Apples To Bananas

Tonight, Missy baked the THIRD AND FOURTH loaves of BANANA BREAD we've had this week. We're addicted! Actually, the first two loaves were BANANA-NUT breads, but we ran out of pecans tonight. Missy has been using this really simple, no-nonsense recipe:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil

2 mashed bananas

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Pre-heat your oven to 350º. Mash the bananas - make sure they're nice and ripe. Mix all the dry ingredients together with the banana mash. Lastly, mix in the oil, maple syrup, and chopped pecans. Pour and spread mixture into a greased loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes...check to see if the middle is gooey. If it is, stick it back in for another 10 to 15 minutes...obviously, if you don't like nuts, you can totally leave 'em out of the equation.

We've also been getting these free bags of ORGANIC HONEY CRISP APPLES from EARTHFARE. We've been printing out these coupons (we're on the Earthfare mailing list) that allow you to get a free bag of apples whenever you purchase something from their store. So, we've been stockpiling apples the past couple of days! And of course, the apples are as delicious as they are wholesome...

Nilla Seventy-Three

Nilla!, originally uploaded by sugar-cookie.

Here it is, another Nilla day. This is a nice perspective photo of our little cat, Nilla. My friends said it looks like she has angel wings! Oh and how true that is, Nilla is an angel!

Keep

Missy was excited for the rain today because it was a chance for her to wear her snazzy new KEEP brand RAIN BOOTS. They have these cool green soles with treads that look like blades of grass. The lining is an electric blue and incredibly warm. We wanted to take pictures of the boots for Missy's mom, who is maybe interested in getting a pair...

Weekend Wind-Down #78

(chocolate-covered Oreos with candy eyes from WHITE TIGER GOURMET)

One of our original Halloween costume ideas was for Missy to dress up like a JOCKEY or EQUESTRIENNE and for me to dress up like a HORSE. We ended up going in a totally different direction (GARDEN GNOMES) because Missy wasn't sure that she would find all the pieces of her costume in time. Well, lo and behold, when you're not looking, you always end up finding the thing that you were looking for. We came across a RIDING HELMET the other afternoon while doing a bit of thrifting - it fit Missy perfectly! So we at least have a head start on next year's costumes...





I also scored this 12" compilation called GIRL CRAZY, featuring classic 90's-style indiepop, garage, punk, and riot grrl bands. I was especially stoked to see Junior Varsity, The Chubbies, Budget Girls, and Maow (with a young Neko Case on drums) on the comp. The record is a nice slab of bubblegum pink, and the liner-notes insert has these great photos of each band - someone who saw these photos on my Flickr account, actually offered me money for it... JUST the insert! For the record (pun intended), I'm not selling it...











FAVORITE MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Sewing 33 Tofu Babies.
RAOUL - Scoring that sweet record.

WORST MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Running out of truffles.
RAOUL - Finding out that we missed Mirah in Atlanta.

FUNNIEST MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Watching Nilla and Oreo play.
RAOUL - Re-runs of The Office on TBS...sorry, nothing too funny happened last week.

WORD OR PHRASE OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - "banana bread"
RAOUL - "BEANS!"

FAVORITE MEAL OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - I like the soup I made with herbed dumplings.
RAOUL - Chocolate from White Tiger.

THREE THINGS ON YOUR TO-DO LIST FOR THIS WEEK?
MISSY - Draw, update my iPod, bake banana bread.
RAOUL - Sew, clean, win costume contest at work.

THREE THINGS ON YOUR DON'T-DO LIST THIS WEEK?
MISSY - Don't go to bed late, don't get scared on Halloween, don't forget to wear your costume.
RAOUL - Don't freeze my ass off, don't wake up late, don't lose the costume contest at work.

PERSONAL SOUNDTRACK FOR THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Belle & Sebastian, Heartbreak Ahead mix tape.
RAOUL - Beck, Daft Punk, Stone Roses, Best Coast, The Very Best, Remedial Record's "Girl Crazy" comp, Calvin Johnson's "Heartbreak Ahead - Girls And Girl Groups" mix tape.

