Day trip!!

It has come to our attention that both Mr. Cupcake and I are completely stressed out and not the most fun and upbeat people to be around lately. Aside from some personal/family things we have been dealing with, we both have been spending entirely too much time at work and have developed a bad habit of bringing our work "home" with us. The fact that my studio is actually what should be our dining room and has slowly taken over half of our living room doesn't help the cause. Plus, Mr. Cupcake has been putting in some extra time at the pharmacy so we can have a little extra money until my fall show schedule starts up again, so I think he deserves some R&R.

So what is a fun, young couple with no extra money to travel to do? Enter - The Day Trip! I've designated this Saturday as our Official Day of Fun, Emergency Edition. The rules are simple.

• The day must be spent outside of our home.
  
• Location of outing(s) may not be more than 1 1/2 hours away since sitting in traffic is certainly not fun.
  
• Both of us must agree on the day's activities and meals, since it is no fun to spend hours doing something you don't enjoy.
  
• NO talking about work or our families!!!

And that's about it. Some of these rules may be more tricky to follow than others, but considering the sorry state of our moods, drastic action must be taken. Stay tuned for a full report next week!

Busy as a...well... you know!

I have been working all day on getting product photos reshot and edited - they look spectacular, if I do say so myself! While I loved my dear old green grass background, I think the products just *pop* more this way. I have quite a bit more to do, but I feel like I'm finally getting somewhere!

If you visit the site, you'll notice that items come and go and categories may shift around -- that's just me working behind the scenes. I hope to have everything fully up and running (save for a few products) by this Friday. I know, I can't believe it either!

The Sampler!

We at the Creative Cupcake love The Sampler.What exactly is it? Each month, indie crafters, artists, shops, zines and record labels (that's me...sort of) who run web-based businesses send samples and promotional materials to Marie, the Sampler Goddess. She photographs all the samples, posts them to the site and then are doles them out, put in little packages and sent off to Sampler Subscribers, other Sampler Contributors and members of the media!

I'm so excited that our Mini Calla Clips will be featured in the August edition! Every time I've received a Sampler in the past, it has been chock-full of fun and fabulous samples of everything from jewelry and buttons to pins and stationery - and just about everything in between. I'm always so happy to find new independently owned businesses with great products.
Subscriptions go on sale TODAY @ 10AM & 4PM Pacific time. If you love supporting independent businesses, go to the site and buy one. But be warned, they go super fast!!

Drumroll, please!

Since my site is still down and I can't edit the things I need to, I've had some extra time to work on some cute new designs to add as part of my regular collection. Introducing... the McKenna Bow!

These bows were inspired by my friend Sharra's youngest daughter McKenna - who, ironically, still has no hair. She's a southern girl, you see, and they like their bows big in the south. I, on the other hand, just cannot understand putting a big ol' bow on a poor little baby's head. I just can't do it. When we travel and I see the little girls sitting in their strollers with their heads leaning to one side because their bow is just too big, I have to laugh. As I always say about my beautiful but uncomfortable designer shoes, "It's fashion, not function!"

The McKenna bow will come in 4 different sizes (for Yankees and Southerns alike) and depending on the size, over 35 different ribbon choices!

Just my luck!

Tomorrow is my cousin Marissa's high school graduation party. I was excited when I got the invitation in the mail and saw that it was going to be at Jenkinson's in Point Pleasant. I simultaneously felt incredibly old and had the urge to run to Saks and buy Creme de la Mer eye balm.

It was 8 years ago that I graduated high school. Man, that makes me feel old. It somehow seems like yesterday and a lifetime ago all at once. As I constantly remind Mr. Cupcake... At least I will always be younger than him. Even if it is only by 9 months.

I was excited to go down to Point Pleasant for a couple of reasons. First, I spent most of my summer vacations there with my family. We'd stay for the week at the Surfside Motel, which back in the 80's was bright pink. I was sad when they painted it beige years ago. It was like it lost some of it's charm. And I use that term loosely. I feel like there is something so familiar about Point and so much of it hasn't changed in years. For example, always park and find a spot near the jetty - there are less crazy tourist/boardwalk people there and I happen to like my waves a little choppier. And the little cafe/breakfast place on Broadway going into town opens around 6 and has the best coffee and eggs.

