Chickelala that's me!

Prosecco for a Valentines Day Toast

2012-02-11T12:35:00.052-05:00

Saint Valentines day, a sweet (literally) day filled with kind gestures toward a love interest or a romantic interest in which we send valentines day cards, candy and or flowers. Our modern day symbols often include cupids, heart shaped cards, gift boxes, and white darling doves. We associate these symbols along with vivid colors in shades of red, pink, and purple when we go shopping for that special day.
Today I share another recipe with you, the color of a soft light rose - Ruby Sippers (orange cranberry syrup) which takes a few minutes to make but is relatively easy to whip up. It looks very glamorous and elegant in champagne glasses combined with champagne or prosecco.

Ruby Sippers

Makes 6 cocktails

Recipe can be doubled

Pulse in processor

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

1 cup cranberry juice cocktail

Put into saucepan over med. heat and then add

1 cup sugar

1 orange and ( zest of the orange - use micro planer or zester) and juice of 1 orange

If desired rub the rims of champagne flutes with and orange and dip in red sugar and set aside.

Simmer in a saucepan over med. heat w/ sugar, orange rind, and juice until syrupy about 10 min. Strain and cool to room temperature.

Pour 1 to 2 Tlbs. into bottom of glasses then top with sparkling wine. Garnish cocktails with whole cranberries or berries of your choice if desired.

Valentines Day Treats

2012-02-05T10:30:00.008-05:00

Cake Pops dipped in chocolate and topped off with some white chocolate!

Truffles dipped in white chocolate with white sprinkles on top.

These truffles are amazingly good and very simple to make, so if you want an easy treat to make for your special valentine. Go ahead and try these you can do it!

…

Melt in your Mouth Truffles

makes 3 dozen

Melt 1/2 cup heavy cream

8 Oz. dark chocolate (coursly chopped)

Stir In - 1/4 cup butter softened

Cool then add 2 teaspoons vanilla

Refrigerate til firm

Make 1” balls and roll in finely chopped nuts, cocoa, powdered sugar, etc.

Refrigerate and Store

Peanut Butter Balls

1/2 Cup peanut butter

3 Tlbs. butter

1/4 Cup Rice Krispie Cereal

1 Cup powdered sugar

Combine and knead til smooth, shape into balls.

Dip in chocolate.

Simple Truffles

2 1/2 pks of Bakers Chocolate or (20 squares)

or 1 Bag of White chocolate Chips

8 oz. pkg of Cream Cheese

Decorations of your choice

Melt chocolate and beat cream cheese w/mixer until creamy.
Blend in melted chocolate and refrigerate until firm.
Shape into 36 balls and place on wax paper.
Melt remaining chocolate and use fork to dip truffles and decorate.

Corn Bread Recipe

2012-01-30T20:46:00.000-05:00

I found this cornbread recipe on Pinterest (susie davis), my new favorite site. If you are a visual person than this site is for you! I love the fact that you can keep all the things you love from the internet in one place. Follow me on my visual journey. ENJOY!

Bald Pate Inn Cornbread
1 c. butter * 1 c. sugar * 4 eggs * 2 c. canned creamed corn * 1/2 c shredded monterey jack cheese * 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese * 1 c. flour * 1 c. yellow cornmeal * 4 t. baking powder * 1/4 t. salt
Heat oven to 350° degrees ~ and grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until blended and smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Gradually beat in corn and cheeses. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread evenly in the pan. Place in oven, close door, immediately reduce heat to 300° degrees and bake 1 hour or until done. Don’t over cook this! In the center the top will look moist ~ just check knife to make sure comes out pretty clean before removing from oven.

Napkin Rings for the Fun of it!

2012-01-15T12:00:00.001-05:00

I have had a luncheon for my girlfriends, Thanksgiving, Christmas and friends all over for dinner in the past couple of months. Guess what has been the hit or the topic of conversation? Yes you guessed it, the napkin ring. The adults have played, the kids have played and yes even granny and grandpa. They play little games like "lets see who can be the most creative with these fun twisty flexy rings", by making fun and inventive shapes. Many hours have been accumulated playing with these oh so pretty and fun napkin rings! Everybody wants to know where I purchased them and where they can buy them. I purchase them in bulk and decided to put them for sale on my website. Check out SavvyandSky.com for details (under goodies). They can be purchased in sets of 6 and 12. They come in bronze and bright gold and measure approx. 32" these fun little dittis bring a whole new level of creativity to the family and dining.

