Spring Colored Candy Mints

Spring time means flowers, warmer weather, Spring showers, and Color! I came across a recipe for these cute little candy mints; so easy to put together and the flavor reminds me of the filling I used to make for my Mom's chocolate, mint fudge when I was growing up. I have not tasted this filling since then, and I do not even want to remember how long ago that was!

My photo-taking is a little off because the color did not come out crisp for me. The top photo is color true.

The little mint recipe is called Cream Cheese Mints and I actually found the recipe in one of Paula Deen's magazines so I thought I would share:

Cream Cheese Mints

(adapted from Paula Deen)

1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup all-vegetable shortening

1/2 t. peppermint oil - or flavor of choice

4 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, shortening and peppermint (or flavor of choice) with a mixer until smooth. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until well combined. (Dough will be soft and elastic.) Roll dough into small balls, and place each ball on prepared baking sheet. Press fork into each ball to flatten. Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap and chill mints overnight.

Bright Lights, Big City

As long as I can remember, I have felt a pull between two opposites- a love for the countryside and a love for the city. While I am completely at peace in the country, there is something about big cities that makes my pulse race in the most exhilarating way.

Helena Palazzi Photography

The traffic. The noise. The people. The lights. The buildings. All of these things and more capture a piece of my heart.

Martin Rusch

I love staring out a window many stories in the air, taking in building upon building with skyscrapers lined up as far as the eye can see.

Helena Palazzi Photography

Especially at night. When light and darkness meet halfway.

Troy House Photography

For the next few days I will be in and around New York City, and my heart is filled with happiness. I have a weekend filled with not only the excitement of the city, but also the company of family and friends, ones who it has been too long since I've last seen.

Midweek, I move on to Massachusetts to spend time with some more close friends who I also haven't seen in far too many years, and I most likely will be MIA for a little over the next week; I hope during that time you have many moments of sweet bliss, as I intend to enjoy many of the same.

Happy weekend!

We are in NYC this weekend meeting up with some of our 2010 couples for some fabulous photodate sessions, 8 to be exact (we're sneaking in one pregnancy portrait and one sexy session too)!

Can't wait to see everyone and snap it up in the city!

So not to worry if the blog is quiet for a few days...it's going to be blowing up soon enough!

Amazing shoot coming up...

I just love the style and colors of an amazing collaboration in the works. Here's one sneak peak photo of a piece I shipped off yesterday (along with a few others). Have I ever told you my favorite colors in the world are peach and mint? Not pink or orange.... not green or blue... both are inbetween, but I love them:

Twigs & Honey veil + Elizabeth Dye dress :: Just like heaven

It's no secret... I LOVE Elizabeth Dye's work. You know she made my wedding dress SUPER fabulous, yes? With gorgeous lace overlay, details, and detachable floral and chiffon bustle/train... So, I loved seeing this pairing from the amazing photographers, Sweet Little Photographs for their Lovely Bridal Shop shoot. A Twigs & Honey Soft Light Lace veil and Elizabeth Dye dress:

I love this photo... there's a Twigs & Honey mini bridal hat on her shoulder:

Photo credits: Sweet Little Photographs

shabd love

I LOVE shabd's designs and in particular, I love this new dress for the autumn/winter 2010 collection:

University of Cookie: Royal Icing

Hey guys! A quick note to let you know there's a new vlog over at University of Cookie. This one is called "making royal icing."

Come take a peek! {I may or may not have invented a new drinking game to go along with it!} ;)

Wags 'n Whiskers flower challenge, a sale, and news about the next release!

Yay! It's Friday! :) Hope everyone is having a fabulous week! It's time for a new Wags 'n Whiskers challenge, and this week, the fabulously talented Jeanette is asking us to use flowers. I was commissioned to make a Mother's Day card with two boys with skin of color. So I chose both Super Ryan and Just For You. Aren't they too cute? I love these two together, because "Just For You" does indeed look like the older brother, don't you think? I stamped them in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored them with Sketch Copics. I then cut them out and double popped them off the card.

