I was so excited to have participated in the Cupcakes for a Cause event at the Brooklyn Flea this year. We had a great turnout and wonderful support from CancerCare for Kids, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM and Cupcakes Take The Cake.
More great news…
1-800-FLOWERS.COM was able to reach their goal of 6,000 Facebook fans and will be donating $2,000 to CancerCare for Kids.
Take a look at these great pictures from the Brooklyn Flea. I’m looking forward to next year!
The Cherry on Top
This super-size cupcake makes the best centerpiece for a young person or a person who is young at heart. Made with carnations and football mums it not only looks super, but it lasts a long time too. It’s a fun way to tell someone that they are the cherry on top of your life!
Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry shortcake cream on top, tell me the name of your sweetheart! This floral cupcake makes me feel as nostalgic as that jump rope song that we used to sing. Remember, you would call out the letters of the alphabet and whichever letter you were up to when you stepped on the rope was supposed to be the first letter in your sweetheart’s name? Here’s to the good old days!
Chocolate Soufflé
If chocolate is your thing, you’ll love this chocolate soufflé with pink icing. Okay, I know that soufflé doesn’t have frosting, but work with me here. If you already have a soufflé pan why not use it in a unique way and just have some fun with it!!
LUCKY BAMBOO
Known for centuries as Lucky Bamboo, the plant is not a bamboo at all (botanical name: Dracaena), but a resilient member of the lily family that grows in the dark, tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia and Africa.
Along with its ease of growth, Lucky Bamboo has long been associated with the Eastern practice of Feng Shui, or the bringing of natural elements of water, fire, earth, wood and metal into balance within the environment. Lucky Bamboo is believed to be an ideal example of the thriving wood and water element. Also, the addition of a red ribbon sometimes tied around the stalks is believed to “fire” the positive flow of energy or chi in the room.
The number of stalks also has meaning: three stalks for happiness; five stalks for wealth; six stalks for health.
FLOWERS TOO – OF COURSE!
You’ve heard so many times from me about the power of flowers. It doesn’t take a lot of flowers or expensive flowers to brighten a room and make someone feel good. At times, being away from home can be difficult for a college student. Surprising your special student with a simple bouquet, now and then, can really make a difference. Traditional vases aren’t necessarily the way to go in a dorm room. Remember if it can hold water it can hold flowers. This ceramic Chinese “take-out” container is a fun unique vessel that can do double duty as a dinner plate or hold pens, pencils, hairbrushes, remotes, chargers, and of course flowers. The attached charm features the Chinese symbol for luck. And we all need a little luck!
With everything else you need to buy when setting up a dorm room plants and flowers probably aren’t on the top of your list, but they should be on the list! They naturally clean the air by removing toxins and can actually fight fatigue and colds. Tending to a plant or a small garden can be very relaxing and rewarding. Plants brighten up a room, add fresh air, and can also be very useful to have around if you grow vegetables, herbs, or medical plants, such as Aloe Vera. Cactus and succulents are a great option, because they are cool looking and require very minimal care, but are still a living thing.
And don’t forget the flowers. Remember all of the benefits of having flowers in a room that I mentioned in the previous post. A dorm room can use all of those benefits in a big way.
Here are some small and simple ideas for bringing the beauty and benefits of plants and flowers into a dorm room.
SUCCULENTS AND CACTUS
Sempervivums (hen & chicks) are a hardy succulent alpine plant. The name sempervivum means “live-forever”. They are well adapted to survive in some of the poorest soil and drought conditions. They usually come already planted in terra cotta pots, which are a great natural look and are small in size, so they fit nicely on a windowsill.
ALOE VERA
As we all know accidents do happen. Having an aloe vera plant in your room has an added benefit of being medicinal in nature. As soon as you suffer a burn, break or cut off an outer leaf of an aloe vera plant, split it open with your fingernails, and squeeze the leaf gel onto the burn.
HERBS
Herbs are easy to grow and smell terrific. They can also be used as seasoning, which can make even the blandest college food taste a little better. Parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, mint, and oregano are just a few you can try. The grey green leaves of the oregano give a delicate appearance while the tiny pink flowers nestle in showy pale green bracts.
Isn’t it funny how things come your way at just the right time? I was introduced to Savvy Auntie’s Day a few weeks ago and the first person I thought of was my oldest daughter Meggie. She has always been savvy in my book and she is about to become an aunt for the first time in four weeks by way of my younger daughter Casey. I know that Meggie is going to take her new role very seriously and she will definitely appreciate having SavvyAuntie.com to go to share ideas, find answers, and get inspiration. She’s throwing a baby shower for Casey next week and I’m going to surprise her with a gift that I found on the site – the Savvy Auntie tank top. She’s going to love it!
Savvy Auntie-To-Be, The Original Savvy Auntie (me), and the Mommy-To-Be on a pirate cruise recently in Clearwater, FL.
I personally have set the “Savvy Auntie” bar pretty high – if I do say so myself! I have always cherished my role as an aunt to my 12 nieces and nephews. And I know that the feelings are mutual. They even have a song that they sing about me called “My Aunt Julie – She’s so Special To Me”. OK, so I made the song up, but they do sing it!! I’m creative and crazy and they appreciate that.
