Poof....Happy Home

Farmhouse Brunch Baby Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Wed, 04 May 2011 21:43:00 +0000

Another sweet idea for using our SIPPY STIXS….:)
Little bottles of cold milk with our Bubble Gum Pink Striped Straws clustered together in an antique wooden tray and being served with French Toast….!!!

And a beautiful table full of delicious breakfast savory and sweet treats.

Compliments of Trish …… Frilly Milly Events
Visit her here: www.frillymillyevents.blogspot.com

Cheers,
Dianne

Cupcakes and Pink Lemonade

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 22:18:00 +0000

When I spotted my Yellow Striped and Pink Polka Dot paper straws in the beautiful pictures below, I knew I had to share them with YOU….:) Perfect setting for an afternoon garden tea with family and friends.

LOVE the cupcakes tucked in those pretty glass dessert dishes.

A pretty lemon slice coated with sweet glazed sugar makes the perfect cupcake topper. Love the adorable paper straw tucked to the side to make it look like an old fashion soda. How Cute…!!!!

Beautiful flowers and pretty props add sweet charming touches to this inviting spring and summer tabletop.

It’s time ladies to start planning your tea parties on the porch or an afternoon with friends to share giggles, laughs and yummy sweet treats and cool refreshing drinks.

Sometimes the BEST PARTIES are the ones you put together quickly and what could be easier than making your favorite batch of CUPCAKES and squeezing a few lemons to make a cool pitcher of Pink Lemonade.…. Grab a pretty table cloth, pick a few fresh flowers and call a friend or two. Time spent together is priceless.When life gives you lemons……Squeeze something good from them….. Share a Smile…!!!

This beautiful party setting was created by Melissa Lester at A Little Loveliness. Visit her here where you will find many charming ideas and the recipe she used for those pretty cupcakes…..!!!!

Yellow Striped Paper Straws and Pink Dot Paper Straws can be found at The Sugar Diva.

Bake Me Happy

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 23:19:00 +0000

I’m in LOVE….!!!
It’s Valentines Day and what a SWEET SURPRISE I got in my email today. One of my customers mentioned that she saw our Red Heart Paper Straws on Bakerella’s web site today. I’m sure you ALL know this talented gal. I quickly checked it out and was thrilled with how she used them.

Big Sweet Kisses….:) How fun and cute are these..!! Instead of using lollipop sticks, she use Our PAPER STRAWS …..How Perfect…!!!

She even Shows You how she made them….Looks easy and I’m sure they are delish…!!!
If you don’t already have her new book then be sure to look for it on your next trip to the book store. It’s filled with beautiful and creative CAKE POPS that will inspire you to try some of her wonderful tasty treats. I’ve made my share of them for family and friends and everyone LOVES them..!!! Of course mine were NOT pretty, but they sure did taste good.

Be sure to visit Bakerella to see MORE of her Creative Cake Pops….It’s no wonder she caught the eye of publishers. This in one talented gal…!!! Check our her schedule to see if she signing books in a store near you. Thank you BAKERELLA……You Bake Me Happy…
Happy Valentines Day to YOU….
Hop over to our web site to see our entire line of these pretty PAPER STRAWS: www.thesugardiva.com

I have MORE exciting things to share and PROMISE to be back SOON.

Happy Valentines Day everyone…

Queen of Teen

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 22:17:00 +0000

YES…it’s true…!!! Our little Carly has turned 13..!!! This party is a VERY SPECIAL one for me since Carly is my granddaughter. She rounded up her friends and made the one hour trip to OUR HOUSE and it was such a joy having all those Giggly Girls around for a couple of days. Yes…they ALL spent the night..!!!

My daughter did a fabulous job on the Party Decorations and most of you know her from PARTY POPS….so let me turn the party over to HER while she guides you through all the events of Carly’s Special Day…

My daughter turned Thirteen last week, she was so excited to finally be officially called a “Teen” and I am thinking that I can‘t believe that she is a teen. We decided to play up the “Teen” for a theme and a chance to get all glamorous like girls like to do. My sister owns a Salon so she was the first one I called to book a day at the Spa for manicures and pedicures and then had our cousin who is great at styling hair and makeup come in to make the girls over. The girls had he best time and left feeling very special and beautiful. Serious picture overload here….

The Decorations

Each of the girls got a spa treat box, to keep them energized during a long spa day.

Hair bling and Jewelry. We had some hair accessories for the girls to wear to add some sparkle and each girl got a Crown necklace to feel like a Queen.

The Girls Before.

Then it was OUT TO DINNER…

And Carly was surprised and maybe a little embarrassed when the wait staff came out and placed the Big Mexican Hat on her head…..She took it all in stride and we all had a BLAST…!!!

She may have been QUEEN for the DAY here, but she will always remain My Little Princess…:)
Visit Sherry at Party Pops…..to see more creative parties
and for these CUTE PAPER STRAWS… The Sugar Diva

I KNOW I’ve been away TOO LONG…So sorry. The Sugar Diva is keeping us SO BUSY..!!! PLEASE SEND PHOTOS of your parties…!!!

I’ll be looking for them…:)

your creative party hostess,

Dianne

www.thesugardiva.com

I’m in LOVE….!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 18:53:00 +0000

Yes, I’m in LOVE with our NEW PAPER STRAWS……Just arrived and in stock now…!!! Ummmm, where do I start…:) Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, guess this one should take first place.
Red Heart Paper Straws

Sweet little HEARTS…..just waiting to be shared in your favorite Valentine drinks….

