A Birthday Post

I never managed to celebrate my first blog birthday because I remember being too busy to even think. BUT I really wasn't about to let two years go by without mentioning it at all. You know, two years is something worth celebrating. I can't even stick with the same brand of toothpaste for two years, or car insurance, for that matter. So two years of reading and writing and connecting? You better bet I'm gonna celebrate. (I didn't bake these cupcakes for the blog, but for my niece's first birthday party. Can you say ombre success?! And some said it couldn't be done.) The blog's birthday is actually the 8th of July, but we'll just act like this isn't a belated act of shame.

It's certainly been a great ride. I've met so many incredible people and have finally started to tame the beast that is social media. I'm confidant and headed in the direction to do wonderful things. I appreciate all the sincere comments when I announced the sad news in June. The process of healing hasn't gotten easier, but moving forward and doing the things I love is something Nan would have wanted. She was always so proud and full of love. I appreciate the encouragement and understanding during my absence.

I've been so pleased to share in the growth of other bloggers, and to share my own growth recently, when announcing the opening of the Etsy shop, Scout&Score!, with my boyfriend. We're working on a website with the same name that will feature all the things we enjoy most in life. Slowly but surely we'll be doing much more of what we love and a lot less of what we don't.

I appreciate all the great book recommendations, great discussions and readalong/reading challenge hosts. This blog, and other blogs, have brought my reading back from the depths, and was just what I needed. How awesome does it feel to walk into a book store and know the plot summaries on almost all those new releases sitting on the shelves?! Come on, you know you've considered the feeling before!

Because I can't throw a huge giveaway, or bake goodies and send them your way, please accept my sincere thanks for making blogging so awesome. You guys are the best.

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A Photo Post: Fun Birthday Cupcakes

It's been a busy Summer.  Sure, there's been stress, a lot of rain, and sad departures... but there's also been loads of fun activities, short trips out of town, and the excitement of decorating a super cute, new apartment.

So here's a little photo post to give you an idea of what this Summer's been like for me. I attended a birthday cookout for one of my lady friends a couple of weeks ago, and, of course, promised cupcakes.  She specifically requested a coconut-lemon combination, which I was more than happy to prepare.  However, I wanted them to REALLY stand out and be a bit more exciting since it was a BIRTHDAY bash.  With a little inspiration from some fab rainbow cakes I found via Pinterest, I decided to use a little food coloring and create cake and icing colors that would pop.

Enjoy...

How's the season treating you?

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Cupcakes and Crafts for My Friends

I've discussed books.  I've discussed long walks in secluded places.  I've discussed craft projects that I wanted to share.  But I haven't really discussed baking.

And it's partially due to the fact that I kind of got burned out on baking, or the the whole cupcake frenzy, anyway.  I started making candy.  And apple pie.  And pumpkin pie.  And apple cheddar scones.

However, my three best friends and I get together every holiday for a huge gift exchange and fancy appetizer feast.  With fear that disappointment could quickly have me ousted out of this lovely little circle (in jest, of course), I have never made the mistake of not baking tasty little individual cakes for my beautiful friends.

This year I kicked it up a notch.  I apologize as I didn't take the time to create a step-by-step instruction guide; I feel that the pictures, alone, are self-explanatory.  Next time you're making tasty treats, you can add a dash of individualism and brighten someone's day.

This recipe was a Devil's Food cake found in a Williams-Sonoma cupcake recipe book and a white buttercream (new recipe for me) found on eHow.com (oddly enough).
I simply added Wilson's gel food coloring to three evenly divided bowls of the buttercream icing and mixed until I reached a desired hue.

In order to create variation in the icing, and the swirling effect, I added one part of each color into the pastry bag, leaving room to add another color for blending.  Pastry bags that contained blue and purple inadvertently produced an iridescent shade.

To add a little cheer, I cut brown paper bags into small flags, attached paper flowers of a mixed variety with colored brads and attached them to a toothpick.  It's really easy to do and makes the miniature cakes look so much more fun.

Adds a little pop without being a huge hassle.  I was excited that they looked so nice and tasted so good! 

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Discussion One: Little Bee and Tasty Fall Treats

It’s been a hectic couple of weeks and will continue to be so up until the New Year. Life has never seemed quite so busy, but I think it’s a positive situation. In the coming weeks, I’ll be adding even more but will work hard to prevent my blog from taking the brunt of the loss of free time. I would like, however, to beef up my posts and really discuss the literature I’ve been reading, instead of just simply stating whether my audience should take a look at it or not.

I want to incorporate more of my interests into this blog, as well as, maintain dedication to my love of literature. I’d like to be able to share pictures of beautiful places, delicious recipes and reviews of my recent reads. This blog is a creative outlet* for me, and I want to be able to share lots of ideas that motivate and inspire me, with the hope that it will do the same for you!

My first blog entry in a new direction will feature information from last night’s reading group meeting and an appetizing Fall recipe.

As stated before, we meet twice a month. We divide the book in half and address our thoughts and notations accordingly. Last night, all members were in agreement that Little Bee is a novel  you can’t put down; two members finished the book as they couldn’t pry their fingers from the soft cover.

If you haven’t heard of Little Bee: look it up; although, you won’t find much information as to what the story's actually about, and that’s the author’s intentions. We went into the novel without a clue of what were getting ourselves into!

Some Notes: M pointed out the number of references to flags throughout the first 126 pages. Numerous statements from our leading characters stress the importance of identity through this representation. Identity, national identity, more specifically, plays a large role in the plot. Furthermore, the novel prompts self-reflection of one’s own identity and role in society.

The stark contrast of life in a small village in Nigeria to that of the sizeable city of London, England is explored through the dichotomy of Little Bee and Sarah. Little Bee’s examination of a life outside the way she has understood her being is projected through her voice as she describes the unthinkable nuances of everyday life in a culture far from her own. Human obligation is another theme that will, I have no doubt, be more developed through the last half of the novel.  Food for thought: What obligation do we have to our fellow man/woman?  When do our own lives become more important than another? 

Readers who dislike violent material may not want to read Little Bee. Violence is a staple of the storyline; however, Cleave’s depiction is far from gratuitous or distasteful. Little Bee explores greed and the crimes against humanity that break the soul. Eye-opening and inspirational, Little Bee has been a solid read thus far.

Last night’s meeting was engaging and enjoyable. Not to mention that I surprised the ladies with Maple Cream Cheese frosted Pumpkin cupcakes! Baking is such fun, but making sweet treats for others is even better.  A delicious pumpkin cupcake recipe can be found here: Joy of Baking, and is certainly complimented by this frosting recipe I found on Epicurious.  (I cut this frosting recipe in half as it was for a cake and I only made 12 cupcakes; perfect amount.) 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Little Bee really intiates a compelling discussion; I highly recommend the novel to book clubs everywhere!  Also, I encourage you to share any tasty Fall recipes you have up your sleeve!

* ;)

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