Category Archives: etc.

Hello Kitty Birthday Party: Cake Pops

January 19, 2012

In November we celebrated Denali’s 10th birthday. We hit the double digits! She wanted a Hello Kitty party and I was happy that she still wanted to be a little girl. The fall was so busy with a brand new baby, that I decided to keep these ideas and share them with you now, leading up to Valentine’s Day. Everything was pink and red for the party. Over the next couple of days I will share with you some of my party ideas.

The first idea is these Hello Kitty Oreo Truffle Pops. These are always a favorite treat at parties. To start, I need to tell you that these are far from perfect (truth be told I almost threw them all out). After working on these for 3 hours, and managed to drops 2 dozen of these out of the fridge. So, what was left had to do.

In hind sight I would have made the truffles with the golden oreos, because the white chocolate doesn’t quite cover the dark oreo center. I piped the eyes and whiskers on with melted dark chocolate. The nose and flower are just candy decorations.

The trick to making the kitty shaped head is the roll an oval shape that glue two chocolate chips to the sides of the truffle. Then when you dip them, the chocolate chips become the ears.

My beautiful 10 year old

Keep reading, I will post more ideas from the party tomorrow.

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H & M Home (I wish)

January 18, 2012

Ever since I visited London almost 8 years ago, I have been a huge fan of H & M. I was happy when they made their way over to North America. But, a while back I foumd out they have home accessories as well. The Home stores are not yet in the US, but I’ve been drooling over the UK online catalogue.

Just for fun, I picked out some cute things and did some “make believe” shopping.

Cute towels for the kids bathroom

Lots of fun storage

Looks vintage

Burlap and metallic storage bins – so cute

Love the metallic pillow

More cute storage

I need this for the girl’s room

Anyone else in love with H & M Home? I have heard rumors that they might be opening one in New York soon – I hope 🙂

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Blackberry Lemon Ice Cream

January 17, 2012

I got a fantastic ice cream maker at Christmas. Because I had some super great coupons, I only paid $19.99 for it. I have wanted one for a while, so I couldn’t pass this up. This is my husbands new favorite flavor.

Blackberry Lemon Ice Cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 cups half and half (I used fat free half and half)
1 tbsp. vanilla
zest of one lemon
1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries (I used frozen ones that I had picked this summer)

In a bowl, mix together the milk, half and half, salt, lemon zest and sugar. Whisk together until the sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate mixture for at least one hour. Freeze the ice cream according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Add the blackberries to the ice cream during the last 5 mins. of the freezing. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in the freezer.

etc. / Food & Drink

Loaded Goat Cheese Enchiladas

January 15, 2012

My family has really taken a liking to Goat cheese. We love it in pasta with butternut squash, in frittatas with spinach, so why not in Enchiladas. With the new year, I have been trying to make sure dinners are healthy and pack as much of the good stuff in as possible. These are super yummy and no one would know they are on the healthy side.

Loaded Goat Cheese Enchiladas

28 oz. can green chili enchilada sauce
5 oz. of goat cheese
16 oz. can of both corn and black beans
2.5 oz. can of sliced black olives
2 lbs. chicken breasts
1/2 of a red onion chopped
10 whole wheat tortillas
1 cup pepper jack cheese grated

Cut up the chicken breasts into 1/2 inch chunks. Cook chicken in a fly pan with a couple tbsp. olive oil. Add red onion to the the chicken for the last couple of minutes, just the soften the onion. Cook the chicken through. In a large bowl combine 1/2 the enchilada sauce with the chicken, onion, corn, beans, and olives. Cut the cold goat cheese into 1/2 inch cubes and mix into the chicken mixture. The goat cheese will melt a bit.

Fill the tortillas with the chicken mixture and roll them up. Place them in two 9 x 13 inch pans (they are really loaded so only 5 in each pan). Pour the second 1/2 of the enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas. Top with the grated pepper jack cheese. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 F oven for 20 mins. Remove the foil and bake another 10 -15 mins. until the top is melted and golden.

Serve with sour cream and salsa.

etc. / Style

Happy New Year!

January 2, 2012

Well, 2012 is here! Where did the year go? It’s been a busy year. My biggest accomplishment is Olivia – in 2011 I made a baby! This year will be filled with many firsts for her. Babies grow and change so much in their first year of life, it’s amazing. I’m excited for this year with Olivia but, I’m sure it’s going to go to by way too fast.

I’m making a few New Years resolutions. By posting these here, I’m hoping to stick to them and not give up 6 months in. They are not all resolutions, some are just things I want to accomplish (it’s really just a 2012 to do list). Here’s my list:

1. Read my Bible EVERYDAY! (no excuses)
2. Lose the baby weight or at least get into my old jeans (slightly overwhelming, I’m working on an action plan).
3. Learn how to use Photoshop and do more with Adobe Illustrator (maybe even take a class and continue what I started just over a year ago.)
4. Improve my blog.
5. Take more pictures and make more photo books of my family.
6. Have more adventures with Riley.
7. Complete some house projects (paint the outside of the garage, paint the kids bathroom and possible tear out the shower, complete the laundry room, and put in some kind of semi-custom storage in all our tiny closets).
8. Open an Etsy shop.
9. Date more (go out with my husband, sans children, at least twice a month).
10. Quit Smoking! (this one is easy because I don’t smoke, but now I can feel good about accomplishing one of my resolutions)

My Sweet Babies

What resolutions or goals are you making this year?

