Theme Thursday: New Beginnings

Amy Jo of Cheese Party has taken the reins and is now hosting Theme Thursday. Her theme this week is "New Beginnings", how fitting.
I just wrote a little addendum to my last post about the cute Easter Baskets. They were made by my mother who also made the ceramic eggs in them. I states that I wanted to post some pictures of the other eggs she had made for me over the years and now what a great theme to post on. My mother decorates ceramic eggs for her family and friends at Easter each year as gifts. They are amazing in their meanings and the time it take to make them, I think it's how she relaxes.

I always think of new beginnings when I see an egg.

These are the ones from the boys little Easter Baskets this year.


This is Francesco's egg from last year, it's a child angel holding an egg.


This is one she made for my MIL, it her patron Saint.


This is Saint Michael, for some reason my mother thinks my husband is a saint, boy does he have her fooled (LOL)! This is one of the first one she made when she started making eggs years ago.


Head on over to Cheese Party for more New Beginnings.

Wordless Wednesday

Addendum: A few people asked if I made these and just to set the record straight I did not. My crafty mother did. She comes up with some great ideas and the execution is always amazing. I think she found the pattern but she spent a lot of time putting them together and personalizing them for her 6 grandchildren. Since she was not giving the kids candy she made these small baskets with a personalized ceramic egg (that she made as well) with a small gift card.
I am hoping to post some pictures of other beautiful eggs she had made.

In on the fun over at Wordless Wednesday.

Best Shot Monday: Easter Outfits

I simply wanted to get a picture of the boys in the Easter Outfits my mother got for them. That was, as you can see, easier said than done. When we tried on our front step the sun was in their faces and Francesco just got up from a nap. The second, which I am claiming as my best (LOL), Nicolo was tired and Michael just took the bink out of his mouth for the shot. Can you say pissed?





Swing on by to Tracey's for some more simply beautiful Best Shot Mondays.

The Crazy Cake

So I wanted to make a cool, delicious cake for Nicolo's 1st Birthday, I found a recipe for a Very Vanilla Cake online and the person even used the Giant Cupcake mold that I wanted to try. I decide to use the recipe for my FIL Birthday cake just to try it out. I made a mistake in my transcription and the cake never rose, it was a disaster.
Since it was because of my mistake I thought I would try it again, this time with the exact ingredients listed on the website and I followed the direction to a T. My second attempt was better, I even used the Giant Cupcake pan. The cake tasted good but still needed something, but I could not put my finger on it.
I then tried making the recipe again for Nicolo's cupcakes and the recipe still was missing something (for some reason the recipe did not require salt and I think that was the missing link). So I modified the recipe again and attempted the Giant Cupcake pan, this time the cake was fabulous...it just did not release from the pan. Arghhhhhhhh!
So as I said my lovely neighbor gave me some industrial strength cake release and I tried again. To top thing off this time I needed more cake flour and buttermilk, so I sent Michael to the store to pick some up. The first 2 stores he went to were out of cake flour and the 3rd store he found the cake flour but they were out of buttermilk, can you say bad omen? I substituted Milk and Lemon juice and it worked just fine, and the cake released from the pan like a charm.



I was then going to attempt to cover the bottom with Blue fondant, so it looked like a blue cupcake wrapper. I bought white fondant and borrowed some paste dye from my lovely neighbor again. Since we had to travel and hour to my parents I opted to take the cake un-frosted and finish it there. When I got there the cake traveled well and I had all my supplies...except the fondant. Can you say frustrated? So I just did the top with white buttercream and called it a day.

You see that bottle of Jameson, this cake has driven me to drink the entire thing...just kidding.


Here it is with the sprinkles and a candle, the picture is really bad, my parents house is so dark and I did not use the flash.


So what do yoiu ask did I do with all that cake that did not release from the pan? Well if life gives you left over cake....you make Cake Balls.

Can you say YUM!


Lets just say that the amount of cake that you get from a Giant Cupcake pan will make a ton of cake balls. My co-worker are going to love me cause I am bring a bunch to work tomorrow. I am also going to lay off the baking for a while, I feel I need a little sabbatical from it all.

They Say It's Your Birthday......

My baby turned 1 today. I am still in disbelief at how fast this last year has gone by. The milestone of turning a year old is bittersweet, I am really missing my little baby (even though he was never that "little"). Nicolo is just such a different kid than his big brother, and I love that about them. He is on the verge of walking, takes 1/2 to 1 step and then decides it's quicker to crawl. I am not trying to rush him but at 27lbs. he's a load, you would think I'd be thin as a rail carrying around a 27lb baby all the time...not.

Nicolo~
You love a stuffed bear named Hoagie and can't go to sleep without him, the binky and your chi-chi blanket. You recently cut all 4 front teeth at the same time and there is still one incisor that needs to break the surface. Your favorite fruit is mango's and the only jarred baby food you will still eat. Cheerio's and Goldfish top your snacks list and Trader Joe's Cereal bars are a must. Your favorite toy is the Big Wheel your Daddy found for you on Craig's List so as to not be left out of the Big Wheel gang that has developed in the neighborhood. Your favorite person, after Mommy of course, is you big brother. Anything Francesco say or does is hysterical to you, even when it's not to Mommy. Wheels on the bus is your favorite song and it drives Francesco crazy that Mommy sings it everyday on the way to school, he doesn't know talent when he hears it (LOL).

Here you are 1st thing in the morning on your 1st Birthday.


Here you are as we brought out your cake. I just love the expression on your face.


Here you are just digging in. Francesco never did that with his cake.


Note: this is not the Giant Cupcake Cake, I was planning on having that one tomorrow at my parents house. I am still hoping to do that, but I will say the one that I baked today to save to decorate tomorrow did not release from the pan. Can you say disappointed...with a touch of "@$#%^!&#^%$@*!!!!! My neighbor was so kind to let me use her industrial strength cake release, so I am going to attempt it again tomorrow morning. For those of you who know me this will be the 4th time I tried the recipe and the 3rd time I tried the pan. I finally got the recipe straight and then I couldn't get it out of the pan. Do me a huge favor and cross your finger for me. Thanks!

Best Shot Monday

I am so far behind and so out of the loop right now. Shelly over at Aperture of My Eye can vouch for me. You will see that neither one of us has posted much let alone do I get the chance to catch up with all my awesome friends. Work is so busy and getting busier by the day. We have a HUGE project that Goes Live in 11 days...all I can say is Arghhh!

My reader is overloaded and I am missing all the going on's. Could all of you just stop and wait for my project to get settled and then get back to your lives so I can keep up? (hehehehehe) Just kidding. I actually sat down tonight to take a few photos of my camera. I did stop to go to my God-daughters Birthday Party, it was a great time for all.

My Best Shot is a photo of my God-daughter and a family friend. He was explaining to her how to hold the bat and hit the Pinata. I just love how she is really listen to what he is saying.



See she did listen and look at that swing.



She such a pretty princess.



Head on over to Tracy's at Mother May I for more authentic Best Shot Mondays.

Wordless Wednesday

Just in on the fun over at Wordless Wednesday!