the game of LIFE

I've actually never played it.  It always seemed boring to me.  Ironic, eh?  Well life is about to be nothing but boring for me.  In the next 9 months the following will happen:

a friend will have a baby
a friend (and roommate) will get married
I will get married
another friend will have a baby
a friend will move away
and another friend will have a baby

needless to say there will be plenty of shower pictures, baby pictures, wedding updates, and more than likely a few emotional blog posts about friendship and change and LIFE!  It's a good thing I love roller coasters and celebrating all the fun things in life with my friends!

so strap in...because you're coming with me!

a closet

Josh's house is old.  I love it's character...but not so much it's lack of closet space.  They just didn't build houses with lots of big closets back then.  I think it's because people had less stuff back then...which maybe I should take a few cues from.  Nonetheless, Josh's house has 2 closets.  1 closet in the dining room which will be storage/coat closet/whatever else can fit in there.  The other closet is in the bedroom. And here it is:

(please pardon the horrible quality of pictures...his house also has a lack of light)

Naturally all his clothes fit nicely in there.  So...what about my clothes? ...and let's just say I have a few more than he does?  Our resolution was to buy a standing closet for the spare "bedroom" for Josh's clothes and I will get the closet in his room (which will be my our room after I move in).

So...off to IKEA we went.  Their PAX closet system is fabulous.  We ending up getting this one:

Josh worked hard to put it together.

And wah-lah!  We have a really tall closet in the extra room. 

And we are now taking suggestions on blending 2 homes worth of stuff in to one home!

TREND: cupcakes

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Now what isn't more adorable than a little miniature cake?!

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Am I right? Who doesn't love a good cupcake?  apparently no one because they are certainly all.the.rage.

You can find them at weddings, birthdays and showers.  And now, they have their very own stores.  From Magnolia to Gigis to my personal local favorite (and the favorite of the former ms. underwood) Iveycakes in downtown Franklin, you can find cupcakes everywhere you turn. I also pretty sure there is some sort of cupcake competition show on TV at all times. So why are they are so popular?

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Well let's take a look at various cupcakes across the web and I'll let you know some things I've learned about making, baking, decorating, and serving the adorable cupcake.

1. cupcakes give you the chance to be a bit more creative with each cake.  Instead of having one cake...you have all these extra moments (cakes) to express uniqueness in flavor, design, and presentation.  I think people are more daring with cupcake recipes b/c if it's bad...it's just one little cupcake, not a whole cake.

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2. Unless you have a moment where you officially cut the cake and begin to serve...people are more likely to eat your cupcakes then to cut their own slice of cake at a party.  It's just easier.

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3. cupcakes taste delicious no matter how professional they look.  (In the picture below, I iced the the smooth mint green cupcakes.  I spent time to make it just right and look pretty.  Josh iced the white ones in the back...not really caring, just getting the job done.  People ate more of Josh's than mine.)

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4. I've never timed it out, but I think cupcakes can take a bit more time.  pouring each into the cup, icing each of them individually...

personal photo - cupcakes by elizabeth

5. the wrapper - there are so many cute cupcake wrappers out there these days.  I've noticed a lot of times after you back it you can hardly see the design.  So I've started backing them in white and using the "pretty" wrapper for when they are done just for display purposes.

personal photo - see, I baked it in this really fun wrapper and you can't ever see it.

both sets can be found here

6. the topper - folks seem to be really using cupcake toppers lately.  I think it's a good way to incorporate the theme of the event into what you are serving...and for those of us that aren't professional cupcake makers, it gives you and easy out for what to put on top!

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7. icing - I highly recommend Hello, Cupcake!  I got it for Christmas one year and spent some nights just playing around with all the different techniques they have.  I like it b/c everything can be done using a ziploc bag, tape, and scissors!  anyone can do it!

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cupcakes by elizabeth

My friend Elizabeth lives in NYC and knows a little bit about the cupcake world, she was interviewed by Cupcakes Take the Cake over here.  I really didn't need to write this blog and could have just linked you to that website, but oh well.  you got my 2 cents for what it's worth.

8. The Stand!  - here is how to make your own stand.  I like to stack different sizes of cake stands together...maybe I'm just lazy.

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 Even dogs like cupcakes...

