off to SNAP!

http://www.pinterest.com/poeticwanderlust — Source: Tracy Porter poetic wanderlust

So it’s time. The “to-do” list is checked off, my bags are packed and it’s time to head to Salt Lake City for the SNAP! Conference. (lies, lies, lies. My “to-do” list is MILES from being completed, and I haven’t even touched my suitcase. I’ve got less than 24 hours as I write this post. Ya. Whatever.)

http://anightowlblog.com — Source: A Night Owl

So you’re wondering. What is SNAP!, exactly. Well, in all honesty… this is my first SNAP! Conference. But here’s my guess… Think “creative thinkers” meet “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” meet “middle school slumber party with your (new) BFF’s.” Ya. That’s a lot, isn’t it. Can’t wait!! We have “secret sister’s” and we bring “roomie gifts” ( Check out Kimberly, from “A Night Owl“). And, of course, there’s a slumber party and a door decorating contest! (Yes. I am 52.) Oh ya… and classes. Two and a half days of great classes!! Should be a BLAST!

Still wondering? Alrighty. Here is a direct quote from the official SNAP! site…

“Welcome to SNAP, where you’ll find creativity at your fingertips. There is something a bit different about being a creative blogger…Instead of dissecting life and examining the pieces like many online writers, we’re busy dreaming, sharing and building things up. We inspire one another and when we connect in ways that comfort and sustain, it is something truly extraordinary.

That is why we launched SNAP – a community where imaginative bloggers can come together; learn from one another and walk away invigorated.
The hallmark of this community? A three-day conference April 24-26, 2014 in Salt Lake City, Utah,targeting the best bloggers representing modern handmade, contemporary craft, mind-blowing events and DIY.
Take a step away from your busy life and join us for lots of laughter, hugging and replenishment. You’ll walk away with a stronger sense of community, enhanced skills and an even greater sense of self.”

Little-America-Hotel-Salt-Lake-City — Little America Hotel & Conference Center – Salt Lake City, Utah

So I’m sorry to have to say this, but I’m gonna have to give you a little break on the ole’ blogs here for a short time. (Suddenly, out of nowhere, she heard inconsolable weeping…) But no worries. I’ll be back in no time. (wink, wink!) Dawn (Joyful Scribblings) and I are gonna do our best to throw things on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter… as we go along. Otherwise, we will just catch up when I return!!

live happy… Cathy

creative thinking

4 / 9 / 14

Creative thinking. That’s what I was thinking about today. Ya – Pretty much all day. Now I should have been thinking about dusting. My house ~~really~~ needs it. But there is always time to dust. Later. Back to the creative thinking… This is a subject that I think I could go on and on ~~and on~~ about… but I am really gonna try and make this a quick post. No really… Don’t worry though, we will revisit this subject again. And again. So my friend, Dawn (@ Joyful Scribblings – check out her blog!), and I are going to another blogging conference (SNAP!) in two weeks. This particular conference is geared towards more creative thinkers; people who blog about the things that I am passionate about. Photography, Food & Entertaining, DIY (Do It Yourself)/Crafting… love, Love, LOVE! So we are participating in some of the fun & creative “extras” at the conference – One of them being a “decorate your door” contest! That brings me to the task at hand for today… finding some of the goodies for our door, as well as other supplies for the conference. OK. So I try to go into crafting places like Michael’s, JoAnn’s, Hobby Lobby, with a plan. Maybe even a list. But I seem to subconsciously check all of that at the door somehow. My soul is suddenly filled with the hope and promise of possibility thinking. Ideas flow through my veins at an almost overwhelming pace. “I could do this. Or that. Or this and that and…”. Right. You get my point.

Truth is, creativity is a huge part of my life. Not just in what I do, but in who I am. It affects my actions, thoughts, decisions. It permeates my photography, my cooking, my decorating. It is why my dining room chairs are mismatched (on purpose) and I hate to iron. Or dust. It is deeply woven into my relationships, how I make friends, how I raised my kids. It is why I have trouble focusing; why my “to do” list never shrinks. It is me. Or, a (very big) part of me, anyway.

So I stumbled across an article tonight, from The Huffington Post, entitled “18 Things Highly Creative People Do Differently“. Here were a few of the things they listed:

They view all of life as an opportunity for self-expression.
They surround themselves with beauty.
They get out of their own heads.
They follow their true passions
They lose track of the time.
They constantly shake things up.

Found the article to be quite interesting, really. Kinda, sorta made me feel validated, in a way. Like something on paper; in print. Something they have officially “studied“… Nice. We’re always looking for answers, explanations, excuses (?) aren’t we. I’m a Taurus, so I’m stubborn. I’m the oldest child, so I’m ~~bossy~~ responsible. Yadda, yadda, yadda. So tonight my brain is absolutely exhausted from all this creative thinking. Doggonit. No time to dust. It will simply have to wait until tomorrow.

