Father’s Day is just around the corner. It is time to start shopping and do we have some fantastic finds to share with you!

Grilling Gifts

When do the men, who typically can only be found in the kitchen when dinner is finished cooking, have an uncontrollable desire to cook? When it involves a great deal of fire and smoke, of course! What man is not the master of his own grill? Show him you appreciate his grilling skills with the following gifts:

Aprons

Your grill master will need an apron so try one of these fun aprons on for size:

• From Sweet Bohemian Life a fun apron that is 100% cotton with the following on the apron “My House My Rules” and a picture of a “retro guy”. The apron is adjustable around the neck and has a double pocket in the front.
• For a simple statement that gets the point across try this apron from Cool Aprons . It is black poly/cotton twill with a gold embroidered crown and the words “King of the Grill” embroidered beneath the crown.
• Is your grill master in the armed forces? If so then check out this “Grill Sergeant” apron from the Lily Pad Shop. It’s an apron he’ll be proud to wear.
• Customize an apron for Dad at Customized Girl. Choose what you’d like on the apron and make it special for the one you love.

Spices

Every Dad has his special grilling secrets. Give him the gift that will make him a grill star!

• You can’t go wrong with this set of dry rub spices from Williams-Sonoma. Four 1.5 ounce air-tight canisters are filled with chili-lime rub, potlatch seasoning, spicy chipotle and smokehouse rubs.
• Looking for a less expensive, but still amazing spice kit to give Dad? Try the Gourmet Rub Set from Purpose Design. Dad will receive 6 tins filled with the following rubs: Memphis BBQ, Java Love, Southwest Chipotle, Ancho Chili, African Berbere, Café Pasilla.

Grilling Tools and Accessories

Dad can’t grill without them so personalize them just for him.

• Art Follies will etch your preference of sayings, names or initials into a grill flipper or a grilling set that includes an 18 inch knife, flipper and fork.
• Red Envelope will engrave a lovely solid maple cutting board just for Dad. This cutting board is ideal for Dad to show off his perfectly grilled London broil as well as his carving skills

Beer Related Gifts

Most men enjoy an ice cold beer while grilling. Some men just enjoy that cold beer while others are beer aficionados. These gifts will please all beer drinkers.

• Sample a variety of beers as this finely made brew sampler and coaster set holds his favorite craft beers. Handmade of curly maple and black walnut (black and tan…like the beer) this set is appealing to the eye. Find this at the shop of Taunton Green and make sure to look for some of the fabulous cutting boards they make as well.
• Dads are tough. Hammeronsteel creates churchkeys that begin as a “single bar of steel”. The churchkeys are made using “traditional hot-forging techniques”. The bottle opener can be personalized as well.
• Want to personalize Dad’s beer pint, pilsner or tankard? Check out Things Remembered where you will find a variety of styles from which to choose and reasonable prices, even with the engraving.
• Has he always wanted to make his own beer? If so give him a deluxe starter kit sold at Urban Brewery. The kit includes (but isn’t limited to) a 1 gallon glass jug fermenter with liquid crystal thermometer strip, 6” funnel, bi-metal thermometer and siphon hose with shut off valve. There are too many items to list here so take a look at Urban Brewery’s shop.

Avoid the same old stale Father’s Day gifts. Does Dad really need another tie, more socks or a new bottle of Old Spice? Maybe, but those gifts are akin to Moms receiving a vacuum. Check out our suggestions or just go to Etsy.com and search for Father’s Day gifts. You will find unique products that are handmade and will tell Dad that you cared enough to go the extra mile.

Having junk food for a snack is a way of life. C’mon, life’s too short to stay stuck in the band wagon of OCD on the few and simple pleasures of life, including enjoying food that is considered unhealthy. Just remember this simple saying “too much of anything is unhealthy” and you can never go wrong in your decision on what is healthy or not. To eat or not to eat is a question that will no longer plague you.

“No TV after 6”, “wash your hands before you eat”, “do your homework”, and “eat your vegetables” are just a few of the more common reminders our parents used to drum into our senses every day of our childhood lives. Once we get to taste freedom from our parents, we still unconsciously try to find ways to rebel against these commandments that shackled us when we were kids. I really think my subconscious sometimes tells me that I have to do something even if I don’t want to just to prove to myself that I no longer need my parents’ permission to do something ‘forbidden.’ Or simply not doing something I’m supposed to just for the heck of it.