Do you prefer serving a cake or cupcakes? Do you have any helpful tricks up your sleeve when it comes to making a great cupcake?!

the big "D"

oh, the monogram.  who doesn't love to decorate with it, wear it on jewelry, put it on your car, your mugs, your tote bags...towels, dishes, pillows,  vases...you.name.it.  we all love it...to a certain degree.  Those things make super easy teacher gifts, wedding gifts, girlie gifts, etc.  Like you've seen here, and here I use a "D" on the wreaths I put on Josh's door.  I'm not sure why I always use it, I guess I feel like it brings it together.  who knows.  maybe it's a phase.

Anyway...as you know I'm working on making over the mantle.  To add to the fall decor I got a "D" from Michael's to embellish and put it up there.  (Maybe I feel like Josh will go along more with the decorating if it has part of his name in it? I don't know.)

I mod podged some orange paper...

Then mod podged this fun brown cut out paper I found...

and here ya go, the fall-est "D" there ever was...

the perfect pumpkin

To me, it was the perfect fall activity and would be something fun to do together and give me a chance to take some fun pictures.  To him, it was a project...his new mission - we would get the perfect pumpkin.

Josh and I went out to Gentry's Farm on Saturday to buy "the perfect pumpkin"...aka a pretty large pumpkin great for carving, and see what other fun things we could find. 

very proud he found his perfect pumpkin!

cream cheese brownies

The weather has been so nice lately!  Perfect for grilling!  While Josh was manning the grill on Saturday night cooking up these:

(2 ears of corn, squash, zucchini, and an onion all from the farmer's market for a total of $2.61)

I decided to try a new recipe!

Paula Deen. She does it right!  I had gotten one of her cookbooks from my grandmother so I thought I'd try something new.  Cream Cheese Brownies!

In “The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook” Copyright 1997, 1998 by Paula Deen Pages 149-150


For Lady Brownies:
2 C. Sugar
1C Veggie Oil
4 Eggs
6 Tbsp. Cocoa
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 C Self-rising flour
1 C chopped walnuts or pecans
Preheat oven to 325 degree’s. Blend together sugar, oil, eggs, cocoa, and vanilla. Add Flour; mix. Add nuts; spread into greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minute’s.
For Cream Cheese Brownies: Use lady Brownies recipe above. Poor half the batter into a greased pan. Layer with this cream cheese mixture, then top with remaining batter, swirling it with a knife.
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) Butter, softened
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
1 C chopped walnuts or pecans
Cream together butter and cream cheese. add remaining ingredients; blend well. Swirl into brownie batter with knife edge.

my two cents...

- I didn't put the cream cheese layer in the middle.  I just added it on top and swirled it up a good bit.

- it probably took closer to 45 minutes, than 30 like the book said.

- I did not put nuts in the cream cheese mixture.

- they were absolutely delicious.  We took some over to the new neighbors that moved in and they seemed to like them.  Paula...she knows her stuff!

"I'll be your dentist"

10 points to whoever can name where that song comes from.

oh the dentist.  some people love going...others hate it.  I probably fall somewhere closer to the "hate it" side.  My guess would be that since my dentist was my orthodontist and I had to go see him once a month for 8 years I feel like I've put in my time...plus all of yours.  yep...I was awesome with metal in my mouth my. entire. childhood.

So mom and I decided to hit up some antique stores in nolensville last weekend.  I'd heard my friend Sara Beth talk about how much she loved Three French Hens so we thought we would try it out.  JACK POT!  such fun things!  They also own The Roost right next door.  I was looking for two things: a tall dresser, and a hallway cabinet that could fit in this little nook right in front of the bathroom at Josh's house.  I found several shelves that would work for the cabinet and had a hard time making a decision.  In the end, I decided I wanted something with character, a story, something that made it unique.  I certainly found that!

It was an old dentist cabinet.  The holes on the top were made so they could set their tools in them.  I loved it...just the character, story, and something unique I was looking for.

So now...maybe I don't hate the dentist so much.  They make cool cabinets that add something fun to my hallway!  The shelves are adjustable which is helpful...and I've already filled it with some books.

I'm not sure if I'll ever use the holes for anything.  Maybe just to tell the story.  Who knows.  You got any suggestions?