Happy Halloween!

I have to say, Halloween is truly one of my favorite holidays. Partly, because of how creative you can get for it, and also because I am a HUGE fan of Fall!!! The lanterns are new this year, and are on my front porch. The totally awesome (made by me) and glittery wreath, is a craft carried over from last year. I couldn't find one I like in the stores, so I made one myself! I'll be doing the same, soon, with a Fall/Harvest one.....

Happy Fall, Y'all!!!

I had to make a baked good for a bake sale that my floor at Kennestone was doing to raise money for the Heart Walk. I chose a Pumpkin Cake. Coincidentally, I got this recipe from a cookbook that I bought from a fundraiser for last year's Heart Walk. Let me just say two things: SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS. I am a person that is obsessed with all things pumpkin, so when I was introduced to this recipe last year, I rose to the challenge. Here is my masterpiece (yes, I had to dress it up for a picture), topped with cream cheese icing. I sliced it up and bagged it for the sale. Sold out in no time. :)

Recipe, you ask??? Why, of course!!!

Pumpkin Cake w/ Cream Cheese Icing

Cake:

3 cups sugar

3 1/2 cups flour

1 cup cooking oil

1 can pumpkin

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

6 eggs

2/3 cup water

1 cup chopped nuts, toasted

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. nutmeg

Stir together oil, sugar, water, eggs, and pumpkin. Add flour sifted with dry spices to first mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour in Bundt pan or two loaf pans.

Icing:

1/2 stick butter, unsalted

1 8-oz. cream cheese, softened

1 box confectioner's sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter and cheese. Add sugar and mix until well blended. Add vanilla and stir well. Frost cake when cooled. Sprinkle top with toasted chopped nuts.

(The only thing I changed was instead of using cloves and nutmeg, I used 1 1/2 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice.)

A Morning of Shopping Fun

Okay, so I had to do this one solo (Stephanie had to pack....)

I had my own personal shopping morning to all of my favorite "crafty" spots. Michael's, Jo Ann's, and Hobby Lobby. I even made a quick stop in Cost Plus World Market and Target. Can't forget those!

I was in craft heaven! I only bought things related to Halloween. I am trying to increase my design and decorating for this holiday. I did a little bit last year and I am adding to it for this year. New ideas in mind.... And, I am so OCD that I will ONLY decorate for Halloween until November 1st. Then, I'll put away Halloween and bring out Fall/Harvest decor. (he he)

Stay tuned! Stephanie and I have a craft day set aside for all of our seasonal creations!

My First "Official" Wedding Design

I so graciously accepted the task of assisting in the help of designing a wedding by one of my very close friends from college, Laurie Burns. She has an adorable friend, Jen, who hired us on to design and co-coordinate her wedding back in April. Ceremony and reception were both held at Park Tavern, in Piedmont Park. What a gorgeous location!

Our duties for the wedding were to order and design all floral related decor, decorate the venue for both ceremony and reception, and assist with the rehearsal, ceremony, and reception. Not only were Laurie and I EXSTATIC about our jobs, but we had sooooo much fun as guests at the wedding as well. It was such a fun weekend in Midtown. We also got to spend another two nights in our beloved W Hotel. I love that place.

So, for our masterpieces. We had so much fun creating and designing together, and hope to create our own little business one day of event design.

*****

1) Our work space at Cut Flowers the day of the wedding. We worked hard, but had a blast.

We cut, we arranged, we tied, we designed. 7 hours of work paid off!

2) Guest book table in foyer.

3) Guest table seating assignments for reception.

Name cards (courtesy of Lily Pad Paper) placed in a tray of river rocks.

4) Aisle bouquets at the corner of each side.

5) Unity Candle table adorned with pink petals and green orchids.

6) Altar arrangements.

7) Flower Girl basket.

8) Table arrangements lined up on bar prior to ceremony.

9) Our table design for reception. Complete with lime green hydrangeas, pink tulips, green orchids, pink peonies, and fuschia satin ribbons. Lily Pad Paper was also honored to create the table numbers.

View of room before reception.

10) Bride's bouquet (green orchids) and Bridesmaids' bouquet (pink tulips).

11) Blythe and Laurie: two very happy event designers.

"Cheers!" to all of our hard work!

First Experiences With Decorative Cakes

I love to bake, but I am not very good at free-hand painting or drawing. Therefore, I think my cakes taste so much better than they look. I do, though, try to make my creativity flourish in the finish product, and most of the time I am not too displeased.

Here are a few I've recently made...

Drew McGinn's 5th Birthday

Landon Higgins's Baptism

Laurie White's Bridal Shower

Sara Simes's Baby Shower

Key Lime Cake

I was given this recipe from a co-worker at Kennestone. It is super easy and super delish! A perfect summer cake. Tart and sweet, but not too much of either. I love to bake and love a good challenge, but this cake was too easy to stress over. I made it for both my dad's birthday and a summer get-together with friends. It was a hit!

