Happy Halloween!!

Another Halloween has come and gone!  October just flew by so fast and now we have to start thinking of Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas shopping!  Here are some pictures of the kiddos this year.  I'll have some great recipes and a flower headband tutorial coming up this week!

Kailey didn't actually want to dress up, but she did want to wear a shirt that said "costume" and wear some make-up.  I just ironed on the letters and found this cute sparkly bow and pinned it on.  I thought she looked too cute AND a little too grown up with that make-up on!

Normally I'm never in the pictures, but this year I wanted one of Kailey and I.



Here is Ethan dressed up as a Clone Trooper from Star Wars!  He loves to pose every chance he gets with his gun.



My little niece, Malone, in her butterfly costume!  She was adorable on her very first Halloween!

Hope you all had a wonderful and safe Halloween!

Momma's Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread is a staple around our house starting in September to about February.  It is a comfort food for me and my kiddos.  My mother made this scrumptious bread when I was a little girl, and I have to have it every year!  So let's get started!

Here's everything you need

3c. sugar

1 c. oil

4 eggs

2/3 c. water

1 can Libby pumpkin

3 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 heaping tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Mix well with electric mixer

Bake at 350

45-50 min. or until center is set

First, mix with a mixer the first 5 ing.

The nice thing about this bread is you just dump everything in and mix.  Easy!



Next, add the rest of the ingredients and mix



Once you have your batter, grease your loaf pans.  I am making little loaves for teachers, but normally this batch will make 3 loaves!



I love to do a little something at each holiday for the kids teachers.  Just a little something to say thank you for all you do.  Here are a few of the goodies I found this year.



Once the bread is done cooling, I wrapped them and put them in these cute Halloween boxes and put their little gift in this bag.  I hope they enjoy their yummy treat!





More Paint!!!

I know, I know!!!  Not more paint!?  I just wanted to share these colors with you! 

Island

Lowe's Valspar Satin Finish

Homestead Resort Olive

Kitchen Walls

Lowe's Valspar Satin Finish

Soft Slipcover



I know you will gasp when I tell you this.  But, the beadboard isn't actually beadboard!!!  It is wallpaper!!  Can you believe it!?  When we moved into our home 7 years ago, we didn't have the money or proper tools to put real beadboard up.  So, we did the next best thing.  I searched for a paper that looked just like it and we put it up!  I got the look I wanted, for half the cost!  However, my Man promises me one day, now that he has all the proper tools, he will install REAL beadboard for me!  I'll keep you posted on that!  Hope you all have a fabulous Tuesday!

I will be linking up here:

Nesting Place

Cabinet paint color

I have gotten so emails about the cabinet paint color that I am posting the formula!  It makes me so giddy that you love the color so much, you want to use it in your home!!  Your local Sherwin Williams can mix that right up for you!  To answer another question on everyone's lips:  No, it wasn't hard at all to paint the cabinets.  It was only time consuming.  I truly believe anyone can paint, you just have to be dedicated to the project.  If you really want those cabinets painted, take the plunge and carve out some time.  You won't regret it!

You have truly made my day with all of your sweet comments!  You make me smile!

I will be linking up here:
Nesting Place

A little Practical Magic!

With Halloween coming up, I wanted to share one of my favorite witchy movies.  I not only adore the movie, but fell in love with this house and the kitchen!!  If you haven't seen Practical Magic, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, you have to check it out this week before Halloween gets here!

The house is actually an empty shell and after the movie was done being filmed, it was torn down!!!  Can you imagine!?



I love this shot!  The house looks so creepy and beautiful all at the same time!



This is a dream of a kitchen to me!  I love how big and open it all is!  The beams are incredible!



The glaze on the subway tiles are gorgeous!  Could you imagine cooking on something like this everyday? 



Looking into the breakfast room.  Can you see the open rafters up at the top?  All the rooms were constructed on a sound stage!



Romantic Homes did a spread on this kitchen years ago.  This is one of their pictures.



Breakfast room





Sometimes, when I watch a movie with a gorgeous home, I tend to concentrate on the house more than the movie.  If I go to the movies with friends, they all come out talking about some favorite scene and I'm saying "But did you see that crown molding in the dining room!?"  What can I say?  It's an illness!  Hope you all have a blessed Monday!

Coffee Filter Wreath

I saw this wreath over at Dearest Home, and just had to create one myself!  She gives the best tutorial on it!  All you need are brown coffee filters, round Styrofoam wreath, florist pins, ribbon and 2 command strips.  She says you can also use hot glue, but I didn't feel like burning the tips of my fingers hundred's of times!  So, I opted for florist pins. 

I am so pleased with how it turned out!  It was super easy and actually fun to do!  I hung the ribbon on the back of the pantry door with 1 command strip.  I love those things.  This way it doesn't damage the door and can come down easily.  I put one more strip right above the wreath, so it wouldn't move around when the door was swung open fast and furiously by hungry children!  



I think this would make great little gifts for a friend.  It is super inexpensive and is very quirky!  I just love it, hope you do to!! 

Two Colors?

When I was deciding what color to paint my cabinets, I was really torn between painting them all one color, or painting the top white and the bottom the same green color as my island.  In the end, I wimped out and decided if I wanted to resell this house, a new owner may not like that color combo.  So I played it safe!  But, I absolutely adore different colored cabinets!  Check out Edie, from Life in Grace blog.  She truly inspired me to paint my cabinets, and she was brave and went with 2 different colors! 