Shoppe Sugar Cookie Goodies!

Bunny wallet!, originally uploaded by sugar-cookie.

So we have been sewing hard this weekend! We are so excited to be making some new goodies for the upcoming craft shows this season. I can't believe I am saying that - and my how this year is flying by!

Please say hello to the Bunny Money Wallet! this little fellow is made form wooly felt and is modified from the No cash Wallet from this book. I just added the bunny features and I love it! There is even a puff tail sewn on the back.


Since I am still on the subject of bunnies, here is a new Tissue Pal! I love the periwinkle color of this bun!


I use these Tissue Pals all the time! They come in so handy!

All are in Shoppe Sugar Cookie, my Etsy shop!

Blythe Con Bonus

Blythe Con girls!, originally uploaded by sugar-cookie.

Raoul told me I have some good photos from Blythe Con, so I am giving you a bonus with some of my fabulous photos and thoughts from last weekend. Anyways, needless to say I had the best time at Blythe Con! The day started a little rainy and so chilly, but we all soon warmed up when I put on my Hello Kitty costume, oh and Isobel Creampuff put on hers, too. Isobel is my Happy Harbor Blythe.


I did not know I was making such a funny face in this photo, and my Kitty head is falling off the back of my head! I made the Hello Kitty costume in 2004 and I have worn it at least once each October since I have made it! This year it was updated with the addition of one that fits my Blythe dolls.








Inside we saw so many Blythe dolls! I loved shopping at the different tables. Some had handmade clothing - one of my favorites was Pomme Pomme - some had Re-ment, shoes, hats, and even deer! I got lots of Mary Jane shoes for my dolls.






I entered Isobel Creampuff in the costume contest. As you can see, there is some stiff competition!!






I loved all the customized Blythe! This one was especially pretty with peachy tones.




Before the pizza party portion of Blythe Con, Gina wanted to take a photo of all the Blythe dolls attending the convention! It was madness, but in the best possible sense! It was quite interesting to see so many girls and dolls stop traffic. "Here comes a bus, quick, take your photos!"




Then Gina got into it and we all took photos of her and the girls! Gina Garan is the ultimate Blythe famous person to me. She made the book "This is Blythe" and that is how I know about Blythe. My good friend Jamie showed it to me. Ever since then I have been hooked!


So of course it was a thrill for me to meet Gina! She is the best! She told me she had 500 dolls in her collection (she collects all kinds of dolls, not just Blythe, too) and she liked my Hello Kitty outfit! I also gave her a copy of my comic book mini zine Kneehigh: Blythe. I think Blythe is hard to draw, but Gina said I captured them just fine. Thank you, Gina!




And here are some of my goodies from Blythe Con! Check out the lovely crochet red dress that Raoul won!

We had such a fun day! Thanks to Linda, Jessica, and Kristen for making Blythe Con such a wonderful event!

Nilla Seventy-Two

Last week we let Nilla into LITTLE GUANTANAMO, Oreo's "living space". It was the first time we had our two pets "together" in the realest sense of the word. We were nervous that Nilla's killer instinct might kick in, or that Oreo might be frightened. So their play date was super supervised. They shared some leafy greens, the both of them sticking their heads into Oreo's bowl. Nilla was more interested in all of Oreo's toys, than she was the bunny. An Oreo, not feeling the least bit intimidated, tried her best to crawl underneath our cat, much to Nilla's chagrin. Nilla got annoyed a couple of times and lightly swatted at Oreo, who was relentless. In the end, Nilla couldn't wait to get out of Lil' Gitmo!

Blythecon 2009 - Part 3

A GROUP PHOTO featuring ALL the dolls in attendance was planned for the grand finale of BLYTHECON 2009. The two tables set up in front of YOUNG BLOOD GALLERY seemed like too puny a platform for all the dolls to stand on, sooooooo...Gina suggested that we commandeer the steps leading up to the apartment complex across the street. With Blythe dolls in tow, everyone stampeded across busy Highland Avenue, ignoring the rushing traffic...











