This secret prize was the Creativity Express

Here’s a gift suggestion for parents or grandparents from a group of former animators at Disney and DreamWorks who helped create blockbuster animated films like Mulan, Lilo and Stitch, and Sinbad. Creativity Express is interactive educational software for kids ages 7 and up. Animated characters, games, and projects provide hours of fun while developing creativity and whole brain thinking, strengthening problem solving skills and encouraging self expression.

The award-winning Creativity Express is the perfect holiday gift  or stocking stuffer.  Each package comes bundled with a starter edition of Art Rage digital paint software.  Starting at just $29.95 Creativity Express is brought to you by the geniuses at Madcap Logic.  Available at Amazon, most Apple retail stores and www.madcaplogic.com. Compatible for PC and Mac.

And the winner is………

Here are your random numbers:

15	

Timestamp: 2008-10-16 16:57:58 UTC

Kristen M.

Congrats!

Here are your random numbers:

15

Timestamp: 2008-10-16 16:57:58 UTC

Post from: Kettle and Cup

This is the drawing for the Blogtoberfest post that was done last Tuesday.

Some of you thought that the coffee I was reviewing was the prize.  I am sorry about that.  I do give coffee away once in awhile but during blogtoberfest the prizes are a secret and I will not be blogging about them prior to the give away.

The prize for this drawing is:

Scan on the Go secure cards-  Portable identity theft protection/virus scanning solutions that’ll let you protect yourself at home or anywhere you go with your computer. These little devices are small enough to fit in your wallet so you can pop them out whenever you need them. Be safe while surfing the net. Value $69.00

And the winner is:

Here are your random numbers:

76	

Timestamp: 2008-10-13 04:36:56 UTC

Number 76 is Mike Weisberg.

Mike just email me with your address at maryeaudetATgmailDOTcom and substitute the @ and the . for the words.  Congrats!

Post from: Kettle and Cup

I am curious…When you grab your coffee in the morning do you use a special cup?  Is there one that you have to have?

Take five minutes and blog your coffee cup and then leave me a link in the comments.  Don’t wash it or make it pretty if it is sitting next to you on the computer.  Just be real. If enough of you are brave enough we’ll do a round up.

Image:Marye Audet

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Marc adn I are preparing for his disability hearing in Waco tomorrow.

This is a very stressful time for us, as we put together his medical records for the last 26 years and letters from his doctors, etc. We are both nervous, although trusting God, because if they turn us down again it will be a financial hardship.

I don’t want to go into a lot of detail, suffice it to say that Marc was medically retired in 1981 with a 20% disability that the VA has refused to honor or pay. Now he is in a wheelchair and they have him on 20% for somethng else but are still balking at the original diagnosis, the one that cut his career in the MArine Corps very short. AT this point he cannot drive, as per his doctor, and is on so many meds he can’t work much. Taking him to so many medical appointments cuts into MY blogging time as well so I will need to cut back on some of my freelance commitments (not my blogs at b5!!!)

Prayers are appreciated. I will be back in time do post the winner in the Baking Delights Cook Book Contest tomorrow night!

I am posting this on all my blogs so that everyone knows what’s up.

Image:Morguefile

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Jan at Jan and Tom’s Place is hosting a tea party, so be sure and check in over there for more awesome parties.

The timing for this is amazing because it is my spiritual mom’s birthday tea this evening and I spent several hours up at the church decorating last night.  Only, I forgot my camera so I will be posting the pictures from that later…

I used quilts, vintage tea pots, and antique books to create what I feel is an old world elegant-cozy atmosphere.  The way that faded chintz looks…elegant, yet comfy.   lots of fresh flowers.

Anyway.

For this morning’s tea party I thought that I would serve a walnut genoise, a bit rich for this early but you only live once…

I suggest a cup of Earl Grey Cream Tea, mellow Earl Grey with creamy vanilla.   It goes well with the rich ganache on the genoise, don’t you think?

and since this is a fantasy tea..would you mind terribly if I made it wintertime and lit a fire?  Thanks. I am tired of summer…and fires are so friendly.

This is Chipotle, we just brought her home from the animal shelter wednesday. She is settling in well.

Have you ever shopped at Victorian Trading Company? I  love their things but can rarely afford them, however for our tea I am wearing this Mocha Dress 

Well.  I have enjoyed spending time with you…come back again!

Images Marye Audet

Banner, used by Permission, Jan and Tom’s

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Post from: Kettle and Cup

Well guys, it has happened.  The Starbucks where Marc and I go is closing.  There are no other coffee places here, except another Starbucks with crappy service so I guess our coffee dates are about to take on a new look..I am not sure what thought.

So how was your week? I am hugely busy. I told Valli that I was riding a hamster wheel this summer and I am..you would think that I would be experiencing rapid weight loss rather than rapid waist loss. : /

I have some cool news to share, hopefully I can share all of it next week….so don’t miss it because it is…seriously…cool.

Can you believe this? A policeman threatened slower response time to a Starbucks if they did not give him free coffee…What does he think this is, 1920s Chicago?

So, the stupidist altercation in history occured in a DC area coffee shop.  A coffee shop refuses to sell iced espresso and some guy orders it anyway.  Then when he can’t get that he orders espresso and a cup of ice..and testosterone begins to build to nuclear proportions.  This was on the East Coast.  I knew it wasn’t in the south because it would have gone something like this:

I can’t get iced espresso?

No.  But here, how about some sweet tea and a cookie? On the house!

Oh by the way, be warned..the article has some rather vulgar  vocabulary in it..They obviously DON’T drink sweet tea.

