Favorite finds

Check out my latest addition to my shop at Oscraps. These are just my favorite Christmas ornaments ever!

>> store link <<

Songbird Avenue - revisited

So, I don't think the totals have been posted yet, but I just wanted to say how thankful I am to everyone who purchased the Leap of Faith kit last month at Songbird Avenue. We raised over $1250 for Mercy Corps! How awesome is that! Seriously, thank you all for your support!!!!

This month, Songbird is hosting another fab-o kit by Dani Mogstad, Jan and Meredith. Check it out!

>> Songbird Avenue store link <<

Sugar Giggles {A Sweet Summertime Collab}

I recently had the incredible experience of collaborating with some amazing digi designers!

Nikki Beaudreau, Edeline, Amy Hutchinson,
Janosch Designs, Summer Simmons,
Kim de Smet, and Sunflowers

Check out what we created:





And here are some of the incredible layouts created by our creative teams:

>> store link <<

Guess who is the guest designer at Songbird Avenue this month!

Yep, you guessed it! ME!

I am so incredibly happy and honored to have this opportunity to work with the fab-O-lous Jan Crowley and amazing Meredith Fenwick on this project. I admire both of them and what they are doing at Songbird. Really, I am just a bit verklumpt about it all.

Go! No really, go NOW and grab this kit! It's only available for the month of June and then it will be gone forever.

Songbird Avenue: http://www.songbirdavenue.com/

And, while you're there, check out the OMG amazing Inspiration gallery!
http://www.songbirdavenue.com/view.php/area/4/inspiration

Due to popular request...

I finally broke down and ordered a fan blinkie for y'all! Sport it if ya wanna!

Here it is:



I think Kitty did a fab-O job! Don't you?

No. You can't call me Martha...

But! You can call me doggedly determined. At least when it comes to attempting to make something fabulous food-wise. Now, those of you who remember my very first contest at the O, you'll be thinking to yourself, "Vicki? Making fabulous food? Um. WHAT?!?!"

Seriously, though.

For real.

This is what I made!

Mama's Angel Food Cake
w/ Bourbon Creme Anglaise

I know, I know... You're all thinking. "WOW! You did a great job Vic!"

Relax.

The pic above is NOT mine. LOL. That pic is Martha's. Ya know, Martha Stewart. The one who makes everything look SO easy. Anywho, I'll get to my pic in a bit, mostly because it involves me going and getting it off the camera and on the computer and photoshopping the heck out of it... and, heaven only knows when that will happen... but I digress... I wanted to share with you a few things I learned through this endeavor.

First things first...
1. Martha has been cooking a lot longer than me.
2. Martha had the author of the cookbook standing there with her.
3. Martha had the right pan.
4. Martha had all the ingredients.
5. Martha has a staff.
6. Martha has those magical TV 'supplies' that magically appear already done (see #5).
7. Martha probably has one of these...

{it's an egg separator - who knew!}

8. Do not be fooled when watching the 10 minute segment at around 11:30 pm that the recipe is really that quick, easy and painless. It's not. Ok, so it's not if you're *me* (see contest link above and #5).

9. Separating 12 eggs by hand is messy and rather icky. Apparently there are special tools for this. And, if you're really smart, I hear you can buy a carton of egg whites at the store. Hrrrmph.

10. 30 min spent watching for the said 12 egg whites to magically turn into soft peaks is probably 30 min in which you could have run to the store, bought a cake and started eating it.

11. Staring forlornly into the mixing bowl will not make the whites stand at attention any sooner.

12. This particular recipe is just fine without the almond extract (see #4 above).

13. A bundt pan is not an angel food cake pan (see #3 above).

14. Read the bit at the bottom of the recipe about the cake having to cool for 2 hours atleast 3 hours before you think you're going to be wanting to eat it soon.

15. Whisking 6 egg yolks with 1/4 cup of sugar would be easier in the stand mixer. Go ahead and wash that bowl you just dirtied for the cake. You'll thank me for this.

16. When a recipe for creme anglaise calls for 6 egg yolks and you've already gone to the trouble of separating 12 eggs for the cake, go ahead and reserve those extra 6 egg yolks in case you get impatient at the end of cooking and turn the heat up.

17. Do NOT turn the heat up at the end of making a creme anglaise to speed along the process - it will break and you will not be happy.

18. Amaretto may not be the best substitute for Bourbon in a Bourbon Creme Anglaise sauce (see #4 above).

19. Amaretto in a glass with some Sunny D - AWESOME!

20. Angel food cake is yummy (see pic below) and Amarretto Creme Anglaise is, um, not worth the effort (see #19 instead).

{me & my cake - it's a good thing}

>> link to recipe on Martha Stewart's site <<

M & M's ROCK!

Alyx's birthday is quickly approaching and I'm soooo excited I actually remembered to order the personalized M & M's in time this year! They are so cool!

Here's how I spent yesterday evening....