So Much To Talk About

Where to begin?? Oh. I know...my latest award :-D

I am honored to accept the Lemonade Award from the fabulous Sharon of Mana Moon Studios! This is an insightful award for it brings encouragement to those who may be in a difficult situation...what do we do when life throws us lemons??? We make LEMONADE!

This award could not have come at a better time. Just today I received an unwanted phone call from my vet. My beautiful Sierra (also known as Big Mama) has a very dangerous level of triglycerides...it is so high that she risks going into seizures. We knew that her time with us was getting close to the end but I did not expect to hear what the vet had to say today. Sierra's chance of surviving 2009 is very slim. BUT this is where I take those damn lemons and make sweet lemonade. Sierra has been in our lives since she was 6 weeks old...she has grown up with our children and has been our daughter, sister, protector and very best friend. No one and nothing lives forever...we are so blessed to have this lovely lady in our lives and we are thankful that we still have time with her. So please do not be sad for my Big Mama. Please be happy for the life she has lived and the love she continues to give every single second.

Now the rules- I am to post it on my blog and then pass it on to others. Since all those who I would pass it to have already been awarded with it, I will pass on passing it ;-)

In other news, I am going back to work! Though I am very thankful for the success I am having with my newest shop, I still require a steady income. So, I am going back to work for Rural Metro Corporation which is Rural Metro Fire Department and Southwest Ambulance. I am excited to be going back and even more excited that I will be working 3 days a week so I have plenty of time to work on my shops!!

Finally...FOOD! I have attempted to duplicate the Oreo! Yes...Oreo. You know that yummy, delicious, cream filled cookie sandwich that I love so much, especially crumbled on ice cream or dipped in milk. It's the cookie that, if I had them in the house, they would last only a minute? I mean...you know? The Oreo? HAH! Anyhoo...I almost did it!!! I have posted the copy-cat in my bake shop and, though they do not taste 100% like the Oreo, they taste pretty darn good ;-)

So...that's about it! Thanks for stopping by :-D

Hugs,

Laura

AND THE WINNER IS......

When I was a young girl, I used to love roller skating............WHAT is everyone screaming about? OOOOhhhhh. You want to know who the winner of my Black Tie Cookie bar give away is? Well then- the lucky winner is........................

SHERRY SMYTH!!! (yaaaahhhhhhhhhh- and the fans go wild!!!) Congratulations, Sherry!!

A big THANK YOU to everyone who participated and spread the word of my give away. It is truly appreciated :-D It is wonderful people like yourselves who make the world a happier place!!

Big hugs,

Laura

It's a Give Away!

****UPDATE**** ***DING DONG ALERT*****

Hello my fabulous friends! Well, it has been pointed out that I do not have my end date visible. OOPS! Come on people!!! You can't read my mind??? HAHAHAHA!! AAAhhhh yes. I'm a ding dong! The end date is this Sunday, January 25th and I will announce the winner then ;-)

I am holding my first ever give away on my blog; "Not Even A Crumb Left". Since I offer so many different things in my "treats" shop it was a little difficult to think of what to give. Then it hit me...just about everyone loves chocolate so what better to give away than my Black Tie Cookie Bars!

My Black Tie Cookie Bar is a delicious moist dark chocolate cookie dough with scrumptious premium white chocolate chips mixed in then baked into a cookie bar. As soon as it comes out of the over, layers of creamy milk chocolate is added on top and smoothed out to create a heavenly chocolaty top. This is the chocolate lovers dream bar!

The rules are quite simple- just leave a comment on this post letting me know you are interested in the give away. You have the opportunity to double your entry if you add the above picture in your next post and give a short "blurb" about it. That's it!

The lucky winner will be chosen by a random name generator off of Random.com.

I would like to give a great big shout out to the fabulous Mz. Sharon for making the give away badge. Isn't she just the greatest??

Good luck to all and have a "sweet" day!

Hugs,
Laura

Still not telling!

Ok, so maybe I promised to tell a little secret but the secret is not ready to be told yet...heeheehee! BUT, I can tell you that I finally posted my first dry cookie mix on Etsy and Art Fire today! Check out this bad-ass container! Oh yes. It's a Chinese take out box! All the ingredients are nestled inside, all secure in their own little bags, along with mixing and baking instructions. I'm anxious to see how many hits I get on it AND if it sells quickly.

I was a little nervous about the shipping ($9.80 priority mail flat rate). Due to the contents, it is quite heavy and if I were to send it any other way, the cost would be even higher. Oh well. We don't know if we don't try. Right?

I also posted a new item in my shops- Heavenly Marshmallow Pops.

Soft, fluffy marshmallows are encased in a shell of premium white chocolate and chopped pecans. These are a little pricier than my other marshees but the ingredients used on these are also pricier. Each pop is individually wrapped and tied with ribbon. Right now I am purchasing the marshmallows but, sometime next week, I am going to attempt to make my own. There are really not that difficult, just time consuming for little puffs of cloud ;-)

So, this is it for me today. I have a lot planned, both in the kitchen and around the house. I wish everyone a very wonderful weekend!!!