Here is what we have always known…Researchers think that the aroma of coffee relieves stress. No? Really?

Try having your coffee in a special spot, and make your home into a restful summer retreat…Great idea but I will have to ship the kids off somewhere first.

Next time you are having a tea party try these lavender tea cookies from B More Sweet.

Hey, remember Creamsicles? Heaven of Tea has instructions on how to blend teas from Teavana into an orange creamsicle blend…

Beverly, from How Sweet the Sound, hosts a pink Saturday every week..I actually planned to do it for several weeks but then it is Saturday and I haven’t sent her a link..sigh..Still it is fun seeing all of the pink everyone is finding.

I fell in love with these Rose Jam Covers at Storybook Woods.  I miss crafting!

I posted two recipes on Baking Delights this week,, one for plum and white tea scones and one for the plum curd to go with them….it was fantastic!

The teapot is one of the things I found antiquing with Marc last week. I love it!

Have a great weekend!

Image:Marye Audet 

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Brewha-ha is hosting this month’s theme day, Some Like It Hot.  If you like it hot then this is the bbq sauce for you.

Coffee barbeque sauce is  a fantastic addition to your barbeque.  Feel free to adjust the seasonings.  This is pretty spicy.

1/2 cup very strong black coffee
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons dark molasses
3 tablespoons dried chipotle
1 tsp good cinnamon
1 tbs ground cumin
2 tbs chili powder
1 tbs cocoa powderStir and simmer all together for about 20 minutes.  Blend in the blender.  This improves the next day. It is especially good with chicken.

You might also like : Tea Smoked Meat 

Image:MaryeAudet 

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Can you believe that we are about halfway through July?  The summer heat has hit North Texas and out house finally warmed up.. You see it is pier and beam and the crawl space stays chilly.  With the crawl space so chilly the house stays quite cool until the relentless heat finally warms up that huge space under the house.  Well, it finally happened last week.  I am drinking lots of ice water and eating lots of ice..and not getting so much done because of the constant bolts to the facilities.

Marc has been pushing himself hard this week and has cut many of the fallen tress into fireplace sized logs so we will be cozy and warm this winter.  I am hoping to have a laptop by then so will be blogging from the front of my roaring dining room fire.

But for today? It is hot. No worries about fires or cold. I need to clean my office and I need to do some organizing.  Marc is taking on  large portion of the homeschool responsibilites this year as our roles change and I am the breadwinner while he handles the things around the house.  It is an odd time for us, learning to be comfortable in eachother’s clothing…Your  prayers are appreciated.

If you needed any convincing that coffee and cake are really the way to end a work out, worry no more. According to researchers it is a grat way to get a burst of energy.

I loved this article.  It seems that a coffee shop off the coast of Vancouver has a brilliant idea.  Row through window.  You see, apparently most of the residents get around by…boat.

If you keep losing your favorite mugs to office thieves you need to check out this locking coffee mug. 

According to some researchers coffee can reduce a woman’s fertility. Don’t believe them. I have eight kids.

Do you remember percolated coffee? If so you will want to read this article to bring back all those great memories.

La Tea Dah has about a million ways to use lavender over on Gracious Hospitality.

The T- Cozy is having a give away that you just won’t want to miss. It is easy to enter..just leave a comment telling her your favorite post.

Oddly enough, Cherry Hill Cottage was also discussing percolators this week! I love that blog.

Summer reading is just a part of summer.  Stephanie at Steph’s Cup of Tea has a great suggestion.

If you haven;t participated in a Pink Saturday yet, you should. I know..I haven’t, right? But that is besides the point..Maybe next week..or the next..

I hope your week is magnificent and full of blessing.

Image:Marye Audet 

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Welcome to my tea party! First, I would like to thank Jan and Tom’s place for hosting this event.

I thought we would visit on the porch and enjoy the sounds of the birds and maybe catch a little breeze.

Would you like some of my rendition of Berger cookies? They are a famous, secret Baltimore recipe that people just seem to  get addicted to.  These are not exactly the same but they are very good!   And just as addictive.

I have chosen  Teavana’s Azteca Fire tea.  It is unusual but I like it because it holds up well to chocolate and other strong flavors. It tastes of chocolate, fruit and smoky chilis.  It is wonderful with cream.  Yes, cream!

Would you like a cup?

We are very casual here, I suppose it has to do with having a large family and raising goats and chickens.  We just do a lot of things which get us dirty.  Most of our tea parties are spontaneous, which means grabbing a few cookies,  brewing some tea, and relaxing with good conversation. We never seem to lack for that here!

Once in awhile I plan for a tea and it looks something like this:

I like to get my mothers vintage Salem china out, as well as the milk glass and  vintage linens.  Cut roses from our garden complete the table setting.  I usually scatter rose petals across the table as well.

While I do like doing this for guests, I also like to bless my family now and then with special treatment!   All of our kids love tea, and have their own definite likes and dislikes.  I think that children will learn to appreciate what thy have the opportunity to experience, so it is good for them to be exposed to fine foods, antiques, and great art and literature. It builds something deep within them.

I hope you have enjoyed our time together, for more tea parties go on over  to Jan and Tom’s Place.   I think they are expecting you.

Banner:Jan and Tom’s Place, used by permission

Images Marye Audet 

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Summer tea parties are the best!

Jan and Tom’s Place is hosting an online tea party tomorrow! It looks like it is going to be fun and if you rush over now you can wrangle a last minute invitation!

I plan on participating so be sure to come by for some tea here, o.k.?

Post from: Kettle and Cup