Friday, July 8, 2011

Green thumbs or not.


Hooray! My first red cayenne pepper! I am so excited doing my happy gardener dance! Yes, there's a happy gardener dance. ;)

 Must not forget the two that's right 2 tomatoes!!! Woo-hoo! Still groovin my happy dance! :D


Then there's this... the remains of my lavender. I don't know what happened. It was looking so green and beautiful. I was so excited then I went out the next morning and they were dead. I cut back all the dead leaves and the next day this is what I had left of my lavender. Took me right out of my happy dance swing.

 I mustn't forget the strawberries that were looking so green and bushy, very sad.

Last but not least the Pentas plant with the pretty purple/pink star shaped flowers. I truly do not know what happened, maybe it will take me a little longer to get my green thumb. With temperatures in the triple digits I am surprised to have anything still green.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Mom is Great she made us Chocolate Cake!




After I sent out the birthday cake I made for my step son yesterday and was taken through an emotional roller coaster over it and not in a good way. Finding out today that he went home and threw it in the trash. I decided to make another cake for my family. My daughter wanted chocolate so as the icing was firming up for my smoothing I researched ideas on how to ice it and make it pretty. Here is my attempt with many mess ups but I keep reminding myself I am a newbie at this cake decorating stuff.

We sliced into this tasty chocolate cake with pretty pink rosettes tonight and WOW!! Chocolaty Yummy goodness!!!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Final Cake: Born on the 5th of July

My cake for my step son although child like it may seem for a 20 year old. I am a beginner cake decorator and I am still practicing, It could have had pink roses how manly would that have been?(Giggles) ;)  After decorating it from the Wilton's Course 1 Study Guide I decided to go to my local hobby store and pick up a box for him to take the cake home to his mother's where he lives. While I was there I picked up these cute little candy fishes, and of course the lettering for Happy Birthday. 


All that hard work, effort, money spent only to find out how unappreciative he is by telling my husband it tasted like cigar smoke. What the? My husband smokes cigars but was not home or near the cake while making it. Sounds to me like an excuse to be unappreciative and a little jab at the cigar smoker, he told my husband he tasted the icing that was it, and threw it in the dumpster!!! I vow to never make him another cake again. Very disappointed his mother raised him without manners and appreciation.


Happy Birthday Brian!

 


Above is the before picture of my cake at 3 AM this morning. My hubby didn't take it to work with him and it was to hot for a cake day at the cabinet shop so I was left with the cake alone all day....


This is what happened to it afterwards. I took a trip to the Hobby store and found little fish candies and happy birthdays.. among many other items I didn't intend to purchase. I am so very proud of it! My step son is 20 so I need to look into more adult themed cakes but  he will always be our oldest kid! :)


Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Fish Birthday Cake



This cake is one of the templates provided to you in your beginner's Wilton Decorating kit. I have already finished my course 1 classes. This cake was for practice and fun as well as for my step son's 20th birthday which is today.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Happy Independence Day!

Yesterday kicked off our 4th of July weekend. My brother brought over a brisket and ribs to place in the smoker. I made the American Potato Salad recipe I picked up from the Daring Cooks Challenge as well as other side items. While we waited for the smoked foods, I took one of the Rotisserie chickens that are already cooked for you from the grocery and whipped up some quick Chicken Salad sandwiches to help tie us over till dinner, we didn't quite make it before our tummies were feeling the need for more input. What is yummy tasty filler that will last you till dinner? My thoughts were good old fashioned root beer floats in frosted frozen mugs. Boy were they delightful!! By the time the meats were done I was extremely stuffed but I managed to get a little more in me so I could taste the brisket and ribs. Tomorrow night we get to go watch the firework show!!