Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Easy Christmas Dog Treats!


Don't forget Fido this Christmas!!

Here we made our sweet boy, Darby, some great and EASY pumpkin and peanut butter snacks.

He was pretty excited!

Watching for his COOKIES to be done!!!


He loves to get in the HOLIDAY SPIRIT!



You can find the easy recipe by clicking HERE!!

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Fun & Easy Turkey Cookies



I love trying to make the fun things I see on Pinterest & my favorite blogs. It is always HILARIOUS to see what my daughter and I turn out during these adventures. 

This time, we attempted these easy and fun Turkey Cookies from one of the best blogs I follow, The Decorated Cookie

Meet brothers Larry, Daryl and Daryl....



I used store bought everything (frosting and sugar cookie mix) 
and they were so fun to put together. 

oh and their other brother Daryl. LOL


It is awesome to spend that time with Sophia as she is getting older (middle school now AGH!) and the quiet times of sharing laughs are being rivaled by text messages, Instagram and her "squad". 
I do not take these moments for granted!

Visit the Decorated Cookie"s  tutorial on these gems right HERE!


Friday, November 20, 2015

Nutella Bruschetta - Easy Thanksgiving Appetizer

Nutella Bruschetta



Easy appetizers during busy times of year are the best.
I tried this gem from The Reluctant Entertainer and it is a hit.




A scrumptious something different that both kids and adults LOVE.
Be prepared as it usually garners loads of "recipe requests". 




To find the how to please visit The Reluctant Entertainer's
recipe page by clicking HERE!!  Thanks for visiting. 

Monday, June 15, 2015

Black Forest Ham Quiche - Tea Party Favorite

Welcome to Tea Time Tuesday!

This week I would like to share an all time Tea Party favorite, a super yummy QUICHE!

This Black Forest Ham Quiche is so rich and creamy. I found the recipe one day searching online & could hardly resist when the title read, "Our Famous Black Forest Ham Quiche". 




The recipe is adapted from An Afternoon to Remember Fine Tea and Gifts Website. Click on the link for the recipe! 

I made this the last time my SWEET mother was in town and it turned out wonderful. Very dense and the flavors just burst out in your mouth!  The addition of a bit of rosemary was wonderful. 

I love to pair a heavy quiche like this with a light salad or fresh fruit. 

A great tea choice for this decadent quiche would be one of my all time favorites, Harney & Sons Paris blend....so divine. 



Hope you enjoy this recipe and make sure you stop and make time for tea this week!

Photo Credit - So Gorgeous, I want this!!!!


XO, 

Linking up with these parties:

Tea Time Tuesday
Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Friends Sharing Tea
A Return to Loveliness
The Charm of Home

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Ice Cream Cone Puppies (and Monkeys!)

Welcome to Inspiration Thursday!!

This week I was inspired to make these CUTE ice cream cones that look like little puppies!

NICE FINGERPRINTS!!!   :) 


Adorable. 

I was inspired by Beth at Hungry Happenings who has made some super cute ice cream cone creations. 

Sophia and I made her Monkey ice cream cones this weekend and it was a blast. For her easy how to click on her link above. 
They were so fun to make and the neighbor kids loved them too. 


Just a monkey, hanging in the trees. 


And did I mention super easy and delicious!

Sophia and I are now obsessed with decorating our ice cream cones so be prepared for some more cute creations as the summer goes on. 

To make Ice Cream Cone Puppies:



1. Nutter Butters
2. M&M candies (or something similar)
3. Edible Food Writer in Black
4. Nilla Wafers
5. Candy Eyes (Wilton) 
6. Chocolate Ice Cream & Cones 

First draw your little nose shape on your Nilla Wafer and adhere the candy for the nose. We used some left over frosting but corn syrup would work as well. Also, if you don't have candy eyes, you can use small marshmallows cut in half and put a little black eye on with your edible writer or chocolate frosting. 

Now get your Nutter Butters ready to go!

Scoop out ice cream into cone and decorate with nose piece, eyes and ears as shown. 

Simple, cute and fun to do. Perfect for summer. 

Sharing with these blog parties: HERE.






Monday, June 8, 2015

Tea Time Tuesday - Easy Individual Puff Pastry Egg Bakes

Welcome to Tea Time Tuesday!

