Valentine's Day Ideas...

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and I must confess, I wish "Lady Bug" were already here! I mean  how cute would she look in this cute little number from A Sweet Sweet Boutique...

All together now awwwwwwwwww.....

With Valentine's Day less than a month away, I wanted to share some great little ideas I've found for you to not only decorate your home with but great little ideas for gifts to hand out to your loved ones. If you have kids you know how important these types of projects are. So here's all the goodies I've come across...

I love this DIY Project from from The Idea Room for Tissue Rosette Kissing Balls.

This heart garland  from Better Homes and Gardens would look adorable 

hanging from a kid's headboard. You can even change

 out their bedding to match, great idea!

Infarrantly Creative has a great tutorial on her blog on how to 

create this great Valentine's Advent Calendar.

How cute are these coupons from Better Homes and Gardens?

 You can create different versions for your hubby, kids, best friend....the list goes on!

A more unique twist on this popular idea is this DIY deck of love cards created with an ordinary deck of playing cards. Check out Paper Vinenz for more details.

The Fry Family is full of cute little ideas for Valentine's Day gift hand outs. 

Check out there blog for more great ideas!

Annie's Eats shares her wonderful recipe for homemade Valentine's cookies.

If you're gonna be in the kitchen baking....you mine as well look cute!! 

Mama Madison has some gorgeous little aprons available

 for purchase in her Etsy shop.

Here's another one of my favorite apron picks from Mama Madison! 

You've gotta check out her online shop!! It's adorable.

Add a little love to your front door with this rose frame.

 Thrifty Decorating shares a tutorial on how to create your very own.

If you're having a little get together don't forget a lovely little table display....

Need more great and inexpensive ideas? 

Well, here ya go...

Mud Pie Studio

I hope everyone found something super cute they could create within their own budget! 

I can't wait to get started on a few of these myself! 

Have a wonderful day, Everyone!!

I'm believing for a great new year...

Happy New Year's Everyone! 

What are you hoping for in this upcoming year?

Be safe and may your night be filled with lots of
 love, laughter and great memories!! {{MUAH}}

Champagne Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting...

Happy Wednesday! I hope your week is off to a wonderful start. If you're like me you're buried in boxes and Christmas decorations you're painstakingly trying to package up and put away before the New Year begins and your home looks like a department store after they have a holiday 75% off clearance merchandise sale {violated and abused}.  So let's take a minute to breathe and let go, ready....Aaaaaahhhhhh!

Yesterday I posted a few of my favorite New Year, New Beginnings holiday looks I'll be trying to decide on for my New Year's Celebration get together. Since it'll be a low key evening spent with great friends, I needed to find a little something special to bring to the party. Needless to say, when I came across this recipe for Champagne Cupcakes on Pinterest, I couldn't have been more excited. The best part is now {at 6 months pregnant} I can have "champagne" for New Year's Eve too! 

Here's how you make them:

Champagne Cupcakes

 { made 36 mini cupcakes }

Cupcake Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup champagne (we used Korbel is fine)
6 egg whites

Champagne Buttercream Frosting Ingredients

3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons champagne, at room temperature

Directions

Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Prepare a cupcake pan with liners.  (This recipe yielded about 20 for me.)

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, and then blend into creamed mixture alternately with champagne.

In another large clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into batter to lighten it, then fold in remaining egg whites.  Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Frosting:

With an electric mixer, beat together sugar and butter. Mix on low until well blended, and then on medium for another two minutes.  Add vanilla and champagne, beating on medium for another minute. Fill you favorite pastry bag with fluted tip, and frost away!

There you have it, it's that easy! What a fun and sassy way to

 ring in the new year! You're guests will keep coming back for

 more of these little popable, adorable frosted delights. 

If baking just isn't your thing....No worries! Just remember this....

I'm sharing this recipe over at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures. Stop by and find more inspiring recipes and home decor ideas!

 

Have a beautiful day!

Celebrating A New Year And New Beginnings....

I love New Year's Eve...Don't you?   It's a time to be thankful for blessings in the past and look forward to many more in the future. It's a time to reflect on things we love about our lives and things we'd love to change in our lives. It's also a time to remember those we've lost and an opportunity to carry the beautiful memories and legacy they left us on to our children as they get older. With 2012 just a few days away, I am so excited to celebrate new beginnings!

This year hubby and I found out we are expecting our first little baby girl in April...Yaaaaaaay!  Since we're a pretty low key couple we love to just have a few friends over, or even join a few friends out for dinner to share in some laughter and make wonderful memories together. Don't get me wrong, I still gotta have a little bling with my jeans! You would think being six months pregnant I would face "certain challenges" in the wardrobe department. To my surprise, that's not the case at all. I found great maternity skinny jeans {Heidi Klum "Loved" for Motherhood Maternity} and when it comes to tops I buy empire waist "Baby Doll" blouses and long tunic style sweaters. Add a stylish thin belt to accent {above the bump}, some great jewelry and a pair of super cute flats, heels or boots....Voila! I get so many compliments on my maternity outfits. So, even though it's low key for New Year's Eve....I still love me some sparkle, and my heels...a girl's gotta have a great pair of heels! So with that said, here are a few Holiday Bling looks I'd thought I 'd share with you...

If jeans just aren't "your thing" for holiday bling, don't worry... 

I would never leave a girl hangin'! 

Here are a few of my favorite cocktail looks...

I just LOVE the pop of turquoise in this outfit, don't you? 

So, here's how to customize your own look:

First, pick a cocktail dress...

Then a stunning pair of heels to complete the look...

Wanna pop of color, then go for something like these...

or tone down the bling and go for something like these...

First, the dress...

Then compliment with heels...

{GASP} These are stunning! 

One more time, ready?

DRESS.....

Heels...

That's all there is to that! All you need is some beautiful jewelry like this 

pair of vintage inspired earrings from WhimSea Designs ...

...and you're ready to steal the show!

You can win a pair of vintage inspired WhimSea Designs earrings by entering the Holiday Bling Giveaway? You have until December 31st, 2011 to enter, so spread the word!!

Ooooh, and don't forget to bring a cute pair of flats to change in to later at the party...

You'll be glad you did! {Trust me on this one} 

This way you can be sure to dance the night away...in style! 

Have a wonderful New Year's Everyone!! 

I'm looking so forward to seeing you all next year...





Today I'm joining Kristen at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures.
Great tips on home decorating, DIY Projects and tasty recipes...stop by and say Hi!!