Tales of the Traveling Tote 44 and a Giveaway

Miss Madi K and I 

want to welcome you 

to our September 2025 

edition of 

Tales of The Traveling Tote.

We do get around and it is 

fun to see where everyone 

has traveled to, whether 

near or far.

Just last week we took 

a little car trip down to 

Bryce Canyon, one of 

the five National Parks 

in southern Utah.  

The pictures just don't do 

it justice.  It is so awe inspiring 

and so easy to access even 

if you aren't a big hiker.

I can blame this one on 

social media advertising!

I saw a Facebook reel that 

advertised 

Clear Sky Resorts.  

We had tried Under Canvas 

glamping a few years ago.  

It was fun, but the canvas 

kept blowing in the breeze 

and knocking into our bed.  

The indoor bathroom was 

extra and kind of primitive, 

and it was more of a one 

and done experience. 

I don't even know if you 

can call this glamping! 

You walk into the dome 

and it literally takes your 

breath away.  It was a 

definite "pinch me" experience.  

The views were so expansive 

with this over 20 foot high 

ceiling with curtains that 

can cover all of the windows 

or only the lower windows 

for privacy.

And then, walk into the 

bathroom and you know 

that you are going to 

be comfortable.

It also included a small 

kitchenette, which was 

so convenient.  

The domes extend up 

the valley a few miles 

outside of Tropic, Utah, 

and very close to Bryce.  

It looks rather otherworldly, 

and Clear Sky plays off of this 

feeling with their resort. 

It had a real modern feel, 

yet you felt like you were not 

on your own planet!

The big draw is that you can keep 

the curtains open during the 

night to see the sky.  We were 

a little nervous that with the 

cloud cover that afternoon 

we would miss out on that.  

The cloud cover began to 

disappear as the sun set.  

So before we went to bed 

we had clear skies!!! 

It was just magical to see 

all of these domes lit up 

as the sun went down, yet 

they are situated in such 

a way that you felt really 

private. 

We stood outside for a few 

minutes and saw the 

Milky Way and a shooting 

star.  

We chose to keep the upper 

windows uncovered during 

the night and both woke 

up about 4:00 in the morning 

and had such spectacular 

views.  

The lobby dome was so huge

and impressive and attached to it 

was their restaurant 

Sky Nova.

We had peaked into it on 

arrival and although we 

had reservations somewhere 

else for dinner, we decided 

we needed to try it out 

the next day for breakfast. 

Again, that futuristic, 

otherworldly theme that 

was such a cool vibe and 

the food didn't disappoint.

Look at these custom glasses 

with a faceted dome at the 

bottom of them.  So cool, wish 

they had some for sale!  

The flatware was irridescent 

and had their telescope logo 

on them.  They offer star gazing 

at night and free S'mores that 

you can toast in open fires all 

around.  

I chose the French Toast 

and it was so delicious 

we said we were definitely 

going to come back and 

have dinner here.  

This was such a thrill 

for a totally fun and unique 

stay only a little over 

three hours from home 

and next to gorgeous Bryce.  

We will be back!

Put this on your bucket list!!!

Now on to the giveaway - 

I always get excited for 

the really fun giveaways 

that Patti picks out for 

you guys.  This is such a 

fun tote that I would use 

all of the time.  

Visit Sarah and leave 

a comment to have a 

chance to win one. 

Then hop on over and visit 

all of the other MacKenzie-Childs 

loving women to see where 

they have been off to this 

quarter.  You will love it.

Jackie and Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home (you are here)

Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths

Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch

Patti with Miss Kenzie and Miss Taylor @ Pandora's Box

Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda

Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply

Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul

Ricki Jill and Countess de Monet @The Bookish Dilettante

Thanks for visiting and 

I hope to see you again 

in December!

Flowers and Chocolates

The miracle of my first year 

of gardening at our new house 

is that the herd of deer (25) who 

think our back yard is their 

staycation spot, is that they 

don't like to eat the flowers!!!

Makes no sense, right?! 

My daughter and DIL who 

live right next to me and two 

houses away, respectively, took 

a cut flower class a few years 

ago, and it was really pricey! 

Fortunately they shared their 

knowledge with me, so I 

got a free class out of it.  

Everything else in the gardens, 

which cascade down the back 

hill is tented and filled with noise 

makers to keep the deer out.  

The flowers can just show off 

and don't have to be under cover.

The zinnias and wildflowers 

were just planted with seeds 

from Wal Mart.  A couple of 

the dahlias came from there 

too.  The huge Cafe Au Lait 

dahlias were special ordered 

and some came from Cal Ranch.  

The white ones are around 

nine inches across and just 

keep flowering and flowering.

My DIL sprouted the cupcake 

cosmos and gave me some starts.  

I got out almost every day and 

pick flowers.  It has been so 

satisfying, especially as I have 

battled the herd!

The other treat we have been 

enjoying this summer is 

Chocolate Covered Raspberries.

A neighbor brought me some back 

from up north at Bear Lake.  

I had always worried about dipping 

them, so I have put the chocolate 

in a candy cup with chocolate on 

the bottom.  Well, I decided to give 

dipping them a try. 

I just tempered the chocolate and 

then used a small spoon to lift the 

covered berry out.  It worked so 

well and that burst of tart fruit 

against the chocolate is amazing.  

I can't tell you how many I have 

dipped and then dipped and then 

dipped again.  It is our little 

summertime treat.

I am always sad to see summer 

go, but I love the smells of fall.

Thanks for visiting.  

