We asked you to join us, think outside the box and share in the carnival fun.

We were supposed to post that calendar of “themes” ahead of time…supposed to.

We realized we may have made Fancy Friday too complicated…taking away from the Fancy.

So, for 2012 we’ve decided to give Fancy Friday a facelift!

Click your heels together and Meet…Fancy Friday Five!

Every Friday, we will host the Fancy Friday Five link party, where you can link up and share with us Five things that you found Fancy that week.

Just Five Fancy things.

They can be Five of the same things…Five Fancy cake recipes, Five Favorite blog posts, Five Favorite songs, Five Favorite quotes.

OR

You can share Five random things that you found Fancy…a poem, a conversation, a craft, a recipe and a ribbon.

EASY PEASY!

So, please mark your calendar, alert your google to ding you…Fridays are about to get…

Fanc-i-ER!

We will get started next week.  We can’t wait to see what makes it on your Fancy Friday Five list.

It was such a lively chat – what a blast!!

Yes, it was.

No major secrets came out – lol!!

Except that we use candlelight to hide craping.

Do people know what craping is?  Perhaps you should tell that story…Remember the time you called me from a restaurant because you had just over heard to ladies talking about craping in front of the mirror?  And, you had to call and tell me about it?

Yes, kinda…but, let’s just clarify, it’s not “crapping” we are talking about….”craping” AKA wrinkly skin.

I am sure that this conversation has not digressed into craping because you are about to turn 40?

Ouch. That seems to be a popular topic with you lately.

It had to come out sometime!
Tap. tap – hello?  Are you meditating?

No, just pouring another glass of vino. Taking it all in stride. Actually, I’m bound and determined to rock 40 and embrace it….I’m sure you have a few tips for surviving 40…you’ve had PLENTY of experience. Can you say reading glasses?

Oh no you didn’t!!

Actually – I thought there were quite a few great tips in our live chat tonight about ideas for your party.

Yes, I think I may roll with the chai spice kit.

Perfect for your “India” theme.  They will be great party favors.

Hookah?

Say ya!  And, I heard belly dancers!!  This will be perfect for your mid-life crisis!

Better than Billy Idol….just sayin’.

True, true!!  We won’t say who…..

Teen , just walked in and said, “You girls really need to go to bed.”

Yes, and we just finished our last sip of wine… (at the same time) (and from two different states)…so should we let peeps know when are next chat is? The online kind that is….

Totally! February 13 at 9pm. We will be chatting HERE, LIVE with Dani Petterey. Dani is a published author and will be our guest sharing tips on getting published, how to write solid posts, etc…

What about our readers who aren’t in the BlogFrog community…how do they participate?

Go into BlogFrog, create an account.  The night of the LIVE Chat, come HERE and click on the LIVE Chat, it will go live at 9pm. It’s super easy!

It was so so fun – more than I realized…it’s like hangin with the girls, at home, together and talking …letting the conversation go wherever it takes us!!  So fun!  And, Feb 13th ~ will be so inspiring!!  Should we call it a night now?

Yes, ‘cause it’s an hour later here in Baltimore. Night! I’ll call you in the morning! Any last tidbits to tell our readers?  

I’d like to say — be there!!  We want to meet you at the table!

Always!

OK ! Over and out from Minnesota!

(logged off at 10:11 central…11:11 eastern)

Chicken Spaghetti.  My mom made it when we were growing up and it was always so delicious and comforting. I wanted to try Ree’s version.

I have two pictures of it…

….one, the broken spaghetti noodles,

….two, the unbaked dish.

There are no more pictures because we DEVOURED it immediately.  My son actually got up out of his chair and bowed to me.  BOWED!!!

Next, we moved onto the chocolate sheet cake.  Around these parts, cakes like this are called “Texas Sheet Cake,”  and it took me several times of reading the recipe before I realized Ree did not use the word Texas in the title.

Just to be fancy, I toasted the pecans for the icing before baking the cake.

For this recipe, you make the frosting while the cake is baking and pour it on the hot cake.  One word of advice, wait until the cake has been in the oven about 5 minutes or so BEFORE starting the icing….or you may end up like me.  Like me as in, grabbing every clean spoon in the house and “testing” the icing straight out of the pan.  I’m actually surprised we had any icing left for the actual cake.

No surprise, Ree knows her stuff.  My husband who “doesn’t like cake” ate two pieces of this per day for several days.  We also took a platter of it to a junior high event where it was loved by students, teachers and parents alike.

