Sprinkles Cupcakes

Ever wonder how in the world Sprinkles makes their WONDERFUL cream cheese frosting on top of their Red Velvet Cupcakes? Well I did some google searching and found the recipe!

8 oz cream cheese
4 oz butter
3 3/4 c. confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/2 tea. vanilla extract
1/8 tea. salt

Cream the butter, cheese and salt in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar until incorporated, then add the vanilla.

Now time to go try it ...... mmm

Hippy Hipstamatic Photos

A Spring Fling

The Backyardigans

Black and White

Cars Cupcakes

Lovebugs

Very Berry Pie

1 cup fresh strawberries, halved
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups raspberries
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
2-3 tsp fresh lemon juice
cinnamon
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (I used a pre-made crust instead!)

** Note: I personally used frozen berries. Just make sure you let them defrost for about half an hour before using them.
(Only takes about 20 minutes prep time and then 60 minutes cooking time)

In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar,cornstarch and a splash of cinnamon. Add strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and lemon juice; gently toss until berries are coated.

 

 

Line a 9 inch pie plate with half of the pastry. Stir berry mixture, and transfer to the crust lined pie plate. I personally made sure to sprinkle a little bit of the white sugar and cornstarch mixture on the crust before pouring the berries inside to help it from making the crust soggy.

 

 

Top with second crust, and seal and crimp the edge. The recipe didn't call for it, but I brushed on a egg and water mixture (1 egg + 1/4 cup water) over the top crust before placing it in the oven. It worked out perfectly :)

 

 

Place a foil trim over the crust to keep it from burning!

 

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes when using fresh fruit, 50 minutes for frozen fruit. Remove foil. Bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden. Cool on wire rack.

and ...

Ta Da!

Plus, don't forget to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for extra happiness !

Sugar Cookie Donuts

This idea came to me one night while perusing the web: I saw a great sugar cookie recipe on marthastewart.com and wanted to do something a little different. The hubby loves anything lemon, and that is pretty much the only type of sweet that he likes. So in hopes that I wouldn't have to eat these all on my own, I wanted to make some type of lemon icing to pour on top of them.

Steps to making these delicious beauties:

Sugar Cookies

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks), softened

2 large eggs

 When you have your dough, roll it out into long individual pieces, and then connect the two ends making shapes similar to rings (or donuts!)

Set oven to 350 degrees, and cook until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

While the cookies bake, begin your lemon icing.

Lemon Icing

1/2 cup butter

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups confectioners' sugar

(Just mix the ingredients together! It is super easy)

When your cookies are slightly browned, take them out of the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes. 

While they are still slightly warm, use a spoon and pour a small amount of icing over the cookie, enough to cover the entire top.

(This is a messy process so make sure you do this on top of foil)

When done glazing your cookies, let them cool, and enjoy!!!

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks), softened

2 large eggs

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies and more delicious recipes, smart cooking tips, and video demonstrations on marthastewart.com

Frosted Cupcakes

The deliciously DELIGHTFUL red velvet cupcake at Frosted Cupcakes on 2nd Street in Long Beach. In the background is their oreo cookie cupcake. 

Elmo & Friends

This Elmo and Friends birthday setup was for my nephew's 2nd birthday, and it was such a hit! I had a lot of fun coming up with this little design. I knew that we were doing a Sesame Street theme, but I had a hard time coming up with exactly what I wanted to do, and that is when the wonderful use of Google images saved the day.  Whenever you are stuck on what you want to do ... just google it. There are so many creative people out there that upload all of their photos and they are great to use to get your creative juices flowing. 

The prep area...can you notice Rikki Tikki getting in on some of the action?

The fun thing with cupcakes is experimenting with candy to put on top. For Big Bird I used candy corn for his beak; another idea is to use thin pieces of red or black licorice for mouths and hair. For the characters eyes I made two small dollops of white icing and used upside down chocolate chips for the black parts.