And right now, both of these stamps, as well as all the Wags 'n Whiskers stamps illustrated by Crissy Armstrong, are on sale for 25% off!!! How cool is that!! If you've been wanting to get some of them, now is the time!

Please be sure and pop over to the challenge blog to see the rest of the Divas fabulous creations! We're sadly saying goodbye to Bree from her GDT spot, and welcoming Melanie on board as our new GDT. We'd love it if you played along with the challenge, and this time you have two weeks to play along, because next week is the NEW SUMMER RELEASE of Wags 'n Whiskers! So hope you stop by on Wednesday and Thursday for the sneak peeks, and then again on Friday for the celebration blog hop for the new release! The new stamps are sooooo CUTE, and I can't wait for you to see them! Thanks for stopping by to see me today, and hope to see you back again soon! Hugs!

Nikki, Lacey, Chris, Michelle, Karen, Jacqui, Tina, Jeanette, Christa, Bree, Debbie, Melanie

Images: Super Ryan and Just For You - Wags 'n Whiskers; background and sentiment banner - Magnolia-licious

paper - DP - Nitwits; cardstock is Bazzill

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Sketch markers

Misc: silk ribbon, charms, machine stitching, oval Nestabilities, dimensional tape

Beautiful Gardens Are Within Our Reach

These are some beautiful gardens that you and I can grow ourselves at home. These gardens are on House Beautiful online. ENJOY!

Now on to etiquette...

In Taxis and Limousines ~ Limousines

If you hire a limousine to take you to the airport or elsewhere, DON’T ACT AS IF YOU’RE “riding high.” Although you are not required to form a relationship with the driver, be amicable. It is ridiculous to be condescending to the driver. Being nice to the driver makes for a better trip and can improve the fee.

Make certain that if the driver is to sit and wait for an extended period of time, be sure that you have provided them with a snack.

Monday we begin a multi-part series on shopping!

See you soon,
Teresa
Xoxo

Colourful

I love this fashion shoot featured in W Magazine celebrating admirable women in Spring attire! It's so colourful and so Bohemian and how gorgeous is that patchwork vintage style sofa in the picture above!

Photographer - Bruce Weber, Stylist - Camilla Nickerson

My Top Three Asparagus Recipes

Spring asparagus at Santa Monica Farmers' Market

Asparagus. The queen of spring. Elegant, fresh- and addictive. For many of us, the primavera arrival of asparagus is big news. Huge. Exciting. We simply can't get enough. You see, there is something magical about asparagus. Maybe it's the sexy reputation. Isabelle Allende describes asparagus as phallic in her memoir,  Aphrodite, describing gardens lush with it, and stalks thick as trees. She throws in a few maidens with obvious oral fixations and well. You can guess the rest. 

To be honest, the whole thick as a tree trunk thing, though, is a bit much. Big stalks? Not gonna impress me. I tend to gravitate to the slender young asparagus, myself. The slimmer the better, in my gluten-free part of the world. Why? I barely cook them. It's more like a coaxing. A gentle flash in the pan with some fruity olive oil and a kiss of balsamic vinegar. A pinch of sea salt. Nothing fancy. Keeping them tender-crisp is the key to maximum enjoyment-- for me. But I know some folks prefer long, slow roasting. 

And that's what makes the world go 'round, darling.

Read >>

Inspiration from Sarah + Sean

Last August Mariah and Lisa shot the wedding of Sean and Sarah...hello pink and green details! Sarah is a Lily Pulitzer kind of girl and carried that style throughout her wedding, a georgeous day indeed!Venue: Blithewold Mansion
Flowers: Sayles Livingston
Caterer: Morin's

Mother's Day Cards By Andrea

Oh Hello!  Guess who entered her photos  but forgot to type in the text??  Yes, that would be me!

This is a lovely card designed by my neighbor, Andrea.  Andrea had the scrapping ladies over to make Mother's Day cards.  Andrea has a plethora of stamps and ink pads; the woman could easily start her own store!  Or maybe start giving stamping lessons!