Now that we’ve happily gained 10 pounds, the book is moving on…to Teresa of Blooming on Bainbridge.  You’ve not lived until you’ve spent a day with Teresa on Bainbridge Island.  I can’t wait to see Teresa work her magic on the Traveling Cookbook!

Bridget has been decorating cookies for over a decade and eating them for as long as she can remember.  A self-taught decorator, she shares her secrets and tutorials on the blog, Bake at 350.  Her first book is due out in the fall of 2012.

Times have changed for us!!  We’re now “coffee chatting” online ~ which is almost as good as in real life!!

Please join us TOMORROW for a LIVE CHAT  :  Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 9 pm est

We are going to be hosting the chat, along with our friend Heather from Whipperberry ~ on the topic of Hospitality and Entertaining!  We will share a conversation around ~ tips for entertaining, menu planning, conversation and memories!

IF YOU HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE:

First, join us at the International Delight: Coffee Talk Community on BlogFrog, HERE .  

Put the kids to bed earlier and ask  your hubby to do the dishes (that’s what we’re doing!)

Pour yourself a hot cup of joe and maybe somethin’ special to add into it !

Pull up a chair and join us online!! 

You know we are firm believers, in the more the merrier! So, pull up a chair to the virtual table and bring your tips and tricks to share. We are always on the hunt for new ideas on how to make a dinner party a success! 

Let us know if you’ll be there & what you are interested in chatting about too!

And just to give you a taste of some of the other conversations happening at the Coffee Talk Community take a look below…and hop in to the conversation! We’d love to get to know you better!

Check out these new conversations from my community

Before Kids……….
Before you had children, did you work full time outside
house?  If you’re still working full time outside the house,
did you change jobs?
Basically…….what did you do before you had children?
I worked full time in the fitness industry.  I’m still
working in the fitness industry, bu… read more…

What do you think about reusable K-Cup Filters?
Ok Ok…I need your opinion!  I got a keurig for Christmas
and while I am in love, I miss some of my old coffee beans.  I
have heard that the reusable k cup filters make watered down
coffee, etc.  So I have been skeptical to try.
I am wondering do you use the reusable filter?&nbsp… read more…

How Do You Fit “Fitness” Into Your Weekly Routine?
I feel like I can’t get a thirty minute block anywhere in my day
to do anything active…it seems like there is always a kid who
wants to hang on me right when some free time opens up.  And,
since the weather is unpredictable right now, it isn’t easy to grab
them all and head out for a walk… read more…

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After our first visit my husband had the inspiration to invite his company to get involved with this project.  That inspiration became the beginning of yearly trips during his company’s sales meetings.  You see it is not hard to want to help a community that takes such pride in their homes, be they ever so humble and their children and families.

My husband Todd and I have been back 3 times total, including a trip with our children.   We just returned a few weeks ago from our 2nd trip with Todd’s company, Capstone, which is a children’s book publisher.  We spent a day handing out books in the surrounding shanty town area, working on the grounds, and helping make and serve meals to the children and families in that community.

We have an idea of how we would like to involve our LoveFeast Table community as well.  Kristin and I knew right away, the first time we visited, where we wanted to contribute.  We then decided that we would take on  The Kitchen Project. We want to help pull together the people, brands, and resources need to fulfill the dream of having a kitchen at the Children’s Home.  There are plans in place for a fully built out kitchen, clean water and beautiful community gardens.  When the time is right ~ we are looking forward to supporting this vision.

This cinder block shell of a building will become a vibrant kitchen that will serve children and the community.

We really want to do more together with our community here at LoveFeast Table.  We want to inspire savoring a beautiful life.  Sometimes that can be to enjoy beautiful things, the kinds of items we gather in our LoveFeast Shop.  But, we truly believe that savoring a beautiful life is just not about savoring external beauty ~ even if it brings some joy.  Lasting beauty is what the eye cannot see, and that means living in a way that is about giving.  We think being a part of making something beautiful for someone else ~ is a lasting gift of beauty.

We want you to be a part of making those kind of dreams for someone else ~ with us.

We have already extended ourselves with the Feed My Starving Children Mobile Pack effort to raise $24000 for a Mobile Pack unit to feed starving children.  But, we did want to share a peek into what else we would love to do in the coming years.  We know that these types of dreams don’t happen over night.  It’s a process and a journey.

You never know when you give someone a gift what beautiful new path it might put them on…

We hope you join us on these endeavors!!  Let’s together, help make something beautiful for someone else!

If you have ideas, connections, can right a post, or send  information to a friend, about either our project with Feed My Starving Children or The Kitchen Project, we would truly be thankful.

