Sugar Rush!

So being that today's my last day at my current the 9-5 job, (I'll be starting my new job after the long weekend), and that I really do love and respect both of my bosses, I decided to leave them behind with something sweet. A few months ago, I made some truffles as favors for a small bridal shower I was hosting and they came out so fabulously, that I've made them a number of times since.

I figured truffles would be the perfect creamy confection to say thank you and farewell with and they were definitely a hit! Here are some pictures, and my recipe. Feel free to replicate, but don't blame me when you eat the whole batch!

Chocolate Truffle Recipe

Ingredients
-10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
-3 tablespoons unsalted butter
-1/2 cup heavy cream
-1 tablespoon light corn syrup
-1/4 cup orange liqueur or brandy (optional)
-½ tsp vanilla extract
-1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder, finely chopped nuts, and/or toasted coconut, for coating truffles
-8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

Directions
Put 10 ounces of chocolate and butter in a medium size glass mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, and repeat this process 1 more time. Set aside.
Heat the heavy cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the melted chocolate mixture; let stand for 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently, starting in the middle of bowl and working in concentric circles until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and creamy. Gently stir in the liqueur and vanilla. Pour the mixture into a glass baking dish and put in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Using a melon baller, scoop chocolate onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Place the cocoa powder, nuts, and/or toasted coconut each in its own pie pan and set aside.
In the meantime, place the 8 ounces of chocolate into a medium mixing bowl which is sitting on top of a heating pad lined bowl, with the heating pad set to medium. Depending on the heating pad, you may need to adjust the heat up or down. Stirring the chocolate occasionally, test the temperature of the chocolate and continue heating until it reaches 90 to 92 degrees F; do not allow the chocolate to go above 94 degrees F. If you do, the coating will not have a nice snap to it when you bite into the chocolate. Once you have reached the optimal temperature, adjust the heat to maintain it.
Remove the truffles from the refrigerator and shape into balls by rolling between the palms of your hands. Dip balls into the chocolate and remove excess chocolate. Then place the truffle into the dish with cocoa powder, nuts or coconut. Move the truffle around to coat. In the meantime, continue placing the chocolate-coated truffles in the cocoa or other secondary coating. After 10 to 15 seconds, remove the truffle to a parchment lined sheet pan. Repeat until all truffles are coated. Allow to set in a cool dry place for at least 1 hour; or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Truffles are best when served at room temperature.

These are great as gifts or for entertaining! Happy truffle making!

An Egyptian Table

So I was contracted to paint a table. ( I get some pretty awesome requests.) There is this really cool eccentric couple who wanted me to paint the Egyptian Goddess, Ma'at in the center of a table and put the name "Wizdom" above it. (Their future daughter)-----:) A sure sign that Sugar is tied up in the art studio is my lack of blog posts---and let's see, we have a few events to plan, I've got a few portraits to paint, and some cool sewing projects-----YES I said sewing! lol. Anywhoooooo check it out:) ---I can't wait until someone hires me for wall art, I'm dying to paint a wall. LOL

A Tea Party:)!

The suprise party that we helped to plan last weekend went swell! I only managed to snap off a few pictures, but here are some of the elements of this '50's Style Tea Party' :

A Digital Invitation I created for her:) (This is just a screen shot so it's not as clear as it was)

(Above) A Birthday Banner, some cool flag garlands, and some hanging flower balls finished the look.

For favors, I made personalized tea-bags (Green Tea) and named it after the Birthday Lady:) the Party Date is in the middle, and the bottom says "Sweet. Refreshing" (Someone has already asked for a tutorial, so I will post one later.)

I made strawberry shortcakes, and soda-floats for dessert, and their menu included simple finger foods like sandwiches and shish-kabobs (that is spelled my way btw)----so it was simple yet sassy. I'm sooo sorry I was only there for set-up so I forgot to take pics after it was ALL put together. I'm TERRIBLE at that! But you get the idea right? Hehe!

And lastly, I made a Tea-Pot Cake, complete with a little 'Sugar Dish', some sugar squares, and one of the teabag favors.:) It was delish!

What are you reading?

