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FUN/DIY

Drinks/ HOME/ Homemaking/ RECIPES/ Seasonal

5 Warming and Comforting Drink Recipes To Sip Slow and Savor

Warming spiced almond milk

Fall is my favorite. I get all nest-y when cooler weather hits. I get out the fuzzy socks, drape my couch in snuggly blankets, light candles and make sure my Kindle is full of good reads.

I fight the hustle and bustle of life, deliberately slow down and nestle in.

I delight in evenings when we are all home together, and when it happens I make sure there is soup simmering, and often offer mugs of warm drinks after dinner.

Even when I can’t gather my 3 lovelies (as they are teenagers and often scattered), you can still find me most fall evenings with a warm mug in hand.

Here are 5 favorites that I have on rotation:

5 Warming and Comforting Drink Recipes To Sip Slow and Savor

Warming Spiced Almond Milk

1 cup almond milk

1 tablespoon almond butter

1 tablespoon almond milk creamer, vanilla flavor (optional)

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

a pinch of ginger

a pinch of cayenne

……….

Combine all ingredients in a small pan.

Heat on the stove over medium heat until warm.

Sprinkle top with a touch of cinnamon for pretty. Sit down, inhale, and sip slow.

Hint: if you like a bit of froth on top, you can put it into a blender & blend (venting to allow steam to escape) or use a french press and plunge a few times until bubbles form.  

pumpkin-spice-chai

3 Ingredient  Pumpkin Spice Chai

1 cup milk (I used almond)
2 pumpkin spice teabags
3/4 cup chai concentrate, or to taste

Put milk into a saucepan.  Add teabags.  Steep the teabags in milk for 5-7 minutes & warm to desired temperature.  Add chai concentrate.  Stir.  Pour into 2 mugs, sit with a loved one and sip slow.

Hint: if you don’t have pumpkin spice tea (my favorite is from Trader Joes) you can use black tea or rooibos tea and sprinkle in a little pumpkin pie spice. Also, the brand of chai I like is Oregon Chai Concentrate. Tazo is another popular brand but its cardamom flavor is too strong for my taste.

spices-warm-drinks

ALMOND VANILLA MAPLE SPICED MOCHA

1 cup vanilla almond milk

1/2 cup double- strength brewed coffee

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

1-2 Tbsp maple syrup

pinch of cinnamon

2-3 dashes of cayenne or a pinch of red pepper flakes

pinch of salt

……….

Brew a double strength coffee. Heat the almond milk until quite hot. Add cocoa powder. Whisk the cocoa powder into the milk, briskly stirring until all clumps have melted away. Stir in the coffee, spices and maple syrup. Adjust the sweetness and spice according to your own taste. Snuggle up in your favorite chair and sip slow.

Hint: if you don’t have vanilla flavored almond milk, just add a drop or two of vanilla extract.

Godiva Liqueur Hot Chocolate

Best Ever Hot Chocolate

8 oz  milk of your choice (almond, soy, dairy)

3 Dove chocolates (or your favorite brand chocolate square, milk or dark, I like dark)

1-2 teaspoons Godiva Chocolate liqueur

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar (optional)

……….

Heat in microwave until hot (less than 2 minutes.) Whisk until combined.

Sit back, relax, and sip slow.

Hint: use my favorite frother to whip it up and make it extra creamy and beautiful. 

 

Ginger-Lemon-Tea-Slider

Honey Lemon Ginger Tea

1/2 inch fresh ginger root, cut into slices (no need to peel)

2 wedges of lemon

1 tsp raw honey

……….

Squeeze 2 wedges of lemon into your tea cup. Add the wedges into the cup for added benefits of the oils from the lemon skin. Add 2 slices of ginger. Heat water in a tea kettle–I love my electric one that heats in minutes. Pour over ginger and lemon. Add honey and stir. Steep for a good 5 minutes. Strain, hug the mug, inhale the steam and sip slow.