The scene at the steps was a hot mess as everyone crowded in to set up their girls. The mob totally blocked the sidewalk, forcing curious pedestrians to walk in the gutter as they gawked at the spectacle. A few people in the group worried that the police would no doubt be showing up soon...











Everyone stood back away from the steps so that they could get all the dolls in their photos. The crowd stood in the street, boldly stopping traffic in short periodic bursts, gleefully clicking off pictures. Eventually, they had Gina pose at the top of the steps, behind the dolls. She was the cherry top on the Blythe sundae...and everyone else was nuts! In-between photo ops, the group busied themselves with guessing how many dolls were actually sitting there, and marveled at the thought of how much "money" was gathered on those steps...

















After the photo sesh, we crammed back into Young Blood, ready for the PIZZA SOCIAL. The cold weather piqued everyone's appetite, but by the time the food was served up, you could tell that everyone was exhausted and ready to wrap things up. It had been a long day (some attendees had been waiting in front of Young Blood since 8am) and things seemed to be winding down quickly after the group photo. As we gulped down pizza, people exchanged contact info, made plans for the evening, and promised each other that we would get in touch again over the internet...on our way home, Missy and I spent the last bit of our energy shopping for a few groceries at the Dekalb Farmer's Market...

Blythecon 2009 - Part 2

One of the events at BLYTHECON was the big COSTUME CONTEST...the winner of the contest won a PHOTO SHOOT for their doll, in New York City with Gina Garan. Missy dressed up in her homemade HELLO KITTY COSTUME and dressed her Blythe Doll, ISOBEL CREAMPUFF in a matching outfit...









A "FLAPPER" stood next to "SWINE FLU"...



"MARY POPPINS" stood next to "EVEL KNIEVEL", who stood next to an "OWL"...Mary ended up winning 2nd place!







The spooky "TWINS" from the horror movie THE SHINING stood next to "PIPPI LONGSTOCKING" (Missy's favorite entry)...









Each attendee was given a ballot at registration, and chose three of their favorite contestants. After all the votes were tallied it was revealed that "AMELIA EARHART" was the grand winner!





After the costume contest, there was a Q + A session, followed by the big raffle...we got lucky and ended up winning three different prizes! Missy ended up winning little Blythe notebook and a free download for a Blythe iPhone app...too bad Missy doesn't have an iPhone (yet!)...I ended up winning a little crocheted RED DRESS...when they called my ticket number, I let out a manly "YEAH!" much to everyone's delight. I said aloud, "My BOBA FETT is gonna love this dress!"



























The winner of the grand raffle prize won a one-of-a-kind CUSTOMIZED BLYTHE DOLL worth several hundred dollars...

Weekend Wind-Down #77 - Blythecon Edition

In the middle of BLYTHECON, Missy and I took a break from the convention and headed a couple of doors down from the YOUNG BLOOD GALLERY to our favorite place to snack, THE ATLANTA CUPCAKE FACTORY. They had a bunch of Halloween-themed cupcakes on display, so we could not resist. The spicy Mexican chocolate cupcakes helped warm us up a bit in the chilly autumn air...







We also took time to delve into the basement of the antique store next door, hoping to find a deal on some long forgotten treasure...









FAVORITE MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Blythecon!
RAOUL - Blythecon was bananas.

WORST MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - My tummy hurting!
RAOUL - Maybe not getting enough sleep between the Nightmare Before Christmas party and Blythecon.

FUNNIEST MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - You trying on women's boots in the middle of Target.
RAOUL - Me trying on and then buying women's boots at Target.

WORD OR PHRASE OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - "BLYTHE"
RAOUL - "I gotta bum leg..."

FAVORITE MEAL OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Soul Vegetarian was good, but I like the rice dish I made.
RAOUL - BBQ Tofu and Hebrew Bakes from Soul Vegetarian.

THREE THINGS ON YOUR TO-DO LIST THIS WEEK?
MISSY - Comic for Flagpole, clean up, pay bills.
RAOUL - Email a bunch of folks, film myself for Jimmy, take friday off.

BEST COSTUME AT THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS PARTY?
MISSY - Garden Gnomes, haha!
RAOUL - Christina as Jack Skellington.

