In The Mood For FOOD!

I'm in the mood for food today. Something yummy like and scrumptious. With the holiday season coming up I'm a bit saddened that I don't know more people around where I live because I LOVE baking and surprising neighbors and friends with all sorts of treats. Last winter I was still living far away from my fiance so I mailed him some (double chocolate peanut butter chip cookies, chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate chip cookies, shortbread cookies, and brownies!). I've always wanted to try making fudge but I'm a bit afraid to. 

Point being that this year I have no one to send it to. I'll still bake to be a good hostess in case anyone comes over but my repitoire is limited now that I no longer have a kitchen aid mixer (I can't use my moms cause its too far away! :( ) so I'm going to go with some basic things and then maybe sample some stuff from Etsy for ideas and just to buy or to send to people! .... or to spoil myself. 

Here are some of the scrumptious things I've found!!! (Great for parties in a pinch or wedding receptions, anything really!)

Great Grandma's Icebox Cookies with Pecans by:

JeweloftheLion

Price: $12

I can practically smell these just looking at them. Delicious crunchy pecan cookies. I am craving one of these with a cup of cocoa piled high with whipped cream while I snuggle with my guy. Mmm. These make me feel so ready for cooler weather. For $12 you get 3 dozen cookies! For those math challenged that means you get 36 cookies. That is more than ample for a gift, to bring to a party (if you are baking challenged or don't have time) or to have some now and throw some in the freezer to forget about and then happily remember on a rainy day. Oooh they look so good.

2 Dozen Lemon Glazed Shortbread Cookies by:

MilliesPlace

Price: $8

YUM! Two things I absolutely adore! Lemon Glaze and Shortbread Cookies! I've never had them combined before but I must say it is a very intriguing combination. These look absolutely beautiful too. Nice and shiny. And these shortbread cookies definitely have some weight to them, rather than the average skinny shortbread cookies these are nice and hearty. They look delicious! Oh man this was a bad idea for a blog today... I'm so hungry already.

Itty Bitty Bite Sized Flower Sugar Cookies by:

sugarandflour

Price: $10.50

This listing is for 8 DOZEN cookies. That is a LOT of cookies. And sugar cookies are quite possibly the best/cutest party/hostess cookie. These will last you a long time too not to mention how cute the design and frosting are! They are random colors but you are allowed to request what color they want. And I'd just like to add this is some of the best food photography I've seen on Etsy thus far. Staging of food means a lot towards the temptation of wanting to buy it and this is incredibly. Crisp, clean, and modern. Kudos to you sugarandflower. Bake on!

Simple But Delicious Lemon Squares by:

KristysRedBarnBakery

Price: $6

Be Still My Heart. I LOVE lemon squares. They are one of my absolute favorites. It has been over a year since I've had one and I want to dive into these. For $6 you get 6 huge lemon squares, and that is a great deal.  I used to pay $5 a piece of the lemon squares I got and these are a lot bigger and from reading the ingredients on the page it seems like they would be better too. Totally worth a taste or two... or five. YUM!

Toffee Crunch Bark by:

TheJourneyAccents

Price: $8.50

Yum. My mom is a lover of chocolate bark of all kinds but this toffee crunch one looks like a winner for this year. It may seem a bit odd but I really love eating chocolate that isn't in a perfect square. I like random shapes. If any of you have ever had a chocolate orange before? My favorite part is the core. And I really think that is why I love chocolate bark so much. I'm also a toffee lover but having toffee in large sections hurts my teeth. Perhaps this is the perfect solution. And it looks really cute all crunched up in a bowl so people can grab whatever size they want to eat. And makes a great cake/cupcake topper decoration!!

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Keep checking back for more scrumptious treats!!

Something For You!