Tutorial on Candy Presents for Cupcakes

2011-12-20T21:18:00.001-05:00

You will need: 1. candy starbursts
2. fruit roll ups
3. sharp knife
4. patience

Cut your fruit roll ups in thin long pieces.

Wrap your starbursts with the fruit roll ups. They will stick very easily to the candy, so just make loops on top of the candy for the bow. Use your knife to press into place.

Make as many as needed. You did it! Wasn't that easy? Now your ready to decorate your cupcakes and or set on a pretty tray.

Oh so elegant and yummy!

popcorn ball recipe

2011-12-13T04:10:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you but I have many memories of enjoying popcorn balls every Halloween and Christmas. I loved the colored paper they used to be wrapped in, that was part of the fun. There's something about colored paper and unwrapping the sticky goodness inside. So today I thought it would be fun to share a couple of recipes. My sister Pam is our guru of cooking and she swears by these recipes. So good luck and enjoy!

Honey Popcorn Balls

¾ cups honey

¾ cup sugar

1 t salt

½ cup water

3 quarts popped popcorn

2 T melted butter

Directions

Add sugar, salt and water to a 3 quart pot and stir until liquid reaches 300°F, which will be a very brittle stage.
Add honey slowly, stirring until blended.
Cook until liquid reaches 240° (about one minute.)
Pull liquid over popcorn and mix with a wooden spoon.
Working quickly, drop two large spoonfuls of popcorn onto a buttered cookie sheet.
As they cool, form into balls (rub fingers in butter to keep the popcorn from sticking to your hands.)

POPCORN BALLS

Ingredients

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for buttering hands
1 package miniature marshmallows (10 ounces)
1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
3 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup dried cranberries, or English toffee bits, optional

Directions

Melt butter in a large heavy pot over low heat. Add marshmallows and brown sugar and stir until melted. Remove from heat.
Pour popcorn and cranberries, or English toffee bits if using, into pot; toss well. With buttered hands, shape into 2 1/2-inch balls. Set on parchment lined baking sheet to dry slightly

Crunchy Caramel Popcorn Balls

4 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking sheet
10 cups plain unsalted popped (from 1/2 cup kernels or a 3.3-ounce bag microwave popcorn) popcorn
1 cup cashews, coarsely chopped (optional)
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
Coarse salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter a large rimmed baking sheet; set aside. Place popcorn in a large bowl; if using cashews, add to bowl and toss to combine. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, bring butter, sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons water to a boil, stirring constantly. Working quickly, drizzle popcorn with sugar syrup, and toss.
Spread popcorn evenly on prepared baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until golden and shiny, about 40 minutes. Transfer hot popcorn to parchment-paper-lined baking sheet; let cool.

Upcycled Bracelet

2011-12-05T17:49:00.000-05:00

A close-up of one of my latest bracelets. In this piece I used an old bracelet that was covered with faux pearls and shells. I loved the bracelet because it is made on a stretchy band. So guess what I did? Yes, I removed all the faux pearls and shells and added hill silver beads, swarovski crystals, genuine pearls, a vintage pink bead and an ex-large genuine pearl cluster bead.

Sometimes I think when bracelets are covered with beads they can look typical. In this case I thought since the recycled bracelet had substance, all I needed to do was add beads asymmetrically to create interest. The bracelet also was upgraded in that natural and genuine pearls and beads were used. If you have any pieces you'd love up-cycled contact SavvyandSky.com they have a service in which they will up-cycle your pieces starting at 25. I love unique and one of a kind pieces of jewelry, it's so in!

Thanksgiving Table Inspiration

2011-11-17T13:45:00.001-05:00

So I had the pleasure of going to lunch at a dear friends home. Kim not only has a beautiful home but she makes it inviting and alluring. She uses her home to host lovely parties and luncheons such as this for an art group with which we belong. Kim believes in sharing her home with those she loves. Upon entering the dining room your immediately in awe of the warm color scheme and neutral tones of the the entire space, love the red walls. She totally outdid herself with this years centerpiece for her amazing table, all designed and decorated by her. She fooled me, I thought she purchased it.

Here you will find a pheasant as the main focal of the centerpiece. He is rather large which makes him noticable and brings him to the forefront. To make the centerpiece cohesive Kim added pheasant feathers throughout, along with different greens, feathers and pinecones. She started with a basket and added all the color and textures she wanted for the the main event.

