GSP Puppy & Lots of Fun!

Well.  I have been busy.  Super busy.  Not doing the usual crafting, sewing, napping, tv watching.  Nope, I have been puppy playing, feeding, walking, and training.  Last month, we got a German Short Haired Pointer puppy.  Her name is Maddie and she is WILD.

Here she is doing MY favorite thing : sleeping.  She is getting to the point where we let her cuddle on the couch, but ONLY if she is good.  If she bites or gets crazy, down on the ground she goes. 

She loves to lick.  Did you just eat a snack?  Feed me a treat?  Get over here and let me lick your hands/legs/arms.  She eats EVERYTHING and anything.

When we got her, her eye was all red and swollen.  An older dog nipped at her (wonder why...) and popped her eye out of the socket.  She lost her vision and it was pretty infected when we got her home.  She is doing good now though, you can only really tell when you look close.  Only one beautiful brown eye.

Whoa, what a sniffer.  She loves to sniff.  Let her pull on the leash for one second and she has her nose to the ground sniffing.  Sniffing what?  I have no idea...

She is getting super tall.  Gained 2 pounds this week.  Loves dinner time.  Walk time. Play time.  We are having bundles of fun and lots of frustrations.  :)

One Tsp. Online Recipe Storage

I have been searching for a way to store all my recipes online for a while now.  I tried Google Docs which I like, but it seems kind of messy.  I also tried allrecipes, but don't like that either.

(pound cake with strawberries and whipped cream) 

I found One Tsp. today and I love it.  You can store up to 150 recipes for free, and if you would like to store unlimited recipes, it is only $5 a year.  Not bad for unlimited storage.  You can also download it to your iphone/ipad and clip recipes from websites for later.  It will make you a grocery list, let you share with friends, and sort your recipes however you would like.

One Tsp. Recipe Storing

I have already gotten started typing up my favorite recipes and ones I always seem to lose.  I think my favorite thing is the shopping list.  I love that you can type in your old family recipes and then just click shopping list and have it all laid out for you.  EASY  . . .  AS  . . . PIE.

I can't wait to start uploading and typing up ALL my recipes.  I will probably got over 150 in a matter of days, but there is a backup button so you can download everything to your computer.  I LIKE THAT.  I can't imagine losing all your precious recipes because you forgot your password or couldn't get to them.

Here is what my page looks like so far.  You can add photos too.  Pretty cool!  I am even more motivated to take pictures of all my desserts now.  I hate flipping through recipes trying to remember if I want THIS recipe or THAT recipe.  Was it FLUFFY or SOFT?  OR....  am do I have the complete wrong recipe?  No more confusion...

Scooter Cakes

If you live in Tucson, Arizona and you are celebrating a special occasion or love sweets, give me a call!  I am now taking custom cake orders.   I would love to make your day special.  You can find me at Scooter Cakes.  I love making bright colors, cute cupcakes, and simple favorites like strawberry shortcake.

I am also throwing cupcake decorating parties.  These would be perfect for bridal showers, tea parties, your child's birthday, or a night with the girls. More info here.

Cupcake parties are a great way to keep your guests talking about your party long after the favors are gone.  Each guest will take home 6 decorated cupcakes.

I will provide 6 baked cupcakes for each guest, icing, and piping tips and bags.  Please have a space large enough for your guests to sit and decorate.  (ie: long table with chairs, plastic tablecloth, and good lighting!)

WHO AM I?

 I am a sweet obsessed, chocolate loving, trend following, dessert maniac.  I started my journey on the road to SWEET HEAVEN long ago when I would run around the house with cake and whipped cream hiding from my mom.  Butter, whipped cream, sugar : these are my partners in crime.  Eggs, flour, vanilla : these are my accomplices to bigger and better things.

WHAT KIND OF TRAINING DO I HAVE?

 I have a degree in Pastry Arts from the Culinary Institute of the Pacific in Hawaii.  I also have 3 1/2 years of experience in large scale production kitchens making the wonders of the dessert world.  Cakes, pies, tarts, mousses, ice creams, breads, and smiles.  That is my specialty!

Call Scooter Cakes today and plan your next party!

Life is a Vacation

Can life just be one big vacation?  I know everyone loves a good vacation, but I think it is as necessary as sleep, water, and a roof over your head.  When I plan my next vacation, my days are more vibrant and I have something to look forward to.  It breaks up the monotony of the daily grind and provides a much needed excuse to relax and indulge.

What do I love about vacations?  Lots of picture taking and plenty of new places to appreciate and enjoy.  This is from the Madrid metro.

