Cupcakes, Cakes & Related Creations

So, a while back I posted a blog showcasing some of the cakes and cupcakes I've made. Here is another round of that.

I made cupcakes for a baby shower at my old job. Just basic cupcakes and frosting with "It's a Girl" toppers I made.

PROS: Toppers turned out pretty well

CONS: Don't use chocolate cake with white/ pink wrappers. Also, don't dump the top layer of your cake caddy on the bottom layer.

 Halloween seemed like the perfect excuse to make themed cupcakes. I poked around the internet, but ended up making something entirely my own. Love when that happens. Cupcakes are covered with fondant.

PROS: Everything! I really like how these turned out. Even more I like that it was my own idea and I had an excuse to use the tub of black fondant.

CONS: I'd like to make the pumpkin a little more realistic if I do these again. Otherwise, love 'em

I made a cake top and cupcakes for John & Tina's engagement party. This where my original idea came from - Cake with Green Fondant Circles

PROS: Good experience in what not to do and I kind of liked the topper - at least it was my own idea. Accidentally made a tasty buttercream frosting recipe when I botched my attempt at white chocolate mousse frosting.

CONS: EVERYTHING ELSE. Nobody asked me to make this and on Friday night I wished I'd never wanted to! I am not going to tell you how many hours it all ended up taking me because I am mildly embarrassed. Plus, we will also not discuss the cost of new supplies (although I can use them all again). In the end the cake looked pretty lopsided and no one seemed to be terribly impressed. I think John and Tina were even fairly underwhelmed. Haha. 

While coming up with ideas for the engagement cake I played around with making gum paste flowers. They are hard! Not sure what kind of flower this is - Rose?

I took a Holiday cupcake class at Sur La Table. They gave us great tips for recipes and decorating ideas. The one that is red swirled blew my mind. We cored the center and filled it with Peppermint White Chocolate Ganache!

PROS: Delicious recipes and a few new techniques.

CONS: I've told this somewhat comical story to a few people, but I was kind of the star of the class. You know when you don't think you're very good at something, but everyone else is much worse? A couple of times women from the back of the class came up to the front to see what I'd made and the instructor said (after I made the green tree cupcake) "Oh, you're just waiting since you did it perfectly the first time." This did not make me feel special - just awkward.  

Phew that was very long. If you have any ideas for something I can make let me know!

Changes in the New Year

I know that 2011 is still several weeks away, but I was recently thinking about my new year's resolutions. I have many goals for the new year, so I'll share them.

• Live a healthier lifestyle - My trackable goal is to lose weight, but I also just want to maintain a fitness plan and eat better on a daily basis. Weight loss goal = 45 pounds
• Friendships - 2010 has not been my year in the friend category. I feel like I am losing touch with those closest to me and one or two friendships were outright severed this year. Those that were severed were overall a good idea and will make both parties happier, but it still makes me think about the way I maintain my friendships. I end up asking those questions about how I treat people that I really can't answer. Alot of my closest friends I don't see as often as I would like anymore, which makes me think we probably just aren't that close anymore, which then makes me sad. : (
• Career - I have no real qualms with the job I have now, but I still feel like I need to figure out what I want to do with myself for the long haul. I've decided I want to get my Master's, so I hope this will lead me to a path I can really embrace and excel in.
• Do more with my free time - I think seeing the blogs of all my crafty friends (Jill, Sarah, Sara) makes me realize I don't do enough with the free time I have. The main reason for this is I have very few hobbies. I don't read or sew or craft or do photography. I'd really love to learn something new or get involved with a new organization in 2011.
• Make marriage exciting - There is a great sense of comfort that comes with marrying the person you knew you were supposed to and settling into a relaxed routine. However, Justin and I are often toooo relaxed. The fact that we both don't have any hobbies we are extremely dedicated to means we often don't know what to do with ourselves. When I'm not hanging out with my friends I feel like I am too okay with just sitting around watching television. Justin is too okay with it also - I want us to do more exploring and more exciting challenging things as a couple.
• Learn all there is to know about home ownership - For some terrible reason we signed a two year lease for our current apartment because we couldn't fathom moving again after a year. I miss living in the city every single day, but I also think about buying a house. I kind of refuse to live in yet another apartment after this one, but am also pretty terrified by the idea of buying a house in King County. I need to learn more about the process, so I am comfortable and knowledgeable.
• Be happy - Not that I'm not now, but this should be a goal for every day in every year

"It's like a big, cream colored baby!!"

