Did you see?

I made it on PBS!  :) 

(for a few seconds....)

http://www.unctv.org/ourstate/episode505/index.html#1

Well... at least they didn't repeat the "I really like birds" interview.

"I'm shocked.... I'm just shocked."  :)

How Smashing!!!

Last Sunday

me and my mom

(my mom and I? Whatever.)

went to pick up my gingerbread house.

After some lip from the people in charge...

finally, we were "helped"

with getting my gingerbread house out of its "cage."

Sort of.

The little bellman was trying to unlatch the plexi-glass surround

when it fell...

or

"slipped"

into...

nay,

onto...

the birdcage.

CRASH!

*gasp!*

It happened so quickly.

I hesitated for only a second...

(with my mouth open, I'm sure)

and then I said,

"It's... ok.  Honey, It's alright."

But it just kept getting worse.

Not just worse, but "worser." (smirk)

People were surrounding me, coming out of the shops nearby.

And one older lady came right up next to me and said,

"Oh how beautiful!  That is incredible!

What is it made of?"

I looked at her....

(again, I'm sure with my mouth open)

"Well, it was made out of gumpaste and gingerbread...."

(which is not entirely true being that it was still made out of gumpaste and gingerbread...)

Anyway.

and it just kept getting worse on the ride home.

Oh, how I should have just left it.

But.... I was in a bit of shock.

So the birds are free now.

Fly away birdies....

Fly AwAy!

Shoo!

Made it!!!

Ahhh, it made it to New York! 15 seconds of fame..... totally worth it!

Check it out!

Cool.

Gingerbread Repair...

On Sunday we made our way back up to GPI

to

love on my gingerbread house

because apparently it was

"rapidly deteriorating"

and

it needed to be fixed up, beefed up, and fortified

to survive the trip to the Big Apple.

Grove Park was BEAUTIFUL in the snow,

oh how we would have loved to have been able to stay!!!

I was so nervous to see the house; I didn't know what shape it would be in...

At first I didn't think it was all that bad, but upon closer inspection....

Eww.

So the head Chef whisked us away, and stowed me in their real live Pastry Kitchen.

Ahh.

Intimidating.

Yes.

But cool.

So I began the task of putting her back together.

I tore out the broken bars.

(the gingerbread must have swelled against the gumpaste bars,

making them snap, crackle & pop.)

Eww.

I was overwhelmed when faced with the daunting task of putting the "frames" back together.

Ohhhh, dear...

Nice view of the birds, though!

(You know I REALLY like them.)

Marc was snooping a bit when I was feverishly glueing....

but look at the beautiful shots he took:

Huge paddle attachment..

Huge Whisk attachments...

Beautiful but huge dough hooks!!!

After a few hours of tenderlovingcare...

the house was as good as new or better...

and then

whisked away to a locked room

to await the trip to New York.

(I wanted to cry when they took it away from me.... who knows if I'll ever see it again.)

See if it made it (cause I've no idea...)

Check out 

Good Morning America 

tomorrow morning!

(Christmas Eve.)

ehhhhehehehehehe!

Oh, I hope it's ok!

"I really like birds."

So.

You know.

I won?  Really?  Wow. 

Hasn't really sunk in yet, I've got to tell ya.

This is my ... oh my gosh oh my goodness I just won ... face!

a big colorful ribbon

(which I have coveted for six years!)

Lot's of people...

well wishers, many questions, and more!

giddiness...

TV interviews... (uh oh.)

What did I say?  

I can't remember. 

Newspaper interviews 

complete with hand gestures...

and then the quotation in the next day's paper saying,

"I really like birds."

Um.  I'm sure I said more than that.  Wasn't that taken out of context?  huh.

Here's a story that I know I told the newspaper interviewers...

The "house" had to be delivered to the ballroom by 8:30 Monday morning.

I was getting dressed while Marc went downstairs at 7:30 to get a cart for the transport mission.

By 8:00 I was getting a little antsy.  Then it hit me!

I will write "My Love" on the envelope!  It will look so wonderful!

(even though I worked for HOURS trying to add the perfect inscription days beforehand.)

So I quickly whipped out my edible paints and took to adding the final touch to my gingerbread.

