Take. These broken wings.

The rsvps are pouring in. Lots of them have super nice things to say about the invitation design, now I really have to pull off a good party. Zoiks. I am pretty sure I have gotten in over my head with the favors too, but that's how I roll. What's the point of a party if it's not a memorable experience for the guests?

I am thinking hard about my dessert table as well. And the heat. Things that melt = no fun. Summer is the hardest - planning a party with regards to food and weather. I am thinking about one of my most popular recipes - one that always gets emails, links back, etc- Broken Glass Jello. It's the purty colors that make it great for parties. Guests are always like, "How did you...do that?"Here it is again, in case you missed it the first time.

I vant to suck your blood.

The Baby has taken to feigning disbelief. It's always, 'WHAT.' Whenever anyone says something. What, period. Not only that, he has developed some weird Transylvanian accent lately so now everything is, VHAT . 'I see Elmo on tv.' VHAT. 'We're having chicken for dinner.' VHAT. It's really annoying. So here's my list of 'VHAT's, cause some things, I just can't believe either.

1. When you send someone an email and they take forever to write you back, or don't even write you back period!
VHAT.
Especially when it's a stranger who you don't even know, rude! True, I sometimes take a while to email back but that's usually yahoo's spam filter's fault. Just don't subject mail to me: "Enlarge your penis now, justJenn" and we should be fine.

2. People who think their babies are the cutest babies on earth.
VHAT.
Hey, we all think that about our own, I don't need to hear about yours all day.

3. My boss telling me that I have to drive to Santa Monica, then Glendale, then downtown. Starting at 1pm.
VHAT.
Terrible, but I pawned it off on someone else. There's no way I could do all that and get home to pick up my kids on time. I'm sure there is a random blog post floating around somewhere: "Can you believe my coworker made me drive from Santa Monica, to Glendale, to downtown?? VHAT??"

4. Internet haters.
VHAT.
I always threaten that I'm going to shut down this blog someday, and it's mostly because people are just straight up rude and judgemental and feel like it's ok to talk crap about someone they don't even know. Why can't they just passive aggressively hate in silence like the rest of us? I'd go Amish and give up the internet, but the outfits are horrible.

5. Being fat.
VHAT.
I have been watching crap tv Denise Richard's and Kimora Lee Simmon's reality shows at night lately and both have been going through an 'I am fat phase' and man, I can relate. I am not a celebrity mom, but I do have two kids and no time, and I know what it's like when your body just ain't what it was pre-kids. sigh.

6. Getting a wedding invite with no rsvp envelope.
VHAT.
Oh, there was an rsvp CARD, but no envelope. Hey you cheap bastard, pony up the 42 cent stamp. That's just bad etiquette.

I'm sure you guys have some VHATs, too. Believe me, you'll have VHAT stuck in your head all day now. Thanks, Baby.

Holly: It was a good company but I couldn't see a future there. It was easy to get in but impossible to rise up. Michael Scott: That's what she...

I quit my job today. Sadly, it didn't stick. After much crying and accusations and anger, I was talked into staying. So the cycle of abuse continues. sigh. Is there any wonder why architecture majors have the highest dropout rate? Because they don't want to deal with this crap as their future job.

I came home and do what I always do to relieve stress. Cook. A LOT. The Kid has been asking for Chicken Soup with Rice ever since my mom bought him the Really Rosie soundtrack. Hello, suddenly she thinks it's 1975 again.

So I made up a recipe - it's SUPER quick. You have no excuse to not make it, that's how quick it is. So I made up a huge pot of Chicken Soup with Rice. Then I made some cornbread muffins. Now I'm thinking cupcakes. This is how stressed I am, I CANNOT STOP. Want me to come over? I'll cook you a five course meal. RIGHT. NOW. Good lord, I need help.

Chicken Soup with Rice, recipe.

That ain't no Etch A Sketch. This is one doodle that can't be undid, Homeskillet...

So here's how the design process works. When I first told Nanette that I'd throw her baby shower, I had a design concept in mind. Since we are both bakers and fans of baked goods, I thought I'd make an invite that was a play on the old saying, "Bun in the Oven." But of course, I couldn't make it that simple. I had to do something to make it go above and beyond.

I knew pink and green were her wedding colors and I wanted to incorporate that since it was the next phase in their lives. (See, my designs have a purpose. ~wink~) Also she was having a girl and was all about the pink, so it was nice to run with it. Sometimes non-gender specific colors can get boring. I made a 'holder' for the actual invite that said, 'Guess who's got a...' and then when you open it: '...bun in the oven!' I drew an oven, but just an outline, as a background, because the plan was to put an actual cookie that looked like a bun, 'in' the oven, and I wanted it to stand out. Get it? BUN. In the oven?? GET IT? Ugh. I am so lame it's exhausting. Anyway, I was going to bake something bun-like in miniature form, but since the Burger Bites are super easy and look nice wrapped up, and they are - after all, buns, I went with those.

