Bunny Cookies Give-Away - Ends Tonight!

Today is the last day to enter my
Bunny Cookies Give-Away.
(click above, my link underline and color are not working)
4 of them could be hoppin' right into your mailbox!

Uh-oh.
(cue Barry White music on the sidebar - track #1)

I shouldn't have put them all together!

You know what happens when you put bunnies together,
don't you?


(Please. Some privacy.)

Find out when I announce the winner! ;)

On March 2!

The give-away is now closed.
Thank you to all who entered and good luck!

"I Can't Get Enough of Your Love" ~ Barry White

The New 'Test Day' Nightmare

Remember the dream where you find yourself suddenly in class and there is a test that you didn't know about and you realize you never studied for it? Now there is a grown up and hip version of that dream and I had it this morning.
You may even be in it! I am still reeling:

I had just come back to my childhood home from a holiday break. I am 'me' now but the house has been turned into a sorority house. I am there before everyone comes back because I am hosting a luncheon for all my blogging friends I have never met! The house is a mess! I am picking up towels in the bathroom and shoving them into the shower, the counters are atrocious! After being fairly satisfied with my quick pick up I move onto the kitchen. There is no food.

Three male blog friends arrive and sit in folding chairs and start talking. I don't know them but I am gracious. Silently, I am fretting about having no food to serve and decide to take drink orders to get me back into the kitchen. Someone wants a complicated gin drink. I scour the cupboards. I root around and finally find a gallon of light Bacardi and a bottle of vegetable oil. I go to the frig - I find simple syrup and old juice. I come back to Preppy 101 and ask if margaritas will be okay. There is a collective groan from the room which is now filling up the round tables. I am looking for Mr. P. M. to make a store run. The Posh Mommas comes in looking lovely and hugs me and says, "I just wanted to say hello, while I can" and she goes back out the door to fetch her Twincesses and I am so glad she decided to bring them so I can see them. :)

I look around and see Ronda of Stella's Mom in the corner laughing and talking with someone, just like she looks on her sidebar. I think she has a drink and I'm wondering what she is drinking! I go back to thinking this was supposed to be such a lovely luncheon to meet all these wonderful women and I have nothing to serve them. What will Miss Janice think?? But I knew she would not be judgmental. I knew no one would be. I was my worst judge."If I had only prepared better I would have chicken salad in tomato cup with zig-zag edges on a bed of butterhead lettuce (which I have never made in real life). Perhaps I could get a caterer and pay them $500 to bring food in and I can add grapes to it."

That is my dream, uh, nightmare. So this must be the 2010 adult version of that ill-prepared dream. It is the new pop quiz and final in my world. In reality, I wake up knowing I have towels to fold before I go and a house to tidy up before Suzi comes over for cat duty and I have not packed one thing for my weekend.
The mind truly works in mysterious ways.

No more blogging for me today.
I have work to do before I go and apparently chicken salad in tomato cups with zig-zag edges on a bed of butterhead lettuce to make! :)

... and thank you to my co-stars.
I must have felt very comfortable having you around. :)

J. Crew

Because one new bracelet is never enough.

This one is gorgeous. Trust me.
$78

Have a sparkling weekend!
I'm heading up the coast and plan on having one myself. :)

Ai No Corrida ~ Quincy Jones

Don't you just love 'Q'? I do!

Cakes From My Casa

I used to make cakes for fun. Did I ever mention that?
I'm in the process of finding photos I've taken over the years and I'm attempting to scan them so I have a more permanent place to keep them all. I don't know why I'm really doing this. I've made more cakes and decorated cookies than I ever thought to take pictures of.

There are some very traditional designs ~

Rebecca's cake

Oh my. I wasn't even married yet when I made this cake and now I've surpassed this number!

... to flirty & fun ~

Lady Kate's 35th birthday cake, or was it 30th or 40th?

... to conversation pieces ~

Jean's 75th birthday cake

This utterly silly cow cake was for my MIL's birthday.
The theme was "Party 'till the cows come home!"
It was my first attempt at fondant which I made from scratch. I used pink tappers for the, uh ... you know. I made the invitations out of yellow card stock with magenta Holstein spots. I put an overlay of velum over the card printed with the party information and included a cut out of a cow with the directions to the location. Some guests wore overalls and straw hats. It was really a lot of fun. We certainly raised the barn that night!

Shapes were always fun too.

