Gossip Glamour-Bots ringing in the New Year

Gossip Glamour-Bots, originally uploaded by Gigi & Big Red.

So me and my twisted sense of humor today.....yep I decided to embellish some dolls. Meet Beckay and Carly - just a couple of BFF's from way back in the day. Still single, high maintenence and wired for fun!
Don't you just love their bright chrome finish?

Hansel & Gretel is the theme this year!

I never got around to painting my front window like I wanted so I opted for a nice centerpiece for the holiday table this year. My first attept at building with gingerbread! It was fun and pretty easy for the most part. The only trick is to prop the walls while the royal icing dries. The wooden mushrooms in the brown sugar are from Craftsty ~ she and I seem to do mini swaps that always involve these lil gems! So cute!

Happy Holidays!

Candy Stripes and Candied Apples, originally uploaded by Gigi & Big Red.

I finally got the ole tree up yesterday and neglected all of my computer duties. Nice change actually!
Decided to go with all traditional colors this year to coincide with our Hansel & Gretel theme. I've had this candy striped ribbon for a few years and never wanted to cut it up so now I can reuse it if i want to!!!

My New Blog!

My New Blog!, originally uploaded by Gigi & Big Red.

I'm on a roll today! I have been terrible about keeping up with my blogs so I today was the day to get back on the ball. I finally made the time to dedicate a blog to handmade fancies (especially things made from fabric and recycled items). So I hope you come visit me over there at Pinks and Needles. I promise to be better about blogging ~ it's just the holidays hit hard here at the Minor household and times slipping away from me : )

Happy Birthday Drewzel!!!

chickens, originally uploaded by distopiandreamgirl.

I just love this trio of Chicken cakes! And thought it only appropriate to help celebrate Stephs birthday today!!!
So Happy Birthday Drewzel!!! I hope all your birthday wishes come true!!!


Cakes made by distopiandreamgirl ~

Untraditional Thanksgiving Colors

Place Setting, originally uploaded by Gigi & Big Red.

Well I do pick some weird combos but I'm just not into the traditional colors of Thanksgiving plus it's 90 degrees here so it's hard to get into the mood! Here's just a sample of some of our dishes we got for our wedding. The white dishes are Crate and Barrel "Diner" and the Green are ...oh boy I can't spell it ~ it starts with a W and is German. Too lazy to walk to the kitchen to pull one out...isn't that terrible? I'll look tomorrow and change the post!
My favorite is how the napkins tie it all together!
All that's missing is the food!

Buh Bye Halloween ~ Welcome Holidays!

To me Halloween is just a teaser for more fun to come! Last night was our neighborhoods' busiest Halloween we've seen! Our first group of kids literally wiped out half of our candy supply! We're used to between 25 ~ 30 kids total! Ah....not this year! We easily doubled that! Our first group was at 6:30 pm and our last Trick or Treater was at 8:30pm on the nose! We had to scrounge up candy I was going to use for garlands at the last minute! We'll be better prepared next year! It was a fun night and it was warm out so maybe that's why more kids were out. The winner for best costume went to our next door neighbor Faith who just started Kindergarten this past Fall ~ she looked absolutly adorable as Mulan! Hands down the cutest we saw! I'm working on her Dad today for a picture to post!

Pink Christmas Ornament Swap

I was just invited to join this swap today! Looks like so much fun! Come check it out! Thanks Jacky for the invitation! Take a look at Jacky's flickr photos here! She does really fun things~ very crafty!

Hand Painted Window for Halloween

Garlands Garlands Garlands!

Pushing Daisies & the Imagination!

Yes it's Fall and for my husband and I it means...ahem (clears throat)... quailty time spent together in front of the teli! The days of spending quality time together without television need not apply! Pushing Daisies premiered last night and blew us away! Eye Candy for the Heart & Soul! If you have a vivid imagination and are strangely attracted to dark humor then this is for you! I am without a doubt moved by symbolism and this show has a lot! Not to mention just things in general that I adore like Cherries, Mermaids, Flowers and lots of Color are all there! Did anyone else watch it? What are your thoughts? I awoke this morning feeling totally inspired to make beautiful things today! I can't stop thinking about it!

Q & A for Sweet Goodness Holiday Sister Swap!

