Pucker Up, Buttercup (New Year's Eve Cookies)

Mr. E & I didn't meet on New Year's Eve, but I like to say that's when we fell in love. 
His roommate had been dating one of my best friends for a while.  So, we knew each other, but never given one another much thought.  At a New Year's Eve party, while my girlfriend Laura was running around finding her cousin to introduce to Mr. E and some guy to introduce to me....we ended up talking.  We never did meet that cousin or that guy we were supposed to have been set up with.

At midnight, Mr. E kissed me on the cheek.  I was smitten.  A little over 3 years {and one breakup} later, we were married. ♥
So, New Year's Eve has a special place in my heart....even though we won't be going out, we'll be sipping champagne at home (well, he'll be sipping a beer), watching the ball drop in Times Square on TV.

I'm running out of time to get these posted, so no tutorial, but you can see from these pictures how the cookies came together:
{I used my candy corn cookie cutter. These were decorated with royal icing, with a touch of luster dust on the hats and food coloring pens for the girls' cheeks.)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

THE BEAUTY OF TURNED WOOD

I adore turned wood.  One piece can do so much for a room.  You can imagine how happy I was to find these beauties in my inbox.  Enjoy!











To read about these pieces visit here.

It is difficult to believe that the end of the year is here.  In just a few hours, the new year will arrive with great anticipation.

I am so blessed to have those of you that follow, read, and comment on my blog.  I have made so many friends via my blog and truly appreciate your friendship and support.

It is amazing that there is a place for bloggers to share their interests with other bloggers. There really is something for everyone.  I look forward to seeing your posts each day.

I have learned so much this year and look forward to 2011.  I certainly intend to challenge myself and can’t wait to share new ideas and posts with all of you.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, FRIENDS!
Teresa
xoxo

Hot Artichoke Dip Recipe - Gluten-Free + Vegan

Hot artichoke dip that is gluten free and dairy free vegan
This hot artichoke dip is worthy of a party. Gluten-free and vegan yum.

I wasn't sure I had another recipe post in me -- before the year of 2010 turns into a pumpkin and rolls backward into the past. I thought I was going out with a year-end Top Ten Gluten-Free Recipes post, catching up with all you gluten-free  lovelies again in 2011. I thought I was done. Spent. Empty as a pocket, to quote a certain singer-songwriter. So much for assumptions.

Turns out my fevered brain wasn't done with 2010. It spun off in party mode as soon as I heard that my oldest son was officially engaged. He popped the question with true romantic flare. On a wine train. In the rain. In Napa Valley. And she said yes. The ring fit. People on the train applauded. It doesn't get much better than this. To witness your son's heart. Blooming.

Your misty-eyed gluten-free goddess is going to be a mother-in-law.

And so. The year closes. I make a mug of chamomile tea and reflect upon the deepest joys of motherhood, turning their myriad facets toward the window light above the kitchen sink stacked with breakfast plates, cups, and spoons. Learning to love with open arms and a tender opinion, unconditional. This floats to the top of all other joys. The thick cream of it. A layered, rich reward. To love a son expands your heart beyond measure. To see him love, and inspire love, is the most beautiful working of magic. 

Don't you think?


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PARIS CHIC

These chic Paris apartments were designed by several different interior designers.  ENJOY!












To read more about these rooms and their designers visit here.
See you soon,
Teresa
xoxo

Architectural DIgest Jan 2010

10 for 10 : 10 of my favorite cookies from 2010

My friend Jen over at Tatertots and Jello did a great post on her favorite projects of 2010 (be sure to click over; she is SO fun).  I loved seeing her round-up....it reminded me of her projects I actually tried and those that are still on my to-do list! ;)

So, I decided to go back through all of Bake at 350's posts from 2010 and come up with my favorites.

{And, y'all....after going through EVERY post, I am no longer wondering how I gained 6 pounds this year.}

Top 10 of 2010....in no particular order:







Pink Posie Cake cookies for a Sip 'n' See




If I get my act together, I'll have one more set of cookies for 2010...then, lookout 2011, here we come!!!

{OH! I almost forgot. If you look at the navigation bar at the top of the blog, there is a "cookie index" link.  That page is now up-to-date (I think. I hope.). If you are looking for a certain decorated cookie from Bake at 350, you'll find the link there.}


TERRY HUNZIKER ~ INTERIOR DESIGN

These rooms, created by interior designer Terry Hunziker, are way up there as far as I am concerned. ENJOY!





To read more about Terry Hunziker visit here. 

See you soon,
Teresa
xoxo

Architectural Digest 2005


Top Ten Gluten-Free Recipes for 2010: My Faves

Selected gluten free recipes at Gluten Free Goddess for best of the year
From cake to quinoa - my year's best gluten-free recipes

The annual ritual of creating top ten lists has commenced. Critics are choosing their top ten movies, editors have picked their Top Ten Books. Fashionistas have declared the year's best and worst trends of 2010 (jeggings- love 'em or hate 'em?). Do I dare leap into the scuffle and pluck ten gluten-free recipes as the year's best? And if so -- just how, exactly -- does one choose the golden top ten? The best of the best. Do I do as I did last year and let stats decide? (Might seem rather lazy, to repeat that process.) Or do I rely on my personal and often quirky preferences? (Could be controversial, especially if I was honest and chose peanut butter on ryeless rye bread toast as my number one.) Perhaps I should make a game of it and draw names from a hat. Randomness is appealing, in a way. (Though unsatisfying.)

I'll just do it.

I'll be bold. I'll be opinionated. I'll pick my g-free favorites from this year's recipes. Perhaps I need to define my criteria, though. How do you choose a favorite among the dozens you've created in a year? I'm proud of each recipe. After all, I enjoyed them enough to photograph them in all their gluten-free glory (unless, sadly, they were not photogenic, and that, Dear Reader, is a loss to the blog). And every recipe I shared passed the family taste test or they wouldn't stand a chance of appearing on Gluten-Free Goddess. You don't hear about the runner-ups, or the flat out failures that left your intrepid goddess weeping and gnashing her teeth. [Not really. I'm not the weeping kind. I swear like a character in Deadwood and take deadly aim at the trash bin.]

My criteria, then? Simple. A favorite recipe would be a recipe I'd make again. And share with company.

So with that in mind, away we go.

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THANK YOU, HAUTE DESIGN!

I would like to say THANK YOU to Sarah Klassen for the lovely gift of VOTRE VU that I won in the beautiful giveaway she hosted.  The body milk is amazing, and the beautiful ribbon tied packet of sample products was an added bonus!


If you haven't visited Sarah's over-the-top gorgeous blog, HAUTE DESIGN,
you are TRULY missing out!

Thank you, Sarah!
Teresa
xoxo