Oscar Owls… A “Wise” Solution!

“I’d like to thank the Academy for taking all the fun out of my Ocsar party dessert buffet.”  -Dani 

No autographs please!

Well, maybe not all the fun… I was surprised to find out this year that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences banned and really cracked down on any reproduction of its trademarked materials. I discovered this fact when I wanted to make an Oscar statue cookie cupcake topper, and it was impossible to find a cookie cutter. It took a bit of time for me to come up with a “wise solution” but eventually it dawned on me! Instead of stiff statue cookies I turned to the fun and fabulous Sweet Dani B Owl! After icing, I topped them with gold coarse sanding sugar, gold candy bead feet and filled in their signature curious eyes with brown royal icing. Voilà! Here’s a cute and delicious cookie that is red carpet ready for Sunday!

For your consideration, the Sweet Dani B Oscar Owl Cookie! (roaring applause)

I always set up movie parties in a pretty casual way, so I love the idea of placing these guys placed on parchment paper and writing in Oscar questions around them. If you are having a sit down dinner, here’s a cute idea for a place setting…

You can easily write each person's name down the side here or add a cute place card tent to the plate

Take that! Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences! In my opinion, its a little over the top to ban Oscar cookie cutters, but I ended up appreciating the challenge… My Oscar Owls feel like winners already!

Happy Oscars! Go Uggie!  Xo Dani

PS. I’ll be selling my Oscar Owls, my Sweet Dani B Expert Icing Kit and many other delicious items this Sunday, February 26th from 1:00 to 4 p.m. at Urban Arts, Suite E206 in Monroe Center in Hoboken! Stop by and see us!

A Movie Party: May the Force Be With You

In our annual rush to catch up on the oscar nominated movies this past weekend, I noticed that the Phantom Menace in back in theatres in 3D. To most Star Wars die hards this movie could not have been more of a “menace” in the “perfect record” of the original Star Wars trilogy.

C3PO and our Wookie

I grew up watching Star Wars over and over and over with my brother, “Bogues”, who loved the movie growing up and may be even more obsessed with it these days! He and KF quote Star Wars often, collect Star Wars “art” and even named their Tough Mudder team the “Nerf Herders”. I’m not sure they will never forgive George Lucas for Jar Jar binks, or for editing the scene where “Han shot first”.

For Bogues’ birthday last year and we thought a Star Wars movie celebration was in order. Hope’s adoption birthday is around the same date and since she is the perfect Wookie, we figured she would enjoy celebrating then too.

Obviously, Hope dressed within theme for the party

Of coarse a real Star Wars party involves having to watch the movie! I had a really great time creating a Star Wars inspired menu and signage- which I am more than happy to share!

What's a movie party without popcorn? We borrowed a "real" movie popcorn maker from a friend and used these Star Wars party picks from Williams Sonoma to add drama

Jedi Juice (aka: Pom Margarita) was just the thing to quench our thirst! We also offered a non alcoholic option: "Yoda Soda"

Keeping the appetizers easy for handling while movie watching was key…

I also made "Dark Side Hummus"with homemade Vader and Stormtrooper tortillas as well as "Asparagus Lightsaber Spears" (proscuitto wrapped, roasted asparagus)...

After movie watching we sat down for dinner and enjoyed my “black and white chicken chili”, grilled steaks and Amanda brought along “Aunt Beru’s Mac and Cheese” (really a Barefoot Contessa recipe- soooo good!).

Bogues was gifted both the Darth and Stormtrooper spatulas from Williams Sonoma- perfect for serving!

I could not wait to reveal my "Royal Highness Kabobs" for dessert! AMAZING! These were made with munchkins (2 chocolate, one glazed) speared onto kabob sticks, tucked in sprinkle eyes, and a heart mouth attached with a dot of royal icing. Seriously cute!

Not to be missed... Wookie Cookies! Hopey loved these and was allowed to try them because they are really coconut macaroons

Nicole made this delicious Neuman-O's ice cream cake. We served it in the springform pan for a more Star Wars spaceship effect. Also, two taper candles crossed imitated perfect sabers!

