Recycled Envelopes- Paper Bags

I love this idea! My parents received a letter in the mail, and I thought it was a fabulous idea- use a paper bag as an envelope!

Its a way to get a little bigger envelope. I actually think this would be a fun way to do wedding/party invites this way! 

Izzy likes it too :) 

Nutella Cupcakes

Okay here is the deal. I wanted to try this idea here where you take nutella, mix it into cake batter and it turns out like a swirled frosted cupcake! 

Well turns out, you're supposed to read the directions. 

Duh. 

Anyway, I didn't see the part where you needed to use THEIR mix, that way the nutella and the batter would be similar consistency. Fail.

However, we solved that problem. Here is what you do. Take your cake batter, and instead of trying to twirl it on the top, glob a bit on there, and it will sink to the middle (nutella FILLED cupcakes instead!) then just frost it with nutella. Its still easy, tastes AMAZING it just didn't quite have the swirl affect I was looking for since the nutella really sunk to the middle. 

And if you can't tell...I left my camera at home when I visited my sister....so hence the bad phone pictures  

My First Dog walk

All you dog people out there....I just will never understand you. Here is the deal: 

Dogs smell. 

You have to come home from work to take them on walks, then pick up their poo, they have smelly breath, they aren't all that soft, they jump on you, and you have no earthly idea where those paws or that tongue have been when they lick you. 

All in all, it grosses me out. 

Feel free to argue, I welcome anyone to try and change my opinion. 

Cats are cute, cuddly, soft and they don't smell. I much prefer indoor cats. You have a general idea of where they have been, they have small mouths, which means minimal smelly breath if any. They clean themselves. There poo gets all congealed with litter so its way less gross then picking it up with your hand shoved inside of a bag. And you can leave them alone all day at work, and they haven't left "presents" in the house.

On that note. 

I walked my first dog...ever....this weekend. 

It went okay actually. It was a small dog, good enough for my first experience. However, it did not even begin to win me over. It was bearable, but that is the highest praise I can give my experience. 

Crasin Almond Bisquick Biscotti

If you're just joining us...you may not know that one of my all-time favorite things is biscotti (sushi comes in at about the same rank)

I had been craving some biscotti for a few days, I love having biscotti with coffee. Yum Yum Yum. Mom and I worked together on making these, gotta love cooking with mom :) 

So here we have another easy recipe!

It goes a little like this:

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup chopped almonds

1 cup craisins (dried cranberries) 

3.5 cups bisquick

6 tbs butter

1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Mix up the sugar, eggs, butter and bisquick. Then fold in the almonds and craisins! 

Make two large logs about 10 inches long, 3 inches wide, and an inch or so thick. Place on pan. I suggest parchment paper, it makes things alot easier!

Put it in the oven at 350 degrees, for 20 minutes. 

Let it cool, cut it in slices, then put it back in for 15 minutes!

Once you've let them cool again, here is the optional chocolate chip part. You can dip or drizzle chocolate on your biscotti for a fun look, and yummy taste!

Now enjoy it with your coffee!!! The perfect pair. 

Ugly Cat

My cousin just got the ugliest cat I've ever seen. And that is putting it rather nicely. 

Does that cat not look like its going to scratch your eyes out? But first....it wants to torment you. It has the "I know something you don't know" look. Like its planning its next big attack. 

Its very loving, and sweet...but lets be honest....its pretty scary. Cleo the cat loves my cousin...even if may be just for the warmth since it is lacking normal cat hair. Its very gentle, but it took me a while to get used to it.

She says that she will wake up in the middle of the night and be staring at her with those HUGE eyes. Yikes!

I'm 100% a cat person...but not this....I feel like its actually disgracing the name of cat to place it in the feline category.

**DISCLAIMER** I hope it has been made clear, that I am only kidding about this cat. She is surprisingly soft and lovable as I mentioned above. I hope that my cousin has enjoyed her photos and has placed them lovingly on her desk, as was the intent with our little photoshoot. I appreciate her always being a blog supporter and enjoying my humor :) 

Photography Philosophy

I've shared a number of my photoshoots on the blog, and I appreciate everyone's support! My friends and family have always been supportive while I've ventured out into the world of photography. No, I never plan on making a living at it, but I never want to stop learning new things about it. 

In addition, I am fully aware I am not a professional. I love taking photos, I get super excited to upload them when I'm finished.

I like the idea of making photography affordable, so good photos can be taken at special occasions. Yes, you usually hire a photographer for your wedding, but why not take family photos just for the fun of it, have someone at family gatherings, or make sure you take photos as your children grow up. Weddings are sort of like Halloween...you're all dressed up for one day. You never look like that on a normal day...so why not have photos of all the other days in between!

I do think photography will always be a hobby of mine. I enjoy taking photos of graduations, or wedding preparations that often don't have someone there to take a little better than average photos. 

So that is my philosophy on photography.
 I'll never have the time, expertise, or equipment to really go into it more than I do now. But I love doing what I am doing, and I don't want anyone to think I'm trying to pass myself off as an experienced professional when I post pictures from shoots!


So thank you for all of your support and kind words :) You all always do such a wonderful job encouraging me!

7 Months- Baby H

Last weekend I had the most wonderful pleasure of going out to a park in Lincoln, and doing this little guy's 7 month photoshoot!

He was so much fun, the perfect little kid. He never cried or wined...just perfectly content sitting in his suitcase :)

This one makes me just want to squeeze him!!! The perfect little gentleman 

I mean, how cute is this kid?! 

Flower Paper

I saw this idea a few months ago online...and now I can't find where I found it. It would make a wonderful gift, or a wedding/party favor! What is it? Well you make your own seed paper, with a stamped spoon marker of what will grow when you plant the paper!

How to make seed paper. 

Take scarp paper, tear it up, and pour water in a bowl and soak it. If you want a certain color of paper, just tear up that color! Or you may be able to dye it some with food coloring?

Either put it in an old blender, or a hand blender. I got this hand blender at goodwill for this very purpose. I'd hate it if it ruined your good blender...goodwill is the way to go. 

Then dump in the seeds, and mix them around! 

Now the best thing to get is a screen, and staple it to a photo frame. However, since I didn't have that, I ended up taking some scrap fabric, taking a glob our, and rolling it in the fabric to flatten and squeeze the water out. 

Then set it out to dry for a day or two. 

Now stamp your spoon! I use a metal stamping kit from hobby lobby- but you can get them on amazon too! 

Now you can get creative! Once your paper has dried and harden, you can cut it into fun shapes, or do what I did and make a rectangle, and use a piece of string to tie your spoon to it!

Ta-dah! Now gift it with instructions to plant the entire paper, and watch your garden grow!