L-o-v-e

hmmm.

M-y-

ewww.

Uh.  Well.

No! No! nononono!

Crap.

Oh dear, where's my lemon extract so I can take that off!

smudge smudge smudge.

yikes!

paint paint pat pat pat dust dust dust brush blow phew!!!

Don't ever do that again!

And then Marc arrived with the cart at 8:15.

But I still can't believe it...

And all because of two little turtle doves.

I really like birds.

Marc is working on a video of it all...

and I'm hiding under the bed.  

Just until it blows over.

But I'm smiling all the while.

Am I finished yet?

Ok.  I'm tired, and it's not finished yet; But I know you want to see...... don't you?

Have to show my pears first...

Love how they turned out.

Here goes...

Ta daaa!

There.

Night night.

Halloween Weekend Recap...

Marc was just dying to get my niece and nephew up to our house

to make Jack-O-Lanterns...

They were so cute!

This was Laney's:

and this was Charlie's:

Great job, guys!!!

So anyway, it's hard to stay in the Gingerbread spirit

when there are other spirits roaming around, but now that

Halloween is over....

It's back to work.

And I'm soooooo behind.

Please let there be no catastrophes like last year!!!

But I'm a little worried because of this:

What is that you ask?

Well aside from kitchy,

This was a gift from Marc's grandfather a few years back. (I love it!)

When the little lady is out...

the weather is nice and clear.

When the little man is out...

the weather is generally rainy or humid.

And he's been out all weekend.

Oh, humidity sucks for making gingerbread!!!

See:

Warp-a-licious!!!

Thankfully those pieces will not be needed.

Right?

I don't know... I'm flyin' by the seat of my pants.

So anyway, I think I have things under control at the moment...

that is except for the microscopic gingerbread dust that is now ground into the rug...

(Marc insisted upon sanding my gingerbread pieces...heh)

and

also, except for my hair...

Yep, that's a paintbrush and a pin curl clip.

Man, everything just goes to pot when I get engrossed in a project.

Ewww girl, go wash yo hair.

So I can't end the post after that nasty picture

I'll leave you with two more:

Thirsty taking a nap under a blanket:

and a little gingerbread house cuteness...

awwww.

And...... it starts.

The wonderful smell of spices baking,

The messy mess,

The experimentations,

The blaring Christmas music from Pandora

to get me in the Spirit.

Oh, that's so hard in October.

Has finally begun!

I can't tell you what it is yet.

Someone may steal my idea (twitchy eyes)...

but

There's only three weekends left

~so~

No pressure!!!

Here's a recap from last year

with additional footage...

Notice my face when I'm driving.

I'm pretty sure I cried most of the way up the mountain!

I was so afraid that it would fall apart!

Top Ten!

I'm so excited! After five tries I finally made it into the top ten! The judges were very kind to give me some critiques, and at least one of the judges thought that I should have won! So, I'm very happy albeit tired. Top ten is such an honor! But next year.............

hahahahaaaahahaa! I'm already thinking of ideas. Well, maybe I'll wait until I have a nap!

Sorry about the absence of pictures, but Marc's cameras all ran out of battery power!

We are going to order a dessert from room service now, and the only decision left to make is whether to have the peanut butter sundae or the three layer chocolate fudge cake!

Love to all!

Jodie


(I miss your being here, Jessa! Asheville isn't the same without you!)

Tension Mounts

Jodie and I successfully navigated the winding corridors of the Inn to deliver her entry this morning. The competition is tough but she's been getting a lot of attention from the judges. In fact, two gathered close at one point and actually cut a piece off and ate it. So it can not be said they are being anything other than thorough. Here's a few shots from the heart of the action...


Morning at the Grove Park Inn

brings a few finishing touches

to garner the eye of the judges

in a field full of competition!

We made it!

The trip up the mountain wasn't easy, for that matter the trip out the front door and to the car wasn't a walk in the park either. None the less, Jodie and the gingerbread house are now resting comfortably at the exquisite Grove Park Inn. With some last minute finishing touches, she has declared this years entry finished at last. Here are a few photos!


The view is rather nice...






But Jodie is the real star!

Now all we can do is wait. One more move over to the exhibit hall and it will be in the hands of the judges.