Me and my little bother.

A funny exchange between 5 year old Skylar and 4 year old Deacon one afternoon (February 2010)

Skylar (watching "Olivia" on Nick Jr) Olivia has just introduced her little brother Ian to everyone as her little "bother". Mommy! I have a little bother too - and his name is Deacon (laughs hysterically).

Deacon (frowning and getting up from the couch): Skylar! I am not your little bother! I am your little brother!

Skylar: I know, Deacon. I just like calling you my little bo-ther (laughs some more).

Deacon: (Crosses his arms) Hmph! I'm not going to be your little brother anymore then.

Skylar: Fine. Then I won't share my cookie with you. Mine's the only one left.

Deacon (changes tone): Oka-ay... I'll be your little bother then.

Skylar: Thanks, Deacon.

Strawberry Cookie Sandwiches (perfectly pink)

So ever since my cousin RJ from California suggested that I find (and bake) the perfect strawberry shortbread cookies, I've been on the hunt for a really good one. I finally found this on one of my favorite baking blogs. I tried the recipe to the tee and loved it. It was delicious! But it has a lot of flour and got a little shortbread-y for me that I decided to tweak it my way. My cookie photos aren't as good as Heather's but the cookie is wonderful. If you love shortbread, then follow Heather's recipe. If you want it a little thinner and chewier, then follow mine. Either way, you are going to love this one.

Strawberry Cookie Sandwiches
(adapted from Sprinkle Bakes)

For the cookies:

1/2 cup diced fresh strawberries (the riper the better)
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter (cubed)
1 cup white chocolate chips
2 tsp. shortening (I used Crisco)
red food coloring
1/4 cup sanding sugar (or sugar sprinkles)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Sift sugar and flour in the bowl of an electric mixer.
3. Using the paddle attachment, mix together the flour/sugar mixture, the cubed butter, and crisco until fine crumbs form.
4. Stir in strawberries, white chocolate chips and a few drops of the red food coloring until you get your desired light pink color. DO NOT OVERMIX.
5. On a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, shaped the dough in 1 inch balls. Dip one side in the sanding sugar and flatten on cookie sheet with your palm, sugar side up. Space out the dough 2 inches from each other.
6. Bake for around 15-18 minutes until the top is no longer shiny. Let cool completely.

For the filling:

1 stick room temperature unsalted butter
1 to 1 1/2 cup sifted confectioner's sugar (depends on how thick you want the filling)
1/8 cup strawberry puree (I use Squeezy Fruit Strawberry) or just make your own

1. Mix all ingredients together. If you want to make it thicker, add more sugar. If you want to make it thinner, add more strawberry puree. I like mine on the thinner side so it's not too sweet.
2. Spread a little of the filling on the underside of one cookie. Top with another so it forms a sandwich.
3. Enjoy!!!
(don't forget that these cookies are made with real strawberries so they need to be refrigerated)

It's yummy...

It melts in your mouth...

It's yummy good!

Thanks to my friend Mary Lou for giving me these beautiful pink roses on my birthday!
I had to capture their perfection. You made my day.

Crazy Crafty Cool 2010

Skylar's Candy Clips will be participating in the
Crazy Crafty Cool Fair
tomorrow at
The Rockland Country Day School
34 Kings Highway
Congers, NY 10920
from 11am to 5pm

If you are in the Rockland, Westchester counties and southern CT area, come on over and say hello! Featuring the work of local independent designers and artists. There is live music and a DJ! Parking and admission are free - so come and join us!

Sisters.

Jenny and I in Honolulu, HI for her wedding in September 2006

Dear Jenny,

You crashed my first birthday party when I turned a year old by being born.
Since then, we became bonded not just by sharing a birthday but with something even bigger.
We became sisters.
Even though it is our mothers who are real sisters,
you became a real sister to me in my heart.
I couldn't ask for a better one.
You were there for me through thick and thin.

You were my maid of honor at my wedding.
What you didn't know was that it was an honor FOR ME to have you there at my side.
I couldn't think of anyone else sharing that special day with me other than you.

I cried with you through some of life's disappointments that were thrown your way.
And rejoiced at all the blessings that came around.
Just as you did with me.
Just as you've always done with me your whole life.

Thank you for being there for me.
Thank you for being the wonderful person that you are.

Happy birthday to you, my beautiful cousin.
My sister.
My best friend.
The world is a joyful place with you around.
I love you more than words can say.

- Sherryl

Rockin' Candy Clippers

My niece, Haley Mae

These sweet Candy Clippers are rockin' and rollin'
Skylar's Candy Clips style!!!