I've been focusing on spoiling your home for a few days so how about a few things for you. I got a few beautiful necklaces in the mail yesterday and it made me want to go out and find some beautiful one for you ladies. Now the important thing to remember in jewelry is that even costume jewelry can look real and sophisticated if you wear it correctly. It depends on everything that you're wearing. That being said lets see what I can find

Tea Kettle Necklace by:

cupcakeivore

Price: $12

I love teapots! I think everything about them and tea parties are absolutely adorable. That is why for my 18th birthday my mom got me these absolutely adorable tea party cake Betsey Johnson earrings that I simply adore. But this necklace is just so cute and would look so cute with a t-shirt and jeans and boots in the fall. Its got a bit of simple elegance because of the bead and a bit of whimsy because of the tea kettle style. Love it!

Pearl Ribbon Necklace by:

Jewelsme

Price: $12

I love these necklaces because the ribbon keeps it from feeling too stuffy and its still elegant! Great to go with a little black dress or a an everyday outfit. This designer lets you customize everything from the ribbon color its tied with to the crystals in between the pearls and the rings that its attached to the ribbon with. For this price that is an incredible deal! Absolutely stunning.

Alice's Garden by:

liliswan

Price: $26

What I love about this? Asymmetry. I love asymmetry in jewelry. This necklace again has that little touch of whimsy and of course little birds! Again this is a dress up dress down necklace. I really like the way this one hangs too and It looks really really nice for the price. This is the necklace that I would compliment a stranger on. And we all know we like getting compliments!

Argentina Rhodochrosite Necklace by:

Alkazdesign

Price: $35

The stone drew me into this one. I love adding a pop of color to an outfit through something like this. The chain on this would lend it to be less of a dress up necklace but it can easily be worn with a casual dress or an everyday outfit. Again its got the little birds that I love and the cameo setting the stone is on. This is a very interesting and unique necklace. A great addition to a collection.

Illusions Perdues Cameo Necklace by:

lamarquisedesanges

Price: $27

I think everyone should own at least one Cameo necklace. They are beautiful and timeless. Definitely something you can hand down. I don't necessarily think that you should pay a few hundred dollars for a real one or two though because I have a bad habit of losing/breaking jewelry. I love love love the robins egg blue color on the background of this one though. I give this two thumbs up and I kinda want it myself. Perhaps I need to start hinting to my fiance. Just kidding. He's spoiled me too much already.

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Hope you like these! Check back later today for more great Etsy finds!

Turn This House Into A Home

One thing I've noticed that is lacking at my current place of residence is that feeling of 'home'. As silly as it seems I find home to be a warmth that can really be brought in by material things. I'm very happy living with my fiance and my dogs but when I think of the feeling I got when I walked into the house I grew up in and where I am now, it's different. And I felt more comfortable there. Sure it can be acquired by time, but it can also be acquired by little touches. Things that make it look and feel more like a home. I'm not talking CLUTTER... cause that bugs me to high heaven. Just a few decorative things. Heres what I found today.

Glass Flower Vases by:

shesitsbytheseashore

Price: $12

These vintage glass vases are beautiful. They remind me of the ones my mom used to put our flowers that our dad would give my sister and I after our ballet recitals in. They were my great grandmothers vases and therefore I love the look of vintage vases. These are great for if you get a few flowers, or just to display. Place them on a shelf, on a mantle, or in a kitchen window that catches the morning light just right. Something to make things look cheery and happy. That warm bright and snuggly feeling of home.

Vintage Apothecary Jars (set of 6) by:

JUNKCOLLECTOR38

Price: $35

My entire childhood whenever I went over to my grandparent's house (may they rest in peace) they always had an oldfashioned buffet set up with vintage apothecary jars filled with candy. It was like walking into the worlds greatest free candy store! After they passed away the candy jars were emptied and dispursed between the family, but my mom made sure to always have at least one full of candy at my house. My friends thought it was magical, and I thought it just looked so welcoming. The offering of candy to anyone who comes into your house just seems to be such a lovely gesture to me and to put it in one of these lovely jars would make it that much more inviting. (Or if you're like me... buy a table or make some room somewhere, fill all six and spread them out throughout the house!)