Here are some kitchens that might inspire you!

  I am a red girl and this just sings to me!!

Whatever you decide to do, you are the one that is going to live with it.  So, you have to be happy with it.  Trust me, if you decide to go different colors, you WILL have people telling you not to.  Follow your instincts and do what you think you will love!

I Enjoy Being a Girl!

It's true!  I enjoy being a girl!  I can't help it.  I love make up, hair, and fashion.  I can remember watching my mother as a little girl, put her make up on, and just being in awe of it all!  Starting in about 5th grade I was dying to wear make up and would beg my mother daily to let me wear something, anything, I just wanted to wear it.  My mother stayed strong and said, "No, you can wear it when you turn 12."  For me, turning 12 meant the summer before 7th grade.  At the time, I was devastated!  But, thank you so much mom, for not letting me start too early!  Because  once I started, I was hooked! 

Sometimes I get asked what type of products I use.  What do I wash my face with, what moisturizer do I use, and what make up products do I like.  So, I thought I would start a beauty post on my favorite skin care and make up items that I adore!

I love this Dove commercial.  I showed this to my daughter, just to let her know the women in those magazine's are not as perfect as we think they are.  If you haven't seen it, check it out!

DISCLAIMER

I am NOT an expert!

I do not have perfect skin!

These are only suggestions!



Let's dive into the good stuff first!  In my early and mid 20's I was strictly a soap and water girl!  I know, you can gasp now!  It wasn't until I was 28 that my sweet friend, Amy, showed me the way of skincare!  I realized then and there that God gave me this body and I have to start really trying to protect it.  I used several products over the years, but the ones I am showing you, are my all time fav's! 

I cleanse my face, every night with Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash.  Now, because I am in my mid, (o.k, actually closer to late) 30's, I love their anti-aging line.  Before I started using this, my face looked dull and lifeless.  It has completely transformed my skin!  It does exactly what is says, it resurfaces the skin.  My skin looks smoother and has a more youthful look to it.  This bottle will last me about 6 to 8 months!  No joke!  It only takes 1 pump to do my entire face and neck!



After I cleanse I use Avalon Organics facial toner.  I just started using this about 6 months ago and love it.  I have never used toner before, but I know it is a crucial step in good skin care.  I also love this because of the price.  Very affordable.  You can find it at Target.

At 32,  I started to see the dreaded crow's feet!!  Now, don't get me wrong.  I'm not one of these girls that detest the lines on her face and will do anything to stop the ageing process!  Not at all.  I embrace my laugh lines.  It reminds me of all the laughter and happy times.  However, there is nothing wrong with slappin a little cream on that sensitive skin around the eyes to help them out!  Don't neglect that area!  Your skin is so thin under your eyes, you need a little help.



Now, here is the miracle in a bottle!  (Insert angels singing here)  I'm not gonna lie to you.  This puppy is pricey!!!  Here is a sneaky trick I do.  Nordstram's always runs specials where they give away free samples.  I have never actually purchased this cream because of this special!!!  When I run out of my facial wash, I always get about 2 sample tubes of this cream.  No joke, it will last me the same amount of time the facial wash does.  It only takes about 4 small dots on my face and neck.  This stuff along with the facial wash, is incredible!!!  That is why it is so pricey!  But, to me, so worth it!  I know, I will have to break down and actually buy it one day.  It just has worked out that I haven't.  The small pot of this cream should last over a year.  That makes it sensible, if you're only buying it once a year!  Right?! 

I hope I  haven't bored you with my extremely long post!  If you have any questions, just shoot me an email!  Would love to hear from you.  The face is a tricky thing. I am surely not an expert by any means.  Results are my testimony!  Hope you have a blessed day!



Party Time!

We had Kailey's 12th Birthday party last weekend and we had 7 lively girls at the house, to put it mildly!  The girl's played lots of games and really had a great time.  I wanted to show you the cupcakes I did.  My sister, Megan, has turned my on to Etsy.  So when I was deciding what to do for Kailey's cake, I said let's browse Etsy and see what we find.  Boy, did we hit the jack pot!  Sweet Petal Bakery, has the most incredible handmade sugar flowers for cakes I have ever seen!  They look so real!  Take a look at some of her creations.

Theses fall leaves and acorns are unbelievable!

Wouldn't this be too sweet for a baby girl shower.



We decided to do the cupcake toppers.  They were a hit!  The girls thought they looked too cool!

They were so easy to apply.  I baked my devil's food cupcakes, then iced them generously with cream cheese frosting, and gently laid the toppers right on top.  Voila!  Cute as a button cupcakes!



I found these lacy cupcake holders at Hobby Lobby and thought they added even more cuteness!



I also had her make the # 12 for a small cake I made for Kailey.  She blew her candles out on this cake.  The #'s came with wooden stakes in them.  I was so happy I didn't have to try and figure that part out.  Already done for me!



The girls ate dinner in the dining room, and we had their little gift boxes laid out for them.



So, there you have it.  If you're planning a party, baby shower or wedding shower, you have to go check her out.  Just wait till you see the rest of her floral designs.  You will be in awe of her skills!  Hope you all have a blessed day and thanks for taking a peak!