Heading Out West

Okay, not really West-just to Wordpress.  I haven't posted here forever because I have been so busy readying my new house!  If you should find yourself here-please head over to www.sherriohler.wordpress.com and make your self comfy in the new place.

It's bigger, better and tidier than ever.  I'll go make some yummy pastries and put on a pot of coffee for you...
See you there!
xo,
Sherri

Hearing From God in the Creative Process

It's so amazing to me how I forget to listen for the whispers of God from day to day.  Knowing that He has spoken and the blessing of obedience in listening, is the purest pleasure we as humans can encounter.  Yet-I still run about my busy days, weeks and even months without so much as taking a breath's moment to hear Him.  I'm so thankful for His grace in not letting me ignore His tugs at my heart.  I love it that we serve a God who is relentless in His loving pursuit of us.

The last time I listened. I know at least 3 people that God blessed...I was one of them.  There is something about the creative process that helps me to slow down, pray and pay attention to the Creator as I go.  Whether it's a painting, a recipe, a logo or a room vignette, when I put love for others in the details, God shows up and guides me along.  I ADORE that.

Earl Grey Cake with Raspberry Jam Filling & Lavender Vanilla Frosting...baked in a jar for perfect shipping to a far away friend.

Let's spruce up the jars a bit...

 

A bow makes everything better.

I got this adorable cooler/lunch bag at Target for $10, it'll make the perfect cooling/shipping solution for my cake jar birthday gifts.

Hand glittering a card made from some of my new artwork.  It's the little details in the creative process that make me love being an artist!

One more bow for good measure.  I am such a girly-girl. Lol I also added one of my Style Tiles to the gift for good measure :)

The result of this creative process was astounding to me.  In the midst of dreaming up a lovely flavor for my cakes and picking out shiny ribbons & glittery embellishments, I felt the slightest push to take the gift a step further.  "If I can't be there to eat cake with Jo, maybe I can find someone who will."  I heard myself think.  Then I told myself that was crazy talk and moved on.  The thought haunted me for a week until I finally googled and picked up the phone to call a church local to my far away friend.  After agreeing that I was crazy, the kind woman on the other end of the line said she's make some phone calls and see if anyone was game for my ridiculous birthday plan to have a stranger celebrate my friend's birthday with her.

Two days later, I got a call back that a missionary was back in town and said she would LOVE to meet a new friend.

One day later, I just happened to call Jo the very second she brought in her box from fedex with the jar cakes inside, so I got to be there for the gift opening after all.  What are the odds that I would call that exact second?  She went on to say that she and her new missionary friend spent an hour on the phone and wept together when they discovered that one travels the world to help orphans and children with Downs Syndrome, while the other Blogs about orphans and children with Downs Syndrome from a wheelchair in her apartment.  She then told me that they made plans to get together that very afternoon.  (To dream about how the Lord would combine their efforts no doubt!)  My heart over floweth.  The three of us got a glimpse of God working in our lives that day.  There truly is no greater blessing.

Tell me how he is speaking to you today?  If there is someone or something on your heart, listen to yourself, it may very well be the Lord asking for your help in His kingdom today.

xo,
Sherri
Rev 3:22 (NIV) "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says..."

To make my Earl Grey Jar Cakes...

Earl Grey Tea has a wonderful floral taste that compliments white cake in the most beautiful way...

Choose your favorite White Cake Recipe.  Mine is here.
Tear open 1-3 Earl Grey teabags according to your taste, or choose loose leaf tea.  Crush with pestle and mortar (or grind in spice grinder) to a fine powder.

When batter is ready and oven is preheated according to your recipe, start layering batter then Earl Grey powder in jars until one third full, ending with batter.  Bake until toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center.  When baked, the black tea powder forms lovely swirls that show through the jars. :)

Let jar cakes cool.  Add drops of  Lavender extract to taste and drops of Violet food coloring to your favorite Buttercream recipe.  Mine is here.

Using a small spoon, scoop out a spoonful from the center of your cakes and fill with a little dollop of Raspberry Jam.  Cut off bottom of your little chunk of cake and use the top of the chunk to 'cap' your jam filling and create a smooth base for your frosting.

Using a piping bag or two spoons, frost jar cake with Lavender Buttercream and embellish with sprinkles.   Top with lids and freeze overnight for shipping.

Pack in a cute cooler with ice packs.  Viola!  (You also you totally have my permission to eat them yourself.)

Cake & Birthdays

I have two friends who are having birthdays.  We all have friends who are having birthdays.  These women are in very different places in their lives.  One is thriving.  Wonderful marriage and kids, huge extended family that love her, and many, many women friends who look to her for support, laughter, coffee & comfort, I am one of them.  Her name is Lisa. I see her smiling.

