Prepping To Make A Cupcake Tower

I’ve been catching up this week on house and work and stocking up for my next project for an open house in Pasadena this weekend.  I was asked to bring chocolate cupcakes.  If you’ve been reading my blog this summer you know we got quite a bit of mileage out of our OC and LA County Fair wins with the chocolate cake recipe but for this special get together I have an idea in mind for something more spectacular and… [Read More]

Bat Cookies! with Steamed, Rolled Fondant

decorated bat cookies

Our power was off all morning to mid afternoon so I’m a little late in posting to wish you a happy Halloween so “Happy Halloween” at last! Late, late, late last night after we returned home from a wonderful dinner with our lovely friends I began this project- Yep, sometimes I can be a little batty when it comes to making and decorating cookies. When I’ve got an idea I’ve got to see it through. The cookies were for a… [Read More]

Halloween Cocktail Time!

Question: “What do black Cosmo martinis garnished with sparkly disco dust and a beating heart on a wooden stake have in common”? Answer: “It’s what for dinner come Halloween for me and my ghoul friends”. This year I’m going ghoulie glam with a sparkling rim made with thinned candy coating or white chocolate tinted with icing colors and sprinkled with disco dust. “Ghoulie Pink Sparkle Rim” “Twilight Red Sparkle Rim” I wrote a post on the particulars and challenges of… [Read More]

I Heart Martha!

I know you’ve seen this picture before from a recent post on decorated fall leaf cookies but today it is featured on Martha Stewart’s Dreamers Into Doers! It is such a thrill for one of my babies to be featured.Thank you Martha, & staff, for this honor! SHARE THIS POST:

A Vineyard Wedding – Part 3

As the wedding dinner in the vineyard was transitioning into evening, Adirondack chairs painted specially to complement the colors of the wedding were set up around the large fire ring. Plum colored pillows added coziness when the sun fell as did a basket full of purple and blush hued pashminas for the ladies. Such a thoughtful touch. One last push on the swing. A perfect dinner. With perfect company. Magic. Enchantment. Good conversation. Music. Dancing. And what kind of a… [Read More]

Happy Birthday to A Best Friend!

When making party favors for my dear friend Suzi’s birthday party hosted by her equally lovely sister, Kathi, last Saturday, I thought of what images I could capture in a cookie that reminded me of her. Specific images came to mind when thinking of her style – simple elegance, sparkle, mirrors, silver balls, purple and white. Suzi, I love having you be a sweet part of my life and the icing on my cake. (I know, corny). Wishing you many,… [Read More]

A Vineyard Wedding ~ Part 2

out of towners wedding favors

The ceremony and garden party. Scott’s 5 o’clock shadow was a bride’s request. Happy wife. Happy life. I love this photo. Lela’s veil floated to embrace Scott’s face at the moment of the kiss to give them just a hint of privacy. Soon it was time for the sunset dinner in the vineyard. Guests were seated at one long elegant table. Our wine charms pointed us towards the tables we were to sit at. Mirrors with our names at our… [Read More]

Kate Spade’s Supercalifragilipstick! Review

When I found out Kate Spade was introducing lip color I was very excited to try it. I ordered 3 colors – Fuchsia Fete; Adventurous Red & Pop Art Pink. I loved the packaging. With the spring loaded case. In fact, when I opened the boxes the lipsticks sprang open. Surprise! I eventually would have figured out how to open the case but it was a nice introduction. But when you like the packaging over the lip color it’s a… [Read More]

A Vineyard Wedding in Sedona

vineyard wedding cookie favors

I had the honor of designing and creating decorated cookies for a beautiful vineyard wedding in Sedona this past weekend. My time in the kitchen was made even more special since it was my nephew’s wedding. I love making cookies for people I know (and love). I think of them the entire time from sketch to the tying of the ribbon. How lucky can a baker girl and auntie get? The destination wedding location was unique and lovely and not… [Read More]

Decorated Fall Leaf Cookies! A Tutorial (with rolled fondant)

With the autumn breeze swirling colored leaves to my kitchen back door, I had an idea for decorated leaf cut out sugar cookies using rolled fondant that created a different look than using royal icing to decorate them(to see leaf cookies decorated with royal icing click here). With fondant, I could blend the colors together to make them softer and muted.     The first step was to make individual colors of fondant.   I used Satin Ice rolled fondant… [Read More]