This particularly holds true for eating vegetables. I know they’re healthy and good for us. As if I haven’t heard enough of that growing up but now we’re still constantly being bombarded by so called health specialists and multimillion dollar companies that peddle these “healthier” snacks because they are made with vegetables. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for it. It’s just that it doesn’t give too much emphasis on my attempts at being rebellious when it comes to eating ‘healthy’ junk food such as Calbee Saya Snowpea Crisps. These are baked snow peas that are simply delectable! The crisps are light and crispy with the unmistakable sweet and salty taste of peas, and it is not overpowering at all.

The Calbee Company initially started as Matsuo Food Industry and soon became Matsuo Food Processing Co., Ltd. in 1949. Its name was then changed to Foods and Confectionery Co., Ltd. in 1955. Calbee is responsible for developing the technology for producing Arare crackers from wheat flour. It also introduced Kappa Arare crackers, which are famous for adopting the mythical kappa, a significant mythical animal from Japanese folklore. The character was chosen by Kon Shimizu as the product symbol.

Part and parcel of growing up is doing the responsible thing. But I guess having a healthy snack lessens the guilt and adds more to the pleasure of eating healthy.

{Where to buy}

• You can find these in most international supermarkets, (Asian Supermarkets)
• Buy Online  here and here.
• Calbee America 
• Calbee Japan (In English)

As a Fudo Find and our conclusion:

These Healthy crisps are packed with flavor! Calbee Saya Snowpea Crisps are baked snow peas that are simply delectable. The crisps are light and crispy with the unmistakable sweet and salty taste of peas that is not overpowering at all. These make a guilt-free power snack that makes eating right ooh so good!

The Calbee Company initially started as Matsuo Food Industry and soon became Matsuo Food Processing Co., Ltd. in 1949. Its name was then changed to Foods and Confectionery Co., Ltd. in 1955. Calbee is responsible for developing the technology for producing Arare crackers from wheat flour. It introduced Kappa Arare crackers, which are famous for adopting the mythical kappa, significant mythical animal from Japanese folklore. The character was chosen by Kon Shimizu as the product symbol. Calbee Saya Snowpea Crisps hits the spot and satisfies your craving for that light and crispy crunch. Once you start munching, there’s no stopping!

Photography Data:
Featured
Marie Cinq-Mars
Nikon 7000
ISO 100
Software Lightroom 4

1. Homeward Bound Hot Sauce

Meals Ready to Eat otherwise known as MREs are what our military members exist on when in the field. They are quite complete meals, if unappetizing. Some of the meals come with the teeny tiniest bottle of Tabasco Sauce. Many service members are happy to use this on their less them appealing meal.

While Tabasco Sauce is a mainstay and there is nothing inherently wrong with it, military members might have like to enjoy some interesting hot sauce flavors in their MREs. We found some flavorful and fun hot sauces at Homeward Bound Hot Sauce.

“Drunk Uncle” is…well…best described by the maker of the hot sauce: “A complex mix of smooth, slow-burnin’ peppers with a southern whiskey barbeque spankin’! Patiently-aged, this sauce embodies “southern sophistication.” Then, there is Patty Cake for those of us who have little tolerance for the heat. The little dogs who want to run with the big dogs will enjoy Patty Cake and its “tiny tingle”. Looking for more flavors? Click on over to Homeward Bound Hot Sauce and see what’s hot!

2. jeenoVino

Hailing from Iowa, where there is a love for crafting, Jen, the crafter behind jeenoVino, states that crafting helps pass the time, particularly during the Iowa winters. And, we are sure glad that Jen also feels that wine helps pass the time for her adorable wine stoppers will surely brighten your table all year long.

We adore Jen’s unique wine stoppers. Our favorites include the beautiful black and white motif stopper, the very summery white rose and the whimsical garden gnome stopper, which, by the way would be much easier to take with you on road trips rather than an actual garden gnome.

There are wine stoppers that men would love as well. Check out the screwdriver stopper, the mini pool ball stopper and the industrial valve stopper. Find the time to stop by jeenoVino for the perfect wine stopper for just about anyone. These make fabulous hostess gifts, birthday gifts or, heck, just buy one for you. They are two cute to resist!