AND ……Drum Roll Please….:) Introducing our

Fun and Happy ….

Confetti Dots Paper Straws…!!!!

Yummy and delightful ……
Precious Pink ….. Yummy Yellow ….
Blissful Blue ….. and Gorgeous Green
and all on one Paper Straw…!!!!

Orange you So Happy by now, you will be with our new ORANGE Striped Paper Straws
Soft … Colorful … Sweet
Shown here with our new Green Gingham Party Favor Bags …. and waiting for the Perfect Party
And there’s MORE …. Sitting over on my work space just waiting to get their picture made….

SO come on back a little later to see MORE Paper Straws that have just arrived at THE SUGAR DIVA….. Visit our web site to order your pretty straws and watch for SMILES at your next event..!!!

I predict there will be LOTS of Paper Straws in my future….we’re taking paper straws to a whole new level…:)

Happy New Year Everyone…!!!!

I have tons more pictures to take..:)

Merry Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 05:02:00 +0000

Just wanted to take a moment to tell my sweet blogging friends MERRY CHRISTMAS…..and share a few special moments made with my girls these past few weeks. Life around here has been far too hectic leaving me with little time to play and create. I was able to make time for a fun weekend with my girls……We made CHRISTMAS COOKIES……

Katie was so excited and couldn’t wait to get started….We took a few shortcuts, using “ready to roll” gingerbread cookie dough. After all, it’s the cutting out and decorating that really counts…right..???
I put the dough into a mixing bowl so it would feel more homemade..LOL…!!!
In serious thought, she carefully rolled out the cookie dough

Ta Da……the FIRST COOKIE….a cute little gingerbread house…..and a Happy Doxie…:) We HAD to make one for Pearl Girl..!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone….!!!!

Bragging Rights

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 04:26:00 +0000

I KNOW it seems that all I’ve posted here lately is ALL ABOUT ME….and I do seem to be bragging a bit lately. Remember when I promised to share some EXCITING NEWS…..well ok, here it is…!!! While in Atlanta at market back in July, Clay, the Creative Stylist for Hoffman Media came into our showroom and LOVED our fun colorful product line. He ask me to send samples of my goodies to him to include in these Wonderful Magazines..!!! And I’ve already posted on ONE of Paula Deen’s Magazine’s….BUT THERES MORE…..!!! We are featured in 4 Holiday Magazines!!! And what a fabulous job he did with our products. Here is where you’ll find us…:)

Cooking with Paula Deen Christmas Magazine
Our Holiday Party Poppers were placed on her table as party favors for her guest.
Then again under….Paula’s Picks…..a close up of our Candy Poppers..
Her home is shown in this holiday issue with decorating tips and ideas and it also gives you the name and source of the paint colors she chose for her rooms……GUESS WHAT…..Was I surprised to see MY BREAKFAST ROOM paint color used to paint her Master Bedroom…!!!

OK….next up….Phyllis Hoffman’s CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS Magazine
They went OVER THE TOP for us here. First under Favorite Products you will find our Christmas Cupcake Kit…..Includes charming cupcake papers and fun holiday cupcake toppers for decorating…!!!
And just check out this Beautiful Holiday Party Table….Look real close at the Place Setting Party Favors…..Yes, our cute & fun Cupcake Kits

Flip over to the next page and you’ll find an Entire Page showing our fun CupCake Kit…
And it keeps getting better…..One more page flip and you’ll find almost a Two Page Spread…… I was completely wowed…!!!
Three Bowls Full of our Cupcake Papers….Party Poppers and Paper Straws….We were so honored and thrilled. Then in Southern Lady Magazine, our pretty Cupcake Papers were shown as part of the Favorite Things Favor Bags that were handed out at their recent ladies event in Atlanta..

THANK YOU Hoffman Media and Clay for showcasing our products and sharing with your readers THE SUGAR DIVA….!!! You can find all of these beautiful magazines in stores near you. Look us up and find exciting Holiday Helpers, Entertaining Ideas and loads more…!!!
So there you have it…..Our BIG NEWS….!!!! I just couldn’t wait to share.
With Christmas just around the corner, things here are starting to become a bit more relaxed and I hope to get back to puttering around HOME and share with you some FUN IDEAS FROM MY HOME…:)
I’m off to digging out Christmas stuff…!!!

We are featured…

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 15:32:00 +0000

Hi Everyone, Just a quick little note here and wanted to share…..We are FEATURED on Martha Stewarts home page at Dreamers Into Doers…!!!
Check it out HERE: http://dreamers.marthastewart.com/
Scroll down a bit to find us in the left column…!!!!

Thank You…..Martha’s Team….!!!!
We have had some fantastic media coverage this year
and we are THRILLED….I’m be back later to share these
MAGAZINE FEATURES with you…!!!
So I’m off to get those pictures made and will be back soon to post them.

Where’s my camera…!!!!

Show Time

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 04:16:00 +0000

It’s that time of year again and we’ve been away setting up and showing off some of our holiday goodies in Charlotte, NC at The Southern Christmas Show. Each morning shoppers are lined around the building waiting for the doors to open, excited to see what’s new this year. Let me show you a few of our Favorite Things..!!!

