HOLIDAY CARD DESIGNS ARE HERE!

You can order your designs (see previous post for pricing) by emailing me HERE.  When you order, indicate:

• Your Name
• Address you would like your cards shipped to
• Phone and/or email to contact you about any issues or questions
• The design you would like (they are numbered 1-4)
• Size: 4x6 or 5x7
• Quantity: 25, 50, or 100
• Glossy or Matte
• Rounded corners or straight
• Your personalized message for the card
• Whether you want your photos to remain in color or be changed to black and white or sepia
• Any color changes on the design itself

Phew!  That's a lot of info!  If you like one of the designs that requires an envelope, but would like it in a postcard format instead so you can just put a stamp on it and mail it, let me know.  Be sure the photos you include are HIGH RESOLUTION.  Don't pull them off the web - they will be pixelated.  Use the original photos from your camera or computer file.  All the designs are customizable to an extent.  If you would like a different color than what's on the designs below, I can accomodate that.  I will send you a proof of the design before it's printed.  I accept paypal and personal checks.  And NOW to the designs (Click to enlarge):

SPECIAL: Holiday Card Offer!

If you want special, personalized holiday cards this year, but don't have time to put them together and/or don't want to spend a fortune - I will do them for you!  You can order holiday cards before November 20th, and I will get them designed, printed, and shipped to you, all for the prices listed below.  I will post design options later this week, but wanted to inform you of the deal today!  I can design them to be postcards so all you will have to do is address them and place a stamp on them, or I can do full printing on both sides (but you will need to buy envelopes).  Prices will be as follows:

4x6 Double Sided Cards        5x7 Double Sided Cards
Qty: 25 – $50                           Qty: 25 – $60
Qty: 50 – $75                           Qty: 50 – $85
Qty: 100 – $125                       Qty: 100 – $135

Look for all the designs to be posted soon! 
 



Antique Finds

I've been wanting to go to the River Market Antique Mall here in KC for a while.  I've been once, but the place is so huge, I've been wanting to go back for a while.  I probably could have spent longer there, but wanted to get out without spending too much money.  While I was there I picked up a couple of brass candlesticks for an upcoming craft project and a vintage shipping crate - a Cutty Sark Whiskey crate.  I love the lettering and the image of the clipper ship.  I haven't decided what I'm going to do with it yet, but I love the shipping crate end tables found on etsy.  The tables sell on etsy for between $250 and $350!  I got my crate for $13.  I don't think it would be too difficult to add some table legs.  Right now it's in our kitchen holding all of our hooch...appropriately.

DIY - Infinity Scarf

So the infinity scarf has been very popular this season, so I decided to do one myself.  I bought the top below on sale for about $5.  Well of course when you buy something on the cheap you shouldn't expect it to last.  I noticed a hole in it after the first wash...dang.  So, I just cut the top part off and wa-la: infinity scarf.  The material was a really thin, stretchy sweater material with shimmery panels.  Granted, it won't keep my neck warm on those 8 degree days in winter, but it will be a fun fall accessory.

On The Menu: Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

CONFESSION: I have never made cupcakes before...ever.  Shocking, I know.  I'm not really a cake or cupcake person, but I found this Strawberry Lemonade Cupcake recipe and decided it needed a try.  I think the thing that convinced me was the cream cheese icing made with real strawberries.  There are much prettier pictures on the blog I pulled this recipe from, but I attempted to document my experience, as always.

This recipe made 24 cupcakes perfectly.  I did have a lot of frosting leftover though.  I also only used three cups of powdered sugar (the recipe called for 3 - 4).  I probably should have used four to thicken up the frosting, but the taste was amazing.  Also, funny side note: I attempted to use the piping bag to frost a few of the cupcakes (You can probably tell by the photos which ones). As I was filling the bag, I looked down to realize our dog, Indiana Jones, was licking the tip of the icing bag as I was filling it.  He's a smart one.  Don't worry, I put a new tip on before I frosted anything.

Fall Decorations

I told you I'd share some of my fall decorations with you.  I went to Hobby Lobby this weekend and managed to get out without emptying the bank account.  There's a reason I'm not allowed to go there.  I picked up just a couple of things.  A cute pumpkin candleholder with pumpkin scented candles for the bathroom and a couple of glass apothecary jars to fill with candy corn.  I put my three large pumpkins outside.  One I painted with black gesso and scraped the paint away for the spiderweb pattern.  The other I painted with a gold glaze, and the last I painted with a monogram and freehanded a pattern.  On the inside for the dining room table, I did another gold glazed pumpkin with white mini pumpkins decorated with black sharpie, brass candlesticks, and mini indian corn.  I also had some left over doilies from the canvas bag project I used to paint a pattern on one of the pumpkins.  I didn't take a picture of my harvest door hanger.  If I could I would go over the top every holiday with decorations. 

