Happiest Days Designs

A Sneak Peek of Hull's Happiest Days Designs Home and Studio

2011-03-10T14:16:00.011-05:00

I love design magazines. I love, love, love to peek into interiors where designers and artists live. So I thought today I would invite all of you into our home and studio. Hope you like it and thanks for dropping by.

This is our dining room, its in the new part of the house -1811. We spend alot of our time around this table: homework, art projects, and of course meals. Kevin and I designed the banquette around an old door we found in the basement. He then custom made the banquette and we upholstered it.

This is our kitchen. We recently added the pressed tin backsplash and that is my grandmother's butcher block we use as an island.

Our living room and our two dogs: Cocoa and Princess Buttercup (yup, from the movie). Guess who is who? Kevin's mom made the goregous rose crochet afghan on the couch. Despite our dessertware in monochromatic tones, I do LOVE COLOR!

The Master Bedroom. I love our hundreds of years old wooden floors. The antique yo-yo quilt inspired a family project. We started two Christmases ago making one for my Mom, hopefully, Christmas 2011 she'll finally get it. We ( I say we loosely, Kevin and the girls) have made 750 yo-yo's so far. We need to get to 1000 for a full sized quilt.

The studio where we create Hull's Happiest Days Designs dessertware and our other products. I love this space it's large and tucked away from the rest of the bustle of the house in the attic. We were told this room used to be the colonial smokeroom where they cured meats.

Our girls are so lucky! How many parents allow a year round tent in the playroom?

Scrumptious Brownie Recipe

2011-02-18T14:16:00.004-05:00

Remember those delectable Heart Shaped Brownies I was swooning over in my last post. Here's the recipe. If you cut them out into heart shapes you get adorable portion control. Yummy!

Recipe:
adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten)

2 sticks (8 ounces) butter
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 large eggs
2 tbsp instant espresso
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
powdered sugar, for decoration

Grease a 13 x 9″ pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter and chocolate together in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and instant espresso. Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and stir to combine.

Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into the bowl sitting on top of the chocolate and suggar mixture. Stir the flour mixture into the batter and stir gently until all the flour disappears. Pour into the greased pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. After about 5 minutes, press a 4″ or 5″ heart-shaped cookie cutter into the brownies. Cool for about 10 or 15 more minutes, then carefully carve out the pieces around the heart and place in a medium bowl. Leave the heart pieces in the pan and transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely.

The Brownie scraps you can roll into balls and then roll them in powdered sugar or granulated sugar for another treat!

What I learned from Valentine's Day-my happy moment

2011-02-16T14:37:00.007-05:00

Well, Valentine's Day is past. We did really have a wonderful Valentine's Day, but as I sit her and ruminate on the holiday and what makes it special to me, I think there are some elements I'd like to pull from Valentine's Day to the rest of the year. Namely: Brownies, making stuff, and saying how I feel to those I love.

Let's start with Brownies, really what's not to like about brownies? If you cut them into heart shapes then you'll probablly eat less and still get all the yumminess without the I just ate a 1/2 a pan of brownine hangover. Yes, heart shaped cookie cutters are a must do. All year round.

Making Stuff. I love making stuff. I have a business of making stuff, I have been an artist of one form or another all my life. But lately, and not so lately, I have been so busy marketing stuff, teaching stuff, and cleaning up stuff, not so much time to make new stuff. So for Valentine's Day I decided to make paper maiche heart boxes. I spent a blissful afternoon alone with my hands in newsprint, wall paper paste, and duct tape. Unfortunately it took more time than I expected for the wall paper paste to dry so alas I only made one Paper Maiche Heart Box. But that's ok-it was perfect to hold our family's hand made valentines, (another lovely afternoon). I'll get to the other two by next Valentine's Day. However, the point is not the quantity of creating but the enjoyment of the experience. I need to create weekly, if not daily for balance.

Lastly, tell those I love them, I love them, the good old fashioned way and write it down. My husband and I started a tradition when we were dating to write a love poem to one another every Valentine's Day. We even have a beautiful handmade notebook. For the first several years of our life toghether we faithfully stuck to the tradition, then we had the kids, things got a bit hectic-not so many poems, got a bit sporadic. This year we went back to our tradition. Even though I had to re-read my husbands poem three times comparing our love to a row boat. I finally understood his analogy and the fact he so carefully crafted it means the world to me. I enjoyed stopping everything and writing for him as well. I think I need to stop and appreciate the wonderful man and family in my life more often than once a year!

We're on TV again! Check-out the video and discount code!

2011-02-05T12:32:00.004-05:00

Check out this gift insider TV segment. Hull's Happiest Days Designs was featured on Fox 2 TV News Detroit. Uncle Joey from Full House dropped by too!

