I need ideas!

Tommy and I are having a little cookout this weekend and I am in need of some dessert/appetizer/side ideas. Think easy...because you know this whole cooking thing is new for me. As far as theme, we are just doing veggie burgers (for my sister and me) and angus beef burgers for everyone else.

I did come across this really cute (and easy) appetizer recipe on Celebrations at Home that I thought I would share. (See, I share and you share back with me : )

Red White and Blue Strawberry Appetizer Recipe

• Select 12 good quality stawberries and slice each stawberry in half. The green leaves can be kept on the berry or removed, if desired.

• Use a melon ball scoop to remove the center of each half slice of the strawberry and fill each scooped half slice of strawberry with approximately 1 teaspoon of yogurt, or any white filling desired, such as a fruit dip, custard, pudding, or whipped topping.

• Top the yogurt with a blueberry and serve, or chill to be served when ready.

Baby Drew

My new nephew is so super adorable! And very photogenic! He has already been well documented. I am loving his professional pics. He looks so much like his big brother Max in these.

The first two are taken by Photographic Designs Gallery.



These next three were taken by Brenda Horan Photography. (See, I told you he was well documented!)

We just love him!

Living Room, Take Two

So, Tommy hated the fabrics that I posted recently (I, however, LOVED them). But I guess he has to live here too. Sigh.

So we started over this weekend. The only thing that is staying is the entertainment piece we picked out.




We got this couch...only in a sectional. I really liked it. I hope my dogs don't.
We got a club chair/recliner for Tommy. It is a chenille type fabric in the color "sand," kind of a khaki color. (Still hoping this all comes together somehow.)

And we got this rug from Pier 1. This was taken on my camera phone, so it has a little more color.

And in 8-12 weeks I can show you the final product. There is no such thing as instant gratification in furniture buying, apparently.

Easiest arrangement I will I ever show you

I came across this table arrangement on Design Sponge today and loved how easy it is to recreate.
Go here for full instructions. There are so many fun ways that you can use other fruits and vegetables to make it really go with your theme! (Think Basil, Rosemary and Oregano in a vase for an Italian dinner....I am getting kind of excited just thinking about it!)

Hello!

Today Anne from one of my favorite blogs, A. Party Style, posted on her recent visit to the National Stationery Show. (Um, kind of more than a little bit jealous due to my love affair with paper products.)

While there, she came across t also shared the adorable shop of Hello Hannah.

Have you ever seen a cuter way to showcase your cupcakes?


I think not!
And I am in love with this wishing tree. You can use it for a wedding or party and have your guests write their notes to you on it. Allison is having an owl theme for Finley's first birthday and would this not be perfect for guests to write their notes? (Not that we are planning in advance or anything...)

Cake Lover

This weekend my mom and I went to Michael's and they were demonstrating the cricut cake. Way cool, if I weren't a cake decorating school drop out. (I think I am a better cake eater than I am maker.)

Anyway, they also had a whole new line of Duff Goldman "Ace of Cakes" baking goods. Some of them are for the more semi-professional/"I want to make awesome cakes for friends and family" decorators and then there are some for people like me, who want to whip up a Betty Crocker and throw some embellishments on it.

So for those of you like me, these cake tattoos are for you:


According to Michaels.com all you have to do is ice your favorite treat or dessert with buttercream, icing or fondant. Use Duff’s icing spatula to get the perfect smooth surface to apply your design to. If cutting for cookies or cupcakes, cut out template, lay on design strips and cut out with razor type knife or scissors. Carefully peel design away from backing and apply.

Also cool is cake grafitti, but I think this would require some artistic talent...probably not for me.

And, frankly, right up my alley is a baking mix!
Bon Appetit!

Living Room Update

Tommy hates the floral and isn't really feeling the red ottoman. Ugh. Back to the drawing board, I guess. I suppose he needs to like the room, too...since he is living here and all : ). Anyway, I will keep you posted on the progress. And there will definitely be no cow hyde rug. It would be a little ironic if I were to get one since I don't eat beef. But I am a cow lover deep at heart and really would hate one on my living room floor.

Living Room Design

I will spare you pictures on how my living room currently looks. It is in need of a serious makeover. However, I do have pictures from the listing that will give you a good idea of what the layout is.



So I am now in the overwhelming process of getting furniture for the room. Tommy and I are working with IO Metro on a design and I am loving the concept. Here is the overall design:

The floral will be the fabric on the chair and the red will be the fabric on the ottoman.

