michelle my belle

ashland, oregon girls trip

some of my very best girlfriends and i took a weekend trip to ashland, oregon this past weekend.
the pics are from their lovely farmers market.

well, i'm off to do a photo shoot of our new product line! yippeee!
and i might just show you some snipets of it when it's done. :)

turkey cupcakes & free download

just in case you weren't following my blog a few years ago.
and you're in the hunt for some cute turkey cupcakes.


i have a free download for these cute toppers on my original post here.

seriously, thanksgiving is only a few days away?!
this year has been just gobbled right up!
i'm going to have to make a 'thankful list'.

artsy spotting

i've been holding onto this picture since we took our trip to London last month.
we ate at Giraffe in the airport and i just loved their menus and wanted to share.
this restaurant is also where i discovered HP Sauce! yum-my!
which i did finally find in our local grocery in the specialty foods section.

p.s. thank you all for your sweet encouraging comments on our giveaway!
(not ending till Nov.18)
i wish you ALL could win!!!

supermarket fun

we've made it to China.

Lex (my oldest) endured the 15 hour flight quite well.
probably better than my achy-knee self!

we've already visited the supermarket.

one of my favorite things to do when traveling to somewhere new.

China's fresh and dried offerings always amaze me!
but my favorite thing...
what i unfailingly have to have when i'm here...
their yogurt.
it's thin enough that you can drink it.
and it's oh so good.

best and cutest popcorn balls ever!

admittedly, i haven't seen that many popcorn balls in my lifetime.
but i'm thinking these are pretty darn cute!

looking for something fun to make for our fall newsletter.
Katy (who works with me) and i decided to make her Grandma Lois's popcorn balls.

we wanted to be creative so we added the jello and candy corn.
ugh, bad idea! the jello made them too sweet.
and we had a hard time getting the candy corn to stick.
full recipe below

simply pop your popcorn

bring your sugar, butter and karo syrup to 220º.
remove from heat and add your vanilla. (and food coloring if desired)

pour over popcorn and mix.
we felt that we desperately needed to add some fun.
so trix cereal it was.
 
a clever trick to putting them on a stick...

take two slightly warmed caramels and smoosh them around the end of the stick.
form your popcorn ball around it.
smashing it together with a little force.

the caramel keeps the stick from pulling out of the popcorn ball.

using acrylic paints we painted the handles.
finish by wrapping in cellophane bags and tying with black tulle.

Grandma Lois's Popcorn Balls

10-14qts popped corn
3c. sugar
2c. marg. or butter
1c. Karo Syrup
2tsp vanilla
optional: caramels, Popsicle sticks, trix cereal, food coloring

cook butter, sugar, corn syrup on low until sugar is dissolved. then boil to 220º, add vanilla.
pour over popcorn and mix well.
note: as syrup and popcorn cool, they handle & form easier, so don't give up.

no running for me

one of our new money banks we introduced at the gift show in NY.
(available end of Sept.) i just love him!

okay, i'm finally back to the blogging world.
i've been wallowing in self pity long enough.

about what? oh, about not being able to run-mainly.
i've been having some trouble in my hamstring/knee for the past month.
this weekend i was supposed to be running Hood to Coast but had to bail.
i'm beside myself bummed!

but, on the "thankful" side of things... i can still ride my bicycle!

since i haven't been able to run... i've had more time for eating! haha!
every time i go to NY, a burger from 5NapkinBurger off 9th is a must. yum!!!

while looking for 5Napkin's site i found the recipe for their burger on MarthaStewart.com!!!
this might have to be on our menu for tomorrow!

if you're interested in attending Artfest this coming spring, registration is open!
you'll probably want to register quick as a lot of things fill up right away.
here are direct links to my classes.

silkscreen & stitch journal

what's your story?

dangling dudelings

come with me to China!

oops, i already left without you. are you sad?

you are missing some scrumptious eggplant.

and fish with lots of bones!

oh wait, i must get you a close up of the one there on the right.

oh yes, that there my friends are 1000 Year-Eggs!
still wishing i would have waited for you? haha!!

