October

Hello! You might or might not have noticed but I’ve been MIA from blogging for quite awhile. There’s been a lot of reasons – all varied from family life, a desired break and a strong desire to lead a healthier, less-stress lifestyle. The latter means there’s been a detour from sweets and confections from my favored drug of choice – sugar. I know. A tad ironic and possibly problematic for a blog with “sweets” prominently featured in its title. I’ve actually struggled with this conundrum for a long time as I like things all tidy, wrapped up and everything in its place. I didn’t know what to do about this but I realized not having a solution to my blogging identity crisis was one of the things holding me back from moving forward and doing something I once loved which included more than just baking.

succulent pumpkin arrangementDIY of the succulent pumpkin arrangement coming soon.

So while I’m watching my A1C, (which by the way is just dandy but I also want to keep it that way), and keeping the calories in check (because seriously how can anyone bake so much and not nibble along the way), I’d like to blog about what I used to write about when I first started almost 9 years ago when my blog was called Pink Martinis and Pearls. Remember that? The blog was sprinkled with posts about crafts, cooking, and decorating here and there and not just about sprinkles on a cupcake.

If you’ve followed along with me from the beginning, you know I would scatter in posts of a more personal nature, about me, my husband and my boys who so long ago were just finishing up high school and attending college. They’re both grown, graduated and even graduated from grad school and successfully living on their own.  One, on the east coast and the other on the west. I’ve also decided to be much more private with my personal life going forward on this blog. The reasons aren’t important and have thankfully passed but I urge caution to anyone with an online presence of having too much personal info available even if you think it’s of little importance. You don’t want to find yourself in a bad Lifetime movie like I was, believe me.

So before this Stella gets her blogging grove back, I just wanted to say thank you for visiting me here and for being old friends or to welcome new ones!  I’ll still be more active on Instagram and Instagram Stories so you’ll see different things there of a more candid nature and in real-time. I hope you’ll follow me and join me there at SweetsToImpress. I love to respond to comments and I respond to all. I can be quite chatty but isn’t that what connecting on Instagram and here is all about?

So with all this said – this is what I’m working on now – big party plans incorporating a birthday on Thanksgiving Day! At this point I’m playing with colors and textures and what I’m going to do for the invitation for the birthday girl who will be 95! My MIL is an incredible woman who has a Facebook page, writes and answers emails, prints out photos and uses her iPad and computer regularly. She deserves another palooza, don’t you think? Here’s a link to her 90th paoolza party when I featured orange and pink as the color palette.

succulent pumpkin arrangement

Thank you again for visiting today! Have a great week ahead and happy October!

Georgetown Cupcake LA Workshop

georgetown cupcake holiday

Happy National Cupcake Day! I decorated these delicious festive cupcakes at the Georgetown Cupcake store in Los Angeles! Let me tell you about it… A few years ago when we were in Washington, DC on a family vacation I made my manly traveling companions (husband and sons) stop at Georgetown Cupcake since I had watched the TLC show “DC Cupcakes”. The line was out the door, it was hot and humid so I didn’t insist on a sampling but I… [Read More]

French Macaron Class at The Sweet and Saucy Shop

french macrarons

You might call them French Macarons but in my kitchen I call them “macs”. I recently took my third workshop on how to make the airy yet chewy sweet delicacies.  Did I really need another class? Maybe not but I find classes fun, I always learn something new and this was the best class I’ve taken on making the mysterious macs and actually the best baking class I’ve ever taken! It was at the Sweet and Saucy Shop in Long… [Read More]

Wilton Sweet Up 2015 Recap

A couple weeks ago I had the privilege and honor of being invited for an all-expense paid trip to Wilton Cake Decorating’s HQ near Chicago for their annual Sweet Up where new products are launched and trends are discussed. Guests were a mix of bloggers and vloggers. We felt very welcomed indeed! I’m a little late to the recap post party as I caught a bug on the flight home and I’ve been out of creative commission for almost two… [Read More]

New! Celebrity Peeps!

Brad Goreski Peeps

What’s new in candy couture this spring season? Celebrity Peeps! I’m loving the Brad Goreski collection with his signature dark-rimmed glasses and bow tie.  So Brad!    April’s Fool! Just having a little fun today with Peeps and Wilton Cake Decorating Icing Decorations.  Other accessories in the icing package include carrots and eggs, which it true – no foolin’.  So haute! You can find them where Wilton products are sold such as Michaels, JoAnn and Party City. What will your… [Read More]

Sneak Peek for St. Patrick’s Day Cake Decorations

fondant rainbows

Happy March!  I’ve been busy making decorations out of fondant that will adorn a St. Patrick’s Day cake I’m envisioning. I say “envisioning” because I have ideas of certain decorating elements and then I have to figure out how I’m going to make them. This is why I love the creative challenge of decorating cakes, cupcakes and cookies and seeing if I can make those ideas come to fruition. I always ask myself, “Can I figure out a way to… [Read More]

Baking at The Ronald McDonald House

Fondant Flowers-8684.700

This past weekend I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon baking for the families at The Ronald McDonald House in Orange, CA.  The organization supports families in residence whose children who are in treatment at affiliated Children’s Hospitals. The day was coordinated through my sorority’s alumnae group, Tri-Delta.  It was “Delta Love” day and a day to give to others. I’m very proud of my sorority’s commitment to giving.  To date, Tri-Delta has raised more than $30 million dollars… [Read More]

National Margarita Day

decorated margarita cookies

There’s nothing like waking up on a lazy Sunday morning to find out that it’s National Margarita Day! How this glorious event almost slipped by me is unimaginable since margaritas are my go-to cocktail when I’m not certain how an establishment makes a perfectly pink pomtini. Thank you to my ever diligent husband for bringing this to my attention whether there be ulterior motives involved or he’s just looking forward to cocktail time tonight while I tune into the Oscars. … [Read More]

Pink Martinis and Pearls “Pinker, Better, Faster, Stronger”

celebration fondant ribbons

Welcome to Pink Martinis and Pearls re-design! Today I’m celebrating because I’m very excited to share with you what I’ve been working on for months!  As you can tell we’ve had a tech facelift and it feels so good! A little microtechno-brasion here and a nip and tuck there and Voila!  Let me give you a quick tour. You’ll see a menu bar full of organization. Take a spin and look around. There’s categories for Decorated Cookies and drop down… [Read More]

Throw Back Thursday, Instagram Videos and Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, friends!