For tea time ~


.... for a plant lover ~

Evie's Cake

... or a springtime basket of marzipan strawberries ~


A baby carriage with a sugar shell and a fondant blanket hiding a layer of marshmallows (shhh) with sugar cookie wheels found it's way to a favorite 5th grade teacher for a baby shower her students were giving her~

Mrs. Cuevas' Cake

And of course, whatever cake the boys wished for their parties was granted.
Whether we were mining for gold with spray painted rocks in a wheelbarrow of sand and water for the miners to excavate and discover ~


... or we were headed to the moon ~


... it commanded almost as much excitement as the party itself!

Next week, I've got some St. Patrick's Day goodies planned to post about.

Cute story behind this little leprechaun's picture ~

She was son2's best friend until she moved to New Jersey about the time this picture was taken. She is from a very Irish family so I had to make this cookie for her.
The kids lost touch but found out through Face Book that they are now attending the same college.
A small world.
You never know where that rainbow will lead you. :)

"Happy Birthday College Boy2!"

I cannot believe my baby bug is 19 today!

I guess I really shouldn't use the excuse of carrying around that extra baby weight anymore.

Happy birthday to a boy who has always known who he is, is thoughtful of everyone he meets, is innately polite, who never speaks ill of anyone and who sincerely wants to make the world a better place.
I am hoping to be more like you when I grow up.

I love you with all my heart and soul and stretch marks.

Love,
Yo Mamma

What Is Catching Your Eye?

Marc Jacobs paired with pink and green macaroons.
Irresistible.

Cosmetics with a cause.
I'm gaga over this shade.
M.A.C. Viva Glam VII benefits M.A.C. Aids Fund
in Viva Glam Gaga. $14

Very Hollywood.
Very Michael.Michael Kors for Estee Lauger in Bungalow Pink. $18

"Please officer, cuff me."Michael Kors Rhodium Cuff $125

Everything looks better in rose colored glasses, if even just on the rims.Betsy Johnson Retro Leopard $65

Hope your outlook today is from rose colored glasses too!

What is catching your eye lately?
Please, do tell or add a link. :)

"Lazy Day" ~ Spanky and Our Gang

The Revenge Of The Princess

I came across this graphic and just loved it so I thought I would write a post around it.

It reminds me of the line about kissing a few frogs before you find your prince.

What is your favorite frog story? Shy? Okay I'll go first...

My first boyfriend in high school kept calling me by his old girlfriend's name as our names were very similar. This was so painful to me. I was always in constant fear he would go back with her, which of course he did, more than a few times. He broke my heart over and over again until I decided I had had enough. He ended up marrying her and having a lovely life but the best part was talking to him years later and him apologizing for being such a terrible BF. I was very surprised he had brought up our tumultuous relationship but he had opened the door so I decided to agree with him mostly on behalf of my mom whose summer I ruined one year with crying and sulking over the break up and whose gray hair I know I contributed to all due to this one particular frog. Anyway, it felt great! I couldn't believe how great it felt.Then I started to feel badly thinking he was carrying around this guilt for years and I eased up and told him he was sometimes a wonderful BF, which was not true. The conversation ended pleasantly but not letting him completely off the hook was "priceless", as the say.

What's your frog story?

"You Know I'm No Good" ~ Amy Winehouse

Happy Chinese New Year!

I have been a part-time student of Feng Shui for over 10 years. At my last count I owned over 25 books on the subject. What draws me into the philosophy, art, science or practice is striving for the delicate balance of energy. I feel the majority of us are sensitive to energy. I know I am. I'm also a tad superstitious and like to feel I have some control over my surroundings so this exotic mentality is highly appealing. Although technically, superstition has no place in feng shui, it's based on the ancient Chinese study of geomagnetic earth energies. It requires mindfulness and intention to everything. Every form, color, placement, and representation.

Feng Shui can get extremely complicated but luckily I found the watered-down condensed version to begin my journey when I was a grasshopper and since then I have educated myself in the more traditional teachings but I am far from being a master or practitioner.

For beginners, I would recommend "Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life" by Karen Rauch Carter.

She uses the Black Hat Sect which uses a simple Bagua or grid upon the layout of your house. She is funny, lives in the OC and has been to my house twice! She describes the basics very well. Her book is highly entertaining, informal and friendly.

I learned from Karen's book I was missing my money corner so I needed a 'cure', as it is called. We installed a water feature (fountain) and purple plants and when I say 'we', I mean Mr. P. M. . He has learned the most important feng shui lesson of all...
"Happy Wife ~ Happy Life."
Mr. P. M. is a very wise, old soul. :)

Another story ~ my friend was going to put a fire feature in the children's corner on her property. I showed her the skull and cross bones warning picture that says 'no fire' feature in this area. It is a water area. She changed her plans and put in a fountain. All is well.