Shabby Chic Upcycled Frames by:

MountainCoveAntiques

Price: $57

10 vintage frames for $57 is a steal and a half, not to mention the shabby chic look of these are just adorable and upcycling is good for the environment. The wonderful thing about these is there are so many uses for them. Hang them in front of windows for decorative accents. Lean them on shelves (my favorite is to lean them on a shelf with a cute pair of pumps in front!), hang the frames by themselves on a wall, or in groupings, get a mirror cut for them, get a chalkboard cut for them. There are so many possibilities and these are GORGEOUS. (If you're wondering it works out to $5.70 per frame)

Shades of Love (original acryllic painting on 24''x36'' canvas) by:

AmyGiacomelli

Price: $225

I don't usually list something this expensive on my blog because those of us who shop on Etsy are usually looking to save a lot of money and the economy is bad right now, but this I cannot resist. Not only does the picture suggest a very loving happy atmosphere (like the one I'm looking to create) but it also has a very warm glow about it. The softness of the lines and the warm fall tones make me feel like throwing on a sweater and grabbing some cocoa and slippers and snuggling up with my man. Now I hate making big purchases (and so does he) but in this case, if I had the money I would buy this. Art is an investment in talent, beauty, and happiness.

Mums Flower Embroidery Placemat (set of 4) by:

Kainkain

Price: $28

Be sure to check out this shop for a lot more placemats and matching runners. I feel that placemats are a lost art though. People will sit down at the table and just put their plates down because they know the plate alone won't leave a ring but placemats really step up the class of your table. It looks warm and inviting, and nice even when you're not sitting there eating. I ALWAYS have placemats on my table (...even if they are sometimes hidden by the piles of clean laundry I'm sorting...) because it does make my house feel more like a home.

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What 'things' make your house feel like a home? Let me know!

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

Alright so my future in-laws are coming to visit soon and I'm trying to transform my house to look like a home. Right now we just have a terrible clash of his stuff and my stuff and a rental house that desperately needs its walls repainted but the landlord said no (booo landlord!). But even so I have to do something to make it look nice. So with a magic eraser to the wall and a budget of about $100 I'm going to transform my bedroom (and of course some organizing). There will be before and after pics posted later.

I'm starting today off with throw pillows!! I already have 2 NancyK 14'' throw pillow fillers. I may get a 12'' or a 16'' to add to it but we're starting here. Thank you Etsy.com most of the designers are willing to make their throw pillows in any size you want. Wish me luck!

Right now we have a black white and gray floral quilt that I plan to flip over because its solid gray on the other side. We have steel blue sheets and black curtains. I'm looking to bring a bit more color into the room and perhaps find a nice way to introduce some brown.

French Wallpaper Fabric Pillow by:

HomeGrownPillows

Price: $11

This is an 16x16 pillow and I haven't contacted the designer to find out if it was able to be made in a 14x14 yet but I'm listing it here as a consideration. There is some dark detailing in this that I can't see so well but it looks dark olive/brown but I could probably get away with the black curtains with it and the gray quilt. The turquoise would blend well with the steel blue and I already have a gold blanket I could lay at the bottom of the bed to add some color to tie the yellow in. I like the bright coral in this too. So I'll keep this as a possibility!

Big Congrats to HomeGrownPillows! The last pillow of hers we featured on this blog was purchased to be in a Jim Carrey movie! Congratulations!!!!

Kiwi Spots Throw Pillow Covers by:

mariescozycushions

Price: $20

Originally we were going to paint our room a lovely shade of green but the landlord said now, so I could bring the green in with these guys! The grays will blend fine due to the gray undertone of the blue sheets and the blue quilt and the pillow has just enough yellow to make the gold throw blanket go. I'm not sure if it's enough color for me. I like a WOW factor in color but these pillows are so cute and a great price so it is a definite possibility. This listing is for 16'' pillows so again I would have to contact the designer to see if 14'' ones could be made.