So, I'm not much of a dog person. Well, I enjoy dogs, but have a hard time getting over their smells, shedding and excitability. Plus, I may be more annoyed by the people who own dogs than any dog. The term "crazy cat lady" is thrown arround quite often, but almost every one I know who has a dog is a crazy dog person. Yes, I'm talking about you who will not hang out with other humans because you can't leave your dog alone. Yes, I'm talking about you who made Corgi shaped cookies for Thanksgiving. Yes, I'm talking about people who mention their dog in every blog post. I myself recently posted a photo album featuring my cat in a series of Winter fashions, so we all have our faults.


Clearly appropriate for
an apartment

I've toyed with the idea of getting a dog, mostly to appease Justin, for quite some time. However, their smellyness, need for constant care, and apartment dwelling deters me. Justin had a Vizsla, German Shorthair and Weimaraner mix growing up and still loves that dog more than he enjoys most people. If it were up to him he would have one of those breeds or the largest dog he could find (see Mastiff, Great Dain, etc.)

I, however, am attracted to smaller dogs who serve the same function as cats: snuggling. I want to be able to pick up a dog and sling it around like an oversized baby. Unfortunately most small dogs are twitchy, yappy and generally unseemly. Getting most any small dog would probably annoy me and do nothing for Justin's overall happiness.

ENTER: The Bulldog Family

In our old apartment building some guy on our floor had an English Bulldog named Barkly. Barkly had an incredible name and was a terribly majestic beast. He always looked annoyed by exercise which is an important characteristic. At that same building we also saw a tenant walking an English bulldog puppy that snarfled uncontrollably and we were told had a heart murmur. Precious.

In the last six months or so I've moved my adoration from English Bulldogs to French Bulldogs. French Bulldogs are stout and muscly looking like the English, but smaller and easier to manage. The French also don't look as saggy and melty as English dogs. I don't see many French Bulldogs in person, so my newfound love for them wasn't officially solidified until I saw the ads for Due Date. The cream colored Frenchie in that movie is pretty much all I could ask for in a dog.


Gimme gimme gimme gimme



We saw Due Date this afternoon and that dog caused me to gasp everytime he was on screen. I fell madly in love with it and kept telling Justin, "It looks like a fuzzy cream colored baby and I WANT IT." You could feel no sadness with that dog in your life, I'm sure of it. Now, the main thing keeping me from getting one is the price tag. Frenchies are expensive and I don't want to get some sort of hybrid dog. Unless it will still look very much like a French Bulldog.

I will have one. This dog will be mine!

Fat Chicks & other Famous People

I haven't seen this weeks Glee, but last week when I watched it, the newest cast member had me thinking of something...

Reference:

Ashley Fink from Glee

I commended Glee for making a very plus size actress a more central role without making any reference to her weight. She didn't become the 12th member of New Directions because they needed a large girl to round out the group, but because she rescued Puck from a portable potty.

Have you noticed that anytime they make a chunky chick the lead in a T.V. show/ movie they have to make the entire storyline revolve around her weight? As though they are saying, "Okay, okay we knoooow she's fat. We don't like it anymore than you do, BUT there's a reason we hired a fat chick. Just watch it."

Reference:

Nikki Blonsky in a show about fat camp

 

Brooke Elliott in Drop Dead Diva - a show about a model who dies and
comes back as an overweight, brilliant lawyer. How terrible for her! Ugh

  

Okay I thought this show was about how she is neat, but fat.
I'm thinking that is not what it's about at all. Oh, well

So, it is pretty lame that with how many fat people there are in America, that is so hard for them to find a place in the media unless it's on Biggest Loser. Well, fat guys are all over the damn place and have hot wives as well. Don't get me started on that.

