12.31.2010

Let Them Eat {Cup}Cakes!


Ta-da! The final cupcake poster!

I want to thank the sixteen people that submitted their fabulous recipes, plus I want to thank Julie from Facebook for suggesting the title.

If interested, you can purchase the final poster here.

Next month I'll be playing a fun game of mix and match...using pears as my point of inspiration. If you'd like to participate, check out this blog or Facebook.

Happy New Year!

12.30.2010

Secret Red Velvet Cupcakes


Wow...here we are at cupcake number sixteen and the final pick for my poster. I wanted to end it with one of my favorites, red velvet cupcakes. This recipe is from Stephanie at Chef Herman's Food Adventures. Check it out here.

Thanks to everyone that submitted a cupcake. They were all great, so I hope to do this again.

I plan to have the poster completed by the end of Friday, December 31. Check back.

12.29.2010

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting


A classic that I just had to include. I try to tell myself that if baked goods include vegetables they must be healthy...right?

In this case Marianne from MealMixer truly does share meal planning for better health. Check out her recipe here.

12.28.2010

Ice Cream Sundae Cupcakes


You can't go wrong merging sundaes with cupcakes.

This creation was made by Jamieanne from The Sweetest Kitchen (the brainchild behind the Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge).

Find this fabulous recipe here.

12.27.2010

Kiwi-Lime Grapefruit Cupcakes


I've enjoyed highlighting some of the winners from the Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge and thought this one was especially cute.

Pink and green was one of my favorite childhood color combinations, so it's fitting that the theme for this cupcake challenge was "childhood memories".

Check out this lovely recipe from Heather at Heather Vision Photography & More.

12.23.2010

White Chocolate Passion Cupcakes


This cupcake puts a new spin on chocolate passion.

Tara of Cupcakes by Tara was the winner of the white chocolate theme for the Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge. She not only makes lovely cupcakes, but takes stunning photos of them.

Oh, and the recipe for her cupcakes can be found here.

12.22.2010

Sweet Coconut Tea Cupcakes with Caramel Filling and Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting


That title is a mouthful, but boy, doesn't it sound tasty?

Lina from Langes Fädchen, Faules Mädchen created this fabulous recipe for the Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge and won! The theme that month? Tea, of course!

For the entire recipe click here.


12.17.2010

Spring Blossom Babycakes


Sometimes the most simple recipes are the most beautiful.

Check out these cute little cupcakes from Melissa at The Chocolate Book.

As Melissa writes..."It's just a little blog about the good things in life, including cupcakes". Oh yes.

12.16.2010

Indian Summer {Margarita} Cupcakes


Have you had a chance to check out The Sweetest Kitchen's Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge? Every month Jamieanne picks a new ingredient for her followers to twist into a spanking new cupcake.

This cupcake was the October winner...with the theme of ORANGE. Congrats to Olga of Sunshine & Happiness! Everyone needs a little margarita in their cupcake.

12.15.2010

Speculaas Cupcakes with Almond Frosting

These cupcakes have a Dutch twist...the addition of speculaas. What is that? Just click here to find out.

Tosca from Baking Me Happy shared this delightful recipe witih me. Her blog focuses on food creations without eggs and milk.

Take a peak at her recipe here.

12.11.2010

Peach & Mascarpone Cupcakes


Mary from Mary Mary Culinary sent me this delightful recipe...a cupcake with a special peach jam filling that almost smiles. Check it out here.

Her blog focuses on baking and desserts...most of them full of colorful ingredients in eye-popping photographs.


12.10.2010

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake


What a fun combination for a cupcake.

This delicacy was created by Amandah from ...and it's vegan. She does not make "vegan food," but instead makes delicious food that just happens to be vegan. Love that.

Click here for this sweet recipe.

12.08.2010

Vanilla Cupcakes


Would you ever make 100 mini-cupcakes for one of your children's school events?

Karla at Forty Cakes dove in and sweetened up her son's Elegant Party (for Valentine's Day) by making these little treats. Lucky kid.

Find out more about how she perfected this simple vanilla cupcake recipe here.

12.06.2010

Blueberry Cupcakes


There are many fabulous food colors, but this is the most striking I've ever seen. I often exaggerate my drawings to make them more interesting, but I would have never imagined going this blue with anything.

Chris at Mele Cotte sent me this beautiful recipe and I couldn't wait to share it.

