Another Wonderful Birthday

I celebrated my birthday over this past weekend.  There was a small gathering thrown on Saturday evening. We enjoyed fine wines, fondue with delicious veggies and cubed baguette to swirl in the fondue pot.  Tasty shrimp and sirloin steak and chicken all cooked on a marble stone.  A delightful and fun time.  In addition, I received some pretty nice gifts.

I asked for and received the new Martha Stewart's Cakes.  Martha strikes again.  There are some incredible recipes in this book.  The pictures alone are worth the cost of the book.  And I got a new coffee table book on the legend that is Coco Chanel.  I can never have too many books on the history of Coco Chanel.  An inspiration to men and women alike.

Of course, there were floral arrangements as well.  This intimate arrangement came from my friend Karen. The colors are so vibrant.  It is the perfect size for my bedside table and that is exactly where it was placed. As I have written here before, when I send flowers, I judge the size of the arrangement to the occasion. Small for birthdays.  Medium sized for special events which will fit nicely on an entry table.  And large or extra large for large parties or wedding events or if being sent to a hall or perhaps to a church or funeral home.  This one was just the perfect size.  Good job Karen.

Here is another arrangement.  This one was a little larger than the one from Karen, but still a perfect size.  I think I will keep this one on the kitchen counter to liven things up in there.  So beautiful.

Back to the gift category.  I received this wonderful hand knit tissue box holder from a dear friend with whom I have been out of touch for many years.

Here is another look at the tissue box, which came with a box of tissues, thank you very much.  This cover holds the tissue box firmly in place so when you pull out a tissue, it doesn't go flying all over the place.  Very nice and a very timely gift since I have been in the market recently for just such an item.  Thank you, dear Cindy, for thinking of me and sending this along to arrive on the actual day of my birthday.  I am so glad we are back in touch.  I have missed you.

And so was the birthday of John Newman in this year of two thousand and thirteen.  I have so many people who love and care for me.  Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Another Wonderful Birthday

I celebrated my birthday over this past weekend.  There was a small gathering thrown on Saturday evening. We enjoyed fine wines, fondue with delicious veggies and cubed baguette to swirl in the fondue pot.  Tasty shrimp and sirloin steak and chicken all cooked on a marble stone.  A delightful and fun time.  In addition, I received some pretty nice gifts.

I asked for and received the new Martha Stewart's Cakes.  Martha strikes again.  There are some incredible recipes in this book.  The pictures alone are worth the cost of the book.  And I got a new coffee table book on the legend that is Coco Chanel.  I can never have too many books on the history of Coco Chanel.  An inspiration to men and women alike.

Of course, there were floral arrangements as well.  This intimate arrangement came from my friend Karen. The colors are so vibrant.  It is the perfect size for my bedside table and that is exactly where it was placed. As I have written here before, when I send flowers, I judge the size of the arrangement to the occasion. Small for birthdays.  Medium sized for special events which will fit nicely on an entry table.  And large or extra large for large parties or wedding events or if being sent to a hall or perhaps to a church or funeral home.  This one was just the perfect size.  Good job Karen.

Here is another arrangement.  This one was a little larger than the one from Karen, but still a perfect size.  I think I will keep this one on the kitchen counter to liven things up in there.  So beautiful.

Back to the gift category.  I received this wonderful hand knit tissue box holder from a dear friend with whom I have been out of touch for many years.

Here is another look at the tissue box, which came with a box of tissues, thank you very much.  This cover holds the tissue box firmly in place so when you pull out a tissue, it doesn't go flying all over the place.  Very nice and a very timely gift since I have been in the market recently for just such an item.  Thank you, dear Cindy, for thinking of me and sending this along to arrive on the actual day of my birthday.  I am so glad we are back in touch.  I have missed you.

And so was the birthday of John Newman in this year of two thousand and thirteen.  I have so many people who love and care for me.  Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Halloween Ghost Cakes

For Halloween this year, in addition to the 40 bags of candy , I made these cute ghost shaped cakes.  Read on for more information on how to put together these fun and delicious treats.

*                    *                    *

First you will need this multi ghost-shaped baking pan from Wilton.  This pan does not have a non-stick surface, so spray each ghost cavity with Pam for Baking.

  

I have long been a fan of this cooking spray.  It works like magic.  When you coat this pan with a generous spray of Pam Baking and let each little cake cool for 15 minutes from the oven, there is positively no sticking to the pan.  They came out perfectly.

For these cakes, I used a Betty Crocker White cake mix.  One box will make six full cakes with a little left over.  Fill each cavity about two-thirds full.  You can make a few mini cupcakes in a muffin tin with what is left over.

