The new site should be done soon!!! I’ll post the new website address on here soon, so all my followers can follow me over there! It will be great & it will work SO well with images & everything else that I’ve been wanting, just couldn’t do on here.

Hope to see you all there & look for the new website soon!

The festivities started at 2:00pm with cocktails & appetizers.  We provided all of the appetizers, dinner, non-alcoholic drinks, and cocktails to everyone, but if they wanted beer instead, they had to bring that themselves.

It was so halious though when the guys were placing their bets.  They did it online with my husband placing the wagers online for them.  He looked like a bookie & needed a bookie hat!  I knew whenever a horse race was about to start, because all of a sudden the guys was come in from outside, crowd around our kitchen table, & it would get really loud!  Then they would all hover around the TV to watch to see if they won any money. Here’s a quick photo a took of everyone – you can’t see everyone because they are either sitting down on the furniture or floor.

We had probably about 20 adults, with 11 kiddos, so our house was one busy place.  I was able to get photos of food items while I was making/baking them.  However, whenever I displayed everything, I didn’t get any photos, because honest – I forgot!  My head was too busy with getting dinner finished & getting everything ready.  But it was all yummy!!!!
Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to make my rose garland that I wanted to.  I have this rose paper design that I wanted to put together & thing string different ones together. This party was more focused on the food & drinks, more than the decor. However, I was able to get my horse cupcake toppers made for the kid’s cupcakes – the kids loved them!  Here’s a picture of what cupcakes I had left after Saturday {sorry for the poor photo quality}:

Our menu consisted of….

{Some of the photos look different b/c I was trying out a different setting on my camera.}

Appetizers:
**Mini Hot Browns {which I didn’t get a photo in time b/c they went SO fast, but this is what they are suppose to look like}

**Benedictine {which I got photos of when I was making it, but not how I had it displayed}

 - shredded cucumbers & onion
- with cream cheese

Cocktails:
**Bourbon Punch – yum {mix of OJ, limeade, bourbon, sugar, water}
**Oaks Lily – my fave {mix of cranberry juice, vodka, sweet & sour mix}
**Bloody Mary’s

* We did Mint Julep {the official KY Derby drink} last year, but no one really drank it, so it was a waste.  I passed on making it this year.

Main Course:
**Bourbon Marinated  Pork Tenderloin served with Henry Bain Sauce {yummy sauce}

  - photos of the meat marinating {has to for at least 12 hrs}

**Garlic Cheese Grits {yum yum to my tum}

 - just before going into the oven to bake with more cheese on top!

**Corn on the Cob

Dessert:
**Cupcakes {for the kiddos}

**Bourbon Balls 

- powdered sugar, butter, & bourbon, dipped in chocolate – that’s it! – no cooking required

- adult only dessert!
** Kentucky Derby Pie {homemade – 1st time I made it & I L-O-V-E it!} – Does include bourbon, but it’s cooked out of it while baking for 55 mins

 - chopped pecans & chocolate chips

 - tons of sugar, butter, & a little bourbon simmering together

 - so moist & delicious {I hate pecan pie, but love this}
And the must-have at any Derby party - Kentucky Bourbon!

If anyone would like to try any of these dishes or drinks, I would be more than happy to forward you my recipes – just let me know! Tomorrow, I’ll show pictures of my Derby hat this year and I’ll even include photos of last year’s hat.

To help me get in the mood, I created a Derby themed treasury on Etsy last night, showcasing some of the items I found on Etsy.com:

Off to do more crafting & then yard work!

http://nextstop-baby.blogspot.com/2011/04/owl-themed-baby-shower-hoooo-hoooo.html

So I took these pictures, as promised, right when I started painting. So everything was really messed up in my office, as nothing could be against the walls.

However, I had to disconnect the internet and WiFi, so of course I couldn’t upload the pics. Late Saturday night was when we finally got the desk, computers, and internet back together again.

So here it is… the disaster zone. Where I cant find anything and I’m about to go crazy. I have work that needs to be started on, but cant until I get this mess taken care of.

As of today, I’ve got a tall book shelf and another cubby type storage thing put together. So I’m slowly but surely getting this room together at last. I wanted to paint a pale yellow accent wall in here, but I’m too tired of painting. Oh well.

Back to work while the little one is napping. Oh and she just started Saturday climbing out of her crib. She’s not 2 yrs old yet! I’m going to pull out my hair.

Hope everyone had a fun Easter!

K 

So I promise I’m not lost and buried under all of our stuff from our move. Oh my…I didn’t realize we had so much stuff! And that’s what it is, just plain ol’ stuff!

Having a child and then having your entire guest room items in storage for almost 2 years… it’s like Christmas for me!

