Dino-mite!

In addition to celebrating my mom's Christmas birthday when we're all together for the holidays, we also celebrate my nephew Declan's January birthday, and for his cake I go a little nuts. (you can witness the crazy by looking at last year's cake, and the year before's.)

This year he's turning 6 and wanted a dinosaur on top of a blue cake, and since I am in the business of being the best aunt ever that's exactly what he got.

Chocolate cake, buttercream frosting and a T-Rex cake topper made from some left over gingerbread dough.

It was so easy!  I found an image online, cut the parts out and baked them.  Then I "glued" them together with royal icing, added a couple of bamboo skewers to the feet, gave him some teeth, sprinkles and licorice claws and I was done!

Speaking of gingerbread.... We were making gingerbread houses at the same time I was making Declan's cake.

I got a little slap happy from eating much too much candy and pretty soon T-Rex became Godzilla threatening to take out the town.

But the town was spared because the gingerbread houses were pretty great this year. (and because I am not in the business of making my nephews and niece cry.)

The weird marshmallow "milk catchers" that both my nephews have crack me up (no idea what that was about). And for some reason the giant marshmallow on the front of my niece's and her flattened trees make me laugh out loud.  

The clock tower is always set at 9am ("because that's what time school starts") and my sister in law's shingles and gold fish pond are great.

The one on stilts, with the dock and sailboat is mine. I'm thinking of running away to a tropical island never to be seen or heard from again... or I would be if I weren't afraid of fish.

happy dog

Want to make a cairn terrier happier than any creature has ever been? Take him on a 2 hour walk on a 100 foot leash.

fox in the snow, where did you go?

I read somewhere that a visit from a fox is good luck.

Is that still true if it seems like he wants to come in your house?  

I'm on fire

My mom's birthday is Christmas day, and it's pretty great that more often than not we're all together on her birthday.  When we are, I make cake.

This year I even set that baby on fire (kind of) and my nephew Colin was very impressed.  (recipe here.) 


Happy Birthday Mom! You're the best.

Merry Christmas!

honor and folly

My friend Meghan and I met when we ended up in the same cooking club (which I will tell you about one day because those ladies can COOK!).  She's an amazing writer, blogger and now bed and breakfast owner!  She just opened the loveliest space in Detroit.

It's beautiful and comfortable, just like we all wish our homes to be, the perfect mix of vintage thrift store finds and handmade objects by local designers and makers.  Honestly, I don't really think I can do it justice so you should really check out the photos and read what Meghan herself had to say in the sneak peak on Design Sponge and on Honor and Folly's website.  (Also check out her blog Designtripper, just be warned, it will give you wanderlust like you won't believe.)

I'm so honored to be a small part of it. I made dinnerware especially for the Honor and Folly, and it is available for purchase on Meghan's website along with a number of other handmade things she has selected. (Amy Bem's apron is a favorite, and I would give my eye teeth for one of The Brush Factory's Buster bags.)

If you have any plans to come to Detroit (and you should) stay at Honor and Folly.  You'll feel as if you're staying at your dear friend's house.

two front teeth

When I was in second grade Patrick Murphy sat in the desk behind mine in Mrs Robinson’s class.  He had red hair, freckles, and a number of brothers and sisters. He spent a lot of time trying to convince me that we were meant to be because my initials were AM and his were PM and together we’d make a whole day.

I was not convinced, but he was not deterred. 


Until one day, in an effort to show his affection, he pushed me off the jungle gym at school and I chipped my two front teeth. Poor guy refused to go inside the rest of the day because he was looking for the pieces, and never really spoke to me again.

I thought of that yesterday when I went to the dentist. I love that story, hate the dentist.

(I think this blog post is officially the most random one ever.)

image here

Ice Castles

For reasons passing understanding, the song "Through the Eyes of Love" got stuck in my head the other day.  It was pretty much torture (honestly, it's like my own brain is trying to kill me with terrible music) and when I complained about it to Lisa she confessed that not only had she never heard the song, she had never seen the movie Ice Castles!

How did she escape it?  I feel like it was Saturday night movie on tv every single time my parents went out during the 80's.  I wasn't even allowed to watch tv and I'm pretty sure I've seen it a thousand times.

Anyway, I love it. It's so awesomely awful. And  now I really want to go ice skating.

who's bad

this made my day, until I started to worry that someone has a video camera in my studio...

gifted

If you're looking for some gift ideas, you should check out my friend Keith's online shop at his lovely, newly redesigned website, Kreeger Pottery.

Keith had a studio and gallery on Cape Cod for years but recently moved his family down to Austin, Texas and it has been interesting to see how the move has changed his work.  Check it out!

Stuffed

Tonight is the Second Annual Detroit Holiday Food Bazaar and I can't wait, especially because my dear friend Sarah will be there!  Her food making venture is called Stuffed, and she'll be selling empanadas with magic green sauce (seriously, you can just eat the sauce with a spoon, or your finger if you have to.  It's so good.)

There will be lots of other great vendors and Noelle has been working like crazy getting it all together.  If you're in town come check it out!

party

Remember when I said that Chiara had opened an etsy shop?  Yeah, I totally jumped the gun on that one, but it's up and running now and it's delightful.

I got a garland for my nephew Declan's upcoming birthday celebration.  He wants a dinosaur cake this year (I've already got plans).

Isn't it adorable?  (5 year olds don't read blogs do they?)

"The Eames... This is going green 1949 style, bitch, believe that..."