July Visiting Teaching Gift:

This month's message is about Strengthening the Home & Family... Perfect message for this time of year when kids being out of school might be driving you a little {crazy}!

On a more serious note... these little vintage looking goodies are a perfect way to show your own patriotism while sharing a great message. The full message is rolled up and peeping out of the tote, which is filled with a delicious mix of All-American salt water taffy.

The nostalgic gift tag on the outside has a quote from Pres. Hinckley that sums it all up: "You can't have a strong nation without strong families."  So true.  I love it!

 

Enjoy your month!

Happy Visiting Teaching!

Available at our store in Lehi or on our website.

Tour Roundup: San Diego

We arrived at the La Jolla Festival of the Arts not really knowing what to expect. Fortunately, people actually showed up - and some of them even knew who we were! (For the rest, the words "free cake" were more than enough incentive to cram into the tent. Heh.) Whatever the reasons, we had a hefty, happy crowd - so much so that our hosts ran out of books. (Oops. Sorry, guys.)

We neglected to get a shot of the crowd, but here's a cutie in a custom CW shirt:

John & I were touched by how many Wreckies chose to pay their own admission rather than allow us to pay for them. In the end, we only owed the Festival admission for 51 of the more than 150 people at the show. Several folks told me they paid their own way despite financial hardships and even unemployment. That's super humbling stuff, guys. Thank you.

And now...the cake!

Get a load of this jungle goodness! Lisa of Cake Dreams and Cookie Wishes pulled out all the stops in crafting this sweet treat - especially considering she only had a week's notice when our first baker had to cancel.

Lisa putting the final details in place.

A few close-ups:


And my favorite bits:

Awww. My name's on the Disney hat! Plus, the little book was perfect - and edible.

Oh, and Lisa's carrot cake? Phenomenal.

I was thrilled that there were any wreckplicas entered in the contest - and even more so when they turned out to be this amazing:

She even included the tiny penguin! Ha!

A photo of the WoW cake on a cupcake. Perfect.

Our "winners!"

I love that two of our three winners were wearing Disney shirts. :)

And their cakes:

This was our grand prize winner - because "Pink Cat Gives You Wings!"

And that's it for our third "world" tour! Thanks so much to all of you who came out, to our volunteer bakers, and to our host stores for making John and me feel like wrecky royalty. It's been a great week, thanks to all of you!

Note from john: Special thanks to Sean Boston for finding us a sushi knife/full on sword to cut the cake. You rock absolutely!

Show Your True Colors...

With fabulous red, white & blue decorations at your summer BBQ!  We have just added some patriotic products available for online purchase.  Of course, we have more in store too, so come on in--We'd love to see you!  Happy Celebrating!

Holiday totes, everyday jewelry

Calypso Studios Inc. is showing jewelry and holiday décor at the summer wholesale markets. The holiday S.H.O.P tote is a reusable bag that shows the user to be in the spirit of the season in an eco-fashionable way. S.H.O.P. means “ Start Helping Our Planet.”

The "Delicate Feathers" pattern is used on the everyday tote.

The multi-strand necklace and bracelet are from the Carnival Collection. The jewelry is made of hand-crafted glass, polished stones, and vibrant seed beads. Other jewelry items collections are Sundance and Imperial.

---

Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

What's THAT Supposed to Mean?

Sometimes, when I'm really grumpy (wha-aat? Jen gets grumpy? Get OUT!) I like to amuse myself by taking every little thing John says exactly the wrong way.

John: "So, you want a sub for dinner?"

Me: "Why? 'Cuz I'm too FAT to have a burrito? Huh? Is *that* what you're saying?"

John: "No! I just thought you might be hungry!"

Me: "Oh, I see, because I'm ALWAYS hungry, right? RIGHT?!?"

John: [backing away slowly before sprinting from the room.]

It's loads of fun.

Anyway, I can only imagine how much fun this lady had:

"Start talking, mister, or you'll be looking for wife #2 real fast."

Buddy? Nope. Not anymore.

Here's one way to tackle a friend's hairy situation:

"Cynthia, sweetie, this is an intervention."
[starting electric razor] "Grab her, girls!!"

When your dad turns the big 4-0, you want a cake that shows not only just how much you love him, but also how much time, thought,and effort went into finding him juuust the right design:

"Hmm...this purse design is a little plain. Oh! I know! Do you have any of those plastic Cinderella slippers back there? Yes? PERFECT."

Or, if that doesn't do the trick:

"I had them add the arrow so you wouldn't miss the teeny tiny heart. See how small it is? How there's all that extra room it *could* have occupied? Yeah? Good. Just checking."

Hillary H., Kris, Cynthia P., Mark R., & Kjaere, I love you guys this much. Which is to say, enough to type your names here.

We're having a Contest...

ON FACEBOOK! 

Just for a little fun, we thought we'd do a quick contest!  

