This is the chocolate with caramel-buttercream frosting cupcake from Portland's favorite cupcake bakery, Saint Cupcake.
The cupcake picture, which is from their web site, reminded me of this aqua stripe sweater bag and the brown one from yesterday, coincidentally, which then reminded me of Jane, who always sees relationships like this. I was reading Saint Cupcake's web site and see that they have two new cupcakes now available on Wednesdays and Thursdays: the Caramel Apple ("an apple-spice cake filled with fresh apple and studded with walnuts drenched in thick, gooey caramel") and the Turtle (their "chocolate cupcake coated in gooey caramel, topped with a toasted pecan, then drizzled with hot fudge"). Jeesh. Yes, please. I had a chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream yesterday (remind me to go on Friday or Saturday when they have vanilla buttercream, because that is my favorite). But I just thought it was funny that "turtle" was showing up twice in my day when I haven't really thought about it in years. I love it when that happens. Okay — "a million dollars!" Let's see if that shows up. Yeeeah.
Anyhoo. I went to Saint Cupcake yesterday because I had to. Yes, I was sent there — rough life, I know. Romantic Homes magazine is coming here next week to do a story on our little house. The editor and I were talking on the phone about propping the photo shoot with a waffle breakfast and some Rosanna, Inc., dishes and cake plates topped with cupcakes — I did a little Snoopy jig when I heard that; I love Rosanna stuff. We're thinking chocolate with pink frosting on these, so I need to place that cupcake order today.
I'm really excited about this magazine coming. I think they are truly interested in photographing what's actually happening here, and I'm flattered by that. Our house is small, modest, old, simple. It's not fancy, it doesn't have new stuff. It does have some cute stuff, but it also has pet hair and crappy cabinets and old tile and it probably always will have those things. But in all that I think it's like most people's houses, houses I don't often see in magazines. I think that's one of the reasons blogs are so appealing — I want to see the reality and sincerity of your home. I want to see your style in the real world. I want to see what you do with the same stuff that I have to figure out what to do with — mail, laundry, stuff in the kitchen. Now, I don't actually think dirty laundry is going to make it into a magazine anytime soon, of course, and I probably don't really want that,but you know what I mean. I'm always looking for solutions for the regular stuff, inspiration and solutions. Aren't you?
Indeed I do. In fact my first thought was, wow this would look great on my blog...
...and I have to come to Portland to go to that bakery. Just to read their list of each day's flavours.
Love the bag, the cupcake, love that you'll be in the magazine. I hope sometime you'll tell us how you came to be in all these magazines. I can't wait to see them. Does this also mean maybe you have a book in the works? Just a thought because you could. I love your writing!
Ditto what Pam said.
Love your writing - your observations/house styling talents are definitely book-worthy and I too, am curious about how you have come to the attention of the magazines. Thanks for the inspiration each day!
So did you try a turtle cupcake? I need one of those soooo badly right now. I might need a sweater bag too. I'm trying to work out the time difference as I type!
I think the mags have just found me through photos on the blog and Flickr. So watch out, they'll be calling you next.
I also love the Rosanna dishes. I have two sets that I picked up second hand and they are my favorites for bringing out at birthday celebrations. Dh asked me last night why I didn't do the dishes before I took my "before" kitchen photos for the blog. Besides not really wanting to do the dishes, I thought that people want to see the real me and my real kitchen which from time to time, actually does have lots of dirty dishes. When I took pictures of our van after 800 odd miles and a 4 & 6 year old being in the back, I had the best comments from people. They liked seeing that side of me. I agree though that I'll stop at dirty laundry. I don't think many people except for sock fetish folks would get like that.
Oh gosh! I didn't know what Rosanna dishes were but I googled them and I HAVE seen them. . .and I love them, especially the black and white chandelier ones, and the dress ones, and. . .
Man, photo shoot after photo shoot! You are such a celebrity! I was in NW yesterday but didn't go to St Cupcake. I regretted it later after I got home and read the St Cupcake blog and saw that they have Halloween-shaped SUGAR COOKIES. Now I need to go back for sure.
I am feeling guilty about holding your order hostage for so long, so I really need to drop it off to you!
SO excited for your shoot :)! and even more excited to get my little paws on some of those delish handbags.
xo, f.
