IFBC 2013

Yesterday I mentioned that I was planning to attend the IFBC (International Food Bloggers Conference) later this year.  It is a fabulous event...and the best goodie bag ever.  I had to buy a duffle bag just to bring home all the kitchen gadgets!

International Food Bloggers Conference

Foodista 2013 Food Blogger Survey Results

A few months ago I participated in a food blogging survey.  Foodista is one of the major sponsors of the International Food Bloggers Conference....which I highly recommend if you have a food-related blog. I attended the 2010 IFBC in Seattle and I plan to go again this year. So much fun!  

Here is the link to the survey results. I was surprised by many of the responses...the most surprising was that the majority of food bloggers maintain their blogs for personal satisfaction (my motivation) and not monetary reasons. I guess with all the advertising on blogs I expected money to be a priority. So nice to find out otherwise.  Enjoy the journey through the thoughts and observations of fellow food bloggers!

Results of the 2013 State of Food Blogging Survey



Memorial Day Cupcakes

On this Memorial Day....thank you to all those who have sacrificed lives and loved ones and to those who continue to protect us! 

The Green Eyed Lady Blog

 

Cupcake News Headlines

Every now and then I go surfing for cupcake news...and I hit the jackpot today.  Apparently the British Secret Intelligence Service MI6 replaced a bomb recipe in an Al-Qaeda magazine with a cupcake recipe from an episode of the Ellen DeGeneres show.  Sweet!  (pun intended)    Carpe Cupcakes y'all! 

MI6 Attacks Al-Qaeda in "Operation Cupcake"

MI6 Hackers Replace Bomb Recipe with Cupcake Recipe in Al-Qaeda Magazine

from nikki1201's photostream

a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image

Political Correctness & Cupcakes

A few months ago a third-grader at Schall Elementary School in Caro, MI  had cupcakes confiscated by the principal because they were decorated with green plastic toy soldiers carrying guns.  I realize that there are recent tragedies involving guns and we should be sensitive to those who have lost loved ones, but are we losing our ability to use common sense?

The toy soldiers were the WWII kind that come in the giant bag of 100 that you get at the dollar store.  My brothers and I used to set up elaborate forts and scenarios with these guys.  We played with our toy soldiers by day and watched footage of the Viet Nam war at night, yet when we grew up it never once occured to us to grab a gun because we were unhappy that we didn't get exactly what we wanted exactly when we wanted it or we thought that we were "owed" something that we didn't get....which in my opinion is the root cause of almost all the gun violence in our society. 

I applaud the parents in this cupcake situation who asked the principal to simply remove the soldiers and serve the cupcakes!  People of Earth...use common sense and just serve the cupcakes!




CBS Atlanta
Birthday Cupcakes Cause Controversy at Local School



Cupcake Cookie Jar Update

Many moons ago (2/7/11 to be exact), I wrote about a cupcake cookie jar that I found at Pier 1.....and what an adventure that turned out to be.  I received an email from a reader in Switzerland that wanted to know if I would buy the jar and ship it to her since Pier 1 does not have online ordering (and what's up with that?).  I bought the jar but the reader had failed to give me any contact information so I could not send the jar.  I put it in the garage and forgot about it.

Last Christmas another reader saw the blog entry and emailed me to ask about the jar.  I told her Pier 1 no longer stocked it but I had one in my garage.  I shipped it to her. 

Last week I had another email about the jar...so I went to my local Pier 1 to tell them they were missing lots of opportunities to sell those jars.  If any of you have one of these, please put them on Craigslist or Etsy.  You will have buyers!

Cupcake Wine Stopper

Pier 1 has done it again...a very cupcake-friendly place. May I suggest a bottle of chardonnay by Cupcake Vineyards?

The Poppywood Flower

For the past few months I have been taking sugar flower classes on Craftsy....so much fun!  My favorite are the southern sugar flowers - the dogwood and magnolia. I was born in Magnolia, MS so that flower is near and dear to my heart! 

I am experimenting with creating my signature flower.  I don't know what it will be yet, but here is my first try.  It doesn't actually exist in nature but it is a combination of the poppy and the dogwood.  Introducing.....the Poppywood! 

The Poppywood Flower
perched atop a marshmallow cupcake

Happy Birthday Cupcake Plates

Birthday parties and cupcakes just go together. These paper plates were found at Wal-Mart and if you look closely at the bottom of the photo you will see the best part...only $0.97 for 8 plates.