Hint: both lemon wedges and ginger slices can be kept in the freezer in small mason jars. The hot water will thaw them. Also, a tea cup with an infuser like my favorite one is very handy. 

sip slow and savor warm drinks

{click photo for your pinning pleasure}

How about you?

What is your favorite warm drink?

HOME/ Organizing/ Seasonal

5 Steps To A Clean Pantry + Keep A Clean Home Free Printable

clean-pantry-pin

According to my “Keeping A Clean Home” Printable, I am due for a good seasonal pantry cleaning. It is perfect timing as the holidays are coming, so I need to see what I have and make room for the holiday cooking and baking items I need.

I will have people all up in my kitchen, opening cupboards and helping me prepare—talk about motivating! I love having a full kitchen during the holidays, but I don’t want to cringe when someone opens my pantry or cabinets! I know you feel me.

It will also be very helpful to know exactly what I have in my pantry when I am holiday menu planning, and really just meal planning in general. I get so frustrated when I buy an item just to come home and discover I already have it. Wasted time, space and money!

Speaking of money, having an organized pantry really does help save money. Not only will you buy fewer duplicates, but if you make sure all foods are in containers or airtight, they will last longer and you will have less waste. We definitely are better at eating up the food we already have when we can clearly see what is there, which keeps us from grabbing food on the go or wanting to order food in. All big-time money savers.

Last summer I made and shared with you this super helpful “Keeping a Clean Home” printable checklist. It divides tasks into Every Day, Once a Week, Once a Month, Once a Season, and Once a Year. This checklist allows me to focus in, know exactly where I am at and what needs to be done.

The chart is keeping me on track and I’m slowly working through it. I’m pretty good at the Daily, Weekly, & Monthly lists. It’s the Seasonal and Yearly lists that I really need to zero in on, which I have actually been doing! The list is on my refrigerator and I have about half of those Seasonal and Yearly items crossed off.

Would you like to print one out for yourself too?

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE ‘KEEPING A CLEAN HOME’ PRINTABLE HERE

Clean pantry canned goods

5 Steps To A Clean Pantry

1. Remove Everything From Your Pantry

This will allow you to see what you are working with, what needs to go and clear your pantry for a good clean wipe down. This step is always entertaining, as I find all kinds of items that I didn’t know I had! I get inspired and a bit giddy about all of the possibilities of fun food I can make with the treasures I find.

2. Sort and Toss

Go through the items, start putting ‘like’ items together, then toss, toss, toss! Say goodbye to old, expired items. Don’t be afraid to get rid of items you won’t use, even if they are not expired. Donate them if you don’t want to throw them out. Use a critical eye and don’t keep anything you won’t use.

This is a good time to get rid of spices that are older than a year and bulk items that you have no idea when they expire or when you purchased them.

drawer organization for a clean pantry

3. Categorize

Think “like with like.”  Use the way a grocery store organizes their food as a guide to organize yours. Decide if you want to create stations, like a baking station, breakfast station or snack station. I personally always have a nuts and seeds station and an ‘oatmeal toppings’ station, as these are foods I eat every day and it is convenient to have them all gathered together in a specific area.

paper towels to clean cans for a clean pantry

4. Clean

Cleaning will be a breeze with all your items out of the way. I used my DIY All-Purpose Lemon cleaner and paper towels from Viva to unleash clean in my pantry. I like using Viva Vantage because it has a scrubby texture like a terry-cloth, that is great for cleaning anything that is stuck on shelves and cabinets. They are so strong and durable that you can actually wring them out and reuse them several times! I used Viva Vantage to wipe the bottoms of my food containers and jars before placing them back in the pantry.

viva-paper-towel-clean-pantry

As you can see in the picture below, Viva not only sells textured Viva Vantage towels, but also  Viva towels which have a signature soft and smooth texture, almost like an undershirt material. They are amazingly absorbent and won’t leave any residue behind. I like to use these to dry my jars and dust the tops of cans. I also use these to dry my shelves completely before returning items.