Follow the directions on the cake mix to make the batter, fill each ghost mold and then place the baking pan in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.  A little later you will have six perfect little ghost cakes.  I only had room for four on this cooling rack, so that's why you don't see all six

I used this Duncan Hines Whipped Frosting.  You can use any that you like.  Or you can make your own.  I was running out of time, so making my own was not an option this time.  Plus these containers had 15% more than the regular sized containers for the same price.  I'm not going to pass up that deal.  I removed the plastic lid and then removed the foil covering on the frosting container.  Set the open container in the microwave and heat on high for 15 seconds.  Then stir.  If you need to heat it some more, place it back in the microwave and heat for 15 second intervals, stirring after each, until it is smooth enough to pour over each cake.

I poured the heated frosting over each cake.  It covered the top and most of the sides of each.  Where it did not cover the side, I wet my finger and used that to spread the frosting over the cake.  No fancy tools needed.  A wet finger will do the job.  While the frosting was still a little warm, I sprinkled each cake with shimmering white sugar and added the sugared eyes.  Those are from Wilton and available at Target.  I know that for certain because that is where I got them.

*                    *                    *

I let the frosting cool and set up on each cake and then moved them to a foil covered cake base (you can get these cake bases at Sur La Table or Target or Walmart.)  A closer look at each cake is below.

Sue

Stu

Lou

Roberto

These are really not difficult to make and super fun on a Halloween party table.  Give them a try.

Halloween Ghost Cakes

For Halloween this year, in addition to the 40 bags of candy , I made these cute ghost shaped cakes.  Read on for more information on how to put together these fun and delicious treats.

*                    *                    *

First you will need this multi ghost-shaped baking pan from Wilton.  This pan does not have a non-stick surface, so spray each ghost cavity with Pam for Baking.

  

I have long been a fan of this cooking spray.  It works like magic.  When you coat this pan with a generous spray of Pam Baking and let each little cake cool for 15 minutes from the oven, there is positively no sticking to the pan.  They came out perfectly.

For these cakes, I used a Betty Crocker White cake mix.  One box will make six full cakes with a little left over.  Fill each cavity about two-thirds full.  You can make a few mini cupcakes in a muffin tin with what is left over.

Follow the directions on the cake mix to make the batter, fill each ghost mold and then place the baking pan in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.  A little later you will have six perfect little ghost cakes.  I only had room for four on this cooling rack, so that's why you don't see all six

I used this Duncan Hines Whipped Frosting.  You can use any that you like.  Or you can make your own.  I was running out of time, so making my own was not an option this time.  Plus these containers had 15% more than the regular sized containers for the same price.  I'm not going to pass up that deal.  I removed the plastic lid and then removed the foil covering on the frosting container.  Set the open container in the microwave and heat on high for 15 seconds.  Then stir.  If you need to heat it some more, place it back in the microwave and heat for 15 second intervals, stirring after each, until it is smooth enough to pour over each cake.

I poured the heated frosting over each cake.  It covered the top and most of the sides of each.  Where it did not cover the side, I wet my finger and used that to spread the frosting over the cake.  No fancy tools needed.  A wet finger will do the job.  While the frosting was still a little warm, I sprinkled each cake with shimmering white sugar and added the sugared eyes.  Those are from Wilton and available at Target.  I know that for certain because that is where I got them.

*                    *                    *

I let the frosting cool and set up on each cake and then moved them to a foil covered cake base (you can get these cake bases at Sur La Table or Target or Walmart.)  A closer look at each cake is below.

Sue

Stu

Lou

Roberto

These are really not difficult to make and super fun on a Halloween party table.  Give them a try.

The Day After

We had four trick or treaters last night.  Can you believe that?  You just never know.  There have been years recently where I ran out of the little gift bags of candy and went searching all over the house for more candy. Not so this year.  So what to do with all this candy.

I carted it off to the office.  This was a full bag filled with leftover candy.  I'll let everybody at the office get all sugared up today.

I put all the bags on this little round table with a note wishing everybody a Happy Halloween.

Finally, a picture of my dining room able centerpiece for Halloween.  I think I'll take the balls out and leave the gourds in and find something more "Thanksgiving-like" to add in.

So now we move on to Thanksgiving, which is one month away from yesterday.  It will be a much quieter event for us this year.  Elegant, but quieter and with fewer people.

The Day After

We had four trick or treaters last night.  Can you believe that?  You just never know.  There have been years recently where I ran out of the little gift bags of candy and went searching all over the house for more candy. Not so this year.  So what to do with all this candy.

I carted it off to the office.  This was a full bag filled with leftover candy.  I'll let everybody at the office get all sugared up today.

I put all the bags on this little round table with a note wishing everybody a Happy Halloween.

Finally, a picture of my dining room able centerpiece for Halloween.  I think I'll take the balls out and leave the gourds in and find something more "Thanksgiving-like" to add in.

So now we move on to Thanksgiving, which is one month away from yesterday.  It will be a much quieter event for us this year.  Elegant, but quieter and with fewer people.

We're Ready for the Trick or Treaters at Crest Avenue

I was rummaging around in the attic recently and I found this enormous chalice.  So I filled it with bags of Halloween candy to be given out to the little ghouls and goblins tonight.