This week I am sharing a very fast and fancy way to serve basic scrambled eggs. 

This tea party food is very easy to put together and the presentation looks like you have been hard at work for hours. 

*wink




All you need is some Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Shells  & your favorite scrambled egg recipe. At our house we love a bit of cheese and ham in ours so that is what this cook whipped up!

Once you have baked up your pastry shells, scramble your eggs and layer inside as you wish! Little garnish for added cuteness.  

Now enjoy with your favorite cup of tea! Delightful!




Tea party food does not need to be fussy. For more great ideas for your next tea time, visit my recipe idea page HERE

Linking up with these parties:

Tea Time Tuesday
Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Friends Sharing Tea
A Return to Loveliness
The Charm of Home



Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Inspiration Thursday - The Gift of an Imperfect Life

I would like to give you a gift. 

The gift of an imperfect life. 

Link to Amazon - Not Affiliate Link

An imperfect life by jodi hills 
An awesome collection of inspirational thoughts, short stories and celebrations of imperfection. A must read and share.  Sweet little book. 


In the world today, one can often feel bombarded with what the social media and interwebs define as "perfect". More, more, more.....


I love this card from Emily McDowell Studio she nails it here:
"I will not compare myself to strangers on the internet. It's so hard, isn't it? The downside of having so much access to inspiration and information at our fingertips is that it's easy to get caught up in how amazing/accomplished/fun other people's lives appear. It's a trap! WE can't compare our real lives to other people's carefully curated highlight reels. It's just not the same thing."

I bought 10 of these. 

The little book above and these simple cards, started a beautiful exploration and celebration of "imperfection".  It also started an important dialogue with my daughter that has been very moving. Sharing this book with her and hearing her thoughts was priceless. 

Here are some other inspirations for people who, like me, need to know that being imperfect is OK. 

Amazon Link - Not Affiliate

Its a Wonderful (Imperfect) Life by Joan C. Webb 
A great little book of devotions for those of us who have to make sure "everything is perfect".  Loved it. 


The Gifts of Imperfection. Brene' Brown
I just started this book but I am excited and already inspired. Brene' Brown has another book that looks great called Daring Greatly. She has a wonderful blog I highly recommend you can find HERE.


Made my me....


The links to amazon here are for your FYI and are NOT affiliate links.  I get no credit or kick backs from any clicks or purchases. 

Sharing with: 
Pink Saturday

XO,

Friday, May 29, 2015

Tetley & Good Earth Tea Review with White Chocolate Lime Scones



Welcome to Tea Time Tuesday this week!

This week we are mixing up some fruit and pairing some Pomegranate with Lime!




Sophia and I have been looking to sample some new iced teas for summer so we were excited when Tetley USA sent us some of their traditional Iced Tea Blend and a box of the Good Earth Pomegranate Burst to sample. Yeah!!


We decided to pair these delicious tea blends with a new scone recipe! 

White Chocolate with Lime Scones




First off, the GOOD EARTH Pomegranate Burst tea was really amazing. It truly has the essence of natural pomegranate flavors with a hint of cherry. A bright and cheerful burst for your taste senses!





This tea was sampled both iced and hot. It paired wonderful with our scones! We loved it both ways, but on this warm spring day, we preferred it iced.  

When I was opening the tea bags, the scent of cherry and fruit just filled the room!! 


I had to take some sips!!!!! YUM!!


Other fruity flavors that can be found in this refreshing tea include sweet blackberry and raspberry ~~~Ooh La La!!!

Next up we sampled Tetley's Iced Tea Blend. 




Honestly, I had never tried this brand and I am so glad I did. Tetley has a special blend specifically for iced tea and I must say it was very smooth and not at all bitter. I'm hooked. 

From Tetley USA: 

Round, stringless tea bags are made with our unique Perflo tissue - sturdy, yet soft and porous, for faster tea infusion and better flavor release. 2 tea bags makes 2 quarts of iced tea. 


Refreshing! 


So pretty!! 

Now for some Nosh!!

White Chocolate Lime Scones

1 3/4 cups flour + 2 Tbsp
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
6 Tbsp butter 
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
7 Tbsp milk 
3 tsp lime
1 tsp lime zest

Preheat to 400 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment. 

