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Hiking Bear Lake Trail, British Columbia, Canada

November 9, 2012 by Jenn

This summer, we were able to manage our time MUCH better than last, our starting year in this crazy, self-run business.   We tried to get out each and every Sunday, and for the most part, we were successful.  There are so many stunning areas around us in the East Kootenay’s that we can be out and hiking in minutes.  Since, we are not in the same kind of shape we used to be *cough* we re-hiked a number of our favourites . . . which made my complaining, and constant questioning of “when we are going to get to the top?” pretty much non-existent!   I’m sure P was glad about THAT . . . except he HATES going to the same places over again.  I love it, and he hates it . . . and we ended up re-doing hikes all summer!  That’s a total win in my column I think.  I have few, people, oh, so few.

This particular hike was done with my good friend Karen, from Toronto Girl West fame.  She was in town finishing up some work leftover from before she moved.  Karen is in much better shape than I, so I was glad to have someone around who could keep up with Paul’s speed . . . and incessant need to talk.  All. The. Time.  Thanks Karen 😉  I love Karen dearly, but what I found out after the fact was that she is terrified of bears!  She told us she was frightened of them (I think most sane people are), but it came out later (FB? Twitter? I can’t remember) that it was a much greater fear than she led on.  Why was this a big deal?  Well, we were headed to BEAR Lake!  Grizzly country! 

I don’t know how much truth there is to this, but there was a story from a couple years ago that two guys were camping at the lake, left their backpacks at the camp, went fishing, came back and a grizzly was going through their backpacks (in which they had stupidly left food).  The bear apparently charged them and they shot it. Grizzly gone.  I thought this story would make Karen feel safer, and ended it with, “apparently Grizzly’s have territories and so therefore there isn’t a grizzly there anymore!”  Until Paul had to butt in and say something along the lines of “but a new one’s probably moved in by now”.  Very helpful Mister.

Karen was a great sport, came along, suffered the fear, and lack of hiking boots . . . and most of all, she agreed to do this video with us!  Make sure you check out her post on this as well, and give her some much deserved love.

Enjoy the stunning scenery!

Bear Lake View

Bear Lake Hikers

Bear Lake Mountain

Swimming Bear Lake

Filed Under: Cardio, Hiking Tagged With: Bear Lake Trail, British Columbia, Cranbrook, hiking

How to Make Camouflage Cupcakes

November 3, 2012 by Jenn

I have learned to accept the fact that I live in an area of the world that some might call “red neck”.  When P and I first got together, one of our first dates was to go out shooting (with a BB gun).  It was a big deal, since I had never held any sort of gun before.  I’m sure he thought about running from me as soon as he heard I hadn’t grown up in a hunting family. . . “What did you DO when you were growing up?”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Cupcakes Tagged With: cake, Camouflage Cupcakes, cupcakes, hunting, hunting cake, hunting cupcakes

Cranbrook Sawmill Fire

November 2, 2012 by Jenn

The old Tembec/Crestbrook saw mill was on fire tonight!  Being the boring small town folk that we are, we of course embarassingly, rushed the scene . . . along with all the other residents of Cranbrook.   There is no word yet on what caused the fire, or how it started.  It definitely smelled of burning rubber though.

 P took some great pictures from the ridge behind the mill. . .


Filed Under: Randomness Tagged With: Cranbrook, Cranbrook fire, cranbrook sawmill, fire

Pumpkin Shaped Cake

October 18, 2012 by Jenn

I’ve got one more Fall video to show you!  Please bear with me, it’s one of my favourite times of the year . . .Eeek!!  

This is an idea that I saw on Pinterest . . . where did our ideas come from prior to Pinterest??  Seriously . . . did we have to use our brains and think like individuals or something?  Phewf, glad that is over with.  

To make this pumpkin shaped cake, what you’re going to need is a bundt pan, two batches of any flavour of cake batter and coloured buttercream (we have all of these videos up on our channel if you need recipes).  Using the bundt pan, you’re going to bake each recipe of cake batter, let them cool, level them off, put them on top of each other, and then ice it like a pumpkin!  Easy and cute!

Now, if that confuses you, just watch the video and it will all make sense.  Enjoy!

 

 One person on our YouTube channel suggested that you pipe a face on it to make it look like a jack-o-lantern . . . that would be so cute as well!  

Pumpkin Shaped Cake

Filed Under: Cakes, Holiday Baking, Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: pumpkin, pumpkin shaped cake, thanksgiving, thanksgiving cake

Spider Web Halloween Cupcakes

October 12, 2012 by Jenn

I have exciting news . . . P and I have a pet!  Of course we have Ruby already, but since I got her before I met P, we’ve been looking to find one that both of us choose together!  