Tales of the Traveling Tote 43 and a Giveaway

  

Welcome to our June 2025 

edition of 

Tales of the Traveling Tote.

Miss Madi K had the opportunity 

to travel on the largest 

cruise ship, 

the Icon of the Seas.

Ever since the Icon of the Seas 

came out I wanted to sail on her.

I had read many comments 

online that were negative 

about a ship this size, 

but let me give my honest 

review - 

this was my favorite cruise 

EVER!!!

Nothing ever felt crowded 

even with over 6,000 

passengers onboard.

Royal Caribbean has really 

figured things out!

The food was amazing.  

Besides fabulous food in 

the main dining room, 

they have complimentary 

specialty quick service 

places serving crepes, 

Asian bowls, Mexican 

food and one more with 

four kinds of mac and cheese. 

We sailed the Western Caribbean 

and visited Roatan, Honduras 

for the first time and snorkeled 

to see lobster.  We took two 

excursions to Mayan ruins.  

I had never been to Chichen Itza 

or Chacchoban.  Both were 

amazing. 

Where Royal Caribbean 

really excels is on their 

private island.  It was the 

highlight of the tour.  I 

wish I could have stayed there 

for 7 days!!!

We splurged with our friends 

and rented their over-the-water 

cabana for the day.  It came 

with our own butler who road

an electric bike, and all the 

gourmet food you wanted.  

We had lobster twice that 

day!!!  So sad to leave. 

Miss Madi K and I have 

never been so spoiled.  

I highly recommend the Icon.

Thanks for coming along 

on our 

Iconic adventure 

of Tales of the Traveling Totes.

Now for our giveaway.  

Pop on over to visit 

Rita at Panoply and 

leave a comment to 

enter for this wonderful 

luggage tag.

Next pop on over to see these 

other fabulous travelers to 

see where they have been off to.

Jackie and Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home (you are here)

Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths

Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch

Patti with Miss Kenzie and Miss Taylor @ Pandora's Box

Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda

Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply

Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul

Ricki Jill and Countess de Monet @The Bookish Dilettante

Shirecuterie - Hobbit Cheese Board

It is time for another of our 

Cookbook Club dinners.

We were trying to 

come up  

with an idea for March 

and I saw 

The Starving Chef's 

Lord of the Rings 

Inspired Shirecuterie Board

on Pinterest one day.  

Click on the above link 

to see the great board 

she created.  Her husband 

built the board for her. 

 

I contacted my niece who 

is also a fan of fantasy 

and she told me she could 

3 D print the door. 

She printed it and then 

painted it.  It turned 

out so cool (she even 

made an extra for me!)

We told everyone in the 

group that we wanted to 

create boards based on 

books or movies, 

and that Shaunna 

and I would be doing 

a board together.

We started with her 

door in the center 

of one of my trays. 

For our Lord of the Rings/

Hobbit Board

 we had to have 

Hobbit Feet Cookies made 

out of shortbread and topped 

with shaved chocolate.

My other "must have" was 

Lembas Bread, which I 

made from the other half 

of the shortbread dough and 

wrapped it in banana leaves,

which you can buy online.

It is graced with 

Arowen's Evenstar.

I  made Bed Rolls with 

roast beef, cream cheese 

and a pickle wrapped 

inside for nice 

Hobbitses!

Hobbits also love potatoes 

and sausages, so Shaunna 

made these fun skewers.

Gollum even gets a treat 

our board.  These went 

really quickly!  Next time 

I think I will have to have 

more fish!

Frodo and Gandalf are 

just ready to leave the 

Shire on their adventure, 

after Gandalf marked 

Frodo's door. 

There is never enough

meats and cheeses. 

Hobbits are always hungry. 

Shaunna also made some 

glazed root veggies from 

Frodo's garden, while 

Saruman and a troll 

sneak through. 

(Shaunna has a really 

cool chess set with these 

figures.)

Cheese curds fill 

radicchio cups.  

Notice how the Hobbit 

feet circle the board.  

I used my biggest tin 

tray for this.  

The board was a huge hit!

My DIL hosted and it 

was a serve yourself 

buffet.  These plates and 

bowls, cups and flatware 

remind me of the dwarves 

who love gold and dug 

too deep into the Moria. 

The gold veining is perfect. 

My DIL had just picked 

up this fairy house 

which looks like a 

Hobbit house at 

Dollar Tree.  

I need one of these. 

My daughter's niece

 chose Ratatouille.  

We thought hers was so 

adorable with the cutouts 

colored by her 5 year old, 

and the tiny mice. 

She served ratatouille 

over angel hair pasta 

and cheese stuffed 

mushrooms from the 

movie.

She didn't have black 

sesame seeds, so she 

hand picked them out 

of her Everything Bagel 

seasoning mix!  Haha

She had honey to drizzle 

on the top of the mice. 

Another of my nieces 

chose the theme of 

Grease.  

She had hamburgers, 

fries and shakes.  She 

lives a little farther 

so she brought the 

shakes in an 

insulated drink container.  

My DIL did a dessert 

board based on 

Interstellar.  

Notice the moon 

pineapple.  She 

also had a bowl of 

blue popcorn. 

The dip was the dust bowl 

from Interstellar.  

I love how everything else 

was dark and delicious.

Everyone was so creative 

and we had such a 

great time.  We had 

way too much food - 

we should have invited 

the men this time. 

We all look forward 

to trying new food 

and being creative 

with food in our club.  

I think this was my

favorite dinner, 

and definitely our 

most fun. 

Thanks for visiting.

I will be posting with 

Tablescapes Thursday 

Love Your Creativity