Signs of Fall

It's finally starting to look like Fall here at Marie's Maison. Whenever these golden senna/cassia shower shrubs start blossoming, I know that the Fall season has finally arrived.

These shrubs always come with lots of these fat caterpillars that blends in just like the flowers (can you spot all three?). Even the butterflies turn yellow just like the flower petals.

The greenhouse in my backyard is now decked out for autumn as well. I also just realized that the color "yellow" is a staple in my garden during this season. Unfortunately, the typical purple/orange leaves during autumn is non-existent here in Southern California.

Welcome to my outdoor bistro! I am ready for some hot spiced apple cider, so please join me. Also made pumpkin and apple cupcakes, plenty for all to share!

These pair of creamy milky color teacups and sandwich/dessert plates are wonderful. I love the gold border and design, which to me looks like leaves and acorns, just in time for Fall.

I'll be travelling to the East Coast next week, so I will have a chance to look at the beautiful colors of the autumn trees they have there...just keeping my fingers crossed that "no snow storm" while I'm there.

Linking this post to:

Terri and Martha's Teacup Tuesdays

Trish at Tea Party Tuesdays

Show Off Your Cottage Monday

For the Love of Ladders

What is it about vintage ladders that I find so irresistible? I mean we've all seen it in pages of magazines and blog posts over and over again, and yet it's hard not to do a double take when we see them. Is it just me, or do you agree?

(First three photos above via Poetic Home)

Let me show you another ladder I bought (my third...yikes!) at the Irvine Flea Market recently. Some of you may have seen my second one below where I did a post last August.

Well here's the latest addition to my ladder collection (what...who collects ladders??? I have a sickness!!!) This one is honest to goodness vintage. I love the "X" factor on its back side (hah!).

I love how there's so many layers of paint drops all over...I can't even imagine how many rooms this baby has painted!

And love, love, love it's metal handle/carrier...I haven't seen this style before so, can't help but carry her home with me, now residing in mon cheri's man cave.

By the way, wishing you all a nice Halloween celebration.
Happy Halloween!

Source

Sharing this post with my friend Nita's Mod Mix Monday

Another Special Pre-tea Party Cake

Bonjour girlfriends! How was your weekend? Mine was another crazy weekend making cakes. Ah oui...I was crazy enough and attempted to make cakes inspired by a Louis Vuitton handbag, plus a purse and a hat.

Do they look pre-tea?

I made so much cake, that I had enough batter to make cupcakes which fit perfectly inside my teacups.

Here's how it all started -


I crumb coated my lemon and butter cake

Rolled out lots and lots of fondant

This is the purse inspiration and all the parts for the cake which I prepared a day early. They are all made of fondant as well.

Here's the wallet

The hat

And the purse (handle cracked - sigh)

Aside from the craziness of it all, I had a blast making these cakes!

Wishing you all a pre-tea party week!

Joining the following party links:

Trisha from Tea Party Tuesday

Terri and Martha from Tea Cup Tuesday

Camp Cupcakes

My cousin's baby boy turned 1 year old last weekend and I made 4 dozen "camping" themed cupcakes...yikes!

The pretty invitation card below was my inspiration for the cupcake decorations. The cards are made out of bark - created by Courtney Barker
Courtney has an etsy shop, and will be launching her business and blog soon.

These decorations are made of fondant and gum paste.

Then I kneaded and marbleized the fondant, and shaped them using these molds

And of course did a whole lot of cutting and shaping into very little pieces

Here's the family - my cousin, her cute baby boy and that's really Papa Bear inside

And as you can see from the pictures below, all my 14 hours of hard work paid off...Baby Milton LUV'd my cupcakes!

Making 4 dozen cupcakes is hard work indeed! So after 14 hours of standing up, it was time for me to rest my poor swollen feet and truly enjoyed a big cup of iced chai tea latte sans cupcake...no for me, this simple cheese tart was my reward.

Linking this post to Trisha from Sweetology's Tea Party Tuesday