Food

Friday Flair Link Party // Cement Easter Egg Edition

0 · Mar 29, 2013 · 30 Comments

Friday Flair Link Party // Happy Friday friends!! Things are FINALLY starting to warm up around here in Lincoln. I think it's because I finally started working on some new spring decor for the house. It was all those spring thoughts that I was sending out to the universe. I've started operation COLOR for our home. If you read yesterday's post, you'll know about my fear of adding color to my decor. I've stuck with a neutral palette for years becuase I was so afraid to add color. Well, in honor of SPRING, I've added a little color pop to the house and I'll share all the fun next week. I've been madly spray painting over the last few days, I can't wait to show it off. If you follow me via Instagram, you'll also know about my new chalkboard inspiration wall for my kitchen that I've been working on. My Silhouette CAMEO and I have been spending some quality time together and I can't wait to share that project as well.

Tomorrow I'm in charge of my Churches Easter Brunch so I will be crossing my fingers and toes and praying that the rain that is forcasted for tomrrow will hold off until after noon. PLEASE don't rain!! I can't wait for the fun Easter Egg Hunt, my kiddos just love that. How fun would these eggs be to find…

img source // cement easter eggs from camille styles

They would definatly add a little weight to your Easter Basket, but I think these cement eggs are too fun from Camille Styles!

Let's get the Link Party Started!!

Starting a New Chalkboard Wall and a Silhouette Portrait Winner

0 · Mar 28, 2013 · 3 Comments

Silhouette Portrait Winner // I know you are all waiting with baited breath to find out who won the Silhouette Portrait giveaway from earlier this week. Now don’t forget, you can still get a steal of a deal on a CAMEO or Portrait through March 31st! Yes, you can get a Portrait for $80 off!!

Click HERE to visit the March Silhouette Specials page to purchase either a CAMEO, PORTRAIT both with the Sketch Pen starter kit or a starter kit alone at a deep discount!

Now, for the WINNER of the Portrait…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats Michelle! You’re going to LOVE your new Portrait!

I’ve been busy this week working on a project that has been on my “to do” list for some time. A chalkboard wall for my kitchen! I’ve been collecting chalkboards from Decor Steals and have finally found the time to start working on the project. I’ve been working on priming the chalkboards but I think they may look better if they’re not primed. Here are some Instagram photos of the process…

Don’t you just love the little footprints on the chalkboard on the right? The little guy was having fun playing hop scotch while I was working on the layout of the boards on the floor. Gotta love 3 year olds! I decided I didn’t love the color of the large “T”, so I busted out the spray paint and transformed it to Blue Ocean Breeze from Krylon.

I like it so much better now. I am actually on a mission to add more color into our home this year. I’ve had such a hard time adding color, and staying safe with a neutral color palette, but I think it’s time. Now, I just have to figure out what colors! Be prepared… operation add color is on it’s way. I see lots of painting projects in my future!

What have you guys been up to?

Black Cherry Jell-o Cake

6 · Mar 27, 2013 · 16 Comments

Black Cherry Jell-o Cake in a Jar // This is a repost of a jell-o cake recipe that I shared back in 2011 and has been lost and forgotten about, so I thought I would share it again. It is one of my favorite recipes and it's one that could be shared over and over again!

This cake, my friends encompasses several of my loves in life all into one perfect little bite. I was known in high school for being a connoisseur of all things black cherry. Black cherry soda, black cherry ice cream, you name it to this day I LOVE it. Other loves; Jell-o, white chocolate, white cake & and luscious whipped cream. Generally you think of all of these ingredients and they don’t normal play nice with each other, but I’m hear to tell you they DO!!

Have you heard of a Jell-o cake or a poke cake? This is a fun summer treat where you bake a white or vanilla cake, poke holes in it with a toothpick and pour liquid Jell-o slowly into the cake. It’s generally made with strawberry Jell-o and then topped with whipped cream or Cool Whip and it’s super yummy. What I’ve done it incorporated a few new twists on the classic to make something heavenly, here’s what you will need…

Black Cherry Jell-o Cake Recipe with Whipped Cream Topping

Jell-o Cake:

1 box of white or vanilla cake mix

1 small box of Black Cherry Jell-o

Whipped Cream Topping:

1 small box of instant white chocolate pudding mix

1 cup of milk

1 container of Cool Whip

Prepare according to package directions and bake in one of the following methods, 9×13 pan, cupcakes or cupcakes in a jar. I would steer clear of a layered cake application, because after you add the jell-o this cake is super moist.

Personally, I have fallen in love with the cupcake in a jar! I’ve seen a lot of people baking cupcakes, cutting them up and then adding them to a jar and then topping with frosting. Did you know that you could bake the cake directly in the jar?

I use the 4 oz. wide mouth jars and I fill the jar up a little over half way to prevent the cake spilling over and causing a big mess. I also baked the cake a little longer that the normal cupcake time because it is a little bigger than your standard cupcake. I baked it for a solid 30 minutes.

For the Jell-O, boil one cup of water and dissolve jell-o in water, stirring mixture for 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Add one cup of cold water.

With a fork or a toothpick poke holes into cooled caked and gently pour jell-o mixture over the cake. Refrigerate for at least three hours.

Mix instant pudding with milk until completely smooth {I used my trusty Magic Bullet, yes I have one of those things} and then combine with Cool Whip. Place in piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes or frost your cake with the luscious mixture.

