Crafts

This table was made for all you lovely readers!  Halloween is just around the corner and I know you’re thinking about pulling out your decor and maybe even throwing a great Halloween party.  Perhaps you need a little vision, something to get the creative juices flowing, any inspiration.  If you love any of the elements from this dessert table, you can get them!  Later this week, I will be opening up my Etsy shop and offering my first party kit.  Included are all the non-food items from this dessert table.  The trick-or-treat bunting, the sequins around the cake, the fabulous twine and wrapping, and so on.  Basically, if you can’t eat it, you can buy it.  If you have any questions about this party kit, or to get your order in now, feel free to email me at whitney@whipperberry.com.

Whitney

We’ve linked up with…

• Be Different Act Normal

My Grandma’s hands are like velvet, woven with fine lines and worn thin from daily use. They’ve nurtured six children, let go of one, and cared for numerous grandchildren with a love that warms the heart. I want to clasp them tighter every time we are together for fear I won’t get to hold them much longer. They weren’t always so well-worn, of course. Her wedding photo is black and white and reveals a tiny young woman with raven hair and a broad smile. I love to think of her in her younger days filled with dreams and hopes, just like me. This was my inspiration when I created these lovely little two-tiered vintage wedding skewers. These tiny beauties come in His and Hers. Handmade flowers garnish Hers along with a ruffle of frosting and bodice of lace reminiscent of a flowing wedding gown. His boasts a duo of bowties and a hint of lace cummerbund. Both are topped with old buttons. Hers is garnished with flowers and a ribbon while His boasts a coat of arms. At their base are a flurry of tone on tone bows and ties with one extra touch, a lock for Her and the key for Him suggesting the exchange that comes when two hearts are joined together.

    

I don’t know what my Grandma’s cake looked like sometime in the 1920s, but I know she would love something like these darling cakes all decked in ribbons and lace. Don’t you agree?

Hopefully the talented Ladies at Pizzazzerie will like this little twist on their lovely cupcake skewers. I’m entering them in the Cupcake Skewer contest they have going through September 22, 2010. Do you have a great Cupcake Skewer idea? Check out their simple tutorial and then submit your fanciest work. Good Luck!

Congrats to Andrea (comment #16 chosen by random.org.)  You’ve won the Bakerella Cake Pop book from WhipperBerry!  We can’t wait to see what you make!!

One more item of business.  You must check out our new sponsor, Pink Lemonade!  Paige the wonderful talent behind the shop has also offered a 20% discount to all our wonderful WhipperFriends.  Just enter PINK20 at checkout to receive the discount.  Now who doesn’t love fabulous flowers and 20% off!!

Christene

I am soooo in love!  I found this Etsy artist from Melissa and Kellie of Icing Designs.  Thank you Melissa and Kellie for sharing!! 

First of all, I love pottery.  Second, Whitney’s creations are AMAZING!  Check them out at Whitney Smith Pottery on Etsy.

       

Aren’t they tasty?  What do you think?  What is your Etsy treasure?  We would love to hear!

Don’t forget today is the last day to enter the Cake Pop Book Giveaway.  Tell all your friends and send them all over, we can have a Cake Pop party!!

Heather

My great grandmother was newlywed during the Great Depression.  I never had the opportunity to talk to her about what it was like or how they managed to get by (I was pretty young–and too dense–to even think about asking such things), but I loved going down into her basement and looking at all of her belongings from a far simpler time.  It was like treasure for me, and I would sit and take it in forever.  Her old scissors, her iron, the jars… all of it was so lovely. 
Now that I’m older and have a house of my own, I find my favorite kind of home decorating comes from flea markets, thrift stores, and antique shops where I can fix things up a little so that they’re perfect for my home.  When I visited Anthropologie recently, my eye caught this book…

 
The woman behind this work is truly amazing, and her style is one of a kind.  I’m not saying that I could decorate my entire house like this, I do crave electricity and my microwave, but I love a little old thrown in with the new.  Check out what’s inside for yourself.

 

  

On a side note, Heather had two super fun photo sessions yesterday.  Click on this link to check out the cuties!!

Whitney

Harvest time is upon us. I have fond memories of our kitchen counter crowded with tall canning jars glistening with shiny red tomatoes, long slender green beans and jiggly jellies all ready to be tucked into our pantry for the cold winter months. Apples, pears, and strawberries were peeled, chopped, and boiled into sauces and jams. The line up was a moment of pride, a job well done after a hot summer of tending and watering. Even now, seeing a canning jar fills me with a craving for something delicious. You may not be the canning type, but you’ll definitely want to pick up some darling ½ pint jars for this recipe. It won’t get you through the long winter months, but it will transport you to a tasty place you’ll want to visit again and again. It’s called Petite Éclairs in a Jar. Believe me, it will top your list of ways to use your jars in years to come.

First you’ll need ½ pint jars. I found some in my local grocery store. They’re so cute you’ll want to buy every one in sight, but this recipe will make about a dozen.

Petite Éclairs in a Jar

1-2 sleeves Graham crackers

2 (3¼ oz.) boxes instant French vanilla pudding

3 ½ c. milk

1 (8 oz.) container whipped topping, thawed

1 tub chocolate frosting

1. Make sure your jars are clean and dry. Break graham crackers into small pieces and line the bottom of jars with them. Don’t be afraid to overlap a bit.

2. Mix up the cream. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine pudding powder and milk, beating at medium speed for two minutes. Fold in thawed whipped topping. Divide cream mixture among jars. Fill about 2/3 to ¾ full.

3. Top with another layer of grahams. Break up here and cover entire surface as well as possible. It will make the next step easier.

4. Finish off with a thick layer of frosting spread across the top like a lid. Use the edge of the jar as your finishing point.

5. Refrigerate for 8-24 hours. I don’t put lids on at first to let the frosting firm up, but after about 6 hours I put the lids on.

6. Serve with a spoon and a sigh of satisfaction for the harvest you’ve created.

Bon Appétit!

Now that we’ve gotten you in the mood for sweets, don’t forget to enter our Cake Pop Giveaway!

Christene