1. Favorite Color: Big Surprise here..."Pink & Brown", "Red, Orange & Pink" ~ Candy Colors! I like Combos vs. Single Colors! Not a huge Purple fan : )
2. Chocolate Lover? Milk, Dark, White, or none of the above? Love Bittersweet and everything else ~ not a big fan of White : )
3. What is your favorite craft hobby? OMG do you have all day? Ah....Paper Crafts & Food Crafts ~
4. What is a craft/art hobby that you would like to start? I love to paint on canvas and really haven't had time to do that...too much swappin' going on!
5. What craft do you NOT have an interest in or just not great in ( so your partner doesn’t send something you wouldn’t use)? Knitting & Crocheting ~ I don't have the patients for either : ) but I totally appreciate the crafts.
6. Do you have any allergies? (we don’t want to send anything with peanuts if it’s going to make you blow up like a balloon). Yes thanks for asking ~ I'm totally allergic to lame, rude people!
7.What’s your favorite part of Halloween? Decorating, candy eating, costumes, or something else? Decorating and Making Food!
8. Do you decorate for Thanksgiving/Fall? Weird I know but Not Really! I go straight from Halloween to Christmas!
9. December Holidays--what holiday do you celebrate? What type of decorations do you like to put up in your house for that holiday? We celebrate Christmas and I've always wished to celebrate (for lack of a better term) "Chrismukah". I'm not Jewish but Hanukkah it's such a beautiful holiday & to be able to celebrate both together sounds wonderful. I decorate kind of Retro, Vintage, 1950's and Modern! Always looking for glass candies, cool "Sweets" related ornaments. I love ornaments of little feathered birds too! Peacocks, Doves etc. Not big on wooden, clunky, country, snowmen, Santa, traditional Christmas decor. Last year we did a tropical tree with a little monkey at the top! This year I think we're going for the European Bakery, Hansel & Gretel Style of look! (Gumdrops & Gingerbread) I will paint our front window to match the theme too!
10. Do you have any children, if so what are their ages, boys/girls? Not yet....
11. Do you have any pets, if so what kind? Oh yes! Our eldest Priss Cat (13 yrs.) is a long haired Calico ~ petite and a total Diva ~ she doesn't put up with much : ), then we have Tanzy (12 yrs.) (Tonzy is her nickname)an orange Tabby weighing in over 20+ lbs who begs for rice pudding! Last but not least we have a Silky Terrier Chester Copperpot (3 1/2 yrs.)who is honestly the most human dog I've ever known with a HUGE personality to boot! He has so many nicknames I think he may suffer from Multiple Personality Disorder and it's all our fault!
12. Are you a reader? If so, what type of books do you like? Love to read? To tell you the truth I'd rather make something with my hands ~ but I do love Reference Books, the Dictionary, Periodicals, Martha, Weddings, Juxtapose & our local magazine ~ Oro Valley. Also "quick reads of any kind". Love to collect Vintage: dessert/candy, children's fairy tales and cocktail books.
13. Are you celebrating a birthday or anniversary in October, November, or December? If so, what day and what is the occasion? No : (
14. Do you collect anything? If so what type of things do you collect? Hmmm...yes...small things! One of a kind bottle caps, Kawaii (papery goods are my fav), Strawberry & Cherry Pincushions ~ love the Stickers, Unique Cake/Cookie Decorating stuff & Ribbon!
15. What type of things do you like to cook? Are you an appetizer person, cookie maker, dessert freak or a take out type of person?? I'm a baker and a Retired caterer (11 yrs of making chicken picata on a regular basis will make anyone cringe at the site of raw poultry ~blah!) so we don't cook meat at home. My husband won't eat it and I might have it a couple times a year. We cook healthy! I do love to bake and make snacks! Love the Mexican foods!
16. What is your favorite scent? Is there one that you can’t stand? I love fruity scents, citrus, peony, clean, fresh astringent smells are my fav! Nothing heavy!
17. What’s your favorite song? "California" from Lonley Planet (the OC theme song)
18. What’s the last movie you went to see at the movie theater? Oh this is pathetic~ I don't remember! Yeah, we watch tons of movies at home! I think we must have over 1000 flicks!
19. What’s your favorite Candy? I've always been a Chocolate person, but the weathers been warm and my mailbox is like an oven, so I have resorted to hard candies, Rice candy, any Asian fun unique type of goodies! No Black licorice, but I love Red Vines!
20. Tea or Coffee or other? I love tea, but I have so much right now! Would it be weird if I said Girlie Cocktails?

