purse / patisserie

"The Hottest Women of Food Network"

2007-07-21T19:35:00.000-07:00

Hey, Gals! I have no time whatsoever to post right now (we're moving this week, and I think I'm losing my mind), but being the Food Network fan that I am, and considering the running dialogue (which I'm sure a lot of other people are having) I have with my husband about Food Network personalities, I just had to post a link to this article entitled "The Hottest Women of Food Network." Make sure you read both pages; I thought it was hilarious. :D

I just can't wait for the unveiling of the next Food Network Star! I secretly hope that it's Amy, although I don't think it will be if enough heterosexual men vote; I think Rory's boobs will win.

On a different note, has anyone seen the Lens Crafters commercial with those beautiful white lace up pumps? I think (judging by the style and the red soles) that they are Christian Louboutin, but the only ones that I can find right now are a pair that are silver and brown (Go here to see what I'm talking about). Anyway, I do not always have a shoe fetish, but those are the sexiest damn shoes, and if I had just one ounce less of self control, those shoes would be on their way to my house right now. (Yes, my passion makes me care nothing for run-on sentences.) Sometimes I am such a whore for fashion that I embarass myself.

Well, anyway, take care, friends, and send your best thoughts and prayers our way as we hit the road. We'll soon be closer to some you, and that makes me happy. :)

new home!

2007-06-10T17:27:00.002-07:00

Well, as many of you have heard, we're moving! G got a job elsewhere, and we're getting the hell out of this dinky little town. Hallelujah! (I'm not giving any details here because there are so many damn creepy people slinking around the Internet.) So anyway, I won't post pictures of the exterior, but here are some pictures of the interior of our (soon-to-be) apartment. Keep in mind that these are pictures with someone else's decor and paint choices. Also, it's really hard to tell what's going on in a lot of the pictures I took because the place was so messy, so I'm just posting pictures of the first floor, since it was the most tidy part of the house (and my favorite part, too, because it contains my three favorite rooms).

Here we have the stairwell to the second floor. I really like the landing. The person who rents the apartment now has a little table with a vase of flowers on the landing and a mirror on the wall that you see as you're walking down the stairs. So, I guess you can adjust your hat or your lipstick before you walk out the door. See?

Looking down the stairs.

Here's hubs (on the left) in the living room. I really like the size of this room and the large window to the right (You can't really see it here, though). I'm also excited about the hardwood floors throughout the house.

Here is our cute little dining room. We've never had a seperate dining room before, so I'm really happy about this. Since we only have a small kitchen table, I think I'll probably put the table against the wall under the window and put my desk and a hutch for our dishes in here.

Ah, the kitchen! And a very cute kitchen if I do say so! I love the window over the sink; that will make washing dishes so much more pleasant. I'm also quite pleased with the appliances. The dishwasher and stove look relatively new, and the stove is gas-- not electric. I have pined for a gas stove for so long!

Not a lot of counter space, as you can see. That will be a bit of a pain, but I'll make do. I'll probably end up using the kitchen table a lot. I'm spoiled by the large amount of counter space my current kitchen has. The other option would be to put a slim waist-high table in here in place of the baker's rack that the present tenant has. I'm planning to put food in the cabinets, so I won't do the baker's rack. I could be vexed by these dilemmas, but I'm really just so excited about arranging the place. Overall, we're going to have so much more space.

The opening to the left here leads to a half bath (on the right) and the stairs to the basement (on the left).

Well, I'd like to post more pictures, but I'm tired and have to fold laundry. Why does Blogger take so long to upload photos when all of the other photo uploader things I use on the Internet are so fast?

Anyway, I have a lot of ideas for this place already, but let me know if you have any cheap, non-time-consuming ideas for improving space or aesthetics. (I'm going to be working full-time, so they really must be simple.) Cheerio, everyone, and come visit, my friends!

Ottawa

2007-05-12T19:56:00.000-07:00

Glen and I went to Ottawa, Ontario, at the beginning of May for a conference on Northrop Frye. (You might remember my mentioning this in an earlier post.) G gave a paper, and I just enjoyed listening to the papers and exploring Ottawa. Ottawa was absolutely gorgeous, and I think it is my favorite Canadian city so far (I haven't visited very many). G and I spent most of our time with our friends Jeffery and Christina, and we had a really good time.