FAVORITE DOLL AT BLYTHECON?
MISSY - I liked the Silver Snow custom who was an albino.
RAOUL - The "Twin Girls" with seafoam green and blue hair, with the coordinating jackets with the little clouds appliqued on them.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE BLYTHE IN THE RANCHO COCOA COLLECTION?
MISSY - Oooooh, that's hard...I like Noelle, my Hollywood, because she was the first one I got...
RAOUL - Lemon Lamington.

PERSONAL SOUNDTRACK FOR THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - The Clash, Lois, Built To Spill, my mixtape.
RAOUL - Girls, The Clash, Built To Spill, Lois, Stone Roses, Missy's 90's "grrrl" mixtape - Juliana Hatfield, Team Dresch, Lunachicks, Tuscadero, Cake Like, Guv'ner, Mary Lou Lord, The Go-Go's, Tattletale...

Hey Shawty, It's Ya Birthday!

It's my BIRTHDAY today! Check out these yummy cupcakes my family back in California made me...awwwww, shucks! Wish I was there to get a little nibble. Everyone pour one out for me!

Love,
R A O U L

Blythecon 2009 - Part 1

Saturday morning, Missy and I headed out to Atlanta for BLYTHECON 2009 - the first-ever convention for BLYTHE DOLL enthusiasts. We packed up NOELLE and ISOBEL CREAMPUFF, two girls from Missy's collection, and Missy's giant HELLO KITTY HEAD. Missy was planning on entering Isobel into the costume contest and she made a matching Hello Kitty head for her as well. When we arrived at the YOUNG BLOOD GALLERY (heart!) there was a crowd of people gathered outside underneath and around a couple of tents, waiting to register and enter into the gallery. People were surprised and delighted to see Missy and her doll dressed up as Hello Kitty. Even the traffic on busy Highland Avenue took notice - a couple of people even pulled over just to have their picture taken with Missy!



























When we got into the gallery in the back of Young Blood, there were all these vendors lined up against the walls with different Blythe paraphernalia and services for sale. Throughout the room, there were couches and chairs scattered about, as well as tables for everyone to set up and display their Blythes. We got to meet artist, photographer, and author GINA GARAN, who's picture books featuring Blythe dolls in high fashion-style photo shoots, virtually sparked the whole underground Blythe craze. In the world of Blythe, she is a Goddess, and everyone there was thrilled to meet her, get her autograph, and consequently have their picture taken with her...

BLYTHE 6920 from Raoul de la Cruz on Vimeo.

Missy posed with Jennifer, who helps run the Young Blood Gallery and Boutique...I don't think they quite knew what they were in for when they agreed to let the Blythecon organizers have their convention in their gallery!























































I ended up getting Missy this little HANDCRAFTED DEER from the HANDMADE COLLECTIVE table:



























There was lots of food there and we happily helped ourselves to the cupcakes and cute BROWNIE BITES on lollipop sticks...

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Our friend and co-worker, RUSS, and his boyfriend, TRACY, throw some of the best parties in town ever, and tonight's "THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS"-themed gala was perhaps one of their best yet (their last one was a "LAND OF THE LOST"-themed party this past summer). Imagine if TIM BURTON's classic animated tale, "The Nightmare Before Christmas" took place in a gay disco, and you pretty much get the idea of how crazy tonight's party was. Their driveway was fashioned into a CEMETERY, with many of the backdrops and displays created by Russ himself with sheets of FOAM BOARD, cut, painted, and manipulated into wrought iron gates, headstones, stone monuments, trees, statues, and rickety haunted houses. The pictures I took don't do it any justice, but trust me, it was AMAZING. There was one MAUSOLEUM which housed several tables filled with food and beverages, and another mausoleum that doubled as a DANCEFLOOR. A fog machine and several computer-controlled disco lights made the atmosphere even more surreal and hallucinogenic. We mingled and danced the night away with friends and co-workers, fighting off the chilly autumn breeze which started to wind it's way into the celebration...Missy and I showed up in the GARDEN GNOME costumes that we hastily put together last night...