(look for the discount code below)

For the rest of the month we're offering a 10% discount to all who check out this video or the gift insider blog:

www.thegiftinsider.com

At checkout enter the discount code tgi10.

Happy Valentine's Day!

xoxoxo
Hull's Happiest Days Designs

Happy Groundhog's Day!

2011-02-02T13:29:00.005-05:00

Happy February 2nd, Groundhog's Day! We are HUGE fans of Groundhog's Day. In the past my family has traveled to Punxsutawney for the fantastic Groundhog celebration. They have a four day extravaganza featuring fabulous craft fairs, carriage rides, breakfast with Phil and sometimes Phyllis (Mrs. Groundhog), ice sculptures, and snow, snow, snow! Last year when we were there we got a Groundhog cookie cutter and a basic spice cookie recipe for Groundhog cookies.

Unfortunately, we couldn't make it to Punxy this year, but we still celebrated! Last night my girls and I made Groundhog cookies (recipe below), then at 7:15 this morning we watched Phil via live feed from Gobbler's Knob. Members of the inner circle woke Phil up from his stump and conferred with Phil, in Groundheese. Phil relayed to the Inner Circle President, that he did not see his shadow so Spring will arrive early! To complete our celebration tonight we'll watch Groundhog's Day the movie with Bill Murray.

However, after we watched Phil's predictions, we decided to put our own cookie groundhogs to the test. We had some conflicting predictions between Punxy Phil and our Groundhogs here. Both our Cookie Groundhog's saw their shadow, so winter around here is going to be in full force. At least until March 21st!

Groundhog Cookie Recipe
(we tweaked and made this one our own-Shawn)

1 cup of butter
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of molasses
2 Tablespoons of white vinegar
1 Tablespoon of Vanilla
2 eggs
5 cups of all purpose Flour
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda

Raisins for eyes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugar and then add the rest of the ingredients up to and including the eggs. Mix until light and fluffy. On the top (without disturbing the bottom) add flour, spices, and baking soda. Mix so the flour incorporates with the spices and baking soda and then mix with the wet ingredients below. Once the dough is formed chill for about 2 hours in the fridge.
Roll out after chilling into groundhog shape (you could modify a bunny maybe if you don't have a cookie cutter) or just use a glass to make a round shape. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes. Add raisins at the end if you like to decorate. Cool on rack. Enjoy and dream of spring!

Birthday Fairies!

2011-01-19T13:17:00.005-05:00

My youngest daugter had her birthday this past weekend, and I made her a homemade chocolate cake with purple buttercream icing on the outside and pink buttercream between the layers, (she was very specific)! Cake is a big deal around this house. As far as we are concerned, if you got cake you gotta party. So I broke out our lovely cake plate (apple tree fine) and our dessert plates-girls opted for their naughty Jacks from Halloween. But I realized after I made this delicious cake and decorated it with purple icing, there was no cake topper. That here at Hull's Happiest Days Designs we haven't created any birthday designs. So I got to thinking what would I like to have on the cake, and then I thought of how much my sweet baby would have loved to have fairies floating above her cake.

So, I set to work on creating some new water color designs for cake toppers. Here is a sneak peek!

We've decided to start creating some new product lines: garlands, cake toppers, and cards featuring our designs. Of course, we will still be doing the china, but I also want to start experimenting with new mediums and products that all center around our theme: Touchstone's to life's happiest days! Let's see how it goes.

Last Minute Homemade Gift! Fudge in a Flash!

2010-12-22T16:25:00.012-05:00

This time of year it always seems that I need an extra present or two on hand. Here is a recipe for Chocolate Almond Fudge, that is delicious, inexpensive, and whips up fast! Perfect for co-workers, teacher gifts, or even to set out at a party! You can switch out the almonds for other add in-s, such as marshmallows, or peanut butter,or white chocolate chips. So simple and so yummy!

Decadent Chocolate Almond Fudge
Shawn Hull

Ingredients
3 cups of chocolate chips
1 cup of almonds
1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1 pinch of kosher salt
1 tsp of vanilla extract
Non-Stick Spray

In a double boiler melt down chocolate chips with vanilla, pinch of salt, and can of sweetened condensed milk.

Keep heat very low, so as not to burn. When the chocolate is smooth and has a shiny sheen, take it off the heat.

Add one cup of almonds and stir into the fudge mixture.

Pour into a 8x8 square pan sprayed with non-stick spray.

Chill in the refrigerator for two hours.

Cut into bite size pieces and package in air tight containers.

Wrap. I used brown paper bags, (I was out of wrapping paper, plus it gives a nice rustic homey feel). Tie with ribbon.

Give to friends and family!

Happy Holidays from the Hull Family!

Save on Postage, Make Your Own Holiday Video Card!