I thought it was a great idea until I found out that she needed 50 invites. Yikes. I wanted them to be a surprise, but I started to wonder if I should scale back and think about a redesign. Could I actual execute this complicated design for FIFTY invites? Good lord.

But once I had a design concept in my head, it was hard to turn back. I figured I could do it if I planned it out right. I mean, back when I did custom wedding invitations I once did an 8 piece invitation (each invite had eight individual components) and the bride needed 250 of them. That was 2000 individual hand stamped, cut and folded pieces. So this...er...this should be a...cinch?

It was. It all worked out well and hopefully the guests were surprised and pleased. I'm guessing some arrived crushed but I'm totally blaming that on the post office. Ha. The point was, I wanted to design something that would tie together the invites, favors and dessert table. (That's all I'm responsible for, her mom and MIL are doing the rest.) I hope it makes the guests look forward to a sugary, sweet, happy shower. Now...on to the favors...

It was all yellow.

Ok, fine. I couldn't stay away. The chocolate+green tea ice cream cupcakes came out so well, I decided to give 'em another run. This time I used vanilla ice cream and frosted it with a simple buttercream. The Baby, who has become WAY too demanding lately, chose the color of the frosting. "YELLO. I WAN YELLO." Easy kid, chill out.

Apparently these were good. I gave one to the kids to share, then carted off the rest to work. I know. My poor starving children. Anyway, in the office freezer - I went to see if there were any left and what I found were a half a dozen, all with post-it notes on them with people staking their claim. Hilarious. I should have taken a picture but I'm sure my boss would be like WTF.

I am planning on making Burger Bites down to SDCC to give to blog readers/friends who stop by the booth. I was thinking of baking something else too, but I don't know what. These obviously won't make it in the heat.

Can't stop now don't you know I ain't never gonna let you go, don't go

When I was a kid I had a little bear doll that was bald. I nicknamed him Vince. After Vince Clarke. Vince Clarke just happens to be the founding member of not only Yaz, but Depeche Mode, and Erasure. So maybe it's not synth pop that I love so much as it's just Vince that I love.

Friday night, after 20 years, Yaz reunited at the Orpheum in downtown Los Angeles. The Orpheum is a great old theater, with wonderful architectural elements. I used to do historic preservation of buildings, and the detailing on that place is fantastic. I wish I had brought my camera, normally at shows they don't allow it, but here people were snapping away.

Los Angeles is devout in it's adoration of 80s synth pop. For instance, when Depeche Mode comes to town it's like the second coming of Jesus. Fans know every lyric. Recreate every dance move. So there was no doubt that this show would be sold out and filled with the same fans. It's also one of the only things that could get me out of the house on a Friday night.

Going out at night takes a lot of coordination with babysitters and the like, and Friday night I was just plain tired. It was a horrible week at work and the last thing I wanted to do was go out. But I'm glad I did. The show was great. Honestly, Alison Moyet's voice is as strong as it was 28 years ago. (DOH. That's a long time.) Parts of it were very 'performance art' but that's what I liked about it.

And just who opens up for Yaz's first reunion in 20+ years? Why a dj whose set includes Roxy Music, Pet Shop Boys and...Limahl's Neverending Story. As if my love of Yaz wasn't strong already, the fact that their biggest hit, 'Only You,' was used in series finale of my fave show, the BBC's the Office - pretty much solidified it. Tim & Dawn = the original Jim + Pam. Aw. True love.

(go to the 7:50 mark)

If it's a temporary lull, why'm I bored right outta my skull?

So the craft show did not go so well. The organizers did a great job and were enthusiastic, it was just...slow. The diversity of the crafters they had was really great too. But in my 8+ years of doing this - I've never had sales that poor. CB, who I conned into sitting with me all day said, "Wow, I've never seen your table this slow. Ever." Yeah. Oh well. Thank god for internet sales is all I can say.

Just because sales were poor doesn't mean I didn't shop. ~Ha! I walked away with this sweet ring that I love looking at all day long. I like her little eyebrows and tiny lips.

The show wasn't a total bust, CB and I got to sit around for 5 hours and talk about restaurants we want to go to and plan trips that we can't afford to take. Soon on our agenda, we are going to Cut in a couple of weeks when another friend comes from out of town. Seeing as how she loves meat, I think she will be starving herself for a week prior, just to get ready for the meal.

I came home exhausted...from doing nothing, apparently. Then I got to work and was mired in this:
When I bought them from the store, the checkout gal said, "WOW. Someone loves peppermint patties." I told her I was making cookies with them but then I was thinking, what the heck does she think I am going to do with them? I should have told her, 'Yep, it's just me, a couch, 4 giant bags of peppermint patties, and crap tv for the next four hours." Good lord. Then again...that sounds fantastic.

