happykatie :: katie rocks out the interwebs

Mr. Firepants and his mad fire bending skills

Adam my firebug from happykatie on Vimeo.

Adam lit up with his fire dancing crew for the first time last night - it was beautiful and slightly nerve wracking :)

Cupcake Monday: Mastering marzipan for autumn cupcakes

 
 Ah, the Fall.  Bright colors on trees, brisk sunshine-y air worthy of unpacking pretty handknit scarves and cute tall boots to wear with corduroy skirts.  It's my favorite season, even though in Houston we really only get to enjoy it for a couple of weeks (if we're lucky) and it's not nearly as pretty here as in other more northerly states.

But now I'm just being ungrateful.  I'll take the Fall in whatever shape, form, temperature or length I can get it.  On a culinary note, it signals the arrival of a something quite welcome in my kitchen - thick stews and simmering chilis, posole with homemade chile (New Mexican style!), hearty savory souffles, vegan pot roasts and lovely squash and pumpkin temptations at the farmer's market.

In the cupcake world, these months give us the opportunity to explore an entirely new realm of spices, flavoring and garnishes.  One of the more popular garnish medium around is Marzipan.  Can you hear me practically start to salivate when I type that word?  Marzipan Marzipan Marzipan.  I could eat pounds of this heavenly almond paste in one sitting with nothing but me and a spoon, it's so glorious.

While it's certainly not a seasonal ingredient (eep!  love this La Murier cupcake for a light summer treat), I love some of the cute Fall themed cupcake recipes out there.  The sweet-but-not-too-sweet almond flavor also lends itself well to some of the heavier and more spice laden holiday recipes you'll be trying out this year too.  Here are some helpful links to get you going:

• Marzipan recipe - although you can buy marzipan pretty inexpensively in your grocer's baking aisle, specialty food shops or at World Market Plus
• Martha's gold gilded marzipan acorns and leaves
• Pumpkin cupcake toppers (another Martha creation)
• Basic tips on making Marzipan shapes
• Lovely apple cupcake recipe with marzipan leaves
• Holy cow - chocolate squash cupcakes with marzipan centers!!

Photo thanks to Flickr user corypina

      

happylinks for you to read (weekly)

• The Complete Guide to Google Wave: How to Use Google Wave

  tags: happykatie, howto, googlewave, guide, collaboration

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Cupcake Monday: Cupcakes in a jar (2 ways)

If you're already thinking about some fun handmade Christmas gift ideas for the cupcake lovers in your life or just plain like random ways to make cupcakes, these will be lots of fun for you: 

Cupcakes in a jar, ready-to-eat style:

 
I dig these Mason jar cupcakes because the idea is to eat them asap - these would also be a fun picnic or camping item to share with your picnic blanked or tent mate.  

Since they are perishable, I'd add berries or cherries too depending on what cupcake angle you're taking.  Adam calls them a cupcake parfait - delightful.  Here's another cupcake in a jar example that is, apparently, quite out-of-state shipping friendly (and beyond cute):

 
 

Cupcake Mix Jars

 
 

My Mom used to make these really great jarred spiced tea mixes and give them away at Christmas time to neighbors and teachers.  The idea of doing this for cupcakes never occurred to me before, but it's BRILLIANT!  You can buy a really pretty set (see the photo above) from Cupcake Provocateur or try your hand at making them on your own:

• Rainbow Cupcakes (gift mix in a jar)
• Peanut Butter Cupcakes (gift mix in a jar)
• Pack Me a Cupcake Picnic mix

happylinks for you to read (weekly)

• Op-Ed Columnist - The New Untouchables - NYTimes.com

  A Washington lawyer friend recently told me about layoffs at his firm. I asked him who was getting axed. He said it was interesting: lawyers who were used to just showing up and having work handed to them were the first to go because with the bursting of the credit bubble, that flow of work just isn’t there. But those who have the ability to imagine new services, new opportunities and new ways to recruit work were being retained. They are the new untouchables.