Big hugs,

Laura

New Name!

Hello everyone :-)

Just wanted to give you a heads up and let you know that I am changing my blog name. Yep! Sure am :-D My new Blog name will be Sweets 'N Greets. Get it? Baked goods....cards....??? Hello? HAHAHAHA!

Anyhoo...just wanted to share the news. I will be posting WHY I am changing it in the next couple of days. Hhmmm...wonder why???? Gotcha all guessing? GOOD! HAH!

Take care and have a great day :-D

Hugs,
Laura

I'M ON A TEAM!

Yep! You "read" me correctly ;-) I am on my very first team and I am totally excited about it. In fact, I'm so excited that I had to blog about it! I have joined Team EEAT- Etsy's Edible Arts Team and today was my official day as a member. I am looking forward to all the great things being on this team will bring :-D

In other news...I am sending out 20 orders tomorrow of mini Snickerdoodles and mini Chocolate Chip Cookies as part of a sampler box. Just another way to promote the shop ;-)

Also, I am going to dedicate this weekend to ONLY card making (that is if I do not have any baking orders). Valentine's Day is approaching quickly and I REALLY need to build up my stock in the shop. I did manage to get one card done yesterday but haven't posted yet. That will be coming soon :-D

Finally, the nasty spider bite is calming down! Yay! It is still quite infected but not as bad as it could have been. I visited the doctor today and, though she is pleased with the progress, still cut me open to try and get as much of the poison out that the medication has not killed yet. I am a bit sore but, in the end, it is worth the pain. I want to send a million thank you's, hugs, and kisses to all of my wonderful friends for your caring thoughts. I love you all very much :-D

Hugs,
Laura

I taste delicious!

Once again, I have been absent from the scenes of BlogLand but I have a good excuse this time! Unfortunately, over the weekend, I was bit by a spider...the doctor believes a Brown Recluse. Fortunately, I got to my doc in time and started treatment right away. The infection is already calming down :-D I have a great doc and she deserves a HUGE applause! Thanks Dr. G!!!!

Now, as for this ugly bastard...I am trying to not be mad at the spider but it pisses me off that I had to be bit! I guess I taste that good or else I was invading it's home. I'm sure it's the latter ;-) I wasn't sure if I was going to blog about it but I wanted to get it out there that these little buggers are actually quite dangerous. The amount of harm they can do to a human is great, and can even end in fatality if not treated right away. These spiders usually reside in dark places so BE CAREFUL where you put your hands, feet, etc. They have been known to take cover UNDER covers so please check your bed every night.

I know this may have scared some of you but I only posted because I care about all of you and want you to be safe :-D Because I went to the doctor when I did, my recovery is going well and, at this point, my biggest boohoo is the effects of the medication and not the bite! But, as I have told my family and a few friends, I would rather have the side effects of the meds than the effects of the poison. So, remember to always look before sticking your hands and feet in dark, hidden areas AND always look around the seating areas at parks and other outdoor places.

That's all :-D Have a wonderful day!

Big hugs,

Laura

Happy New Year everyone :-D I've been a bit absent from the blogs lately due to TONS of chores around the house and thinking of new ideas for my shops!

Today is a bit rainy here in ugly El Mirage...I mean beautiful El Mirage :-O HAHA! I'm not afraid to say that the tiny city in which I reside is quite ugly. It really it tiny at 11 square miles, considering my neighbor city (Phoenix) stretches 475 square miles! Ahhh, but I won' t bitch too much about this pie hole and the irresponsible police force and city counsel since I have a roof over my head and food in my cupboards ;-)

The main reason for this blog, other than slightly slam El Mirage, is to announce a new item I will be selling in my bake shop. Coming soon you will be able to purchase cookie, brownie, and cake mixes. The only thing that will need to be added will be the wet ingredients. I am pondering on adding the vanilla if I can find tiny containers...kind of like the little medicine cups but with lids.

My idea is focused more on the taste of the finished product so the packaging may not be so beautiful. To keep it as cute as possible, the packaging will consist of the ingredients being placed in separate bags and then enclosing in a Chinese take out box; the will have a sticker of my shop banner. This adorable idea came from the sweet Sharon of Mana Moon Treasures! Thank you Sharon!!!

So this is my next adventure in the bake shop. OK, and I will divulge a little about the up coming "lovers" holiday...I have a few things up my sleeve that I will be adding in the form of hearts ;-)

But before I go I must add a very special notice about a very special give away- Yes, Ms. Sharon of Mana Moon Treasures is holding a great give away on her blog!

YAAAHHHH (and the fans go wild) :-D What makes this so special is not just the three chances you have to win but the fact that the prize is an original Woven Wire Beaded Bracelet! You know you want this bracelet. So what are you waiting for? Don't walk...RUN over to Sharon's blog at http://manamoon-studios.blogspot.com/ and enter to win!

Have a wonderful day, stay dry if it is raining or snowing in your part of the woods, and enjoy :-D

Hugs,

Laura