Skulls Are The New Black!

Ok so I Love Skulls ~ infact it's been a good long while that I've been "into" them! But now I know for a fact that they had transcended from being thought of as Scary, Spooky and Evil to downright Main Stream! Hooray for Skulls! How cute is this little pix? Crafty Skulls: Knitter Skulls & Scrappy Skulls! What's next? Bakery Skulls? Preppy Skulls? I know....Doggie Skulls! Woof!

New TV Show! Gossip Girl!

I know I'm a total dork for writting about TV in my blog but I was and still am a Huge fan of the OC, so when I heard the writter for the OC is writting a new show I got very excited! It actually premiers on Wednesday night on the CW or VH1. I just saw a quick blurb on TV tonight so I'm a little fuzzy on details! Anyway, my husband's going to be a good sport and watch the pilot with me! Awwww.....isn't that sweet! As long as I see the pilot, then I pretty much know if I'll like them or not! That's how we got hooked on LOST! Which btw doesn't start up again until FEB 08!

"California Girl at Heart" Proudley Presents: CALIFORNIA GIRL WEDDINGS

My newest blog dedicated to my everlasting love for Weddings! If you're planning your own, need new Ideas & lots of Visuals to help Create your Perfect Day then this is the blog for you! Come visit me at: California Girl Weddings

"California Girl at Heart" Proudly Presents: CALIFORNIA GIRL CONFECTIONS!

My newest blog will be dedicated to all things Sweet! If your craving new recipes, ideas or if you just need to chat come visit me at: California Girl Confections

What do you want to be when...

you grow up? If you would've asked me at age 5 (true story) ~ I would've told you a Surgeon or a Cake Decorator! Bizarre but true! At age 13 things changed ~ I defiantly wanted to be a Mermaid! "Splash" was my favorite movie back then! Now what do I want to be? A Happy & Healthy Mermaid who Decorates Cakes! Ha! I'll settle for Happy and Healthy!

Ginormous Cakes!

This picture is so Amazing! Not that I would want the responsiblity of transporting that monster! It looks like an accident waiting to happen! A cake decorator's nightmare! But I can imagine putting the final touches on something of this magnitude! Viola!

Happy Birthday Sparkled Vintage Charm!

Desperate Housewives!

If I were a mother and housewife back in the 50's I'm sure this would've been my motto!

Diana ~ A True Princess for the People!

Today is a day of Remembrance for obvious reasons...A day to honor the heros of our time. September 11th reminds me of many people who have since passed but live on in our hearts. I still think of Diana often and wanted to pay Tribute to her by making these ATC's. She was such a Beautiful person inside and out. It has been 10 years since her death. It has been 6 years since 9/11. A lot has happend, a lot has changed. For me it will always be my day to remember...

September Bag of Treats!

Go figure I got the same partner I had for August! Fine with me! She's fun to Swap with! She loves Lobsters & Chickens so I kind of centered this swap around those two ideas! The best is the Chicken who lays Gum Balls!

What I Gave: Classic Vintage Pinups & Private Pinups with Dream of Mermaid!

This was a very fun swap for me because I love Pinups and I was the host! I made a Tea Towel with an Iron-On transfer of Gil Elvgren's famous painting "Riding High", a bunch of Gift Tags, a pair of Pastie Magnets,some "Centerfold" ATC's and a Bettie Page DVD! What a great bunch of gals who joined the swap too! What fun ~ I'm sure I'll do another one!

Whoops! I Accidentally Erased My...

"I've Been Tagged!" Blog so here goes Take Two!:
My first time being tagged so basically what that means is I must post 6 Interesting/Weird things about myself and then tag 6 blogs ~ in turn whomever I tag must do the same!

So here goes: Hmmmmm... 6 weird things about me...
1. Probably not that big of a surprise but I'm a Craft-o-Holic! I have to stay busy with my hands or I get very sad :(
2. I'm a stickler for good oral hygeine! No bad breath ~Please!
3. I'm somewhat of a gift wrap snob! I know good quality when I see it or feel it!
4. I can make something look like it's worth a whole lot more than it actually is, Hint: I use really good Gift Wrap!
5. If I could live in my PJ's I would (and for the most part I do)!
6. When people meet me in person they can never guess my age! I'm happily still getting carded!

