the fan's birthday

I didn't really do right by The Fan for her birthday today.  I picked her up in the afternoon and ran her around from place to place searching for sturdy, affordable footwear for the Cheerios. It was a fruitless adventure, we'd have been much better off at Starbucks planted in the big comfy chairs. It's a good thing she's so good-natured and she's used to my crazy projects. Any other mother would have been miffed with a birthday trip to the Adidas Outlet and Shoe Warehouse.

I did, however, create some amazing cupcakes for the occasion. They are red velvet with sweet buttercream icing with a dash of cherry cordial flavouring. 

The best part, if you look really closely, are the chocolate bits on top. I bought them at yesterday's event from the Epicure rep. I sprinkled them with these dark chocolate beads called Indulgence. The aroma of them is heavenly if you adore the smell of chocolate (who doesn't?) and they really are dark and glamorous looking.  You can make them into a dark hot chocolate drink by adding hot water or you can use them as a garnish on baking or lattes.

At least I managed to arrange some flowers for The Fan, but I shamelessly did so in the beautiful vase she gave me as a gift, so that makes me a re-gifter/loaner. Because I want it back, and she knows it. It's just so amazingly tall that for once, I didn't have to chop off the stems of the long roses. And since nothing went my way today, I managed to break one rose off at it's head, sadly decapitating it over my sink with careless handling. I was in a flap. Once I start breaking flowers, one flap leads to another... and there you have it. Flapville.

Oh, well. My intentions were good. Anyone care to wish The Fan a Happy, Happy Birthday? We lurrve her so.