I love to read. I have this vision of a me about five years from now, laid up in an all white library; every wall filled with books. I am sitting in a swing that I have built into the center of this library, one that resembles a hammock, and I swing slightly as I get lost in a literary nirvana, free of the world for a hew hours each day. I love memoirs, fiction love stories, science fiction with unicorns, dragons, and yes, vampires. The book I just read was called 'Some Girls', by Jillian Lauren. She tells of her travels to Brunei, as a 'special guest' of Prince Jefri, the youngest brother of the Sultan. High class whoredom at it's best, but she is brutally honest and sooooo fun to read, that you can't even judge her. Plus she is a Leo like me so our energy is so similar it's unnerving. The book starts off with Jillian telling us about her adoptive parents, how lost she subconsciously feels--without dwelling on it at all, and how she ended up in a harem in Brunei, where the Prince spoiled his 'favorite' girls with ridiculous gems and shopping sprees that make you wanna kick, punch, AND slap your mama. I read with overwhelming vigor, as she went on a journey to finding herself, although she was, from the beginning, an exceptional person.  I knocked it out in two days, (my usual for one of those Can't -Put- It- Downers), after reading every night until my eyes betrayed me and sleep prevailed.
Anyway, it's a new release, and I'm sure it will be a Bestseller. I want to be one of the first million people to give her a promo on the blog. Go Jillian!

A Vintage Bachelor Party Invitation!

I created this vintage French Quarter New Orleans Bachelor Party Invitation for a guy in Louisiana who is about to get hitched. His friends who are hosting it simply LOVED the idea, and they are now building the party around this idea! ( I can't be there to plan it, but it sure would be nice!!)----- I think creating funky one of a kind invitations is one of the funnest things that I do. Yum!!

Awww Kusudama Flowers:)

We are planning a party for this coming weekend for a client, and I am creating a garland of sorts for decorations. Ok I say garland but in the world of Sugar, no decision is made until it's done. I might decide not to do a garland, and make hanging paper-flower balls. (Not the played-out tissue-paper ones)-----I am working with some Kusudama paper flowers, which are these fancy little origami flowers that I just LOVE to make.
Here is what they look like completed:

Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to make your own (they are kind of tedious but beautiful!)---you can also purchase them from our Etsy Shoppe this summer.

Here is my quick How-To for those of you who would like to try to make one:)

I hope you like it! :)

Willy Wonka Bedazzled!

Ok, so it's kind of hypocritical for me to do one post on how much I love this fitness site and how I like working out and then follow it by blogging about candy, but hey, nobody's perfect! I came across one of the newest splurge items on the market, and even though I was skeptical at first,I think I'm on board now, because let's face it, I like candy and I like sparkles! The Sugar Factory has taken the regular, run of the mill lollipop and added some pizazz. Their couture lollipops, complete with their custom rhinestone handles have been seen in the hands of some of the biggest celebs including Kim Kardashian and Britney Spears. The rhinestone handle is reusable, so after you devour one tasty confection, you can buy a refill and snap it on your existing bling stick!

What excites me though, are the possibilities. The first thing I thought was "PARTY FAVOR!" and then I thought "DIY!" These would be a great addition to most events, but at almost $25 bucks a lolly, these things are not cheap, so even though they're cute, no one but a bajillionaire is going to be able to afford hundreds of them! I'm definitely coming up with awesome ideas on how to make my own! Stay tuned for my version of a couture pop, until then, I'll stick to Dum Dums!

Beach Body Anyone: Blog Love!

We're all aware that Summer is right around the corner. Heck, we're reminded every time we pass by the racks of bathing suits on sale at virtually every store. For some people (ahem Sugar), Summer is a happy time. They can't wait to peel off the extras, slip into something slinky and frolic in the summer social scenes. For others (like myself), Summer causes panic, small anxiety attacks and crash diets. About a year ago after trying EVERY trick and fad diet in the book, I was finally convinced that the only way to lose weight healthily and consistently is to exercises and eat nutritiously (duh!).

This grand realization has transformed me into somewhat of a fitness fanatic. I try and work out as regularly as possible and I make an effort to stay away from dangerous foods. Obviously, I am far from an expert, so I like to consult with those who are by reading, blogs, talking to nutritionists and working with personal trainers. Some have been helpful, while others have not. One resource I came across recently, has been particularly exciting, so I want to share! The brains behind The Fitnessista , is Gina, a trainer with a real passion for working out and healthy, delicious foods. She blogs about working out, eating right and provides her readers with workout plans, tips and recipes to reach their inner Fittnessistas / Fittnessistos.