3. Sweeties by Kim

You may never look at an Oreo in the same way again! Who thought Oreo cookies could be glamorous? Apparently Kim from Sweeties by Kim not only thought they could be glam, but actually made them so. These fabulous cookies are perfect for any event from showers to birthday parties. Use them as favors or stack them for gorgeous, edible centerpieces. They will make the little old grandmothers who bake trays of cookies for centerpieces green with envy!

We are fans of Sweeties by Kim and not just because of her amazing designs which allow us to remain chic while eating an Oreo, but because of her story. In her Etsy Profile, Kim writes:

“I was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes at the age of 9, which resulted in needing two double-organ transplants (kidney and pancreas) within the past 15 years. Both are working like a charm now–lots of bathroom breaks thanks to my new kidney, and my pancreas is producing insulin like a gas pump on Labor Day weekend. No more Diabetes! Is that why I crave the sugar business? Perhaps. But I love the meticulous decorating and precise measurements of it all, too.”

We are sure glad Kim is doing well, likes the “sugar business” and is so incredibly talented. Bravo!

1. Homeward Bound Hot Sauce

Meals Ready to Eat otherwise known as MREs are what our military members exist on when in the field. They are quite complete meals, if unappetizing. Some of the meals come with the teeny tiniest bottle of Tabasco Sauce. Many service members are happy to use this on their less them appealing meal.

While Tabasco Sauce is a mainstay and there is nothing inherently wrong with it, military members might have like to enjoy some interesting hot sauce flavors in their MREs. We found some flavorful and fun hot sauces at Homeward Bound Hot Sauce.

“Drunk Uncle” is…well…best described by the maker of the hot sauce: “A complex mix of smooth, slow-burnin’ peppers with a southern whiskey barbeque spankin’! Patiently-aged, this sauce embodies “southern sophistication.” Then, there is Patty Cake for those of us who have little tolerance for the heat. The little dogs who want to run with the big dogs will enjoy Patty Cake and its “tiny tingle”. Looking for more flavors? Click on over to Homeward Bound Hot Sauce and see what’s hot!

2. jeenoVino

Hailing from Iowa, where there is a love for crafting, Jen, the crafter behind jeenoVino, states that crafting helps pass the time, particularly during the Iowa winters. And, we are sure glad that Jen also feels that wine helps pass the time for her adorable wine stoppers will surely brighten your table all year long.

We adore Jen’s unique wine stoppers. Our favorites include the beautiful black and white motif stopper, the very summery white rose and the whimsical garden gnome stopper, which, by the way would be much easier to take with you on road trips rather than an actual garden gnome.

There are wine stoppers that men would love as well. Check out the screwdriver stopper, the mini pool ball stopper and the industrial valve stopper. Find the time to stop by jeenoVino for the perfect wine stopper for just about anyone. These make fabulous hostess gifts, birthday gifts or, heck, just buy one for you. They are two cute to resist!

3. Sweeties by Kim

You may never look at an Oreo in the same way again! Who thought Oreo cookies could be glamorous? Apparently Kim from Sweeties by Kim not only thought they could be glam, but actually made them so. These fabulous cookies are perfect for any event from showers to birthday parties. Use them as favors or stack them for gorgeous, edible centerpieces. They will make the little old grandmothers who bake trays of cookies for centerpieces green with envy!

We are fans of Sweeties by Kim and not just because of her amazing designs which allow us to remain chic while eating an Oreo, but because of her story. In her Etsy Profile, Kim writes:

“I was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes at the age of 9, which resulted in needing two double-organ transplants (kidney and pancreas) within the past 15 years. Both are working like a charm now–lots of bathroom breaks thanks to my new kidney, and my pancreas is producing insulin like a gas pump on Labor Day weekend. No more Diabetes! Is that why I crave the sugar business? Perhaps. But I love the meticulous decorating and precise measurements of it all, too.”

We are sure glad Kim is doing well, likes the “sugar business” and is so incredibly talented. Bravo!

We try to include a Fudo Find each week, but found that there are so many incredible finds we must include more than one a week. This week we’d like to bring to your attention five fun finds.

