Blog Award

So, apparently there's some blog award thing going on. :) And I've been awarded by Haley at http://stopandsmelltheroseshere.blogspot.com/, thanks! :)






The Rules: 
1. You post the rules... A little obvious.
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
3. Those I awarded can answer the questions I posted.
4. I am supposed to create 11 new random questions for the people I tagged.
5. And finally, notify the people I have awarded

11 Random Facts About Me:

1. I love dogs (and horses)

2. Needs a 1968-70 Chevelle (and a Lamborghini Aventador!!)

3. I love to read

4. I don't know how I'll fill up this many random facts.... let's just say I'm boring

5. I Like Food. :)

6. But I'm not fat

7. I've never seen the ocean in real life. Or a beach. 

8. Sigh... I love doughnuts.... :)

9. I teach piano

10. I'm shy until you come up and talk to me. :P

11. Almost all my dreams are of me saving the world, or being some sort of secret agent. (I recently saved some american pilots, who had crashed their helicopters, from Russians. In my dreams.)

11 Random Questions Haley Asked:

1. How many cups of coffee do you drink in a day? (that is, if you drink coffee at all!)  Umm, If I do, it'll be just one. :)
2. How many siblings do you have? 7. 5 brothers, 2 sisters.
3. Do you like to wear socks? Nope. Bare feet for me! :)
4. What's your favorite thing about blogging? Ehhh..... sharing things?
5. Do you play an instrument? Yep. Piano
6. What is your eye color?  Hem... bluish greenish
7. When did you start blogging? Oct. 2010, I believe
8. What is your favorite book? Oh wow, hmmm.... one is The Giver (among many)
9. What is your favorite music? Type? Classical. Song? ahhhhh TONS
10. If you created a bumper sticker, what would it say? I plan to live forever. So far so good!
11.  Are you shy? Heheh. Kinda.

11 Random Questions

{Anyone can answer these questions as a comment if they so choose}

1. Which would you pick: Dodge Challenger, Dodge Viper, or Dodge Ram? (any year, and no question about money)

2. Would you rather have a brother or sister if you could choose?

3. Would you rather eat mushrooms in a rain forest, or ride a tiger in the city? (Don't worry, the tigers are docile in this question)

4. Spinach or eggplant?

5. What job would you love to have?

6. Do you like the cool of the night, or the warmness of day?

7. Would you like to live in the Renaissance, Bible times (B.C.), or the future?

8. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

9. Dogs, cats, polar bears, or Kangaroos?

10. Would you like to have Einstein's IQ, or Leonardo da Vinci's creativity?

11. Would you rather have a flying dragon, or a Pegasus as your mode of transportation? 

The Irristibly Sweet Blog Award Goes To:

Sophia at http://simpledelights-phia.blogspot.com/ ! (I Would give it to you too Haley, but you've gone through the process already :) )
Just letting you know that you're Amazing Phia! (Don't feel like you need to do any of the Rules thing ;) )

Everyone feel free to answer these questions I've posted, and HAVE FUN! :) 

Nursery Rhymes that Make Sense (and Scare you)

Little children just love nonsensical songs to sing, such as Three Blind Mice, or Ring around the Rosy. Today, I'll tell you the Real meaning behind them. Now, they're fun nursery rhymes, but then, many meant something totally different.

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
Ho does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row.



The Mary referred to in the poem, was actually Queen Mary, better known as Bloody Mary. She was a staunch Catholic, so the garden is an allusion to graveyards which were increasing in size with those who dared continue with the Protestant faith - the martyrs.
Silver bells and cockle shells, are colloquialisms for instruments of torture. ("Silver bells" were thumbscrew which crushed the thumb)
Then, the "maids" was a device to behead people, called The Maiden. It was a guillotine, and was new at the time.

    Three blind mice, three blind mice,
See how they run, see how they run,
They all ran after the farmer's wife,
Who cut off their tails with a carving knife,
Did you ever see such a thing in your life,
As three blind mice?



The three blind mice were actually Protestant bishops. And the farmer's wife was..... Bloody Mary!!! (yay.) "Farmer's wife" was also a reference to the massive estates Mary and her husband owned. The three protestant bishops, Ridley, Latimer, and Cranmer, were convicted of plotting against the queen. Some stories say they were blinded, but most say they were burned to the stake, instead of dismembered as the poem runs.


Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full!
One for the master, one for the dame,
And one for the little boy, who lives down the lane.



There was and educational reason behind this poem. It was to associate wool and wool products with the animal who produced it. And to associate the sound it would make.
For the historical part, some say the master was the Plantagenet King Edward I, and the export tax which was imposed, to where the king would collect tax on all exports of wool in the whole country.
Another idea is relating to King Edward II. The best wool in Europe was produced in England, but cloth workers from Flanders, Bruges, etc, were better skilled in dying and fulling. The king encouraged Flemmish weavers and cloth dyers to improve the quality of the final product.

     Although some of them make sense, others are just plain weird in their meanings. These are just some in the world of "Nursery rhymes that mean weird things."

New Blog!

Hey ya'll, I'd LOVE to introduce you all to a new amazing blog. She's an amazing writer, and very encouraging to read (yes, yes, I know that's the opposite of me ;) ). She's a most Amazing friend. EVER. :) Check out her blog here: www.stopandsmelltheroseshere.blogspot.com 

Anywho, new post coming soon.

Also! I remember now, I'm supposed to fill in your mysterious filled brains. :)
Why did I make the cake pops? ...... Because...... they were for a surprise birthday party for an amazing friend! And I wouldn't want her to know, just in case she saw that post, that there was a surprise in store for her.
Anywho, that's it. Wasn't so huge now was it?

P.S. Curiosity killed the cat..... just to let you know.

Cake Pops!

So, today, with a friend, I made: Cake Pops!
First of all, we started out with a cake pop maker.


First of all, it doesn't make such a perfect little cake balls as this picture shows. But, they are pretty good. I'd say they're better for doughnut holes.
Anywho, we did about half the cake pops with this machine, then we decided to make the regular cake pops. Which is where you bake a cake, crumble it, mix it with icing, and freeze it until firm. Then you roll the little cake balls. Then you freeze again. Then you can dip it in icing.
And let me tell you, they're..... Devine! Delicious! And simply Wonderful! (Don't tell my friend I've already tried one... let's just say it was kinda messed up)
Click Here to see the blog that helped me through this amazing cake pop art.
This time, we did all white chocolate. There was a white cake mix, and white icing, with white sprinkles. Really, though, I'd rather go for chocolate. Dark. (Mmm)
If you wanna hear why I suddenly up and decided to make cake pops, then.... I'll have to tell you some other time. Because That's a secret. ;)
Until next time where you're mystery filled brain will be filled in,
Later alligator!

An Old Irish Blessing

Ever since I saw this, I've Loved it! And whenever guests come into my room (well, not all the time), I like to write it on my picture frame/dry erase board. So! I thought I'd share it with you! (You must be very special or something)



P.S. Apparently this is a song.
P.P.S. I should look it up.
P.P.P.S. You should too. Maybe.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

May Your New Year Be Happy and Bright! [always]

Mocha Cupcakes and Wedding Showers

 So today is BAKE day for one of the showers for Vanessa, my sister. It's a cupcake shower, which is awesome, and I'm making some! (woot) This recipe looks Awesome! So a friend, Haley Long, and I are making it, and we'll just have to see if it's actually as good as it looks. :)  We're gonna have to (ahem) test the icing too. ;) Maybe you could try it too, cuz you know I pick awesome recipes.

See, doesn't that look delicious??

Mocha Cupcakes

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes Baking Time: 17-20 minutes

1-1/3 all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup whole milk
½ cup strong brewed coffee
1½ teaspoons espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperature

1. Mix the espresso powder into the brewed coffee until dissolved; set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size muffin tin with paper liners.

3. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. Beat the butter and both sugars together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. In a measuring cup, combine the milk, brewed coffee mixture and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture, alternating with the coffee mixture, ending with the flour mixture.

5. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 liners. Baking for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting cupcakes.

(Cupcake recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction)

Espresso Buttercream Frosting

Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons espresso powder

1. Mix the espresso powder into the vanilla until dissolved; set aside.

2. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, waiting until it is mostly incorporated before adding more. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy, about a minute or two. Add the espresso and vanilla mixture and continue to mix at medium-high until it is completely incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary.

*Note: To make the swirls on the cupcakes, I used a 1M decorating tip.