Family time and smiles.  I don't get to see my family very often, and vacations are usually planned around who we will see and when.  

I love trying new food and people watching.  This little cafe in Madrid is well known for hot chocolate and churros.  It was great, but we actually had some for my sister in laws bridal shower that knocked my socks off!  

Did I mention castles, museums, and things you just don't have at home?

I am already dreaming up my next vacation.  This has been a good year so far.  

January: my girlfriend came to visit and it was like a mini vacation for me -we went sledding on Mt. Lemmon, hung out giggling, and caught up on good times

March: my mom came to visit - we had a fabric shop hop, ate fantastic food, and went on a great hike!

May: my husband and I went to Maine for a wedding and a relaxing vacation

July: I went to Germany and Spain for my brother's wedding and a great family vacation!  I got to spend a lot of time with my parents and my grandparents.  What a treat.  Who can say they have traveled Europe with each set of grandparents more than once??  ME!  

Next UP!  September-  Sedona???  :)  

I love planning vacation!

Wedding Cake for the

I was so happy to be able to make the wedding cake for my brother and his wife for their recent wedding in Spain.  It was a challenge baking in an unknown oven, with different ingredients, and in a short period of time.  I had a lot of fun and I think their cake turned out beautifully and fit with their theme really well.

Raspberry Buttercream filling and a Swiss Buttercream icing.

Each tier had 4 layers of cake and 3 layers of filling.

The Raspberry Swiss Buttercream filling was a huge hit.  The bride's mother made macerated raspberries with cinnamon sugar before I arrived and I mixed them into the buttercream for a fruity twist.  I also soaked the cake in the macerated raspberries to ensure it was extra moist and flavorful.

They had a garden themed wedding with their reception in her mother's huge backyard.  The garden was strung with lights and full of flowers, and this cake blended right into the setting.

The bride and groom requested a simple piping design with olive branches.

They had awesome cake toppers designed on Etsy, they were created to look just like them.  

The olive branches and the white frosting compliment each other nicely and draw on the simplicity and elegance of a garden wedding.

Congratulations Zach and Sara!  I was honored to make your cake for you and your guests.

To many years to come!

Back to Blogging and a WEDDING in Spain!

I have been away from the blog for a while, taking a break to refresh and renew.  A lot has happened since I have been gone. I went to Spain and Germany for a vacation and a wedding and I got a puppy! My brother got married in Spain and it was a beautiful ceremony full of family and fun times.  Our new pup is 10 months old this week.  A German Short Haired Pointer.  (plenty of pics to come soon!)

Lots of eating olives in Spain and cafes.

Tons of tasty bottles of wine.

A beautiful bride.

What a beautiful ceremony, exchange of books instead of rings...

More to come on the wedding festivities and vacation fun.

Portland, Maine

Last week, I went on a fabulous vacation to Portland, Maine for a family wedding.  I have never been to the East Coast and it was beautiful!  The coastline was rugged and rocky, the atmosphere in Portland - artsy and young, and it was so nice to get out of town!

We took a boat tour and got to see lots of the area that you couldn't get to by car.  These sea birds were basking in the sun and I loved the sight of it!

Lobster, Lobster, Lobster!  Isn't that a Maine staple?  The little bay cruise we took told us they used to serve lobster to the inmates because it was so cheap and plentiful.  Poor man's food, oh how the tables have turned!

Shopping in Portland was in no shortage.  The original Stonewall Kitchen, tons of boutiques, and a massive kitchen store.

Did I eat ice cream a few times on vacation?  You bet I did.  I love this vintage style sign in the window.  Sold, you got me.

There was even a shop that sold only popcorn.  Imagine that huh?

My mother in law and niece have a little heart to heart at the rehearsal dinner.

Le PAUVRE!  Lobster bake.

Beautiful lighthouses were plentiful on the coast.  We drove to this one and looked out at the ocean.

This little one never stops eating.  SO cute.

Rich in history and sights to see.  More photos to come!  What a great trip to get away from the heat of Arizona.

Petal Cake

I had the day off today and made a few cakes.  I made a petal cake and a cake for my husband.  I have been wanting to try this cake style for a while, and it was so easy and cute!

I love blue: light blue, robins egg blue, aqua...  I could go on.

I wanted to do an ombre effect so I made 3 different shades of blue.  My favorite is the middle one.

The petal technique is so easy.  Just pipe a dot, then drag it with a spatula.  Continue around the cake, piping dots about 1/4 of an inch apart.

Then I piped a little flower on the top in a creamy bluish white.  

Creamy swiss buttercream, oh my.

Petals and flowers, blue and white, can't wait to dig in.