2010-12-06T23:21:00.003-05:00

You can save on postage and licking all those envelopes, yet still let all your loved ones far and near know you wish them Happy Holidays! Simply make your own Holiday Video Card.

How to Make A Holiday Video Card in 3.5 Easy Steps.

1. Shoot some fun holiday scenes: making cookies, singing holiday songs, trimming the tree etc.

2. Upload your video to youtube (www.youtube.com, get a free acount)

3. Embed the video using youtube's free tools and email to all your friends and family!

3.5 Sip some eggnog and enjoy the season!

Check out the Hull Family's Video Card Below to jumpstart your own ideas! Let us know what you come up with!

Happy Holidays!
Shawn and Kevin (and the girls)
Hull's Happiest Days Designs

Family Night! Trip to England with Fish and Chips

2010-11-16T16:01:00.005-05:00

This weekend our family decided to take a trip to England. Yes, British accents, royalty, fish and chips, and trifle all set to the music of the Clash. However, we didn't buy plane tickets, oh no, that's not in the family budget and the girls need to be in bed by 8pm. We transported ourselves via food, art, and a sense of silliness.

How to take a trip anywhere in the world without leaving your home:

1.Early in the day our family discussed where we would like to go. England won the vote. However, India and China were close runner-ups. Perhaps we will visit there in the upcoming weeks.

2. We chose the menu: Fish and Chips with Trifle for dessert. Mom and Dad went about finding recipes and making an impromptu deep fryer. I've never deep fried anything in my life, and boy was the deep fryer an adventure. So for courage, Mom and Dad had Guiness Stout with the fish and chips. Yes, we know it's Irish, but hey, close enough.

3. Art was created to set the mood. Our eldest daughter made a lovely British Flag and a collage of the menu items and hung them up around the room.

4. Our youngest daughter felt this occasion warranted dressing up, since Princess Buttercup would be in attendance. Dressing properly to meet royalty takes time. So it was several hours before we saw her again.

5. Dinner was prepared, art was hung, we broke out our best British accents. The girls sounded like a Harry Potter movie, my husband the chimney sweep from Mary Poppins! Add a little Clash for musical ambiance!

6. A photo op with a princess and Dinner was served.

A Lovely Trip all in all.

Perhaps your family would like to take a trip? Let us know where you would like to go or send us pix of your travels.

Keep an eye out for our next posting. We'll be discussing how to make a VIDEO HOLIDAY CARD!

Bridal Head Table Suite..... on its way

2010-08-02T14:47:00.005-04:00

Last April Hull's Happiest Days Designs sponsored a Bridal Headtable Suite giveaway! She chose our adorable Sweethearts Design for her Wedding!

Finally it was time to send our lucky bride, Kristinia, her lovely head table suite!

We took some pictures before we sent them off.

Imagine how much more lovely they would be with a real bride and groom in the picture.

Kristinia has promised to send us pictures of her Fall wedding!

Apple trees... and how they shaped my life

2010-07-20T09:43:00.006-04:00

Our family has a little tiny baby cottage (really, almost an elf house) in central Pennsylvania, in the Allegheny Mountains. It’s a cute little place in the middle of the woods. Really, there is no one, nobody for at least a quarter of a mile in any direction, just trees, deer, a pond, and even bears. Which at times is tranquil and at others a little unnerving.

My daughters absolutely love the place. They love the campfire, the tire swing, the wild raspberries, and the apple tree. I love the apple tree too. Our apple tree at the cottage is huge and full of apples. It hasn’t been cut back in at least 15 years. Sometimes I wake up really early, (all that quiet makes it hard to sleep) and I’ll see deer eating the fallen apples at the base of the trunk. A simple little pleasure, a stolen moment of contentment.

One thing I love about our cottage is the fact there is absolutely nothing really to do. That has a way of sparking the imagination. Last summer, I could feel change coming upon me light a freight train. I had no idea exactly what, but I could feel something coming, just this impatience, like I better get moving. Anyway, a series of coincidences began to happen, I saw an article in a magazine about a woman who had started her own business, an art and home related business and I got really excited. It was at our cottage that my husband and I discussed the possibility of creating our own business. We had some time without the distractions of TV, internet, and the telephone to really think through this business idea. That idea has turned into Hull’s Happiest Days Designs.

When we were coming up with design ideas, I thought back to the apple tree. It’s beauty, the tradition associated with an apple tree, even the saying “ an apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.” I thought it was a great design idea. So Kevin and I decided that we would both create apple tree designs and then choose which one we would use. If any of you have ever met us, as a couple, you would know that we are incredibly different. Our differences come out in our artwork as well. So when we showed each other our designs, they were so different, we couldn’t choose. So now we offer both. A fitting homage to our apple tree.
Both are top selling designs!

Certainly, Kevin is the only one I would ever sit under the apple tree with, except maybe two little girls and a dog too!

