Channeling my Illy obsession

I've been receiving monthly home deliveries of Illy coffee for over a year now. 2 cans every month. And in this time, I haven't been able to bring myself to dispose of the majority of my leftover cans. I have them lining the top of my cabinets, on my desk in the sunroom, under my kitchen sink... Tired of watching them multiply and simply gather dust, I am making a conscious effort to discover alternative uses for their red and silver loveliness. Here is use #1:

I love to grow fresh herbs. The local rabbits love to eat my herbs. My beloved Illy cans are tallenough that those adorable yet pesky furballs can't reach them. Also, I can easily transport them back and forth to the kitchen.

Get your own cans here

She Takes the (cup)Cake!

Miss Erika Canchola continues to surprise me with her cakery creativity. First, she wowed the crowd with her Gene Simmons replica for Dennis' birthday (check it out) and then she followed it up with these cupcakes for a co-worker's last day...

Notice the little bee cupcake and the frosting grass. It's the details and quirky designs that make Erika's goodies so spectacular.

If those weren't cute enough, she kept going by scooping some batter and shaking some sprinkles to craft these ice cream cones cakes...

I cannot wait to see what else Erika comes up with for future sweet treats and um, my birthday's October 3rd. I'm just sayin'...

All I need is a country club membership...

and I can indulge myself with an event like this...


Everything about this screams me...but with a lot more money.

Courtesy of the greatest event site: Style Me Pretty

Don't be ranunculous!

(the art in the background was digi-painted
for me by my buddy-o-pal, Curgles)

Columbines of Mine

...plus a few other yard beauties all with a slight dusting of pine pollen.








Peony kisses.

Rhododendron blossoms

Iris

Snowballs

More gifts from Belle

Beauty Belle's friend, James Bringetto took these stunning cherry orchard photos and being such a sharing gal, she passed them along to us. When I have a few minutes to spare I plan on enlarge the shot below and mount it above my bed. Then I will pretend I am there and spin around and around and around.





Thank you Belle for the send and thank you James your eye.

Just another day at the office

Only a bit prettier today...

What Friday the 13th means to me...

It's time to celebrate Christine's birthday!




While our White Trash night of In & Out, 40oz beer & Fast Fridays flew out the window, we're still gonna have a grand ol' (like C) time!

Started out by cutting these...


Then snipping and arranging these beauties...




Melinda worked her creative magic on some treats...


and this was the result...


The day's still young (unlike Christine) so stayed tuned for more.
Gifts and Taco Bell at Donner Lake


Char-pit, baby!


Mmmm!


Umm..nothing says WT more than throwing up gang signs in front of mini golf


Or drinking at Tradewinds. Holy!

Blossoms and Bushes

Some randoms snapshots of the front yard...I spent a couple hours pulling weeds on Saturday and became so excited at the little pieces of beauty.


These are the two peonies that I whisper to everyday. While I have several other bushes in the yard, I know these two will be the most stunning. So close to opening...


Bleeding Hearts Unite!




C & I were all ready to don ski masks and pillage the wild lilac bushes of Truckee then I found this tucked away in the yard. Surprises around every corner, I tell ya!


This pretty green thing is one of three bushes lining my back deck. Not fragrant but fancy.


There will be more pics posted as all the beauties continue to spring to life.

I eagerly await your perfume and stunning beauty...

I recently discovered that my new home has 8-10 peonies bushes (one of which is over 25 yrs old). Each pass by them comes with a quiet urge for the buds to unfold and reveal all that is to be found within. I cannot wait until the images posted on here are of those I call mine.

Ellen Silverman

Gorgeous, ethereal photographs and the fact that her portfolio includes several images of peonies makes her my fav of the week:











http://www.ellensilverman.com
http://www.cadenbach.com

Why C is the greatest..

I was down in Reno shopping with Mel and MD for Sarah's 40th b-day gift and upon returning a mi casa I walked in my door to see this:



C had left me a grand surprise of glads, callas, cherries, palmiers & the newest Gourmet mag. Such a treat to open the door and see this all laid out.

Then this catches my eye...YUM!


I woke up on Saturday and...





Organic architecture

The children love the flowers...