Cosmo Cupcakes

i tried duplicating these from happy cakes by using a combination of techniques, from combining other people's ideas online to winging it on my own. i soaked craisins in vodka overnight and then baked them in the box mix of yellow cake. then the frosting was buttercream with the juice from a lime and the zest. happy birthday, pa!

Matilda

I heard this on NPR and found it humorous. The blunt title totally took me off guard. ~Ellen

MATILDA WHO TOLD LIES, AND WAS BURNED TO DEATH
by: Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953)

ATILDA told such Dreadful Lies,

It made one Gasp and Stretch one's Eyes;

Her Aunt, who, from her Earliest Youth,

Had kept a Strict Regard for Truth,

Attempted to Believe Matilda:

The effort very nearly killed her,

And would have done so, had not She

Discovered this Infirmity.

For once, towards the Close of Day,

Matilda, growing tired of play,

And finding she was left alone,

Went tiptoe to the Telephone

And summoned the Immediate Aid

Of London's Noble Fire-Brigade.

Within an hour the Gallant Band

Were pouring in on every hand,

From Putney, Hackney Downs, and Bow.

With Courage high and Hearts a-glow,

They galloped, roaring through the Town,

'Matilda's House is Burning Down!'

Inspired by British Cheers and Loud

Proceeding from the Frenzied Crowd,

They ran their ladders through a score

Of windows on the Ball Room Floor;

And took Peculiar Pains to Souse

The Pictures up and down the House,

Until Matilda's Aunt succeeded

In showing them they were not needed;

And even then she had to pay

To get the Men to go away!




It happened that a few Weeks later

Her Aunt was off to the Theatre

To see that Interesting Play

The Second Mrs. Tanqueray.

She had refused to take her Niece

To hear this Entertaining Piece:

A Deprivation Just and Wise

To Punish her for Telling Lies.

That Night a Fire did break out--

You should have heard Matilda Shout!

You should have heard her Scream and Bawl,

And throw the window up and call

To People passing in the Street--

(The rapidly increasing Heat

Encouraging her to obtain

Their confidence) -- but all in vain!

For every time she shouted 'Fire!'

They only answered 'Little Liar!'

And therefore when her Aunt returned,

Matilda, and the House, were Burned.

Inspiration or Infringement???

Before now, I've been really conscientious about copying other people's work (like making almost exact replicas of cupcakes that I've seen at Kara's Cupcakes!) But recently I've really enjoyed being inspired by other artists and making a work of my own that's not just a duplication of the original. Today I am running to Costco to print a photo that Joel touched up for me. I think it turned out really well! What do you think?

Here's the photo I like (sorry to the original artist, I lost their name!)


And here's our version of a photo I took in New Zealand!!!

my ordinary life

i've been reading a lot of other people's blogs and i love that they know they have ordinary lives and are okay with it. for so long, i've wanted an extraordinary life. i only realized this week (well, realized again) that i am great already and don't need the attention and accolades to prove my worth.

so now i'm inspired to write-- because now i'm not chained to "prove" to others while blogging that i have wonderful insights and have an extraordinary life. so welcome, to the ordinariness of me! and like i only skim other people's blogs, that's okay if no one actually reads it-- because this time it's not really for others.

tonight i wanted to post something that has inspired me. this picture to the left is a print i recently purchased for our wall. i love it! now i am hoping to put it together with a few other prints to make a collection for the entryway.