  That is the key to understanding our full education challenge today. Those who are waiting for this recession to end so someone can again hand them work could have a long wait. Those with the imagination to make themselves untouchables — to invent smarter ways to do old jobs, energy-saving ways to provide new services, new ways to attract old customers or new ways to combine existing technologies — will thrive. Therefore, we not only need a higher percentage of our kids graduating from high school and college — more education — but we need more of them with the right education.

  tags: happykatie, business, recession, NYTimes, Thomas Friedman

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Good Mood countdown: Artist dates / adventures / shenanigans

 

Have you ever read The Artist's Way?  It's a great book about connecting everyday folks to the creativity within, whether they are a lawyer, doctor, rock star, pencil pusher or chimney sweep by day. 

Are there actually chimney sweeps anymore?  I threw that in for good measure.  Regardless, the point is that we can ALL grow and be better at what we do by living and working creatively - no MFA required.

One of the key elements of this book centers around 'Artist Dates' - something that, most definitely and certainly, puts me in a darn good mood. 

The idea is that you take yourself out for some sort of culture / artistic / creative exposure at least once a month.  Do something that you normally don't do to put your brain in a different mode.  Push yourself out of that comfort zone to open your eyes a bit.

Some great ideas on an Artist Date:

• Visit the Zoo with your digital camera and take at least 100 pictures
• Borrow a cookbook from the library and cook a cuisine you've never made before
• Grab your sketchpad (or buy a cheapie one) and go to a Dr. Sketchy's!
• Take a knitting, sewing or Gocco class with a friend (and support a local spot like Sew Crafty!!)
• Make a retablo / altar for Dia de Los Muertos
• Beef up your Google Reader blogs in a unexplored territories (knitting, cooking, classic cars, etc.)
• Take a trip to your nearest fabric shop
• Keep tabs on exhibits at your local museums, take advantage of those free admission days!
• Host a themed dinner party
• Go disco bowling with those friends you just never get to see anymore
• Write a letter - like the ones with stamps and actual paper.  Remember those?
• Spend an afternoon in your favorite book store's magazine section and soak it all in
• Put together an 'I think you're swell' care package and mail to a friend

I've found that it's often been the "little" stuff that's gotten those bigger bouts of creativity kick started - little bite-sized pieces of inspiration that keep the spirits high and the good work flowing.

What are your favorite artist's date?  What have you done for your creative bone lately?  Leave a comment here and be sure to vote today for the Good Mood Blog contest!

Photo thanks to Flickr user tjrewin

Cupcake Monday: Creepcakes!!!

There are loads of fun Halloween cupcake recipes out there, here are some of my favorites:

Brain cupcakes (chocolate brains with caramel/raspberry extract blood on a velvet cupcake):

 
 

Pumpkin and cranberry 'Witches Teeth' cupcakes: 

  

Tentacle 'creepcakes':

  

Worm-y dirt cupcakes:

   

 

Good Mood countdown: Finding joy in others' work

 
This is part of my daily Good Mood Blog contest countdown (big post here) - please vote for me today to be the official Good Mood Blogger!  You can vote once a day per browser until 10/30.  To thank you for your help, I'm doing an Eye-Fi card giveaway on 10/31 - the more votes / comments you leave, the more chances you have to win!

There's nothing like soaking in the talent and creativity around you to freshen your spirit up.  Thanks to the Web and a fantastic arts community in my real world neighborhood (Houston), there is no shortage of creative souls to follow and be inspired by:

Artsy love
A few artists that tickle my creative bone:

Ms. YET - one hip, funky-cool and lovely gal that rocks out some pretty amazing artwork.  She's a dancer, model and all around red hot Renaissance woman.  Inspiring.

Karen Walrond + Chookooloonks - a beautiful woman I look up to in so many ways.  As a mother she's so loving, present and darn cool - as a photographer she so captures those quiet instances that matter - as a writer she's lovable and re-readable.

Amanda + Action Puddle - we first met at Houston Dr. Sketchy and I've watched her grow and grow into an even more amazing artist than she started oh-so-many Sketchy sessions ago. 