okay, they're not really 1000 years old but that is one of the names for these delicacies. one myth is that they were once prepared by soaking them in horse urine.
admit it, they're sounding better all the time!

i had to try just a nibble, they looked so delicious. ha! let me just say... not my fave!!! i think the ammonia/sulfur odor and the creamy rotten green center threw me off a bit.

right now i'm missing me some of this yum bread made by my oldest ditter! 

all food aside, at least being here i have a bit more time to blog! my days here are spent giving direction, making revisions, waiting for those changes to be made (they hate when i'm in the way) and eating. sounds pretty exciting doesn't it? not really.

so, who still wants to come?!

yummalicious apple bars by Katy!

 

this is Katy! fun, vibrant, sincere, energetic, newly married (just a few weeks ago!!) and unlike these granny smith's - sweet as can be! and i am blessed to have her working with us at Allen Designs. she does our graphics, newsletters, advertising, etsy communications and postings, catalog and much more.

she loves to cook and offered to document this recipe handed down from my grandma. she says it's a definite winner!

brought to you by Katy:

Cut and peel 6-8 apples. I usually use 6 apples. It may seem like a lot of apples, but once cooked, the mound of apples decreases quite a bit.
 
Cut butter into flour until crumbly using pastry cutter or a knife.
Add milk/egg mixture.
Form dough into a ball. Even though it's messy, using your hands works best.

Roll out HALF of the dough on a floured surface/floured roller until thin.

Spread the crushed cornflakes onto the dough.

Add apples, then sprinkle with flour, cinnamon and sugar.

Roll out other half of dough like the first, cover apples, lightly pinch or fold the ends.
 
Place into oven until golden brown, drizzle with glaze, cut into bars, and bon appétit!
Serve by itself or with ice cream!

Grandma's Apple Slices

2 ½c. + 1 Tbsp. Flour
1c. solid shortening (I use butter)
1 egg yolk + milk to make 2/3c.
1/2tsp. salt
1 ½c, crushed cornflakes
8 large apples, peeled and sliced ( I use 6-7apples)
2tsp. Cinnamon
1c. sugar (I don't use the whole cup)

Directions:
Mix shortening, salt and 2½c. flour like pie crust; add milk/egg mixture.
Form ball of dough. Divide dough in half; roll out one half on floured surface and put on cooke sheet with sides, putting dough up the sides.* Spread crushed cornflakes on bottom of pan and add apples on top of cornflakes. Sprinkle 1Tbsp flour, cinnamon and sugar over apples. Roll out other half of dough large enough to cover apples; fold sides over dough and press down lightly. Bake about 45min. at 350°F or until nice and brown.  Make a glaze frosting by mixing powdered sugar(about 1/2c+) and lemon juice(about 2tsp) until smooth and drizzle over top. Cut into bars and serve!

Alterations: try different glazes:
3/4c. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. milk(or water or fruit juice)
1/2 tsp. vanilla, optional

Never Enough Dessert!

new painting. to be in our etsy shop soon.

some people don't have an issue with sweets.
i wish i was one of them.

Pretty Acorn Cupcakes

I've been pondering what to do for my fall cupcakes this year.
These have been my creations for the past two years here and here.

Katy let me borrow her much treasured Hello, Cupcake book for some inspiration.
My girls and I decided to go with the acorns, they were so cute!

The book offered a great tutorial and as it turned out, not difficult at all.
Just heat 4-5 caramels in the microwave for 5 or so seconds.
While warm and pliable, form into the shape of an egg.

Dip the tops in melted chocolate and then into the jimmies.

SO CUTE! But I can't take credit. My kids made all of them.

Then we took turns adding dollops of
White Cake Mix with blue food coloring and Devils Food Cake Mix.
I'm sure there was a much cleaner way to do this!

Look how pretty they turned out!
Can tell by my daughters blue teeth that she's been licking the finished utensils?

White Frosting with more blue food coloring.
Spooned into a large Ziploc bag with the tip cut off.

Makes for easy clean up that way!

A last detail of Chocolate Frosting added to the acorn tops to act as stems.

Don't you think things taste better when they're colorful!