G, Christina, and Jeffery in front of the Parliament buildings

Entering the Parliament buildings

Me with a statue of my namesake

G with his second Elizabeth

In front of Queen Victoria's monument

G and Jeffery at a French restaurant called L'ange (A picture of the restaurant is above this one).

Christina and Jeffery at a pub. I love these pictures.

Christina and Jeffery at D'arcy MacGee's

G and I on a bridge over the Ottawa River

The Ottawa River

Jeffery and Christina walking to the university

Above: G and Jeffery, Christina and I at the University of Ottawa

Christina, Jeffery, and G in front of a church. I like this one because they are in order of height. LOL.

abigail renée

2007-04-24T04:27:00.000-07:00

I just realized I talked about my friend Hannah's new baby, but I never posted a picture. This is Abigail Renée, born March 17, 2007. What luck!! :)

torte

2007-04-17T21:14:00.000-07:00

The first time I made this torte, it was for a house blessing, so I made a powdered sugar house on it. This time, I made the torte for a bachelorette party/shower, so I tried to make hearts, but I made too many. I have learned that one must keep the design simple with powdered sugar. Anyway, I promised to post this recipe from Green and Black's organic chocolate, so here it is.

Ingredients:

3 Green and Blacks bars: I usually use the "Maya Gold" for all three, but you could do two dark and one Maya Gold or one Dark and two Maya Gold. It just depends upon how strongly you want to taste the orange and spice.

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/4 sticks butter

5 large eggs, beaten lightly

1 T ground almonds or 1/4 t. almond extract

Pinch of sea salt

Confectioners sugar or gold dust (if you are a rich cook. LOL)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 to 9 inch spring form pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess. Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave for one minute. Stir until fully dissolved. Melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan, whisking until smooth. Whisk the eggs, almond, and salt until well combined, and then quickly pour in the melted chocolate and the butter and sugar mixture. Fold in the chocolate, butter, and sugar until they are completely incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared spring form pan, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 35 to 45 minutes (depending on your oven). Let cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar or gold dust, and then remove rim.

For the perfect dessert, serve this with homemade whipped cream. Chill the beaters to your hand mixer and a big mixing bowl in the refrigerator. Then pour half a carton of whipping cream into a bowl, and beat the cream into stiff peaks. Do this right before eating, or the whipping cream will "melt." Serve a dollup of whipped cream with each slice of torte.

Bachelorette Party!

2007-04-15T21:14:00.000-07:00

These are some pictures from a bachelorette party that we gave our friend Beth P. this past weekend (Don't worry, Beth; I didn't put up any of the pictures of the stripper giving you a lap dance. ;) ). Beth is a long-time friend who is getting married in June. Congratulations, Beth!!!

This is Beth and Sally, whom I had a great time getting to know.

I did end up making the Green and Black's torte AND the chocolate cookies with Craisins. I think that they both turned out really well. However, I also think that I left the beaters to my hand mixer at Allison's apartment. Crap.

Well, while I'm here, I might as well say something. Things are going pretty well in our household. I'm working all the time, so the house is always an absolute wreck. But at least we're happy! :) I think we might hire a cleaning lady/man. I'm just nervous about it because G's last cleaning lady stole his SSN, and that was a big mess. And the only time that I can be at home to monitor the cleaning person is on Saturday. However, it just dawned on me that I might ask Elizabeth, who cleans at the school on my hall. Perhaps she does house cleaning, too.

In a couple of weeks, G and I are going to Ottawa. I'm going to be so happy to get away from my students for a few days!! It will actually be the end of the term, so the only thing that I will have left to do (for work) when I get back is give the TOEFL exam. The TOEFL is a bitch, but at least it only takes a day.

But anyway: Ottawa. G is giving a paper on Northrop Frye's theory of primary and secondary concerns. This is an area of Frye studies that really interests me, and I hope to do more reading on it. I must say, Frye intrigues me. Even though some of his writing takes an effort to plow through, reading it is like drinking great wine: shitty wine just never tastes the same afterwards.

I'm also looking forward to meeting the other "Frye guys" and seeing some [not very old but dear] friends. G's friend Jeffery will be there, and he is such a wonderful person. I think I will also get to see Alvin, who was on G's dissertation committee and whom I have only met once.