“And then she remembered something very important… She was not bothered by dust. She was, after all, creative.” the end

fancypants biscotti

9 / 10 / 13

Three reasons why I am lovin’ on this particular biscotti recipe… #1 Plain & simple –I LOVE biscotti; Especially with a good cuppa joe #2 This recipe is DAIRY FREE – Yay! Great news for my daughter and me (Grammatically correct… but it just doesn’t sound right!) #3 This recipe reminds me of those chocolate dipped, super hard and crunchy, biscotti that you buy at those fancypants coffee shops!!! Yep – Three really good reasons to give this recipe a whirl!! SO YUMMY, and very simple! Really!!!

I think people are put off by most biscotti recipes because they have multiple steps. So what. It really isn’t complicated, and it is so worth it when you are sitting down with a steaming hot cup of coffee and a delicious, crunchy, chocolate dipped biscotti that you made yourself!! C’mon friends – let’s do it…

Crunchy Biscotti

3 eggs

1 t. vanilla

¼ t. almond extract

2 c. flour

7/8 c. sugar

1 t. baking soda

Dash of salt

¾ c. toasted whole almonds, coarsely chopped

3 oz. semisweet or dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a small bowl, beat eggs, vanilla and almond extract. In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix in egg mixture until blended. Mix in almonds; divide dough in half.

On a greased & floured baking sheet, pat out dough into two logs about 1/2” thick, 1½” wide and 12” long. Space them about 2” apart. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 50 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer logs from the baking sheet to a cooling rack for about 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees.

After cooling, place logs on a cutting board. With a serrated knife slice diagonally at a 45 degree angle into 1/2” thick slices. Lay the cut slices flat on the baking sheets and return to oven for another 20-25 minutes, or until toasted – Turning them over halfway through to dry the other side.

Place chocolate in a (dry!) microwave safe bowl and microwave on medium for approx. 2 minutes; until chocolate melts. Stir to blend out any lumpy bits, and spread over entire surface of cookies. When you’re completely done, lick any remaining chocolate off the spatula (required step) !! Let cool at room temp until set (or speed up a bit with a quick visit to the fridge!) Store in a tightly covered container. (Although they won’t last long!!)

URBAN DICTIONARY (def) “fancypants”: Sophisticated or impressive. See “posh” (very classy or sophisticated)

Oh ya. These crunchy, chocolatey biscotti are ALL THAT.. and more. And they are (GULP!) HOMEMADE… by you!! Go ahead; Impress your (oh so hard to impress) friends. And Dahling… be sure to serve your coffee in the “fancy” coffee cups.

live happy

wedded bliss

9 / 9 / 13

Had to tell a little lie the other day… but I can explain. You see, my wonderful mom-in-law and dad-in-law were celebrating 55 years of wedded bliss, so we decided to have a little surprise dinner at our house in their honor. Not a major event, just a small gathering of family to help them celebrate. In the end, I think there were almost twenty of us gathered together, and it was an evening full of laughter, love and a lot of wine!

Now everyone has their secret tips for making events, like this, successful… and I would love to know your secrets!! Here are just a couple of mine. #1 Delegate! Let everyone contribute. For those who don’t like to cook; no problem. Assign them a store bought item or wine! #2 Not everything has to be homemade! If you are a baker and love to make desserts; Go for it – But then purchase a store bought appetizer! #3 Prioritize and keep it simple! This is a big one, and totally varies from person to person!! Personally, I love the detail stuff – “themes” and table decorations, homemade tags on the dipping oil… But to take the time to dust before the party…? Ya – Probably not gonna happen. Like I said; this is an individual thing. Everyone has a different set of priorities. Maybe dusting is your #1 priority!! Just make sure that you make time to do the things that are important to you!!

We went with an Italian bistro theme… complete with a little Frank Sinatra (of course!), red & white checked paper placemats (super easy clean up!) and some Chianti wine! An Italian platter as an appetizer also made it super simple (no cooking!) – cheese, salami, Rosemary almonds, stuffed olives, crostini with goat cheese and bruschetta… Our main course consisted of home-made lasagna, meatballs, oven roasted Italian green beans, Italian salad and warm, crusty bread with homemade Italian dipping oil. (Dipping oil recipe was posted on my Facebook page; “Tasty Tuesday” Sept 3 – Click here) For dessert we served Italian gelato with homemade biscotti, which I served in assorted hand-painted martini glasses (Biscotti recipe coming… tomorrow!!) And that, friends, is my final “tip of the day” – fun and super simple… I love using martini glasses for serving dessert! I especially love that everyone’s glass was different (I did this on purpose – Not a matchy-matchy kinda gal!), but you can certainly use whatever martini glasses you have on hand!! I have a huge advantage in the fact that I paint and sell cocktail glasses, so my “inventory” is probably a bit more extensive… Ha!

So there we go. My suggestions, in a nutshell, for hosting a little gathering of your own. I realize now that I already gave you my “final tip”, but I just thought of one more… and it’s a BIGGIE, actually! Chances are good that you will not complete your “things to do before the party” list. Just sayin. However, once the party starts… let it go. Pour a glass of wine and join in the fun. Whatever didn’t get done isn’t gonna get done… so never mind. If you are having a good time at your party, so will your friends!! And at the end of the day, isn’t that all that really matters…? Bon Appetit!!

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 🙂

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