Check back this Wednesday for a sweet and "chirpy"
giveaway!!! You don't want to miss this one!

Bids for Cici.

www.bidsforcici.org

There are two more days left for Bids for Cici. Please check out the site - there are a lot of handmade goodness out there - and for a good cause. All proceeds will help with Cici's treatments. Check out my rosette necklace here and my friend Lindsay's beautiful pictures here and here.

The worst storm ever.

One of the major roads in our small town

As most of you have heard, Connecticut was hit with a Nor'Easter last Saturday, March 13, 2010 knocking down huge trees over power lines and shutting off power in more than half of our town's population. Last Saturday, 5500 out of 8000 homes lost power (65%). 150 roads were closed and deemed impassable from fallen trees and dangerous power lines. Connecticut Light & Power warned everybody that power will not be restored for a few days. Thus, began the mad scramble for nearby hotels. My family and I bunked in a hotel in a nearby town for three nights. We were lucky that our house wasn't damaged from the storm. The worst thing we had was a stinky fridge.

But take a look at these photos taken from our town's newspaper, The New Canaan Advertiser. There were so many HUGE trees that toppled over and caused so much damage. Rooftops were cracked, cars smashed etc. Debris from fallen trees are still everywhere. The town is working hard to clean up the damage caused by the storm. The schools remain closed until all the roads are clear.

This tree barely missed a passing car

Trees uprooted and fallen over a fence

This gigantic tree knocked down a major power line

This tree fell on a family car

I feel so lucky to have my family safe and sound and back in our home. There are still families without power out there. I am hoping that they too, will be able to go back home soon.

WINNER! WINNER! WINNER (sorry for the late post!)

Congratulations to #28

squareby

for winning Tessa Ann's
Wonderful World buttons!

{Sorry for posting so late. We had a terrible rainstorm that knocked out 65% of my town's power including ours last Saturday. We had to stay at a nearby hotel until power was restored late last night. We are finally home today but our schools - remain closed. Thank you for being patient!}

Playdates and playtime with Peyton.

Peyton and friend Harper - don't they have the coolest names ever?

Playdates.
Playtime.
Fun times.
What a great life for a two year old.

Slidin'

Rock star Harper rockin' my Strawberry Fields 4 Ever Headband

Look mom! There's a piece of candy on the ground! Can I eat it?
Umm.... no.

Fun times at Stepping Stones Children's Museum

Down...

....down...

...and up again!
{Note to self - do not take pictures of your kid BEFORE you wipe her chocolate smeared face and change her tights with the hole on it.}

*** Oh, there is still some time to join the giveaway. Join it now if you haven't done so already. The winner will be chosen this Monday, March 15, 2010.

Sharing the love - sweet stuff.

My Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love to bake.
I love cookies, cake, cupcakes - you name it,
I've probably baked it.
Here's a list of my favorite blogs that inspire.
I hope that you will love them as much as I do.
Happy baking!

Bake It Pretty

Orangette

Picky Palate

Smitten Kitchen

Sprinkle Bakes

I Am Baker

Bakerella

Care to share your favorite baking / food blog?

I am baking this and this for Skylar's school fundraiser this Friday.
They look so super yum!

Something special - and a Tessa Ann giveaway!

Something special is coming to the shop. And it includes a little pink ribbon that reminds us of this. In trying to create this special something, I turned to the talent of TessaAnn on Etsy. She makes THE MOST BEAUTIFUL handmade buttons ever. These pretties arrived in the mail a few days ago and was I ever excited!


The red motorcycle buttons is a little extra something that I am making for myself. In nod to my husbands second wife - his precious red Ducati 848. Can't wait to show you how that will turn out.

But along with these exciting things to come, comes something else exciting for my readers - TessaAnn is doing a giveaway!


As I mentioned before, TessaAnn makes these beautiful, handmade, one of a kind buttons. Each button is handmade from scratch, baked and glazed with a glossy finish.

Retro Blue Bird

Love Birds

My Guy

Up for grabs is this set of 12 buttons:

Wonderful World

Do you love it? Do you want to win these? Aren't these pretty buttons perfect for spring?

Here is how you can enter (please leave a different comment for each entry):

1. Visit TessaAnn on Etsy and pick your favorite (it'll be hard to pick just one).
2. Become a follower of TessaAnn's blog.
2. Become a follower of my blog (if you already are, please state that in a comment)

3. Grab my pretty button for your blog

4. And for extra credit, suggest a style of buttons that you would love to see in TessaAnn's shop. Who knows? She might just create it!

* if you don't have your email on your blog profile, please include it in one of your comments.

Good luck everybody! The winner will be picked through random.org

on Monday, March 15, 2010.