girl wisdom

my sixteen year old sister wrote the following bulletin on my space yesterday.

" Do you honestly think that it's appropriate to have pictures of yourself on myspace where you are practically naked.I mean don't you have any common decency?! Really now.. you aren't gonna get anywhere in life if you go around showing yourself off like that.. It's ridiculous how girls think if they show some skin then they are considered cool.. Where is the self respect people, do you not understand that by doing this you are only teaching boys and men to look at you as a sex objects and not as a person. It's basically sickening.. Haha You don't need to show yourself off to be attractive, less is more. Leave some stuff to the imagination.. Duh!!!!! But anyways I only wish the best for you w****s out there.. Hopefully you will soon realize that your worth more than that. But I've said enough! I hope you all have a wonderful evening!! ♥[a]."

She is a super funny girl and know she has a really interesting future in front of her. It's nice to see her personal voice coming through. And she walks the talk, she is beautiful and attractive but I've never seen her even flirt with the sleazy side of sexy. Way to go Ashley. Love you.

a place for a cake.

I have always loved cake. the whole concept of a cake is full of good feelings and unlimited creative possibilities. I think most of us have a cake memory as one of our very first memories.

Moms, Dads, Grandmas and Big Siblings made cakes with us, letting us stir the batter, lick the beaters and maybe help with the frosting.

We are presented at every big moment of our life with a cake. Remember, putting your whole face in the cake when you turned one? Smashing cake into the face of your newly wed spouse? Eating that crappy grocery store cake in a conference room on your last day at a job you wish you had never started, or eating that crappy cake looking around at the people in the conference room and realizing that you actually care about these people and are really going to miss each of them and this stuffy room?

In college the phrase was coined, "Make any excuse to eat cake" This seems to sum up our relationship with cake. Do we celebrate with cake or have a celebration so we can eat cake?

If you know me you know I love ritual and intentional celebrations. I love it when people care enough about the people around them and the event happening to do a little more, make it a bit more memorable. To me bringing out an embroidered table cloth to cover the picnic table can make all the difference.

This week I finally found a real, classic, cake stand. Check it out. The photos are a bit dark. The sun wasn't cooperating.





I am so happy. Looking at it fills my head with visions of fancy cakes and future celebrations. Putting the next birthday cake on this stand will give it a slight elevation into the realm of history making cakes. Not the larger history of the world but the history of my family and friends. Lifting the cover to reveal a sweet smell and closer look will be a new ritual....well maybe not a ritual but at least I can determine the exact timing of my child's nose dive into the frosting when they turn one.


I looked around and found a few lovely cake stands if you would like to get one for yourself.

I really like this concept even though it is a bit cheesy.
available here



dots are wonderful.
available at Pottery Barn

This one would look fabulous with a German chocolate cake sitting on it.
available at Target



Luigi Bormioli

find it here



Oh, cupcakes! This is a beauty. I like the recessed circles for the cupcakes to sit. Horchow

I just found the following two via The Hostess with the Mostess's June post. Thanks!