The Internet for Bakers

Those of you who read this blog often, may have noticed that I really enjoy baking. I've even considered opening up my own side or full-time business devoted to it. I love how relaxing it can be and the deliciously creative results it can yield. All of the recipes for the above photos can be found on the right-hand sidebar, just go to "Living with Annie Recipes."

For today, I'd like to share with you some of the best internet baking inspiration I've found. I highly encourage you to follow these sites if you share my passion.

Tastespotting and FoodGawker

Like Google for food, but fantastically better. These are two visual search engines that usually contain links to great blogs and recipes. You can even submit your own!

Bakerella

Cake pops, cake pops, cake pops (see Mickey and Minnie versions of mine above)! Her photos are just as gorgeous as her innovative baking and decorating ideas. She never fails to amaze. Follow this one if you aren't familiar, you'll be very glad you did.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Ree Drummond, aka Pioneer Woman, is on the rise as an entertaining cook that posts fantastic pictures and equally fantastic recipes on her food blog. She also just released a cookbook.

Cupcakes take the Cake

One of my passions is the universe of cupcakery. A trio of bloggers on this site works diligently to keep you up to speed on cupcake trends all across the country.

How bout you guys? Any great baking sources I should start following?

100 Posts and Counting

Holy buckets Batman! I made it to 100.

This past week, I've definitely reached the first blogging milestone - 100 posts. When I started this blog in October 2009, I wasn't sure I'd make it this far. In fact, I made myself make a list of 30 post ideas BEFORE I would let myself start a blog. I tend to go after things pretty hard then refocus on something else after awhile and I didn't want a blog to be a fairweather thing.


I must say that I'm quite proud of all that I've done with and for the blog and the inspiration it's given me to start and keep writing. Thanks so much for reading, commenting, and supporting me along the way!

In honor of 100 posts - instead of the top 100 things about me, here's 10 you may not already know:

1) I had a talent agent when I was a kid.


2) I completely ripped off Disney's Hercules as a stage musical for my high school and conned everyone I knew into being in it. I later got to tell this story to the directors of Hercules, John Musker and Ron Clements when somehow- I magically ended up working at Disney Animation.


3) I've been on NPR twice for my work on audio documentaries.



4) I strongly prefer gummi worms to gummi bears, and mostly only the yellow, green, and orange varieties.


5) I will one day have my own cupcake bakery. That day may come sooner than later...


6) I once mistook Jason Mraz as a Jason Mraz cover band. I told him that and he later used it as his own joke at a concert at Duke. I heart Jason Mraz.


7) My secret dream job aside from movie mogul and cupcake baker is wedding planner. I'm especially into these sites: Southern Weddings, 100 Layer Cake, and Style Me Pretty.


8) My all time favorite movie is While You Were Sleeping. I watch it at least twice a year.

9) I was a cheerleader Senior Year of high school. This is widely regarded as a silly decision given my personality and is usually the most surprising thing I can tell people about me.

10) Writing this blog has given me hope and kept me from quitting Hollywood when the going's gotten tough! Here's to more writing, and more inspiration in 2010.

xo Annie

For anyone interested in knowing more about screenwriting

So as you may have noticed from my blog, I have a passion for writing AND for filmmaking. In keeping with said passion, I have started a regular column on Examiner.com as their National Screenwriting Examiner. 

I know a lot of readers dig my home decorating and baking posts, but for those of you interested in knowing more about screenwriting and how movies are written, I welcome you to also follow my column at Examiner. I will also be continuing to write Living with Annie to please all the decor-loving masses :).

Link to Annie's Column at Examiner

From now on, there will also be a button on the side of the blog if you'd like to check out the column periodically or simply when you're bored-out-of-your-gourd.

xo, Annie

Lovely Day for a Picnik

While making my recent paper portraits, I stumbled across a lovely site - picnik.com. It's like a junior version of Photoshop but free and super easy to use. You don't even have to register if you just want to play around with one or two photos. 


Remember my post on Mickey & Minnie Cake Pops? Thank you Polaroid feature on Picnik! In about a minute I took this...

and made THIS!

Spend some time playing around with it - I think you'll fall in love with this great little online site. They have premium features for $24.95 a year but don't worry, there's plenty of bells and whistles to keep you editing for quite sometime even if you only use the free ones! Happy Blogging!

Full House

You may have already noticed that I've started a list of links on the right-hand side of the page for recommended sites dealing with everything from Home Decorating to Filmmaking, whatever your pleasure.

As I've become more involved with blogging, I've discovered so many wonderful blogs that I've decided to share them in a recurring post - Another Beautiful Blog Discovery. Each time I find a treasure on the net, I'm going to share it with all of you! If you have recommendations for blogs to be featured, please send those along as well.

Today's BEAUTIFUL BLOG is Full House (vivafullhouse.blogspot.com).  I discovered it through exploring the links on Young House Love and bouncing from one of their recommended blogs to Full House.

 [logo via fullhouse]

Full House is an incredibly well-photographed blog that details the adventures of a crafty mother of 5 (two twin girls and three triplet boys!) and how she survives it all with inspiring wit and grace. Her blog is a fantastic resource for home design inspiration, parenting advice and reflection, and just fun little anecdotes to read. Be sure to check it out when you have a few minutes. In the future, you can also find the link to full house on my "Home/Apartment Decorating" Link List!

For now, here are three wonderful posts to get you started:

• Chic on a Shoestring - A showcase of a fantastic bedroom decorating makeover
• The Mr. Man Party - A charming look at her boys' birthday party/father's day party
• Black and White - A roundup of inspirational black-and-white design schemes from around the web