I highly encourage you to take a peak at the real thing here.

12.04.2010

Cupcakes with Sprinkles


Simple enough...and a perfect cupcake to post on my birthday (yes, it really is). Add sprinkles to anything for that extra spark.

When Rowie at Ravenous Rowie shared her "Sprinkles and Sunrise" post with me, I knew I had to save it for this special day.

What I love even more is Rowie's obsession with sprinkles. Sugar and enthusiasm are a great combination.

Please read her cupcake post here.

12.03.2010

Mocha Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream


These tasty cupcakes were created by Theresa at Island Vittles.

A professionally trained chef living on Pender Island, BC, Theresa focuses on inspiring readers to make delicious, beautiful food from real ingredients, while (gently) provoking conversation about important food issues that face us locally, nationally and worldwide.

Click here for the entire recipe.

{print available}

{original sold}

12.02.2010

Nectarine Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting


To start our sweet adventure, here is a lovely cupcake from Charisse at foodies@home.

This recipe is inspired by their young nectarine tree in the backyard...something I'll never have in the Midwest. Oh hum.

For the entire recipe click here.

12.01.2010

Drawing Your Cupcakes

This month I'm celebrating the ever-sweet and perfect cupcake.

I plan to post 16 illustrations inspired from fellow food bloggers' favorite cupcake recipes. At the end of the month, I'll pull them together into a spanking new cupcake poster.

If you'd like to submit your recipe, please read the guidelines here. It's very easy and I still have a few slots left.

Enjoy!

11.29.2010

Food and Features


I feel so honored...today I was featured on Poor Taste Magazine. You can read the whole article here.

Oh, and here is my December Newsletter too!

11.27.2010

World's Finest Coffee...Painting Process

I thought it might be fun to show you my process of painting on playing cards...

11.23.2010

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all have a great day of eating!

I'll be preparing for my cupcake month in December. If you'd like to submit one of your recipes/images read more here.

11.20.2010

Now time to celebrate!

I have bad news and GREAT news.

The bad news...I didn't make it to the next round in Project Food Blog.

The GREAT news is twofold...now I can get back on track with The Lunch Box Project themes (I have two fun months coming up), plus I can relax and enjoy the holidays. Ah!

PFB was a great adventure and I learned so much. Thanks to everyone supporting me and the best of wishes to the final 24 food bloggers. So much talent...I can't wait to see how the competition progresses.


11.16.2010

Bird and Lemon


It's not a partridge in a pear tree, but instead standing proudly on top a lemon. Does that work?

You can visit the original post here.

11.15.2010

Voting Day Again

After a long break it's time to vote again for Foodbuzz's Project Food Blog.

We are now immersed in Challenge #7: Video 411. If you'd like to take a peak at my video entry just click here.

Again, I encourage you to look at all the fabulous entries and vote for more than one! There are only 48 left...

My video was inspired by a recipe I posted in January 2010. Back then I used to include only half a banana, now I pop in a whole one. Yum-my.

11.14.2010

What Defines a Food Blogger ? {Because I Can't Cook}

I received this very good question today on my video post. Thanks to "Anonymous" for starting an engaging discussion. Someone has finally asked the question I've been waiting for...

"While the video is cute, I'm wondering if you ever actually COOK anything? How can you justifiably be in a food blog competition when it does not appear that you COOK?"

Tomato in Circle

As most of you know, I've always been up front about not being a very good cook (my profile). What I love is the combination of food and art. I communicate this love by telling my quirky food stories, sharing my simple (yes, very simple) recipes, creating monthly food themes to offer a fresh perspective, and sharing fabulous recipes from fellow food bloggers...all through my illustrations.

This brings me to the next question stated above (which I think is a very good one)...is it relevant for me to be in a food blog competition if I can't cook? Hmmm, I guess the real question is what defines a "food blog"? Recipes shared by a great chef? An author that writes about other great chefs? Someone that strictly critiques local restaurants? Someone that isn't a great chef, but shares their struggles with cooking? Someone that draws food of other great chefs? Can a food blog just be about food (in whatever form it takes)? What do you think?