Blogger Friends I'm Tagging:
Britt http://sparkledvintagecharm.blogspot.com/
Drewzel http://drewzelblog.wordpress.com
Toni http://thequiltingpirate.blogspot.com/

Welcome September!

This time of year always reminds me of Hansel & Gretel! Two innocent children alone in the woods stumble upon a house made of Gingerbread! I mean what could be more perfect! When I was little I used to play "Willy Wonka" instead of "Dolls" ~ if that wasn't a sure sign I'd end up a Baker...I don't know what would! So Welcome September! I look forward to all of my Crafting, Baking, Sewing, Wrapping, Shopping & always save the best for last....Eating!

My DVD Rental Pick for September!

The Ex!
Okay I think the title says it all! I loved this movie for so many reasons! I miss the TV show Arrested Development so it was nice to see one of it's stars Jason Bateman tearing it up in this one! I thought the premis for the movie was a good one and with Zach Braf at the helm how can you resist!
If you're in need of a good laugh I highly suggest this flick!

Dinner and a Cupcake!

We got together with a few friends last night at Four Peaks Brewery for a Little Dinner Birthday Celebration for my Husband. Our Friends Brandon & Tiffany Brought Cupcakes from Lulu's Cupcakes! They were really Rich and Creamy! I had the Blonde Bombshell (Yellow Cake with Vanilla Buttercream) and my Husband had the "Cupcake of the Day" (Banana Cupcake with Fresh Strawberry Frosting). It was a Really Fun Night Out! Thanks Everyone!

Flyer by Me for my Sissy

My Sweet Sister Susie is teaching Dance Conditioning in Grass Valley, CA if anybody's interested! Her Classes are really Fun and laid back! Good for all Levels and Ages! Please Contact her through The Center for the Arts at 530.477.7644

Happy Birthday Big Red!

I'm wishing my Fantastic Husband a Great Birthday on Monday August 27th!
He so deserves the Best Birthday Ever! He's such a Hard Worker, a Perfect Husband and My Best Friend! Strawberry Shortcake Comin' Up!

Halloween Mosaic (CLICK ON IT FOR LARGE VIEW)

This is my favorite time of year! It's when I really start getting crafty ~ must be the little Witch inside of me! Ha! The Good Witch anyways! My wheels are turning already for Halloween! I will be Baking Desserts and Making Homemade Candies this year!

Gigi's DVD Rental Pick for August

Inspired by the true story of Jesse James Hollywood ~ this movie is jaw dropping! Justin Timberlake does an incredible job ~ the whole cast for that matter. Not a movie for the faint of heart! I stress that! This story hits close to home for me because where the Actual Events took place is in Santa Barbara, CA where my parents live. A mezmorizing film about America's Youth today. A must see ~ but please put the kids to bed before embarking on this film. It's unforgettable...

Hello Kitty & Friends!

So I have to admit ~ I've been collecting Hello Kitty for about 30 years! Mostly small things like Stickers, Paper etc. But I seem to be much more attracted to some of the other Kawaii Goodies like, San~X has some adorable characters that I'm completly in love with: Cake Maker has got to be the cutest thing I've ever seen! And Cram Cream is adorable too ~ I just love the Little Mushroom Guy! Please Discuss your favorites here:

Pin-Up Swap Begins Today!

Isn't she a "Peach"? Or should I say "Cherry" because of her gorgeous Red Hair!

Thank you to all the girls who signed up for my Swap! You have one month from today to get your packages sent! Have fun with it! And Don't Stress!

A Friendship Connection Made on Flickr!

I'm so excited about this I had to write about it! I've made a connection with "Be Cheery" on Flickr! We live in the same town! We'll be getting together soon to do some Crafting and Baking! This is Big for me because I really don't know many people in Tucson ~ Especially someone who shares some of the same Intrests as me! From the looks of her Photos ~ she's a Pro Baker and Crafter! Check these Tucson Themed Cupcakes!

My Computer Died!

Last night I was getting caught up on some swaps requiring the use of my Printer and MY Computer decided to take a Nap! Let's just Hope it's not a Permanant one!! That's never a good thing is it? So now I'm stumbling along on my husbands new lap top. I'm just used to "Old Bessie", she's Clunky and Oversized and Loaded with my Stuff so it's hard to make the transition!
There's nothing I can do until my husband gets home. I'm sure her "C" Drive is Overloaded and she needs to Purge!