Lastly, I have never visited the great capital of Canada before, so I am very excited about exploring Ottawa a bit. We are definitely going to visit the capitol buildings, and I hope we'll discover some fun shops and pubs. I love visiting cities for the first time!

Otherwise, things here are just dandy. The cats are well and growing quickly. Ghanima is twice as adventurous as Gus ever was, and she is into everything. She especially likes to eat food off the kitchen counter and drink water out of the toilet. She and Gus like playing hide and seek in the bathtub when there's no water in it. There is cat hair everywhere.

Cheers, everyone!

tidbits

2007-01-27T17:39:00.000-08:00

Hi, friends! I'm back for a post this weekend. I was inspired by my friend Beth's friend's Sally's (I'm an English teacher. I should be ashamed of that!) blog Through a Glass Darkly. I know I haven't shared anything in ages, but I am sick with a horrible cold this weekend. I even missed work yesterday. Therefore, there's not much else I can do than sit at the computer. Ok, I'll admit to cleaning the kitchen and doing some laundry, but I think that about killed me.

G and I have been great. Yesterday was our five month anniversary. Hard to believe, isn't it? I usually feel like we've been married forever. I mean that in a good way. I feel at times like we've always known each other.

As I said before, I'm teaching ESL to international students. I love it, but it's very stressful sometimes. And being crammed in a room with all those kiddies has made me sick (literally).

I'm almost finished with my thank-you cards from the wedding gifts. I know, I know. I'm a horrible, ungrateful bride. Whatever.

My friend Beth is getting married in May, and I'm so excited. We're going to try to give her a lingerie shower sometime in March or April. I have never given a shower (without my mom) before, and I'm excited. I'm thinking of making a chocolate torte with Green & Black's Maya Gold organic chocolate with orange and spices (don't tell Beth!). The torte is probably the best dessert I've ever made. Besides the Christmas cookies with three kinds of chocolate, marshmallow cream, and Craisins, that is. Oh, God. I'm so hungry. My students laugh at me because I talk about food so much.

My friend Hannah is pregnant with her second child, a girl. The little lady (whose name has not yet been chosen) is due March 19, two days before G's birthday. Hannah thinks they will choose the name Abigail. I can't stop looking at CrewCuts, the adorable line of children's clothing made by J. Crew. I wish I were rich so that I could buy this child loads of adorable clothes. I must confess that I sometimes dream of having a daughter only because I want to dress one. My mother said she'd get me a doll to dress. LOL.

Ok, I need a cocktail. I'll talk to you peeps later. Ta ta!

It's a girl!

2006-12-05T09:44:00.000-08:00

We have decided to adopt another kitten. This is Ghanima, the newest member of our household. We named her after the twin sister of Leto (and daughter of Paul Atretes) in Frank Herbert's Children of Dune. Yes, we are complete and unabashed nerds. Our other cat Gustav is named after C. G. Jung. Anyway, we love our new little girl. Now, I'm no longer the only chick!

Sneaking some food from under the entertainment center

Sleeping with Daddy

Taking another wee nap (you can never have enough)

Getting along pretty well with big brother Gustav

where did I go??

2006-11-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

Hello, friends! I am writing to reassure you that I am o.k. and that you are all still loved. I have received several worried comments and e-mails lately. I have not posted lately because I got hired as a full-time instructor at the university here. I am teaching four ESL classes in addition to one class at the community college about forty-five minutes away. I am really excited about my new job at the university, but next semester I will be even more busy, as I will be organizing and leading an English speaking club and handling administration of the TOEFL exam. But I will keep my blog in hopes that I will still be able to post over the holidays and occasionally when I get a free minute. I still visit your blogs when I can, and I always feel so uplifted by them. I just don't always get the time to post. I am sorry that I cannot participate as actively in the blogging community as before, but thank you for faithfully visiting my blog and for caring enough to make sure that I am all right. I hope you will still come to visit occasionally. You are appreciated!

too liberal?!

2006-10-27T07:04:00.000-07:00

Ok, I just can't help but post about this. There is radio commercial running in Alabama right now encouraging citizens to vote against a certain democratic candidate for Senate. Let me run a couple of the statements by you and see how you feel.