What's special about Gina's blog is her personality. Each post is full of spunk and her excitement and energy transcends. It's awesome and I'm hooked, so check her out and hope you enjoy her as much as I do!

Fashion Friday: 'Raining Roses'

So since I just posted a bib necklace how-to, here is an example of how you can rock one. Especially if you choose to make yours out of big rhinestones, yum!

A Fabric Bib Necklace

So lately I have been drooling over this new bib necklace phenomenon. I love big jewelry! Especially on the summer when you want to show off those sun kissed shoulders (or when your shoulders are burnt to the point of such discomfort where you HAVE to rock a sleeveless.) A nice voluminous necklace just brings your outfit to life! I wanted to give Narine one of such pieces for her birthday that just passed, but I had a bit of a time crunch because I'm one of those people who decide what they want to get you about 24 hours before your special day. So I had to make it. I will show you how I did it, in case you want to craft yourself into oblivion for the next five or six hours. (or later when you get home from work lol). These will be available in our Etsy Shoppe by the end of the month so look out for one if you decide not to make it!

This is a typical bib necklace:

First step to making Nar's necklace was to gather all of the findings and fabric that I could find in my art studio. I wanted it to be black so that she could wear it with anything:

Then, I of course drew out the exact size and layout of the "bib" part of my necklace on paper, so I could figure out how much fabric I would need. I used two silk shirts that I had in my closet for no apparent reason, a pair of earrings that were made out of fabric, jewelry odds and ends from Michaels, and swarovski elements. I even dissected these old sandals that had some quality rhinestones on them, because the better quality the stones, the more polished it will look.

Next: I cut the fabric into several long strips , folded those strips in half. and stitched a loose seam along the edge. This gives you a smooth edge for the 'petals' of your flower. This is the easiest flower I can show you right now, although I used about three techniques to make her necklace. This is a starter flower so try this one first, but email me if you feel you are ready to learn a few more. (I do plan on posting them in the nearby future.)

When you have sewn the fabric along the edge, pull on the thread at one end while holding the other, in order to bunch the fabric up, and then shape it into the flower. You will want to sew the back of it together so that it stays put. You can add a gem in the center as I did here if you like.

After I was finished creating my flowers, this is how the necklace looked. You can leave some thread hanging for a grunge look, or keep it completely clean by cutting all of the excess thread. Then you will want to use a touch of clear nail polish to seal the threads where they fray. Just a dab ( like you do when you get a run in your pantyhose). You will arrange the flowers and then one by one, sew them together from the back. Add the two pieces that will connect around your neck to either side (OR you can use high quality ribbon as well)

Happy Bib-Necklace making! I think I'm going to make about 100 of these in various colors! lol. If you do one, please send me the pics!!

Crown on a Pillow Cake!

Here is a cake that I created for a Baby Shower, it was made to look like a pillow with a crown on top for a baby boy! :)

The fondant was made from scratch, I used Chocolate Mud Cake on one side and White Chocolate Mud Cake on the other side, which are similar to pound cake, except you use couverture chocolate in the recipe, which makes them melt in your mouth! 

Le Salon Rouge Illustrations

So I created some more illustrations for my Le Salon Rouge line, and added two more characters to the line. Here are all of the ones I have so far, the newest members are the first few pictures, some of which are children, or Le Rouge Academy:) Some of them you may have seen but someone emailed me and asked me to post them all (oh, and they will be available in our Etsy Shoppe this summer)~!

I can't wait to share a new D.I.Y project with you, it was a gift I made for Nar who just had a birthday this weekend, so I couldn't post it last week because it was a surprise! Which one of these do you like the most and why? Any suggestions for characters?

Did Someone Say Bargain?!

Ok, if you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a sucker for awesome deals! I love finding them, getting them and buying them. It's just SUCH a rush! Recently, a few websites have popped up that offer great deals in certain cities near you. Basically, these companies are working with local businesses who end up as their clients, negotiating great deals with them and providing them a source of advertising as a trade off. The deals change every day and you can pre purchase them at the negotiated buying price as long as supplies last. Living Social is one of the sites that I've been excited about for a while now and they have some awesome bargains, for example, 4 yoga classes for 35 dollars at a local studio! Deals for Deeds , another similar site is exclusive to DC and also offers bargains, but it concentrates on supporting local eco friendly businesses and charities! Basically, you purchase a deal and some of your money is given to a good cause in the process!

So go on, check out these awesome new sites and help out a good cause, or just yourself!