How adorable is this fun mug…!!! One of my New Favorite Things..:)
And of course, I kept some of these for ME..!!!
How CUTE is this mug filled with our new Yummy Yellow Striped Paper Straws. Look how pretty it is with our fun Ribbon Plate…..
This was the first time to SHOW our PAPER STRAWS in public to shoppers. Until now, they were only available on our web site. We were excited to see the reaction and hear all the wonderful exciting comments over them.
Ok…let’s keep moving around for glimpses of our little store at the Christmas show…:)
And NO…..we won’t be adding these fun holiday items to our web cart. We only ordered for our show, but we WILL hold something for you if you’d like and ship it next week after the show. Just email me…!!!
You WILL find these fun Christmas Cupcake Papers and Favor Bags on our web site…and our charming Party Poppers that were featured in Paula Deen’s Magazine
Cake Stands and Serving Dishes in colorful holiday designs…So Pretty.

Not the best picture here but you get an idea what our shop looked like.
OK…The show runs through the rest of this week. If you’re in the Charlotte, NC area and get a chance to attend the show, please stop in and tell my sweet TIRED hubby, hello…!!! He’s there finishing up while I came home to catch up and finish my new designs for winter market……!!!!
Hope you’ve enjoyed my little tour through our Christmas Shop.
Be back soon with more news to share…:)

Thrilled to be seen……in Paula Deen

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 22:57:00 +0000

To say I was THRILLED, well just doesn’t describe my excitement when Hoffman Media’s creative stylist, Clay Chaffin, stopped in our showroom in Atlanta and fell in LOVE with our colorful sweet products. When he ask me to send some things to him to be included in Paula Deens Christmas Magazine he didn’t have to Twist My Arm…:)))
Clay sent me some copies of Paula’s Christmas Magazine last week and I Squealed with Delight..!!!! My Party Poppers are featured on Page 15.
Clay used My Party Poppers on Paula’s table as party favors on the plates in each place setting. The close up shows them displayed on a pretty serving tray.
They were also used on Paula’s Christmas Tree that sits on her kitchen counter seen there on the opposite page.
Here’s a close up of our Party Poppers….They make the PERFECT Party Favor and will make your table settings..POP…!!!!
Thank you Clay for including Our Sweet Products in Paula Deen’s Christmas Magazine….Be sure to pick up YOUR COPY of this beautiful Holiday Book where you’ll find recipes for your holiday meal, gift giving ideas and look for ME there too..!!!
I’m thrilled…!!!!

And The Winner IS…

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 02:32:00 +0000

Congratulations to Joy Hager…!!! YOU have won my Halloween Give-A-Way…!!!
I couldn’t find your email address though, so when you SEE THIS, please send over your shipping address so I can get your goodies on their way to you..:) Here’s a few fun pictures I made while putting out my Halloween decorations the other week. A Spooky Hostess holds a cluster of Paper Straws….Grab one if you dare…!!!
And this fuzzy dude is dangling from my chandelier over the table in our breakfast room….Keeping watch on anyone who ENTERS THE SIDE DOOR…!!

Thanks EVERYONE who visited me while I was away last week Celebrating our 30th Anniversary. And I just HAVE TO SHARE this with you. Our anniversary was 10-10-10 which added up to 30. ( 30 Years)…But our TENS continued the next day when we flew away. Our seats on the plane were on the 10th Row……then when we arrived in Vegas, and got in line for a taxi to our hotel, we were directed to TAXI NUMBER 10…..And then when checking in at our hotel, we were put on the 10th Floor….!!!!

OK…I KNEW right then that WE would be bringing home a BIG JACKPOT….!!! So I looked for and played every X10 slot machine I could find…..However, the only BIG WINNERS were of course The Casinos….!!! But I still had my wonderful sweet hubby that I won 30 years ago, so I just brought HIM on back home with me….:) I’m a LUCKY GIRL…!!!!

Stop by Joy’s blog to congratulate her on winning my Give-A-Way. Visit her at: www.joyhager.blogspot.com

I have some VERY EXCITING NEWS to share with you next time. Maybe in just a couple of days. So keep checking back. Actually I have several fun things to share.!!!
I’ll be back Real Soon…:)

Celebration Give A Way

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 02:51:00 +0000

Today is 10/10/10 = 30 Years of marriage to the BEST HUBBY on earth. Happy Anniversary to MY SWEET HUBBY who has pampered and spoiled me for 30 years. He is simply THE BEST…!!! We are flying away together in the early AM and I’m leaving something here for YOU…!! It’s a Halloween Give A Way for one Lucky Blogging Friend…!!!
This fun collection of Halloween Treats will certainly get your Spooky Party off to a good start. The Lucky Winner will get an assortment of 72 Halloween Party Treat Bags as shown above. And to go with those are 50 Lime Green Cupcake Paper Liners….
And you just gotta have some of our charming GRAY STRIPED PAPER STRAWS, so I’m including 50 of these fun Sippy Stix…!!!
And every party needs some of our CUTE Polka Dot Balloons…These are SO Adorable and Fun…:) You will get 20 balloons, 10 of each color.