The first went something like, "Liberal Terry Spicer is running on the same ticket with Alabama's first openly gay democrat and has pledged his support for her campaign." Ok, the facts given to us here are: 1. Mr. Spicer is a democrat. 2. Mr Spicer is running for Senate. 3. His running mate is a homosexual. 4. He supports her. These facts by themselves are supposed to convince Alabama citizens that Mr. Spicer will be unsuitable and unable to properly represent the state of Alabama. Apparently, being a homosexual or supporting a homosexual (to an Alabamian) means that one is immoral, untrustworthy, and uncapable of making sound, objective political decisions. I'm sorry, but I know a lot of homosexuals who are far more suitable for governmental office than some heterosexuals I know. At least they are using their brains instead of putting them on a shelf in favor of more "suitable" political positions like the incredibly appetizing intermingling of church and state, where people are asked to vote according to their religious belief that homosexuality is sin.

However, my "favorite" part of this commercial is the very last line: "Terry Spicer: just too liberal for Alabama." When did the word "liberal" become such a powerfully suggestive word that by itself could make people's minds shut down? According to my dictionary, liberal means "favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs." Some synonyms to "liberal" are "broad-minded," "generous," "boutiful," and "munificent." "Liberal" also means "favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties. " Do you want progress, Alabama? Do you want individual freedoms? Oh, of course not. Alabama: aim low and hit the mark every time. Screw you, Alabama!

Would California radio stations air a commercial with the line "just too liberal for California"? I think not. Why? Because even if someone in California is a conservative Republican, hopefully, it is going to take a little more of an argument than "just too liberal" for that person to make up his or her mind.

There is nothing wrong with conservatism. I have great respect for many conservatives. However, I have no respect for unthinking conservatism. Unthinking conservatism is so easily manipulated by catch words and phrases. Some of President Bush's favorites are "God," "justice," and "freedom." Say those words to unthinking conservatives, and it's just like petting the belly of a crocodile: they become mentally limp, and you can do anything you want because those people now have a blind, unfaltering trust in you. I don't give a damn what you say. I want to know what you do.

I will close with one of my favorite slogans of the Episcopal Church:
"Jesus came to take away your sins-- not your mind."

autumn and the city

2006-10-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

I was tired of looking at my face every time I went to my blog; so I had to take matters into my hands. It is very cold here now, and I'm so excited. I've been drinking a lot of hot drinks-- especially my favorite spiced tea recipe that has Tang, lemonade mix, spices, and instant tea in it. You know the one. Yesterday, I bought some good winter pants. You know the ones that are denim but tailored like a dress pant? I have wanted some for years (I'm way too picky, and I never have much money), and I finally found a pair I love and bought them.

This is my favorite mug for consuming hot beverages on chilly fall days. It's from Starbucks, of all places. Don't get me wrong; I LOVE Starbucks, but this just doesn't look very "Starbucksy," does it? Starbucks's style is usually more artsy/bohemian. My aunt got it for me for Christmas or my birthday a few years ago.

I am really dying for some culture right now. Just looking at this mug makes me citysick. However, I am going out with the girls in Montgomery this weekend. My friend Rachel never got a lingerie shower before she got married; so my friend Paige and I are giving her some goodies. :D We're going out for drinks and appetizers, and then we'll go to Rachel's to drink wine and watch Sex and the City. Good city girl fun.

a red thing

2006-10-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

I went red!! I even dyed my eyebrows. :D Here are some pictures (before and after). Don't judge too harshly because the first picture was taken by a professional photographer (Mark Broadway Photography), and I also have different facial expressions in each picture. Hubby didn't like the original red head pictures; so maybe he'll like the "after" one. LOL. The hair color was more brassy and bright at first (as is always the case with hair dye). Now it is more auburn, which I think I like because that is basically what I was going for in the first place. Hooray for change! (Ok, I really promise to post a crafty thing again soon. I just got an additional job teaching four more classes; so my life is pretty hectic right now.)

Before

After. Do I look like a true red head?

grandparents

2006-10-11T20:16:00.000-07:00

I don't know what we'd do without grandparents. This is a tribute to mine, who won't be with me much longer. They have been the dearest grandparents a girl could ever have.
I can't write much more because these pictures make me cry. These are my grandparents, Evelyn and Charles. (Photos, M. Broadway Photography)

pumpkin cheesecake

2006-10-09T19:07:00.000-07:00

Today was Canadian Thanksgiving, and since my hubby is Canadian, I made a pumpkin cheesecake so that he wouldn't feel that Canada was unfeted today. Here are some pictures of it. I finally got the whole pie picture to load, too.

