Ways to Stay Warm: Indoor Picnic Date

Feeling the bad weather blues? Here is something super fun to do indoors that will get you excited for the upcoming summer... an Indoor Picnic Date!

My husband and I decorated our dining table like a picnic blanket, cooked up some easy and delicious recipes, and sipped wine at dinner tonight while we talked about our days and the summer to come. We are certainly feeling excited for the warmer weather to arrive in the months to come! 

Check out some of these pictures from our date night tonight!

  

Of course... no picnic is complete without an adorable picnic themed apron! Love this one? You can buy it on our Etsy website by clicking here!

We hope you all have a warm and cozy night!

Until tomorrow,

Ways to Stay Warm: Hot Cocoa Party

Now that everyone has some amazing Hot Cocoa recipes, take a look at all of these wonderful ideas for putting on a Hot Cocoa Party! I can't wait to take some of these ideas and throw a Hot Cocoa Party myself! (Pictures will definitely come after we have one! Maybe a Girls Hot Cocoa Party this weekend?)

Here are two Hot Cocoa Bar ideas! One a little more rustic and the other with some adorable labels to use on your own cocoa display!

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How about a hanging Marshmallow centerpiece for your table!

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These dipping sticks have chocolate flavors for you to stir around in steamed/warmed milk to make some deliciously flavored hot chocolate. I think they are such a great idea!

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Or how about some marshmallow dippers as snacks?

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And here is a fun activity to have for your party members! Maybe give each of your guests a shot glass full of different hot cocoa flavors? I love the idea!

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I don't know about any of you... but I can't wait to host a Hot Cocoa Party! Definite Girl's Night this weekend!

Ways to Stay Warm: The Best Hot Cocoa Recipes

Hello Everyone!

Today I wish to share with you two amazing Hot Cocoa Recipes that I whipped up today! My husband and I are definitely chocolated out!

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

What you'll need to make enough for two:
2.5 cups of Milk
1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
1/4 cup White Sugar
1/2 Cup Hot Water
5 tsp. Caramel
1/8 tsp. Sea Salt

Directions:
1. Combine Cocoa, Water, and White Sugar in a saucepan. Stir, and bring to a boil.
2. Add milk, caramel, and salt. Heat until mixture is hot.
3. Pour into mugs and top with marshmallows or whip cream.

Brownie Batter Hot Chocolate

What you'll need to make enough for 2:
2 cups Milk
1/2 cup Cream
1/2 cup Brownie Mix
1 Cup Hot Cocoa Mix
Whipped Topping

Directions:
1. Heat Milk and Cream, bring to a simmer.
2. Add Brownie Mix and Hot Cocoa Mix. Stir, and heat through.
3. Pour into mugs and top with whipped toppings.

Hope you all enjoy these! My husband and I sure did... too much!

Ways to Stay Warm: The Cutest Coffee Cozies

Hello everyone!

We hope you are all staying safe and warm during today's blizzard if you are in a northern state! Being stuck inside is the worst... but having a cup of delicious coffee can always make it better! 

Whenever I go into a coffee shop, I am always sidetracked with looking at all the cute coffee cozies on display. Today, I want to share with you some of the cutest coffee cozies I found on the web, AND provide you with a link to a blog where you can find instructions on how to make your own! Definitely going to do this project sometime this week! Enjoy :)

A Cozy for the Baker

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A Cozy for the Flower Child

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A Cozy for the Mug Lover

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A Cozy for the Nerdy Girl (or Boy)

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A Cozy for the DIY Girl

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Anybody else up to making their own this week? Let us know how it goes!
And what goes best in a coffee mug??? How about some Hot Chocolate! Check in with us tomorrow for an awesome homemade Hot Cocoa recipe!

Stay warm everyone!!

Ways to Stay Warm: Adorable Winter Hats

With news that our Michigan winter is going nowhere fast (projected 2-6 inches of snow tomorrow!), today I would love to feature a company that makes the most adorable winter hats: Noodle Noggins by Kristy.

Kristy specializes in making animal themed crochet hats, colorful mittens, and other fun crochet accessories for men, women, and children. Pictured below is just one example of her crochet hats.



 

To see more of Kristy's winter gear, click on the banner below to be directed to her Etsy Web Page or like her on Facebook by clicking here! 

We hope you all keep warm over the next snowy day!

Ways to Stay Warm: 5 Things to do Indoors

This week, we are moving on to a new topic: Ways to Stay Warm this Winter! Here in Michigan, we are undergoing the coldest, snowiest winter we have seen in over 100 years! It has been a nightmare for getting out and having fun... so we want to talk about how to bring the fun indoors today! Here are 5 things that are fun to do indoors this winter!

1. Have a Chick Flick Marathon with your girl friends! The Vow is one of my absolute favorites! For some GREAT ideas on different movie marathon themes/titles to watch with your gals, check out the Tell Me Ten Blog!

2. Plan a Board Game Night with friends. Some of our favorites are Ticket to Ride, Settlers of Catan, and the good ol' game of Euchre! Check out Beth Wood's Board Game Pinterest Board for more ideas on hosting a Board Game party!

3. Host a Book Club! I absolutely LOVE to read... and love talking about the books that I read with a group of close friends. A recent one to get your hands on is "The Peach Keeper". You can also go to this website on Real Simple to learn about other highly recommended books for book clubs.

4. Cook a New Recipe! Use the time that you have to spend indoors due to weather to get in the kitchen and start experimenting! Need a new recipe idea? Try out this Chipotle Raspberry Pork Chop recipe from A Taste of Home!