NOW….All you need to do to ENTER MY GIVE A WAY is leave me a comment and ONE LUCKY FRIEND will receive this Fun HALLOWEEN PARTY PACKAGE..!!!
So while I’m away CELEBRATING 30 Wonderful Years with my hubby, leave me a comment and some lucky blogging friend will be announced on Friday when we return home….GOOD LUCK….!!!
I’m off to finish packing, gotta get up at 2:30 AM…Yikes…it’s close to midnight….Be back soon…:)

Favors For A Lady

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 20:08:00 +0000

We were ask to Do A Favor for a special group of Southern Ladies. If fact we were ask to make 400 of them. Of course we were delighted to offer some of our charming items to be included in their Favor Bags of Favorite Things from Phyllis Hoffman...I”m sure most of you know Phyllis, I mean how can you not.
She’s the beautiful Southern Lady who creates and publishes all those FAVORITE MAGAZINES we’ve all grown to LOVE…:)

Southern Lady Magazine, Victoria Magazine, Tea Time Magazine, Cooking with Paula Deen Magazine, Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee Magazine, and MY FAOVRITE….Celebrate Magazine…..!!!
These colorful and fun Cupcake Paper Liners in Lime Green Dots and Red Gingham Checks are all packaged up to be included in Phyllis’s Favorite Things Favor Bags and will be given to HER GUEST at the upcoming Southern Lady Event in Atlanta in November.

If you are “Lucky Enough” be one of the attendees, Then look for our charming little Cupcake Papers to help with your Holiday Baking…!!
Now you’ve had a glimpse of what 400 Favors look like. If you’d be interested in going to their event, just call them or check out their website for dates and ticket information. Sweet little Cupcake Papers standing up all prim and proper like a true Southern Lady…:)
And if you’re not attending The Southern Lady Event and would love to purchase some of these Sweet Little Cupcake Papers, just go to our website and you’ll find them there along with our Paper Straws and other baking and entertaining products…!!! www.thesugardiva.com

NOW….I DO have MORE exciting news to share, however I must leave something for another day, right??? So stay tuned…:)

Come back on Friday for an exciting Give A Way…..Leave a comment and you’re entered…!!! Its that easy…:)
I’m back to designing…!!!

A Treat for YOU..!!

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 01:39:00 +0000

With Fall about to get all settled in and hopefully cooler days ahead, our customers have been getting ready EARLY for the next big season….HALLOWEEN….!!! Our new TREAT BAGS have been making their way into homes and getting ready to be filled with homemade treats for handing out to Spooky Guest who will soon be arriving.

This cute bags are perfect for filling with candy, cookies, fudge, popcorn and other snacks. And they are SO charming and fun when mixed together with different designs
Fun Polka Dots and Stripes all mixed together with our Scary Cat Face
makes a perfect Halloween Party pop of color and fun…!!!

Add some of our adorable POLKA DOT BALLOONS for an even BIGGER POP of color and fun…..

Then be sure you don’t forget the one of the most charming NEW items we have…..our Fun and Cute….Barber Pole Retro Striped Paper Straws.
These fun paper straws are so adorable to use at your parties or gatherings……They will also add a charming touch to your kitchen counters….Just load up a pretty container and place them out where you can walk past them and SMILE….:)

We also have SWEET CUPCAKE PAPERS and TOPPERS for making your homemade treats festive and fun…!! Or use one of our Polka Dot Cupcake Cones for decorating your cupcakes.
Don’t have time for baking…no worries, just place your store bought goodies right inside these pretty cups, decorate and enjoy…!!! Or you might want to choose some of our FUN & FRESH GOURMET DELIGHTS to hand out to your SPECIAL little TRICKER TREATERS….:) Frightful Cone of Hot Cinnamon Candy Corn….The candy that BITES BACK…!!!
And we have to have our Halloween WITCHES….
No matter Witch treat you choose….I hope you’ve enjoyed all the TREATS and ideas I’ve shared with you…!!! But be careful….
SOME ONE MAY BE WATCHING……YOU….:)
Come on back again for more Treats and some Exciting NEWS I have for you…!!!
I”m back to work…!!!

Sippy Stix

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:14:00 +0000

Look what’s got me SO excited and feeling like a KID again. We just got them in and I’m IN LOVE….!!! We call them Sippy Stix…..
These retro Barber Pole Stripe Paper Straws are SO CUTE and Fun…:) Use them at your next party…..Weddings….Baby Showers….Birthday

Your guest will SMILE with delight when they see these fun straws. These were used long ago in Soda Fountain Shoppes across America. Oh so Vintage…!!!
They come in several colors……The pretty Pink ones above and this Blue…

And just LOOK at these fun Gray Striped Straws……

Perfect for your HALLOWEEN Parties….

These Fun Stripe Straws will add so much charm and whimsy to your table decor.
Mix them with our NEW Party Loot Bags……...for handing out to all your SPOOKY GUEST…!!! We have matching favor bags and SWEET TREATS too that will make your entertaining EASY…
Come

back soon to see the entire line of our new Party Treat Bags….or visit our web site if you “Just can’t wait”..!!! And if you need some SIPPY STIX, you can find them on our web site too…. Thanks for stopping by and please come back SOON…:)
I”m pulling out FALL…!!!

Something Fishy

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:41:00 +0000

Happy Happy Birthday to our Little Katie…!!! And SHE Celebrated in style at her Little Mermaid Party.

