Princess Pea Cupcakery

Here I go...stepping out into uncertainty.
Going for my passion - feeling completely clueless.
Will this work?
I'm gonna make a try.

Baby steps...

I introduce to you:
Princess Pea Cupcakery



My very own buisness.
Designing custom dessert tables, baking and hand crafting the most scrumptious and beautiful desserts. Making events just THAT much more beautiful.

If you have some time, I'd love to hear your thoughts on my infant website and blog.

www.princesspeacupcakery.com

Getting Ready...

I have my first REAL Princess Pea Cupcakery dessert table this Saturday!
Here's a look at all the preparations.

Polaroids

I take pictures with my iphone, then I turn them into polariods.

Turkey

We'll be there in 2 weeks - I can hardly believe it. We haven't even started planning yet. We know we want to go to Ephesus, I'd love to go to one of the greek islands, obviously the blue mosque.

Anyone have any reccomendations? We'll be in Istanbul for 10 days.

I really can't wait!
(although I can, because it's only 2 weeks away and I have a ton of stuff to do before then...but, you know what I mean)

Weekend

The beautiful ladies at Barton G's



We had a great time.
The best part...I get to see my sister-in-law again - in Turkey - in 2 weeks!

Inspired by...

plum and gray...

Wrong Place - Right Place

It feels like the wrong place, but It's the place I'm at right now.
So, it's the right place...?

For now.

But what if I never move on - what if this is the place I stay at forever?

Oh don't mind me...just still wretsling through contentment.

:o)

Contentment

What makes us content? That happy, sleeping baby with a full belly of food, and warm arms of love around - content.

I've always heard it's not your circumstances that make you content, but contentment comes from within. When I look within, I see nothing but the deepest of unfulfilled desires. So, there has to be something, bigger than myself, that can bring me contentment.

And then I think - do I really want to be content? Or do I want to always have that hunger for something more? Isn't that hunger what pushes us to change things, to grow, to be active?

I'm not content with my skill level I am pushed to practice harder. I am not content with the fact that there are children being abused, I want to adopt and love one.



Where is the line between always being a gumpy, discontented person, and being a driven, ambitious, active person who's always reaching for more?

I think I find the difference between mrs. grumpy pants and mrs. busy-bee in the knowledge that although what we do here on this earth, and acomplish in our lifetime is important, it is not of first importance. All the world is passing away.
The only thing that is eternal is God.
The only thing that is good is God.
All that we do that is productive, beautiful, inspired, and practical is from God and should be for God.

So, I can try to change the things in my life that aren't right, but they won't make me grumpy, they aren't of first importance. I am free to have them drive me to work hard and grow, because I know a day is comming soon, when He will put all to right.

I'll leave Mrs. Grumpy Pants at home today.

This was us...

07/07/07



On our actual wedding day, I kept thinking "this is supposed to be the happiest day of my life" and I have to say, at the end of it, although it was an INCREDIBLY happy day, I wasn't sure if it was really the happiest day of my life...I mean, that's a lot to live up to.

But now, 2 years later, I have to say that our wedding day WAS the happiest day of my life, because it was the entrace point to a whole world of happy. Not always the smiling, laughing, warm feelings happy, but catching each other's eye when someone inadvertantly reminds us of an inside joke happy, laying on the couch together and crying after a miscarriage happy, thinking of each other in the middle of a crazy day and just sending an "xoxo" text happy, being so angry at each other but knowing that there's no one I'd rather be angry with happy.

Yes, July 7, 2007 WAS the happiest day of my life, because it was the day he married me, and I will forever feel amazed and undeserving to be his wife.

Apps

I just got an iphone last week - the regular 3G. Here are a few of my favorite apps:



Shopper

This app is for grocery shopping, and what I love about it is:

1) I don't have to deal with little shopping list papers that either get lost, or litter my purse and drive me crazy.