Of coarse it couldn’t be a party without a photo booth!

Everybody say "JEDI"!

This was a really fun and easy party to pre-prep party. (To make it even easier, download my Star Wars Menu signage here: Sweet Dani B Star Wars Party Food Signage)

It could be great to translate some of these menu ideas for Oscar viewing this Sunday! Or keep it real (AKA: anti Phantom Menace) and host a Star Wars party of your own! Look for my “Dark Side Hummus” recipe in an upcoming post… I’m also excited to share my “Black and White” chicken chili recipe with you!

In the meantime… May the Force Be with You!  Xoxo Dani

Where the Gnomes Live

Peek a boo!

I’ve definitely had the mushroom inspiration “bug” for a while. Aside from being a huge foodie fan of mushrooms (shiitakes are my fave) in the past few years, toadstool mushrooms have been popping up all around me…

Me on the set of Martha's Halloween 09 'Wild Things' show sitting on a Toadstool stool crafted by Kristin St. Clair

Mushroom cookies popping up with my Gnome Cookies on set at Martha

Around the holidays, I was so excited to find these adorable mushroom ornaments with wire spikes in the flower district one day and I just had to buy a box. As a craft hoarder I’m lucky to have a space to keep all my craft materials and these items pretty much magically found eachother just in time to make KF a totally excellent “Terrarium Valentine”.

I used Martha Stewart craft gel glue and both coarse and tinsel glitter to make the mushrooms shimmer

While my crafty ‘shrooms were drying, I cleaned out an antique ball jar (which I collect) and filled it 3/4 full with a combination of potting soil and horticultural charcoal.

Note: if you don't use the charcoal, mold will eventually grow in your terrarium!

Next, I added reindeer moss- I love the bright green color of it!

I used a wooden spoon to press down the moss, then added my "We Are Magic" sign

I added a bit of tinsel to the lid for some extra sparkle!

I am so happy with the way my toadstool mushroom terrarium Valentine turned out! KF loved it and the reindeer moss does not require any special care. The sign has weathered a bit due to the moisture, but I love the way it looks (plus I can always replace the sign when needed). This would be a really fun project to do with your kiddies or with friends and family at a Craft Brunch not to mention, your Gnomes and Gnomis will love it!

Happy Crafting!  Xo Dani

P.S. Look for our March Gnome & Gnomi how to coming soon!

Spreading the Love… A Valentine Cookie Workshop

Several years ago I had a very (very) small studio space in the Monroe Center of the Arts, located on Monroe Street in Hoboken, NJ. The Monroe Center is a city block sized warehouse style building that for years has been home to art related businesses. When the cookie portion of my business took off, I had to find a studio with a kitchen and the Monroe Center was not an option. I was sad to leave because I especially loved the community feeling of working amongst other artists at the Monroe Center.

Patti and Justine, founders of Urban Arts at Monroe Center

It’s funny how life circles you back sometimes… Early this year I was so happy to be introduced to two local artists, Patti Morale and Justine Uva, who own a beautiful studio space in the Monroe Center called ”Urban Arts“. Patti and Justine were looking for ways to expand their students’ horizons in art and thought my cookie workshops might be a good fit. When Justine said “We do what we love and we love what we do” I knew I had found the perfect place!

Sweet Dani B's "Sweets for My Sweet" Cookie Icing Students hard at work

Our first workshop “Sweets for My Sweet” was held this past Sunday, in two sessions. Classes filled up quickly and it was a wonderful balance of Urban Arts students mixed in with some amazing Sweet Dani B “friends ‘n’ fans” (thank you!)- a few, who I was so touched and flattered to find out, drove from Boston and Rhode Island to attend (Wow! Thank you!). This eclectic mix of excited cookie icers ran the gamut from “Mommies and Me” (girls and boys, and all ages of Moms and their kids), to groups of girlfriends, to 11 year old B.F.F’s, to a sweetheart Valentine date, to a family day out… I truly loved seeing everyone come together to share a few hours with us doing what we love…

Daughter and Mom Expert Icers, Diaz and Kelly sketch out their cookie ideas before icing

Our Valentine Candy Bar ready to go

Agastya and Devika working on their heart cookie

"Art BFFs" (and Urban Arts students) Maxine & Caroline did an amazing job icing their cookies

Showing off one of my favorite "moves" the cookie cookie shake

LOVE + BUG!