Sherry went all out creating the PERFECT PARTY for Katie and her guest….She made all the Party Hats…Banner and Favor Treat Bags

We provided the adorable POLKA DOT BALLOONS….!!!
They add SO much FUN to your Party Tables……
A little note here: The person blowing up the balloons did not fill them entirely up. They should have been SO MUCH BIGGER….
But they were Still SO Adorable…!!!!

Sweet little PB & J Sandwiches cut out like little Fish….

Sweetly wrapped eating utensils with custom stickers and an adorable
Birthday Party Sign

And of course a Banner for the Party Table…..LOVE IT….!!!
Just look at those adorable fish

Sherry made the cutest FISHING GAME for the girls to Go Fish…!!!

The girls had So much FUN FISHING…and catching cute Mermaid prizes

And look at these CUTE CUTE Buckets with their names on them
to put their Catch in…:)

And then there was the BEAN BAG TOSS game that Sherry made….
Another FUN activity for the girls to enjoy….

Then on to the CAKE and other party treats….!!!

Yes….Sherry made these fun Cake Toppers too…

And Sweet Little Mermaid Cupcakes….Yummy…!!!

Katie made her WISHES….Then blew out her candles

Then on to the HER Favorite thing ….. Opening PRESENTS…:)

It was finally TIME to GO SWIM like a Little Mermaid…!!!!

I can’t believe SHE is now FOUR…Has it really been that long. Thanks for a wonderful party and precious time spent among family and friends. I’m SO proud of my daughter and her amazing talent.

And so the PARTY GIRL giggles and squirms in delight as she becomes a Four Year Old…..and off to enjoy being a Big Girl now…!!!

Hug YOUR Little Ones and keep them close….for all too soon they’ll Grow Up and so the circle continues…:)
For all these wonderful custom Party items, visit Sherry at:
www.partypops.etsy.com

For the cutest Polka Dot Balloons and more …. Go to My Store at
www.thesugardiva.com

Come back SOON for more Party and Decorating Ideas…
I’m off to create something NEW…!!!

Invitation To Nibble

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 21:56:00 +0000

Meet me on the Porch….:)

Pink Lemonade is waiting in the tea pot and sweetly reminds you of HOME.....This treasure is from my Susan Branch collection. Vintage glasses with jaded filled edges wait to be filled. They are proudly perched on my Martha Stewart Cake Stand from her wonderful collection of jade ware

A home made oatmeal cookie tied up in soft Pink Ribbon might be looked upon by friends as not to disturb it's beauty. No problem though, save it to be enjoyed later.....ALONE......:)
Among the clustered pots of luscious blooms.....the afternoon treats are tempting and begging for whispers of long overdue secrets......Among Friends.....:)
Lady Fingers fill the Rose topped jar and keeping company with French vanilla Crème Filled rolled Wafers....
Nibble slowly on these delicate tea delights.....Flip through Favorite Magazines and share your entertaining style. Plan an ice cream social.....Plant some flowers together.
And you are NEVER too old to lick the icing from the middle of the cookies.....then dunk the rest in your yummy CHOCOLATE shake.

I know Pearl.....YOU want one of those cookies really bad....And you've been So Sweet....Waiting with manners...I PROMISE I'll give you one..

OK......I KNOW I've made you WANT one too.....Grab your cookie jar and a Cold Delicious Drink.....Head on out on the porch.....Kick off your shoes and enjoy.......A few LAST DAYS OF SUMMER…!!!

Gracefully Speaking........ " Now in a Cottage built of lilacs and laughter, I know the meaning of the words " ever-after "......:) Sweet words wrap themselves around the upper edge and makes you feel comfy and cozy relaxing on a Lazy Summer Day.

Just be Happy spending time together....talking about old times.....
Pull out the seats and gather round. Listen to the sounds of a nearby fountain.....
Watch geese splash in the distant pond.....

And as the Teakettle says.......
Where ever the teakettle sings from Happiness .....
THAT IS HOME......!!!!

Thanks for Nibbling with me.....:)
I’ll be back soon..:)

Join Me

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:13:00 +0000

When I was invited to an End of Summer Garden Party, I knew it would be fit for a Queen.......so I gathered my sun visor, sun glasses and my favorite pink silk purse, oh and of course my camera.

Celebrating an end to Warm Days on the porch….what a pleasant way to end the season.....:) Here is a little friend that sits quietly on my back porch. He keeps good company with another fellow who watches over things when I'm away....

Most of you know that I do NOT use Real flowers. No I have to admit that I am NOT a Real Gardner like so many of you.....But I LOVE beautiful flowers and fill my home and porches with them....Why worry with watering when they LOOK THIS REAL…:)
Instead of taking you into a garden at my home, I decided that when you visit me you can take a little break and enjoy a glass of tea and maybe a sweet summer treat out on MY PORCH…

I have it all set up for you and when you arrive, I will just need to fill up the pitchers and tea pots with refreshing tea and bring out the sweet treats. Just PICK your favorite and enjoy....!!

You'll feel right at HOME being served from these Charming Dessert Plates.....I LOVE the metal shoe planter with the colorful flowers poked inside.....

The linen tablecloth is another treasure from my April Cornell collection.
Just look at all the detail.....:)

The soothing sounds of water trickling from our water fountain sets the mood for a lovely Garden Party......

Ok…a few more Containers of Happy Pots and then it’s TIME for Treats…!!!