Another reason I was looking forward to the party was that we would get some quality beach time. Now, I know I don't tan all that well in the summers anymore. At a party last weekend, one of my in-laws said I looked like Snow White, I was so pale. "Not any more!", I thought. Although now, looking out the window, it looks like the weather is going to get the best of me again. Because being steamy hot all week wasn't enough, Mother Nature feels the need to rain on the one day I can actually go to the beach and get some color (slathered up with SPF 45, of course). She's such a woman. At least by staying out of the sun tomorrow, I'll help keep those wrinkles away for a little while longer!

No more sandwiches!!!

We're still trying to recover from the insane heat over here in Cupcake Land. I haven't been able to turn my stove on in over a week and I swear that if I have to eat one more sandwich from Quick Check I think I'm going to lose my mind. Mr. Cupcake gives me dirty looks when I try and serve one of my super-tasty salads for dinner, so that's out. Honestly, I miss being able to cook and bake. Not a cream-filled cupcake nor miniature pie has left my kitchen in days and I'm going through withdrawal! I've been starting to think of people I know with air conditioned kitchens that I can swindle into letting me cook. I need to get out more.

Because I'm cool-toned, I tend stay with silver/platinum metals in the jewelry I wear because it compliments my skin tone the best. But, honestly, how amazing would this necklace look around my neck? I don't exactly have $225 sitting around in my wallet, but if I did, it wouldn't be there for long!

Jen at Juniper Designs scours markets and shows to find the most beautiful antique key holes and turns them into absolutely beautiful jewelry pieces. Fortunately for all of us, she also has a wide price range so everyone that loves this style can find something that fits their budget. As for me, I'm holding out hope that Mr. Cupcake suddenly suffers from severe memory loss and forgets that we have no money to spare. Of course, this would coincide with his wanting to shower me with expensive and thoughtful gifts. Though I'm not holding my breath.

Is it hot enough for you?

Don't you just love people that ask you that? As if you didn't already notice that it is an egg-frying temperature outside. A local "DJ" (and I use the term loosely) declared that he is going to ask this question to everyone he sees today. Is it wrong of me to want to give him a kick in the pants? Or perhaps reach out, grab his [insert something painful here] and give it a big ol' twist. Then tell him, "Yes, it is. Thanks for asking." I didn't think so either.

Today is expected to hit 96 degrees and feel like 105 here in New York. Humidity in the 50-60% range. Those of you living in the southwest are probably laughing at me right now, but I can assure you that 96 is an incredibly inhumane temperature around here. And it's definitely not a "dry heat". Thick, pea soup-like, humid heat. Which, for me, means shiny spots on my face and oddly wavy hair. Not cute. Not cute indeed.

So I've decided to take today off. Our rickety air conditioner can only go about 3 hours before it starts blowing hot air and I have to turn it off, so clearly I won't be spending my day off at home. Maybe I'll run some errands and hide out at the nicely chilled movie theater with my hair hidden under a cute Creative Cupcake headband. Finally go see The Devil Wears Prada before I have to wait so long that it is out on DVD. There will be no cooking, baking or oven-turning-on of any sort in my un-AC'd kitchen.

In the immortal words of Conan O'Brien -- "Keep cool, my babies!"

Oh, for Pete's Sake...

We're still having some glitches with the shopping cart so the opening has been pushed back a bit. Again. I can't wait until we're just up and running! At least I know it will be worth it, since the new set up will make shopping SO much easier. You will have up to the minute listings of my ribbon patterns in stock, and quite a few new styles to choose from. Just be sure you are on our mailing list (see link on the right ---->) and you'll be among the first to know when we're live!

In the meantime, check out these adorable aprons from Carrie at Sommer Designs that I've been jonesing for lately. She has a great eye for fun fabric choices and her bag construction is just impeccable.

Mr. Cupcake is usually pretty good about picking up on hints I drop... Let's put this to the test. I think the Wonderland style is so me, don't you hon?!