For a special Mother's Day treat, I combined two of my favorite things - cupcakes and Forget-me-nots...
Mini vanilla cupcakes iced with vanilla butter-cream and topped with lavender and periwinkle hued sugar-paste blossoms.
So pretty and delicious!
:-)
Happy Monday!
Jessica
Yes, it's back to the sweets! Lola's was a must-see on my list when we were in London. I already had their cookbook and, from the look of it, I just knew it would be my kind of place. And I was right...
This pretty shop has a modern edge that I love...
And their "hand-crafted" cupcakes are truly delicious.
Lots of flavors to choose from, too!
I'll be back tomorrow to share my little early morning adventure to Target yesterday to visit "The Shops"!
XOXO
Jessica
While in London, we went to the cutest cupcake shop ever...Primrose Bakery.
While I've been to Primrose in the past (and have both of their beautiful cookbooks), I never pass up a chance to visit. I especially love their location in Covent Garden. Situated on a lovely corner, the bright yellow bakery is so cheerful...
It's the perfect place to enjoy some delicious baked goodies. We love the yummy mini sprinkled cupcakes...
So many pretty toppings to choose from - sugar flowers, confetti, hearts, etc...
You can even pick up a pastel candy necklace or two...
The interior is absolutely adorable - vintage, shabby, and retro!
Gotta love the pink neon sign!
They also have a nice selection of fun gift items and pretty stationary...
Primrose is just such a bright and happy place to be - I can't wait to go back!
:-)
Jessica
I am loving Target's new line of cupcake-themed party goods!
There are paper plates and napkins in several sizes. Isn't the pattern so colorful and pretty!
Just grab some sprinkle-topped cupcakes and you have an instant party!
:-)
Happy Tuesday!
XOXO
Jessica
With the girls going back to school this week, I am once again faced with the dreaded task of packing lunches every day. Both of my girls are good eaters, but they are also picky and, therefore, do not love the lunches that the school has to offer. And, since they have such a long day at school, I really want them to eat! So, I find myself making packed lunches...day after day after day. Not my favorite activity. Can you relate?
To make this rather mundane chore a bit more palatable, I have learned a few tricks along the way. So, today I thought I'd share a few tips with you:
1. Lunch Box: Yes, this is obvious, but shop around. There are so many cute options out here. My girls always pick out their own lunch boxes and I am happy to say that, after many, many years, we have finally graduated from the "princess" lunch box phase! This year we found some adorable, floral versions at Cath Kidston.
2. Storage Containers: You will need a bunch of little storage containers for sandwiches, snacks, etc... While I must admit that I do resort to using the occasional plastic bag, I do try to use storage containers whenever possible. HomeGoods, Pottery Barn Kids, Target and the Container Store are all good places to find cute storage options. I found these at PBK, Borders Bookstore, and Cath Kidston...
3. Ice Packs: These are obviously necessary for keeping lunch fresh if it won't be refrigerated. I look for ones with pretty, colorful designs. These are from Target - collected over the years.
4. The Details: My favorite part - adding in all the pretty, little details. Colorful napkins are a must. I buy these whenever I find them on sale. HomeGoods has an especially wonderful selection and the prices are always great.
Pretty straws make drinking your milk so much more fun!
And a handi-wipe can't hurt for those sticky fruit leathers and sweet treats!
5. A sweet note: I also always like to include a little note - just something as simple as "I love you" or "eat your veggies" lets the girls know that I am thinking about them...
6. A little Something Special: For special occasions such as birthdays or the first week of school, I like to include a special little treat - just a small trinket - like some stickers, a piece of candy, or a Squinkie (Mini-mini-me's fav at the moment)...
I know this may all sound like a lot of extra work, but it honestly only adds about one or two extra minutes to my lunch-packing process. I just stock up on pretty, fun things when I see them. You can even write out a bunch of notes all in one sitting. Packing a "pretty" lunch makes making lunch so much more enjoyable for me... and I know my kiddies really love all the special touches. :-)
Happy Back-to-school!
XOXO
Jessica
P.S. Yes, we did survive Irene. Thank you so much to everyone who so kindly wrote and expressed their concern for our safety. We were very lucky around here and managed to come out of the whole thing without any injuries to ourselves or damage to our home. Sadly, many others along the East Coast have not been as fortunate and my heart goes out to everyone whose lives have been forever changed...
It was a gloriously beautiful day today! It is been super hot and humid around here as of late, but today was absolutely perfect! So, I grabbed the girls and we headed out for a little picnic...
It was a great opportunity to use some of my vintage floral cupcake picks, my new Cath Kidston-esque napkins (HomeGoods), and my newest melamine pink polka dot plates (Pottery Barn Kids). It's amazing how the littlest details can elevate a simple picnic into something special...
