Hey Divas and Dukes ~
Not like the rest of the country at the moment, San Diego is in a heat spell as well. I know I can't complain because we are at least 90 percent of the time in Paradise weather. So when it gets to the high 80's or more, we tend to be a bit of a 'wilting lilies' here. Such as we are!
But with the hot weather there is always new things to do and try. I don't know what it is this summer but almost every home or food magazine I have picked up this season has been talking about making your own ICE CREAM SANDWICHES!!!! What could be a better combo for summer anyway?
Tonight, my mom, (Mama Royale) is in town visiting and we just finished making a set of delicious ice cream sandwiches for a birthday dinner tonight. SUPER EASY! Okay, if we went through the trouble of making our own cookies and our own ice cream, like so many of the magazine articles I have read say to do, then, yes, I too would be a rival of Martha Stewarts. But since the warm weather calls for quick and easy, I will give you my EASY recipe for ice cream sandwiches.
Are you ready?
Get cookies of your choice at the store. Larger ones work better.
Get ice cream of your choice at the store.
Leave the ice cream out to soften.
Turn a cookie upside down on a large plate, place a generous scoop of ice cream on top of it, place the other cookie on top of that, smash it down a bit, trim the excess ice cream off the sides with a knife, wrap in a piece of plastic wrap and freeze for a couple of hours.
SERVE! Thank you very much!!! (We're going to put them on a plate drizzled with chocolate sauce and then pour a jigger of Bailey's Irish Cream on top....just because we CAN!)
Instant gratification is what the hot summer months calls for, and I invite you all to take part in an easy and quite impressive dessert for you and your friends.
When you do make them, write to me on this blog and tell me what combinations or embellishments YOU did to make the traditional sandwich cookies uniquely your own!
Keep it JOY-FULL!!!
Big Duke HUGS,
RAYMe
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
"Daycations!"
HI Divas & Dukes!
One of my favorite things about summer is spending more time with my twin nephews. They're going into the 3rd grade and they have very busy schedules during the school year. So summer time is a great time for spontaneous get togethers. And with the economy the way it is we're taking "Daycations" Mini trips around San Diego.
Tues we decided to take a quick trip to the San Diego Zoo. It's the 2nd largest in the world. We have member passes so we can pop in and spend a few hours and leave. My sis and I have been taking them to the zoo since they were babies. It was fun for them and great exercise for us. I still cringe thinking about pushing a double stroller up those steep hills and laughing all the way!
Now that they're older they like to pick out where we go. We always have to see the snakes first! NOT my favorite! I always have the image in first the Harry Potter movie where the glass disappears and the HUGE snake is free.
I decided it would be fun to give my nephews throw away cameras and see the zoo thru their eyes. It's always fun to see what they find interesting enough to take pictures of. It's also fun to see things at their height. We're going to make a mini book with the pictures we develop. Then they'll tell their story! They love to write. It's going to be an ongoing project for the summer. Lots of great memories they can look back on with their favorite Auntie!
What are some of the places in your town you like to share with your family?
Have a Diva Day/Summer!
Diva Danielle
One of my favorite things about summer is spending more time with my twin nephews. They're going into the 3rd grade and they have very busy schedules during the school year. So summer time is a great time for spontaneous get togethers. And with the economy the way it is we're taking "Daycations" Mini trips around San Diego.
Tues we decided to take a quick trip to the San Diego Zoo. It's the 2nd largest in the world. We have member passes so we can pop in and spend a few hours and leave. My sis and I have been taking them to the zoo since they were babies. It was fun for them and great exercise for us. I still cringe thinking about pushing a double stroller up those steep hills and laughing all the way!
Now that they're older they like to pick out where we go. We always have to see the snakes first! NOT my favorite! I always have the image in first the Harry Potter movie where the glass disappears and the HUGE snake is free.
I decided it would be fun to give my nephews throw away cameras and see the zoo thru their eyes. It's always fun to see what they find interesting enough to take pictures of. It's also fun to see things at their height. We're going to make a mini book with the pictures we develop. Then they'll tell their story! They love to write. It's going to be an ongoing project for the summer. Lots of great memories they can look back on with their favorite Auntie!
What are some of the places in your town you like to share with your family?
Have a Diva Day/Summer!
Diva Danielle
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Full Swing Summer!
Hey Divas and Dukes!
Now that mid-July is here (and leaving FAST), I find myself in a place of wanting to purge a lot of my household items and make things neater, easier, etc. For the last few years I have gently swayed my friends to avoid giving me lovely 'coffee table' items, etc., as much as, let's go out for a special cupcake and enjoy each other's company. This is always a bigger gift for me.
So with the items that I finally start looking at seriously to decide if I still want, I am in a great place to look at them in a new light and see if they can indeed be made into something else! Thus, the creative, 'crafty' mind comes into play.
Having spoken with Jenny Doh, the editor-in-chief of Somerset Magazines on our radio show today, we tapped into the fact that our upbringings lead us to learn to be creative without a lot of supplies. In other words, make do with what you have. And from that basic thought, I love turning things into new and wonderful objects either for myself or as gifts for loved ones.
