Creations By Cathy - live happy
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gratitude

8 / 13 / 12

Some days are just so easy to be grateful for. 

The sun is shining, the birds are singing their happiest little song and you have leftovers in the refrigerator for dinner.  Life is good.

Today was simply not one of those days.

It is so hard to see those that we love struggle.  We feel their pain; we cry their tears.  We want to “fix” things… but we can’t.  So tonight I go to bed with a heavy heart.  And yet, even so, I realize something very important – I have so much to be thankful for.  So I will quiet my mind in the silence and be thankful for my many, many blessings.  My prayer is for everyone that needs a hug tonight.  I will pray for your blessings tomorrow.

In gratitude… live happy

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ice cream sandwich day?

8 / 2 / 12

Yes – You heard me correctly… It IS “National Ice Cream Sandwich Day”!!  Who knew; Right???  Well that doggone thermometer continues to hover at triple digits, and there are absolutely ZERO age limits for celebrating this “national holiday” – So a big WooHoo to that!  I loved this blog post that I found at Twig & Thistle (below) because it is not so much a recipe as a “how-to”.  Simple instructions and a beautiful, tasty little package of cold refreshing sweetness!!  Even better – you can make them up ahead of time and pop them in your freezer. Done. Then at your next outdoor BBQ or summer party you can whip them out and impress your friends, smiling politely as they “Oooo and Ahhh…”   Give it a whirl before the summer comes to an end.

There are few things that I love more than ice cream in waffle cones. It doesn’t take much convincing to go for a scoop so when I saw waffle butter cookies at Trader Joe’s I knew excatly what I had to do: ice cream sandwiches! They’re super easy to do and would make a great treat for Easter, just pick a pastel ice cream, sandwich it between waffle cookies and violá! Easter eggs! I used strawberry here but mint or sherbert would be cute too, honestly though, can you ever really go wrong when it comes to ice cream?

What you’ll need: Carton of ice cream Butter waffle cookies from Trader Joe’s Round cookie cutter bent into an oval Large knife Cookie sheet Parchment paper Wax string

Directions: Take your ice cream (the boxed kind works best) and cut off a 3/4″ thick slab, it doesn’t have to be exact just thinner than your cookie cutter. Next, use your cookie cutter and cut out ovals from the ice cream, set the ovals on a cookie sheet with parchment paper and put the sheet in the freezer to firm up.

While you wait, cut out 9.5″x2.5″ strips of parchment paper to use as holders for the finished product.

Once the ice cream has chilled for a bit, transfer to the cookies with a spatula. For a little extra sweetness, add decorative chocolate sprinkles; simply roll the edges through the sprinkles for an even coating.

For the final touch, wrap in parchment paper and secure with waxed thread or baker’s twine then freeze until ready to serve. Enjoy!

live happy… laugh, love, dream, create

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love in london

8 / 1 / 12

So indulge me for a moment or two.  The summer Olympic games have got me a little homesick for London.  Again. 

I know, I know.  You might be thinking, “Been there; done that”.   Yes – During the “Queen’s Jubilee” I did a post entitled “big ben”.  And, yes; Big Ben is in London.  But you have to understand that this was a special time in our lives.  Very special.  Two years and a lot of memories.  So you were thinking just one blog post would cover it?  Oh, gracious me.  I think not.

So I begin with the reminder that we had only been married for two short years.  We were moving away from friends, family and familiarity.  We were entering the unknown… just the two of us.  A team.  We brought very little with us. Found a furnished “flat” (apartment) to live in; filled with someone else’s “stuff” – dishes, furniture, bedding… and started making our memories.

We lived a “hop, skip and a jump” (walking distance) from The Victoria & Albert Museuem, The Natural History Museum, Hyde Park and Kensington Palace/Gardens (where Prince Charles & Princess Diana lived.)  Used to do my morning walks in the gardens surrounding Kensington Palace.  Never once, however, did I see Princess Diana in her bathrobe out picking up the morning paper.  Hmmm… Go figure.