Recipe for Mr. Hanky Cupcakes

Mr. Hanky is my Favorite Guest Star on Southpark! He's Adorable & He Deserves a Delish Recipe Named After Him!I Made up this Frosting Recipe by Default ~ & it Turned out Great! I didn't have any Evaporated Milk on hand so I used a Surprise Ingredient Instead! Glad I did!This recipe is a Quick one if you're in a Pinch for Time! My husband's Golf Tournament is today and I wanted to make something for Celebrating!
I used a Boxed Yellow Cake Mix (Shhhhhh...Don't Tell!) At the End of Beating time ~ Add 1 Cup of Shredded Coconut. Bake as Usual and Make this "Mr. Hanky Frosting" from Scratch! No one will ever know you didn't Slave for Hours.

1. Sift 4 C. Powdered Sugar (1 Box) with 1 1/2 C. Unsweetend Cocoa Powder in Medium Bowl. Set Aside.
2. Beat 2 Sticks of Butter with 1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract.
3. Gradually Add: 1/2 C."Cream Of Coconut" ( this comes in a can ~ in most Liqour Departments at the Gropcery Store ~ this is the Secret Ingredient!) with 1/2 C. Milk.
4. Finally Add Your Powdered Sugar and Cocoa Mixture in Small Amounts. Once Incorporated ~ Beat for 7-10 Minutes.

This is a very Soft Frosting ~ so probably not the best Dessert for an Outdoor Event, but if you're inside ~ I Say: "Make These!" ~ Mr. Hanky Says: "Heidi-Ho!"

I know it's only August, but...

Think October! I love the Fall because that means one thing- Cooler Weather! It's been pretty Mild as far as Heat goes this Summer, but I'm always ready for Cool Overcast days to help me get into the Baking Spirit! At that point I'm ready to sink my teeth into a Homemade Cornbread and some Hearty Vegetable Soup~ just what the Doctor ordered for staying Home and Gearing up for the Holidays! I don't know about you, but as soon as October hits I get Busy!! What should I be for Halloween this year? What Decorations can I Revamp and make New Again? What to Paint on the Front Window? I can't help myself- I love Halloween & the Holidays that Follow...

It was Just One of Those Days Today!

So, this morning I woke up to the phone ringing (pretty early) and it was my husband asking me to buy him some Liquid Sticth when I went to the store today! Liquid Stitch means three words in my opinion: "I Need Stitches!" So he actually came home from work pretty soon after that and sure enough- he had sliced his hand open real nice like! I'm giving Liquid Stitch a Consumer Rating of 5 Stars! It worked great! He has a golf tournament on Sunday, so we're hoping he heals by then. Poor baby!

Sorry- I won't be posting a picture of this! It's for your own good people!

August Bag of Treats Updated!

I don't know what I was thinking but, since the Swap is called "BAG of Treats" I suppose I need some kind of bag, right? So I made this Cute Multi Colored Heart Make-Up Bag for my partner! I'm thinking she'll likey!

We Got More Bounce in California!

I love this Postcard! It's so Colorful and Beautiful!

August Bag of Treats!

I finished making all my goodies for my swap going to Australia today. I made a Tea Towel with Vintage Images from the Artist Biba. The costumes on the girls are Delightful! Note the small Pink Striped Sketch Pad has an Alberto Vargas girl on it dressed as a Ballerina- I had to Glitter that! I made a bunch of Homemade Gift Tags with Retro Stars, Bunnies, Flowers and Stripes. My favorite is the Surprise Goodie Bag with a California Postcard in it and a few other things that remind me of Home. I hope she likes it!

I'm Hosting a Classic Vintage Pin-Up Swap

If you love the sexy sirens of the 40's and 50's please join me at swap-bot.com ~
Last day to sign up is August 21st! We'll be swapping handmade and store bought items. Anything that screams Vintage Pin-Ups!

Ladybug/Ladybird Swap

These are a couple of pin cushions I made for my partners participating in a Ladybug Swap. The turned out pretty cute! They're made from Felt, Pom-Poms and Wax Twine.

I Sewed my First Apron!

Yes, this was a big undertaking for me because I've never done a ruffle! Of course I needed a little encouragement from my friend and fellow swapper K. Baxter! She's moving to Texas today :(
She's an awesome seamstress!
Drive safe there lil' lady!

Today is a big day!

I'll be crafting my little heart out in just a bit! Getting ready to wrap gifts for a swap going to Australia!