Hull's Happiest Days Designs on Great Gifts for Weddings, Fox 2 News w/the Gift Insider/Lindsay Roberts

2010-07-12T16:31:00.000-04:00

Life's Collection of Happy Moments....

2010-07-02T10:33:00.006-04:00

We've had a big week last week Kevin and I were in a fantastic art show with several talented small town artists, with great big talent. There is something wonderful about living in the country, in a small town, with a small community. You get to know each other really well, share in each others lives, help each other out. Community and friendship and polite exhange of ideas. Truly a room full of artists for three days is a really good thing. I so enjoyed talking with one another, throwing around philosophical ideas of art, testing them against each other, and then sharing a slice of cake. Really good times.

Which got me to thinking about friends, family, art, and all the events that bring us together. This weekend is fourth of July. Our family will have a little barbeque, go see fireworks, generally hang out and do alot of nothing together, except chat, play some, and eat. I love all of us just being together. Life is full of these tiny happinesses.

Last month it was my niece's Birthday Party! Quite a hooplay for a one year old. We had a great time. My girls running around with their baby cousin, then doing an impromptu dance recital in the yard (which they also did at the art show-not wall flowers-go figure), and of course singing happy birthday and cake for a tiaraed, smiling, and somewhat bewildered one year old. The cake however needed no explaining!

So many happinesses all little rest stops for the velocity of life. Cocoa, our dog (first picture above) has the right idea. Sometimes all you need is a little happy nap, to rest up for your next party (she doesn't have a job) .

The china cabinet was the first major purchase Kevin and I made for our first home together. Now its filled with a collection of Hull's Happiest Days Designs Dessertware. I love that the china colors are simple and restrained, yet the images are different celebrating happy moments in time, and they all go together! I can have a party using our dessertware and have little mementos of family memories all on my table. A lovely little collection of life's happiest moments! Wouldn't you like to start your collection today?

Summer Art Show

2010-06-20T11:57:00.006-04:00

Hull's Happiest Days Designs and fellow artists are in a fantastic Art Show this upcoming weekend (see info below)! Yummy treats will be for sale to pair with our dessertware, and all the proceeds from the Bake Sale will go to Share Our Strength, a non profit organization dedicated to eliminate childhood hunger!

Kevin and Shawn will both be displaying paintings as well as our Hull's Happiest Days Designs artwork! Please come and see our work and the other wonderful art!

Summertime Strawberries

2010-06-04T13:01:00.005-04:00

Last weekend my family and I went strawberry picking! So much fun! We go every year it’s a family tradition. We get dressed in clothes that can handle some strawberry stains and dirt, don our sunscreen, and get the sun glasses and off we go.

The farm experience itself is worth it, trudging through the farmer’s field and being directed to which patch is yours to pick from. The girls love having their own baskets, however, they eat more than actually makes it into the basket. The real picking comes from Kevin and myself. You don’t want to pick strawberries that are too red, they get mushy fast. You need to have a trained eye just to recognize the right shade of red, no bruising, no rotting, and not too big. The big ones rot faster.

8-10 quarts later we usually go play on the playground at the farm or I sample some homemade specialties at the stand. All and all a lovely trip.

When we arrive at home, always, I make strawberry shortcakes to go with our lunch. Then after the girls have their nap Kevin and I clean and hull (pardon the pun!) We make chicken salad with strawberries, more shortcake, strawberries and whipped cream, strawberries and balsamic, and finally strawberry ice cream (recipe compliments of Ben and Jerry yes, that Ben and Jerry).

Below you’ll find the recipe for the strawberry ice cream! Since summer is here Kevin and I have been working on designs to celebrate all the happiest days for the dog days of summer. Our Personalized Ice Cream Ice Cream Man bowls with handles are the perfect size for ice cream and even cobbler!

Ice Cream Ice Cream Man bowls would make a fantastic father’s day gift. We can personalize the Truck to say : Pop’s Ice Cream or Daddy’s Ice Cream! We can even put your own super short saying in the speech balloon. But order fast, Father’s Day is right around the corner!

Strawberry Ice Cream
Recipe from Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book
Ben Cohen, Jerry Greenfield, Nancy J. Steven, Workman Publishing 1987

Sweet Cream Base
2 large eggs
¾ cup of sugar
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
1 cup milk

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about one minute more. Pour in the cream and milk and whisk to blend. (Makes 1 Quart)

Strawberry Addition

1 pint of fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
1/3 cup of sugar
Juice of ½ a lemon
Sweet cream base (above)

1.Combine strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.

2.Mash the strawberries to a puree and stir into the sweet cream base.

3.Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Enjoy!

Lookin' for a Bargain...