Dr. Sketchy Anti-Art School + Molly Crabapple - All 80+ Dr. Sketchy global chapters are a source of inspiration and drive for me, these highly unique groups of artists that gather monthly to sketch, sip and socialize.  Our fearless leader Molly is one of the loveliest and most talented artists I have ever laid eyes on.  Check her new book out - you will fall in love with her, consider yourself warned.

Tummy so happy love
Who I turn to in times of hunger and need for food porn:

Carlos Meltzer + 365 Days of Food - Word can't describe what a sweetheart this guy is, let alone what a phenomenal presence he is in the kitchen.  A lover of food, beverage and teaching others to "get it" like he does, Carlos' food projects (like his latest debut on BlockCast TV) are unique, snazzy and awesome - just like him.

Vegan Noodle - For some reason, I still haven't met this lady in person even though she lives in the same city as me.  Living in a vegan house and cooking primarily vegan, I'm always eager for cool vegan cooks to share their secrets, failures and successes with me.  This gal does that and more - plus has a love of cupcakes that I cannot help but hugely admire.

Aural love
Music to my ears, so proud to know these folks:

Edward Grigassy + Oldtime Swing Band - not only a stunningly talented guitarist and composer, but family too!  We love listening to Edward play everything from swing, classical to Latin.  A happyfamily favorite.

Andrew Karnavas + Runaway Sun - local musicians that quite simply rock it out.  Slow, sweet, uptempo and groovy, a great group of talented musicians.

DJ Dave Wrangler - I've been a fan for quite some time of this great guy and his great mixes.  If you don't know him already, you'll know his name and his beats pretty darn soon.

What artists and musicians inspire you to be a better creative human being?  What are some of your uplifting influences?  Leave us a comment and be sure to vote on the Good Mood Blog contest today!

happylinks for you to read (weekly)

• Haystack : Discover the right Web Designer for your next project.

  tags: happykatie, design, community, crowd sourcing

• A Throwback Exercise: Hula Hooping Becomes the Hot New Workout - TIME

  A few years ago, adults began picking up hula hoops for fitness. What might have been a passing fad has taken hold, with thousands of enthusiasts worldwide.

  tags: happykatie, hooping, fitness, health

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Good Mood countdown - for the love of Kombucha

This is part of my daily Good Mood Blog contest countdown (big post here) - please vote for me today to be the official Good Mood Blogger!  You can vote once a day per browser until 10/30.  To thank you for your help, I'm doing an Eye-Fi card giveaway on 10/31 - the more votes / comments you leave, the more chances you have to win!

 

Our house is a lover of beverages caffeinated, except for the fizzy, sugary stuff.  We have a great French press for yummy coffee beans we buy from local roasters (almond flavored is my favorite) and we've got more tea bags than one family can handle.

Sometimes, however, the caffeine crashes are less than good mood inducing -- and that's where this amazing, liquid heaven comes in:  KOMBUCHA!!  Can you hear the angelic singing when I type out that word?  It's good stuff.

Kombucha is kind of like nature's crack - except you buy it at Whole Foods and your fellow kombucha heads probably smell like patchouli (instead of Black and Milds).

It's a fermented tea that touts some hefty health claims - many cancer survivors swear by it (and many others look to it for cancer prevention), coffee junkies switch to it for ridiculously great energy it provides, it helps with detoxification, clear skin and hair -- the list goes on.

Good mood is truly a state of mind, but a nice glass of Kombucha (my favorite store bought brand is   but I prefer to pick a batch up from the farmer's market from Basic Kombucha / Mama Pat) can go a long way to jump starting that mood battery - especially for those bleary eyed mornings.

Vive le Good Mood - Vive le Kombucha!

What puts YOU in a Good Mood first thing in the morning?  Leave a comment and let me know - that'll enter you into the happykatie Eye-Fi contest going down next week!  

Don't forget to vote for me on the SAM-e Good Mood Blog today!

Good Mood Gig from SAM-e

Funky cool Kambucha photo thanks to Flickr user sal de mar