The truth is, and the point of this blog is that the two of us learned how to survive, day-to-day, alone together, as a couple.  When you only have each other – it is such an incredible bonding experience.  We were there for each other during the sad and lonely times; when something would happen back home and suddenly we felt like we were painfully separated and distant from those we loved… because we were.  But we focused on the fact that we had each other; and we got through it.  We shared all of the adventures, the “kodak moments”… the experiences that formed treasured memories for the rest of our lives. We made wonderful friends, traveled to incredible locations and lived every single day with gratitude for the many gifts that we had been given.  What we didn’t realize, at the time, was that the true gifts weren’t palaces, princesses or exotic destinations.  The true gift was the strong bond that formed between us over those two years that gave our fresh new marriage a solid foundation on which to move forward.  Through thick & thin; sun & rain.  Twenty eight years of marriage (so far!) and we’re still going strong.  I am grateful.  Always.

live happy… laugh, love, dream, create

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one of those days

7 / 18 / 12

Ever had one of those days when something stops you dead in your tracks…  Maybe you were kinda, sorta expecting it; often times it comes out of nowhere and pulls the rug out from under you.  These are the times that we are called to pause and quiet ourselves in a way that allows us to absorb the world around us.  Sometimes we need these moments of reflection to remind us of where we are, who we are and where we are going.  Did we stop this morning to count our many blessings? Did we love the ones that we love?  Did we make someone laugh or smile; show kindness to a stranger or put someone else’s needs before our own…?

I am incredibly blessed in my life, and I will go to bed tonight with a feeling of deep gratitude for all that I love…          live happy

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drink like a lady

7 / 14 / 12

Take the time to dive into this article; including the links.  It is a blog post from “Lauren Conrad“, a fresh, feminine and lighthearted site that I really enjoy following.  She covers absolutely everything from makeup and fashion to cocktails and entertaining.  Just give it a whirl if you’re a girlie girl… (Ha!  Sorry.  That was bad… teehee!!)  Happy Weekend!!  live happy… laugh, love, dream, create

Ladylike Laws: Holding Drinks

Sometimes I find that I just have to treat myself to a much-deserved glass of wine after a long day of work, or sip a flute of bubbly to celebrate a special occasion. But you would be surprised to learn that there are very specific rules when it comes to the way you hold your drink. Clutching your cocktail correctly might be a custom that we often overlook, but I’ve found that it is just as important as basic table manners. Whether you’re a guest at a summer dinner party or the happy hour host, these essential-yet-simple tips will remind you to grasp your glass the proper way the next time you wine and dine. Without further ado, here are my rules for holding drinks:

  • White wine & champagne. Always hold your glass or flute by the stem. Holding it by the “bowl” warms your drink, and both white wine and sparkling wine taste best when chilled. Instead of holding the bowl, pinch the stem between your index finger and thumb. Otherwise, you might get called a “bowl grabber.” No thank you!
  • Red wine. First of all, a bottle of red should always be uncorked or poured into a decanter for a while before serving so it has time to breathe. This improves the taste enormously! Like white wine and champagne, red wine should be held by the stem (contrary to popular belief). Not only does it keep your merlot or cabernet the right temperature (a little cooler than room temp), it also prevents your fingers from leaving smudgy prints on the glass too.

Now that you know how to hold your glass correctly, you might find these tips helpful too:

  • Proper placement. When setting your glass down on a dinner table, place it to the right of your water glass.
  • Eye contact. You may remember from my post on Cheers & Toasts that it is polite to hold eye contact when clinking someone’s glass. Otherwise, you risk seven years bad luck, according to the French superstition.
  • Keep glasses full. If you’re the host, make sure your guests’ drinks are never empty.
  • Direct your gaze. While sipping your drink, you should direct your stare into your glass. It is impolite to look at another person while drinking if you are in conversation.
  • Chill champagne flutes. When serving champagne place the flutes in the refrigerator beforehand to chill them. Like I said before, champagne tastes best chilled!
  • Filling facts. Know the appropriate measurements when pouring drinks. Red wine glasses should be 1/3 full, white wine should be ½, and sparkling wine or champagne should be ¾.  A glass that is too heavy might result in an unladylike spill.
  • The “twist pour.” To prevent dripping, when filling your glass, twist the bottle at the end of pouring. It also looks pretty fancy!

Ladylike Laws: Holding Drinks So there you have it. You now know how to hold, serve and drink wine and champagne like a true lady. Class dismissed! Now go ahead and celebrate with a glass or two (and for those of you who don’t drink, treat yourself to something sweet for reading this anyway)!
If anything, just remember: Always hold by the stem 🙂

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peony punch

7 / 12 / 12

A friend of mine sent me this link to 100 Layer Cake (thanks, Jerrod!) and I thought that it was so beautiful!!  Too beautiful not to share!!  Enjoy…

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sugar cookies

7 / 9 / 12

So today is “National Sugar Cookie Day”… and for me, that brings back a flood of “warm, fuzzy” memories!  With my mom, with my grandma, with my kids.  Easter, Halloween, Christmas, just because. Sugar cookies on a stick for every “half birthday party” at school.  Ahhh… It’s like a little trip down memory lane; and I am suddenly missing those “”above mentioned people” very much… Tuck these recipes away for a rainy day, and create a future memory with someone that you love.  Enjoy!