2010-05-25T17:19:00.006-04:00

Well, to honor the fact we have now been on Etsy's Front Page three whopping times in our entire six month existence, I want to thank all our supporters and throw you some love.

Hull's Happiest Days Designs will give 10% off your next order on either of our sites:

www.happiestdaysdesigns.com or www.happiestdaysdesigns.etsy.com

Plus, if you refer a friend to our blog or facebook fanpage and they become a follower we will give you an additional 5% off! That's a total of 15% WOW!

All you need to do is enter in the comments section (either site: happyfrontpage10 and the name of your friend (if you decided to participate in this section) and we will refund your percentage off your bill within 24 hours.

Lots of gift giving occasions coming up: Father's Day, Weddings, celebrate new baby and oh yes, new parents, or maybe just because you want a little treat!

Savin' Money always makes my day Happy!

Personalized Express Cake Plates...Handcrafted beauties in a hurry!

2010-05-20T15:48:00.005-04:00

Do you love beautiful handcrafted work but hate to wait? Or you need a special unique gift in a hurry? Well, Hull's Happiest Days Designs Personalized Express is just for you! We are offering three of our fabulous designs: Bridal Bouquet, Home Sweet Home, and Gazebo complete with a ceramic pen, made specifically for writing on china/porcelain. This way you can personalize your cake plate with a little message or handwrite the couple's name yourself! Then bake it in your own oven for 35 minutes at 300 degrees to make the writing permanent.

As always our designs are hand created, hand applied, and kiln fired. The plates are food safe, microwave safe, and dishwasher safe. Just imagine our lovely designs with your handwritten sentiments, what a lovely treasure! A beautiful keepsake that will remind you and them of your happiest day!

Since you do the personalization yourself, we can ship these beauties within 24 hours. We ship USPS Priority mail so your gift will arrive lickety split.

Thank-you for your support! We've donated....

2010-05-16T12:05:00.002-04:00

Thank-you to all our customers for supporting Hull's Happiest Days Designs! Our little business that is growing and growing has been able to donate a total of $70 to a national children's charity and the fight against hunger! We've only been in business for 6 months, so that's quite a coupe! Currently we donate 3% of your purchase price to back to national charities. As our company grows we plan for our donation percentage to grow too.

It was always part of our business plan to create a company that gives back. So many people have very few happy days, and we wanted to make sure that we can help in some way to create more moments of joy with our work! Thank-you for helping us to make that happen.

Thank-you for making this one of my happiest days!

Home is where the Heart is, and I'll be working here too...

2010-05-12T13:41:00.007-04:00

Well, my life is entering another chapter. I’ve entered the final grades for my Theatre students at the College where I have been teaching for 5 years. The Performing Arts Program performed Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and they did a fantastic job! It’s hard to believe that will be the last show I’ll direct there. I will certainly miss them and all the drama of a bustling collegiate program, but my life is heading in new directions and I guess, I must follow. Hull’s Happiest Days Designs will be my focus, of course along with my two beautiful girls who will be home during the summer too!

So, hopefully my days will take a quieter rhythm. I am excited to get to work in our home studio developing more dessertware designs and finding new opportunities and partnerships to bring them to others. I really am a homebody at heart and I just love putzing around my own house dreaming up new projects!

The economy is still working hard to rebound and many people are staying close to home these days, inviting friends over to dinner, or home birthday parties, and even weddings! I think having a home full of meaningful objects is important. I can walk around my own home and I see the stone doll house my grandfather made, and the large primitive wooden china cabinet my husband and I got at a resale store close to our first home together, even the butcher block island in our kitchen was originally from my grandmother’s home. Objects have so much more meaning when they act as touchstones for particular moments in life or connect you to important people you love. I love creating our dessertware knowing that usually it’s purchased for important life moments, like moving into a new home. The pictures you see are of our new line of dessertware featuring home! These are lovely little mementos to welcome someone to a new home or just for yourself to openly cherish the home life you already have!

We’ve been at our new (old home – its 250 years old!) for two years now this week. I haven’t yet finished personalizing it yet, there are still projects I want to do. There’s always something to do for a house! I do love it because it’s ours. It’s where our family spends time together, where we have fun, and where we come to be safe. My favorite coffee cup, that I drink out of every day is our Home sweet Home mug. The front door says: Hull Family. That little coffee mug puts a smile on my face because everyone and everything I love most in the world lies right inside my front door!

We have a WINNER!

2010-05-10T22:12:00.003-04:00

We have a winner from our Bridal Headtable Suite Giveaway! Kristinia C. will be celebrating her wedding this Fall with Hull's Happiest Days Designs Cake service: one cake plate with glass dome and twelve dessert plates in our SWEETHEARTS Design. This is a $210 VALUE!

CONGRATULATIONS KRISTINIA! WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES OF YOUR HAPPIEST DAY! THANK-YOU FOR LETTING US CELEBRATE WITH YOU!