You can visit our LoveFeast Mobile Pack donation page HERE.

You can grab a badge and help spread the word HERE.

Let’s, together, make 2012 about savoring something truly beautiful – let’s REACH for the unseen beautiful something – Giving.

The winner from the giveaway  is ~ Carrie Phillips !!

Comment: I would definitely send this to my mother and make it from my two preschool sons. She would love to get a valentine like this from them! Thanks, Carrie (permalink)

*****

Now ~ don’t fret…you can send your own, to your Valentine, your friend or yourself.  It’s OK to love you some heart pumpkins.  We’ve never seen one before this ourselves ~ and that’s why we think their neat!

You can find the HeartGram™  at our LoveFeast Shop, along with plush velvet pumpkins, beautiful jewelry, art, and our delicious LoveFeast Coffee Cake.  We constantly keeping our eye open for an inspired find!

You never know who, or what you’ll find on the journey ~

My thoughts have drifted to 15 years ago, when our two oldest sons were toddlers sharing a plastic table with a plate of cut up chicken nuggets and apples. Their vocabulary was limited, but somehow, even then, Chris Ann and I saw how easy they were with each other. They accepted each other.

Today, Chris Ann is being “stand in mama” and she is taking my oldest to his first college audition.  He has spent the past 3 1/2 years at a well known arts high school, learning the craft of acting.  It has not been easy. The school’s program prides itself on conservatory training, not making exceptions because the kids learning are just teenagers. They take a journey of discovering and owning who they are as people.  It has been a challenge.  Who knows who they are at 15?! There were challenges that arose along the way that made my husband and I wonder if Drama Boy would be able to survive. But, as I waved goodbye to him last week, when he was boarding the plane, on his own…I knew in my heart, he’d done it.

And, can I just tell you?! I am one blessed girl, that my bff is able to be by my kid’s side at his first audition!  She has spent the week, spoiling him.  They have shopped for a new audition outfit, shared sushi, played like they were suburban Brits while shopping in the posh grocery store…and shared meals with the whole family.  Drama Boy and Chris Ann’s oldest, have done homework together, toured the college with Todd, went snowboarding, dancing…and spent moments catching up.  Drama boy called me last night and said, “I have more friends here in Minnesota than in Baltimore.” That statement speaks of just how treasured their friendship is…how easy it is.

I’m so grateful today.  I’m also, patiently waiting by the phone for the update that he nailed it!

It was about 10 years ago on Valentine’s evening. Our casual, artsy coffee shop had been open for over a year. We served a purely vegetarian menu with baked pita pizzas like the Bella Donna and Artist’s Heart. The menu was creative and we were constantly thinking outside the box when bringing flavors and technique together.

Devon had been classically French trained under an amazing chef. He brought those techniques to our quaint, three story cafe situated in a historic, antique shopping district. There were days he longed to stretch his wings and prepare more detailed and elaborate meals. So, that Valentine’s night, we took reservations for a four course, white tablecloth, fine dining meal…by candlelight.

I’m not sure why, but that night we didn’t have our employees work, instead Todd and Chris Ann came in to serve with us. We had prepared and served a number of feasts together, for friends. It’s funny, looking back, I don’t think we all realized how the four of us fell into a natural rhythm when serving. But, we did. With Devon and Todd in the kitchen and Chris Ann and I moving from table to table, making our guests feel at home…it was just meant to be.

This recipe was created with the same spirit we brought to the kitchen at Jahva House….it’s a bit out of the box. But, I promise, one bite, will leave you wanting more.

Strawberry Heart Cup with Goat Cheese Whipped Cream Recipe

by Kristin Potler

Vote for my Creative Crescent Recipe and you’ll be entered to win a $1,000 grocery gift card!

Find more quick and easy Pillsbury recipes at www.CreativeCrescents.com.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Pillsbury. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Contest Rules.

Vote for my Creative Crescent Recipe and you’ll be entered to win a $1,000 grocery gift card!

Find more quick and easy Pillsbury recipes at www.CreativeCrescents.com.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Pillsbury. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Contest Rules.

*****

See the picture above?  That’s us 2 weeks ago at the Atlanta Gift Market.  We took that pic (along with like 10 others trying to get a good shot) because just as we were running out the door we realized that we matched!  See our grays and pops of teals?  We thought it was funny that we were dressing in our “brand” colors!

We did a lot of walking in Atlanta ~ this is just a side of 1 building ~ there are 3!!!

