Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Devilish Devil's Food Cupcakes by Ambrosia



With only one day until Halloween, it’s never too late to start celebrating. If you’re like me, then the best way to celebrate any holiday is by baking! I stumbled upon this great post (with beautiful photography) by Nina on her blog, Ambrosia.  

Devilish Devil's Food Cupcakes
Cupcakes from Epicurious, Frosting from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook (available soon at French Toast)

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature

For the Frosting

4 cups confectioner's sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tablespoons whole milk
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract (to taste)
red food coloring (Wilton gel colors)

fondant, tinted black (for decoration)

For detailed directions, visit Ambrosia Baking.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Open for Business


Its official…we are open for business! Last Saturday, we opened our doors for the first time, inviting friends and family to be our first shoppers and boy, did they deliver! Thanks to everyone who helped make our first weekend a huge success. The night before, we literally had no product on the shelves and nothing scanned into the POS system. It was a lot of work, but luckily, I have an amazing fiancé. Even though he once proclaimed that this project was “my thing” and didn’t want to be involved, he spent the night scanning in merchandise while I frantically created window displays and placed items on shelves. We have a long way to go, but it turned out pretty cute! Above is a picture of the main room. More to come!

If you don't live in the Spokane area, visit us online. We ship anywhere!!

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Dwell Well

With the store opening in just six days, I am in full on panic mode. As it turns out, you can’t just go get a crib mattress anywhere in this city. Unless, of course, you want to sacrifice complete quality and standards (yes, I am a baby gear snob), or wait two weeks and pay for shipping. Since we won’t be selling crib mattresses in the store until next year, I was left with the task of finding a high quality, plush looking crib mattress to display some of the beautiful Dwell Studio bedding we have in store. Of course, I avoided this detail until the last possible minute and now I’m left with my fingers crossed hoping that it will arrive by Friday. Oh well, I guess I’ll just add it to the ever growing list I’ve titled “things I never dreamed I needed to know, but now I do.” In the meantime, please enjoy the first look at Dwell Studio bedding we have in stock now. Pictures of the store coming soon!!

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Say Anything...

Alphabet bunting is here in the store!! Yes, it's been a while since I've posted, but I have a good excuse...the store is opening October 20th. We have been working nonstop painting, building, and unwrapping AMAZING products. One of my faves is this fabric bunting from Meri Meri. If you frequent Pinterest and Etsy, then you know that bunting is very much "a thing." For those of us who aren't super crafty, or if you can't find the time to make your own, Meri Meri has created this beautiful fabric bunting. You can customize your own banner! Whether it's "Happy Birthday," "Merry Christmas," or your child's name, these gorgeous fabric banners elevate any space or celebration. Personally, I love to tie them on gifts for an extra special touch! Check out the video below for some quick inspiration. Music - 'Humans' by Rozi Plain - www.roziplain.co.uk