Last story ~ my niece who was married last August ~ at the area that was to be the focal point of her outdoor make-shift altar, there was not going to be anything in these two enormous urns that were stationary. They would have been barren! I counseled this would indeed be an inauspicious beginning to their marriage so my SIL found some kangaroo paws plants in the bridal colors, of course, and we planted them in the urns the day before the wedding. Probably no one even noticed but they would have noticed if they were empty. It would simply have been 'bad feng shui.' I could not have lived with the knowledge of this and not done anything about it.

I know just enough to be obnoxious and to instill fear in those whom I love the most.
It's a gift.

If you wish to explore more, because it really is fun, entertaining and on most levels makes perfect sense when you analyze why or how something in your environment makes you feel, another very good book is "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui". Mine is filled with colorful tabs sticking out in every which way as if it has accompanied me to Bible study or had been cramming for a final exam.

If you are still hanging in there you can graduate to the Chinese authors who take this very seriously. You'll have a new addition to your hand bag arsenal - a compass - because there are also auspicious seating directions at work and for meetings.

If you have any feng shui questions I will be happy to answer to the best of my ability or to confirm why you never did like the picture of your in-laws on the bedroom dresser or in your relationship corner or looking down at you in bed but I think you can figure this one out yourselves, grasshoppers.

Happy Year of The Tigerrrrr.

"China Girl" ~ David Bowie

"Decorated Cookies Give-Away!"

"Somebunny" thinks you're terrific for making their 1 year blogging anniversary so wonderful and it's ME!!

I have appreciated your company, your blogs, your comments and your friendships more than you will ever know and I'd like to give you something a little unique from me so what better than a
Decorated Cookies Give-Away
specially for you!

I wish I could give everyone a 21 "Bun" Salute to say thank you but I hope you feel just as special with a 4 "Buns" Salute!


Hopping ahead to spring - the lucky bunny recipient will receive 4 big bunny (5"x7") cookies dressed in their springtime finest in a cello bag with green grass and a pretty plaid bow! They would be cute gifts for anyone or placed in an Easter basket or added to your table scape.

Each bunny casts a pink dragee eye your way, shimmers with pearlized luster dust and has a coconut cotton tail!

I can make them more feminine (eyelashes, etc) or masculine (without the bow) or just your basic garden variety (as shown below) with a personalization on the cookie or covered in icing lace but we'll talk about that after someone has been chosen.
I'm including 4 personalized tags too! :)


Delivery will be by postal service the week prior to Easter.

I always bake in a happy mood so you'll feel the love on your first bite.
It's my personal Like Water For Chocolate moment. :)

I prefer all entries to be sidebar followers so I can have a visual while I bake for you even if it's as small as an avatar or name. I know it may seem a little kooky but that's my creative process. It connects me to you. Thanks.

Leave a comment and let me know if....

New sidebar follower? ~ Welcome! 1 Entry

Sidebar follower prior to this post? ~ Love you! 2 Entries

If you're kind enough to post about the give-away on your blog ~ 1 Extra Entry
(I am thinking about an online cookie business if people are interested so any 'good word' would be appreciated.)

If you Tweet about this ~ 1 Extra Entry

Let me know your total entries!

Give-Away ends midnight Pacific time on February 28th.

Thank you again, dear blogging friends, for your support, encouragement and for sharing the laughter and tears over this past year. I can't believe how sweet it has been because of you!

xoxo

Thank you to all who entered.
The give-away is now closed.

"How Sweet It Is" ~ Marvin Gaye

Invited To The Party

Dear M2 ~

Thank you for inviting my cookies to your mom's birthday party.

They are honored to attend and I know they're going to have a great time!

Original Champagne Glass Cookie Post here

Beverly Hills 90064?

This week we went to a reception of the SoCal Alumni Assoc. of MIT at the Beverly Hills Country Club. Aside from the fact we were going to be able to meet the President of the school, Dr. Susan Hockfield, and wishing to extend our sincere appreciation for all our son has gleaned from drinking out of the firehose during these past four years, I was looking forward to stepping into the BHCC. I expected opulence, nouveau riche a la Rodeo Dr. It was quite the opposite.

An unassuming building in a traditional, established residential neighborhood in Cheviot Hills. I am guessing mid-century to early 60's nondescript design. No golf, just tennis. The interior needed updating I thought as I sipped my well drink and nibbled my new potato, creme fraiche and caviar combo. The evening was very enjoyable with over 200 guests attending. Dr. Hockfield even answered a question of mine, the last of the evening. I prefaced that we were parents and I was given strict instructions by my son not to ask any question until after he had graduated. That got a round of laughs and she said it was a good question. I later thanked her personally which was a thrill.