Sweetopia’s Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups butter (at room temperature)
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean (or 3 tsp vanilla)
5 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Instructions:
1.  Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer on low tomedium speed. (Use the paddle attachment). Mix until thoroughly incorporated – forabout one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula and mixagain for a few seconds more.Over mixing the butter and sugar in this step will cause too much air to be incorporatedinto the dough. If you’d like a light and fluffy cookie, that’s ideal, however the dough will spread more during baking;
not ideal if you’d like the cookie to hold its shape.
2.  Add eggs slowly and mix. Scrape down the bowl with your spatula at least once andmix again.
3.  Cut open your vanilla bean and scrape the seeds out. Add to mixing bowl. Alternatively, add liquid vanilla extract. Stir briefly.
4.  Sift your dry ingredients together. (Flour, baking powder and salt).
5.  Add all of the flour mixture to the bowl. Place a large tea towel or two small teatowels between the edge of the bowl and the electric mixer so that the flour won’tescape. Mix on low speed for 3o seconds. Remove the tea towels and observe the doughmixing; when it clumps around the paddle attachment it’s ready. It’s also important atthis stage not to over mix the dough (the glutens in the flour develop and the dough can become tough).
6.  Roll the dough out between 2 large pieces of parchment paper. Place on a bakingsheet and into the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour.
7.  Roll out the dough further if you need to, and cut out cookie shapes. Place onparchment paper-lined baking sheet. Re-roll scraps and repeat.
8.  Put cookie dough shapes back into the fridge for 10 minutes to 1 hour to chill again.They will then hold their shape better when baked.
9.  Preheat your oven to 350°F or 176°C.
10.  Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes or until the edges become golden brown. The bakingtime will depend on the size of your cookie.
11.  Let cookies cool to room temperature and decorate!
 A few notes about the recipe:

*Butter – The butter needs to be soft, or room temperature. I leave mine out the night before I do my baking. If you forget, you can grate the butter on the largest hole of your box grater, so that the sugar and butter will mix together better.
*Baking powder – I hardly use any baking powder in my recipe because the dough willspread and rise more during baking, thereby making the shape of the cookie less crisp.
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a sweet little fourth of july

7 / 2 / 12

So the Fourth of July is a “midweek holiday” this year.  Kind of a fun way to put a little fun, family and friendship into an (otherwise) ordinary week.  Perhaps you’re heading to the lake, popping over to the neighbors or entertaining in your own backyard…  I will tell you that I have a tendency to focus more on the main part of the meal when it comes to entertaining – and the cocktails and desserts are often an afterthought.  (I can hear some of you laughing already…  Perhaps “cocktails” are where you START your planning…? Ha!)  Anyway – I thought it would be fun to share a few little last-minute “sweet” ideas for the Fourth of July holiday that is upon us!

Well – First of all – I have got a recipe here for a “Double Berry Margarita” that is calling my name.  Loud.  And it’s not even noon yet.  (Houston – we have a problem…)  Anyway, I’m going to share it with you in the hopes that you will make it for the 4th, or sometime this summer, and share your “results” with me.  (Well, maybe not ALL of your results.  We’re sticking with a “G” rating here, friends! )

Double Berry Margarita

1 oz. tequila blanco

1/2 oz Cointreau

1/2 oz Chambord

1 splash sweet and sour mix

2 raspberries, muddled

2 blackberries, muddled

2 lime wedges, muddled

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass.  Shake hard and serve in a glass with a salted rim.  Garnish with a lime wedge, raspberry and blackberry.  Oh my, that sounds good!! 

Doing a little “last minute” entertaining?  Need something quick & easy in the beverage department??  Well, icy cold lemonade – or pink lemonade – works great for any outdoor entertaining… perfect for the kiddos, and even more fun for the adults (Hint, hint:  Keep a bottle of citron vodka in the freezer for an icy little “adult lemonade cocktail”!!)     

As for dessert, nothing is sweeter and simpler than a cupcake.  These cupcakes can be made with your favorite cupcake mix/recipe (Red Velvet, perhaps?) and a simple white buttercream frosting.  I just fell in love with the simplicity of these decorations…

Stars & Stripes

  • Tint 1 cup buttercream a bright blue with gel-paste food color. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip (#4). Frost each cupcake with a smooth layer of untinted buttercream.
  • To finish, cut red licorice laces into seventy-two 1-1/2 inch long pieces and seventy-two 3/4 inch long pieces. Arrange three longer pieces and three shorter pieces to form a flag pattern. With blue frosting, pipe nine dots in each open corner to form “stars”.

