{Black & White} Kitchen

I really REALLY want a Black and White kitchen. I love white cabinets. 

I thought I would show you some inspiration for my future kitchen (yeah right)

Good windows in this one

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I love glass cabinets for pretty dish display

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I love the faux legs in the cabinetry, and the TWO islands.

 

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MUST have a window in front of the kitchen sink, these are great!

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 Ahhh, beautiful. A girl can dream right??

{Happy Valentines Day}

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Happy Valentines Day 

Have a Beautiful Day with your Loved Ones!

Valentine for that Special Someone

In my recent Martha Stewart Magazine (Feb Issue) there was an adorable valentine that was perfect for my husband. He is the hardest person to buy for or do nice things for because he is so busy and doesn't have a lot of time to appreciate things being done for him. BUT, regardless, I wanted to do something nice for him for Valentines day because he deserves it.

Martha called it a "Chain Letter" in the magazine (I searched everywhere on her website to show you, but it doesn't exist there).

You take 10 envelopes, glue the inside of the flap of the envelop to the bottom front of the next envelope. Does that make sense??

Do it to all 10 envelopes.

Then you have an accordion of envelopes.

 Then I took 10 cards and used my Martha Stewart punches and made a cute lacey top on my cards.

 I wrote "10 things I Love About You" on the top envelope.

 Write the things you LOVE about your man (significant other)

You can also do additional things like Gift Cards, Coupons, Tickets, Etc.

I put a couple gift cards in my husbands for things that he enjoys.

 I wrapped it up in a simple ribbon. He doesn't need fancy schmancy.

 

Linking this up over at:

I Heart Naptime

Under the Table and Dreaming

Funky Junk Interiors

C.R.A.F.T.

Just A Girl

The Girl Creative

Skip To My Lou

DIY Showoff

Valentine Sugar Cookies

When I was young my mom made us Sugar cookies for Valentines Day. We didn't get presents or toys or any other trinket. My parents didn't have a lot of money, so that was one thing my Mom could do on a budget.

Now, to me, Valentines Day means Sugar Cookies. The recipe my mom used was from a family friend, and they got the recipe from their ancestors that came across the plains (Mormon Pioneers).

 Hmm...Who made that mess??

Hmm...Evidence?

 I roll mine out to be about 1/4 inch deep, They will double in thickness when you cook them.

 All my little trophies waiting to be dressed

 I don't like the way the color of the frosting turned out, it is to orange/salmon, not the red or pink I was shooting for. I put SO much Red food coloring in it and it just never made it there.

 Red Hots are a MUST at our house on these cookies. They make the cookies 100 times better!

Pioneer Sugar Cookies

4 C. Flour

1 teaspoon Salt

4 teaspoon Baking Powder

2 C. Sugar

1 C Shortening

Mix dry ingredients above and then cut in shortening. Set aside.

4 Eggs

1 C. Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla

3 C. Flour

In separate bowl mix eggs, milk and vanilla together and then add Flour/Shortening mixture from above. Once this is mixed together start adding the 3 cups of flour ½ cup at a time (I do this part in my Kitchenaid with the dough hook) until it’s the consistency of biscuits. Flour a surface and roll out to about ¼ to ½ inch thick and cut. These cookies will grow twice as fat. Put on cookie sheets and cook in a 350 degree oven. Cook for about 10-12 (I actually only cooked mine 9 minutes this year) minutes depending on the oven. These cookies are a very cakelike cookie so if they aren’t cooked long enough they will fall in the middle. You can test with a toothpick or I just open one up from the first batch to see if they are done.

This makes a TON of cookies! I half the recipe if I’m making for just my family or do the whole recipe if you are making for many people.

I have never had a better Sugar Cookie in my life...Try them out and let me know what you think??

Happy Valentines Day! 

Happy Baking :)

I'm linking up this post over at:
Blue Cricket Design
Domestically Speaking
House of Hepworths
The Shabby Chic Cottage
Beyond the Picket Fence
Seven Thirty Three
Finding Fabulous
Fingerprints on the Fridge
30 Days 
Just A Girl
Tatertots & Jello  
Be Different Act Normal 
WhipperBerry

Lou Lou Photography

In my Shabby Chic frames I put pictures of my girls that were taken by my good friend Mandi at Lou Lou Photography. 

She has done several photo shoots for my kids/family over the past couple years. I love her work and the pictures always turn out good, despite having small children to work with which can be a huge challenge.

And, because it's my post I have several of my kids!

 

My Cute Naughty Babies!

This was my daughter Esther's newborn photo shoot. Mandi says that she has been the only baby to do this trick on top of the three boxes...What can I say, she is talented :)

 

I had to end with another one of my cute girls.

Mandi has GREAT props...I practically show up with a naked baby and she works her magic with all the hair accessories and such and BAM! You have beautiful pics.

So Mandi has graciously offered to give my readers a 10% discount if you mention reading this on my blog. She does Fabulous work. (She is in the SLC area for those that live here locally)

**Please do not use any pictures posted here, they are property of Lou Lou Photography**

Quick Valentine Decor

I was at the Hob Lob last night and perusing their valentine isle (which is almost non-existent, but it was like 40% off) and I found this mini canvas and some cute valentine stickers.

I broke out the glue gun because I knew the stickers wouldn't stick very well to the canvas, So I hot glued them on.

Easy Peasy!

(felt heart wreath made using tutorial at The Idea Room)

This project was less than $3

Shabby Chic Frames

I bought these frames at the DI (local second hand store) I liked them because they were deep. I bought them several months ago, and finally found a use for them.

 They were gold with speckles of black in them.

My intention was to spray paint them BRIGHT pink and then White over the top of the pink and then sand them down a bit so that the Pink would show through the sanding.

Here is the pink layer, It was like 20 degrees in the garage when I was doing this...It was taking FOR.EVER!!

 I finally brought them inside and finished the process downstairs (unfinished basement = nothing to get messy).

I started to sand them down and the pink wasn't really showing through it was just going directly to the GOLD layer! Sick! So...I just did my best and there were a few spot where the pink did it's job. Thank You Pink! But you definitely still see gold, Oh Well.

 Here's my Babies in all their Shabby Chic-ness, and my kids too, ;)

Pictures done by my amazing friend Mandi at Lou Lou Photography.

She has serious talent oozing from her camera!

Hung on the Wall, love the contrast between the yellow wall and the white frames, the white frames match the white trim nicely. (sorry for the glare on the glass)

 OK, Things I learned:

• I need to PRIME things before using spray paint. I was doing WAY too many coats of spray paint to get the thing covered up.

• Only do spray paint inside where it's warm, or warm weather outside.

• Don't park your car over the spray painted newspaper because the smell will permeate your car and you can't get rid of it for awhile. Hubby learned that the hard way :)