GNOME 6829 from Raoul de la Cruz on Vimeo.

GNOME 6836 from Raoul de la Cruz on Vimeo.

Gnome Sweet Gnome

Tonight, Missy and I started putting together our HALLOWEEN COSTUMES...we tossed around a buncha costume ideas, but finally settled on being a pair of GARDEN GNOMES. Our first stop was Old Navy where we purchased black pants and blue tops. Afterwards, we headed over to Target to buy matching boots. We planned on buying matching WELLIES there, but they were totally sold out. Even the Payless Shoe Source next door were totally sold out of rain boots. All the recent rainstorms had caused a run on Wellingtons...soooooo, we ended up buying matching faux suede WOMEN'S DRESS BOOTS instead...turns out that I can fit into a women's size 11...



After Target, we headed over to Joann Fabrics. We bought a couple yards of RED FELT to make our hats, some BLACK ELASTIC to make wide belts, and YELLOW FUN FOAM to make our belt buckles...









At Target, I also picked up this PUMPKIN DECORATING KIT because the little wooden mallet that came with it kinda looked like a CORN COB PIPE...





Finally, we pulled out some white FUN FUR from our craft supplies that we are going to use to make beards...



STAY TUNED to see our completed costumes!

Cookie Monster Takes the Cake

Decorating our Cookie Monster Cupcakes., originally uploaded by sugar-cookie.

Much to my surprise, my Cookie Monster Cupcakes and Happy Cupcakes that Raoul and I made for the picnic from THIS POST HERE were featured on the fabulous blog, CUPCAKES TAKE THE CAKE! This made my day! Thanks, Rachel!


We left some of the cupcakes plain, so I guess they are just happy cupcakes, or happycakes, which is a name I came up with last night. Warning to those about to make their own Cooke Monster cupcakes - the little cookies get a little soggy in the butter cream icing when left in for a long time. I love these cupcakes and if you look online you can see lots of Cookie Monster inspired cakes! It's really neat.

Weekend Wind-Down #76

We really thought that these were going to be the last of the tomatoes from our garden, but happily, we were wrong. The recent rains have been great for our tomatoes, but totally ruined our cantaloupes, squash, and pumpkin plants. Maybe in a couple of weeks, our plants won't be able to bear the cold weather that is surely on it's way. But for right now, there's still a handful of tomatoes ripening on the vine. And, as cliche as it sounds, veggies really do TASTE BETTER when you grow them organically and harvest them yourself! (our tomatoes tasted especially good in GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES...)

FAVORITE MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Picking pumpkins at Washington Farms.
RAOUL - Going to Washington Farms.

WORST MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Almost hemming my dress too short.
RAOUL - Having weird electrical problems with my car.

FUNNIEST MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - The kids wearing pig noses.
RAOUL - The pig races at Washington Farms!

WORD OR PHRASE OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - "yaaaaawn"
RAOUL - "Asteroids"

FAVORITE MEAL OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - The rice I made last monday.
RAOUL - Ooooh...that creamy rice dish you made!

FAVORITE ACTIVITY AT WASHINGTON FARMS THIS PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Rooster chasing!
RAOUL - The pig races were pretty cool...

HALLOWEEN OR THANKSGIVING?
MISSY - That's hard...I'll say Halloween.
RAOUL - Definitely Halloween.

WHO DO YOU HAVE TO "HOOK UP" THIS WEEK?
MISSY - I have to hook Beky up with a Flossy!
RAOUL - I gotta hook up Victor in Venezuela with some Popgun tapes.

PERSONAL SOUNDTRACK FOR THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Beirut, Laura Marling, Alessi's Ark, Lois, Built To Spill, Heavenly, Alternative Kitchen Garden podcast.
RAOUL - Built To Spill, Lois, Heavenly, Girls, Vincent Gallo, Honeybunch, Chok Rock, The Explorers Club, Desolation Wilderness, Cannanes, Dump, Rebecca Pearcy, Some Velvet Sidewalk, Old Time Relijun, Cotton Candy.