Here notice how she added more pheasant feathers under the arrangement for more cohesiveness. She served soup in ceramic white pumpkin bowls. The tablecloth is layered with a textured fabric and topped off with burlap. She used feathered napkin rings and ochre napkins to compliment the overall green colorscheme. The napkins can be found at Pier1 Imports. Notice the orange pumpkins as well for more unity.

She made us all feel so special by pulling out all the stops. Notice the feather placemat and the silver plate charger under the china. The turkey plates are a seasonal additon which bring joy to the Thanksgiving table. They can be found at Pottery Barn. She used brown wine goblets and served a lovely wine during lunch. It is always a treat to visit with friends and enjoy the fruits of their labor. In this case, Kim uses her talent of tablescaping. She uses the table as her palette, and she succeeds in not only design but using her home as a place to express her talent. Thank you Kim for your friendship and talent!

The Perfect Earrings for the Holidays!

2011-10-26T09:22:00.000-04:00

Do you want the perfect pair of earrings for that Christmas or Holiday party? You can give these to your best friend or that secret santa gift. I love how they have a contemporary look but yet can pass as a vintage inspired. Love love love these. So ladies, are these the perfect little red earrings or what? I think they are simple, cute, and lightweight. If you want just a bit of red, these are it. SavvyandSky carries them in all colors, so check them out. They are on brass eurowires with glass crystals and measure approx. 1 1/4" Buy yours today, you'll be glad you did.

Handcrafted Wedding Shower Banner

2011-10-17T20:32:00.000-04:00

Here is a spin on a traditional flag banner for a party. I thought this was absolutely adorable. They can be made with recycled materials and embellished with anything and everything. Just love it! This banner was made using a strand of lights for the base, with stips of ivory and beige cotton muslin. They added blue and clear crystals for added bling. It was also handcrafted with tiny little beige bows with faux pearls in the center and long strands of faux pearls adding that elegance one might like. These banners are an ideal decoration for a wedding shower, baby shower or any party for that matter. All you have to do is add the appropriate paraphernalia. Why keep it draped on the wall or a hallway, add it over the window as shown here. The possibilities are endless. Happy recycling! As always if you have questions please feel free to email us and we will get back to you asap.

Autumn on the farm

2011-10-09T21:58:00.000-04:00

close up picture of the pumpkin patch. i love when i have a kodak moment and my camera in hand. i am ready to take that amazing picture, for the next painting inspiration!

standing back a little bit further from the patch. i love all the green leaves and just a hint of color peeking through. did i mention this is my favorite time of the year. warm days and cool nights, yes.

pond hill farm is in northern michigan, harbor springs to be exact, and one of my favorite farms to visit. they have amazing organic food, activities, and recently a new cafe` that is really yummy. i love northern michigan, especially the lake shore!

A gift for the bridesmaids

2011-09-26T10:30:00.001-04:00

Here is a fun outdoor shot of the bride with her bridesmaids after the wedding. She did give the girls their gifts the night before the wedding at rehearsal dinner. They each received a metallic bag by Carlos Falchi filled with goodies. One of the gifts were these aviator Ray Ban sunglasses pictured above, and another amazing gift in their bags was the beautiful jewelry they are wearing by Savvy and Sky. I love this picture, it's as though they are looking at the groom and his men.

The Bridal Party Attire

2011-09-10T11:31:00.000-04:00

I love this outdoor picture of the bridal party. The picture conveys a light simple, fresh and casual feeling. I think photographed by the lake helps to achieve that effect. Outdoor lighting is great for that bright look too.

The mens suits were linen ( from J Crew ), which was a perfect choice for the Yacht Club venue. The bridesmaids dresses were made of silk also from J Crew, which were a dressy casual feel as well. These dresses are ones that can be worn again and again. The flower girls dresses ( silk ) were also purchased from J Crew as well. I guess you could call this a J Crew wedding! Alyssa kept the neutral Khaki, Gold, Ivory theme throughout the wedding, with her invitations, table settings, decor etc...You can check out the Bride Michigan magazine for more ideas on her venue, flowers and so on. You can always email us on any info that you'd like on achieving your look for that special day! We'd be happy to share any info we have.

Alyssa and Kevins Wedding in Brides Michigan Magazine Fall/Winter 2011

2011-09-06T22:19:00.000-04:00

So it's finally here! The issue that my daughter Alyssa and her husband Kevin are in. The pictures are lovely and the venue was spectacular. A perfect location, day, food etc...the perfect wedding!