What finally caught my eye as being distinctive in the building was a wall I noticed a man looking at. Unfortunately, I was unable to linger beyond a quick glance as we were on our way out and our car was waiting for us. There, I saw many distinguished names serving on the Board - Wolfgang Puck, Nancy Sinatra, Tina Sinatra, Tom Selleck, Dr. Buzz Aldrin. Buzz was in attendance as an MIT alum. I had a very nice conversation with his wife in the ladies room that continued in the foyer. They have been married 22 years, she is an alum of Stanford, is under 5 feet tall with long white hair, frail and dressed like an aging rock star with rhinestones covering her fingernails on both hands. Very eccentric. I wondered what Buzz was like.

Because I took just a little too much time extending my gratitude to Dr. Hockfield after the reception was formally over, Buzz slipped into the room where the evening was to continue for a private VIP dinner. I missed my photo op with one of the few men to have landed on the moon. That would have been a thrill for me almost as much as seeing Tom Selleck's name close up and personal knowing it had direct involvement and purpose being there. I felt giddy.

My only other star struck moment was when a co-worker of Mr. P. M. told us in confidence her sister was married to Tom Hank's brother. While she described having family dinners at his home, I hung on every word. Perhaps I have a thing for guys named Tom.

I am sending Dr. Hockfield some decorated cookies to commemorate her visit.
I'm sure she'll give me a shout out at graduation.

Have a star-struck weekend!
xoxo

"Stir It Up" (From Beverly Hills Cop) - Patti LaBelle
my music no longer comes on automatically, you have to turn it on. :)

Collegiate Valentine Care Packages

Are kids ever too big to receive some Valentine's Day fun from home?
Afterall, "nuthin' says lovin' like something from mom's oven!"

So they wouldn't miss anything among the packing, I made a big Valentine on one side then on the flip I printed out an inventory list.

Caution:
You are about to enter the corny zone! :)

Each Care Package contains:
1. One personal Valentine from Mom & Dad, (and cat).
2. Rice Krispy "Bear Hugs" Treats
3. Custom Collegiate Convo Heart Cookies
4. Banana Bread Bonus (bananas ripened after I printed out the card)
5. "Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love" Frost-Your-Own Chocolate Cupcakes
6. The Best Chocolate Frosting Ever
7. Customized Sprinkle Packets
8. Milk Money
9. Utensils & Napkins

10. Lots & Lots of Love

Because they are 'beary special'.

They may be one-sided "conversation hearts"...
but at least joking keeps the convo going. :)

Banana Bread *bonus*
You can tell I like to monkey around!

Gather some dorm friends and have a party!

For my science guy and bio guy.
It's a little known fact the particle theory was realized while eating a cupcake with sprinkles.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

And what are chocolate cupcakes without icy, cold milk?
...and a little extra for a 'moovie' perhaps?

Have a fun weekend, guys!
Love,
Mom

Cocktail(s) of The Month - February

A classic way to begin the evening is with champagne perhaps with a blush of Pom liqueur or Cassis with two raspberries swimming in the bottom of the glass or try something different.

A Valentine Aperitif ~
A Touch of Venus

Refreshing, light, would also look nice with a strawberry on the rim.

Ingredients:

3 oz. dry white wine
1 oz. Limoncello (sweet lemon liqueur, I keep it in the freezer-yum!)
1/2 tsp. amaretto
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Lemon spiral, garnish

Preparation:

Add liquids to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake for five seconds and strain into a large wine goblet.

Place lemon spiral garnish on top, and declare: "Love's gentle spring doth always fresh remain." — Shakespeare, Venus and Adonis

Chocolate Covered Raspberry

Dessert in a glass.

Ingredients:

Raspberry vodka
Vanilla vodka
Light Creme de Coco
Dark Creme de Coco
White chocolate liqueur (or cream)
Fresh raspberries
Chocolate syrup

Preparation:

Add ice to mixer. Pour raspberry vodka (2 count). Pour vanilla vodka (1 count). Add both light and dark Creme de Coco (3 count). Add a good splash of white chocolate liqueur. Add small splash of raspberry liqueur and shake.

Drizzle chocolate syrup in martini glass. Drop 1-3 fresh raspberries in glass and add more chocolate syrup. Pour mixture in glass.

Recipes from Fine Living.

Ronda at Stella's Mom also has a dangerous pink concoction if you dare drink her pink potion of love. :)