KC’s Canning’s tag line states: “Not your mother’s jams and jellies!!!” Kerrie, the talent behind the canning isn’t kidding when she makes that statement. Preserving foods by canning them was developed out of a necessity in 1809 by a French confectioner and brewer, Nicolas Appert, who observed that food cooked inside a jar, did not spoil unless the seals leaked. The women of the world took note. Canning became a household practice for many who had farms or large kitchen gardens.

Thankfully, the art and science of canning is not lost. Kerrie provides us with a delightful choice of canned goods that truly are not our mother’s jams and jellies. With flavors such as vanilla peach bourbon, cherry amaretto, ice blue raspberry lemonade and banana cake batter (Yum!) you will never suffer another jar of store brand strawberry jelly. Keep an eye on KC’s Canning to see what delicious combinations she is cooking up.

As a child you may have heard, “Don’t play with your food!” And now as an adult, if you have children, you may be uttering the same words (with horror, thinking, OMG, I sound just like my mother). This next Fudo Find will have you saying the exact opposite to your children; “Please, go play with your food!”

Bee’s Felt Market creates adorable felt food. We love the 4 types of pasta, fruits and veggies are all so fun. There are sandwiches and bags of chips. What child won’t love playing with the spaghetti and meatball combo or the pancakes, sausage and bacon set? We’d love a few sets of the green and purple grapes to set out in a bowl. Heidi Marie, the crafter behind the felt curtain, so to speak, has done a fabulous job and has earned her shop’s tagline, “bee-utiful felt food”.

Everywhere you look these days there are cake pops. Go to any bake sale, craft fair or special occasion and you will see cake pops, but you may not see any as cute as the ones we found at Frost the Cake. Alana and Julie Saleh are baking up whimsical treats such as their cake pops that look like mini cupcakes and their spa party bubble bath cake pops. The PB&J pops will delight any fan of the sandwich. Of course, we love the pink champagne cake pops! Butter cream frosting and pink champagne cake, dipped in pink chocolate and topped with pink crystal sugar and champagne bubbles is a must have for those of you planning a bridal shower this wedding season.

For a savory specialty take a virtual walk over to Farina. What will catch your eye immediately is the ricci di donna (lady’s curls). Ricci di donna is bright and beautiful. Beets give this pasta its vibrant color and mellow flavor that will look stunning when served.

Having learned how to make pasta as a child “K”, has created other pastas that will delight you and get you out of that spaghetti rut. Take a look at the sweet pea orecchiette (little ears) or the sweet pepper cappellacci dei briganti (robbers’ hats). You will love the sweet potato, whole wheat farfalle and the Foglie d’ulivo (olive leaves) which are colored with spinach and shaped as leaves. All of the pasta’s you find at Farina will have your family and/or guests oohing and ahhing when you walk to the table with any one of these eye catching pastas on a serving platter.

It just got hotter in the kitchen! Aprons by Tootlepip should be worn with extreme care as your honey will not leave you alone in the kitchen. And, you just might find yourself in another room (wink). How could we resist the sexy aprons designed by Nicole Phillips and Marsha Sherrod, the mother/daughter team dreaming up such alluring aprons?

We absolutely adore the black satin and lace vintage inspired apron, adorned with a hot red flower. When you where this apron you may place a rose in your mouth, grab your special somebody and do the tango. This apron will definitely add passion to your cooking.

We are also tremendously fond of the French baby doll apron. The name of that one says it all! For a softer, more feminine sexy take a look at the luxury linen floral fashion apron. Gorgeous! Tootlepip has created many aprons for those of you who would prefer something a little tamer, such as their garden designs. So, don’t wait another minute, click on over to Tootlepip and see what apron suits you. Photo credit: TootlepipbyNicole

We hope you check out these Fudo Finds and enjoy them as much as we do.

We try to include a Fudo Find each week, but found that there are so many incredible finds we must include more than one a week. This week we’d like to bring to your attention five fun finds.

KC’s Canning’s tag line states: “Not your mother’s jams and jellies!!!” Kerrie, the talent behind the canning isn’t kidding when she makes that statement. Preserving foods by canning them was developed out of a necessity in 1809 by a French confectioner and brewer, Nicolas Appert, who observed that food cooked inside a jar, did not spoil unless the seals leaked. The women of the world took note. Canning became a household practice for many who had farms or large kitchen gardens.