Party Idea and Wedding Idea of the Day!

2011-08-29T19:01:00.000-04:00

Imagine your on the dance floor or in the middle of a room. Now look up. Your looking at a centerpiece on the ceiling. It's so pretty. Flowers and crystals glistening and sparkling...oh I absolutely loved it! It was the one we had selected for my daughters wedding. We used orchids and glass crystals, you can too! Don't forget they are attached to ribbon for a more elegant aesthetic. Check out BRIDE MICHIGAN September Issue and you'll find my daughters wedding! Alyssa and Kevin had an unbelievable day ( weather ) and the wedding stunning! The location was in Northern Michigan, Bay Harbor to be exact. Love it so muchly!

Wedding Earrings

2011-08-22T11:35:00.002-04:00

You've seen many many brides interpret their (traditional custom) of something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.This is your wedding. Do you want to follow the norm or be different? I want to be the girl that does something on her own, and sets a new trend. Take heart. Here is something you can do to make your wedding unique!

I love these earrings for a bride or even perhaps for the bridesmaids. They can be worn for that destination wedding that your having on the beach. Why do they need to be typical? The pearl earring with cz, the very traditional, yes you know the earrings we all see. Why not mix it up a bit and wear the round elegant filigree earrings with blue topaz in matte and faceted stones. These can be worn with the modern contemporary dress or how about the vintage dress. These are stunning and affordable. Try something new and different, you won't be disappointed. This jewelry company will take your old passe' pieces and bring them back to life, starting at 25.00. Take your mothers or grandmothers old jewelry or brooches and incorporate them into that piece you will not only wear the day of your wedding but everyday. Contact SAVVY AND SKY they can help you find that perfect pair of earrings. They have beautiful jewelry and very affordable!

Embellished Dress Form For Bridal Showers

2011-08-09T17:48:00.000-04:00

Ok so this is a great idea for the next Bridal Shower that you host! You can order the dress form off the internet or go to your local floral shop. The forms can range anywhere from 39.99 to 59.99. Check out Ebay as well - jbseverydaytreasures4u. You can place the decorated bridal form anywhere in the house or how about outside your front door? What a great decoration for the event. Once you purchase the form you can then use any white or ivory tulle you may have or purchase that at the same time. Buy some silk flowers that are the color of the wedding and also some extra tulle for a pretty large bow for the front or the back. I first started with a band or belt around the waist and cut the tulle in long strips and placed under and over the belt to create the skirt. I then wrapped the tulle around the bust area as to make the top, it just takes a bit of creativity and imagination. No sewing required, how easy is that? You can add a brooch to the bust line and some other jewelry of your choice and voila! You look like you hired a professional.

Embellishing Denim Jeans

2011-08-03T13:50:00.000-04:00

I thought that embellishing a pair of jeans would be fun, and it was. I started stitching and couldn't put the jeans down. I added some silver metallic fabric cut in a rectangle and stitched around it, using a larger needle and embroidery floss. It was fairly easy going through the fabric and jeans using the larger needle. I was sure not to get too exact I thought that the more random the stitches the more interesting the patch would look. I continued this right in front of the pocket and then switched color of thread to make the pocket stand out. Can you say EASY?

Here in this pic, I repeated the process at the waist band. I added some leather flowers I removed from a pair of leather gloves. Yes, if you know me you know that I love to recycle. I am ready to stitch now! Looks alittle boring so I need to add colorful thread. This is a great way to make an old pair of jeans come to life again.

A rhinestone bridal or bridesmaid necklace!

2011-08-01T22:54:00.000-04:00

This necklace is very sweet and feminine. It's an 18" copper rolo chain with soft thin brown suede leather laced through it. The stone is approx. 1" in length and blings so brightly. This necklace would look good with any outfit because copper has that wonderful warm quality. Therefore, making it a really nice bridesmaid gift. So think outside the box next time you need a gift, and remember copper! You can contact me with any questions if you have interest on this piece or something very similar. Thanks for stopping by.