And the one that makes me SMILE the most, is the one my daughter gave me last year on Mother's Day.......FLOWER POT......how sweet....:) :)

I hope you’ve enjoyed your visit today. Please stop by and…..
If I don't answer the door, please come in and you'll find me waiting for YOU.....out on the PORCH.....:)

I must HURRY….There are tasty treats to bring out….So please join me next time for lovely chats on the porch and share a glass of Sweet Iced Tea. For SOON, Summer will be fading away as we invite Crispy Afternoons with Fall Delights and begin to enjoy MORE time…Out on the Porch…!!!
I’m off to grab the treats…!!!!

Just Peachy

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:39:00 +0000

On our way HOME from the beach last Sunday, we made our usual stop at the Farmer’s Market in Raleigh, NC. to pick up some HOME GROWN produce and fruit. And oh YUM were we in for a TREAT…!!! We stuffed all we could into every nook and cranny that was left between, around and on top of suitcases and bags..:) And we have been munching on all that HOME GROW GOODNESS for a week now.!!! TODAY…I tried using up the rest of the half bushel of PEACHES we bought and decided to make a BIG PAN of PEACH DUMPLINGS…!!! Some of you have ask me HOW I make mine. There is NO RECIPE….Just a method I came up with that is SO EASY and DELICIOUS….!!!! SO…hold your on to your tummies cause I’m about to SHOW YOU step by step MY WAY of making dumplings. Of course you can use ANY FRUIT you wish….TO begin, get ALL your ingredients, bowls, pans, etc. OK…Let’s get started…
Wash and peel your PEACHES and Slice them in quarters or smaller. I usually have a smaller bowl handy and slice them up smaller as I go.

The MOST IMPORTANT ingredient I use is the PIE DOUGH….NOT Canned Biscuits…!!! I use the “Ready To Use” pie crust dough that comes in this little red box….It’s SO EASY….

It comes rolled up in two per box….. ONE BOX MAKES 8 DUMPLINGS…. Open up one at a time and keep the other one in the fridge to keep it cold. Otherwise, it likes to get sticky and hard to work with. So open one pie dough roll and unroll it on a cutting board or clean baking surface…

Then, using a knife, cut the round pie crust into four sections. Place three sections to the side and with your rolling pin, gently roll out the triangle just enough to make it somewhat larger and thinner.

Using a small round bowl that isn’t too deep, place this rolled out piece over the bowl and make a little “cupped out” area to fill with your fruit.

Place your fruit inside in the center. Use enough fruit to make a nice size dumpling. Then sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of sugar over the fruit and add a pat of butter.

Then start to….TUCK AND FOLD your outer edges up and over the fruit.   Be sure to cover it all up making a nice snug pouch. Pick up the bowl and flip it over into your hand with tucked side down and place it into your baking dish…
And repeat this for the all the rest until you have a full pan.

Once your pan is filled…..Sprinkle quite a bit of SUGAR…. I use a lot , they don’t call me the Sugar Diva for nothing…LOL ) on top of dumplings and add a pat of butter on top of each one…..
Then pour enough water in the pan around the dumplings so that it fills up the pan to about half full. It should come on up at least half way or more on the dumplings. This is what makes them JUICY…!!!
Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 35-45 minutes or until as golden brown as you like them. We like ours Light Brown”…..

And Oh My Goodness….They are Delish….!!!! Can you SEE them STILL BUBBLING…!!!! There was only ONE THING LEFT TO DO…:):):)
Yep….you guessed it…..:)  DISH them out and ENJOY…!!!!
It didn’t take long for them to disappear….and after making a special delivery to a few special family members, we STILL have some left for TODAY…:) YUM…!!!! OK, no more excuses for YOU not to make your own Dumpling Dish…and I’ll be waiting to hear all about it….
Good Luck…:)
Have a Happy Monday,
Life is GOOD….:)

It’s a What….???

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:58:00 +0000

It’s a Sandwich…it’s a Cake…it’s a WHAT….???? It’s been a while since I baked or even cooked for that matter but a couple of months ago when my girls were here, we decided to try out a NEW CAKE PAN that I had bought. And Katie got to take it out of the box.

She was surprised to see that it wobbled…and was flimsy…guess she was expecting one of those hard metal pans like we normally use.

This fun cake baker is shaped like a SANDWICH…..But bakes up a CAKE…!!!!!

After the mix was dumped in by Miss Katie, Carly helped with the measuring and Katie took over as any 3 year old would…. I can DO IT…!!! All by myself…:)
Then came some SERIOUS MIXING…!

A few more ingredients and it was getting close to the most important part…and we weren’t Monkeying Around…:)

You guessed it….."Gimme that beater…..!!!!

Once she got that beater, it didn’t matter if we “Baked the Cake” or not…..SHE had what she wanted…
And THIS picture was worth all the time spent together…..Making and Baking…….In Gran’s kitchen…:):):)

Batter in pan…..Cake into oven…..And Katie has moved to the SPOON…!!! Look at that face. I’m not sure she got any in her tummy…:)While we were making the cake, sweet hubby and Cassie were making hamburgers to put on the grill and OH MY the SMELL of those potatoes with onions frying in the skillet on the stove….We were in for a yummy treat…!!!

So In went the Batter……and OUT came the CAKE….