For the main part of the display, you can combine cupcakes to make Elmo's face. I used icing that was dipped into red sugar (or orange for the nose and white for the eyes) and decorated as needed. This project took a while, but once the kids saw it and began to chow down it was SO worth it :)

The look on the toy Elmo's face is pretty much what I feel like when I see cupcakes..... Ohhh yes.

Miranda Lambert - The House That Built Me

Just too cute

                                                            "Some bunny loves me"

I have found a new blog that I absolutely love. I usually laugh at people that have blogs dedicated to their pets. It seems a little .... peculiar. But then I find cute little finds like this one and am obsessed. I know, I know.... such a woman as my hubby would say. (Actually he would just look at me and roll his eyes, but we'll just stay quiet on that one)

This is an adorable 2nd blog that a husband and wife duo have created for their dog Burger. She takes the cutest/funny pictures and gives them hilarious captions. Click here for stories about Burger's daily life at Hamburger House.

I actually found Burger's blog by going to his "parents" blog. I was looking for inspirational photos to help with the bedroom makeover that I am attempting, and I came across this blog. It is called  Young House Love and is from a newly married couple who are enjoying life and loving their first home together.

They blogged about their "over their heads" project with re-doing their bedroom (most of the stuff from hacking Ikea pieces and making them into their own fun pieces of furniture). They were able to take their bedroom from this ......

to this ......

Pretty amazing huh? You can check out the full room makeover here.

To see the rest of their awesome blog, you can check it out here

Hope you guys enjoy their blogs as much as I do :) Especially that little guy Burger.... so freaking cute

Sunday Fun DAY!

Well hello everyone :)

It is the end of another week. A Sunday night slowly approaching a Monday morning. I happened to stumble upon a really awesome clothing (and more!) website that I have fallen for. It is called Mod Cloth and is owned by a husband and wifey duo. They are adorable, plus they have an adorable pug too ;)

They put together this super awesome and cute web-scrapbook that talks about their story of putting Mod Cloth together and you can check it out here.

I put together a little photo list for you guys of all of my favorite items from their store. I really think that you should go check it out and enjoy all of their goodies, I'm really thinking about buying some of these dresses for myself. They are just sooo vintage-chic cute and adorable!

This little white dress with the red satin bow is one of my favorites  :) I love how it looks so simple at first and then if you look closely all of the white fabric is actually flowers.

Oh, and these adorable flats are a must have. So simple, yet they have that adorable little added extra with the ruffles on the front

 

This next dress just calls out to me as a sexy date night dress. Pair it with a pair of pretty black heels and cute earrings, and you would be set to go.

Need a fun summer dress? How about this blue, yellow and white one? Totally cute

So I hope that you like these as much as I did. Every day Mod Cloth adds new clothes to their website, and they even have a feature where their followers/shoppers vote on articles of clothing that they would like to be on the Mod Cloth website, and Mod Cloth happily obliges. They seem to have a great chemistry and a great thing going for them, so please go buy something and treat yourself while helping them out! <3

Hope everyone had a great week .... now onwards to the next

(we can do it.... we can do it.......)

Inspiration FUN!

I found a new blog today that I just looove. You know when you find that one blog that just speaks to you? It has a gazillion DIY projects that just keep you jumping up and down in creatively flowing excitement? Well this is the blog that did it to me.

Introducing Centsational Girl. This blog is soo adorable. I am currently redoing our bedroom, and I have been re-inspired by her post of re-doing her little girl's room into a true blue surfer/shabby chic room.

I just loove this room, and she got those awesome frames on the wall from Aaron Brothers from their 1 cent after Christmas sale. How awesome is that?
                                                                  _________________

I love the colors of light blues, silvers, and the mix of metallic grays that make up this room. I'm heading out to Ikea tonight, so hopefully I can get some cute finds to help me with my ideas.

Oh and btw, those awesome striped curtains are from Target. Perfect huh?

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! And stop by Centsational Girl for some more cute DIY projects and to see all of the other cute things she has thought up for some inspiration of your own :)