Attention History Buffs

My husband and I have watched the first two installments of this miniseries, which is based on David McCullough's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography. It is very well-made. Paul Giamatti stars as John Adams and Laura Linney as Abigail Adams. Apparently, Abigail Adams had some spunk. I really want to learn more about her! Check it out.

Bow Wow Birthday Chow

Yesterday was Nigel's birthday, and his adoring owner (and my husband) bought him a birthday cake from River Dog Bakery. The cake was banana with cream cheese frosting and peanut butter decorations. Nigel is 4 years old. Needless to say, Nigel dove right in. We learned last year that it is necessary to ahve a newspaper "placemat." He's a bit of a messy eater. He didn't want to share with Parker, but we made him. We had to grab the cake and run to keep him from gobbling down the whole thing.

Things I Heart

Cupcake pendant from Uncommon Goods. Handmade in Boston by Beth Falk.

Since I just started a new job and moved into a new office, office supplies are on my mind. These are from See Jane Work.

Ceramic berry baskets from Uncommon Goods.

And my favorite find in a while . . . this cute little bird's nest pendant from Starry Designs. You can check out all her jewelry in her Etsy shop.

Sick & Tired

Between starting a new job and having the flu . . . I haven't been much into the posting lately. But I'm back!!!! I'm still trying to kick a nasty cough and settle into the world of criminal law, but I've got cookies to bake and crafts to make!

Photo by gettyimages

And the Easter Basket was successful . . .

Music to my ears

Tonight we're going to see the everybodfields and The Greencards. (a valentine's present to my husband) They are both Americana/folk/alt-country groups. The Greencards are a trio (two guys and a girl) -- two Australians and a Brit. You can listen to their music here. The everybodyfields are a guy and girl from Johnson City, TN. From their website: "the everybodyfields offer melancholic interpretations of universal human stories set to achingly beautiful melodies. They put these interpretations to life with such instrumentation as lap steel, lead guitar, electric bass, piano and acoustic guitar. The members cite their influences as country, rock and roll, and folk. Fronted by Sam Quinn and Jill Andrews, the two share instruments and seamlessly merge their wildly different voices."

Spring . . . has it sprung? Maybe? Hopefully?

It was so beautiful here today. . . warm weather, blue skies! I am getting the urge to plant things. I started going through my seed catalogs and looking back at photos of gardens, containers, and flower beds past (and their inhabitants) today. What will I do this year? I know, I know . . . it's too early! However, it is not too early to start my only little patches of green indoors. I started planting wheat grass indoors to beat the later winter doldrums a couple years ago. It brightens up the place, for sure. I plan on starting some this weekend. Here is an article in Cottage Living that shows just how to grow your own little bits of turf.

Hippity hoppity

I have been stashing little odds and ends away for a couple months for my niece's easter basket. The time has finally arrived. Since I won't see her on Easter Day, I'm taking it to her this week when I go visit. I think it turned out fabulously. I would have loved this thing! Heck, I'd love it now. It is filled with a cute little sun hat, a book (cookie monster, one of my favorites!), peeps, a little drinking glass with a lamb design, peeps, her favorite gerber graduates snack, sesame street barettes, a stuffed frog, a fashionable felt tote, pink plastic garden tools (for playing in the dirt while her Granna gardens) . . . and what easter basket is complete without a chocolate bunny?

Cake and more cake

I have been going through our digital photos today, categorizing and printing. I thought I'd share a few from the cake file. The first one I made for my husband's accounting firm on the tax filing deadline day last year. It was complete with edible paper tape and a board covered in 1040 forms. What will I do this year? Hmmmm.

This one was made for my aunt's birthday. Obviously, she is a painter. I made the paint tubes from fondant and the brush from gumpaste.

This one was for my niece's first birthday. She got this little cake all to herself. The rest of us had raspberry jam filled dark chocolate cupcakes.

And this one was for my grandmother's birthday. It is all done in buttercream frosting.

Pretty little things

I found these little necklaces at Uncommon Goods. They're handmade in Georgia by artist Kathleen Plate. They're made from real beer, Coca-Cola ™ , wine and water glass bottles. So sweet and simple.

Sore loser makes muffins.

My husband won our annual Oscar Prediction Contest . . . his prize = homemade blueberry muffins. He loves the blueberry any way he can get it. I researched Blueberry Muffin recipes and created this one for the occasion. These muffins turned out great. They have a streusel topping that makes them even more delicious.

Oscar's Blueberry Muffins

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup unsalted butter1
1/4 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour,divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 pint fresh blueberries -rinsed, drained and patted dry

For Crumb Toping:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Position rack in the middle of oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray the top of a muffin pan with non-stick coating, and line with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, 1 1/4 cups sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix together 1 3/4 cup of the flour and baking powder. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated. Crush 1/4 of the blueberries, and stir into the batter. Mix the rest of the whole blueberries with the remaining 1/4 cup of the flour, and fold into the batter. Scoop into muffin cups.

3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown, and tops spring back when lightly tapped.

Intergalactic Jewelry

I went to the "Intergalactic Bead Show" this weekend with my friend, Donna. (Yes, I know it sounds like a Trekkie convention.) I have recently started dabbling in the world of jewelry making. At the end of the day, I had a bag full of red and green (with the exception of one little string of tiny blue beads.) This is a necklace I made yesterday with some of my finds from the show.

Spring Baking

Honestly, I didn't just make these. I made them last year and just happened to stumble across this photograph today and thought it looked like the perfect Spring idea. I made these for a family reunion of a previous employer. But I think I'm going to have to make 'em again sometime soon!

And the Oscar goes to . . .

Last week's Oscar giveaway had us thinking about our favorite movies of the year. We both agreed on two. We both loved these little movies. They weren't huge blockbusters, and I really don't know too many people who watched them (unfortunately!) They are both such charming stories. Once is an Irish film that was shot in only 17 days in Dublin. I believe I heard that they shot it for $100,000.00, which is amazing. The other was Adrienne Shelley's last movie and stars Kari Russell. I can't say enough good things about these films. Watch 'em. You'll be glad you did.