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday!  The piece above is one I'm donating to the Metamorphosis Art and Gift Auction to raise money and awareness for pediatric brain cancers.  If you are interested in donating art or going to the event in KC, the link to the Kyrie Foundation is HERE.

New Site and a Shoutout

First of all - HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my brother who is turning 24 today!  I'm pretty sure he doesn't read this blog, but just in-case he does, I wanted to give him his own shout out.  He is currently doing his Advanced Individual Training (AIT) for the Army in Arizona, and we're eagerly awaiting to hear where is duty station will be.

Second of all, since we are trying to sell our house, I thought I'd get creative and try to do as much marketing on my own as possible.  Thus, our home has it's own blog.  Feel free to forward the website to anyone you know looking for a house in Kansas! 

I hope to take some pictures of my fall decorations this weekend and post them for you next week.  I bought 13 pumpkins yesterday and painted them while watching the KSU/KU game.  Go Cats!  Until then, have a fun and safe fall weekend!

Inspired By: Beadboard and Wainscoting

So, my husband and I are currently in the market for a new home.  We want something a little bit bigger, a little bit grander, and in a neighborhood closer to work.  My problem is that I like SO many different styles, but my favorite is French Country mixed with comfy and modern.  Vague, I know.  However, I DO know that my next house will have beadboard. And wainscoting. And crown molding, OH MY!  We love older homes for their character and charm, not the cookie cutter McMansions you see everywhere now.  I'm already getting excited thinking of all that molding that my new (technically non-existant) house will have.  Now...If someone would just by OUR house... Speaking of which, anyone looking for a cute starter home?  Because have we got one for you!

On The Menu: Raspberry Brie Panini

Pardon my fancy camera phone image.  This is an easy meal I like to do when I don't feel like cooking.  My in-laws gave us a panini maker a couple years ago.  I'm not sure what the difference is between a panini press and a George Forman Grill. Anyways, this one is just layers of yummy brie and raspberries on french bread.  Grill it on the panini press until the cheese is runny. 

Another favorite simple panini to make is thin slices of tomato layered with fresh mozzarella and basil. This begs the question: Do you eat the white mold on the outside of the brie?  I know it's cheese blasphemy, but I cut it off :).

FREE PRINTABLES!

So I was thinking of some more handmade goodies to do for the holidays and I think I'm going to add in some mason jars with dry ingredients for some of my favorite desserts.  Then you write the recipe on a tag and attach it to the jar with bakers twine.  Although anything in a pretty jar with a ribbon and hangtag looks good - even bath salts, cookies, etc.  I've decided to post some free printable hang tags I designed for you to print out.  Cardstock works best for these.  Click on the image below to view and print it at full size.  Then, get out your hole punch and write a cute message or recipe and you're good to go!

Click to view full size, then right click on the image to save it to your computer.

On The Menu: Chocolate Lava Cakes

You can get Paula Deen's original recipe for these cakes HERE.  Here's what I did to tweak them a little and make them for only two people.  I can barely eat an entire one of these cakes so this ajusted recipe is just right for two people.  This is a dessert you can make for a special occasion, but it's so easy and good, you might want to make it every week. 
Ingredients for two cakes:
2 oz semisweet chocolate
1 oz bittersweet chocolate
3 1/3 Tbsp butter
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/3 of 1/2 cup (I know - just eyeball it) all purpose flour
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon Kahlua

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease 2 (6-ounce) custard cups. You can see I used glass cups. Melt the chocolates and butter in a double boiler. Add the flour and sugar to chocolate mixture. Stir in the egg and yolk until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and Kahlua. Divide the batter evenly among the custard cups. Place in the oven and bake for 14 minutes. The edges should be firm but the center will be runny. Run a knife around the edges to loosen and invert onto dessert plates.

Top with ice cream if desired.  I think this would also be good drizzled with raspberry syrup.

Consistency of the batter - should be very shiny!

This is how they'll look when they're cooked perfectly.  You can tell they're done because of the cracking on the top. I initially check them after 12 minutes, but they always need to go back in for two minutes.  Let these cool a little before attempting to invert them onto a plate!

All done!