We were invited to lunch on Saturday at friends of ours and said that I would bring desert. I took a few days to mull over what I would make. I thought about cheesecake but we don’t really know this couple’s likes and dislikes so I saw this recipe for these Death By Chocolate Cupcakes and thought Who doesn’t like cupcakes and who doesn’t like chocolate?
I ended up making my version. I don’t have luck making cake from scratch and honestly I like cake mixes better….they just always turn out moist. I used a Devils Food mix and added the Hershey’s Kiss. I also didn’t want to make ganache so I decided to make Magnolia buttercream.
Death By Chocolate Cupcakes
The only part of the cupcake not shown on the original at The Pioneer Woman blog was of the cupcake cut open. I envisioned the Kiss being a gooey chocolate mass in the center of the cupcake. Instead it turns soft and sits at the bottom of the cupcake. We decided at lunch that if I would have put the Kiss in point down it would maybe stayed more toward the middle like I had envisioned, but I don’t think it would have gotten more “molten” like I had hoped.
Inside of a Death By Chocolate Cupcake
They were definitely yummy and I think I will experiment more with this idea. I think my next adventure with cupcakes will be cream filled cupcakes!
I have gotten a little lazy with posting but I am back. I completed a new Bat Wing Mantle Clock. This clock is painted with my favorite colors black and orange and is also gold leafed. The clock face has been painted with a Crescent Moon and a Witch riding on by.
Bat Wing Mantle Clock
Bat Wing Mantle Clock
Bat Wing Mantle Clock
The clock will be listed on Etsy. Click here to go to the listing.
I am moving on to other projects. I have so many things around here waiting for me to get to them I don’t know where to start. I have had the winter blahs and need to shake things up a bit. So, we’ll see what comes from that!
Back in November I painted a large bowl for Brandon’s Aunt. His family threw her a surprise party for her 80th birthday. I painted the bowl, loaded it with some goodies, shrink wrapped it and put a bow on it. I forgot to take a picture of it. She was nice enough to take a couple pictures of the bowl and mail them to me 
……
Painted Bowl
The weather here has improved since my last post. We have had about a week of no snow. the snow we had is slowly melting but I am sure we are in for more! For now we are enjoying this less extreme weather.
Happy New Year! Snow! Snow! Snow!. It just won’t quit! It’s been snowing non-stop for the past four days. I know that this is just part of the joy of living in the snow belt of Northeast Ohio but really, it can stop now and give us a break!
It has snowed so much that the snow is collapsing on itself and making everything look like we are living in Dr. Suess’ Whooville. Everything looks like big rolly polly marshmallows. Here are a couple of pictures of our deck and backyard…
With the lovely weather I won’t be doing much traveling and that will give me plenty of time to get the clock I started before the holidays done and start on a couple projects I have been thinking about doing.
Had to post my favorite Christmas gift. Brandon saw this and debated whether to buy it or not for me. I am so glad he did because I LOVE IT!!! He bought me a Gallery of Light – Hitch Hiking Ghosts – by Robert Olszewski.
Gallery of Light - Hitch Hiking Ghosts
Gallery of Light - Hitch Hiking Ghosts
It is a shadow box and it is very detailed. The frame is about 5 inches square and on the frame one of the leaves is the switch to turn on the LED blue lights. The hitch hikers are very detailed and really makes me feel like I am at Disney in the Haunted Mansion. Love It!!
We had a terrific Christmas. Santa was very good to us all. Our son made out like a bandit and has plenty to keep him busy with an XBox and games, LEGO sets, board games, models, books and assorted other toys. Brandon got a carving tool he was looking at and some other needed and wanted things.
I didn’t really paint anything for everyone this year. I normally make tags or something and just didn’t feel like it. I did paint clocks for our Moms. They both bought clocks in the fall and asked me to paint them. I didn’t really do them for Christmas but it was just when I got them to them.
My Mom’s is painted with Hydrangeas…
Hydrangea Clock
Hydrangea Clock
For Brandon’s Mom, she wanted houses on hers. Her clock was very small so that made that a bit challenging…
Primitive Houses Clock
Primitive Houses Clock
Primitive Houses Clock
That was my own exercise in miniatures! The clock was only about 6 – 8 inches wide so the house scene was quite small.
The next couple of days are going to be all about relaxing and playing with our son and his new stuff! Not so relaxing but fun.