Practicing Once Again.....

So, I am once again practicing for the wedding.....good thing I have several months to practice as I'm still mastering my technique....not there yet! I can accept that....I will keep practicing until I am where I want to be. I just had an epiphany....I don't have to make cupcakes to practice frosting....I can frost paper! Good thing cause last night I goofed! I was preparing the buttercream frosting for the cupcakes only to realize that I pulled the WRONG recipe...I was making Royal Frosting which dries hard! OMG! So, now I had to pull out the "unsalted" butter for the correct recipe, it needs to sit at room temperature! I did so! Later, I went into the kitchen to start the frosting and holy toledo....I pulled the wrong butter. Now, I'm not one to ignore signs! It was a sign that I was too tired and I should not even try to frost the cupcakes. I decided to just go sit down and watch  the first episode of "Downton Abbey" before bed.

So, this morning, I woke up at 4:45am, thinking it was time to get up. I went into the kitchen to start working on the frosting, got everything out, THEN I looked at the clock! OMG....another sign that I've got too much on my mind! Good grief....I'm beat and wound up all at the same time! I decided that I really needed to be fresh for the frosting! So, I went back to bed, woke up at 6:30! Oh fine! I just got up! I did some housecleaning, dishes, laundry....and finally, it was time to start the frosting. So, the recipe I used did not call for any liquid.....weird! I was a bit terrified that I was going to have a big lump of white sugary substance in my mixing bowl....but no, it turned out beautiful, was so smooth and thick, easy to frost with! Here are a couple samples of what I did this morning:

Right now, I'm not trying to master techniques, I am just testing tips to see what they do! The pictures look blue, they aren't....they are a very dark, stunning purple!

I think this is my fave tip, looks like ribbon.....love it!

I really liked this cupcake with the dark purple flowers on top of the white star bursts....it's stunning in person! 

Oh man, I really love this ribbon tip....I am going to learn to master this one especially....it just makes me happy! 

The frosting recipe I used (found on Pinterest): 

Bakery Style Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 

1/2 cup shortening

3-1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1/2 tsp almond extract (I might try Clear Vanilla next time)

Mix butter and shortening on low, until smooth. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until blended. Add extract, mix to combine. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes, until smooth. 

He's a Mean One....

So, every year, Leslie, Renee' and I have been decorating the foyer for our office! This year (2012) was no different! I should tell you...we started planning this immediately following the 2011 Christmas! Or shortly thereafter! So anyhow, we chose....The Grinch! I have to say...this was the most fun to create for, but then it's one of my fave Christmas flicks! I watch the Jim Carrey version at least three times each season! So, I put together some Grinch Ornaments: glass and tin...we grabbed some ribbon, ball ornaments, a cute little tree, my son's adorable dog (called Max for the Holidays) and of course, the man himself....The Grinch! Oh, the compliments we received for this tree stealing green man! It was absolutely adorable! These pictures do not do him justice:

Look at that guy....he has buried himself in the tree....we were sure that one morning we would arrive to work and the tree would be gone! Little Bugger! 

Okay, so we are done with Christmas for this year. But hey, we have 2013 already planned for. There is a pile of decorations under my desk, just waiting to bring smiles to faces. A hint for 2013 Christmas.....Yummy! 

Happy two months after Christmas! 

The Grinch! 

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch

You really are a heel, 

You're as cuddly as a cactus, you're as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch, 

You're a bad banana with greasy black peel! 

You're a monster, Mr. Grinch, 

Your heart's an empty hole, 

Your brain is full of spiders, you have garlic in your soul, Mr. Grinch, 

I wouldn't touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole! 

You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch, 

You have termites in your smile, 

You have all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile, Mr. Grinch, 

Given a choice between the two of you, I'd take the seasick crocodile! 

You're a rotter, Mr. Grinch, 

You're the king of sinful sots, 

Your heart's a dead tomato splotched with moldy purple spots, Mr. Grinch, 

You're a three decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich with arsenic sauce!

You nauseate me, Mr. Grinch, 

With a nauseous super "naus"!, 

You're a crooked dirty jockey and you drive a crooked hoss, Mr. Grinch, 

Your soul is an appalling dump heap overflowing with the most disgraceful 

Assortment of rubbish imaginable mangled up in tangled up knots!

You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch, 

You're a nasty wasty skunk, 

Your heart is full of unwashed socks, your soul is full of gunk, Mr. Grinch, 

The three words that best describe you are as follows, and I quote, 

"Stink, Stank, Stunk"!