Viva-paper-towels-smooth-textured

DIY All-Purpose Lemon Cleaner

1/2 c white vinegar | juice of one lemon | 2 c water

Stir to combine. Put in spray bottle.

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Use the dusting vacuum attachment to get all hard-to-reach crumbs from the corners and any that fell to the floor. Now is the time to be thorough, since this is a seasonal cleaning.

5. Return Items

This is the most fun and satisfying part. Put your organized, wiped and grouped items back. Keep beauty in mind as you are arranging them on the shelves. If you use storage containers, keep them similar in color. My favorite storage containers are mason jars. I love being able to see what is inside and they look so darn cute. I also have a few favorite containers to corral smaller items. Keep it simple, keep it beautiful, and label only if it is your ‘thing.’

clean pantry before and after

clean pantry before and after 2

Now your pantry is clean and ready for the holidays. Hopefully, you have created extra room to hold all of those holiday groceries and store holiday leftovers.

How often do you clean out your pantry?

Are you having holiday guests this year?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

DIY/Crafts/ Frugal/ HEALTH/ How-Tos/ Natural Products

DIY Ring Cleaner Avoid Ring Finger Rash

DIY Ring Cleaner

Oh how I love my wedding ring that was chosen so carefully 20 years ago by my Todd, and oh how happy I am that this DIY Ring Cleaner works! I recently started getting a rash under my ring and it was driving me crazy! It was just underneath the area that my diamond sits and it was red, dry and had itchy little bumps. I had a feeling it was from gunk that had collected under my ring, as on each side of my diamond on the underneath part there are hollow areas in my wedding band. It is the perfect area for grime to accumulate. I was right. After using this DIY Ring Cleaner, I have been rash free.

DIY Wedding Ring Cleaner

diy ring cleaner using vinegar and hydrogen peroxide

I wanted to make my own cleaner for several reasons:

  1. I didn’t want to go run an extra errand to pick up store-bought cleaner
  2. I didn’t want to use harsh chemicals
  3. I didn’t want to store it
  4. I didn’t want to spend the money

Continue Reading…

FUN/DIY/ Holidays/Parties/ Seasonal/ Sponsored

Tips For An Effortless Outdoor Late Summer Party

Jam-cellars-wine

School is back in session, but that doesn’t mean that summer fun can’t continue! How about an effortless outdoor late summer party? Late summer is the perfect time to have an outdoor party, and I have a bunch of tips to make it easy and enjoyable!

I’ve often been told that I have a certain touch when it comes to entertaining, which always makes me smile.  My goal is for people to feel loved and have a great time when they come over, and I accomplish this by being the queen of shortcuts! I’ve been known to sweep piles of dirt under the rug, order takeout and put it in a pretty dish (always being honest about it, of course), and just close the doors of rooms I don’t want seen, telling people if they enter, to enter at their own risk!

I’ve learned that in order for my guests to have fun, I have got to be present and willing to just– be. To let go of perfect and show up, creating lasting memories full of laughter and fun.

Thankfully I have learned some great shortcuts, tricks and tips to plan an effortless party, which really help me enjoy the party just as much as my guests do!

polka-dot-mug

13 Tips For An Effortless Outdoor

Late Summer Party

USE DISPOSABLES

It is ok to take a break from doing dreaded dishes and instead use utensils, plates and napkins that you can toss. If being green is a goal of yours, there are awesome disposable products out there that are kind to the environment. The key to keeping things fun and pretty is to display them in containers that have some personality, like the above polka dot mug.

Choose disposables that match the vibe of your party. There are so many cute disposable plates and napkins out there! I especially love bringing in some color with napkins, as there are so many great prints out there.

EFFORTLESS GREEN

Cut plants and flowers are a great way to add beauty in an effortless way when entertaining. Don’t want to buy cut flowers? Grab a few cuttings from a fern or houseplant! That is what I did! Look closely at the photos and you will see that I trimmed my fern and stuck the trimmings in little jar vases. I also cut palms off of a palm plant and used them laying flat on the serving table. So simple & FREE!

