in each cupcake wrapper.  The wafers create the tasty bottom of the cheesecake that is typically made of graham crackers. 

Vanilla wafers are a great size for this and they're so much easier than making a graham cracker crust from scratch.

   

Once your batter is thoroughly mixed, just spoon a portion into each cupcake wrapper.  Fill the cupcake tin about 3/4 full.  Bake for about 20-minutes.

    

After removing from the oven, allow to cool on a cookie rack for a few minutes.  The cooling process will cause the center of each cupcake to sink just a bit. 

This creates a shallow crater that is ideal for holding a tasty scoop of cherry pie filling.

Allow the mini-cheesecakes to chill in the refrigerator for about 2-hours before serving.   The chilling  really sets the mini-cakes nicely and they just peel right out of the cupcake wrapper with no effort and no sticking.

After you've peeled the cheesecakes from the wrapper, arrange them on a decorative holiday platter for a pretty and delicious looking serving.

When your guests want a sweet treat to hit the spot after that holiday dinner, you'll have the perfect bite-size offering.  

While, Marie Antoinette may have been wrong to utter that now-infamous phrase, you on the other hand, will be absolutely right this holiday season when you declare "let them eat (cheese) cake".

Checkmate

Anyone up for a game a chess?  OK, this may not be the board game that immediately comes to mind when you hear about playing that classic game of strategy. 

However, this particular cookie project has elements of the game you'll not only find familiar-but quite tasty too. 

This is a fun way to dress up those delicious Chessmen cookies by Pepperidge Farm. 

These cookies are typically embossed with images that look like chess pieces but now the images have a much more festive slant in keeping with the spirit of the holiday season. 

      

There are five designs in this Chessmen holiday cookie package including a candy cane, holiday wreath, jingle bell, an evergreen tree and a holly leaf or maybe it's a mistletoe.  They're all really cute.

Ahem, go ahead and eat a few cookies before you start-you'll feel better.

These mini tubes of icing are about 6-inches long and they come in a variety of colors.  You can pick them up at any grocery store in the baking aisle.  

They're a perfect finger-fit and that makes it so much easier to decorate the smallest areas of the cookie.

Gently cover the raised area of the cookie with the desired icing color.  When you begin decorating, use a small amount of icing first and build upon that because a little icing goes a very long way here. 

A toothpick is an ideal tool to help get the icing into the tiniest, hard-to-reach embossed areas.   Carefully smooth the icing using the toothpick to cover the design. 

Change toothpicks for each color to avoid cross-color contamination.

 

A thin icing border frames the cookie and finishes it off beautifully.  It only takes a short time for the icing to set and harden.  After that, the cookies can be stacked on top of each other with no risk of smudging or smearing. 

Of course, I doubt they'll be stacked in any one place for very long.

Trust me when I say, kids won't be able to resist getting into this act.  They also won't be able to resist snacking on a few cookies (like you), so make sure you have extra Chessmen on hand to cover that inevitability.

My daughter Cameron and her friend Chelsey enjoyed putting their own spin on their cookie decorating.

While I painted my cookies in holiday colors, both girls took a decidedly un-traditional approach with their color theme.  They steered clear of the typical red and green in favor of every other icing color in the pack. 

Of course, imagination is all part of the tasty fun.  Check out Cameron's edible works of art in the photo below.

 

I found a wonderful variation of this cookie decorating idea in a recent issue of Women's Day Special Interest Publications.   Are you as hooked on holiday magazines as I am?  There is always such a great selection on newsstands this time of year. 

I love to browse through the pretty recipes.  It's also fun to study the photography and food staging that's so beautifully presented in magazines. 

Talk about super simple cookie decorating.  It doesn't get any easier than this.  You can finish decorating an entire package of cookies in no time at all.

     

After you finish adding colorful, festive touches to these Chessmen cookies-you will surely be considered a winner by everyone who tastes them.  

To the victor in this chess game, share the spoils.  Easy Checkmate.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens... I think you know where I'm going with this. 

Of course, these were just a few of Julie Andrews'  favorite things in one of my all time favorite movies, The Sound of Music.   I could watch this movie a million times and I love this legendary song too. 

         

I got a chance to watch this wonderful 1965 movie again recently.  Don't you just love revisiting old favorites?   While my musical ear and prose are hardly on par with the the likes of Rodgers and Hammerstein, I thought it would still be fun to deviate from crafts and do something different this time around by sharing a few of my favorite things.

Now, my list would be far too long if I included family and friends, so I'm just sticking with "things".  So, here they are in no particular order, starting with my porky kitchen resident-Sir Piggy Chef.

        

When I was younger, I used to see this little green jewelry box sitting on my grandmother's dresser.  I always admired it and remember wishing I had a little china box like this to store my special things. 

My mom mailed me this beautiful box several years ago, not long after my grandmother passed away.  I cherish it and today and it's filled with my own tiny treasures.  Whenever I open it, I think of my grandmother.