Recipe for easy pumpkin cheesecake:

Ingredients

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 8" ready pie crust
1 tub of Cool Whip
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. cinnamon and 1/2 t. allspice OR
1 scant t. cinnamon, scant 1/2 t. ginger, scant 1/4 t. ground cloves

Instructions

Soften cream cheese to room temperature. Beat cream cheese, 3/4 of the can of pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla, and spices with a hand mixer. Add eggs to mixture. Beat well. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees 30-40 minutes or until center is set. Cool on a rack for one hour. Stir together remaining 1/4 can of pumpkin and Cool Whip. Serve pie warm or chilled with a dollop of Cool Whip and a sprinkling of cinnamon. Keep pie refrigerated.

wedding photos!!!

2006-10-06T18:43:00.000-07:00

Ok. I feel so guilty for not posting in so long! I must write something.

I've been engrossed with our wedding pictures lately. M. Broadway Photography, that took the new profile pic I have up, finally posted all of the pictures. The photographer's work is so wonderful, and I just keep going to look at them. All 853 of them. Oh dear. So, I guess I have to post some here because now I'm talking about them. However, I'm very worried that I won't be able to stop.

This cake was made by my dear friend Rebekka (http://www.tartacakes.blogspot.com/). It was exquisite-- absolutely perfect. I can't stop looking at the pictures of it. Rebekka will soon be launching her cake business in Nashville, TN; so if you live there, you must order one her unbelievable cakes.

WOW!

These are the purses hanging on the bridesmaids' dresses. I wish there was a picture of them holding the purses, but oh well.

All of our bouquets. Picking the flowers was one of my favorite parts. These weren't exactly what I ordered, but they were pretty nonetheless. I loved my bouquet.

reversible bag!

2006-09-26T20:55:00.000-07:00

This has been my project off on and on for the past couple of days. I either broke or really, really jammed my toe, and I haven't been able to be up and about much. Oh well; I wear my jammies too much anyway. Now I have an excuse! (I won't post a picture of the toe; it's kind of gross.)

Anyway, this little baby is a reversible bag I designed. It's my first reversible bag, and I love it! I plan to do many more. This is also my first purse with covered buttons. They are so much fun to do (very satisfying to pop out that perfectly made button) and very inexpensive to make.

I hand-dyed this purple silk with the butterfly design so that it would look like splashy watercolor.

Yes, there are buttons on each side!

See the little pocket? It perfectly fits a driver's license and two credit cards-- or a couple of hair clips and some keys. (I only recommend the cards if one is using it as the lining, not the exterior. A pickpocket might find that just a little too alluring. ;) )

Inside! It's roomy enough for the things I consider "essentials" (yes, it'll fit a couple of Tampons), but can still qualify as an evening bag. I had never done the button loop before either. I used some thin suede, and I like it a lot.

a southerner's predicament

2006-09-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

One thing I find endlessly frustrating about living in (small-town) Alabama is that:
A) The educational system is the second lowest in the nation, making a large amount of people, well, uneducated.
B) Hardly anyone is Episcopalian.
There are many ( and I mean MANY) ramifications to the aforementioned points, but one of them is very simple: it is incredibly difficult to find greeting cards. "What?" You might say.

Well, take example A). If one goes to the card section of Wal-Mart(Ah! And you thought all Wal-Marts were the same!) looking for a graduation card for one's brother-in-law, who just graduated from law school, there will be one (1) card. In fact, if one is looking for any post-B.A. graduation card, there will probably be one (1). What about example B)? Well, say your friend's daughter is about to be baptized. That was the case for me recently. Today was the baptism of the nine-week-old daughter of a couple in our church. So, what did I do? I (foolishly) went to Wal-Mart for a card. There was one (1). Girls, do you know the chance that the one non-small-town-Alabama-ideology-friendly card in Wal-Mart will be the card you actually want to give that special person? Well, for me so far, it has been 0%.