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CASUAL DELICIOUS BEVERAGES

If you read this blog, you know I’m all about my lemon water, but when it comes to a fun, effortless, causal party, I want my drinks to match the vibe. Enter JaM Cabernet. It is an easy-to-love, berry-licious, velvety-rich & bold wine. This wine is a luscious Cab that doesn’t need a gourmet meal…it’s right at home in a casual backyard setting and is totally my kinda JaM! I’m a wine lover, specifically red wine. JaM Cellars makes three everyday California wines with names that make me smile; Butter Chardonnay, JaM Cabernet and Toast Sparkling. JaM Cab is my favorite to chill out with. Bursting with the flavor of juicy berries, it is the best cab $20 & under, and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Want this JaM to be your JaM too? Check the JaM Cellars Wine Finder page to find where to buy it near you.

USE FRUIT TO ADD COLOR

A favorite trick of mine to brighten up any room or table is to grab whatever fruit I have and display it in a great dish, or, like the lemons in the photo above; a great pot! It adds instant color, and often I will use fruit that can be eaten straight from the dish, like whole strawberries, grapes, peaches, plums, cherries, clementines, apples or pears. No need to do a bunch of chopping to make a fruit salad! Just set pretty dishes or jars of whole fruit out. I recently had a party and set out small, wide-mouthed mason jars filled to the brim with blueberries, and they received so many comments about how cute they looked from my guests.

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BUY A VEGGIE TRAY

The veggie tray you see in the photo is under $10 from our local big box store, and comes with the yogurt ranch dip. This allows me to skip making a green leafy salad or pasta salad and the work of all that chopping, but I can still offer guests some healthy self-serve vegetables which compliment and round out any casual meal.

sloppy-joes

MAKE SELF-SERVE FOOD

By late summer, I’m ready to put the grill away but not ready to turn the oven on. This is when I pull out the slow-cooker. My 30 Minute Sloppy Joes are self-serve and can be made and kept in the slow-cooker. I even start early in the day and let the ground beef cook right in the slow cooker, then drain it and add the sloppy joe sauce ingredients. I’ve also bought a frozen foil pan of BBQ Pork from my big box store, threw it in the slow-cooker and it was ready when guests came to help themselves. Can’t get much easier than that!

Fire-pit

BUILD A FIRE

Late summer into fall is our favorite time of year to build a small pit fire. Some evenings are starting to cool down around here, so a fire is a great way to stay warm and gather people around in one place with JaM Cab in hand, of course!

MUSIC IS A MUST

There is an article called “Summer’s not done, chill with JaM!” on the Scoop! if you are looking for a fun party playlist. Music can add instant fun to a party, and can really control the mood of a party. The above linked playlist has everything from Coldplay to Billy Joel, and one of my favorites to chill the night out with: “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran.

BLANKETS ON HAND

If the evening is expected to be cooler, take a wicker basket of rolled-up blankets outside with a chalkboard sign that says “help yourself.” Another way to use blankets while entertaining outside is to spread them out on the lawn for a casual, picnic feel.

smores

MAKE S’MORES

Might as well take advantage of that fire and make some s’mores! We get creative around here with our s’mores and use nice thick cored apple slices in place of graham crackers and offer peanut butter cups along with the typical chocolate bar. One thing that we don’t change is the marshmallow! There is something about putting a big white marshmallow on a stick, watching it puff up and nursing it to the perfect gooey golden brown, that brings out the inner child in all of us. S’mores are another fun way to have your guests make their own and serve themselves, and are so sweet that you don’t really need much more for dessert.

Cupcakes-Jam-Wine

Peanut-butter-cupcake-2

CUPCAKES FOR DESSERT

If you DO want more for dessert, make cupcakes! Everybody loves a cupcake, and they are a great dessert to make ahead of time. I love how they look on a white platter, and often I will take the platter around to guests and let them grab the one they want. No need for dessert plates, just pass out a napkin with each cupcake.  Use a cake mix, find some fun sprinkles & use gold or silver cupcake liners for a bit of sparkle.