This little sweetie was all business when icing her cookies! She did a great job! (Love her shirt!)

(More adorable style!) Isabella and her Mom had a great time bringing Isabella's amazing cookie sketches to life

Not only are these cookies adorable, I am sure they were delicious covered in Valentine candy!

This expert icer had a great time icing cookies with her family who all attended together- sweet!

Speaking of sweet, these "sweethearts" came to our workshop as their Valentine date- now that's my kind of outing!

Amazingly iced cookies packed up and heading to Providence, RI...

...along with Expert Icers Dana, Alli, and Helene! What a SWEET visit!

Nine batches of icing and sixty cookies later, we called it a day on “Sweets for my Sweet”. It was a wonderful day “doing what I love and loving what I do” and sharing that with all the Expert Icers who attended. Thanks to Justine & Patti for welcoming me back to the Monroe Center… I can hardly wait for our next cookie workshop (March 31st and April 1st)!  Hope you can join us- details coming soon!

Xoxo Dani

We "HEART" cookie icing!

For more photos from our cookie workshop, check out Dani’s Flickr page! Email us with your photos from the event at info@sweetdanib.net  to add to this album! SWEET!

An Ode to Red

Did you know that taking one look at the color red is said to stimulate enthusiasm and make one’s heart beat faster?

The center pages of my Sketchbook Project 2010 book is "Heartstrings"... I collaged red tape, newspaper and copper wire together... I was happy the way it came together but it was really fragile so I wrote the "handle with care" before I realized the irony. Corny but true!

One might be surprised to hear that my favorite color is not the bright salmony pink you see all over my website. While my love for pink runs deep, my “true blue”‘ favorite color is its a less watered down predecessor… the color of “love bugs”, the first color in the rainbow, what “the lady is in…”, the color of love… This primary “power color” is the summation of bold, and the definition of pop! Here are a few of my favorite instances…

Bright Red Royal Icing

In the world of decorative cookies, red icing is one of the more difficult colors to mix. I will never forget our first order of red flower cookie favors… The red dye never seemed to take, so we added and added and added… then once we got the red hue we wanted, the cookies wouldn’t dry! I knew red icing and I were going to have to “get to know eachother” so, with practice, over time I finally mastered it. Red royal icing actually “develops” (like a Poloroid) so to get my version of perfect bright red, I always mix it in advance (a few hours or even the day before).

Sweetheart cookie Glam... Meet Gnomi Stewart!

If you caught my Valentine cookie segment on the Martha show, you will know what inspired this version of the Gnomi cookie! Martha inspired the strapless dress style and the dress color was inspired by Valentino…

Valentino and his red dress collection

Have you seen Valentino, the Last Emperor? (tissues are recommended) Even if you haven’t seen the movie, most people know about Valentino’s signature red dresses. They are unmistakable works of art. Many people design red dresses but  no one does this color dress justice, quite like him.

Wear a red dress to a wedding? Why not!

Theres an old fashioned “rule” that states you shouldn’t wear red (or white!) to a wedding but I knew my friend Nomi (aka: Gnomi) wouldn’t mind me replacing an LBD with a LRD! It wasn’t a Valentino but I still loved wearing my fave color for dress up!

When replacing my day to day handbag, red seemed like the obvious choice...