In the 10 weeks the LoveFeast girls have managed to see each other 4 times! We have 2 trips pending in February.  One to celebrate Kristin’s birthday -( can I get 40 whoo-whoos!) You had to let that cat out of the bag?! And, then we are attending our 2nd blogging conference together ~ Blissdom.

Right before Christmas we spent a weekend together here in Minnesota with our husbands.  We had hosted a dinner party, played some late night poker (a LoveFeast tradition!)  We usually gamble for who is going to move to the others’ state to live.  It becomes fierce ~ just sayin’! (And, nobody has caught on to my poker face – yet!)…not to mention Chris Ann and husband always win. Is Minnesota in our future? I mean my oldest is with Chris Ann in Minnesota this week auditioning for University of Minnesota. AND, there was no pressure from the parents…his idea.

Our husbands cookin it up LoveFeast style in the kitchen ~ while we work and sip cappuccino they made us ~

A couple of weeks ago, like I said, we went to Atlanta for our first market trip.   We were thrilled to meet such inspiring business owners, artists and what we hope to be, future business partners.  We spent days finding unique stories and inspiration to add to our LoveFeast Shop.  And, the nights sharing dinner and a beer and a notebook while we tried to keep up with our own ideas!  We hope to share some of those stories as we add product to our shop.  We enjoyed a dinner out on the town with our friend Brielle, too.  She’s a spunky chic with a smashing style ~ you can catch her vibe at her new blog ~ Fashion Is A Bitch.  We are hoping for her help to bling out an alpaca for our first LoveFeast style shoot! Yes, she did say blinged out alpaca! Except, all weekend long, Chris Ann kept referring to it as a blinged out llama.

Yeah ~ you heard me right.  Fancy-ing up an alpaca is on our 2012 LoveFeast Bucket list ~ stay tuned!

And ~ what’s heading on our 2012 bucket list besides that?

Raising $24000 for a Feed My Starving Children Mobile Pack unit.  Why?  Because we’re mothers, because we care and because we’re crazy enough to stick our necks out like that!!  We hope you can help by spreading the word, donating, and spreading the word…yeah, like that! (By the way – we think we’ll need a forklift and a space and 500 bodies! Anybody? Anybody?

We’re going to keep adding to our LoveFeast Shop.  We want to inspire you with more beautiful finds to add beauty to your life and home.  We hope to tell the stories of the places and people who bring these items together.  Those stories will be found here on our blog.

We’re going to try and write a cookbook. (Truth be told, we’ve been trying to do that for four years now.)

We’re going to travel. …keeping our fingers crossed for a south of France trip.

We’re going to enjoy the journey of The Traveling Cookbook (part of our Mobile Pack project).

We’re going to work hard.

We’re going to stay organized, thanks in part to our virtual assistant Donna! 

We’re going to laugh and have fun.

We’re going to create our first photo-shoot. With a blinged out alpaca.

We’re going to inspire the beginning of The Kitchen Project.

We’re going to balance it all. Or at least try.

We’re going to launch the first -evah, HeartGram™ product of velvet heart-shaped pumpkins.

We’re going to enjoy our families.

We’re going to get to know our readers, blogger friends and community more.

We’re going to decorate an alpaca with lots of jewelry.…I think you said that already. 

We’re going to laugh ~ because we’re just enough crazy to think we might do it all in 2012...let’s just hope our husbands will be laughing with us too, when we get to the end of this year.

Which is why we chose the word REACH for our defining word for 2012!

(I think Kristin is inspired to share a little more on that in the upcoming week or so!) For sure!

We hope you join us here at our “table” ~ and don’t be afraid to peep up (as in, leave a comment!)  We like a lively dinner party if you know what I mean!!  We want to hear your inspirations and aspirations too!!

We’re happy to stroll together along the 2012 trail and REACH for some dreams together.  Some of them might happen and some may not ~ but one thing is for sure ~ we’re going to SAVOR the journey together! It’s seriously how we love to do life. 

(Sorry, Chris Ann…I happened to read your draft and wanted to put in my two cents.  Hope you don’t mind! ~Kristin)

And something to help you remember LOVE ~

The antique brass hand stamped LOVE necklace is 16″ long with a 2″ antique brass extender and lobster clasp. The included gems are moonstone and tiger eye.

And another little something to remind you to SAVOR ~

The antique brass hand stamped SAVOR necklace is 16″ long with a 2″ antique brass extender and lobster clasp. The included gems are moonstone, tiger eye and turquoise.

Visit our online boutique LoveFeast Shop to find more inspiring finds for you and your home!