Strawberry Basil Birthday Cake

The other I have never actually met in person.  Her life inspires me through this very computer.  She is a dear.  Her days are very different from my first friend.  Her's are filled with physical suffering & loneliness.  She spends them connecting with the outside world through prayer & blogging.  She's an advocate for the orphan and a cheerleader to many,  I am one of them.  Her name is Jo, I see her smiling too.  You can read about her and send her a verbal hug right here.

This is the cake I made for our little celebration last Friday with my first amie.   I Googled 'The best white cake ever' to find a base recipe.  Here it is.  They were right.  It is the best ever and I've tried many. But white cake is just that...white.   That just won't do.  Enter Basil, fresh from our very own garden that is lovingly cultivated by my 10 year old.  You should've seen her face light up when I told her that her garden basil was the star of my friend's birthday cake!  I made one and a half times the recipe so that I could have three 9" layers instead of two.  If you want a wow cake, you must too.  The taller the better.

Basil Simple Syrup

Basil Simple Syrup
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c water
4-5 large, fresh basil leaves cut into a chiffanade (roll basil leaves lengthwise and cut into 1/8" strips)

Heat & stir over medium heat until all sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.  Cut each of the three cake layers in half horizontally so you have a total of six layers.  Place the first cooled layer on serving plate and poke all over with sharp tipped knife, brush with syrup letting it soak in and make it's flavor magic.

Basil cake layers are complimented with Darfur Strawberry Preserves & Vodka Greek Yogurt Frosting

After brushing with basil syrup, spread with melted jam.  I chose Darfur Strawberry Preserves. I like just enough to cover but not enough to ooze.  You want enough to compliment without distracting..it's a delicate balance that is worth take your sweet time to find.

Top the first with the next layer and follow suit, stacking, poking, brushing & spreading each layer all the way to the top-leaving the final layer brushed with syrup but naked without jam.

My layers were not perfect.  One of my the middle ones even lost a huge chunk of it's edge in the pan.  Don't fret dearies-eat the broken pieces as a treat to the chef (that's you) and know that all the strawberry jam glue and yummy frosting to come will hide any flaws and make it all come together in summer cake perfection.

The frosting. The frooooooosssttttiiiiinnng.  Isn't this the very reason why we crave cake in the first place?  Cake is just a vessel to get the frosting to our awaiting lips right?  I never follow a recipe for basic American buttercream frosting.  I just add a touch here a taste there until it all comes together but I will give you basics as well as the creative secrets that I used to elevate the ordinary and make the eaters ooh & ahh and go back for more this time around.

My Favorite Buttercream
I started by creaming a 1/2 lb of cold butter until soft.   I went all out with the fancy European kind by Plugra, but regular butter is just fine too.  I then ended up using about 2/3 of a 1lb bag of powdered sugar and a couple of tbls of heavy cream.  This whipped up in my Kitchenaid until it resembled frosting.  That's how I always start.  And then I get creative.  For this I infused 1/4 c vodka with fresh chopped basil by simmering and reducing a bit.  After letting it cool I strained it right into my frosting.  Yum.  But not yummy enough.  It was tad too sweet and one note.  A 1/4 c. dollop of Greek Yogurt did the trick.  It all came together in the creamy, slightly tangy, lusciously sweet frosting that I had hoped for.  The crown to my queen of a basil cake.  I loved it.  For a last little detail I covered the sides of the cake with unsweetened coconut flakes.  Not the sticky yucky kind but the little organic shavings that taste like the real thing.  I left the top uncoconutted for Lisa's hubby who is anti-coconut.  I don't get it but I am willing to accommodate.

A friend at the birthday gathering who didn't say much while eating her piece, told me two days later that it was the best cake she had ever tasted and that she kept trying to remember a better one but came up with none.  I will take that as my greatest cake compliment ever. Thank you Jill :)

Now for my far away friend with the approaching birthday.  I must bake and send something, I just must. I am looking for something lovely & luscious & shippable.  Something that will make her feel like she has a room full of love and an inpromptu birthday party in her honor.  I will let you know what I come up with.  And happy birthday to you when day comes around.  May you feel adored and eat lots of cake.
xo,
Sherri

Please share which friend you long to make a birthday cake for or who you'd love to eat one with.  It's these simple little pleasure that make the world go round and I'd love to hear about yours!

Let's Celebrate! A Double Party Giveaway!

 And the winners are........Lisa S. for the Princess Inc. Makeover Party!
                                          Angela G. for the custom Alphabet Tile Banner! 

Congrats to our winners and thanks to all who played along!



If you have an event coming up or know someone who does, you do NOT want to miss this!