5. Have an Indoor Picnic Date! Get our your picnic blanket, cook up some hot dogs with potato chips and iced tea and have an indoor picnic with your man! Check out our blog later this week for more indoor picnic ideas - Aaron and I are doing this for a date night this week!

We hope that you all stay warm over these wintery weeks ahead! Hopefully the promised warmer weather will wipe away any winter-time blues you have! Be sure to check in with us each night this week for more ideas on how to stay warm this winter!

Valentine's Day Inspiration: Heart Decorations

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Here is a quick crafty idea for some Valentine's Day room decor. I got the idea from The Scrapbook Girl's Blog for these adorable Heart Ornaments made from scrapbook paper and string. 

This is Aaron's and my apartment! We have a chalkboard wall behind our dining room table that we get to draw all over and decorate for the different seasons. I made a bunch of the heart ornaments and hung them from my ceiling fan as a great Valentine's centerpiece. 

Hope you all have a fantastic Valentine's Day! Come back tomorrow for the start to our new topic of the week: Ways to Stay Warm this Winter!

Valentine's Day Inspiration: A Valentine's Cocktail

If you are in for a special treat this Valentine's Day, try out this Valentine's inspired Margarita! The recipe came from a fantastic blog by Susan Tuttle. Susan is a photographer who blogs about all kinds of interesting topics ranging from recipes to art and outstanding photo shoots - you can visit her blog by clicking here! 

Aaron and I mixed up a couple of these Valentine's themed margaritas tonight to have with our Tex-Mex burgers. They were delicious!

Valentine's Margarita Recipe: Mix the following ingredients in a shaker and pour into glasses. Garnish with Whip Cream and a fun paper straw!

2 oz White Tequila
1 oz Peach Schnapps
4 oz Margarita Mix
3 oz Cranberry Juice
1/2 oz Grenadine
Whip Cream

Enjoy!!

Valentine's Day Inspiration: Date Night Outfits

So you've got the guy and you've got the gift, now you just need the perfect date night outfit for your Valentine's Day outing! 

Today, I joined a fabulous website called Polyvore and played around with creating outfits. The best part is, everything that is available to put into outfit sets on the website is available for sale! 

Here are three outfits that I put together for different types of Valentine's dates. Click on the link below the pictures to be directed to Polyvore where you can purchase the different pieces.

The Classy Date: perfect for dinner at a fancy restaurant

The Casual Date: an outfit for going to dinner and the movies!

The Quirky Date: an outfit for a date to a concert or night at home.

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What will you be wearing for Valentine's Day this year? 

Valentine's Day Inspiration: 7 Great Gift Ideas

Are you looking for the perfect Valentine's Gift Idea for your significant other this year? This week, I have spent some time compiling a list of great ideas I have found and would love to share them with you! I hope you are able to get inspired to find the perfect gift - whether you buy it or make it - for your man! Please enjoy these 7 great ideas for Valentine's Day this year. (Click on the "source" buttons below the photos to be directed to the website where the gift is sold or where directions can be found to make it yourself.)

1. Love You A Latte - A gift for a coffee lover. 

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2. Playstation Controller Chocolate Sculpture - A gift for the video game lover.

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3. Brownie Sweets and Tea - A gift for the sweet tooth.

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4. Valentine's Picnic Basket - A gift for the adventurous.

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5. Jar of Cookies, Made with Love - A gift for the mushy.

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6. Love Themed Beer Labels - A gift for the beer lover.

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7. 12 Months of Pre-Planned Dates - A gift for the romantic.

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I don't know about you... but I definitely feel inspired to take some of these ideas to get/make my husband an awesome Valentine's gift this year! 

What will you be giving your guy this year?

Valentine's Day Inspiration: Cookie Candy Hearts

Happy Monday Everyone!

Today's Valentine's Day inspiration is all about sugar cookies! Remember when you were in grade school and your classmates gave you a box of candy hearts? Check out the cookies I decorated below with those boxed candy hearts as my decoration inspiration. I just LOVE them! Want to bake up a batch for yourself? The sugar cookie and frosting recipes are both below!

Valentine's Themed Aprons can be found here!

Buttery Holiday Cookies

2 sticks butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium until pale and fluffy, 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Beat in the yolks and vanilla until just combined.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and salt, then combine with the butter mixture on low speed until just incorporated.
3. Half the dough, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour.
4. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out cookies, transfer to cookie sheets and chill 15 minutes. 
5. Bake at 350 degrees until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool cookies on racks and decorate with Easy Icing!

Easy Icing
In a medium bowl, stir 2 cups confectioners' sugar with 3 tbsp melted butter and 3 tbsp milk. 
Thicken by adding more confectioners' sugar or thin with drops of water.

Enjoy your cookies and tune in tomorrow for some great ideas for Valentine's gifts!

Valentine's Day Inspiration: Handmade Valentine's Cards

Hello Fans!

We're gearing up for Valentine's Day this week and have a lot of inspiration to send your way! Check back with us each day this week for more ideas we have in store for you for your Valentine's Day!

Today, I would love to share some ideas for Valentine's Day card making! I have posted up some pictures of a couple cards I made this week that were super cute and really easy to make! If you are like me and have a ton of scrapbook paper stored away, then this project is the perfect project for you! You could also plan a card making party and have all your girlfriends over to join in the fun!

Here is a photo of the 3 Valentine's Cards I made!

"Be Mine"

"HOO loves you?"

"I Whaley Love You" 

(This one is my favorite!!)

I hope you all have a chance to make some adorable valentine's day cards this holiday season! Good luck and let us know how it goes!! Don't forget to drop by again tomorrow for some Valentine's Day Cookie Decorating inspiration!