Poppy and Ivy

Hey Cupcake...

I was asked by several people for the cupcake recipe!

That's a CAN DO! And so much easier than calling 13 vendors, Qwest, Pacific Power, Kinko's....all that boring stuff.

Coconut Cherry Cupcakes

8 TB Butter (softened)

generous cup superfine sugar

2 TB milk

2 eggs, slightly beaten

scant 5/8 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup coconut

2 oz candied , fresh or maraschino cherries

12 whole cherries (candied, fresh or maraschino)

*Preheat oven to 350. Put 12 baking cups into a muffin pan or double layer the cups on a cookie sheet

*Put the butter & sugar into a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Stir in milk. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour/baking powder and fold them in with the coconut. Gently fold in cherries. Spoon batter into cups .

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until well risen and firm to the touch. Let cool on a wire rack.

Butter Cream Frosting:

4 TB butter, softened

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1TB milk

Mils all together well. Spread onto cool cupcakes. Add one cherry on top for garnish.

Enjoy!

These were so fast...so easy! WHY didn't I ever do this sooner? And it's a small batch, THAT is a good thing too!

Happy Thursday....again!

The Craft Fairy Visited Me!

I kind of had my craft groove on.

I think my body LIKES pain killers and muscle relaxants.

Is that bad?

I made this bird up in my head...and I am not sure if it will work. I am HOPING to jump ring him to the white, glitter branch. But when I looked at the wholes I punch for his jump rings, branch feet started seeming like a good idea. I'll play with it some more tonight.

You can't really tell, but the  the white branch has white German glass glitter on it...very serene! Oddly....I kind of like it by itself! The bird is also glass glittered.

And the card fairy made me happy. I had to make 25 for Maria last week, then 50 for myself. I am up to 35! I need another 150 for a bazaar in three weeks.  Whewwwwww......

 

 

Love my new Oliver stamps from SassafrassLass. I don't think they get nearly enough applause. Darling, whimsical company. Always cool and edgy.

Ohh......I will be ready for the bank showing yet. I am up tomorrow at 10:00! Yeahhhhhhh. It took forever, but they sent me a proof of the darling sign....and it's all about me! It kind of creeped me out! They interviewed me and when I read the story...it sounded so.....lovely. I thought "man..that person is lucky" and then I realized it was ME!!!! Isn't it funny to look at your life though another person's eyes?  Of course....nowhere in the story did I mention the kids fight all day, my dog is on estrogen because she is leaking urine in her sleep or that my daughter has a birthday (13!!!! I will have a TEENAGER!!!!!!) in 5 days and we have no gift, no plan, no party, no NOTHING.....but that's life! Hahahahaaaa....

I can't believe I didn't post my favorite purchases from Randy's shop.

 

Oh-so-lovely.....I am a sucker for vintage Christmas! When Randy and I worked together...it was ugly. We always wanted the same stuff. He's a good guy....he always shared:)

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho....off to the shop I go.

BEADS!

Oh....today was like an all day recess.

My friend Tawny called me to tell me that a bead lady was in town. Tawny had met Shanna of Gray Wolf Beads at the local bead show in May. Shanna sells beads...vintage beads to be exact.

So....we all met at Collage and we watched Shanna make a serious HAUL. Maria bought beads for the shop...she has been considering offering beads for sale for some time....but these are the BEST beads EVER. What a great start for her. Start looking for those to hit the floor over there.

I bought beads to make items for my store. I have some plans. :)))))) I am pretty excited.

Here are my bead purchases...can't stop looking at them all!!!!

Yummy!

An apron for children!

Last Night it was merely a pile of fabric.

Today...it is an apron. I might have sewing skills after all!

Yes...that is my son. Poor little dude. His sister was at softball, and I needed a model.

And that dog is so fussy about modeling my aprons.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Classes

Making Stuff is cool.

I love that I have time to make stuff when the shop is slow. Sometimes I get into my little world and when the door opens, I am caught off guard. I can hardly put my head into the place to say "Hello and Welcome!".

I can teach you to make stuff. I really can.

Here is the current DIY Alert. An amber alert for little old me.

And here is the new DIY Lounge Class Schedule. It's still in the works. Jen Neitzel is recreating the wheel here. Collage next door will be the new home for classes. Not familiar with DIY? It's Portland's answer to crafty fun. I have taken so many classes through the lounge. It's a blast. I have taken blog classes (it worked...I have one!), Embroidery (I am addicted!), Stencil and Small Business Classes. ALL GOOD.

Read about it...you might just like what you see!

My first Apron

I was so proud of myself! My first "gathers"!!!

I might be whipping out these bad boys for the shop.

Next time....I won't do the measuring part while sipping Lychee Martinis...that was bad. =))))))

The Scene...it ain't pretty folks..

Tomorrow night is Last Thursday on Alberta Street and the Spring Bazaar is in 3 days. Pinch me.

There are signs for the bazaar on every corner in my neighborhood and when I drive by one....my tummy flips.

But oddly....I kinda like it.

Yep.

I'll admit it.

Deadlines are the ULTIMATE adrenaline rush to me. I'm a deadline JUNKIE.

But my Basement of Craft that looked OH SO CLEAN last week, looks like a hurricane rushed through.

The assembly line!

The Staging Area.

Some of the Main Players, the Heavy Hitters, the Big Wigs.....ya know what I mean? The guys I can't live without!

More of the same. If they stopped making Un-Du tomorrow...my life as I know it would be OVER. I buy it in 8 oz bottles and FLY through that. It even removes GUM off of brand new velvet sofas without any staining.

(Don't ask. )

Here are some of my new cigar boxes! I ran up to NW 23rd yesterday and grabbed some great shapes!

Look.....my Samurai Cookie Jar Man loves these boxes. He protects them for me!

In case you think I am blogging to avoid finishing my long list of projects due in 3 DAYS (ahem)...I want it noted that I DID finish some of my goodies. I actually thought of this idea at 2:00 this afternoon and finished three so far. In all honestly...this is probably all I WILL ever get finished. I might have a touch of A.D.D. Ya think?

Little ribbon pins. I am making some into hair clips too. SO cute! I have a gal named Elsie that I am darn near obsessed with. I looked at her blog, her website and her place at Twopeas everyday for 5 months last year. Really. EVERY DAY. I scared myself at one point. She loves flowers. She makes them out of anything. I think she'd like my hair clips! But who I am to say???......LOL!

And my shop...my poor little neglected shop. I was there in body today!!!!

Look at this FANTASTIC new 3 tiered table! LOVE this. I want it for myself. But it makes a fabulous display! Darn it! I need to be a self-made millionaire, but I think I missed THAT boat.

But if I WERE....I'd own 4 of these pink tables!

Off to glue stuff and PREPARE for the next few days.

Deep....breaths.