LIKE Princess Inc. for exclusive deals and giveaways!

Rockstar Birthday Makeover & Dress-up

First, Princess Inc. is giving away the Party Package of your choice up to $300!  Whether you are getting married, standing up in a wedding, throwing a little girls birthday party or seeing your teen off to Homecoming, Princess Inc. is the answer to making your event absolutely magical!  We are even working on a Feeling Frumpy Girls Night Out Party for mom's that need a break and some sprucing up to remember just how beautiful they really are! Enter below then visit www.princessinc.me for party package options.  There is more than one way to enter, the more you do-the more chances you have of winning!  If you do not live in Chicagoland-there are ways for you to win too, just keep reading!

Elegant Wedding Makeover                                Beautiful Teen Dance Makeover

The goal here is to support my daughter October in her new business venture and to bless her & YOU all at the same time while getting the word out!  Even if you live too far away to win the party package-we could use your help in spreading the word about Princess Inc.!  Your prize? The chance to win a custom Alphabet banner of your choice just like the one pictured here decorating this grad party beverage tent!  Spell anything you like up to 10 Tiles and even pick your ribbon color-I will do the rest.  Visit www.sdgartistry.com to see how to make it even more special by choosing a Fine Art or Quote Tile to go with it! 

Custom Word Letter Tile Banner by me-Sherri Ohler!  What would you spell?

Teen Dance Makeovers

In order to be eligible for either prize, you MUST leave a blog comment telling us whether you are playing for the party package AND the custom Word Banner OR just the Word Banner.  If you are playing for the Party Prize, you must live in Chicagoland or be willing to pay travel expenses for October (the Stylist) and 1 assistant to attend your event, OR  you can 'gift' your prize to someone who does live in Chicagoland or is willing to pay travel expenses.  Party Package Prize must be redeemed before January 1st 2013. Thanks so much for playing along and God bless you!
xo,
Sherri

a Rafflecopter giveaway
For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." ~Audrey Hepburn

Time To Change-Brady Bunch Wisdom

Remember the episode? Peter's voice started changing right after the Brady kids got a recording deal and at first they thought it was the end of their perfect world, but decided to go with the flow and use Peter's quirky voice to their advantage.  Smart kids. The result was a song that has popped into my head, and the heads of other generation Xers I'm sure, at least once every couple of months for the last 20 years or so! I'd say going with the flow is the only way to go!

Enjoy the video, see some fun CHANGE style announcements that are coming to S.D.G., (Aw yeah!), read the BEST bible verse about change EVER, then leave a comment with your favorite Brady memory, a change you are running from or embracing, or anything else you like to chat about!



1.  S.D.G. Artistry is dropping the S.D.G. name(Gasp!)in an effort to re-brand in a way that will allow me to pursue all of my passions under ONE recognizable brand. Licensing, Blogging, Cooking, Creating of EVERY kind! I am taking the genius advice of Stephanie & Holley from Squee Inc. ,who responded to my hesitation to change from S.D.G. to 'SHERRI OHLER', by telling me that "A brand is just a promise that you will be the same wherever people find you." I LOVE that so much. I get the privilege of working with the Squee Inc.  girls starting next week as they help me figure out this whole re-branding/pursuing my dreams thing! Can't wait!

2.  I am moving from Blogger to Wordpress sometime in the near future. Yikes! I hear it is quite the task. I have entered a blog design giveaway at Sour Apple Studios in hopes that I will win and have some professional help :) You too can enter right HERE!

3.  I have divided my efforts for the time being to help my lovely daughter October pursue her dream of making people feel beautiful with a company we've named Princess Inc.  (the website, www.princessinc.me will be up and running soon, in the meantime, check out our facebook page right HERE!  There are tons of photos, pricing, packages and more!)  She has wanted to be a Stylist since she was about 5 or 6 and has never talked about anything else.  After seeing my sister who has been a Stylist for 20 years work long hard hours and complain of back and elbow issues,  I unsuccessfully tried to steer October in all sorts of other directions.  She did not give up-HAIR & MAKEUP is her dream and pursue it she has!  She has been trained as a cosmetologist and Redkin color expert, but even more than that, has been asked to 'style' girls of all ages for WEDDINGS, DANCES & PARTIES since her early teens, she's that good.  The opportunity to work with her a bit to see her dream take shape is more than any mother could hope for.  Please show us your support by 'liking' the page right HERE. And if you are in Chicagoland and are getting married, throwing a little girls party, going to a dance or know anyone who is, you will want to stay tuned for a Princess Inc. giveaway coming soon!

Thanks for being a friend to me, S.D.G. and whatever we change to be!
xo,
Sherri
 “But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."
Isaiah 43:18-19 (NLT)