Silhouette Sketch Pen Starter Kit Special // Silhouette Portrait Giveaway

2 · Mar 26, 2013 · 16 Comments

Silhouette Portrait GIVEAWAY // It's my favorite time of the month… It's Silhouette Promotion time!! The time each month when the lovely folks at Silhouette share a fabulous deal with everyone AND I get to give one of you, my favorite friends a Silhouette Portrait of your very own!!

This months Silhouette Special is featuring their new Sketch Pen Starter Kit…

I made a fun banner for spring with the Sketch Pens, it turned out so cute. My kiddos walked in the door from school and asked if I had drawn it myself. They were ooooohing and awwwing, saying I did such a good job… I of course told them I did. Well, I did!! I used my Silhouette CAMEO with my new Sketch Pens. I did confess and told them that I had a little help, but they were still impressed.

Check out the fun detail that you can create with these pens…

I just made this quick banner, but I can now think of all kinds of fun things I can use these pens for. How about your Project Life journal cards. Yea… totally doing that. Cards, invitations, wall art… So many fun things you could make. Silhouette has a fabulous deal this month that includes the Sketch Pen Starter Kit…

Yep you got it… $269.99 for a CAMEO and a sketch pen starter kit (a $49.99 savings) // $139.99 for a Portrait and a sketch pen starter kit (a $79.99 savings) // and you can get the Sketch Pen starter kit all by it's self for just $12.99 (a $7.00 savings)

Click HERE to visit the Silhouette March Special Site and don't forget to enter WHIPPER at checkout to receive this amazing deal!!

Now, raise your hand if you would like to WIN a brand new Silhouette Portrait? You would? Well here's what you need to enter to win. Follow all the steps in the Rafflecopter box below, cross your fingers and toes, think winning thoughts and make someone else day. If you do all of that, you'll feel so good about yourself and you may get lucky and win a Portrait too!! WIN, WIN!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to Protect Your Phone // iPhone 5 GIVEAWAY

0 · Mar 25, 2013 ·

iPhone 5 GIVEAWAY // When I was a girl, one of my favorite books was a book about what people did for work. I wish I could remember what it was called or who it was by, but I don't. I loved this book! It talked about all kinds of people doctors, teachers, engineers, but my favorite section was about the lady who worked at the telephone company. They showed her working on the lines and then where all the lines went. Several lines went to homes and businesses and then they showed a little girl talking on the phone in the car. That just blew my mind!!! Now keep in mind… this was the late 70's early 80's (yes, I know I'm dating myself…) Cell phones weren't even around as far as my young mind knew but, the idea of talking on the phone while in the car was aaaaamazing!! I thought that would be the coolest thing EVER!!!

By the time I was in my early 20's I had my very first CELL PHONE! I had one way before any of my friends and family, because I wanted to be just like that little girl and be able to talk on the phone ANYWHERE! So, yes… My phone means a lot to me. It was one of my 1st dreams that actually came true.

Over the years, phones have become smarter and as sad as it is to say… my phone is my 2nd brain at times. I don't even know my husband's new cell number… Because my phone, "Hazel" knows it for me. Hazel keeps track of all my appointments and assignments. Without her I would be even more of a mess than I already am. She is my lifeline to my kiddos, my connection to my sweetheart, she is the way I stay in contact with family who live hundreds of miles away from me. She is like life blood in the middle of an emergency, when I am scared or panicked, I know I have Hazel and she will help connect me to the person I NEED at the time. Even if that is just a reassuring word from a loved one or a game of Angry Birds to calm my nerves and pass the time.

Where would we be without our phones? Hazel is like my 5th child. I feed her each day and make sure that she has all the power she needs. I clothe her in her protective case to hopefully preserve her life as long as possible. There is nothing worse than that feeling between dropping your phone and that long fall down, pleading with the universe… "Please don't let this time be the time my screen shatters!" My oldest daughter Hales a.k.a Lil'Whip, has an iPhone as well, and managed to drop it off a cliff a few years back. She was rappelling with the other youth from our church with her phone in her skinny jeans (I don't recommend this method of travel for poor phones.) With all of the climbing and wiggling, her phone shimmied out of her pocket and right at the worst time fell out and took the tumble of it's life. I can imagine how Hales felt as she watched her phone fall and hit rock after rock on it's way to the bottom of the cliff. Crazy as it sounds, after the fall… The phone still worked, it was just that the screen was in about a 1000 pieces. Hales never wanted to protect her phone with a case, because it wouldn't fit in her skinny jeans with the added bulk of the case. She learned her lesson that day!!

Now I know, that even if her phone had been wrapped in bubble wrap, it wouldn't have survived that fall. But, how many times a day do our phones come face to face with the concrete in the parking lot, the corner of the table, worse yet… a toddler! Some days, my only goal in life is to just keep my phone out of the toilet. So, why do we leave our phones unprotected? These are our babies, our lifelines to our loved ones. In most cases they represent a significant investment. Is it vanity? We look at the smooth sleek lines of the phone, the shiny surfaces and we don't want to cover up it's magnificence? Well, that's… dumb! They won't look as pretty with little nicks and scratches.

Our phone is our life, why are we not protecting it? PureGear’s DualTek® Extreme Shock Cases provides the best protection against bumps, smacks, and knocks.

For a chance to win a iPhone 5 equipped with a full line of compatible PureGear’sDualTekExtreme Shock Cases, click here and enter your email address!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of PureGear DualTek. The opinions and text are all mine.