Pancakes

Shazbot!

So I watched some of that horrible summer show, "I Survived a Japanese Game Show." Ok. It's entertaining as hell. But here's the question, who the hell signs a contract to be a on a show where they have no clue that they will be whisked halfway across the world? I mean, how dumb - people will do anything to be on tv. I'm glad the contestants are adapting more since they started off looking like horrible Americans. But you know the Japanese, they crayzay too. They come up with some crazy useless junk. For instance I saw these Japanese egg molds and jumped for joy at the pure cute/uselessness of them.

It just so happened that O.G. just bought me this ridiculous stupid egg cooker that is, of course, shaped like an egg. What. Suddenly she thinks she's Mork from Ork. The thing doesn't work for sh*t. Next time I will just boil them the old fashioned way. In any case, I boiled some eggs, and while they were still warm, pressed them into the molds and stuck them in the fridge. The kids were all excited to see the eggs shaped into a car and a fishy.

The Kid munched his up but the Baby, as usual, was put off by the fact that - 'Wait a minute, THIS AIN'T A CAR...IT'S AN EGG!" Cue hysteria. Oh well. It was fun while it lasted.

It's a question of not letting what we've built up crumble to dust

Why?
Am I so excited? Because Thomas Keller is opening an 11,000 sf restaurant/bakery in Beverly Hills. Bring. It. On.

Why?
Does my co-worker only come to my desk when I happen to be eating, which is rarely. To which he says, "Why are you always eating?" Rude.

Why?
Am I so lame? In my big post office haul of orders, I accidentally sent my friend her birthday present one month early. Yes, I was trying to be highly organized by packing it up at the same time as other things, but it wasn't supposed to go out. This is what I get for being anal.

Why?
Do I want to barf after reading that this woman bakes cookies in her car? I'm all about multi-tasking, but come on.

Why?
Do I groan everytime I sign in to daycare? Because there is always a new "Your child has been exposed to..." notice. Today the winner is, HEAD LICE!

Why?
Did I not go to yoga last night? Because I had a salad with beans and onions for lunch. Gassy foods and a room full of strangers seems like trouble.

Why?
Do I not own a pair of Marty McFly tennis shoes?

I was feeling cold and tired, yeah kinda sad and uninspired

Attention people of the O.C. This weekend, I will be at an Orange Curtain institution, and be at Handmade Brigade - the very first indie craft show hosted at the Tall Mouse store in Cerritos. You know Tall Mouse - old skool, right? Noooo, not anymore. This is indie, baby.

Saturday, July 12
11am - 5pm
13233 E. South Street, Cerritos

Sponsored by the one and only Craft magazine, the first 50 people get a grab bag. There will be lots of cool vendors there, stop by and say hi!

I wish I was in Tijuana, eating BBQ iguana

The other night I dreamt that I was eating pins. Like sewing pins. Ugh. I woke up with a start, sick to my stomach. My dreams are vivid, almost real. What did it mean? Was I hungry? Do I need to sew more? I'm thinking it's just stress manifesting itself, yet again.

The stress of the kids, tons of stuff I have to do this month, that and the world's most stressful job is all catching up to me. Pre-kids my job in architecture landed me in the hospital more than once. Now that I am older and wiser, it is supposed to be different. But the tides are turning. And once again I am not managing my stress well. As you can tell I bake a lot when I'm stressed, obviously, every other post is something I've whipped up that day. (For those of you who could care less about my life, there will be a recipe at the end of this, I promise.) Besides baking, I practice yoga every morning, and have been doing so on my own for years, but I thought I had better get back into the studio for some professional help, before this stress takes control of me.

So I went to a new fancy schmancy new studio, and in the middle of it, I was lying there thinking, 'Why the hell am I paying to lie here on the floor?' Then it hit me. The quiet. 60 minutes of pure silence. No boss yelling for plans. No kids fighting. No traffic. No birds chirping. (*shakes fist* Shut up birds!) Just...silence. I could feel the stress melting away. It was liberating. And worth 20 bucks.In addition to my new found silence, of course comfort foods = stress relief. Nothing is more comforting than Mexican Hot Chocolate. Why Mexican? Well, it's the cinnamon. The sweet and spicy combo of cinnamonand chocolate just makes it rich and wonderful and just WOW. So I took those flavors and made mini cupcakes, what else? My brother said these were so good I should sell them. Not gonna happen, but here is the recipe. Hopefully I will no longer dream of pins and just dream of mini cupcakes. Sweet, sweet, stress-less dreams.

Mini Mexican Cocoa Cupcakes recipe