… but as you may know, day to day handbag selection is a very big decision. Good thing my Mom cut to the chase and made that decision for me! She knew I was having a hard time deciding so she surprised me with this amazing red handbag for Christmas! I just added the love bug brooch (I got this idea from one of my favorite fashion bloggers) to make it a bit more “me”.

On the home front we don’t shy away from my favorite color either…

...for a fun pop of color we painted our back bedroom wall "ladybug red"...

Spot and Hope made themselves right at home when we rolled out this red carpet!

I had a hard time deciding on a Kitchen Aid color, that is, until I saw this one!

…I can go on and on and on about red… Cherries! Red velvets! Red wine! Red nail polish! Rubies! Garnets! Red lipstick! Red shoes… So, on this Valentine’s Day, make your heart beat faster and add little red in to your life… it’s confident, bold, invigorating, flattering, and passionate! No wonder it is “the color of love”!

Happy Love Day- Give it, Take it, Spread it!  Xoxo Dani

Hopey modeling her Love Day red sweater (Martha Stewart for Petsmart)

Hot Hearts!

I'm going to bake my "hot hearts" in a few different sizes

As promised back in December when I first enjoyed these cookies at our Cookie Swap party, I’m here to remind you of this yummy recipe! “Hot Hearts” seem like the perfect dessert for Love Day tomorrow.

I looked everywhere for Dulce De Leche spread, until Janine advised me to look in the Goya aisle of my grocery store! My plan is to roll these instead of cutting them, then bake them topped with pink or white coarse sanding sugar… I’m also thinking about increasing the cayenne a bit ’cause everyone could use a bit of extra spice on Love Day- right?

Looking forward to spreading the love tomorrow!  Xoxo Dani

Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies with Dulce de Leche filling

(from Better Homes & Garden 100 Best Cookies)3/4 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 egg,
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1-1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup dulce de leche

Beat butter for 30 seconds on medium to high speed.  Add sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt & cayenne pepper.  Beat until combined.  Add egg & vanilla.  Beat in as much flour as you can with mixer, stir remaining flour with spoon.

Divide dough in half & chill for 1 hour.  Shape each portion of dough into a roll about 1 3/4 inches in diameter.  Wrap rolls in plastic wrap & chill for 4 hours or until firm enough to slice.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Cut roll into 1/4 inch slices.  Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.  Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are firm.

After cookies cool spread dulce de leche on the bottom sides of half of the cookies.  Top with remaining cookies pressing together lightly to make sandwiches.

A Video Blog: Behind the Scenes at the Martha Show

If you missed our segment on the Martha show, see it here. Thanks to Mike Boylan Creative Video for capturing this very SWEET morning! Enjoy!  Xo Dani

Gnomi & Me: Behind the Scenes on The Martha Stewart Valentine Show

Dani Fiori and Martha Stewart are seen in this photo from the production of "The Martha Stewart Show" in NYC on February 2, 2012. Photo: Rob Tannenbaum/The Martha Stewart Show

This post will be “short and sweet” because the follow up will be total juice! For our Valentine segment on The Martha Show, we got permission to film a video blog which was really fun. Mike Boylan of Michael Boylan Creative Video Productions shot our behind the scenes and he is editing the footage as we speak!

Here are a few photos I snapped…

This mini owl rode in perched in my beetle vase and later was added to our audience giveaway baskets

196 owls for Martha's audience were given away on the 1 year + 1 day "birthday" of our Sweet Dani B lovebird owl! Life is Sweet!

I shared a delicious cappuccino with Gnomi as we got settled in the greenroom...

Later, Gnome and Gnomi enjoyed hanging out with Martha's Emmys!

As usual, I loved the way stylist, Kait Taylor, set up our segment!

Our Gnome & Gnomi "Love Plants" made beautiful and colorful set decoration!

Martha and I had so much fun decorating Gnomi- there was lots of giggling when Martha decided to change Gnomi's dress to a strapless version! Dani Fiori & Martha Stewart are seen in this photo from the production of "The Martha Stewart Show" in NYC on Thursday, February 2, 2012. Photo: Rob Tannenbaum/The Martha Stewart Show

Here's Mike Boylan in action shooting our behind the scenes...