Jam-cellars-cabernet

Use Glass Jars

Fill them with nuts for guests to munch on before and after dinner. Put a candle or starry lights in them. Use them as casual water glasses, as containers to send leftovers home with your guests, and as vases to hold flowers or greenery.  Put slices of lemon in one for guests to help themselves to for their water. Put butter or condiments in them–they will be so much prettier on a table than the bottles that most condiments come in. Yes, even ketchup and mustard can add color and beauty to a table if in a glass jar!

Lighting

Lighting is a must. Keep it simple. A few candles, some string lights or a jar of battery operated starry lights are all it takes to set a mood. When we are going to have a get-together in our backyard, I love plugging in our string lights over a sitting area, and I make sure the lightbulbs work in our spot light to light up the basket ball area. Use citronella candles to keep the bugs away and add ambient lighting at the same time. Light is important!

Jam-cellars-wine-glasses

So there you have it. My 13 Tips To an Effortless Late Summer Party. Keep it simple! Use what you have! Good drinks, lighting and music make all the difference. Add some cut greens in jars & easy, self-serve food, and you will have a party that all will enjoy…including the hostess!

………………..

Want to know more about JaM Cellars?

Second-Generation Napa Valley vintners John and Michele are the “J” and the “M” in JaM Cellars, and I want to meet them just to tell them how much I love the clever names for their wines. They make their wines in the tradition of great California winemaking, rich bold and luscious, and in a style to enjoy with friends any day of the week.

We take our wines seriously; we just don’t take ourselves seriously!” – JaM Cellars

Yep, I’d love to meet them…we could hang for sure!

Follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for daily wine-aspiration #JaMCellars @JamCellars.

Want to know where to find JaM Cellars near you? You can purchase JaM Cellars wine at leading grocery stores. Enter your zip code to identify local stores at JaMCellars.com/WineFinder {<–click}

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Beauty/ FUN/DIY

DIY Pedicure Routine With Help From A Professional & Amopé

AMORE-PIN

Thanks to my cosmetology license, I can share with you the exact steps I used to give pedicures as a professional in a salon. This DIY Pedicure Routine can be a lifesaver, especially now when flip-flops and sandals show the wear and tear that summertime can bring. Doing your own pedicure will save money, & leave you with feet that feel wonderful and toes that sparkle!

I attended cosmetology school as an 18-year-old, and was working in a salon by age 19. My specialty was hair cuts and colors, but I built up quite a few regular manicure and pedicure clients. I was always happy to see one of them on my appointment book, as it gave me a break from standing with my arms raised, and gave me a chance to just sit and enjoy my client while attending to their nails.

People always asked me if it bothered me to work on other people’s toes. It never did thanks to the soak that each client started out with. By the time I handled their feet, they were nice and clean and disinfected. I quite enjoyed giving pedicures, knowing that it made my clients feel pampered. I remember some great conversations and feeling relaxed as I filed, massaged and polished away!

Below is a step by step DIY Pedicure Routine. It is perfect for summertime, and really anytime! Doing it yourself just might give you the same pampered feeling as a professional pedicure would, but without the cost!

amore-pedicure-supplies-1

Supplies:

Basin big enough to fit both feet

Towels

Hot water

Soap

Epsom salt (optional)

Toenail clippers

Nail file

Nail buffer

Cuticle pusher

Cuticle clippers

Amopé Pedi Perfect™ electronic foot file

Exfoliator

Moisturizer (I use Coconut Oil)

Polish (base coat, color, & top coat)

 

DIY Professional Pedicure Routine

DIY-Pedicure-Brush

Clean/Soak

Use a container big enough to fit both feet. Fill it with hot soapy water. You can add some epsom salts for a dose of magnesium. Lay a towel down on the floor, put the basin on top, and make sure the rest of your supplies are within reach. Sit in a chair in front of the basin and soak for 5 minutes. This cleanses, relaxes, and softens up the cuticle & rough skin.