The chair is also a recliner. I thought that would be an easier sell for Tommy AND it doesn't look like a recliner. Score for me.

Ottoman that will be covered with the red fabric:

The couch will be a leather sectional, similar to this -- only brown and I think I am going to not do the chaise and have it be a full sectional. It actually looks better in person....


The entertainment piece isn't coming from IO Metro, but will look like this. I am excited to have shelves to display on. We had built ins at the old house, so I am looking forward to having somewhere in the room to put all of my accessories.

Okay, so the thing I am really on the fence on (and truthfully, not really feeling) is the recommended area rug on the floor...it is this cow hyde. What do you think?????



Tommy has been out of town, so he hasn't seen any of the plan, but I am really curious to see what he thinks. Can't wait to hear your thoughts!

I am kind of obsessed with...

Anyone else in love with this 6th grader from Edmond? Seriously, he is too cute. I know his YouTube Video (see it here) is old news, but he could not have been any more adorable on Ellen. I was so impressed with how well he did in his interview and how charming he is! (I sound like his mom!) Anyway, enjoy! The interview is really cute.



PS - Sorry, I have no idea why it cuts off the whole video (I have tried to resize it), but you can view the whole interview here.

Be My Guest

Check out how I went from this:


to this:

on my guest post at Second City Soiree. (I am kind of a big deal. :)

In the mood for a project?

I have come across some very clever projects lately that I must share.

I am in LOVE with this project below. I think I could totally do this and it would look great somwhere at my house. The tutorial from the Crafty Sisters takes you from this:


to this. Sold. I wish my sister and I were this crafty.


Kate from At Everything Sweet, has an awesome tutorial on how to make these really cute gift containers. The one below she made for her St. Patty's Day and filled with green candies.

This one she filled with money and candy for her nephew. Hmmm...wondering how she got the pop top to work? It is very clever.

Enjoy!

Catch a Wave

I am totally kicking myself for not taking pictures (however, I embarrass easily and this place was packed), but I tried a new yogurt place tonight called Peachwave with my sister.

The place was super modern in decor, like Freshberry and had tart yogurt (major bonus). However, they also had strawberry yogurt, tiramisu, cheesecake, raspberry, white chocolate, vanilla, and the list goes on. Even cooler, is that all the yogurt AND toppings are self-serve. (Don't you always go get yogurt and the teenager behind the counter is either soooo generous with the toppings or so stingy you wonder if the owner has a hidden camera?)

The price is $.36 per ounce. Just a note, though, the cups are HUGE. My sister got out of there with a $3.36 yogurt and toppings. I, however, came out with a 14 ounce frozen yogurt treat...with my grand total being $5.04. I think the heavy strawberries sent me over the edge...I should have stuck to cocoa crispies.

Only because I love you and know you won't judge, I will fully disclose what I got:

Yogurt: A mixture of Strawberry and Cheesecake yogurt
Toppings (this is where I ask you not to judge...and where you will see how I had a 14 ounce treat...that I totally finished):
1- Strawberries
2- Chocolate Chips
3- White Chocolate Chips
4- Cocoa Crispies
5- Sprinkles
6- M&Ms

Okay, so I guess it wasn't that bad. Next time, I will swallow my pride and take pics...if I don't die of embarrassment. : )

You know I love clever...and cookies

If I had to pick my favorite dessert, it would definitely be cookies. Followed by everything else. (Speaking of cookies, is anyone else --- besides you, Kelsey : ) -- obsessed with the chocolate chip cookies from Old School bagel? Um, to die for.)

Anyway, I fell in love with these cookies that are made to go over the rim of your coffee/tea cup. Um, hello, coffee (well, flavored, of course, with lots of splenda and cream) and a cookie. Delish!

I found these on Amy Atlas' blog, who got them from the very adorable blog, The Decorated Cookie. She has full details and the recipe available. I may have to try these with some Pillsbury premade dough....that might be a little more up my alley.

Room 2...Done

Sooooo, I guess calling it a "room" may be a bit of a stretch, but I am loving our new patio. Oddly, all of this furniture (minus the rug and table top) came from my old house.

Tommy and I were at Target last weekend and he thought the rug would be a nice addition the patio. I didn't argue with him.

I actually had this piece in my side entry to my old house. My mother-in-law bought me the fresh herbs and my mom got me the lanterns. I think it needs one more plant and a pop of color, but I thought I could still mark this "room" as "done"...or at least close enough.