This was my FIRST TIME to bake in a silicone pan…..and I’ll admit I had my doubts…But LOOK…it was PERFECT…!!!!   WOW, I was SO impressed…:) And SO easy…Just spray the pan with a non stick cooking spray….and POOF…it just Popped right out…
And I’m SO SORRY…..I forgot to take a picture BEFORE I cut it in half….Bummer…!!!

So here is the cake AFTER I cut in in half…..The recipe in the box suggested you could fill it with Peanut Butter and Jelly….but we are CHOCOLATE GIRLS so forget the PB&J…..We whipped up some Chocolate Saucy Frosting….and started to drizzle it between the layers….

We packed on as much as it would hold and then topped the chocolate layer with STRAWBERRIES……YUM….!!!!! Now you KNOW I’m NOT a cake decorator so we didn’t spend time Fussing Over It…..Nope, we poured on that chocolate, added our strawberries and we were READY FOR DESSERT…..
And pretty or not…..it was OUR MASTER PIECE…..Now who wouldn’t want THIS SANDWICH on their plate…:) It looks kinda small, but it’s a whole cake just like any other two layer cake.
The girls wanted to use my NEW CANDLE FORKS, so we poked one inside the cake, lit the candle, made wishes, and POOF, ate it all up…!!!! And YUM, it was delish…!!!

The cake may be gone, but the Memories of MAKING and BAKING it will stay with us forever……..… Life’s too short……Eat Dessert FIRST….!!!!
Then it was Clean Up Time ……and that little Diva In Training was no where to be found….
With her belly full of CAKE, she’s found something else to keep her occupied. Well at least for now…..And back to It’s A Cake….It’s a Sandwich…..
   It’s a CakeWich….!!!!

All WORK and NO PLAY

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:47:00 +0000

Yes....I've always heard......"All work and no play" makes for a very dull gal.....Quilty as charged...!!!! So to all my blogging friends, and I HOPE you're still out there somewhere, I've MISSED YOU..!!!!

THANKS so much for the emails you've been sending my way. I haven't answered most of them and for that I"m SO SORRY...!!!! This past year has been a blur with my knee injury and then Bill's illness. Wow, talk about lifetime changes, we've certainly had a little more than our share. BUT...we are doing well and things are finally getting back to NORMAL.

And then there is WORK...!!! Yes, work....and THAT'S where I've been. WORKING...Designing Products...getting ready for wholesale market in Atlanta...and planning a brand new permanent NEW SHOWROOM....what was I thinking...LOL...:)

However, it's all behind us now. We're back from market with no broken bones and although we have lots of orders to ship and things are still very hectic, I want nothing more than to get back to my blogging.

You really haven't missed very much....unless you consider WATCHING ME WORK a thrill...:) Since that's all I've done for the past few months, maybe you'll enjoy seeing some of the goodies I came up with.

I'll share a few now and DO MY BEST to keep them coming your way and have my fingers crossed that I can SOON get back to my regular fun post filled with charm and creative ideas to share with you.

I also have some VERY exciting NEWS to share, but you'll have to wait a while before I can tell you.....:)

OK....let me go find some pictures to share. Oh where did I put them...Found them and much to my surprise, they are all at the TOP of my post...LOL...!!!

Looks like I'm going to have LEARN HOW to post all over again....UGH...!!!

The pictures above are of our new permanent showroom in Atlanta. It just about killed us to get it all done, but it was oh so nice to LOCK THE DOOR AND LEAVE....!!!! And when we go back for next market, it'll all be there just as we left, making next market SO EASY...:) So I guess it was worth the effort and hard work..!!!

My Favorite Thing was my life size FAIRTY cutout we had made for our window. She was SO Adorable....blowing kisses on our Paper Tissue Flower Poms...!!!!

It's late, I'm tired and so the pictures will stay at the top. I hope you still enjoyed seeing some of what's been going on in my world lately. And to all of you who emailed me....THANKS A BUNCH....It's nice to be MISSED...!!!!

Until next time....and I HOPE it won't be long,

I'll be back to PLAY...!!!!

Duck For Cover

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:24:00 +0000

While the girls were spending a few days with us during Spring Break, we decided to take our dinner to the park…feed the ducks…and just have some fun Outdoor Time… I was SO nice to get outside for a change and enjoy the beautiful weather we were having.

Katie had fun trying to catch Butterflies or anything she found flying around with her new net that the Easter Bunny had left her…

After a few “picture taking” moments, the girls grabbed the bread and we were off further down the walking trail to FIND THE DUCKS…Katie just couldn’t wait. When we got to the place where most of the ducks gather, there were only a couple. But that changed VERY QUICKLY….!!!

Suddenly, they were coming from EVERYWHERE…And honking their horns in glee…Hey Guys, FOOD…!!!…Yikes…!! After all, it had been a bad winter and I’m sure they were ready for People Food…:)

As the Flock Grew….and MORE were coming as fast as they could from across the river, the girls got a little nervous and suddenly headed for safety….Katie couldn’t throw her bread very far and the ducks got closer and closer….and the girls started to RUN….!!!
The bread was soon gone…but they Ducks were Still Coming and we knew it was time to head back to the car…:)
At that point, Katie was tired and didn’t want to WALK…!!! Oh my, it was getting cloudy and it started to thunder and I was wondering if we would make it back without getting rained on. We quickly started back down the trail with Katie on Cassie’s back. Thankfully, we made it back with only a few drops of rain coming down. We headed for our favorite ICE CREAM SHOP and snuggled in the car to ENJOY..!!! And just before we arrived HOME….we were caught in a horrible RAIN and HAIL STORM….with no where to DUCK FOR COVER…!!!! It was really scary and I truly thought the hail was going to break the windshield…But soon we were pulling into the garage and safely closed the door behind us…
We were HOME…!!!!