I collect (and use) vintage handbags. A couple of my nephews in particular have picked up on this and get a kick out of seeing what purse I’m going to show up with at the next family function. If they saw this image of a floral design I created recently using a1950’s “bakelite” evening bag as a vessel to hold fresh pink roses I know that they would immediately recognize it as one of my creations! Sharing my passions and interests with all of my nieces and nephews has always been something that I have appreciated and enjoyed tremendously. Learning about their interests and passions as well, allows you to get to know each one as an individual. Knowing each one individually also helps when it comes to gift-giving time. A “Savvy Auntie” always gives the BEST gifts!
I’m excited to for the first ever Savvy Auntie’s Day coming up on Sunday, July 26th. Another reason why I love Savvy Auntie’s Day is because its official symbol is a bright, red flower – a sign of warmth and love. In honor of the inaugural holiday, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM has dedicated its Elegant Wishes bouquet as the official “Savvy Auntie’s Day” arrangement.
Dedicate Sunday, July 26th to celebrating “Aunt-hood” and all the special ways your Aunt has affected your life!
Today I’m excited to spot Melissa Chapman who is a mommy blogger extraordinaire. Melissa writes a weekly column called Kids in the City, which is a news website dedicated to Staten Island, NY and the surrounding areas. Melissa also works as a blogger on NYC Mom Blogs and is a contributing writer for SheKnows.com, iVillage.com and Time Out NY Kids.
Melissa offers fun and helpful advice, such as the best coloring books for children, how to rejuvenate instantly and even dating tips for single moms. Check out all of her blogs and columns! There’s some great stuff…
Mother’s Day is tomorrow!! Make sure to spot all the moms in your life.
SPOTTED! Vanessa Druckman is a French Foodie living in New Jersey with her husband and three kids. Chef Druck Musings is her space to talk about all her passions: parenting, cooking, books, TV, movies, and anything else that catches her fancy. Any mom looking for fun food ideas take a look at Chef Druck Musings!
TOMATO CAN DO!
Almost every memory I have of my friend’s grandmother is of her either making her sauce, or what she called “gravy”, or of us sitting down at her kitchen table eating big bowls of pasta covered in her delicious red sauce. I was making my own sauce recently and thinking about those times and I looked at the can and had one of those AH HA moments. I used the can as a vessel to hold a bouquet of vibrant garden flowers and left it on my friend’s porch as a surprise. As soon as she got home she called me laughing like crazy and we had a nice little walk together down memory lane!
ASPARAGUS VASE
Isn’t this a great look! And it’s so easy to do. Simply choose a container that is about the height of a typical spear of asparagus. You can use an everyday beverage glass or if you want the arrangement to be wider then you can use a cylinder vase in the width of your choice. You could even use a tin can, because the asparagus will hide the container. To create the arrangement, simply put a rubber band around the center of your container and slip the asparagus, one spear at a time, between the rubber band and the container continuing until you have gone all the way around the container. Fill the container with water and create your arrangement. Finish it off with raffia or a piece of pretty ribbon tied around the container to hide the rubber band.
Today’s Spotted New Mom: Stephanie from Adventures in Baby Wearing. Stephanie provides all sorts of tips and tricks on natural and eco-friendly parenting. Adventures in Baby Wearing offers advice on everything from cloth diapers to vaccines. It truly is a great blog for all Moms out there 🙂
New moms, just like “old” moms, come in every imaginable shape, size, temperament, etc. One thing is for sure, they all have one thing in common: their world has just been turned inside out and upside down. And that’s a good thing!! It’s been awhile since I was a New Mom. My first born, my son Shane, just turned 30 (how is that even possible). While some things never change, the world and the way we live in it are very different today. I thought it would be interesting to talk to a New Mom and see how things compare. I didn’t have to go too far since my niece Erin gave birth to her first child, Abigail, a few months ago. Next week, I will also feature Erin’s mom, Marylou, as a Mom of a Mom. It has been a pleasure to see the changes that Abigail has brought into their lives and their relationship. I am happy to share a little slice of Erin’s New Mom life with you and thousands of the other Moms out there.
Don’t you wish your On-the-Go Mom would slow down enough to take a really nice tropical vacation? And if she could don’t you wish you could afford to take her on one?! Well you could give her a one-day tropical stay-cation right in your own backyard or terrace. It can be so much fun. Get the whole family involved in the planning. Remember all of the senses – sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. You can download Hawaiian music or the soundtrack from South Pacific, use tropical scented candles, and create your very own version of a Zombie cocktail. It would be so cute to have the kids dress up and be the servers and give a hula dance performance!
Here are a few photos to give you some inspiration. Some of the materials I used to capture that South Pacific feel are:
Your On-the-Go Mom will be talking “Happy Talk” faster than you can say Bali. And just in case you’d like to sing along check out the lyrics!
An On-the-Go Mom I know who deserves a tropical stay-cation is Carol from NY City Mama. Carol – You’ve Been Spotted! NY City Mama shares exciting stories of her family’s adventures in the big apple. Her life is never boring with three boys in tow. Check her blog out and tell me what you think 🙂
Stop by tomorrow for more stay-cation how-to’s! Also, don’t forget to share a Moms story at www.spotlightamom.com – for a chance to win a Beaches Vacation!