My Giant Lily Plant in Kosta Boda

2011-07-20T22:52:00.000-04:00

LILY - any liliaceous plant of the genus Lilium having showy pendulous flowers. My spectacular lily probably came from the hardware store such as Lowes, Menards or Home Depot. I seem to find bulbs when I am not expecting to buy them. Anyway, I can't really remember when I purchased them or from which store. I have had my plants/bulbs for about 3 or 4 years now. They stand about 6 feet tall and I put them by the house on the south side. They last a good week or two when I cut them for a bouquet and they have such a sweet strong fragrance which carries throughout our home. What is a flower garden without fragrance? Oriental Lilies are one of the most beautiful of all lilies and their fragrance permeates the garden air. These are the lilies that florists favor for summer bouquets and bridal centerpieces. Blooming later in the season than most other lilies, these exotic beauties are truly spectacular in color and flower size. Over the past few years, the demand and interest in Oriental Lilies has grown dramatically. To choose a favorite is impossible! I was very excited to use my new vase to display this amazing flower. I purchased a Kosta Boda from the new site IDEELI, and I am hooked! Try Ideeli its fun and the deals are amazing.

Summer Party/ Wedding Flower Arrangement

2011-07-10T22:19:00.001-04:00

The reason I have been writing so much lately about weddings is because my middle daughter just got married on June 4th in Northern Michigan and it's still fresh in my mind and I want to share all the wedding stuff I can with you. Pictured here is an amazing flower arrangement that was made for a cocktail/bar shower we had for her and her fiance' in May. It was a blast in case anyone is interested in throwing a bar party for a happy couple. The newlyweds now have a completely stocked bar for family and guests that are stopping in for a visit. We set this stunning arrangement on a bar area in the kitchen that is raised above the regular height snack bar. It stands alone because of the size and beauty. It is a very large container vessel which is antique inspired mercury glass. Inside the container the florist placed a black plastic container with a green oasis floral form for the flowers to take residence for the next week or so. Now for the good stuff taking center stage, are very large light pink roses, white hydreangeas, dark ivory roses, pink orchids, and sprawling eucalyptus. I loved the container so much I went out and purchased the very identical one so that I can continue to recreate the same amazing display. If you want an outstanding vase then check this one out from Horchow, simple lovely!

Wedding Bracelet for the Hip, Bold or Daring Bride!

2011-06-27T08:50:00.000-04:00

Do we always need to think in terms of delicate, dainty and demure, when we think wedding? I think not, this bracelet would certainly work for the bride and/or bridesmaid! I recycled silver heavy metal chains a rhinestone chain, added a simple lobster claw, swarovski crystals and three large genuine pearls and something aahhmazing happened. This bracelet can be worn to a wedding or anyday. I love the simplicity of the genuine pearls contrasted with the heavy metal, nice! Big, Bold and Beautiful can be key or an interesting way to switch it up. As always contact me or check out my website to purchase.
tinarothwell.com

Great Jewelry for a Summer Wedding!

2011-06-22T16:05:00.001-04:00

Combine pink swarovski crystals, pink freshwater pearls, pinkish taupe organic baroque pearls & copper euro wire earrings and what do you get? Yes....you got it, aaahhmazing summer earrings you can wear to that wedding coming up. When I pair gemstones and pearls I always keep in mind that unlying hue that I see, in this case it was the pink. I love these earrings so much I almost thought about keeping them for myself. The baroque pearls are very rich and luxurious looking they can stand alone, but since I was thinking summer weddings I wanted to add a bit of sparkle. These earrings can be made with any color pearls and crystals you may need to match that perfect dress so just contact me if you would like to order a pair.

Wedding Jewelry - Something Blue

2011-06-20T08:48:00.000-04:00

It was June 4th and the beautiful bride wore something old, something new, something borrowed, something BLUE! It just so happens that she wore one of my designs for her poetic expression. The natural genuine Blue Sapphires were about 4mm and the clasp was a sterling silver lobster claw, simple but yet sophisticated! She also adorned her neck with one of my natural genuine diamond necklaces around her neck. Yes, she was a glamorous bride.

Vintage Floral Pins as Shower Gifts

2011-06-17T23:50:00.001-04:00

My daughter has just recently been married and during the course of the past year, she has had a couple of parties and showers. Whew... What a fun year! Her aunties, family & friends decided to colaborate and give her a bridal shower. It was a huge hit from the lovely home of a dear friend to the food, decorations, you name it... it was fabulous! Each guest received a handmade monogramed lavender sachet and a muslin stamped bag with a vintage pin. Huge Hit!!! I started a few years ago collecting vintage pins on ebay, and each time I went antiquing I would add a couple to my collection. I was so happy to donate them toward a shower for my daughter. The muslin bags were stamped with bronze ink and the cute scrolly frame read Thank You! What a really great idea. Now's a good time to start collecting something fun, you'll never know when you'll need them.