I just received some very cool vintage restaurant china dishes from a great aunt who recently passed away. I am so thrilled to have them, but alas, with the move, one of the dinner plates cracked all the way through. Not enough to get actually broken, but the crack lines are there. I gave it to Danielle who is starting to collect such items for a project she's working on and with the full permission for her to 'bust it up' if she wanted. Instead, she liked the pattern on the china so much, (lovely little cherry blossoms in pink with black stems) that she has decided to turn it into a cake plate on a stand! Finding the right piece of pink depression glass vase or candle holder will make that plate so beautiful and give it a brand new life.
So look around your own surroundings dear ones and re-invent those "I should get rid of that" items! The possibilities are ENDLESS!!
Keep it Joy-FULL!!!
RAYME
Now that mid-July is here (and leaving FAST), I find myself in a place of wanting to purge a lot of my household items and make things neater, easier, etc. For the last few years I have gently swayed my friends to avoid giving me lovely 'coffee table' items, etc., as much as, let's go out for a special cupcake and enjoy each other's company. This is always a bigger gift for me.
So with the items that I finally start looking at seriously to decide if I still want, I am in a great place to look at them in a new light and see if they can indeed be made into something else! Thus, the creative, 'crafty' mind comes into play.
Having spoken with Jenny Doh, the editor-in-chief of Somerset Magazines on our radio show today, we tapped into the fact that our upbringings lead us to learn to be creative without a lot of supplies. In other words, make do with what you have. And from that basic thought, I love turning things into new and wonderful objects either for myself or as gifts for loved ones.
I just received some very cool vintage restaurant china dishes from a great aunt who recently passed away. I am so thrilled to have them, but alas, with the move, one of the dinner plates cracked all the way through. Not enough to get actually broken, but the crack lines are there. I gave it to Danielle who is starting to collect such items for a project she's working on and with the full permission for her to 'bust it up' if she wanted. Instead, she liked the pattern on the china so much, (lovely little cherry blossoms in pink with black stems) that she has decided to turn it into a cake plate on a stand! Finding the right piece of pink depression glass vase or candle holder will make that plate so beautiful and give it a brand new life.
So look around your own surroundings dear ones and re-invent those "I should get rid of that" items! The possibilities are ENDLESS!!
Keep it Joy-FULL!!!
RAYME
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Which Box Media is Out of the Box!
HI Divas and Dukes,
I'm excited to announce that Diva Craft Lounge is part of an exciting new on line community! it's called Which Box Media. It's a place to tell your story, shop, socialize and share. It's like Flikr,Bing,YouTube,and Blogger all rolled into one! They have an ecobox, flavorbox, parentbox, travelbox, and creativebox.That's where you'll find us!
We started working with the great people at WBM last October. We were very honored to be one of the fist companies to be asked to participate in this revolutionary new site.
The hardest thing about this process was that Rayme and I had to keep it a secret! We're a little challenged that way. When we find something we love we HAVE to share it with everyone we know! And now we have an opportunity to do just that! We're really looking forward to creating & sharing new projects, new Diva-Sodes, Diva Road Trips, and interviews with the multitudes of creative talent out in the world. You'll even find some projects from our book "Designing with the Divas and Friends" on there. If you share your own stories, you can enter to win some really cool prizes! How great it that!
So, Guess what? You get a special invitation from DCL and WBM to take part in this very exclusive test market. Just go to www.DivaCraftLounge.com and click on the cute Which Box banner, sign in and you can check it out. Just remember.... this is a trial run or a dress rehearsal,so to speak. They're making a ton of changes and they would appreciate your constructive opinions. So please log on and check it out. Rayme and I think you're going to love it.
We'd love it if you let us know what you think. As always we're so grateful for your support and friendship over the last 5 years! Here's to ,many,many more.
Have a Diva Day,
Diva Danielle
I'm excited to announce that Diva Craft Lounge is part of an exciting new on line community! it's called Which Box Media. It's a place to tell your story, shop, socialize and share. It's like Flikr,Bing,YouTube,and Blogger all rolled into one! They have an ecobox, flavorbox, parentbox, travelbox, and creativebox.That's where you'll find us!
We started working with the great people at WBM last October. We were very honored to be one of the fist companies to be asked to participate in this revolutionary new site.
The hardest thing about this process was that Rayme and I had to keep it a secret! We're a little challenged that way. When we find something we love we HAVE to share it with everyone we know! And now we have an opportunity to do just that! We're really looking forward to creating & sharing new projects, new Diva-Sodes, Diva Road Trips, and interviews with the multitudes of creative talent out in the world. You'll even find some projects from our book "Designing with the Divas and Friends" on there. If you share your own stories, you can enter to win some really cool prizes! How great it that!
So, Guess what? You get a special invitation from DCL and WBM to take part in this very exclusive test market. Just go to www.DivaCraftLounge.com and click on the cute Which Box banner, sign in and you can check it out. Just remember.... this is a trial run or a dress rehearsal,so to speak. They're making a ton of changes and they would appreciate your constructive opinions. So please log on and check it out. Rayme and I think you're going to love it.
We'd love it if you let us know what you think. As always we're so grateful for your support and friendship over the last 5 years! Here's to ,many,many more.
Have a Diva Day,
Diva Danielle
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