The sneaky cake

I've been doing a lot of food posts lately. 

I must be hungry.

Anywho, in an attempt to do something a little less vegetable-y with my crazy huge zucchini harvest, I found this chocolate cake recipe.

I made it the non-spicy way, substituting chocolate chips and doubling the vanilla. And it's good.

On my first time around, I baked a single batch in a bundt pan.  It made for a very thin (short?), although still completely delicious, cake.  I'd suggest doubling the recipe for a prettier, more traditional looking bundt cake. 

But really, a loaf pan is the way to go.  

And I promise you (or your children!) will never, ever suspect there's a vegetable hidden inside.

xoxo

Fall call for sponsors

Handmade, homemade, and vintage all have a special place in my heart, and I'm opening up advertising again for the holiday season.  If you'd like to promote your shop or blog, now's a great time to do it!

Email me at cls1981 (at) att (dot) net for special October/November/December year end pricing. 

xoxo

No bake Nutella bars

Trust me when I tell you to make these immediately. 

Do not pass go.

Do not collect $200. 

Just make them.   You'll thank me later.

No baking.  Just Nutella, peanut butter, graham cracker goodness.  Love it.

And I suppose these kinds of recipes are the irony of Pinterest--pinning recipes loaded with sugar and butter alongside motivational workout pins.  Please tell me I'm not the only one that follows those kinds of boards.

And if you'd like to see what else I'm staying up 'til the wee hours pinning, check out my boards here. 

xoxo

Refrigerator tin storage

Inspired by Martha's clever idea, I made this quick craft for our refrigerator. 

Getting to the flea market or antique shop isn't as easy as it used to be with three littles, but even our grocery store's run of the mill spice tins are still pretty charming.

This project couldn't be any simpler--magnets, glue, pretty tins--lather, rinse, repeat.

xoxo

Happy Sunday

I'm slowly getting into a groove again.

Running.

Blogging.

School.

Life as a mom of three.

It feels good. 

***

And friends, tell me, what's on your ipod when you're working out?  This app is such an awesome motivator...I've got new pair of shoes that I love...now I just need some fresh tunes!

xoxo

Recipe: simple buttercream

Thanks to recent events, we have a house full of cupcakes. 

Not a bad problem to have, I know. 

I'm not too picky about my frosting, but homemade is always waaaay better than a tub from the grocery store. 

My super simple, super yummy recipe, enough to generously frost 24 cupcakes:

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened on the counter, not melted in the microwave

6 cups powdered sugar

3 tsp. vanilla extract

1/3-ish cup half and half

Beat butter until smooth.

Add remaining ingredients until smooth. 

If it's too thick, add a bit more half and half.  If it's too watery, add more sugar.  Add food coloring to your liking.  You know the drill.

Cupcakes for breakfast?  Ya, that's how we roll. 

xoxo

I love a Trader Joe's bouquet

I'll admit I'm completely in love with all things TJ's, and I especially love their $3.99 bouquets of prettiness. 

Add a mason jar, a doily, and some twine, and the window sill of our bathroom is instantly happier with flowers.

My other go-to is scraps of gingham tied around mason jars.  I used these as very last second teacher gifts when Big Brother finished school in the spring.

For less than five bucks, you can't go wrong!

xoxo



Happy Sunday

Life's good.

xoxo

Three. Oh.

Holy cow, that's a lot of candles.

I've had a good few decades, now here's to a few more!

Enjoy your weekend, friends.

xoxo

Since the pool is closed...

we now have entire afternoons that need filling.

Today we made sidewalk paint.

The recipe is all over the internet.  Equal parts water and cornstarch, plus a little food coloring.  Extra large muffin tins hold a half cup perfectly.

After being the mama of boys for almost 5 years, I should have known that when the shoes came off, things were about to get messy.

And there I was, left with painted splattered feet and a missing red Croc. 

09.11.11

10 years.

And yet, it feels like just yesterday.

God bless America.