Recipe:
1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix
1 (3 ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
5 tablespoons key lime juice

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
3 tablespoons key lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease one 9x1-inch cake pan or one 10-inch bundt pan. In a large bowl, stir together lemon cake mix, lemon instant pudding mix, water, oil, eggs, and 5 tablespoons of key lime juice. Mix well. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Mix together the remaining confectioner's sugar and key lime juice. Pour key lime glaze over cake while still warm. Enjoy!

I Love the "Hunt"

I have become very passionate in antiques and vintage finds. Not only do I love to add this style and design to my current taste, but I have grown to love the thrill of the hunt. Have I ever! There are such little treasures out there, both big and small. And, when I have a little money in my pocket to burn, I love to seek a fabulous find. The more special, unique and sentimental, the better! I love a little french country meets vintage meets classic.

Here are a few of my favorite spots to shop for those unique finds:

*Woodstock Antique Market - Bells Ferry Road, Woodstock

*Fleu de Coup - Town Center, Kennesaw

*Christine's Creations - Downtown Woodstock

*Antiques by Samson and Delilah - Downtown Woodstock

*the occassional consignment store or the Buckhead Goodwill

*my grandmother-in-law's personal collection

Photography 101

About six months ago, Tim surprised me with a rather big purchase - the camera we had been wanting for quite some time. We've been needing a replacement, so we decided to research a better camera, and make the splurge. We got a Canon D3100. I love everything about this camera. It takes amazing photos, and has HD video. I've been taking classes to figure out how to "get out of auto", but it is a little overwhelming. So, yes, I have added yet ANOTHER craft/hobby to my list. And, worth every penny!

Here are a few pics I have taken with it. These are great, but I still have more to learn!

A dragonfly on a string of patio lights.

My beautiful niece, Kyla Marie.

Mallory's "Pinkalicious" potty-training cupcake. I made this for her from her favorite book, Pinkalicious.

Wine and Cheese Girls' Night

I love love to entertain, bottom line. I don't mind the cleaning, preparing, shopping, and (of course) decorating!!! I was in need of a small project, and a night with my girls, so I put together a wine and cheese-themed night at my house and had about 13 fabulous ladies join in the festivities. I planned on taking numerous pictures of not only the set-up and decor, but of all the women, but wouldn't you know I'd get so distracted that I only took a few? Surprise, surprise.

All About a Bargain, But I Have My Splurges

I am one for couponing, sale-watching, bargain-hunting, etc....., but there are a few things that I will pay full price for. Here is my latest list, I'll post on the side of this site and add to it as I go. Here is a start for now:

*Trapp Candles
I am a candle girl, and these BY FAR are the best. No they aren't your grocery store variety, but they are worth every penny and smell DELICIOUS!!!! Even though they are a bit pricier and can only be found in boutique gift stores, they last. I still haven't broken down and bought myself a full sized one, but I love the votives. Then, I can get several scents at one time. (My favs: Mediterranean Fig, Blackberry Vanilla, Bamboo Sugar Cane...)

*Kate Spade Handbags
Classy, Sophisticated, and Stylish. Me. (ha ha ha) No seriously, I love this brand. I love her purses. Even though I only buy in her outlet in Dawsonville, Georgia, I still consider this a "splurge". (Even the outlet can be pricey! But, quite a markdown from the suggested retail.)

*Tiffany and Co.
Well, what girl doesn't love this store!?!? I have a few pieces from there, and love them. I just feel classier wearing them. So, as I can afford it, or as a special occasion comes up, she'll be first on my list!!!

*Soma Intimates
Random, I know. I just wanted to list this one because it is a little more expensive and now that I have discovered it, I won't shop anywhere else. Even Target. ;)

More Flip Flop Fun...

Okay, so the flip flops were a success!!! I used them, again, to give to my BFF's two little girls, as well as my daughter's BFF.

End of Year Teachers' Gifts

I wasn't really sure where to start on my first crafty post, so I picked the first pictures listed in my photo album labeled "Blythe's Crafts". I guess that is a good start! So, in no particular order.......

These are the flip flops I created for the End of the Year gift baskets we created for Mallory's preschool teachers. "Flip flops" were the theme. Here are the two pairs of flip flops, as well as the gift cards.

Another crafty mom in the class finished the baskets. They were perfect! Check out the finished product at:

www.gagiftbaskets.com

First things first

I am a mom of two, two precious little human beings that I love so very much, but ironically, can drive me absolutely insane at the very same time. How does that happen? That is their job. Their purpose on this planet. But, they are my everything, and I absolutely adore them.

Before them, even before my husband, I loved to be crafty. LOVED it. Anything and everything. Puffy paint (oh yeah, you know you did it, too), scrapbooking, jewelery making - you name it. I'd like to think that my crafts have matured over the years.

This is my glue - what holds me together - as a person, a woman. I love to create. So, here we go on my adventure, my journal, of my creative outlet.