SweEt IdEaS for tHe SwEEt...

Deb's got a sweet tooth in more ways than one, let me tell ya.
That's my kitchen window above, loaded with candy dishes heaping full of yummy tidbits (that I'll never really eat, truth be told....my weakness is chocolate) and a few trompe loeil treats...

Inspired by THIS photo from a past issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion Magazine , I gathered up some round cardboard containers, metal tins, fabric, ribbons, and froufrou, and got to work. (I know, I know, this is not WORK. Let's call it a 'Creative Exercise' then, OK?) I came up with two versions: Here is the first, in white and pink. It's tucked into the kitchen window. The top layer? One of my white china cups, flipped upside down with the handle in back. And here is number two, a bit more cheeky but romantic just the same as soon as I added my actual cake topper (circa 1980, hence the cheesy factor). In this photo you can't see the fun pink scalloped edge of the lower layer - it's one of my set of six napkins, so sweet and pink and French 'GiGi' in style that I use them every spring. Love LOVE love them.

Well, I was on a roll so I just kept going...

Another china cup holds an impromptu pincushion that looks like a cupcake. The cherry pin was hanging out in my jewelry box wondering if it woudl ever see the light of day again - tada! Those CUUUUTE pink & white 'marshamarshmarsha'mallow candies, BTW, came from Dollar Tree. Yes. A Dollar a bag. Conversation Hearts did, too. CHEAP props!

And this, this is Miss Ami, nestled in close to the velvet heart box that holds some lovely glass hearts and a few diamond rings, plus a VERY old creation of mine - the button heart pin. Miss Ami is named after Miss Amy because she looks just like her and Amy loves cute things, so now I create cute settings for my Miss Ami each season in my kitchen window. Yeah, yeah - I can see your head shaking from here. I've gotta get the cute stuff in here somehow, you know.... and if you paid attention, you'll find a treasure trove of ideas for retail displays for Valentine's Day!