Sponge candy

My family loves this candy, and you can really only get it in Pennsylvania, and maybe the surrounding states. It's a light an airy sponge-like toffee, then dipped in chocolate. So this Christmas, my boyfriend and I made a batch at 2 am, as a Christmas surprise for the fam!

It was so much fun, not to mention pretty quick and easy, so I thought I'd share the recipe and images. It puffed up so fast we were cracking up, this would be a fun candy to make with kids!

Note: The recipe doesn't include the chocolate dipping. I used a double boiler (2 pots, the bottom one with water to boil, the top with chocolate to melt). I used a 50% milk chocolate, 50% dark chocolate mix.

1 c. sugar
1 c. dark corn syrup
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1 tbsp. baking soda


1. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and vinegar in a large saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Cover pan for 1 minute to allow the steam to wash down the sugar crystals that cling to side of pan, or whip down the crystals with a damp cloth.

2. Uncover pan; insert candy thermometer. Cook without stirring until candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees (hard crack stage).

3. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda. Pour into a buttered 9 inch square pan. It's not necessary to spread, as the mixture will bubble and spread itself. Cool in pan on wire rack.

4. Break cooled sponge in pieces. Store 2-3 weeks in a tightly covered container with foil or plastic wrap between layers.

(recipe copied from cooks.com)

Snow in New Orleans!

Eliot Kamenitz/The Times-Picayune

John McCusker / The Times-Picayune

That's right! It's a rare happening way down here in New Orleans, but early this morning the phones were ringing with excitement to spread the word of snow!! The last time this region saw snow was Christmas day 2004, and before that it was 1989! (I think I've seen a few flurries after that date in Slidell, just outside the city.)

It lasted a couple hours, then turned into sleet/hail. We watched a movie with 3 blankets, hot tea, and a kitty and pup' nuzzled beside us, as the kids shrieked with happiness outside....I'm pretty sure that means they got a 'snow day' from school. What excitement. =]


Outside the apartment, HECK no I wasn't going out there. I got my fill in Cleveland for 6 years.

Dixon playing in the snow, with his awesome outfit my sister made for him during a visit to Baltimore.

Dealing with these snow flurries yourself? Check out my friend avantegarb 's new and wild hats to keep your head toasty this season!

New Orleans Jewelry

I thought I'd share some of my new New Orleans creations! (copyrightMF)

"Let the good times roll!" The secondline is a tradition here in New Orleans, originally the parade was preformed for funerals. Music and people dancing with the umbrellas take over the street to celebrate the life of a loved one who's passed. Today, secondlines can happen at just about any celebration! Ya gotta' love this city!

Nola, and the super dome!

This necklace is a piece of history! After hurricane Katrina these signs were spray painted all over New Orleans. The overwhelming love and pride for our city came through with cans of spray paint, wood, and nails. The pendant really says it all. Nola, love it, live it, respect it!

Banksy In New Orleans!

As some of you know the amazingly talented British street artist 'Banksy' was recently in New Orleans. Banksy's work is recognized for his stark political imagery, which is executed anonymously.

New Orleanians are proud to have his work displayed on and around the buildings in our city. It's an honor to 'discover' his work, one that is shared with excitement with friends and family.




But, we have an ENEMY! Orleans street artist's have been battling Fred Radke also nicknamed The Gray Ghost since before Katrina. Th Ghost has taken it upon himself to cover ANY and ALL street art with flat gray paint. Fred defends himself saying graffiti is a sign of gang activity and drug dens. Meanwhile our colorful and vibrant city is being blotched with gray paint everyday. Even murals, have fallen victim. The New Orleans police seem to support his efforts even though Fred's paint also qualifies as vandalism, and is unappreciated and disliked by most locals. My friends at NOLA RISING have gone head to head with The Ghost for too long.




This piece was actually 'grayed' by Banksy, commenting on the gray ghost.

Where am I going with this? Let me get to it...
Fred was caught red handed painting over Banksy's works, and the artist's of New Orleans are speaking out about it. Banksy is a respected artist, and it's an honor to have his work here in our city! It's not so often someone can get their political messages out there to the public.


I was happy to stumble on one of his very popular works this weekend, and had my camera! SOMEONE covered the beautiful piece with acrylic bolted right into the side of the building. It will be protected from the Gray Ghost, and enjoyed for as long as we can keep it there. I was so proud to call New Orleans my home, this is why NOLA is OOAK!

the beginning

Ok here I am blogging world! lol

I'm starting a blog, because there's so much I want to share, and this will be a great starter before a website.

I'll be posting about jewelry, art, New Orleans, adventures, life, and whatever I feel like!