Hint of Color-New Design Process

2010-04-19T13:08:00.004-04:00

Kevin and I have been wondering how to add color, but still keep in theme with our simplified contemporary yet rustic design aethestic? Plus, it needs to be food safe, microwave safe, be able to go in the dishwasher. So after months of thinking, wondering, pondering and experimenting we've come up with our HINT OF COLOR dessertware.

Above you see our Robin's Nest design. Adorable robin's nest with lovely blue eggs. These dishes can be personalized with your Family's name or some other sweet message. In the coming weeks you'll see other new hint of color designs as well, as our new house design lines coming out as well!

Spring has sprung new ideas here at Hull's Happiest Days Designs!

Bridal Giveaway! Enter Today!

2010-04-12T11:59:00.004-04:00

Hull's Happiest Days Designs is sponsoring a Bridal Headtable Suite Giveaway!

Our Headtable Suite includes One 12 inch porcelain china cake plate, personalized, with Glass dome and Twelve 7 inch personalized dessert dishes, perfect for your headtable decor and take away thank-you gifts for your bridal party! This set is a $210 value!

All Brides or friends of brides who would like to nominate a bride must check out our ETSY site either via the My Etsy Tab on our Fan Page or by going to www.happiestdaysdesigns.etsy.com and choose a design you would like to win. Then become a facebook fan of happiest days designs and comment on which designs you like best. Please email us your contact info so we can get in contact with you when you win! Email: happiestdaysdesigns@comcast.net

We will notify the winner by May 1st, 2010! Good Luck!

Mother's Day is right around the corner...

2010-04-11T17:38:00.003-04:00

Suprise Mom with treats you bake and serve them up on a lovely cake plate commemorating her family! Put Mom and Dad in the heart on the tree and then add all the little apples, siblings, grandchildren, etc. (We can add up to 12 apples per cake plate and 7-8 per mug or dessert dish!) It'll show her how much you appreciate her all the year through!

Check out the rest of the set, matching mugs and dessert plates that you can purchase to add to her set for other happy occasions! Really knock her socks with the yummy stuffed french toast recipe below! Serve on the apple tree dessert dishes with matching coffee mugs and you'll for sure be her favorite!

Home sweet Home....

2010-04-08T22:22:00.002-04:00

Spring is here! Lots of cleaning, sprucing up, and some of us even get a lovely new home! Hull's Happiest Days Designs is rolling out several new designs over the next few weeks featuring the comforts of HOME! Check out our new etsy listing!

These designs are a perfect little gift to yourself to remind you of all the happiness of your home! They are also sweet little gifts for friends and family who may be moving into a new home!

Enjoy!

Sunday Morning Stuffed French Toast

2010-04-06T18:54:00.002-04:00

by Shawn Hull

Ingredients (6-8 servings)

2 Loaves of crusty day old French bread
8-10 eggs
1 tsp. of vanilla
1 tsp. of cinnamon
½ cup of heavy cream
2 cups of frozen raspberries
Tub of whipped cream cheese
Whipped Cream
Maple Syrup
Spray of non-stick spray

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 2 cookie sheets with non-stick spray. Cut French bread into 8-10 slices per loaf, discarding ends. In a large mouthed bowl whip eggs with vanilla, heavy cream, and cinnamon. Lay as many bread slices that can fit in the bowl without squishing together. Poke bread with a fork to allow the batter to seep in the bread. Then after 30 seconds to 1 minute flip, and allow the batter to cover the opposite side. Place battered bread onto cookie sheet. Then repeat with other pieces of bread. When both cookie sheets are filled with battered bread, place in oven and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, check the French toast, if it is hard to remove allow to bake for 1-2 minutes more. When the toast slides with a spatula easily, flip and bake for another 4 minutes.

Take two pieces of French toast per serving. Top with cream cheese, some raspberries, warmed syrup and whip cream. They may be served open faced or as a sandwich.

Serve on Happiest Days Designs large cake plate for lovely presentation!

Anyone Looking for a Job?

2010-04-06T17:02:00.003-04:00

So anyone looking for a new job? Hull's Happiest Days Designs is launching our new hostess party program. Be your own boss, work your own hours, sell people GORGEOUS PERSONALIZED CHINA DESSERTWARE, Make lots of money, go on vacation, ..... sound good, right? Yup, contact me if you're interested! Psst... Pass it along to anyone interested too! I'll send you out info!

Plus, you'd be doing something good for your community! Hull's Happiest Days Designs donates 3% of all purchase price to national charities benefitting children and hunger prevention!

Find out more, either comment, or send us an email at happiestdaysdesigns@comcast.net!

Here comes Peter Cottontail!