The rose topiary was on the front porch at my old house and my mom and aunt got me the table and chair set many years ago...back when I was living in my apartment. My aunt did get me a new table top as my housewarming gift, though. The other one had survived (or not) one too many storms.

I have actually have spent more time out here in the past three weeks than I probably did at this table in the many years we lived there. Who knew I would be an outdoorswoman? (This counts as being outdoorsy, right?)

It's in the bag

Since I am so clever and orignal, I have been giving all of my friends the same gift for the past month. I blame it on moving.

However, I actually think I might need to get one for myself. Would that be too weird to have the same purse as your best friend and your sister-in-law? Hmm....

Anyway, The Gap has a really cute collection of affordable bags right now in canvas.

I got Megan the white one and Kristen the red one....I guess that leaves the Chambray one for me :).

I love winning

Check out what I won yesterday on Polka Dot & Pirates' blog! (Doesn't my name look adorable?)
I won a 10 free sheets of customized stickers from Sticker You! Even cooler is that they are die cuts. Not some circle sticker where the image is stuck in the middle.

Now I just have to decide what to use them for....I am throwing a sip and see for my new nephew or we have Finley's first birthday coming up....(in 4 and a half months, but it's never too early to start planning, right?)

I wish Caldrea was paying me with products for this post...but they aren't.

I might have mentioned how I have this thing for cleaning products. Very odd considering I hate cleaning. (Like, really hate cleaning. Not just a little bit.)

Even more strange, this week my friend Megan and I were discussing cleaning. (Who does that?) And she mentioned that her friend Alisha had bought her some cleaning supplies (I know, could this story get any stranger?) that smelled amazing. She went on and on about how fresh and clean they were and her whole house smelled amazing. So, like any cleaning product obsessed person, I HAD to have them. Target is now selling a line of budget friendly Caldrea products (you have probably smelled/used these from Williams Sonoma) that are freaking amazing.

When I say I am obesssed with these, it is not an understatement. First, I smelled the fragrances in the store and settled on Citron Ginger, a mix of grapefruit, ginger, basil and something else fabulous. (There are some others like Olive Oil, which smells amazingly clean and fresh and not weird at all, and really, I cannot remember the rest, but they were all great. For some reason, I cannot find these on Target's website.) I came home and I loved the smell so much, I sprayed every single countertop and sink in my house. And to keep the smell going, I shut the doors to the rooms that I could so that I could smell the fabulousness as soon as I walk in each. (Told you I was obsessed.)

I have also resprayed the countertops that were "dirty" today and all Caldrea products are 15% off this week at Target, so I had to go today and buy some for my sister.

Oh and I forgot to mention, I love the packaging, too. It is a little less "stuffy" than the Williams Sonoma packaging and very, well, clean.

So, long story short, I should be getting tons of free Caldrea products for this post, but I will spread the love because I want your house to smell as good as mine. XOXO!

Surprise!

I have been dying to tell you guys about the surprise party my friend Iris and I have been planning for our husbands. Finally I get to share!

We had so much fun putting together the details and Iris' inlaws (Matt's parents and sister) hosted and fed us all! We had a really fun night!

The party had a beer/poker theme and I finally got to order a cake that I have envisioned for Tommy's birthday for years --- dogs playing poker. From left is a figurine of Matt and Iris' baby, McCord, Josie, Iris and Matt's Bull Mastiff, Bella, M&I's Boxer, Carter and Pudge.

The details were amazing. Truthfully, we could have just had a party around the cake.

The cake was created by a girl in Owasso who is a friend of a friend. She did an awesome job. Tommy is still talking about it today.

I didn't use my cricut this time to create the banner. I just found a poker chip template on iStockphoto and printed the pieces with the letters already on them. Iris had the great idea to put them on Wilton cake circles and it worked really well.

The birthday boys with their respective pets/babies :).

Cheers to a great party! (I was kind of obsessed with the miniature details...you know how I feel about miniatures!)

Finley even wanted to get in on the fun.

Tommy and Matt have been friends since they were five or six (Tommy cannot remember, so I am just going to go with that). Matt's mom had playing cards made of a picture of them from their first soccer team together.

When we got home, we had to see what Pudge and Carter thought of their likenesses.

I think they approved. (Or were at least very interested.)

Happy 30th birthday, Tom!