Mix the 1 and 3/4 cup flour (saving the 2 Tbsp for rolling the scones) with the sugar, baking soda and salt. 

Add white chocolate chips and then cut in the butter. 

Once crumbly, add milk, lime and zest. Stir till dough forms. 

Next, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut or shape into small discs (I use my 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter).

Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar if you like prior to baking. 

Bake at 400 for 9-12 minutes, checking your scones as oven times can vary. Mine runs hot so these only took 9 minutes. 

Voila! Yum




Enjoy!!!

*This is a sponsored post. Tetley USA sent me both their Iced Tea Blend and the Good Earth Pomegranate Burst (thank you!). Opinions here are honest and mine (and Sophia's) alone, thanks!! :) 

Sharing with some special Tea Parties:
Tea Time Tuesday
Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Friends Sharing Tea
A Return to Loveliness
The Charm of Home

As well as other great link parties found HERE





Thursday, May 28, 2015

Inspiration Thursday - Vogue's Article on Women & Hair Loss

Happy Thursday!

I really want to share something inspirational I read this week. 

It was a story done on Vogue's website entitled, "Stylish Possibilities for Hair Loss after Chemotherapy & Alopecia".



I came upon it because I follow Vogue on Instagram. 
It was very Inspiring. Not something I would expect from Vogue, but pleasantly surprised. I didn't use any of the photos from their website here, I wasn't sure of the copyright policy. However I really encourage you to check it out, the link is at the end. 

The article shares the story of nine spirited women who have dealt with hair loss either as a result of chemotherapy or alopecia.

I absolutely LOVED one woman's quote: 

"Beauty to me was always about fitting in, Now I just want to stand out." (Mia Sidaros) 

Many points in this article really touched me and I found myself questioning how I define beauty. 

Many women and girls struggle with self esteem, their self image and what it means to be "beautiful." I know I do. 

In the world today, where everything that is celebrated seems so perfectly coiffed, airbrushed, filtered and plumped up, it can often seem overwhelming. Where does one fit in there? It is articles like this that I find so important to share & discuss with my 11 yr old daughter. 

Maybe the answer is found in beautiful Mia's quote ...the answer is in standing out. Embracing ones unique qualities, gifts and imperfections. Taking the filter off and exploring what it means to be raw and human. 

It's scary though. 

I applaud Vogue for this wonderful article. For opening my eyes today to another view, another possibility. 


To view Vogue's full article I strongly encourage you to click Here

Sharing with several blog parties, links found Here.


Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Tip Me Tuesday - Fun Beauty Finds

Tip Me Tuesday - Beauty Finds!


A quick and often inexpensive way to freshen up your make-up routine is with a new shade of lip color. 

Here are two of our favorite new colors for summer!

I (Trisha) am LOVING this gloss from Marc Jacobs in the color Moonstruck. I was introduced to it via a fun beauty blogger I follow online and on Instagram called The Beauty Professor. You can visit her blog by clicking HERE!

Photo Credit

At $28 it is a bit of a splurge but I have to admit, so worth it. These lip glosses are reported to have "high shine" and they don't disappoint therefore if you prefer a matte lip color this is not for you.

From Sephora:

Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Lacquer 

Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquer delivers maximum color and brilliance with its unique Triple Shine Complex, a blend of high-performance ingredients that provide unstoppable wear and shine like “30 coats of lacquer.” This mint-scented gloss features a profusion of creamy pinks, shimmering lavenders, and iridescent brights that give lips a lush look with lasting color and unbelievable shine.

The color is very subtle and not at all "frosty". I really love it for everyday. I do feel I have to touch this up after about an hour or so depending on what I am doing. It is very smooth and not at all sticky. The next time I want to splurge on this lip gloss, I am going for this color:

photo credit

It's called "Allow Me" and it is a very pretty rose gold with shimmer. There are a total of 18 different colors in this line. 
I picked mine up at Sephora.

Another new favorite of ours, especially Sophia, is the awesome Burt's Bees Lip Crayon in Sedona Sands. 

Photo Credit


LOVE IT....and at $9 you can't really argue that price point. 

This is a very creamy MATTE nude color that has a slight pink hue. It does go on a bit dry but the lasting power is great. The line comes in a total of 6 different colors and we are excited to add a few more to our collection! To check out the other colors stop by your CVS or Walgreen's or click HERE!