The main level of the house is ready except for hanging pictures. The upstairs…another story. 3 of the 4 rooms have to be painted. So my office, hallway, and our little one’s room will be painted by tomorrow night. We at least still have time to paint our room, as our new furniture won’t be here lilk beginning of May.

I will take a pic later today of my office. I’m a clean freak and have to be organized. This room is SOOOOO not that right now. I needed to start working on a custom order due out Saturday, and it took me an hour just to find the color of paper I needed. I was about to freak out because that would have meant a 20 mile trip to JoAnns today. But I found it!

One downfall of where we live now, is I had a JoAnns and Michaels less then 10 mins away at our old place. Now, JoAnns is about 20 mins away, but a Michaels is less than 5 mins! I went there today, to see if I can find similar shades of different cardstock at Michaels, so I don’t have to go all the way to JoAnns just for a particular color. I know, I’m spoiled!

So ill post a picture of the disaster room later today, before I start painting it. Fun!

Oh and to some more serious news….

BRIDES magazine just contacted me and they ARE featuring my petals boxes in their colors article on their July issue. I’ll buy about 5 magazines!

A happy day to you! It’s very windy here and looks like Easter Sunday is going to be cool and chance of rain. Hope your Easter Sunday is bright and warm!

K

Another “Hoo’s having a birthday” party sign, just in different colors -

Enjoy!

Enjoy your day!

Today are photos of a CUTE teddy bear custom order I did last week. She wanted it to match a Wilton cake pan, with a heart on the teddy bear. I’m offering these items in my shop now – can be made with or without the heart, and of course in any color.  I named this listing “Tayler” – thought the “er” would be for a boy or girl name!   Enjoy!

And then the NEW item!  This was the very 1st time ever creating one of these & it was an experience in itself!  I had to hand-sew the tissue paper around the edge of the party hat – sewing paper to paper… that’s new to me!  But it was fun & I’m going to make a bunch of these in different colors to add to my business!  How fun!

Enjoy your day!

The only reason I’m typing this now is because I worked my butt off to get 4 different orders to the post office before lunch today, the little one is napping, husband is having to teach a training course today at work, AND I’ve already sent off photos of invite examples for approval to 2 different customers. And I should be working on orders that are due out on Monday {about 4 of them}, but I don’t feel like it!  So I’m watching Tiger play golf and typing on the laptop instead, waiting for the OK to go forth with these invites. {And thinking about a margarita at 2:45pm!} What a life! I laugh at myself a lot right now.  Honestly though, I think I’m going crazy!

This was ME yesterday…
{just without the blonde hair & with cardstock booklets on top of my head instead of books}

Reason why… well let me tell you.  I had a custom order of 40 bright owls {see image below of what I’m talking about} due to be shipped today {Saturday}.  20 at 3.5″ & 20 at  5.5″ – wanted 4 of each color in EACH size.  I made the 1st layer for all 40 of them on Thursday night. Then got up early Friday morning to start cutting out the other layers. HOWEVER, somewhere in my sleep, I had it in my head that I needed to make 20 of EACH color in EACH size, so 40 total of each color, which would equal to be a total of 200 owls {duh right – not me}!  What the {you know} was I thinking!!!  I went to the grocery store & to get paper to finish up this order early Friday morning as well {mind you I spent over $50 on paper!}.  I still had it in my head that I needed to make 20 of EACH color in EACH  size!  {Are you getting where I’m going – I only needed 4 in EACH color in EACH size for a total of 40}. What a wonderful surprise that would have been for the customer – pay for 40 owls – get 200! WoW

It was about 2pm – mind you I had been working hard getting each layer for each size in all 5 colors cut out for most of the day!  I had almost all 40 of the green owls {in both sizes} put together when I realize – I only needed a total of 40 owls for this order – 20 in 3.5″ & 20 in 5.5″ – NOT 20 in each size & color!!!  I didn’t know whether I should jump for joy, because that meant less work, or if I should pull out my hair while banging my head on the dining room table! After that I had a major headache, my adrenaline was up so high that my hands were shaking.  I thought I was going to die!

At least now when someone orders some of these oh so cute Bright Owls that I’ll have most of the layers already cut & will just need to be assembled – quick shipping!  :)  My husband said that’s one way to look at it whenever I told him.  He pretty much banned me from working last night on anything – said that I needed a timeout from it all. I said that I needed a drink, so he went to get me some sweet & sour mix to go with my tequila!  YUMMY!

Needless to say, I feel asleep at 8:30pm last night, but then was wide awake at 4:30 this morning!  So I started working again at 5:30 am! LoL

So that’s my funny, but not so funny to me, story of the week!

CHEERS