Snuggle Bunny Monday

Our bunny OREO gets acquainted with Missy's new BUNNY SLIPPERS...

Pumpkin Patch Kids

Late yesterday afternoon, Missy and I headed out to WASHINGTON FARMS in nearby Watkinsville, to pick up a couple of pumpkins from their PUMPKIN PATCH and to see what other activities were going on there. One of the first things we did was to check out the PIG RACES. A large crowd had gathered around the racetrack, so naturally, we joined the mob. The announcer presented the pigs who raced each heat, and they all had names like "Sir Oinks-A-Lot", "Oinkle Sam", and "Kevin Bacon"...

PUMPKIN 6601 from Raoul de la Cruz on Vimeo.

After the races were through, we visited the contestants in the pens behind the track. As they rooted around in the mud, we hoped that we wouldn't catch some kind of flu from them...









My favorite pig was covered in multi-colored spots...I called him "SKITTLES", and I imagined that if I "tasted the rainbow" that it would taste like pork...







If you ever wondered how tall Missy was, now you know:









The ticket booth was hopping...we decided to skip out on the CORN MAZE and HAY RIDE and other activities, conserving our money for the purchase of pumpkins and fruit preserves. We walked around the grounds and took in some of the sights...









We visited the "GOATEL 6", the goat version of the budget motel chain, MOTEL 6...I guess goats need a place to crash too, when they get sleepy during roadtrips...













We were shocked to discover that they were breeding humans with farm animals...it was like we were on the ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU...









After we had our fill of farm animals, we headed out towards the pumpkin field to finally harvest our own PUMPKINS, fresh from the vine...







































I guess this photo op thing only works if there's six of you in a group - one person to take the picture, and five other people to look absolutely silly...





Missy tried on a suave BOY BAND pose...



This is supposed to be a ram's head, but it looks like the other end of the animal...so it kinda looks like the ram is giving birth to Missy...



We finally weighed and paid for our pumpkins, ready to shake off the farmyard dust and get an ice cold drink (we ended up going for some ice cream). Missy took some last minute shots of TOFU BABY frolicking with pumpkins, for the TOFU BABY BWOG...

Occupational Hazards 3

"Balloon Factory" humor: in the hallway outside of the ART DEPARTMENT we've got these statues, these (fake) Chinese TERRACOTTA SOLDIERS from the Qin Dynasty...anyways, some smart-ass (not me) made one of them hold a helium-filled balloon. What a way to emasculate a great and mighty warrior!

You + Plush You!

Hey Folks!

Just a reminder...the big PLUSH YOU! exhibit is poppin' off RIGHT NOW! If you are in the SEATTLE, Washington area, please head on over to the NANCY, FANCY and SCHMANCY boutiques and the BLUEBOTTLE ART GALLERY to check out plush creations made by artists from all around the world. You can check out Missy's trio of ELEPHANTS and a GIANT SNAKE that she made! Support your local art scene and support handmade and D.I.Y...we unfortunately could not make it to the event this year as we had hoped, so we're counting on YOU to represent for us! For more information, just click HERE!

Plush You! October 9th and 10th!

Elephants for Plush You 2009., originally uploaded by sugar-cookie.

If you are in the Seattle area and like plush, please go check out the Plush You! exhibit in Seattle this October 9th and 10th. This year it looks like it is going to be better than ever, with all handmade plush jewelry at Fancy this year. My plush elephants will be on display at Nancy, my favorite little shop that Kate runs! Go in and say hi to her and check out my elephant trio if you can!

It's Fall, Y'all!

...and we couldn't be happier!

Weekend Wind-Down #75

Yesterday afternoon, Missy and I headed out to SANDY CREEK PARK to attend the burton + BURTON COMPANY PICNIC. It was a chance to hang out with our co-workers and their families outside of our regular work environment. In these tough economic times, I guess it's lucky that our company can even afford to host a company picnic, though on a much smaller scale than previous events (they gave away televisions and iPods at last year's picnic - things can change a lot in just a year). Missy brought along her COOKIE MONSTER CUPCAKES to enter into the dessert contest...















