Birthday Whimsy

My gosh, so long since I've posted!
Well, thanks to Ben, I have my laptop back and repaired.
Actually, it's better than that--he replaced the laptop he gave me with a newer model.
I feel like I've been reunited with a fond friend, and it's true.
Initially I was a bit disappointed that my first laptop was gone, because I'm just not good with change.
I never will be good with change.
I was just laughing with a co-worker today about how she initially returned the coin counter we were given, insisting we were just fine with counting by hand, thank you very much.
Geez, what were we thinking?!
But I'm glad I'm not the only one who accepts change kicking and screaming.
(lol, change and coins...pun not intended)

But I digress.
I have a lot of catching up to do here!
Let's start with a belated birthday gift that I received over the weekend.
Three of my friends and I got together on Sunday for the first time all year (how did the time zoom by?).
My friend Tracie handed me a gift bag which held a rectangle wrapped in tissue.
I opened it to find a Willy Wonka chocolate bar, its label saying it may possibly hold a golden ticket.

Tracie sort-of nonchalantly said, "see if you won".
I opened up the candy (yummy, by the way), and look what Tracie had done:
Eek! $50 gift card!
(she sliced the back open, inserted the card, and carefully re-sealed)
I absolutely LOVE whimsical, creative ideas like this.
How fun!

To add fun to my friend Jen's 7-year-old daughter's birthday, I decided to make some cupcakes that looked like her.

The recipe made a dozen, but, um, one disappeared for a quality control check ;).

The blonde hair is made with vanilla chocolate wafers, just like the cupcakes I made for my friend debs last year, only these were less sophisticated.
I think they're fine for a little girl though, and Callie seemed to like them.

I pride myself in baking from scratch.
This time I chose a recipe from Cooks Illustrated Magazine for Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting.
Very good.