Inspire Me

Spring is all about new beginnings.  And I find myself in awe of how many friends are setting out on new roads.  As excited as I am for these friends and their new adventures, I am also aware of feelings of being somewhat left behind.  So, in an effort to positively move forward, I have been working hard on finding new sources of inspiration.  I have been sewing like crazy and getting into other fun projects, (but many of those will have to wait to be shared)!

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Taking a class can be wonderful inspiration.  It could be a class about something you have always wanted to learn or something that just seems fun, or even a bit random.  I have taken sewing classes that have taken my skills to new levels, as well as a random wool felting class resulting in some cute (and odd) little animals.  Sometimes the best thing about taking a class isn’t the subject as much as what it inspires inside,  who we meet, or simply the satisfaction of creating something with our own hands.

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A few weeks ago a friend, M, and I took a class on how to bake french macarons.  This is not something that I had a particular longing to know how to do… (I know how to buy them really well already).  But, they do hold a certain fascination, don’t they?  They reek of european sophistication and are currently very trendy.  The crisp outer layer, the creamy center, the beautiful pastel colors… These three-layer cookies do make a happy little package, don’t you think?

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And although I wouldn’t typically classify myself as a baker, I was reminded that it is so much fun to learn something new.  There is something wonderfully beneficial in seeing someone demonstrate the intricacies of a recipe or process.  By learning someone’s tips and tricks it removes the mystery and helps us to become a little more brave ourselves.  Since our class a few weeks ago, at least nine batches of macarons have been made between the two of us.  Can you say obsess much?  We are currently looking for qualified taste-testers… Please contact me if you would like to be considered.

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Author’s Note: I am excited to say that I will be taking my first Pantry at Delancey class this weekend.  I have looked forward to trying out the The Pantry for a long time.  It is a food photography workshop, so you can be the judge in future posts as to whether it was worth my time, but I’m sure it will be full of inspiration.

Happy Spring!

The Point.

For me, the point of this blog is to share inspiration among us through everyday life.  If by reading something I write, someone feels inspired to try something new, or think about something in a different way, then there is a point to all this writing and documenting.  My 35th birthday was this week and I feel so satisfied because I inspired.  My mother read the post about my  grandmother and her secrets … and felt inspired.

Not only has she challenged me to a “taste off” between my pickle recipes and her version of my grandmother’s pickle recipe.  (More on that sometime soon…)  I can’t wait!!

But, she also made a birthday cake for me in the tradition of my grandmother!  What a wonderful surprise.  My grandmother had two cakes that she would bake and she kept the process a secret: “the checkerboard” and “the rainbow”.  So this year I received a checkerboard cake for my birthday from my mom, a woman who does not love to cook.  I love that she felt inspired to figure out the mystery of “the checkerboard” and that I was the recipient of this fun!  Thanks, Mom!  You’re a wonderful mother and an inspiration to me too.

How cool is that?  There is a surprise checkerboard pattern inside.  I believe you can do either two or three colors.   I can just imagine purple and pink from a childhood birthday party decades ago.  In addition to this surprise cake, there was also a package for me to unwrap.  It was the secret… a special pan from Wilton that makes all this magic possible:  Checkerboard Cake Pan.  Who knew?  There are different brands, of course, that make this special pan, Wilton just happens to be the one I was gifted.

I see many a checkerboard cake in my future (and my past)… Happy Baking!

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