We’ve been hiding our pet in the garage all summer, and he (we think he’s a he) actually found us!  Herman (our pet) appeared one day in the garage window, and stayed there until last weekend when we caught him, and put him in a cage.  He will have a happy life in his cage, with branches, freshly sprayed water, and corn padding liner.  Herman is a Diamond Back SPIDER!  Yes, we have a pet spider . . . and yes, he is our pet.  He gets talked to, put in the sun, watered and fed (nasty, dirty, gross stinkbugs!) It started out as a joke, but now its kind of nice 🙂  

With spiders on the mind constantly at home, and at school (you can’t teach Kindergarten in October without studying spiders!).  I was bound to come up with a tutorial for a spider themed cupcake.  

This video is dead easy way to have people impressed with your decorating skills!  

You will need two colours of buttercream . . . I chose orange and black for Halloween purposes obviously, but you could use any two colours.  ** by the way, when did purple become a Halloween “colour”?  

I hope you enjoy the video . . . and I will send your well wishes to Herman, because I know you’re happy for us 😉

 

Spider Web Cupcakes

Filed Under: Cupcakes, Holiday Baking, Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: cupcakes, Halloween, Halloween Cupcakes, Halloween recipes, spider web cupcakes

Black Velvet Cake: Halloween Cake

October 11, 2012 by Jenn

 I’m going to get a little disgusting for a minute.  So stop reading if you don’t want to be grossed out. 

If you eat this, your poop will be green. 

I warned you! 

This cake is a play on a Red Velvet cake, but instead of red, we’re using the black dye for the cake!  It’s perfect for a spooky Halloween cake . . . which is bound to impress your family, guests, or coworkers.  

But remember, if you don’t want to be asked uncomfortable whispered questions in the hallway at work, “Um, Jenn?  Was there something in that cake that… maybe…might have…um…?”. 

Black Velvet Cake, Part 1

 Black Velvet Cake, Part 2

In this part of the cake series, we use the Cricut Cake!  **Curses**  Now, as you may know, my Cricut Cake can be slightly temperamental, but, thanks to the beauty of video, it appears flawlessly executed!  If you are currently “bargaining” with your Cricut Cake, YOU WILL GET THROUGH IT!!  In this video, we are using Photofrost Icing Sheets which we airbrushed black to match the cake theme of bats and Halloween.

The beauty of using the Cricut with icing sheets is that they tend to travel through the Cricut smoother and is cut easier than a fondant/gum paste mixture.  It is more like true paper.  Using the icing sheets makes for less time spent rolling, setting up, tearing, re-rolling, re-setting….etc! 

 

Black Velvet Cake

Filed Under: Cakes, Holiday Baking, Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: Black Velvet Cake, cake, cricut cake machine, Halloween Cake, photofrost icing sheets

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

October 10, 2012 by Jenn

 Pumpkin Pie, without a doubt is my favourite pie!!  I’m always so excited when fall comes around, and I can find Pumpkin Pie everywhere!!  

I knew there had to be a way to combine my love of pumpkin pie, with my love of cupcakes, and thanks to the glory of Pinterest, I did!!  Hands down, the best part of this recipe is that the frosting is the pumpkin pie FILLING!  Oh, it is to die for good! 

Having the pumpkin pie filling as the frosting, as seemed to be confusing to some viewers on our YouTube channel…hopefully, you won’t find it confusing!!  The filling component, that is baked in the beginning of the video, is cooled, and used as the frosting.  I don’t think that is confusing.  Seems simple enough to me, and hopefully to you too! 

I hope you enjoy my tutorial video on How to Make Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes!

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Filed Under: Cupcakes, Holiday Baking, Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: cupcakes, pumpkin pie, Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes, thanksgiving, thanksgiving cupcakes

How to Color Buttercream Icing / Frosting – Video

July 29, 2012 by Jenn

When learning how to bake, colouring buttercream/frosting/icing (whatever you want to call it . . . I just call it deliciousness) can be one of those things that seems simple, but a little extra instruction can never hurt.  

The most important tip I give anyone starting out, is to invest in the Gel Pastes!  The Supermarket run of the mill food colouring dyes will not cut it and you will be left with dull or oddly coloured icing.  

The second most important tip I can give you is to add the dye in small amounts until you reach the desired colour/shade.

 I have been using Americolor Gels for the last year and love them!  Get yourself some of those and you’re set.  

Filed Under: Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: Color Buttercream, frosting, Icing
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