But then I also think about all the tons and tons of money actors and actresses make. If your $10 movie ticket contributes to the $10 MILLION some random actor gets for starring in ONE movie, maybe we should expect a very high level of perfection of them. Meaning I understand why Emma Stone or Elizabeth Banks or Reese Witherspoon or Rachel McAdams gets paid lots of money. Because they are gorgeous and funny and thin and good actresses and have pretty hair. When I see Ashley Fink I wonder why everyone can't be in a highly rated T.V. show — if all that's required is a moon-shaped face and biting sarcasm. If so then I should be a celebrity for sure.

"When I see Ashley Fink I wonder why everyone can't be in a highly rated T.V. show — if all that's required is a moon-shaped face and biting sarcasm. If so I should be a celebrity for sure."

Maybe celebrities should be required to be super smart, super hot, thin, hilarious, adventurous, fashionable and generally the most amazing people in the world to get as much money as they do for being - well - them. If that was the requirement for celebrity then we would have so very few of them. I certainly wouldn't have to look at or hear Sarah Jessica Parker, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Miley Cyrus, The Situation, Bristol Palin, Owen Wilson, etc., etc.

What's in a Name?

The boldness of my new blog header got me thinking about something - I LOVE my name. LOOOOVE IT.

Is it the simplicity? The Z? The L? The I? I think it's mostly the Z. Not many names have Zs in them, so I feel blessed to be one of the few. I'm hoping most people do like their names, but I downright adore mine. I feel like it fits me perfectly and I wouldn't have it any other way. Well, I guess I would get rid of the pesky Elizabeth it stemmed from. I loathe Elizabeth as much as I heart Liz.

When you look up the name Elizabeth I'm reminded of how ill fitting it is.

• Wikipedia says:  Elizabeth or Elisabeth is the Greek translation of the Hebrew name Elisheva, meaning "God's promise," "oath of God," or "I am God’s daughter." Elizabeth and Elisabeth are the parent unit names of Lisa, and Lilly, and Ella; Elsa, Isabel and Isabella are etymologically related variants.
• Urban Dictionary #1 says: The most amazing, beautiful, awesome, spectacular, gorgeous, cute, incredible, breathtakeing, wonderful, pretty, adorable, and most importantly cutifulazing girl ever. Awesome
• Stats:  Elizabeth has 152 variants and is the #5 most common female name
• Famous Elizabeths: Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Elizabeth II, Lots of other Royalty, Elizabeth Taylor, Elizabeth Banks, Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Aside from Elizabeth being like the oldest name in the world with incredible staying power I don't care for it much at all. Elizabeth Banks is faaaabulous, though. Lets look at Liz

• Wikipedia says: Liz is a girls' name of Hebrew origin, meaning "God's Promise". Okay, so that's basically the same.
• Urban Dictionary #1 says: A truly stunning brunette with LARGE bosoms, usually bitingly sarcastic. Wears large sweatshirts much to the disappointment of the entire straight male population. Knows how to make everyone laugh. Everybody loves Liz, unless they totally SUCK.  I do not wear a lot of large sweatshirts, but I am brunette and sarcastic with sizeable bosoms.
• Stats: Liz has 5 viariant forms and is #955 most common female name
• Famous Lizs: Liz Lange, Liz Claiborne, Liz Lemon, Liz McNeil

Okay, so although I do not approve of it most of us Lizs wouldn't be where we are today without Elizabeth.

The Curse of New Year's Eve

Since we are officially in December I started thinking today about what I should do for New Year's Eve.

TANGENT: This is going to sound terribly scroogy and awful, but I do not thoroughly enjoy holidays that require me to fill up my social calendar. These include Halloween, July 4th, Valentine's Day and New Year's. Maybe when I'm 60 it will be acceptable, but on these days I feel like I can never just sit around the house and watch T.V. if I want to. I have to be doing SOMETHING. With PEOPLE. And even though I always have plans of some sort there is usually a three-week period prior to the holiday where I worry I will have no choice but to sit at home watching T.V.

Back to the matter at hand. I am dreading New Year's Eve this year. DREAD. Not because I have to be social and consume large amounts of champagne, but because my New Year's is cursed. CURSED. Let us revisit some of my New Year's Eve adventures from the last several years. Oh, it will be fun!