2) I can put prices for each item, so eventurally even before I go to the store, I know what my grocery bill will be (more or less). This helps when you're on a budget (or starting a business that involves baking, as I am). You can even make a note of what the prices were at different stores for comparison shopping.



Shazam

You know when someone makes you a mix CD, and you love some of the songs but have no idea who sings them, and you feel embarrassed to ask your friend, because then you'll look like a music looser? Enter Shazam. You put your phone up to the speaker and play the song for Shazam and Shazam tells you the song name, who sings it, and what album it's on.

So now, when I import my mix CDs in itunes - I can name the songs instead of importing them as "track 1, track 2, ...."



Gratitude!

Sometimes, life is hard. When I'm going through rough stuff, it seems like all I can see are my problems. I've found that the simple act of writing down five things I am grateful for each day really helps.

Not only that, but as I journal my five things each day, over time I can look back at the days and weeks that have passed and see the blessings multiply - even if its just a hug from a friend, writing it down and recording it shows me how beautiful my life is.



Hello Vino

I know this is kind of like cheating, but for those of us who are still relatively new to wine drinking, this app rocks! Basically you tell it what kind of food you are eating, and it will recommend a wine type (like Cabernet, Merlot, etc.) and then it will recommend different labels.

You can also sort by occasion, taste and style, or country and region. Think of it as your own personal wine tutor.



Around Me

Last, but certainly not least, Around Me is a great app that will find anything around you (duh!)- a grocery store, a bank, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, hospitals, hotels, gas stations, etc. You can also search for a particular gas station, grocery store, etc. and it will search the area around you to find where the nearest one is.

___________________________________

As I said before, I only got my iphone a week ago - so if there are any great apps you can't live without, let me know!

*Happy Dance Time*

We're moving offices so all my stuff is packed, I have nothing but my computer and phone on my desk. Not much work is getting done the rest of the day, but that's ok, becuase I have a new toy to play with.



Happy dance time indeed.

Turning a New Leaf

This weekend I celebrated my birthday.

Coincidentally I also got a replacement for my dear, dear little "Preci"
She was given to me when I desperately needed a car to get to school and I've been so blessed to have her...but the time has come...



So, we went to the dealer on Saturday and brought home this little beauty. I call her "Ellie" (I give my cars names, and personalities...and yes, I had imaginary friends when I was a kid)



We were totally blessed with this car, Fernando did an awesome job negotiating the price. I'm just happy I can drive without worrying that I will be left stranded on a random street corner, or in the middle of the highway (both true stories). This is the first car I've ever owned that has been less than 12 years old - I feel like I'm driving a super futureistic space shuttle or something.

So begins a new year of life, with a new car.

Photography

I'm not a good photographer, and I don't come out well in pictures, basically the camera and I are not good friends...but here are some of my favorite people who can work magic with photos and it makes my heart happy everytime I see their work. Some of them I know personally, I wish I could meet them all! Enjoy:

Stephanie Pino (My little sis): she's just starting out in photography, but I can see her sweet personality come out in her photos, and I love watching her grow through each photo shoot.
Stephanie's flickr

Here's a photo she took of Fernando and I for Valentines day



Studio222: So, I logged on to my facebook, not realizing it automatically logged into my husband's. I click on the photos tab (because that's my favorite part of facebook) and I see some photos from "Rebecca Knight" and they look REALLY good - I'm like wow - this girl has tallent, only to find out she's started her own business of wedding photography: Studio222
Studio222 blog

And she love shoes!



Gabrielle Kai Photography: I found Gabrielle Kai from decor8 website and fell hard for her beautiful photographs. They transport me out of crazy, loud, fast-paced Miami. She makes the every day things of life beautiful treasures. It is such a joy to look at her photos. If the Lord gives us a baby girl - those prints are going to be up all over her little nursery.
Gabrielle Kai's Website

I love it that she's a mother - and it comes out in her photos!