Look for our video blog coming up next- We can’t wait to share it with you!  Xo Dani

 

The Margarita Queen’s Fave Winter Flavor

She's baaaaaack... Get your winter margarita fix here!

In most cases a cookie decorated to imitate a food item usually tastes better than actual food item.

IE: While watermelon is super delicious, it can not compete with the deliciousness of this "funky fresh" watermelon cookie

In this case, however, said foodie item might actually be more delicious than its cookie counterpart… and that is my new favorite cocktail, the Ginger Margarita.

For your consideration, the Ginger Margarita...

It was love at first sip when this self proclaimed Margarita Queen first tried the Ginger Margarita at ABC Kitchen. This fresh juice margarita says “winter” while still retaining all margarita deliciousness. I took to the web immediately and tracked down the recipe… (ABC kitchen is a Jean Georges restaurant, and as it turns out, he shared the recipe on the Martha show last March!)

First you will need to make the Ginger Lime Base (essentially a ginger simple syrup). Here’s a walk thru of the highlights…

Here's my sliced ginger, sugar and lime juice about to boil- it already looks yum! It takes on a pink hue when ready

Strain the syrup into a heat proof jar or glass to cool, then chop the ginger in a food processor

I love the pink hue of the ginger lime syrup (perfect for Love Day!)

The dried ginger turns a beautiful salmony pink color too!

After drying the ginger in the oven, put it back in the food processor to pulverize. Mix the chopped dried ginger with equal amount of kosher salt. There will be plenty- YUM!

I did make a slight “to taste” adjustment… This margarita tasted sweeter than I remembered so I squeezed 1/2 a lime directly into my glass while my guests enjoyed it as is. They also enjoyed the pairing of individual guacamole “boats” with this cocktail (a hallowed out avocado half is perfect for individual servings) … This yummy combination of salty, spicy and sweet is sooooo good!

Homemade Guacamole with red hot a blue organic chips

KF and I will be having this perfect pairing as a snack for romantic movie watching on Love Day! Don’t forget the cookies for dessert!

Is the cookie or drink more delicious? You be the judge!

Cheers to another great margarita recipe!  Xo Dani

Sweet Style Saturdays: I’ve Got My Game Face On!

As most New Jersey and New York fans are breaking out their Giants jerseys for the big game Sunday, I am getting out the face paint and lacing up my sneakers for another “giant” event: Jason Wu at Target!

Wu at Target, we are coming for ya!

I’ll admit I didn’t know much about this amazing designer before First Lady, Michelle Obama wore his breathtaking dress for the inaugural ball, but Jason Wu was quickly catapulted into the fashion spotlight. Before I knew it, I was re- creating his masterpiece dress in icing!

I used mini sugar flowers and white nonpareils to mimic the texture of Mrs. Obama's dress

Martha delivered this cookie box to the White House when she visited for the launch of Michelle Obama's Joining Forces initiative

I have always been a huge fan of designers at Target. It is a wonderful way for people to be able to sample top designer clothing and accessories when we otherwise would not be able to afford them. My Thakoon for Target dress is still one if my favorites and I always get compliments on it. I dressed down this yellow Gaultier to wear to the Real Simple Pop Up launch and love watching the double takes when I wear the tattoo leggings. I woke up super early to order my Missoni for Target online, but that was kind of a disaster (I ended up with a gift card after they couldn’t fill my order).

My collection of Target Designer Collection items (Do you see a pattern here? Haahaa!)

So I’ll be up early and I’m hoping the excitement from a possible Giants victory tomorrow distracts the Wu crowds! While I’m at it, the pink mini marshmallow quest continues and I’ll be shopping the Valentine candy aisle for this upcoming week of filling Valentine cookie orders.

Game face is on… Go Giants! Go Madonna! Go Me for a Wu victory! Happy Saturday! Xo Dani

Hopey, go long!