For dessert, we had to have some cupcakes..with sparkly sugar crystals and a pretty posy, of course!
I just took some basic iced cupcakes from the bakery and embellished them a bit. The girls went crazy for them. :-)
And since that just wasn't enough sugar for us, we indulged in some mini "ice cream" cones...
These were made of yummy marshmallows - perfect for a warm summer day, as they didn't melt in two seconds flat!
So, maybe not the healthiest picnic around, but definitely a delicious one. :-) And what a pretty, pretty day we had!
XOXO
Jessica
While this is hardly an original or new idea, I thought I would share some pretty ribbon picks that I have been working on for an upcoming party. I just love ribbon picks - they are such an inexpensive and easy way to spruce up hors d'oeuvres or simple cupcakes.
Plus, it's a great way to use up your precious ribbon scraps! All you need are ordinary food-safe toothpicks, ribbon, glue gun or non-toxic glue stick and scissors. Just cut a small length of ribbon and glue it around the top of the toothpick. Once dry, use your scissors to cut a small triangle from the side-edge of the flag. Or try using a pinking shears for a scalloped effect.
And you can make them in any combination of colors or designs you want to match your party decor.
Personally, I love this candy-colored striped ribbon with my pastel sprinkled-mini-cupcakes!
XOXO
Jessica
My husband came back from a recent business trip to Japan with these...
Evidently, cake and cupcake decorating is HUGE in Japan, with shops devoting aisle after aisle to just sprinkles and dragees! Who knew?
I especially love all the cool packaging. These are sold in tiny packages, for one-time use...
And everything is so delicate and dainty - no two ton containers of jimmies to be found! Just look at these teeny, tiny dragees.
I forgot to ask my husband to try to translate the packaging this morning, but I am assuming that this the the Japanese version of our Wilton candy melts...
And how sweet are these little floral cupcake cases...
They also make really wonderful boxed cake and cookie mixes, like this one for French Macarons!
Most of these items are from The Loft, a beautiful department store in Shibuya, Tokyo. I've been to Japan several times, but I don't remember seeing anything like these. Now I want to go back and see it all for myself. Too bad I don't love flying (seriously terrifed!) and it's a 14 hour flight!
:-)
Jessica
Fairy Cakes. I just adore them!
They are really just the British version of what we call "cupcakes" here in the States, but they are so very pretty and sweet. Plus, I must admit that I am a bit of an Anglophile. :-) While there are plenty of fairy cake variations out there, I am crazy for the classic, flat-topped version. These are typically a light genoise cake iced in pretty pastel tints - a delicate flower or two adorning their velvet-smooth tops. Sweet simplicity.
I decided to make some yesterday. I skipped the genoise and just used one of my favorite yellow cake recipes.
I believe that the secret to the fairy cake's elegance is that perfectly smooth, level iced-top. This can be achieved by only filling your cupcake cases a little over half-way full with batter. This ensures that the top of your cake doesn't rise past the ruffled top-edge of your cases.
You'll also need to wait until your fairy cakes are completely cooled before you ice them. You will need to make a simple, fondant-style glaze. You can find recipes on-line, but I just make my own using cream, confectioner's sugar, a bit of vanilla extract, and a touch of food coloring. It's always a good idea to sift your confectioner's sugar before using it. This only takes a second (you can just pass it through a fine strainer) and will keep your icing from being lumpy. Slowly add the cream to the sugar until you get the consistency needed - it should be thick, but also thin enough to pour. Also, remember to tap your bowl of icing on the counter several times to remove any air bubbles. Then slowly spoon over the tops of your fairy cakes, being careful to just fill them to the very top of the cases without spilling over the edge. If you still see any air bubbles on the surface, use a toothpick to "pop" them.
This icing tends to set up quickly, so be sure to add any decorations right away or you will "crinkle" your tops (and we wouldn't want that to happen, now would we!). I added little pastel royal icing sugar flowers to mine...
I love these fairy cakes so much!
Next time, I think I am going to make mini ones (petit four size)...wouldn't that be pretty for an Easter or Mother's Day treat?
XOXO
Jessica
I am of the belief that pretty things should be seen and not stashed hidden away in a drawer or cabinet somewhere. "Case" in point, there pretty cupcake cases...
I bake a lot of cupcakes, so I've managed to amass quite a collection of them over the years. I like to keep them displayed in this big glass jar on my kitchen counter...
The cases are so pretty and colorful - it would be such a shame not to see them on a daily basis.
The jar is practical, too. It has a wide opening, so it's easy to reach and grab just what I want. And because the glass is clear, I have no trouble finding exactly the ones that I need.
Plus, the best part is that they look like a jar full of beautiful candy...but without all the calories!
:-)
Jessica