Thankfully, the art and science of canning is not lost. Kerrie provides us with a delightful choice of canned goods that truly are not our mother’s jams and jellies. With flavors such as vanilla peach bourbon, cherry amaretto, ice blue raspberry lemonade and banana cake batter (Yum!) you will never suffer another jar of store brand strawberry jelly. Keep an eye on KC’s Canning to see what delicious combinations she is cooking up.

As a child you may have heard, “Don’t play with your food!” And now as an adult, if you have children, you may be uttering the same words (with horror, thinking, OMG, I sound just like my mother). This next Fudo Find will have you saying the exact opposite to your children; “Please, go play with your food!”

Bee’s Felt Market creates adorable felt food. We love the 4 types of pasta, fruits and veggies are all so fun. There are sandwiches and bags of chips. What child won’t love playing with the spaghetti and meatball combo or the pancakes, sausage and bacon set? We’d love a few sets of the green and purple grapes to set out in a bowl. Heidi Marie, the crafter behind the felt curtain, so to speak, has done a fabulous job and has earned her shop’s tagline, “bee-utiful felt food”.

Everywhere you look these days there are cake pops. Go to any bake sale, craft fair or special occasion and you will see cake pops, but you may not see any as cute as the ones we found at Frost the Cake. Alana and Julie Saleh are baking up whimsical treats such as their cake pops that look like mini cupcakes and their spa party bubble bath cake pops. The PB&J pops will delight any fan of the sandwich. Of course, we love the pink champagne cake pops! Butter cream frosting and pink champagne cake, dipped in pink chocolate and topped with pink crystal sugar and champagne bubbles is a must have for those of you planning a bridal shower this wedding season.

For a savory specialty take a virtual walk over to Farina. What will catch your eye immediately is the ricci di donna (lady’s curls). Ricci di donna is bright and beautiful. Beets give this pasta its vibrant color and mellow flavor that will look stunning when served.

Having learned how to make pasta as a child “K”, has created other pastas that will delight you and get you out of that spaghetti rut. Take a look at the sweet pea orecchiette (little ears) or the sweet pepper cappellacci dei briganti (robbers’ hats). You will love the sweet potato, whole wheat farfalle and the Foglie d’ulivo (olive leaves) which are colored with spinach and shaped as leaves. All of the pasta’s you find at Farina will have your family and/or guests oohing and ahhing when you walk to the table with any one of these eye catching pastas on a serving platter.

It just got hotter in the kitchen! Aprons by Tootlepip should be worn with extreme care as your honey will not leave you alone in the kitchen. And, you just might find yourself in another room (wink). How could we resist the sexy aprons designed by Nicole Phillips and Marsha Sherrod, the mother/daughter team dreaming up such alluring aprons?

We absolutely adore the black satin and lace vintage inspired apron, adorned with a hot red flower. When you where this apron you may place a rose in your mouth, grab your special somebody and do the tango. This apron will definitely add passion to your cooking.

We are also tremendously fond of the French baby doll apron. The name of that one says it all! For a softer, more feminine sexy take a look at the luxury linen floral fashion apron. Gorgeous! Tootlepip has created many aprons for those of you who would prefer something a little tamer, such as their garden designs. So, don’t wait another minute, click on over to Tootlepip and see what apron suits you. Photo credit: TootlepipbyNicole

We hope you check out these Fudo Finds and enjoy them as much as we do.

We try to include a Fudo Find each week, but found that there are so many incredible finds we must include more than one a week. This week we’d like to bring to your attention five fun finds.

KC’s Canning’s tag line states: “Not your mother’s jams and jellies!!!” Kerrie, the talent behind the canning isn’t kidding when she makes that statement. Preserving foods by canning them was developed out of a necessity in 1809 by a French confectioner and brewer, Nicolas Appert, who observed that food cooked inside a jar, did not spoil unless the seals leaked. The women of the world took note. Canning became a household practice for many who had farms or large kitchen gardens.

