Pages

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Another Birthday Cake

If you follow me, you know I almost always only work with French Buttercream or Swiss Merengue Buttercream as you just can't beat the flavor and ultimate texture experience along with the cake.  With that being said, I adore the look of fondant but just can't get past the taste and texture...yuk.
Well, my friend wanted chevron on her cake and I cringed.  They are gorgeous in fondant because they can be perfect which is exactly what you're looking for with fondant.  Not so much with buttercream.
 
I set up her expectations and told her I'd give it a try.
The colors are pretty...
bead work is ok....
but I wasn't very happy with the "chevron."  Actually, I wasn't even going to share the cake on the blog.  Then I decided, hey, I don't want everyone to think I'm perfect (insert sarcasm here!)
My advice if you're going to decorate cakes?  Always make sure it tastes AMAZING!  It will make up for a decorating blunder!  I'm always confident in the taste of the cake and of the frosting even if I get a little insecure with the decorating part.

My friend said she liked it, but I think she was just being sweet...because, well, she's sweet!
 
Happy Birthday Sweet Avery!
 
 
Smiles!!!

Monday, August 26, 2013

Tuesday To Do #127 and #126 List Makers

Hello My Bloggy Friends!!!
Today is the first day of school around here!!
When you see this on the blog, I'll actually be in the classroom with my new students!
Yay!!!  I'm so excited!!
I'm also super excited about this week's List Makers:
 

 
 
 
If you were a List Maker this week, feel free to grab a List Maker button...
just click on the buttons tab.
Now, let's get started with this week's Tuesday To Do Party!

 Before you link up your newest posts, please take a moment to do the following: 
1.  Like The Blackberry Vine on Facebook.

2.  Follow The Blackberry Vine...Google or RSS.
3.  Link back to the party (a sidebar or separate tab is A-OK with me!)
After you link up, stop by a few of the posts and say HI!
Again, thank you for stopping by and linking up!!
SMILES!!!!

Monday, August 19, 2013

Tuesday To Do #126 and #125 List Makers

Happy Tuesday To Do Y'all!
It's that time again!
I can't wait to see what fun Back To School things you've been up to!
(And everthing else you've been doing!!!)
 
Let's check out last week's List Makers:
 
  
 Love these Dining Chair Redo from Vintage Finds!

Lots of GREAT tips about painting your floor from If It's Not Baroque.

If you were a List Maker this week, feel free to grab a List Maker button...
just click on the buttons tab.

Now, let's get started with this week's Tuesday To Do Party!

 Before you link up your newest posts, please take a moment to do the following: 

1.  Like The Blackberry Vine on Facebook.

2.  Follow The Blackberry Vine...Google or RSS.

3.  Link back to the party (a sidebar or separate tab is A-OK with me!)

After you link up, stop by a few of the posts and say HI!
Again, thank you for stopping by and linking up!!

SMILES!!!!

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Country Brunch

 A month or so ago, I hosted my friends out at Headwaters Ranch for a little R&R.
One item on the agenda was to make them all brunch.
I have been wanting to see up a table under this big tree for a while now, but never had time/energy to pack up my dishes and haul them out there.  Well, this time, I did.  Of course, we had our brunch inside and went out to shop...but that's an entirely different story.  (Barbie doesn't like to eat outside.)
Anyway, I went ahead and set the table up another day for the photos.  (So cheesy, right?)
Well, I pulled this incredibly heavy farm table from the pool house to under the tree with the help of my 7 & 9 year olds...still owe them $5.  Then, I brought my box out and started setting up.  No sooner had I laid the last piece of silver ware down that a storm blew threw. " BOYS!!  We've got to move the table back!!"  Again, this is a HEAVY table...really HEAVY.  We stuck in under the eave of the pool house and waited out the storm.  Again, I had already come this far and was going to get my pictures so with a lot of cajoling and promising of more money and video game time, my little guys helped me move the table back.  I'm sharing this with you so you will not judge too harshly the table nor the photos...be kind.
 
This shot was purely because I thought the fireplace looked pretty in the background.
The ceramic basket in the foreground is actually a strawberry basket.  There is a jar for sugar and and little pitcher for cream.  Really sweet dish from Neuwirth that I found on Ebay for a few dollars.  Sadly, the strawberries did not ride out the storm very well and the grapes took their place. 
Love this one!  My daddy put up the swing for the boys and they have more fun on that thing! Isn't it true of us all?  The simple things bring such joy!
 
The place settings were a combination of  Johnson Brothers Old Bradbury, Sears/Harmony House Federalist Ironstone and Johnson Brothers Sovereign as well as my brother's Reed & Barton 18/10 stainless (looking for pattern name as we speak.)
 
The charger plates are Johnson Brothers Sovereign which mostly came from The Enabler.  (Check out her blog HERE.)  The dinner plates and berry bowls are old Johnson Brothers Old Bradbury plates that I found at an estate sale with...yes...you know...The Enabler.  The berry bowls are set on top of vintage Federalist Ironstone by either Sears or Harmony House.  An Old Bradbury platter holds the Federalist Ironstone creamer & sugar for the nonexistent coffee.  The coffee/tea cups are also Old Bradbury.  I used a mix of vintage white table cloths and my favorite vintage embroidered napkins as the foundation for the lovely outdoor country brunch that never was...well, not outdoors anyway.
 
Thanks for stopping by!
As always, I'd love for you to stop by and join us at the Tuesday To Do Party each week!
Smiles!

Monday, August 12, 2013

Tuesday To Do #125 and #124 List Makers

Where has the summer gone?!?!
I'm desperately trying to hold on to it and it continues to slip through my fingers like sand!
Whaaaah!
At least you guys keep coming around to cheer me up with all of your awesome creations!
Let's check out last week's List Makers:
 

 
\
 
 
 
If you were a List Maker this week, feel free to grab a List Maker button...
just click on the buttons tab.
Now, let's get started with this week's Tuesday To Do Party!
 Before you link up your newest posts, please take a moment to do the following: 
1.  Like The Blackberry Vine on Facebook.
2.  Follow The Blackberry Vine...Google or RSS.
3.  Link back to the party (a sidebar or separate tab is A-OK with me!)
After you link up, stop by a few of the posts and say HI!
Again, thank you for stopping by and linking up!!
SMILES!!!!

Monday, August 5, 2013

Tuesday To Do #124 and #123 List Makers

Happy Tuesday To Do Y'all!
Hope your week is off to an amazing start!
I'm diligently working on LOTS of laundry.
We picked the boys up from camp this weekend and there is a lot of wet, smelly, mildewed cloths to take care of.  It rained almost every day while they were there, so needless to say, EVERYTHING was wet.  I was hoping one of you would link up a tip for removing mildew stains from clothing, but no, y'all were too busy linking up some other really amazing things!  (Thanks for that, by the way!)
Let's check out last week's list makers:
 
 
 
 
If you were a List Maker this week, feel free to grab a List Maker button...
just click on the buttons tab.
Now, let's get started with this week's Tuesday To Do Party!
 Before you link up your newest posts, please take a moment to do the following: 
1.  Like The Blackberry Vine on Facebook.
2.  Follow The Blackberry Vine...Google or RSS.
3.  Link back to the party (a sidebar or separate tab is A-OK with me!)
After you link up, stop by a few of the posts and say HI!
Again, thank you for stopping by and linking up!!
SMILES!!!!