There were lots of different contests, most of them geared towards little kids...Missy entered the HULA HOOP CONTEST and practiced a bit before the competition...

WORK 6551 from Raoul de la Cruz on Vimeo.

Unfortunately, Missy didn't practice enough and ended up getting eliminated in the first round. Oh well...

WORK 6561 from Raoul de la Cruz on Vimeo.

Even Maxine, the owner and president of our company, showed off her impressive hula hooping skills...





FAVORITE MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Making our Cookie Monster cupcakes!
RAOUL - Making the cupcakes was pretty fun I guess...

WORST MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Losing the dessert contest!
RAOUL - Not even placing in the dessert contest.

FUNNIEST MOMENT OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Seeing how the cupcakes turned out different than what I imagined.
RAOUL - The cracked-out Cookie Monster cupcakes we made!

WORD OR PHRASE OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - "Snake charmer"
RAOUL - "Crack attack!"

FAVORITE MEAL OF THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - The Indian Feast at The Grit.
RAOUL - The super nachos, two nights in a row at Willie's.

FAVORITE GAME AT THE COMPANY PICNIC?
MISSY - The hula hoop contest.
RAOUL - Crack attack!

THREE THINGS ON YOUR SHOPPING LIST FOR THIS WEEK?
MISSY - Lettuce, rice, pizza.
RAOUL - Apples, orange juice, ginseng.

PERSONAL SOUNDTRACK FOR THE PAST WEEK?
MISSY - Beirut, A Hawk And A Hacksaw, They Might Be Giants, Alternative Kitchen Garden podcast.
RAOUL - Built To Spill, New Order, Vampire Weekend, The Cure, Best Coast, Anti-Pop Consortium, Grizzly Bear, The Wolfgang Press, My Brightest Diamond, Beirut, Santigold, Swag Surfing mix on Mad Decent podcast, Studio One Funk compilation on Soul Jazz Records.

Snuggle Bunny Monday

Oreo in her blanket., originally uploaded by sugar-cookie.

Here are some cute Oreo pictures. It is Oreo in three parts. She is playing in her little blankie!

Party Monster

Saturday night, Missy started baking CUPCAKES for the dessert contest at the company picnic the following afternoon. Her idea was to bake up a batch of cupcakes that she would decorate as miniature COOKIE MONSTERS eating miniature CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES. She mixed up some batter to which she added in chocolate chips and folded in fluffy egg whites which she whipped up with the help of her trusty KitchenAid mixer...

















While the cupcakes baked, Missy started in on the BUTTER CREAM ICING. She added blue and red FOOD COLORING until she got the shade of blue she was looking for (or something close to it). She applied the icing to the cupcakes after they had cooled off, and then we stashed them in the fridge to let them set up over night...







Sunday morning, we took the cupcakes out of the fridge and started decorating them with faces. We practiced our technique on a batch of "test cupcakes". The folks on ACE OF CAKES make cake decorating seem like it's a fairly easy task, but it proved to be a lot more difficult than we had hoped. To our chagrin, most of the Cookie Monster faces came out looking really stoned or else really demented...I totally got a kick out of that. Missy, on the other hand, was hoping they would come out looking a lot cuter. After Missy dotted all the eyes, I went in and added on all the mouths...



















We took miniature chocolate chip cookies and cut them half. Missy crammed the halves into some of the Cookie Monster mouths. We weren't entirely sure if it was the desired effect we were looking for but we laughed and rolled with it anyways. Win or lose, we had fun with our attempt at cake decoration...







I secretly wished that the MULTI-EYED CUPCAKE in our test batch would come haunt me in my dreams...

Sketchbook Sunday

Behold...the original concept sketch that I did for the header of the RANCHO COCOA blog. I think I was thinking of an actual image of Nilla posing with a mug full of hot cocoa, floating in star-filled outer space, with "Rancho Cocoa" spelled out on Nilla's body. The background of the rest of the blog was going to be black with white borders and white lettering throughout. Needless to say, we abandoned that idea. The overall design that Missy finally came up with for the blog is way better than anything I had in mind!

Mo' Money, Mo' Problems

No money...know problems.