These are a few of my favorite things

I love this scene. New books stacked up. A trip to the bookstore and the fresh books on my coffee table. Also, my daughter's crayon wheel. I love all of the colors mixed into my living room palette. It just brings enough joy to my heart to fill up my enormous coffee mug. This too is a favorite thing.

Christmas Blessings

Every year the fam and I celebrate our own mini Christmas before we go home for the holidays. This year seeing my daughter gasp that morning at the half eaten carrot left for Santa's reindeer made me completely overcome with joy. She was so sweet and more excited about that carrot then seeing presents under the tree. She it truly my Christmas angel.

Fabulous Fall Round Up

Well, I guess fall is over... My favorite time of the year for photographs. We'll see what winter brings. Hopefully it's as good.

Happy Cupcake Day, (one day in advance:)

Have you ever had something that made you truly happy? Silly question I know. There is the obvious... my daughter, just looking at her fills me with a kind of joy I never knew existed. Hugging my husband and smelling the scent of his aftershave takes me to some sort of ethereal plane of existence, but that kind of happy is on an unearthly scale. I'm talking about the kind of happy that makes lousy morose days go away immediately because your mind floats off into dreamland when you see them or taste them. I feel kind of crazy for saying this but cupcakes have become my obsession. I love everything having to do with them. Their shape is a platonic form. Their color can be vibrant of dull, either way they never fail to impress me. Any color, shape or size, it doesn't matter I want to look at it. I could just stare at them. Why? I can't figure it out. I have baked and eaten so many cupcakes lately that I have renamed the fat above my jean line my cupcake top. I don't care. I can't help myself. So in honor of National Cupcake Day here's to you cupcakes! May you keep on rising beautifully and creating smile after smile everyday!

Mad for Plaid Contest

So, I entered this contest and I need some votes. They would be so appreciated! http://www.mixingbowl.com/message/recipe/view.castle?g=2170871&m=14524544 Click on the link to vote! AmyKayBakes...

Crafting for a Cause

So, Jo-ann fabrics, my home away from home, is having a contest 'Craft for a Cause.' What an amazing thing! You make something to donate to a charity and then judging takes place and a winner is pick, but the great part is whichever charity gets the most votes wins 90,000$ from Jo-ann. So, I bought what I need today to make a blanket for Project Linus.
Project Linus is a charity that donates handmade blankets and quilts to children in hospitals or victims of domestic violence. I think it's an absolutely wonderful charity and I urge anyone who crafts or sews to make something. Jo-Ann's website provides a list of charities or you can pick your own.
Another amazing charity I've found is called 'Cinderella's Closet.' They provide resources for high school girls who can't afford it to go to High School dances like Prom. People are asked to donate shoes, dresses, and jewelry, (in good shape of course) to this organization. How wonderful! I absolutely love to hear about people helping other people. It restores my faith in humanity a bit. Oh, and another wonderful charity: 'Newborns in Need.' You just have to read about this one...

Cupcake Crazed

I'm working on my skills still. I think they're pretty good for
my first attempt.


That twirly top is kind of difficult to master.


Well, why not? I am obsessed with them... I've discovered a world full of flavors and also... the mini-cupcake. Proof that God loves us. So amazing. I was smitten after I found 'Designer Desserts.' It's this amazing little bakery in my hometown. The only problem is that the cupcakes are now 500 mi. away. These cupcakes are so beautiful and the ambiance of the bakery is truly something out of a wonderful dream. This place is kick-a@@. It's colorful and frilly and simply wonderful. Bryn and I would sit and take it all in while noshing on pink and sprinkles. We loved it but had to leave it, which inspired me to make my own, why not? I'm in love with cupcakes after all.