Thankfully, the art and science of canning is not lost. Kerrie provides us with a delightful choice of canned goods that truly are not our mother’s jams and jellies. With flavors such as vanilla peach bourbon, cherry amaretto, ice blue raspberry lemonade and banana cake batter (Yum!) you will never suffer another jar of store brand strawberry jelly. Keep an eye on KC’s Canning to see what delicious combinations she is cooking up.

As a child you may have heard, “Don’t play with your food!” And now as an adult, if you have children, you may be uttering the same words (with horror, thinking, OMG, I sound just like my mother). This next Fudo Find will have you saying the exact opposite to your children; “Please, go play with your food!”

Bee’s Felt Market creates adorable felt food. We love the 4 types of pasta, fruits and veggies are all so fun. There are sandwiches and bags of chips. What child won’t love playing with the spaghetti and meatball combo or the pancakes, sausage and bacon set? We’d love a few sets of the green and purple grapes to set out in a bowl. Heidi Marie, the crafter behind the felt curtain, so to speak, has done a fabulous job and has earned her shop’s tagline, “bee-utiful felt food”.

Everywhere you look these days there are cake pops. Go to any bake sale, craft fair or special occasion and you will see cake pops, but you may not see any as cute as the ones we found at Frost the Cake. Alana and Julie Saleh are baking up whimsical treats such as their cake pops that look like mini cupcakes and their spa party bubble bath cake pops. The PB&J pops will delight any fan of the sandwich. Of course, we love the pink champagne cake pops! Butter cream frosting and pink champagne cake, dipped in pink chocolate and topped with pink crystal sugar and champagne bubbles is a must have for those of you planning a bridal shower this wedding season.

For a savory specialty take a virtual walk over to Farina. What will catch your eye immediately is the ricci di donna (lady’s curls). Ricci di donna is bright and beautiful. Beets give this pasta its vibrant color and mellow flavor that will look stunning when served.

Having learned how to make pasta as a child “K”, has created other pastas that will delight you and get you out of that spaghetti rut. Take a look at the sweet pea orecchiette (little ears) or the sweet pepper cappellacci dei briganti (robbers’ hats). You will love the sweet potato, whole wheat farfalle and the Foglie d’ulivo (olive leaves) which are colored with spinach and shaped as leaves. All of the pasta’s you find at Farina will have your family and/or guests oohing and ahhing when you walk to the table with any one of these eye catching pastas on a serving platter.

It just got hotter in the kitchen! Aprons by Tootlepip should be worn with extreme care as your honey will not leave you alone in the kitchen. And, you just might find yourself in another room (wink). How could we resist the sexy aprons designed by Nicole Phillips and Marsha Sherrod, the mother/daughter team dreaming up such alluring aprons?

We absolutely adore the black satin and lace vintage inspired apron, adorned with a hot red flower. When you where this apron you may place a rose in your mouth, grab your special somebody and do the tango. This apron will definitely add passion to your cooking.

We are also tremendously fond of the French baby doll apron. The name of that one says it all! For a softer, more feminine sexy take a look at the luxury linen floral fashion apron. Gorgeous! Tootlepip has created many aprons for those of you who would prefer something a little tamer, such as their garden designs. So, don’t wait another minute, click on over to Tootlepip and see what apron suits you. Photo credit: TootlepipbyNicole

We hope you check out these Fudo Finds and enjoy them as much as we do.

We try to include a Fudo Find each week, but found that there are so many incredible finds we must include more than one a week. This week we’d like to bring to your attention five fun finds.

KC’s Canning’s tag line states: “Not your mother’s jams and jellies!!!” Kerrie, the talent behind the canning isn’t kidding when she makes that statement. Preserving foods by canning them was developed out of a necessity in 1809 by a French confectioner and brewer, Nicolas Appert, who observed that food cooked inside a jar, did not spoil unless the seals leaked. The women of the world took note. Canning became a household practice for many who had farms or large kitchen gardens.

Thankfully, the art and science of canning is not lost. Kerrie provides us with a delightful choice of canned goods that truly are not our mother’s jams and jellies. With flavors such as vanilla peach bourbon, cherry amaretto, ice blue raspberry lemonade and banana cake batter (Yum!) you will never suffer another jar of store brand strawberry jelly. Keep an eye on KC’s Canning to see what delicious combinations she is cooking up.