2010-03-28T21:02:00.004-04:00

Well a great time was had by all at the Gallery Opening at Cecil County Arts Council! Thank-you so much Heather and everyone at the Council who threw us and the other artists such a fabulous opening!

Other good news and cause for celebration! The Easter Bunny is coming and at our house we have big plans! We will be dyeing Easter eggs (I'll send pix later in the week) and overall getting ready for our annual Easter Egg hunt at Milburn Orchards and the Easter Sunday Brunch. Stay tuned and I will post my recipe for my famous stuffed French Toast with Raspberries!

Also, Hull's Happiest Days Designs is featured in an Easter Table Treasury by KonaKreations

Check out both for some Easter cheer!

You are invited to a Gallery Opening!

2010-03-20T20:52:00.003-04:00

Kevin and I are having a gallery opening at Cecil County Arts Council March 26th, 2010 from 5-7pm, entitled HIS and HERS. Our show will run March 26 thru April 23, 2010.

HIS and HERS features how differently Kevin and I see the world and the difference in our painting styles. Also on display and sale will be our joint venture Hull's Happiest Days Designs, personalized dessertware for life's happiest occasions. The gallery is located at The Elkton Arts Center, 135 East Main Street, Elkton, MD.

Refreshments will be served and Tim McAlee will play LIVE MUSIC! Please come and see us and support arts in the region!

Spring S'mores Marshmallow Nests

2010-03-13T09:36:00.002-05:00

by Shawn Hull

Ingredients
12 large marshmallows
6 graham cracker sheets
¾ cup of chocolate chips
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Place 12 marshmallows onto the cookie sheet and bake until golden brown. About 3 minutes per side. Break the graham cracker sheets into 12 graham cracker squares. Put each warm puffy marshmallow atop one graham cracker square. Take a finger and push down the center of each marshmallow. Fill each little nest with a pinch full of chocolate chips.

Enjoy!

Serve on any of your Happiest Days Designs dessert plates, the bunnies look especially cute !

Our Apple Tree Folk dessert set for 2 has been featured on Etsy's Storque

2010-03-10T16:03:00.003-05:00

Our Apple Tree Folk dessert set for 2 has been featured under wedding gifts on

Etsy's Storque Blog

Check us out!

Happy Days Designs Discount!

2010-03-05T17:03:00.005-05:00

Happiest Days Days Designs is featured on a fellow blogger, fellow etsymom, fellow etsier site Amelie Jo. Amelie Jo sells adorable children's clothing. Check her out her site and check out our feature.

There is a secret discount code for all who check out the blog (15%) on your next order!

Have a Happy Day!

Bridal Treasures

2010-02-25T18:44:00.003-05:00

It seems I'm not the only one with weddings on the mind, and all the adventure that a wedding sets one off on! Happiest days designs was included in TWO Treasuries yesterday on Etsy. A Treasury is where one etsy shopkeeper chooses pieces to promote around a theme from other etsy vendors. We feel so honored that two of Hull's Happiest Days Designs pieces got chosen, especially in the company of other fantastic handmade crafters. Please check out the following links, they wont be around for long! Also please check out GlideLT and Sweet Briar Bridal on etsy!

Sweet Briar Bridal Link

and this one too!

GlideLT Link

Seems like love is in the air...

Happy Day Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

2010-02-20T11:10:00.002-05:00

Shawn Hull

Ingredients
2 ½ cups of Flour
1 tsp of baking soda
¼ tsp of salt
½ cup of butter
½ cup of brown sugar
½ cup of sugar
2 eggs
¼ cup of sour cream
2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 ripe brown bananas mashed with a fork

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a Bundt pan with non-stick spray. In a large bowl cream sugar with butter. Add eggs one at a time to sugar mixture. Add vanilla. Then layer on top the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients on the top together without disturbing the wet on the bottom. Then mix all the ingredients together and add the mashed banana and sour cream. Mix only until blended, then add the chocolate chips. Gently fold in, so as not to over mix and toughen the cake.

Bake approximately one hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center and the cake starts to pull away from the edges of the pan. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Invert and cool completely. Enjoy!

Store under your Hull’s Happiest Days Designs Personalized cake plate with glass dome!

A Wedding to Remember

2010-02-18T20:24:00.005-05:00

We have been buried under snow for about two weeks. I do love the snow, the hot chocolate, and being burrowed in the house with my family. But, I am starting to get a little restless. I miss the sun, flowers, walking outside without 18 layers. Being stuck inside so much lately makes me think of the new things I want to do. The new directions I want my life to take and the other moments of new choice and beginnings in my life.

