Celebration Time ... Come on

Let's Celebrate

We celebrated my Dad and sister, Sandy's birthday this Friday. My Dad and sister's birthdays are one day apart and she happens to be born on tax day! So April 15th, I would say the entire nation is celebrating her birthday by either paying the US government their taxes or getting a nice chunky refund.

I want this blog to be more about creativity, color and texture - as well as my travels, writing and/or special projects - but I couldn't help myself recently by talking about FOOD. I think this is a topic I will slip in once in awhile. Forgive me but I love food and so I can't help but talk about it from time to time. I blame the influence of the Thorntons. I'm talking about Andrew Thornton and Cynthia Thornton, of the Green Girl Studios family. I don't have much time to read other's blogs but at times, I jump over to theirs to see what they are up to. Andrew and Cynthia often talk about delicious foods. So I'm in good company in this topic. I just saw Cynthia, Greg and Azalea in Miami too as we were all at Bead Fest Miami. What a beautiful family!

Well, I can't have much dessert as you know, but on special occasions I splurge a bit. I was in charge of the birthday cake and I found a beautiful sculptural cake at Vanille de Patisserrie, the one on Huntington Dr. in San Marino, CA.

The Beautiful Cake Box

(click at any of the photos for an enlarged view)

Just look at the box which was just the beginning in the presentation of the beautiful cake! I had dibs on the box and took it home to be filled with goodies later. I tend to keep these things, beautiful boxes and papers, for inspiration later. And I'm driving Nick crazy with this "hording" behavior. Not only are books piling up and filling the house but I am starting to collect paper too! (as well as other hidden secrets, please don't tell Nick. hahah!)

The cake was a buttercream 1/2 strawberry filling and the other vanilla - 3 layers of scrumptious goodness. I was good and only had a small slice. Everyone loved it. Look at all the chocolate decorations on the top! There was dark, milk and white chocolates with HUGE sugared strawberries. They were able to fit both birthday names on a piece of chocolate. I'm sure you are reaching into your screen trying to grab a morsel of this deliciousness. So, if you are ever in Southern California, there are three branches to tempt your sweet tooth. (Irvine and Hacienda Heights are the other locations)

The COOKIES

Okay, so I didn't stop at just the cake, I bought the above cookies to give them a "test drive" and also gave the pecan cookies to Nick. I figured for putting up with me and bad-mouthing his Kodak, he deserved some treats. It turned out the green tea cookies were very tasty but TOO SWEET so I ended up giving those to Nick too. What a lucky guy. I think I will just have to test drive some other cookies, maybe biscottis (without anise, thank you very much!) next time, to find the ones with the least amount of sugar. So many mouth watering sweets at Vanille de Patisserrie.

Here's to yummy cake and cookie dreams!
Eat up and enjoy life
(in moderation)

Be at Peace,
Lisa

The Red Haiku ...

Okay I admit, I snagged this photo from my friend, Andrew Thornton's blog. Andrew always has his camera handy and was able to capture the beautiful Jamie Hogsett wearing a RED Haiku bead I gave her last year before she left Interweave. I keep telling myself to run away from Andrew when he has his camera because he has a knack at capturing me without makeup, talking or eating, or worse yet in an unattractive pose. Where's my glamor shot now? I need proper lighting and a makeup artist to doll me up. Oh well, I'm just a simple girl and at least you know I can look pretty if I have to. Give me a nice T-shirt and a pair of jeans anytime.

It was because of Jamie that my River's Edge necklace made it to the cover of Spring 2006 issue of Stringing Magazine. When I found out Jamie was leaving May last year, I took Jamie down memory lane, and sent her away with a box of my beads - one from each of the projects I wrote for Interweave - during her tenure. She deserved every bead and more. I love spoiling my friends. I challenged Jamie to use any of her beads to make a finished project for Tucson 2008 and wear it at the Interweave party. Jamie did NOT disappoint and was the ONLY one out of the two others editors that completed her challenge with flying colors. I will protect the innocent and not mention the other editors' names but they have another year to complete their challenges. (WINK! hint: I will see them next month at Bead Expo Portland) I will have to say that Jamie's sophisticated clean design really features the red Haiku and make it SHINE. Red, was selected for Jamie because it symbolizes passion and love. It also symbolizes good luck, fortune and prosperity. Hugs to you Jamie!

The beautiful Melinda Barta, Managing Editor of Beadwork and Stringing Magazine, sparkles with a lovely style is smiling to Jamie's left. She gave me a heartwarming hug after our dinner on Wednesday night. I love hanging out with my friends from Interweave! I get the chance to work with so many talented Interweave editors and am one LUCKY girl! (click the photo to get a closeup of the lovely black and red Haiku necklace gracing Jamie's neck!)