So, what did I do? I bought a "normal" baby card that ended in "Congratulations" instead of "Congratulations on Your New Baby," and I added my own message to the end. I did the same thing when my brother-in-law graduated law school. And I'm sure I'll do the same thing when the next person in our church gets confirmed. What is a woman to do? It's a southerner's predicament.

Do you think that I pull this off? Or does it just look tacky? The other thing that I've discovered is that it's very hard to find a baby card without a cutsey little "poem" in it. I guess babies just bring out the cutsey in everyone. Don't get me wrong. I have no problems with cutsey-- just bad poetry.

a tie, a vest, and a kilt

2006-09-23T21:56:00.000-07:00

Hey, chickies! I talked a bit ago about a tie I made for my hubs out of Chinese satin. Several people said they wanted to see the tie; so here it is.

Hubby, being a true Canadian of British decent, is quite a sucker for tartans and tweeds (like any true English gentleman would be). ;) He wants me to make him one of these vests in a tweed to wear with his kilt instead of a jacket. I have the pattern cut out. Now, we just have to go pick out some fabric together. He is going to look a lot sexier than the generic-looking dude in this photo, though.

Just for kicks ;), this is my hubby and I on our wedding day. G's kilt is made from Maple Leaf Tartan.

rin ran (mediterranean tuna salad)

2006-09-22T21:20:00.000-07:00

I had to post this recipe because it is so easy you won't even believe it, and it is absolutely DIVINE. No one will ever know you made it in about 20 minutes, and it is very cheap to make, too.

Rin Ran

Ingredients

Salad:

1/2 pound potatoes (I like red best)
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers (the Vlassic Stackers ones are perfect)
1/2 cup sliced green olives or Mediterranean olives
1-3 cans white Albacore tuna (This depends on how meaty you like things. Hubs REALLY likes meat. I put two cans last time, which was fine for me, but I think I'll put three next time to make him happy. My mum only puts one. With three cans of tuna, you might want to double the dressing.)

Dressing:

2 T. olive oil
1 T. vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar, and it was quite nice.)
1 T. parsley
1/4 t. cumin
1/2 t. paprika
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Instructions

Peel potatoes (if using white), cube, and boil until tender, about ten minutes. Drain off water and place potatoes in a bowl with peppers, olives, and tuna. Whisk dressing ingredients and pour over veggies and tuna. Toss until well-blended. Chill and serve.

Barely serves one 6'4" hungry man and one 5'4" hungry woman. ;) No, really, this does not make very much if it is going to be your main dish. I might double the recipe next time for just the two of us. We really like to eat, though. I also didn't make any side dishes because I was in a hurry.

a blue and white fetish

2006-09-21T09:06:00.000-07:00

I'm so proud of our new bed(ding). I did a wedding gift switcheroo to get the comforter, and my mum's friend Mrs. Bean gave us the lovely sheets. This is a Ralph Lauren set called "Catalina," and I just love it. I'm really such a sucker for blue and white. I have to get the accent pillows next.

Here is our china, just in case you didn't believe me about my blue and white fetish. ;) This pattern is called "Finlandia" and is made by Churchill China. The picture is a not-too-great one I took right after the big shower. I was just so excited to finally have a matching set!

a fluffy diversion

2006-09-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

I recently organized my new bookcase, and Cubby (our cat; his real name is Gustav) has really taken to it. Apart from his awful shedding, I don't mind it. The case is right by my desk; so he's good company. My husband and cat both have names that start with g; so I call them Big G and Little G to differentiate. Hubs is 6'4"; so the name works in that respect as well.

a sale!

2006-09-19T07:07:00.000-07:00

"Chocolate Sky" got sold today on Etsy! *Pops Champagne* My first Internet sale!

This is a burgandy bag I made out of Chinese satin. When I was in university, one of my friends was from Nanjing, China. Her mother found out that I liked to sew and sent me about five or six different fabrics from China. (She also sent my mum a beautiful crocheted tablecloth!) This is a bag I made from two of the fabrics (the second of the two I used as the lining).

I also made a tie for my hubby out of one of the fabrics. I should post a picture of it, too.

a yummy diversion

2006-09-17T16:09:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry, but today you just have to go see my friend Rebekka's apple tart tatin. It looks delish! I have to go eat now.

chocolate sky

2006-09-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

This is a reinterpretation of the "baby blue and chocolate brown" bag. I am calling it "Chocolate Sky," and it is for sale in my Etsy store right now. I just love polka dots, and I couldn't resist this brown and blue dotted ribbon.

a logo?

