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If you would like to leave a comment to tell me what you like or if you would like to share an experience you have had, have suggestions for new adventures, or would just like to share what's on your mind, please feel free to do so! I would really, really love to hear any feedback you would care to offer!

When you click on the comments link at the bottom of the post, you will be presented with choices for logins, if you do not already have one of the accounts listed, or you do not choose to login with that account, you can always choose the anonymous option, in which case your name would come up as Anonymous! If you choose to use one of the other log in options, your name would appear as the public name you list for that account. For example, mine would appear as Willow's Quiet Corner, and, of course, your email would not show!

Thanks! And, again, thanks for stopping by! I really hope to hear from you and to see you again soon! Let me know how you think I am doing! :-)

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Happy Blogiversary . . . and Happy Birthday!

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Well, it's been one year since I started this blog.  I had hoped I would be better at posting more frequently, but sadly, life seems to get in the way of me being able to do that!  I have good intentions, but it takes a bit longer than I thought it would to get a post together.  I am amazed by all those bloggers out there who manage to write witty things and post gorgeous photos nearly everyday.  They manage to run their homes, work, dabble with various hobbies, raise kids, style their homes and vignettes and photograph them and get them ready for the web.  My hat is off to all of them!


When I started it I wasn't sure if anyone out there would find anything I had to say worth reading.  My mom, sister, cousin and some of my friends have faithfully checked in on a regular basis to see what's new in my little corner of the blogosphere and gave me words of encouragement.  My mother helped spread word to her friends and I have been happy to have them stop by from time to time and to have taken an interest in my little ramblings.  And, I have been surprised and pleased to have other bloggers who accidentally stumble upon my little blog to link to my blog as followers.  I am honored to have made some new blog friends this past year.  Thank you to each and every one of you who have stopped in to visit.


And thank you to everyone who has subscribed to my little blog and to those who have become followers.  I hope to be able to come up with enough interesting things to post about to keep you interested enough to keep following along and checking in from time to time!


There is also another thing to celebrate.  Tomorrow is D's birthday!  

Happy Birthday to you!  
Happy Birthday to you!  
Happy Birthday, dear D!  
Happy Birthday to you!  


Go do something fun . . . but, don't go getting into any trouble this time!  :-)  We're tired of having to bail you out every year!   (hee hee hee!)

(Pssst . . . . Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you are 85!  It'll be our little secret!  ;)


To celebrate both these dates, I made some of these Neapolitan Cupcakes from the Better Homes and Gardens Cupcakes magazine, . . . with a couple of modifications.  I wanted to make them entirely from scratch, so instead of using a box mix of white cake, I used their recipe for vanilla cupcakes and doubled the batch.  While they were moist and taste great, they came out pretty dense, so next time, I would chose a less heavy recipe for the base.  


I decided to put the chocolate layer on the bottom and added chocolate chips.  Next time, I would add a bit of espresso to bring out or intensify the chocolate flavor.  The white layer is vanilla flavored.  For the strawberry layer, I didn't have any strawberry preserves, so I used fresh strawberries and chopped them up, added a bit of sugar and let the mixture sit for a couple of hours to develop a little syrup before incorporating it into the mixture.


Basically, you mix just mix the cake according to the directions, divide it into thirds and add chocolate to one third, strawberry to another third and then leave the last one as the basic vanilla mix (though I'll bet it would be great as a banana flavored layer . . . hmmmmmm).  Their instructions were to put the strawberry layer on the bottom, but since I wanted to add chocolate chips, I decided to put the chocolate layer on the bottom, since I figured they would drop through to the bottom anyway.  The batter I used ended up being so dense the chips wouldn't have gone anywhere!


I topped them with a Butter Cream frosting.  They recommended mixing it up, dividing it half and adding red food coloring to one half and then filling the piping bag with white frosting on one side and the pink on the other side so when you pipe it you get the colors swirled together.  I am just learning to decorate, so mine didn't quite come out like their picture . . . but I don't think I did too badly!


Thanks again for all your support this past year!  I hope you take a moment to celebrate all the good things in your life today!  Don't forget to grab a cupcake on your way out! ! !

12 comments:

  1. Happy Blogiversary Sherrill! I happen to think you come up with amazing posts and great photography. Plus your an excellent gardener! I only post once a week maybe once every second, I simply don't have the time either. So your cupcakes look delicious your such a tease! :)
    Have a great week, Hugs Rosemary...X

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  2. Thanks, Rosemary! The jury is out on my gardening skills! I have lost nearly everything I planted! My rhubarb that was looking so lush, just keeled over and died. I am hoping the crowns are ok and it will come back . . . only time will tell! I haven't given up hope . . . yet! ;)

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  3. Yes Congrats. All the way from Brisbane Australia. I too agree you have a wonderful blog. I show my appreciation by following your journey. Hope to see you over at my place soon. I will be back soon. By the way I enjoyed the cupcake on my way out. Cheers Kerry

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  4. Thanks for stopping by, Kerry! Glad you enjoyed the cupcake! I have a whole recipe book full of them I plan on trying and sharing over time! Don't forget to come back for more! ;)

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  5. Happy bloggy first birthday! Here's to many more years! I too don't know how people update their blogs daily.... I'm struggling with weekly or fortnightly at the moment :)
    Thanks for the lovely cupcakes, they look so delicious and completely amazing! YUMMMMMMM!!!

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  6. Thanks, Natasha! I appreciate you stopping by and saying hello and I thank you for your sweet wishes! You're welcome to as many cupcakes as you would like! See you later! ;)

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  7. Your blog is lovely!!! Thank you for visiting me the other day. Love the look of those cupcakes. xo

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  8. Thank you for dropping in and for your kind words, Koralee! I always look forward to your posts! They are always so sweet!

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  9. Oh, nice post.)) Love your blog!!!.))))))

    I need your help ... Soon I am flying to Greece and I will have a two-day shopping in Athens .. You were there ever? If yes, what places you advise?

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  10. Thanks, Mary! I've never been to Greece, so I am not able to offer any suggestions on where to shop!

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  11. Hugs from me to you.:-) Stina

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  12. Stina, Thanks so much for dropping by! Hope you are having a wonderful day!

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