Bobby Earl: I found Bobby Earl through Studio222's blog and had to tell my husband about him right away. First of all Bobby and his wife Lindsay have one of the most beautiful relationships, which is always refreshing. Second - Bobby loves to travel and goes to some of the most beautiful and interesting places in the world. His style in photography rocks!
Bobby Earl Blog

Bobby and Lindsay in Africa - What?!


Jenny James: So, Jenny James has done some event photography for Sovereign Grace Ministries and that's how I heard about her. The photography she does is so beautiful and fun - you can tell she doesn't take herself too seriously, but she has an amazing eye for unique shots that really thrill me. I wish I could wax all technical on why her photos are so good, but all I can say is that they just make me happy.
Jenny James website

Love that scarf!



Jewel Peach: Jewel is a good friend of mine, and she is one of the most unique, fun and beautiful people that I know. Her personality is so out there, and some of her pictures are too :) but they are full of emotion and life. I love her heart for children and missions. I know God is going to use her and Jason to bless a lot of people and I can't wait to meet their new baby in January!
Jewel's flickr

My drama queen

Yummmmm

fresh blueberries + a delicious and healthy recipe for blueberry oat crisp + the day off work = yummm

Here is the "crisp" part, with lots of oats, brown sugar, butter and flour.

And here are the blueberries cooked up with a little sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch - thick and delicious

The finished product, golden brown and bubbly.

It wasn't too sweet, just crispy, buttery, goey, good.
The fresh whipped cream made it even better.

I wish I had a piece right now!

Baking Fun

Still waiting on the iphone, but I was able to make some yummy burgers and fries! And by burgers and fries, I mean, vanilla cupcake "bun", brownie "patty", icing "cheese" and "lettuce", and sugar cookie "fries".



I also got to make some...Cupcake Pops!



Oh how I love Cupcake Pops :o)

2 years

On July 7th my husband and I will celebrate two wonderful years of marriage.

I'm dreaming of a long weekend here to celebrate:



Now begins the search for the perfect bathing suit.

My Birthday Gift

There were two things I wanted for my birthday (June 28th).

#1 - an iphone

#2 - the freedom to buy all the ingreedients needed to make these cupcake burgers and sugar cookie fries!



I can't WAIT to start baking.

Baby Shower Ideas

One of my very best friends is having a baby girl in October, and I am already gathering inspiration for her shower.

His Love

I read in John this morning:

John 15:12
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Earlier in the chapter Jesus says that apart from abiding in him, we cannot bear fruit - we cannot love as he has loved us.

In an effort to discover how He loves and abide in His love, I wrote a poem.



His Love

His love -
bled
cried
died

His love -
cared
sought
healed

His love -
emptied himself of
glory

His love -
became the sacrificce

His love -
conceived
of the plan

His love -
created
beauty

His love -
not for the many
for me

His love -
healed
my broken
life

His love -
pushes me
further
into
His love

Regina Spektor

I really love this artist:

- unique voice
- delightful songwriting
- great sound

Take some time to get to know her, I don't think you'll be dissapointed.

Tonight

Tonight I will be spending the evening with my dear friend Jessica.
She lives in California now, and I miss her dearly.

She has one of the sweetest sprits, always compassionate, but knows when to poke fun. She doesn't take herself too seriously, loves animals, writing, Harry Potter, and shopping!

I am so blessed to know her, and I can't wait to see her in a little while.

Mod Cloth

So, you must know, that I absolutely adore Mod Cloth - a charming site that sells vintage, and vintage inspired clothes.

Here's just one outfit to show you why this site has captured my heart.

Dessert Tables

A fun, low cost, yet classy way to entertain.

I designed, and made everything on this dessert table for an amazing organization: Heartbeat of Miami.

My favorite thing had to be either the fresh *pink* whipped cream with strawberries, the heart shapped butter cookies, or maybe the cinnamon cupcakes with strawberry frosting...

Who can resist such scrumptious sweets?

Tonight for Dinner

Pasta Salad!

Hope it comes out as scrumptious as this looks.

Headbands

Just got a new hair cut, and it's made me crazy about headbands.
Here are some of my favorites.