2006-09-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

I had a dickens of a time with Photoshop today, but I learned some new things. What do you think of this as a logo? I like the focus on the swirl of the rose because it evokes images of frosting-covered pastries.

(copyright 2006)

cookies and cream

2006-09-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

This bag is for sale in my Etsy store, too! :)

peach confection

2006-09-13T14:50:00.000-07:00

This handbag is for sale on Etsy! Visit my store: www.pursepatisserie.etsy.com.

This dainty little number always makes me think of frosting. I think anything has the ability to remind me of food. Thus, the blog name. :)

baby blue and chocolate brown

2006-09-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

fresh perspective

2006-09-09T09:42:00.000-07:00

Hello, sweeties! I spent yesterday in Montgomery, a city with a little bit of class. It is by no means my favorite Alabama city, but it is the biggest one closest to us. I did a few wedding gift switcheroos (I already had a hand mixer) and got some cool stuff. I bought G (my hubby) a heathered green shirt that says Ireland Rugby League. For those who don't know, G has Irish roots and played rugby for years in boarding school. G never wears shirts like this, but he was a very good sport and tried it on for me. He looked SO GREAT. And the bonus: he actually liked the shirt! This is no small feat, because G can be a pretty picky dresser. Then, later that day, he told me, "You can dress me if you want to." I like married life so far. :)

Anyway, my initial talk about Montgomery had a point. Last night, when hubs and I were watching Sex and the City, I realized that I did not want a cocktail like I usually do. Granted, I do not usually make one (That's too expensive.); I just crave one.

"Why is this?" I thought. Then I realized: the reason I like Sex in the City so much is that it lets me forget I live in the anal crevice of the South. And the reason I want to drink cocktails when I watch it is that I am craving novelty. But yesterday, I spent my hours wandering through my favorite gourmet food store (Fresh Market), I went to Target (which is NOTHING like Wal-Mart!), and I shopped at Dillard's and another of my favorite stores. I came home with sushi, Jarlsberg cheese, maple blueberry sausage, a Ralph Lauren bedspread, and organic potato chips. I had had a very small world-broadening experience that had transported me temporarily out of our small, ignorant town.

It was a wonderful day, but those days always make me sad, too, because I realize they are the exception-- not the rule. Even if I had the time to take frequent trips to Montgomery (which I actually do this semester because I am only teaching one class), there is no way that we could afford it. However, I don't want to poke my head out of the ground just yet; so I will just go make my frittata and design a new handbag and escape for a little while longer.

A vegetable stand at one of my favorite haunts (before they told me to put my camera away). I might be a spy from another store, ya know.

Coup de grace:
http://www.daybreaklavenderfarm.com/store/THE-LAVENDER-GOURMET-c-339.html
A dark chocolate lavendar torte mix. I've never tried this, but doesn't it sound divine? I think I might just add lavendar to my own favorite chocolate torte recipe, though.

three's company

2006-09-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

I recently made these evening bags for a bride for her bridesmaids, to match their dresses. The bridesmaids' dresses came from David's Bridal; so I bought matching fabric from David's. We ordered the dresses and fabric all at once so that everything would be cut from the same bolt and match perfectly. She gave the bags as part of her gift to her "maids."

here goes something

2006-09-06T15:00:00.000-07:00

I need to try this out; so here's a bridal evening bag for starts. I originally made it for a sweet waitress at this restaurant/martini bar in Montgomery that my husband and I love (We got engaged there!). The waitress, named Claire, was going to a black and white formal and was actually going to wear a wedding dress that was not overtly bride-ish. She sent me pictures of her in the dress, which I used as inspiration for the bag. However, after I finished the bag, I went to the restaurant to find her, and she had left for another job. Very strange. A few months later, Rachel, a new friend of mine, was getting married; so I showed her the bag. She bought it from me and actually carried it at her wedding reception. I was tickled. :D

I still call this the "Claire bag," since it was inspired by Claire's pretty dress. Here is Claire in her dress, and here is the Claire bag. (The whites matched in real life.) Maybe I'll see if Rachel (the owner of the bag) has a picture of herself in her wedding dress carring it.