I just love vintage finds and you can count this little beaded bag among my favorites.  While antique shopping one day, I came across this wonderful bag sitting on a bottom shelf covered with lots of other not-so-pretty bags. 

The beaded detail is beautiful.  When I initially picked the bag up to admire it, another shopper behind me said, "oh, that's so lovely, you don't want it do you?"   You can see how I answered that question.

OK, I'll admit it.  I have a weakness for fabric, patterned paper and MAGAZINES.  The picture below features some (but not all) of my favorites, which are always filled with tons of information and inspiration. 

I can't possibly be the only one out there who has a hard time purging magazines, right? 

I'm sure these two small wooden dressforms have an ultimate purpose.  I just haven't figured out exactly what that is yet.  Still this duo is on my list of favorites and at the very least I can always find a needle in a hurry if needed.

          

My mother made this Raggedy Ann doll for me when I was about 7-years old.  I've always loved it and this doll has seen her share of the world too because I've dragged her with me everywhere I've lived.

Perhaps it was this handmade doll that ultimately set me on the path to making my own Raggedy Anns with a jellybean-colored twist, which you can see if you click here.   

While this sweet doll in the photo below has obviously gone a little flat over time, that doesn't make her any less special to me.  Thanks Mom!

        

When it comes to old movies, you already know the Sound of Music is up there among my favorites.  Well, you can add these two movies too.   First up, The Parent Trap with Haley Mills.  It's one of those films you just never outgrow. 

I love that scene when Maureen O'hara comes downstairs to meet her ex-husband's new much younger fiance.  Of course, the fiance and her mother are expecting to see a dowdy old matron.  Instead they see a gorgeous, modern mom who deliberately "mistakes" the elder mother for the young fiance. 

That's the funniest scene in the movie and of course, who doesn't love Haley Mills?

Second up, check out Anne of the Thousand Days  for some fantastic Old World drama.  It's a great period film loaded with lavish and Oscar winning costumes.  The movie centers around King Henry XIII's fateful obsession with Anne Boleyn and the movie wonderfully dramatizes their stormy relationship. 

Richard Burton, portrays Henry.  I've always loved his voice.  You can see why Liz married him twice. 

     

You may remember first meeting the little kitty in the photo below when I shared my log cabin quilt project last year.  Her name is Clarice, and she gets a nod mostly because she's so cute and quiet and she never needs a litter box. 

While house guests always delight in how real she looks, my twin sister says this feline really "creeps" her out.  Sorry animal lovers, Clarice is made of rabbit fur.

Unabridged books on tape are a great way to "read" the book, while you're getting other things done.  Trust me, if you ever get stuck in Chicago rush hour traffic, books on tape really come in handy.   

Below are a few of my favorites including Shopgirl which is written and read by comedian Steve Martin.   Al Gore's, The Assault on Reason is intelligent and thought-provoking and a final favorite is the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.  I hated the movie version of the Da Vinci Code, but I love the audio book so much, I've listened to it several times. 

Yes, I do have a sweet tooth and these always hit the spot.  Yummy!  You've heard the saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" right?  I think the picture below speaks for itself.

Speaking of sweet.  Aren't these the sweetest little birds?  You may have already noticed, I have an affinity for birds and birdhouses.  I bought these birds many years ago from a mail order catalog called Garden Gate.  Anyone else remember that catalog?  

         

I'm not much into worshiping golden idols, but I have to make an exception with this golden statuette in the photo below.  I won this Midwest Regional Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence for my television news reporting at NBC in Chicago. 

Hey, who needs Oscar-when you have Emmy?

         

Finally, how many of you have an item of clothing that you just can't part with, no matter how hard you try?  That's how I feel about this white linen sport shirt. Since there was no one else around to take a picture for me on this day, I just snapped this one myself in a mirror. 

I've had this shirt for at least a decade.  Yes, a decade.  Every time I wear it, my husband just shakes his head and suggests the shirt will soon suffer a mysterious demise.  So far, he has yet to make good on that innuendo.

When the dog bites,  when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad-I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel so bad. 

Here's hoping your world is filled with plenty of your favorite things.

MUSIC UP/SLOW DISSOLVE/FADE TO BLACK.

Simply Scrumptious

Much to the chagrin of my family at dinner time, I'm not a very good cook.  However, I am a decent baker and that makes me quite popular after dinner when it comes to that age-old question, "Mom, what's for dessert?" 

With that in mind, allow me to share a family favorite.  The key to this beautiful dessert has less to do with what you put in the recipe-and more to do with what you put the recipe  in.

    

When you pour the recipe into this rose-shaped cast aluminum cupcake pan you get something really special. 

These pans are manufactured by Nordic Ware and the detail in each one is amazingly intricate.  You definitely get an extraordinary looking dessert from ordinary ingredients.

This particular design is called Sweetheart Rose and it creates a delightful flowered design that seems painstakingly carved right into the cupcake.