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Orange Ginger Spritz Cookies

December 23, 2011

If you don’t have a cookie press, you are missing out. I love to make some sort of spritz cookie at Christmas because they are just fun to make. It’s like magic, how the cookies come out so cute and uniform. Kids love to use it as well.

I often just make vanilla or chocolate spritz cookies, or sometimes lemon, but this year I came up with something new. These Orange Ginger cookies have a hint of molasses and are the perfect match for a hot cup of tea.

Orange Ginger Spritz Cookies

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp orange zest
1 egg

Sift first 5 dry ingredient together. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add the egg molasses, and zest to the butter and sugar. Mix till combined. Add the dry ingredients in 2 parts. Mix until just combined.

Pack dough into cookie press. Press cookies onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350 F for about 10 mins or until they are just slightly browned on the edges. I like them just barely brown so that they have a softer, chewyer texture. Cook baked cookies on a wire baking rack. Store in airtight containers (I make mine ahead and freeze them).

If you don’t have a Spritz or Cookie Press, I recommend you getting one just for fun. I have recently seen cookie them at Homegoods for $7.99 to $19.99.

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Swedish Butter Cookies

I was going through my recipe cards and found this recipe. My mom gave me some of my Grandma’s recipe cards. I really love having them and seeing her handwriting. What is it about Christmas, it just makes you miss your Grandma. I had never made these cookies and I actually don’t remember my Grandma making them. She was famous for her shortbread cookies (I might share that recipe as well), but these cookies were my Swedish Grandpa’s mother’s recipe (her mother in law’s). My mom said that these were actually my Grandma’s favorite cookie at Christmas. So, I thought I should try them. And I’m a fan. These buttery cookies have the right combination of crispy and chewy and they really are a simple, no fuss cookie.

Swedish Butter Cookies

3/4 lb butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

3 cups flour (sifted)

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 tsp salt

Cream butter, add sugar and cream together. Add eggs and vanilla to butter mixture. Add flour and salt and mix until combined. Chill dough for 1 hour. Roll the dough into balls and press with a floured fork. Top the cookies with some sprinkles. Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet for 8 to 10 mins at 375 F. Cool on a wire rack. Store in airtight containers.

My Grandma’s Recipe Card

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Christmas Aprons

December 22, 2011

Growing up we all had Christmas aprons. A good friend of my mom’s made them for all of us. I remember unpacking them every Christmas. They were so much fun to wear. I’m a sucker for Christmas traditions, so this year I thought I needed to make my kids some aprons. Denali and Dylan both love helping in the kitchen, and I’m sure Olivia will love it very soon as well. So, yesterday in the middle of all my craziness I made 6 children’s aprons (3 for my sweet friend Heidi’s creative kids, 1 each for Denali and Dylan, and one for my very cute nephew Liam). I probably should have done these months ago, but I work best under pressure.

Liam’s Russian Nativity Dolls apron has a green polka dot pocket.

I added D rings to the neck straps to adjust the length.

Dylan’s woodland animals apron has wide red ric rac along the bottom.

Denali’s Retro Santa Scooter fabric has a large, 2 compartment pocket.

I bought these fabrics with no project in mind. I just thought they were too cute to pass up. But later, Aprons seemed to be the perfect use for them. Do you ever do that? Find cute fabric and buy it not knowing what you will do with it. It’s kind of a problem.

I will include a pattern on my blog in the new year (I just have too many things to do in the next 2 days). But, these would make great gifts anytime of the year.

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Baby Jesus at Target!

December 21, 2011

I am just so pleased with Target, that I just had to share this find with you. These cute paper goods really have to the true meaning of Christmas on them. Baby Jesus, the three wise men and the star of Bethlehem are actually featured on these Christmas plates. How refreshing to find these in the sea of Santa and Snowmen themed decorations. The packages of 12 are only $2.00 each.

Way to go Target, just one more reason to love you!

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DIY Christmas Ornaments: Glittered Maps

Well, obviously I have neglected my blog lately. I truly have had NO time. I am have missed blogging. I mentioned earlier that I was making costumes for a Christmas program. That ate up a week and a half. Then I have had company, travelled to San Fran, and had no husband this last weekend. And on top of it all there is all the Christmas shopping, baking, partying, and planning. I always set unrealistic goals for myself (like handmade gifts – what was I thinking?) Oh and not to leave Olivia out, I have a 2 month old baby! In the middle of all of this, I want to remember the reason for the season. Christmas is a lot of work for moms. I’m sure all of you are feeling the pressure to get everything done.

I made these map ornaments 2 weeks ago and have been trying to find time to share them with you. Thanks to my very faithful few that come back and see if I have blogged anything new, you are appreciated. I am going to set another unrealistic goal for myself, and attempt to cram in lots of blog entries before Christmas.

These a super simple. I bought the paper ornament forms at Michaels for 69 cents each. For one ornament I used a California road map and the other I used the Europe part of an old wall map from school. Choose maps that have meaning or significance to you. You simply tear the maps into small pieces and then in layers, attach them to the ornament with Mod Podge until the entire surface is covered. Once they are dry I covered both with clear crystal glitter.

So what crazy goals have you set for yourself? Leave me a comment, I want to know that I am not the only crazy one out there.

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