Damask Beauty Throw Pillow by:

TheHomeCentric

Price: $17.75

This pillow has it all. It's classy, classic, yet modern, and still bold. It's black and white but it gives the feeling of color and I think it would be stunning on any bed/couch/shelf. Anything. I could work with this, easily pull in more blues or whatever color I want. This designer does add that you can request it be made in another size too. This one stays on the list!

Paddock Shawl by:

PersnicketyHome

Price: $13.95

I know I said I wanted to add more color to my room and this would be keeping it much in the same palate but it also opens up the option for me to add a pop of color somewhere else. I really love the blues and grays in this and it would blend perfectly with a gray quilt. I could pick any shade of anything I wanted for a throw blanket (a cream one would be nice for the winter...) and this would really help create a tranquil feel in my room. Hmmm this is getting hard.

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I will be adding more but let me know which you think would be best!

Bad Little Blogger.... And A Little Something Extra!

Sorry I've been even worse lately about posting. My decision making process on 'good timing' isn't really spot on right now. I'm still unpacking (just clothes... I really hate unpacking clothes) and trying to clean/organize the house and go out and buy things we need. I know boys don't see the necessity of muffin tins but I DO!

On top of that I'm trying to get a job just to have a little extra income for groceries and decorating... and then we got a puppy!

Meet Atlas! I'll post more pictures on my dog's page! But this little bundle has been keeping me more than busy. I can tell you I am NOT ready for kids right now because at the end of the day this little goober has me exhausted.

If you were wondering he is 11 weeks old as of tuesday October 12th and he is a pure bred Golden Retriever. We had to give away our Husky but she has a great new home with friends of ours where she is the center of attention and loving it. (We got Atlas after we found her a new home.)

Now back to the Etsy stuff!!!

I had a request for Flash Cards! Alphabet ones for a nursery so here is what I found!

1959 Vintage Alphabet Flash Cards (set of 26) by:

prettylittlestudio

Price: $19.99

These are a full set of vintage 5''x7'' flash cards that you could hang or frame in a nursery and they would look adorable. If vintage is something you're into this is an adorable addition. You could also mix it with something more modern for a more modern romantic feel. This over a shabby-chic white dresser/changing table or a modern crisp black one would be awesome. Be creative, either way these will make a stunning focal point on the wall.

Printable Flash Cards by:

neskita

Price: $5.50

These cute bright flash cards come in a PDF file to your computer so you can print them yourself. Save money on shipping! Also if one happens to get destroyed you can print another, and you can pick the quality of paper you use. These are available in English and Spanish so if you get both you can encourage your child to learn multiple languages from an early age. That never hurts! Plus these are bold and bright, great for little children's eyes.

Small Alphabet Flash Cards by:

ALittleHut

Price: $8

Again these flash cards are a PDF so you get the file and print it yourself. These have a bit of a softer feel to them, the colors aren't so bright and rather than printing one on a letter sized paper you print 4 per page of these. The colors are green, blue, purple, and orange. All writing is in charcoal gray. And the picture is a great example of what they would look like matted in a frame (which is super cute) and matting is easy to do! I will be posting a DIY matting post soon so stay tuned!!

11x14 Woodland Forest Friends by:

PotatoPatch

Price: $18

Sometimes it is easier to have a poster rather than hanging all those flash cards and I thought this one was particularly cute. It reminds me of the one that hung in my nursery when I was a baby. This comes customizable color wise to match your nursery and those little animals are so darn cute. Not to mention it will help your little one learn what letter they start with. I think I may buy this in the very distant future when I have a little one... or as a gift because I always know someone who is having a baby.

Personalized Alphabet Dot Poster by:

Chaiv

Price: $28

If you're looking for something cute and customized for a nursery which isn't quite pastel this is a great pick! The modern look of the dots is really adorable and the serifed font makes it easy to read. This would look cute with a white frame or a bold colored frame. Love it!!

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hope you enjoy!