All you have to do is log on to Facebook, post a picture of your latest BBQ, picnic, or party... 

We want to see your favors, your balloons, or even your food presentation!  

That's it!  

We're not judging on the most creative, we'll just randomly choose a winner next Monday night.... 

good for a $15 credit to use as you please!

Hmmm... $15 dollars at our store would buy you lots of things:

-A really nice balloon bouquet...

-3 lbs. of chocolate covered cinnamon bears...(with some change left over)

-4 Visiting Teaching Messages...

-A cute gift or two for your favorite friend...

-14 pkgs of our bulk favors for your next party or pinata...

See?  And it could be YOURS!!  So log on to our Facebook page and enter today!

Tour Roundup: Pasadena, CA

On Saturday we did our 16th tour stop at Vroman's in Pasadena, CA. If you haven't been there you should go; it's awesome. And a big thanks to Connie, the book store rep, for being all around wonderful.

Some smiling faces in the crowd:


And hey, look! Our computer's working! Weird!

Our last-minute replacement baker was the phenomenal Linda Darck of Sweet Art Cupcakes. She made a meringue-based buttercream that was sooo good. The chocolate tasted like rich chocolate mousse, and John loved the strawberry so much that he stole a bunch of them to bring back to the hotel room for later. :D

Plus, look how pretty!


And a few of our fav wreckplicas:

A few fun Disney ones:

The photo on the table is of the Epcot attempt that went horribly, hilariously wrong. ;)

Seriously, you guys have mad wreckerating skilz.

(We'll put the rest of the entries on Facebook later this week, so watch for those.)

And our "winners!":

We didn't get a close-up of the stuffed bunny on the cupcake, but as you can see, it was a stuffed bunny. On a cupcake. John laughed so hard I think he teared up a bit. Then he stole the bunny. (Yes, we still have it.)

The suggestively hairy graduation cheese! Isn't it great?

And our grand prize "winner":

Complete with censor bars. Awesome.

Thanks to everyone who came out! Oh, and thanks also to wreckies Mike & Michelle for taking us to an amazing Afghan restaurant later, and not kidnapping us. That was swell.

Unique Wedding Gift for Couples, Romantic Pillowcases

My Heart Belongs to You Pillowcases

Are you looking for a unique wedding or anniversary gift for a couple? A gift set of romantic pillowcases would be perfect! It is also a wonderful gift for a housewarming, Valentine's Day or Christmas. It is not always easy to find a gift that will be appropriate for both people, but each half of a couple will use and appreciate these romantic yet practical items. This is a wedding gift that will stand out and won't get lost among the toasters and blenders! Are you invited to a wedding this summer? Wrap up a set of these beautiful pillowcases for a memorable wedding or anniversary gift.

Unique Romantic Anniversary Gift with Waterford Crystal

When it comes time for a couple to celebrate their wedding anniversary, choosing a gift can be a little tricky. While it's tempting to treat each other to the new kitchen stove that you really need, or even settle for yet another dinner out at your favorite restaurant, sometimes romance gets left on the back burner. But it doesn't have to be that way. Husbands, pay attention. Here's a unique anniversary gift idea that will thrill her and make romantic memories that will last.

Waterford crystal is renowned for its quality and brilliance and is perfect for any special occasion. A pair of these Waterford Wishes flutes, "Happy Celebrations," is my choice for a unique, romantic anniversary gift. All you need to add is a bottle of your favorite bubbly. Choose champagne, wine, or even her favorite healthy juice or water.

When it's time, tuck the children into bed, turn on some romantic music, dim the lights, and present her with this gorgeous pair of Waterford crystal flutes. They come in a pretty presentation box, so wrapping paper is optional, though a nice bow would add a thoughtful touch. Make the rest of the evening yours. Toast to your future as you recall your past. Look through your wedding album and revive those happy memories. Make it all about the two of you and vow to use these gorgeous crystal glasses frequently, any time that calls for "the two of us" time.

That's my advice for how to create a romantic anniversary evening atmosphere with the gift of beautiful Waterford crystal. You can take it from there.

Royal Wrecks

Princess-themed balloons, tiaras, and party favors: $54.00.

Special appearance by I Can't Believe It's Not Disney!^©'s Princess Bimberella: $134.99.

Misspelling your daughter's giant hot-pink birthday cake:

Priceness.

Eh, it could be worse... I guess...

Say it out loud. It's fun! "PRY-ness."

See?

(P.S. In the future, I'd like to be referred to as Priness Number 1. Spread the word.)

Because you're never too old for the "magic:"

I wonder if that's royal icing.

At least here they spelled "Princess" right...

...but you do have to wonder what happened to the first 10 Princesses.

We bow down to her royal highnesses, Rebecca B., Ciere O., Heather, and Priness Nicky. These cakes rule! (Say, is the plural for highness "highni?" 'Cuz if it's not, it should be.)