failures and successes

Unfortunately, I ruined a lovely flourless chocolate cake the other night. This recipe looked so scrumptous and simple that I wanted it...BAD. We were having a little dinner party with some friends, and I knew I wouldn't have time to make a dessert the night of, and the recipe said it would be better the second night. So, I made it and as you can tell it started wonderfully!

(I do apologize that the picture is wrong sided)

But, something went terribly wrong. The apartment started filling with smoke and the smell was all wrong. I went over and over what I did wrong, why was butter EVERYWHERE?



Finally, thanks to my logical husband, we've decided it was because I used a cake pan that's bottom pops out. I've never made a flourless cake so it didn't occur to me that butter would ooze its way out. I was, needless to say, very disappointed. I mean the chocolate and butter alone were quite expensive, I hate to waste food, and it should have been really, really yummy. If nothing else, what would my dessert be? Well, I refused to bake anything, thus...

Strawberries and Creme with mint garnish

The strawberries were so good (I'm reading Snow Falling on Cedars, and they talk about strawberry picking so much I was craving them anyway). The creme is very simple:

1 pint whipping creme

2/3 cup sugar

couple drops of vanilla

pinch o salt

mint to garnish

Happily, the mint was from my handsome husband's porch garden, and I dipped a few strawberries in chocolate for extra fun.

Also, our lovely new friends brought us a beautiful magnolia flower which looks lovely in a crystal bowl we were given that I've never used. I often think the simpliest center pieces are the best. Interestingly, if I'd planned the wedding I wanted this would have been my center piece. Can you imagine the devine fragrance of the room!! So, good.

On a final note and picture for the day, my puppy is turning into a big dog. He graduated from trainging classes and has almost all is adult teeth, they grow up so fast. hehe

yummy summer

Here are a few images from apartmenttherapy.com to get us in the mood for a RELAXING summer. So, far mine has been fabulous. How about yours?




P.S. I promise my project with the fabric is coming!

prints!

So, I was walking to the metro and noticed I looked a little unusual to say the least. First I was wearing a light blue printed dress, a green and orange printed bag, and crazy looking lunch box, and a pink paisley metro card holder. While not on purpose, I was demonstrating that I don't have one style, I like lots of different patters, colors, and such. Below are a smorgasbord of the prints around my house...the very first one is something you will be seeing in the next post!

Inspired!

So, with my busy weekends behind me (ha!) I'm ready for something fun on Saturday. I'm trying to decide between taking a crash course in knitting (which will be necessary for me to make the puppy his Christmas sweater!) Or going to this amazing find! Decisions, decisions....