Flowers for ME…!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:43:00 +0000

Last October my sweet hubby and I took off down the road for a “Day Trip” to celebrate our anniversary. Since we STILL needed rugs and a few accessories for our home, we headed to High Point, NC to some of the large furniture stores and design centers there. While there, my EYES fell upon a BEAUTIFUL FLOWER arrangement and I knew…I HAD to HAVE it….!!!! And I also knew, based on the size of it, that it would be very expensive. OK…STILL….I wanted it. I LOVED it…!!! SO….after working with the salesperson trying to get the BEST PRICE….. We were ready to purchase….!!! Only to find that in order to get the best price, we had to pay cash….!!!! Using our CC meant NO Discount…BUMMER…!!! So we walked away with intentions of coming back later…OUT OF TOWN….just to pick it up. Well of course that never happened. We were in the middle of our busy season and never found the time.. Another Bummer…!!! HERE is a picture of that beautiful arrangement that I FELL IN LOVE WITH…..High Point Price….$475.00…Pay with cash deal…$425.00……
WOW….Don’t you agree that it is indeed……BEAUTIFUL…..!!!! AND BIG….:) OK…I NEVER got it but I THOUGHT about it all fall and winter and am STILL thinking about it NOW…LOL… I simply LOVE it… However, while out shopping for SPRING FLOWERS in Feb., before my hubby became ill, I found some pretty tulips that looked good, maybe not as real as these, but I thought they just might work. SO…at 40% off of all flowers that week, I scooped up a bunch of tulips to hopefully create something similar to my inspiration piece. I STILL needed a container though. No Worries…A few weeks later when in MY FAVORITE STORE…..I Found It…:)
And THIS is what I ended up with…Ta Da….!!!!
Love this large container….Cost $19.95…..from…..HOME GOODS..!!!
Flowers….Cost about $22.00…..Total $42.00….Happy Me..:)

I’m off in search of MORE containers to put my other flowers in. I’ll keep you posted on where they land…:) Have a great Monday..
I’m gone…!!!

Happy Return

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:22:00 +0000

It’s been such a long time and I’ve MISSED YOU…:) And just to let you know….Bill is doing MUCH better. It’s been a very long last two months with complications and a few set backs, however I think he is on the road to a complete recovery now…!!! SO…with that said, let’s move on to more HAPPY news….I have LOTS to share but for today it’s all about TEA On THE PORCH…..with little Katie…:)

We took advantage of the beautiful weather during Easter and enjoyed a TEA PARTY the girls… We dug out colorful dishes and pretty linens to make our pretty SPRING TEA TABLE burst with Color and Charm…

Sherry created all the charming Tea Party Decorations which added such a special touch.
Notice all the flowers there….they look pretty good considering they’ve been exposed to SNOW and COLD weather during the rough winter months…:)

Katie was SO thrilled and LOVED every minute of sipping tea and filling her belly with yummy delights….She carefully serves herself more tea with Daddy's help.

We LOVE to “Ding” our cups and do it at every meal…LOL…It’s our way of celebrating Good Times…..CHEERS…!!!!

We had a wonderful afternoon….just giggling and enjoying the beautiful day and each other….Katie was SO HAPPY…and so was I…..:)

Thanks for joining us for Tea and please take a favor with you as you leave.

Happy Home….Happy Me….:)
See you SOON….Promise….

He’s HOME…!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:28:00 +0000

After 13 days in the hospital and a few scares and complications, HE’s finally HOME….!!! Yes he is…I brought him home late yesterday afternoon. I’ll admit I was a little “nervous” to have him here. He came home with a few extra attachments and tubes, but hopefully in a few weeks all those things will be taken away and he’ll be a free man….!!!

He will go back for more surgery in about two months to reverse the colostomy and repair his colon. Then he will be as good as new..!!! I have my SWEETHEART back…:):):) Thank you God…!!!! This is his FIRST DAY HOME and he is doing SO WELL…!!! At 40 lbs. lighter, He even stopped to smile for the camera..:)

Even the Rainbows in our kitchen seemed to be much BRIGHTER this morning…and I KNEW everything was going to be OK…:) Like Sunshine dancing on the walls…

Thank EACH of YOU for all the Prayers…Thoughts…Comments…and Emails you sent our way. Through the miracle of prayer and a Great Doctor, my hubby’s life has been saved. Even though he STILL has a way to go, by summer, he’ll be READY for vacation and back to work as usual…!!!! For THIS…I am Blessed…:)
In the meantime, I’ll be helping HIM get back on HIS FEET….learning HIS DUTIES at work…and WE TOGETHER, will get through this one too. We ALWAYS do…!!!

Hug the ones you love and maybe a few you don’t….:) Life’s too precious to let one moment go un-noticed or enjoyed…!!! Keep Bill in your prayers while he continues to improve and get well.
Life is…Once again….GOOD..!!!!