Need something for the kids to help with while you are sipping on your “Double Berry Margarita”??  Staying with our “sweet” theme – a little project that will give an ordinary blue napkin a festive feel in a simple way… Starlight Spangled Napkin Rings!!   Not a lot of supplies and simple directions.  Just trying to give the kiddos something to do while you are busy sipping on your margarita…!!

OK – so there you go.  A few “sweet” little ideas for your upcoming Fourth of July holiday!!   Say a prayer for our troops, and the families who are missing them.  Be proud, be safe, be American; Keep calm and eat a cupcake!

Happy Fourth…  Live happy

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the magic of mint

6 / 28 / 12

I was working on my July newsletter, and decided to take a little break and make myself a cup of tea.  One of the things that I love most about summer is my herb garden… including a big pot of mint.  spearmint, peppermint, pineapple mint & Chocolate mint!!  Oh, so yummy!  Thought that i would take a minute and share this minty little blog with you as i sip my tea…

LEMON-MINT FACE TONER

Oh my goodness… It’s SO HOT outside!!  This face toner will instantly refresh and revitalize your summer scorched skin.

1 peppermint tea bag – I love the Trader Joe Organic Mint Melange Tea (1 c. hot water-for steeping)

T. fresh lemon juice,

1/2 c. witch hazel.

Steep the peppermint tea in water for a few minutes. Allow the water to cool down and add the lemon juice and witch hazel to the mix. Store it in a glass jar or spray bottle and keep refrigerated.  Just spritz your face whenever you need a cool,refreshing pick‐me-up.

Mojito Cupcakes

Hmmm…  OK, you have probably heard of, and/or tasted, the yummy, muddled, minty drink called a Mojito.  Question is –  Have you ever had a Mojito Cupcake???  I am guessing not; and neither have I.  I’m just thinking that they sound mighty refreshing for a fun little summertime dessert. (Simply scrumptous with a cup of tea…?) Please note that I would certainly not turn down the opportunity to be on the “sampling committee”, if you are so inclined to give this recipe a whirl!  I’m standing by…

live happy… laugh, love, dream, create

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“just do it”

6 / 24 / 12

I turned fifty just over a year ago.  Let me just tell you right now, I love it!!  That year between fifty and fifty-one was one of the most important years of my life, so far.  It was the year that I began the process of “re-discovering myself”.  Since I plan to continue this procees well into my 100’s, I’m about halfway there.  Plenty of time.

For a long, long time, I played around with the ideas of taking my business, Creations, in a fresh new direction.  I dreamed of “following my passion”; a shabby chic with a French accent kind of direction. But, Oh my… all the changes that I would need to make!!  New logo, business cards, website and – Oh ya – how about all new merchandise?!  So there I was, one random day, in the middle of that glorious year of awakening.  I just decided that the moment was NOW.  So I did it.  No regrets.

I love cooking and healthy eating.  This is a good thing.  I hate exercise.  This is a bad thing.  Went to a presentation on “healthy lifestyles” from a gal who knows what she is talking about – Mitzi Dulan.  She speaks all over the country and is very well known in her industry and beyond.  She also teaches “Boot Camp“.  OK, let’s be honest here.  Me going to Boot Camp is so far out of the box that the box is in Russia.  But there I was, all “50 something” and crazy confident, so I grabbed a friend (love ya, Deb!), and we did it.  Four weeks, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00-10:00.  After the first day, my friend Deb and I were certain that we were dying.  It hurt to lift my pinky finger.  As one of my kids said, “there’s a reason why they call it Boot Camp, Mom”.  Yep.  There sure is.  Crazy as it sounds, we even did a second session!  I have to say – I was so proud of myself.  Besides the physical benefits, there was that deep sense of accomplishment that comes from doing the impossible.  And trust me – I saw Boot Camp as Impossible.  Capital “I”.

And so the positive wave of my “50’s” continues.  More changes.  Some baby steps, some much bigger.  I turned 51 in May, and I am already planning my 100th Birthday Party, so consider this blog your “save the date” card…  May 2061.  In the meantime; Enjoy every day.  As Nike says… “Just do it”!!  live happy… laugh, love, dream, create

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Hello, friends!!

I love mismatched chairs and organized closets; springtime thunderstorms and Sunday morning coffee; pearls and puppy breath; welcome home hugs and walking the beach; fresh flowers and flea markets; autumn leaves and afternoon tea.

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