Hope you like our beauty finds for the week :)

Linking to some of these parties: CLICK HERE FOR LIST!

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Gluten Free, Low Carb - Lavender Mint Cream Scones



We are so excited to join some Tea Parties, this week! If you are visiting from a party below, Welcome!!

Afternoon Tea has always brought us great delight. 





Sophia and I have been sharing in this wonderful tradition for years. When life gets hectic, there is nothing quite like slowing down and sipping a warm velvety tea from a pretty cup while snacking on dainty delights. 

So, so good for the soul. 

This week I made some wonderful scones I would like to share. I incorporated two of my favorite flavor accents this time of year, lavender and mint! 
This was also the first time I made scones that were gluten free & lower carb. 

I was worried about texture and taste but I was pleasantly surprised! They baked up and tasted just like regular scones. 




Perfect for spring!

GF, Low Carb - Lavender Mint Cream Scones

Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour*
1/2 cup coconut flour*
1/2 cup Stevia Brand Sugar Substitute 
1/4 cold salted butter
2 tsp dried lavender
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped mint
1/2 cup + 2 T cold heavy whipping cream
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 recipe for Sugar Glaze - see below


Instructions:

Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Set aside
Turn oven on at 425 degrees
In medium bowl, whisk flours and sugar.
Using pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until coarse and crumbly
Add lavender and mint, stir well. 

In small bowl combine 1/2 cup cream, egg, vanilla and whisk well. 
Add cream mixture to flour mixture and stir well to combine
Bring dough together with hands 
Add additional cream 1 T at a time until dough is uniform

Place dough on lightly floured surface and roll to 1/2 inch thick
Using 2 1/4 inch round cutters, cut 12 scones. 
If you don't have a cutter just shape scones into round 1/2 inch thick discs
Place on parchment paper and brush w/ remaining cream. 
Bake until edges are light golden brown approx 9-10 minutes
Remove scones to wire rack to cool. 
Drizzle w/ Sugar Glaze if desired

Sugar Glaze: combine 1 cup powdered sugar to 4 T whole milk (we skipped this step opting for fewer calories, less sugar) 

*If you don't want to make them gluten free, substitute 2 cups self rising flour



THANKS MOM FOR MY NEW CUP!! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!
Find me at these great link ups: Blog Love Here

Also sharing with these special parties:
Rose Chintz Cottage
Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Pint Sized Baker - Two Cup Tuesday
The Charm of Home
Show & Tell Friday

Friday, March 13, 2015

The Magic of Spring - Dum Dums Lollipop Garden!


We LOVE Dum Dums Lollipops!

What better way to usher in SPRING than with a magical lollipop garden! Start this fun tradition with your family this year!



Sophia and I are SOOO excited to be a part of #TheMagicofSpring with Spangler Candy, the makers of Dum Dums Lollipops. 



We hope you enjoy the video tutorial we put together for you on how to make your very own Magical Spring Lollipop Garden!







Here are the basic "ingredients" we used:
1. Dum Dum Lollipops
2. Magic Jelly Beans :)
3. Cute containers
4. Crumbled up chocolate cake or brownies (I used store bought to save time). I also put some pound cake slices in the bottom of the containers so the suckers would "stick" better. 
5. Edible Grass - you can also use coconut flakes mixed with a bit of green food coloring for edible grass too!
6. Lots of Fun and Love!!!!!!!

The point is to "plant" the magic jelly beans with your kids and have them be surprised the next day as the beans have sprouted into amazing Dum Dum Suckers! HOW CUTE!! You can incorporate this into your Easter celebration or simply as a fun way to celebrate spring. 

Here are some basic step by steps - the video tutorial goes into more detail with some added fun:

1. Take your cute containers and line them with wax paper. 


2. Use some pound cake to build up the bottom if needed



3. Crumble up your store bought brownies or cake or use whatever you have that will work for edible soil! YUM

4. Let the kiddos plant the magic jelly beans in the soil and VOILA, the next morning........MAGIC!




Take this idea and run or make your own. You can also do this outside, there are MANY ways to make this your own fun tradition. There are no rules, just have fun!





 
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