A look at the bottom of the cast aluminum pan shows off the fancy impression that will appear in the dessert.

I must admit, I do gravitate toward very simple recipes and this dessert fits in with that perspective. 

While the Nordic Ware pans like this typically work best with bundt or pound cake mix, I decided to try regular cake mix this time which only requires oil, water and eggs.  Of course, fresh fruit on the side is optional. 

An electric mixer is ideal because it really gets the batter super creamy.  It's also much easier on the hands, especially when working with thicker batters.

         

To ensure perfect removal from the aluminum pan make sure each cupcake pan crevice is generously greased.  I use a spray that also contains flour because it's easier. 

You may also want to use a basting brush to make sure that every nook and cranny of the pan is covered.

        

Tip:  After spraying the pan, sprinkle a tiny bit of regular sugar onto the sides before adding your cupcake mix.  The sugar has an almost caramelizing effect and will give the finished baked dessert a little extra crisp and shine.  This too, is optional.

One of the great things about using heavy cast aluminum bakeware like this, is that the oven heat is evenly distributed throughout each finely detailed area of the pan.   

The finished dessert turns out perfectly golden all the way around.  This photo makes me want to bite right into it.

When using regular cake batter, I'd suggest you fill the molding slightly less than half way to prevent the cups from rising too high.

I filled my first batch higher than I should have and as cupcakes do-the batter rose up over the top of the pan like a fat muffin. 

This made it hard for the rose dessert to sit flat on my serving tray.  So, for a more stable looking presentation, I simply sliced off the bottom, muffin-like portion.   

This gives the underside a nice straight surface and the rose cupcake will sit upright on your platter.  I doubt your guests will check the bottom of the dessert for any reason, so don't worry about that shaved appearance underneath. 

While over-filling the aluminum pan is a minor issue in the scheme of things, you may want to initially experiment with the batter levels to see what works best.  As you become more familiar with your pans, batter levels will quickly become second nature..   

By the way, your kids will love the shaved cast-offs, so no part of the cupcake is wasted.

After the cupcakes have cooled, sprinkle a small amount of confectioner's sugar on top for a nice finishing touch.  A flour sifter will make for a more even and light distribution of the powdered sugar.

   

The photo below shows the same rose design but in the large cake size cast aluminum bundt pan.  You can see the baked-out dessert using this pan on the cover a recipe book that I mention toward the end of this post.

I must admit, this bakeware is a bit addictive and I've been collecting Nordic Ware baking pans from a favorite local gourmet shoppe for more than ten years.  Some designs are also available through Williams-Sonoma.

By the way, with gentle, non-abrasive cleaning and deligent care these pans will continue to look brand, spanking new even after years of use.

The aspiring chefs in your home under the age of 10 will also enjoy helping with this recipe. 

My daughter is typically the first to help fill them with batter, while my son is pretty much the first to sample the finished dessert.

   

Here's another look at the dessert baked with a boxed pound-cake mix.  In this batch, you can definitely see the difference in the texture which is determined by the type of mix that is used.

As you can see, the pound cake mixture produces a less poreous, tighter finished dessert which displays the design in much greater detail.

In addition to the rose design, this carousel pan is another one of my favorites. 

After baking, the little merry-go-round horses can be individually painted with multiple icing colors for a fun and festive look.

 

There is also a larger version of the sweetheart rose cupcake pan. Now, this pan creates some pretty large cupcakes that bake out a little bigger than 5-inches in diameter.  That is huge.

Despite the hefty size, these fat cupcakes are just as beautiful and intricately carved as the smaller ones.

Here are a few of the cupcakes from that larger rose-shaped cast.  I baked these a little longer than I did for the smaller ones which is why they came out a tad browner.

On a side note, I've been working to improve my photography and experimenting with a newly purchased light tent which really helps to illuminate objects much better. 

For these two photos, I placed the cupcakes on a pedestal and set the stand down inside the tent.  The photos were snapped from above the tent for a couple of shots that look good enough to eat.

 

I used a large sheet of pink scrapbook paper under the pedestal to achieve the pink background in this photograph.

 

While I used boxed cake mixes for these cupcakes, there is a nice book available with a collection of recipes you can make from scratch.  Bundt Classics has lots of flavored recipes including Butterscotch Rum Ripple Cake, Luscious lemon Daisy Cake, Crunchy Granola Coffee Cake and Mint Julep Cake to name just a few of the 150-recipes.

My only complaint with this book is that out 150-recipes, there are only 8-color photos of finished desserts and that's including the cover shot.

I think these cupcakes would be positively perfect for any occasion.  Just change the batter flavor, the batter type and/or the fruit compliment to suit the event and you'll have a wonderfully elegant dessert that takes very little time to prepare.

If you serve this beautiful dessert, I'm sure your guests will be delighted and impressed at the same time. 

I suspect if tummies and taste buds could talk-they'd say simply scrumptious!