DIY-Pedicure-nailclippers

Clip

Dry one foot, and keep the other soaking for these next 3 steps–clipping, filing and buffing. Only clip if you have excess length. Keep toenails straight across to avoid painful ingrown toenails.

File

Use a file to smooth out the rough edges, remembering to keep the toenail straight across, and not too short. Toenails that are too short show too much skin at the end of the nail, which is not aesthetically pleasing and makes polishing difficult. Want to try something different than the traditional nail file? Try the Amopé Pedi Perfect™ electronic nail file.

DIY-Pedicure-files

Buff

Toenails can tend to have ridges, and buffing is an easy way to make the top of the toenail nice and smooth. Start with the roughest part of the buffer, and work your way eventually to the smoothest side of the buffer.

DIY-pedicure-basin

Switch

At this point, switch feet. Repeat above steps with your other foot, and place the foot that you just buffed back into the water.

DIY-Pedicure-pusher

Push

Once both feet are clipped, filed and buffed, it is time to push back the cuticles. Dry both feet off. Gently push back any over-grown cuticle. Use the instrument to get any dirt out from under the toenails. Use the water to rinse and keep things clean.

DIY-peducre-cuticle-nippers

Trim Cuticle

Only do this step if you have excess cuticle. Do not over-trim. Make sure to get any hangnails.

Diy-pedicure-exfoiliate

Exfoliate

Use exfoliator of choice. My favorite is my Coconut Lime Sugar Scrub, or my Lemon Sugar Scrub. If you want to keep it simple, use coconut oil mixed with some sugar and maybe a drop of essential oils. Rub exfoliator into both feet and up onto the ankle. You could go as high as the knee if you’d like. That was our stopping point as professionals. Use basin water to rinse all exfoliate off & dry both feet.

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Smooth

This is where I get to introduce you to my favorite tool for keeping my feet super soft and smooth. It is called the Amopé Pedi Perfect™ electronic foot file. I bought it at CVS great deal, thanks to a coupon that I used. It is perfect for summertime daily wear and tear, especially for cracked, dry, thick heels! This tool is wonderful for the heel, under the big toe, at the side edge beneath the pinky toe and anywhere you have hard, dry, rough skin that needs to be smoothed. I found it worked much faster and was so much easier than smoothing by hand with a foot file. The Amope’ Pedi Perfect conforms to the shape of your foot and feels wonderful while smoothing. It has a safety stop feature that makes it safe to use, and there are no sharp blades so I feel comfortable letting my teen girls use it. I so wish I had this tool when I was doing pedicures professionally, as I get better-than-professional results with it! It feels great, is easy to use, has replaceable roller heads and is one of my favorite recent purchases. Keep scrolling for an awesome coupon to get one for yourself.

diy-pedicure-coconut-oil

Moisturize

Give both feet one more good rinse, dry them off, then moisturize all the way up to the knee if desired. I simply use coconut oil.

Massage

Take a minute to pamper yourself and really rub the moisturizer into your feet. Pay attention to the arch, each toe, in-between toes and even the top of the foot. Do a couple of toe flexes and ankle stretches while you are at it.

DIY-Pedicure-cotton-pads

Prep

It is now time to polish, but if you don’t remove the moisturizer from your nail beds, the polish won’t stick and will chip immediately. Nail polish remover is perfect for removing any leftover oils and even your own natural oil from the nail bed. This step is key for good nail polish adhesion. Saturate a cotton ball or pad with polish remover and remove all moisturizer from each toenail.

Diy-pedicure-white-polish

Polish

Polish in this order: Base Coat, 2 Coats of Color, Top Coat.

I love getting more adventurous on my toes when it comes to color. I often choose my color depending on the season or if I have a special outing, I match it to my outfit. I love using brighter colors and even glitter polish on my toes, even though I am much more conservative with my nails.