Ah, CUPCAKES! There's a cupcake place here in Vancouver that is just magical to look it. But then you taste their wares and the magic disappears. Their stuff tastes like it was made from one of those mixes our mothers used, or one of those cheap bakeries that put honking big blue roses on your cake. You taste one of these cupcakes and wonder how you ever tolerated this kind of baking when you were little. An edible oil product, I'm sure.
Thank goodness most bakeries have come a long way.
I'll just have to dream about your cupcake place until we get a better one. Better yet, I should make my own!
Oh, and there's a place called Sundaes or something similar, that looks like the most incredible sweets shop. Beautiful window display with sherbet colours. Then you go in and it's all bath products! I'm not a bath gal, so I sneer every time I drive past :)
Mmmm, cupcakes! Speaking of homes and their everyday-ness, would you pop by my blog for a minute? I posted about my living room and I am looking for a little help with some things. I would really value your input. If you have time, busy girl! (You'll be especially busy when that million dollars drops out of the sky!)
I hope they let you keep all the Rosanna goodies from the photo shoot. Their stuff is so cute. I'm assuming you get to eat all the cupcakes though? Yum! Your sweater bags are making me so hungry...
Ok....so the cover of that issue of Romantic Homes will read... "The Heaven" issue???
Cuz...duh....
Posie + Cupcakes= Heaven
Everybody knows that!!
xoxo Jenny
It's all that cute stuff mixed with the old tile and pet hair that makes it a home.And yes it is homes that we long to see along with everyday solutions to everyday problems.
Sweetie, you just made me very hungry and I have roughly two hours before I can leave..... big pout on face!
I think it is wonderful they are coming to your house. My house is so ordinarily plane... It is just too big, so I do not know where to start. My kitchen does have a cool European earthy thing going on, but what I love is yours. My condo had (I say that bc the lady that bought it from me was thinking "Southwest"... I shudder after all the work I did) the same style your house does. I am always on the lookout for an older cute house that I can fix up. I think once I get the wood floors in and putwhite big base board everywhere AND get rid of the texture on my walls I will start to find it more appealing.... but who has time for that : ) Too much sewing and crocheting to do.
But yes, I love to see how everyone solves everyday problems we all face.
I LOVE Romantic Homes magazine and can't wait to see your lovely home in it. You must let us know what issue it will be in when you can. I don't always buy the mag as it is not always in the budget but I do look through it. Hmm, would love one of those cupcakes now and those adorable dishes.......hope you get to keep them!
Always! and even if I can't apply the exact solution, uit gets me thinking in a different direction and sometimes that's all it takes.
Will you be posting the photos of the sweater bags in Flickr? looks like i missed out on most of them.
Adorable bag! Absolutely beautiful photography!
One thing I always notice is that homes in magazines never have alarm clocks. Now it's my pet peeve. Don't people with fabulous taste need help waking up in the morning too? What do they do with their clocks? Do they have tacky alarm clocks like I do, or do they just suffer without the digital glow that lets you know you still have 45 minutes left to snuggle down under the covers?
There's a million other things that you can clean up and tuck away, but it's not so easy to do with an alarm clock... so I always look for it and wonder about it.
I just love your blog! (I can see that I am not alone!) I am new to this whole blog thing, and after enjoying yours for months, I thought it was time to start my own. Even if it is only to comment on the worlds creative people. Congrats on the magazine!
That is awesome!
Whoops............didn't even know how to put in my address correctly! Hope this works
Sometimes I think we're the same people only you're cuter with a nicer house, and talent.
Most of my things are old (interesting, historical) and I am constantly looking for solutions to every day problems (to the amusement, ok, boredom of my husband) especially when I am trying to incorporate one of my old, historical, and usually not-very-efficient treasures.
Ok, so it looks like the sweater bags are all sold out, in like 30 seconds, so my question is: will you have more at Studio Craft? And not to influence you, but that is my birthday weekend and wouldn't a sweater bag be a lovely pressie to myself.....
You are making me hungry! Lovely purses and handbags are not supposed to induce sugar related thoughts. What am I going to do without a cupcake this afternoon?!?!
Love the blog, your art, your words. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing yourself with us! (ps i just posted a link to your blog on my blog...hope that is okay!)