As a child you may have heard, “Don’t play with your food!” And now as an adult, if you have children, you may be uttering the same words (with horror, thinking, OMG, I sound just like my mother). This next Fudo Find will have you saying the exact opposite to your children; “Please, go play with your food!”

Bee’s Felt Market creates adorable felt food. We love the 4 types of pasta, fruits and veggies are all so fun. There are sandwiches and bags of chips. What child won’t love playing with the spaghetti and meatball combo or the pancakes, sausage and bacon set? We’d love a few sets of the green and purple grapes to set out in a bowl. Heidi Marie, the crafter behind the felt curtain, so to speak, has done a fabulous job and has earned her shop’s tagline, “bee-utiful felt food”.

Everywhere you look these days there are cake pops. Go to any bake sale, craft fair or special occasion and you will see cake pops, but you may not see any as cute as the ones we found at Frost the Cake. Alana and Julie Saleh are baking up whimsical treats such as their cake pops that look like mini cupcakes and their spa party bubble bath cake pops. The PB&J pops will delight any fan of the sandwich. Of course, we love the pink champagne cake pops! Butter cream frosting and pink champagne cake, dipped in pink chocolate and topped with pink crystal sugar and champagne bubbles is a must have for those of you planning a bridal shower this wedding season.

For a savory specialty take a virtual walk over to Farina. What will catch your eye immediately is the ricci di donna (lady’s curls). Ricci di donna is bright and beautiful. Beets give this pasta its vibrant color and mellow flavor that will look stunning when served.

Having learned how to make pasta as a child “K”, has created other pastas that will delight you and get you out of that spaghetti rut. Take a look at the sweet pea orecchiette (little ears) or the sweet pepper cappellacci dei briganti (robbers’ hats). You will love the sweet potato, whole wheat farfalle and the Foglie d’ulivo (olive leaves) which are colored with spinach and shaped as leaves. All of the pasta’s you find at Farina will have your family and/or guests oohing and ahhing when you walk to the table with any one of these eye catching pastas on a serving platter.

It just got hotter in the kitchen! Aprons by Tootlepip should be worn with extreme care as your honey will not leave you alone in the kitchen. And, you just might find yourself in another room (wink). How could we resist the sexy aprons designed by Nicole Phillips and Marsha Sherrod, the mother/daughter team dreaming up such alluring aprons?

We absolutely adore the black satin and lace vintage inspired apron, adorned with a hot red flower. When you where this apron you may place a rose in your mouth, grab your special somebody and do the tango. This apron will definitely add passion to your cooking.

We are also tremendously fond of the French baby doll apron. The name of that one says it all! For a softer, more feminine sexy take a look at the luxury linen floral fashion apron. Gorgeous! Tootlepip has created many aprons for those of you who would prefer something a little tamer, such as their garden designs. So, don’t wait another minute, click on over to Tootlepip and see what apron suits you. Photo credit: TootlepipbyNicole

We hope you check out these Fudo Finds and enjoy them as much as we do.

Believe it or not Valentine’s Day is just two and a half weeks away! It is hard to believe that January is almost over (not that we mind) and, if you are like us, Valentine’s Day is going to sneak up on you. We were looking for Valentine’s Day products and came upon these lovely cookies by Dainty Delights. They caught our attention for their focused attention to detail and their soft, Victorian fashion.

“Dainty Delights specialty lies in the creation of exceptional gourmet decorative and traditional cookies, cupcakes and Faberge chocolate eggs/containers that are not only delicious, delightful, stylish and creative but fun. Our grand array of dainty desserts are passionately conceived from scratch using only the finest and freshest ingredients, traditional cookies are moist and baked to perfection and decorative cookies and cakes are accentuated with elaborate designs and wonderful flavors. “
Dainty Delights hails from Coral Springs, Florida. Having lived in Florida we know that baking, despite having air conditioners, can be hot. Decorating in Florida heat is also challenging. But, Dainty Delights has created original, beautiful executed desserts.

All you need to do is look at the Penny Roses and you will quickly ascertain that the creator of these cookies has an eye for detail, a steady hand and sublime creativity. For that special little girl in your life you may want to look at the fun Hello Kitty cookies that come in five different designs (two of each in an order of ten). Or, if you have a little princess you might want to look at these Little Princess cookies, reminiscent of Cinderella’s gown, glass slipper and carriage. We are particularly fond of the Cameo Cookie, which is both sophisticated, old world and while feminine and soft they are also bold.