Despite all the talk of adventure, my toenail polish crush right now is white. I love how clean it looks. It makes my feet look much more tan than they really are and it matches every flip-flop, sandal, and outfit that I have.

…………

AMORE-FOOT-CARE

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So there you have it. Step-by step for a DIY Professional Pedicure. It is such a great feeling to have cute summertime toes by doing my own pedicure and saving money.

 

DIY/Crafts/ FUN/DIY/ HOME/ Organizing

Organizing Tips With My Pastry Chef

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This is going to be a fun post, where I get to show off my little pastry chef and give organizing tips on how to literally organize tips–pastry bag tips that is!

My 13-year-old Avery is my little pastry chef, and has been for the last few years. I’m amazed at her baking skills and have to say, it is quite fun having someone who bakes in the house! Every holiday, birthday, or event gives her an excuse to make something beautiful and delicious. Her creations show so much love & make a simple gathering something special.  The following photo is a cake she made for her Grandpa’s birthday–Chocolate Cake with Cookie Dough Filling, Chocolate Ganache & Piped Peanut Butter Buttercream. Amazing!

Chocolate-Peanut-Butter-Cake (1)

We are having out-of-town company this weekend and she already has decided on what she sweet she is going to greet them with. Vanilla cupcakes with thickened Chocolate Ganache filling and piped Nutella frosting. Oh my!

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As her baking hobby has grown, so has her collection of baking supplies. I have made it clear that I don’t have the space to store all of her supplies in my small kitchen. We have kept all of her baking supplies in her room, but it has been difficult to keep everything organized and carry it all downstairs when it comes time to bake. That is…until now.

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I found the perfect solution to her needs while shopping at Michaels craft store. They carry the Creatives Options organization line and it was exactly what I needed. I desired a system that was portable and that would fit a variety of baking items, large and small. It needed to fit measuring cups & spoons, cupcake liners, cake pop sticks, piping bags, piping tips & more. We also needed storage for some of  her larger cake pans. I picked up both the Creative Options Large Rack & the Creative Options Project Box at Michaels, which I knew would fit all of her supplies, big and small.

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{To Pin}

The Creative Options Rack comes with individual organizers that have adjustable dividers that worked great to give each little pastry tip a home of their own. I kept the dividers out of middle organizer to store cupcake liners. The individual organizers slide easily into the rack, and there is more great storage at the top of the rack under the lid.

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When I showed her the Creatives Options Large Rack organization system with all of her supplies organized, her eyes lit up, and she loved it! Having a little compartment for each size piping tip was her favorite part.

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{Creative Options Project Box}

She loved that the Creatives Options organization system is portable, so she can easily carry it up and down the stairs from her room to the kitchen. She can even take it to Grandma’s house to bake with her cousin during sleepovers!

It fits perfectly in her room and even matches the decor. It is the perfect system!

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Here are a few other organizing tip ideas for you, using the Creative Options Organization Rack:

Crafts–the obvious

Home Office Supplies

Makeup Storage

Hair bows, brushes, elastics, & headbands

Organizing receipts & coupons

Pantry Storage

Playroom Storage –for all those small toys like cars, doll clothes, dress up supplies

Jewelry

Under the Bathroom Sink

Garage Organization — nuts, bolts, zip ties

Garden Organization — seed packs, plant markers, garden hose attachments


What about you?

Do you have any favorite organizing tips for me?

What would you use the system for?

Keep an eye out for the upcoming post featuring the recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache filling and Nutella Buttercream!


 

 

 

Decorating/ FAMILY/ Homemade Gifts/ Kids/Family/ Sponsored

Office Makeover Surprise For Father’s Day With Snapfish

Father's Day Photo Mug From SnapFish

I recently surprised my husband Todd for Father’s Day and made over his work office. I had the help of fun personalized photo gifts from Snapfish.

My Todd spends much of his time serving and giving to others, especially to our girls. He works at a non-profit organization helping under-resourced youth & then comes home and is the most hands-on Dad with our 3 teen girls. There is a lot of estrogen in our house and he embraces every moment– especially the dramatic ones–and brings a beautiful calm.