Above you see our wedding pictures. Kevin and I met in San Francisco. Actually, Embarcedero I (the setting for the 70's disaster film starring Charlton Heston: The Towering Inferno!). Kevin still says our "unofficial song" is Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire. We got married on the Northern California coast. Today I still believe it was the most beautiful most romantic wedding I've ever been to. I probably am very biased, but I think its good for our marriage to romanticize our beginning. It was such a special day to have people who were most important to us witness our beginning and celebrate with us. We rented a Bed and Breakfast for an entire weekend. Our families flew in from all over the country to celebrate and spend our wedding weekend with us! My Grandmother who was 73 at the time took her first airplane ride ever to be with us! Although it was a whirlwind, even with two full days to celebrate, I was aware of how important and special this day was. I am so glad for all the preparation and love that went into that weekend.

Fast forward ten years and another wedding. Kevin and I renewed our vows in the backyard of our own home on the East Coast. This wedding was just as special and just as joyous but deeper for the ten years that had passed. My Grandmother had since passed away, which made me long for all those people that were with us in Northern California. But at the same time I cherished all the new happiness in our lives too. Our daughters sang at our wedding this time. They sang Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World". Indeed it is.

Pictures help us capture these moments, music helps us to hang on to these moments, time together to reminisce help us to hold on. That's why Happiest Days Designs was created. We created Happiest Days Designs as a keepsake, a usable, functional keepsake to act as a touchstone for those happy moments big and small.

Since so many couples are in the planning stages for summer weddings we have launched several new china sets perfect for the wedding party and gifts for the wedding couple! Here are two of my favorites the Tree of Life (above) and the Wedding Bouquet designs (below). We have the new Bridal Head Table Suite which includes 10 dessert plates as a thank-you for the wedding party and one cake plate and glass dome for the Wedding Couple. There is also the dessert set for two, great for the Bride and Groom to use at their reception or to have coffee and cake the next morning. Check out all the options at www.happiestdaysdesigns.etsy.com.

I really do love weddings. But since I already had two with the same man, I probably should wait awhile before I do it again! Check back in a day or two, I’ll list a recipe for chocolate chip banana cake, a great cake for a homey wedding. Also, pretty good any old weekend thereafter.

Decadent Valentine Fudge Recipe with white chocolate chips

2010-02-08T09:39:00.006-05:00

Shawn Hull

Ingredients
3 cups of chocolate chips
1 cup of white chocolate chips
1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1 pinch of kosher salt
1 tsp of vanilla extract

In a double boiler melt down chocolate chips with vanilla, pinch of salt, and can of sweetened condensed milk. Keep heat very low, so as not to burn. When the chocolate is smooth and has a shiny sheen, take it off the heat. Pour into a 8x8 square pan lined with wax paper. Sprinkle the top with half of the white chocolate chips. Take a butter knife or spoon and mix the white chocolate chips into the chocolate fudge mixture. Then sprinkle the other half of the white chocolate onto the surface and gentle press into top of the mixture. Chill in the refrigerator for two hours. Enjoy!

Let it snow , Let it snow, Let it Snow!

2010-02-07T16:22:00.001-05:00

Wow, we got a ton of snow dumped on us, out in the Philadelphia countryside. We haven't had this much snow in years! I LOVE SNOW and even more I LOVE SNOW DAYS! What a fantastic excuse to play, drink cocoa, watch my dog cocoa hop like a bunny in the snow, make snow angels with my girls, watch them make igloos. The whole world, at least in my neighborhood, stops, we all slow down and look with wonder out the window. We venture outside, help each other out with shoveling and then later sled! Cuddles by the fireplace, fun movies, fondue, boy life is good. This has definitely been a happy day! What do you do on your snow days? If you don't get snow days, do you want one? Why or why not?

This blog is a new adventure for me Shawn, and for Happiest Days Designs (Shawn and Kevin). I feel like I'm in a period of reinvention. I've been ruminating on things in my life that are important: my family, art, my connection to spirit, and my livelihood. This lovely snow day has given me a little time to stop and think about how to re-order my life to reflect whats really important to me. How can I make shifts in my life to reflect the values I hold? How can I stop trying so hard and delight in just being, play, and celebrate my life. So, I'm thinking this blog might be a great place for me to chronicle the small happiness of my daily life, how it reflects into my art and our artistic dessert ware,and also check in and post the happiest days of those around me too! We will also post recipes and discount codes for our etsy store: www.happiestdaysdesigns.etsy.com.

We made these fantastic Sweetheart Valentine's mugs for V-day and weddings. They are so perfect for hot cocoa on a snow day. Kevvy and I will snuggle up while the girls watch a movie and I will ruminate on the perfection of the moment and hot chocolate!

Check out all our dessert ware: personalized cake plates, glass domes, dessert plates and mugs for life's happy occasions. Like, weddings, holidays, new baby, and housewarmings! At www.happiestdaysdesigns.etsy.com and facebook: search happiestdaysdesigns and become our fan!