“Our gourmet decorative butter cookies are preservative free, and are prepared using only the finest and freshest ingredients as well as baked and hand crafted fresh for each order. Each cookie is displayed in clear, individual cellophane bags tied with coordinating satin bows.”

Dainty Delights’ cookies are perfect for formal affairs, showers, birthday parties and holidays. These cookies make wonderful gifts that demonstrate you went the extra mile to say thank you or best wishes. Do you have a custom order? Contact Dainty Delights and they will provide excellent customer service and a marvelous custom order, such as these Baby Shower cookies. Sixty Six cookies were created for the Baby Shower order and we are sure each one of those cookies looked as perfect as the next.

Dainty Delights was born when the wonderfully talented artist behind the cookies “decided to pursue the business of confections because of (my) love, passion and natural talent for creating scrumptious, unique and beautiful gourmet decorative and traditional cookies, cupcakes, Faberge eggs/containers and other desserts.”

Don’t just give your loved ones a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day. Show your loved ones that you really do care to send the very best. Send them a divine gift from Dainty Delight. You will be satisfied with the product and the customer service. And, you will love the praise you will receive from your loved ones.

What can you say about a person who you’ve known since you were 5 years old? I’ve known Michelle longer than anyone on this earth except my family. We met in kindergarten. Her mother, Arlette, was our art teacher from kindergarten to 8th grade. And, Michelle inherited her mother’s (and grandmother’s) amazing talents. I always admired Michelle’s talent, her eye for detail. As a child I was always proud that she was my friend. I was tall and awkward, with frizzy, curly hair and glasses. Michelle was petite and adorable, with thick, long blonde hair and a bright smile. But, we clicked. And, today, as an adult I am even prouder still of my dear friend.

Michelle is the co-founder of Cloud9 Fabrics and currently the Design and Marketing Director. Because I won’t do Michelle justice I will defer to her about page information: “Michelle has spent her entire life dedicated to the pursuit of creative endeavors. While she obtained a BFA in Photography at Montclair State College, she almost immediately abandoned the idea of going into that industry. Instead, she found herself moving from one creative job to another until she unwittingly landed a humble position as a designer’s assistant in a men’s sleepwear and lounge wear Company. Within a few years and another company later, she found herself the Design Director for a prominent private label men’s underwear company where she honed her design, merchandising and marketing skills. After about 15 years in the industry that she never intended to make a career, she left the big NYC job to pursue her own projects and have more time with her children. Through her independent company, Cicada Studio, she developed and produced home décor weight printed textiles in cotton/linen blends. It was also at this time that she began to license collections for Henry Glass & Co, specifically for the quilt market, which opened up an entirely new perspective of designing and outlet for her talents. As the success of her Cicada Studio collections grew, her need to produce on a larger scale became evident. Being Earth-friendly has always been important to Michelle. As she researched her options and refined her ideas for a collection, the notion to create a designer line of fabrics that bridged the gap of high-end organics and mass-consumerism took shape.

Cloud9 Fabrics is passionate about bringing eco-sensible fabrics to the quilt and craft market. Co-founders Michelle Engel Bencsko and Gina Pantastico recognized the need for contemporary designs in the eco-friendly, affordable fabric marketplace. In a world where Cotton is King and designer fabrics are becoming increasingly popular, it was apparent that there was a lack of organic cottons with a modern sensibility available to the sewing community. “

Cloud9 Fabrics has been a huge success, finding itself featured in magazines such as Martha Stewart’s Living, Quilter’s World and Fabric Trends just to name a few. The collections are bold, yet soft and are put together with such mindfulness that you will be in awe of the obvious dedication to attention to detail.

I am exceedingly proud and pleased to share with you this week’s Fudofind: Michelle’s 4th annual Tea Towel Calendar. You will love looking at this soothing blue print throughout the year and when the year is over Cloud9 Fabrics invites you to use the calendar as a kitchen towel for the material is wonderfully soft and absorbent. To purchase this calendar please visit Cicada Studio.

For more information about fabric collections please visit Cloud9 Fabrics.