I wanted to do something super special for him to honor him on Father’s Day and to thank him for being such an amazing Dad to our 3 girls.  He is the best example of the modern dad who is engaged with his kids, redefining what being a great dad looks like. I know he is so proud of his girls and is going to love showing the world that by displaying it in his office. The only thing close to decor that was in his office before I tackled it was one small picture of his girls, so I knew he would really like being surrounded with more photos of wonderful family memories.

Best Dad Wall Hanging from snappish

Father's Day Wall Hanging from snappish

I asked for the keys to his office and told him not to ask questions. I like getting bossy like that. I loaded my car with a hammer, nails, a few select decor items, and my personalized Father’s Day photo gifts from Snapfish, and drove to his office after-hours.

I started by hanging the above wood panel that I created on Snapfish with a photo from one of Todd’s favorite places on earth–Universal Studios. I love this captured memory of Todd and the girls walking down the street toward fake studio buildings. I love that it captures movement and the backpack that Todd insisted on carrying the whole trip–my sweet gentleman husband! It shows us wearing matching, made for comfort shoes, something that would never happen now that my girls are teens & too cool to match Mom & Dad!

Snapfish allows you to make one-of-a-kind gifts & embellish your photos with just a click. I kept it simple with this wood panel. I used a small background black rectangle, faded it so the image could come through a bit, and added text saying “BEST DAD” on top of it in white.

Here are examples of what you can do:

  • Photos: Upload pictures from your device, Facebook, or Instagram.
  • Layout: Layouts vary per product, so check out what is available for each
  • Designs: Pre-designed templates make it easy to create. Edit and switch out designs to your liking.
  • Backgrounds: Select colors, patterns, or designs as a background
  • Embellishments: Hundreds of cute embellishments, sassy sayings, and themed collections
  • Text: Add phrases that help caption the moment.

Father's Day Snapfish Photo Gift

I also made a personalized aluminum photo panel that sits upright on his desktop. This is the coolest! It is a super thin & modern metal panel, and looks great with the round silver platter I put on his desk to gather his supplies.

I chose one of my favorite photos of Todd and the girls when they were little. We were at the lake standing on a dock and were about to go on some paddle boats. I remember it like it was yesterday! Look at their curls! Look at how happy they are with their Daddy! Look how little Avery hugs his leg! Be still my heart…so precious.

I added a pendent-type overlay embellishment to this one, and chose a text template that says “Dad,we love YOU.” It was already created, I just had to drag and drop. So easy!

Snappish Father's Day Gift

Dad's office

I spent some time organizing his bookshelf & added a plastic plant & grey storage box at the top. Fake greenery is good as my Todd does not have a green thumb! I put a second silver platter on a middle shelf and put his water bottle & some supplies that will be within arms reach from his office chair.

I added another brown storage bin at the top of his tall file cabinet with a gold himmeli that I handmade. I also hung up a bulletin board that had been leaning against the wall on the floor for a couple of months.

Dad's Office

Father's Day Photo Mug From SnapFish

I added a plastic but pretty green succulent to his desktop and put some pens into a personalized photo mug, also made on Snapfish. I made two mugs for him, one to store pens and one to drink out of. I added a heart embellishment to one of them and font to both of them. So much fun!

PHOTO-GIFT-SNAPFISH-PIN

{for your pinning pleasure}

Todd went to work the next day and walked into his office to find my surprise. He loved it. He told me “everywhere I look I see family. I’m surrounded by family & I love it.” Aww! I love HIM!

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WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE YOUR OWN SNAPFISH PERSONALIZED GIFTS?

Check out all the cool photo gift options at Snapfish and enter to win one of thirty-five $50 Snapfish codes below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

18+, US Residents Only and only one winner per household. Winners will be selected and notified by Clever Girls and/or Snapfish by Friday, June 17th. Good Luck!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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