I only made one change on Andrea's design, I added doodle dots.  But even then Andrea made suggestions.  I am so lucky to have such a talented and super-nice neighbor!!

Black & Spiro One Day Only Sale

As we are about to embark on the remainder of our exciting renovations in under 2 weeks, we have decided to have a ONE DAY only sale.

The last famous Black & Spiro sale was approx 3 years ago so this one is definitely not to be missed!!!

All floor stock including furniture, lamps, shades and accessories will be heavily discounted, as well as a huge range of amazing fabric remnants reduced to clear. I am also throwing in some things from my own home so make sure you don’t miss out.

Remember, the sale is only on for one day!!!

Hope you can make it.

xx

Anna

For a very POPular Teacher . . .

Can it be? Summer is almost here? But before summer...it's time for teacher appreciation gifts!

Welcome to those of you coming from Woodlands Family Magazine (and to everybody else, too)! I'm so happy to be working with Melissa of Domesticated Lady (you're going to love her!) to bring you not only a how-to for cookies, but an adorable FREE printable topper as well!

Let's get started on the cookies (you can make these NOW and freeze them until the end of school!):

• Make sugar cookies using a candy corn cookie cutter (it's a multi-tasker) and let cool.
  

Using red royal icing and a #3 tip, pipe the outline of a popcorn box (AmeriColor Super Red).

• With a #2 tip, pipe a wide oval in yellow icing (AmeriColor Egg Yellow).

• With another #2 tip, pipe the outline of popped popcorn above the box in white (add AmeriColor Bright White for extra white).
• Thin the yellow icing with a bit of water, stirring gently until it is the consistency of thick syrup. Let sit several minutes covered with a damp dishtowel (see a video of this process here).
• Gently stir the icing with a rubber spatula to pop any air bubbles that have risen to the surface and transfer to a squeeze bottle.

• Fill in the oval and part of each popcorn piece.
• Thin the white icing in a similar fashion.
  

• Fill in the popcorn box and the remainder of the popcorn. Swirl the yellow and white icings together on the popcorn.
• Let dry at least 1 hour.

• Using a #5 tip, add wide red stripes to the popcorn boxes.
• Switch to a #2 tip and pipe "POPcorn" in red on the oval.

• Outline the oval in red using the #2 tip.

• Let the cookies dry overnight before packaging.

My favorite part? The swirly popcorn pieces:

The free printable topper is available from Domesticated Lady here.

Melissa, of Domesticated Lady) has so many wonderful ideas...I know you'll want to check out the rest of her darling blog while you're there! (And the online version of her article about the toppers/cookies is here.) It was a pleasure working with Melissa...this theme was all her idea...she is so creative!!!

If you want to make a few individual popcorn pieces to go along with these, check out these too cute cookies from The Decorated Cookie! Is that the cutest idea, or what?

You know what? I made popcorn cookies about 5 years ago and I am so glad to get a chance to update them. Wanna see?

I like this year's version much better!

I'll be linking it to TidyMom's I'm Lovin' It linky party. :)

Have you planned your teacher gifts yet?

Flowers Galore In the South ~ Montgomery Alabama

Just a small sampling of the beautiful flowers around Montgomery, AL. This is one of a multi-part series on my hometown.  They will most likely be separated by other posts, but stay tuned.  Shakespeare Theater and Gardens will be next, and as you would imagine, it is beautiful.
By the way, that was my world tilting in a few of these photographs.

Now on to etiquette...

In Taxis and Limousines ~ Taxis

Each municipality has its own regulations for taxies. In your smaller cities taxies are called, in large cities taxies are hailed or found at a certain spot in the city. Be certain to remember that it is very rude to get in front of anyone at the taxi stops.

Once you are in the taxi, make sure that correct destination directions are given to the driver saving much time and a lot of problems.

Have small bills available for the fee. Tip the driver according the cleanliness of the cab, Smoothness of the ride and a courteous driver.

Tomorrow, we discuss Limousines.

See you soon,
Teresa
Xoxo