2009   This New Year's Eve began with such promise. Justin and I were in our fairly fabulous Queen Anne digs with a view of the Space Needle from our very own balcony. I toyed with having a gathering at our place to take advantage of the vantage point, but ended up planning on going to parties elsewhere. For some reason I chose this evening to upload, design and order a Shutterfly photobook (I think a coup was expiring), which caused us to leave our apartment at 10:30. By the time we got to the party location there was absolutely no parking within 3 miles. Why would that be on NYE on Alki?? Another party was in Renton, so that was not happening. Justin and I decided to head back to our apartment to catch the fireworks from our balcony. We didn't make it and ended up with an obstructed view from some street in Belltown. FAIL: Expiring Coupons + Parking

2008  We started our New Year's celebration at my friend's brother's condo. There were many dogs, people, munchies and wine. No complaints. We left there to see Hell's Belles at El Corazon. As he often does, Justin loaded me up with copious amounts of overpriced liquor. Enough drinks that I eventually fell over into a magazine rack shortly after 12 am. Despite protests that I was simple awkward and clumsy, El Corazon didn't like that and made us leave. I then turned into a drunk demon and ran away from Justin into the night. When Justin caught up with me I was in the stairwell of a swanky senior citizen apartment complex. Eventually we got a cab and I yacked out its window. FAIL: Liz + Alcohol

2007   Justin and I decided to ring in the New Year in Bellingham. I honestly don't remember why. I was excited to find that a good friend would be at the Nightlight, so we decided to make that home base. The vibe was lackluster and Justin's very terrible friend showed up. He made derogatory remarks about other people and was generally awful. AWFUL  FAIL: Awful People

2006 I do not remember this NYE. I've asked many people if they remember what I did or if I was with them, but notta. The Lost NYE   FAIL: Poor Memory

2005 I wanted to stay in Bellingham, but the person I was dating wanted to go to Seattle to see his friends. What I thought would be a fabulous party ended up being us and another couple in a small apartment watching television. We eventually headed to Gas Works to watch the fireworks. At this time the other couple decided to get into a very heated argument. She took off and he followed, leaving us behind. We made it to Gas Works, but didn't find them. After the fireworks we discovered they had headed back to the apartment without us. This was before a time when I at least kind of knew my way around Seattle, so we did not have a good time finding our way back to the apartment. Plus I was walking in high heels the whole time we were lost and wandering. Upon getting back to the apartment we were told it would not be a good situation for us to stay in the apartment as planned, so we slept in our car. SLEPT IN OUR CAR...IN DECEMBER. Who does this to their friends? I don't. It's been 5 years and I am still enraged by this memory!   FAIL:  High Heels + Awful People + Being Lost + Sleeping in Car

I can't remember any other New Year's Eves, but I've given you enough to show why it is a dreaded holiday. It is always either memorable for how awful it is or not memorable at all.

Take Me Somewhere

It bothers me to no end that there is this huge, amazing world out there and I only have so much free time and financial resources to commit to its exploration.

Growing up I never really went anywhere. Every time my mom and I went on vacation we went to California. California. California. There is nothing wrong with the Golden State, but I really missed out on a good 20 years of traveling to new and exciting places on my parents' dime. Gotta love her, but now firmly grounded in her 60s, my mom has only been to a chunk of states and Canada (possibly Mexico?). What I find more troubling about this is it doesn't seem to upset her in the slightest.

I'm guessing our parents come from a simpler time when plane travel was less prevalent and necessary. My mom, like her sister and her mother before her, just doesn't see the need to circumnavigate the globe. Sometimes we are the way we are because of our parents and sometimes in spite of them. I want to go to every part of the world because my mom didn't, not because she did.

Anyway, I bring all this up because I recently discovered Round the World Plane tickets. For those people who knew about them long ago than my apologies for how overly excited this discovery made me. One plane ticket with so many possibilities. I could spend hours on staralliance.com or oneworld.com just planning out a traveling adventure. I feel like the tickets are so cheap for how many places you can go!

Take a look at the itinerary I made: Seattle - Edinburgh - London - Barcelona - Zurich - Rome - Goa - Bangkok - Tokyo

I've been told I have the rest of my life to travel extensively, but I kind of disagree. If I choose to have children I feel like my dreams of seeing the world will be squashed. So, I told Justin we have until I am 33 to buy a Round the World ticket. It will happen!