It's hard to say how many children we will have at the front door tonight.  It varies from year to year.  I put together 40 bags of candy which I think should cover tonight's visitors.

When I was done with this project, I thought it was time to move on to Thanksgiving.  The holiday season is upon us.  Things will move very quickly from this point forward.  So, I found my new turkey stamp and decided to emboss a box or two to see how I liked that.  And here is what I ended up with.

So cute.  I like the sparkly embossing powder.  These will look cute on the table with a little placecard tucked in one side.  Inside you could add a delicious chocolate truffle or a little bag of candy or nuts. Whatever you like.  I will be making a bunch of these and adding them to my Etsy page, Boxmania, over the weekend.  Same price as the Scary Skull Boxes - $7.50 for a set of ten.

I want to wish everyone a Happy Halloween.  Be careful and have fun.

We're Ready for the Trick or Treaters at Crest Avenue

I was rummaging around in the attic recently and I found this enormous chalice.  So I filled it with bags of Halloween candy to be given out to the little ghouls and goblins tonight.

It's hard to say how many children we will have at the front door tonight.  It varies from year to year.  I put together 40 bags of candy which I think should cover tonight's visitors.

When I was done with this project, I thought it was time to move on to Thanksgiving.  The holiday season is upon us.  Things will move very quickly from this point forward.  So, I found my new turkey stamp and decided to emboss a box or two to see how I liked that.  And here is what I ended up with.

So cute.  I like the sparkly embossing powder.  These will look cute on the table with a little placecard tucked in one side.  Inside you could add a delicious chocolate truffle or a little bag of candy or nuts. Whatever you like.  I will be making a bunch of these and adding them to my Etsy page, Boxmania, over the weekend.  Same price as the Scary Skull Boxes - $7.50 for a set of ten.

I want to wish everyone a Happy Halloween.  Be careful and have fun.

Mario Buatta Written by Mario Buatta and Emily Evans Eerdmans, Foreword by Paige Rense - Rizzoli New York - Rizzoli New York

Mario Buatta Written by Mario Buatta and Emily Evans Eerdmans, Foreword by Paige Rense - Rizzoli New York - Rizzoli New York

I just ordered this book from Amazon.  You can get the best price there.  It comes highly recommended from my pal Liz Smith.  So if you want to see some inspirational pictures of fine interior design, check out Amazon.com and order a copy for yourself today.

Mario Buatta Written by Mario Buatta and Emily Evans Eerdmans, Foreword by Paige Rense - Rizzoli New York - Rizzoli New York

Mario Buatta Written by Mario Buatta and Emily Evans Eerdmans, Foreword by Paige Rense - Rizzoli New York - Rizzoli New York

I just ordered this book from Amazon.  You can get the best price there.  It comes highly recommended from my pal Liz Smith.  So if you want to see some inspirational pictures of fine interior design, check out Amazon.com and order a copy for yourself today.

A Quick Picture this Rainy Morning

I got this shot early this morning of the Italian Cyprus in the corner of the property along the front sidewalk.

This Italian Cyprus seems to be quite happy in this location.  I was worried that the drought we experienced this year was taking its toll, but I think it is going to make it.  You see the trees have begun dropping their leaves.  The leaves are so beneficial to the surrounding plants as they decompose, providing a good source of nutrients.  They are not so good for lawns, especially fescue and bluegrass.  These grasses continue to grow through fall and a thick layer of leaves will prohibit their growth.  Leaves make a great mulch for hydrangea or any other plants you may want to protect from winter cold.  Over the past few years, I have worked diligently at replacing lawn with gardens and mulched beds.  I have very little "grassy" areas left.  So I generally let the leaves lay where they fall.  This has helped make for a very nice rich top layer of soil.  Here in the Mid-Atlantic we suffer with predominantly clay soil, which can be difficult to work with.  So, if you can tolerate the leaves in your gardens, leave them and just have the lawn areas cleaned.

A Quick Picture this Rainy Morning

I got this shot early this morning of the Italian Cyprus in the corner of the property along the front sidewalk.

This Italian Cyprus seems to be quite happy in this location.  I was worried that the drought we experienced this year was taking its toll, but I think it is going to make it.  You see the trees have begun dropping their leaves.  The leaves are so beneficial to the surrounding plants as they decompose, providing a good source of nutrients.  They are not so good for lawns, especially fescue and bluegrass.  These grasses continue to grow through fall and a thick layer of leaves will prohibit their growth.  Leaves make a great mulch for hydrangea or any other plants you may want to protect from winter cold.  Over the past few years, I have worked diligently at replacing lawn with gardens and mulched beds.  I have very little "grassy" areas left.  So I generally let the leaves lay where they fall.  This has helped make for a very nice rich top layer of soil.  Here in the Mid-Atlantic we suffer with predominantly clay soil, which can be difficult to work with.  So, if you can tolerate the leaves in your gardens, leave them and just have the lawn areas cleaned.