Tomatoes and Rabbit

The Foodbuzz competition has been a challenge for me (in a very good way)...to stay true to my blog focus, while also staying true to each challenge. It has helped me step outside my comfort zone. As you can see from my challenges...I'm actually "cooking" something (yes, way outside my comfort zone). Okay, they are simple in many ways, but that's me. You will note that most food bloggers in this competition have also stayed true to their focus. These bloggers are unique because they spin each challenge towards who they are...and that is what engages us. For instance...how can pizza on a stick not be fun? Because it's the view of a cookie decorator - love that spin...and there are many more.

One thing I commend the Foodbuzz competition organizers for is a variety of challenges to highlight the different talents of food bloggers - photography, videography, baking, recipe tweaking, education, communication, critiquing, and on and on. It really demonstrates the vastness of how we all approach food.

So in the end, I can't cook. But I can write about food, share my struggles and highlights with food, celebrate fellow food bloggers, illustrate food, and communicate the idea of food from a different perspective. Whether or not that makes me a "food blogger" is up for grabs, but I do appreciate being able to participate in this competition and deeply appreciate all these fabulous new challenges thrown in front of me.

Tomatoes and Flowers

Thanks again to everyone supporting my quirky view of food, but also thanks to everyone supporting this competition and allowing so many food bloggers to shine. I've learned so much from my peers and I continue to learn from honest questions like the ones above. Food and conversation go together well. Cheers!

11.13.2010

Peppermint Abound

When the leaves drop and the snow falls, we might as well be living in a candy cane forest.


11.12.2010

Don't Forget the Punch

What's a holiday party without the fabulous punch?


Sugar Plum Punch :: visit original post here

11.10.2010

Drawing Your Cupcakes (in December)

Just a quick note to let you know I'll be trying something new in December...drawing your cupcakes, then transforming the final images into a poster at the end.

If you'd like to enter one of your cupcake posts and learn more about the {easy} submission guidelines, just click here!

I look forward to hearing from you!
Basil Green Tea Cupcakes :: visit original post here
Thanks to Fields of Cake for letting me draw her cupcake back in March!

11.08.2010

Fruit Cake

A staple for the holidays. You either love it or hate it. Luckily we have neighbors that make excellent fruit cake and are always willing to share.

11.07.2010

Baking Season is Upon Us

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is less than three weeks away and the baking season is upon us. This is one of my favorite past cake illustrations. Maybe someday I can cross the illustration barrier and taste a bit of my blue frosting.

Cake Under Glass :: click on original post here

11.04.2010

PFB Challenge #7: Video 411

How to Make a Fruitie Smoothie

I am so excited to have made it this far in Foodbuzz's Project Food Blog.
Big thanks to all of you that voted once again!


I remember several weeks ago wondering if I'd make it to the video challenge and speculating about what I could create. After many weeks of deep, food, artsy thinking...this is what evolved. Enjoy! Oh, and you can VOTE here!

11.01.2010

The Day After...again

This month I plan to share my favorite holiday food illustrations from past posts. Enjoy...as we enter the eating season. Let's start with the aftermath of halloween.

One year ago, the day after halloween I posted this same image. The overwhelming bowl of candy left over (or collected) from beggar's night.


The Day After :: click here for original post

{print available}
(original card painting still available}

10.30.2010

Three Things

Three fun things this week:
1. It's halloween tomorrow!
2. I had a guest post on Chef Herman's Food Adventures.
3. I made it to the 7th challenge in Foodbuzz's Project Food Blog (wow!).


Fresh Pumpkins :: see original post here

{print available}

10.24.2010

PFB Challenge #6: Road Trip

It is so thrilling to have made it this far in Foodbuzz's Project Food Blog. Big thanks again to everyone graciously supporting me. You can VOTE for your favorites again here.

Now it's time for a bike trip...

Blue Print Bike Trip Title
Blue Print Bike Trip description
Blue Print Bike Trip Menu

RECIPES
Blue Cheese and Walnut Spread: Mix equal amounts of cream cheese and blue cheese, then add chopped walnuts, plus salt and pepper to taste.
Blueberry Summer Salad: Click here for recipe
Pear and Blue Cheese Sandwich: Place thinly sliced pears, chunky blue cheese dressing, and lettuce between two slices of whole grain bread. An extra kick...add sliced carrots or replace pears with granny smith apple slices.
Blueberry Cheesecake Squares: Click here for recipe
Blue Drinks: Mix equal amounts of a blue tropical punch and ginger ale.

Blue Print Bike Trip Packing
PFB Cooler
Chips
Blueberry in hand
On bike
Blueprint bike trip end