Secret Squirrel

Good Morning!

I hope you are having a
lovely Saturday.

Right now I am loving
Secret Squirrel's
Spring 2012 Collection.

Have a Breezy...

Weekend!

Created by: Ekaterina Trukhan

Paper Daffodil

Want to know what you need
to make this super easy daffodil...

All you need is...

Two colors of tissue paper

Scissors

tooth picks

Glue Stick

Just cut the tissue paper into petals and leaves
and glue them onto the tooth picks!

I added my paper flower
as a little wrapping embellishment
to my Vanilla Extract
I posted about yesterday.

Chocolate Lavender Pie

I am so happy

that it is Friday!

Ah, the awaited weekend

is almost here.

This weekend

I have some baking

that needs to be done

and I'm thinking

of making this...

Chocolate Lavender Pie

Via This is Glamorous

Vanilla Extract DIY

I have another fun DIY
that would be a great gift
for Valentines Day!

Homemade Vanilla Extract

 
Here's what you do...


1. Split 1 whole vanilla bean in half down the center.
 

2. Add the vanilla bean to a glass jar that will seal tightly.

 

3. Add 1/3 cup Vodka.

 

4. Seal tightly and let sit for 6 months! 

Mine will be done just in time for Fall Season baking!

Alt Video #2

 Tiger in a Jar
has created another
lovely video!

And if you look closely,
you can see Carrie and I
learning the tricks of
still-life photography from
House of Brinson!

What Alt Summit feels like.

From ALT Summit on Vimeo.

Oh My Dear Handmades

Love this
Valentines Card
created by...

Oh My Dear

It's just another super cute card
to give to your loved ones!

My Birthday!

Guess what I woke up to

this morning...

A wonderful

Birthday surprise!

And YES...

that's a sewing machine

I got for my Birthday!

Be expecting lots of

fun and inspirational projects

coming soon!

Raspberry Lemonade

Here's a drink you can surprise

your loved ones with!

 Raspberry Lemonade 

1 cup raspberries

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup lemon juice

2 cups water

1. Mull the raspberries and the sugar together.

2. Add the lemon juice and the water.

3. Voila! Serve chilled...and with a rim of colored sugar on your glass!

Raspberries truly are one of my favorites!

Bespoke Letterpress

I love these
note cards and tags
created by...

Bespoke Letterpress

And I just love how

the tags have this

"early 20th Century vibe"!

Laura George

I have another

Valentine Inspired Post

for you today!

How sweet would it be

to give (or receive)

one of these

Valentine's cards

this year...

And they are so reasonably priced...

Only $4 for a greeting card!

Created by Laura George.

Vanilla Latte Cupcakes

Two of my

favorite things are...

Lattes

&

Cupcakes

So why not

put them together

for a Valentine Treat!

Vanilla Latte Cupcake

Batter:

1 cup flour

1/4 cup ground almond meal

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup whole milk

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter (softened)

2 cups confectioners sugar

2 tbsp half & half creamer

1 vanilla bean

1/2 tbsp instant espresso powder (such as Starbucks Via)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, combine the milk and the cider vinegar. Set aside for 5 minutes. This will allow the mix to curdle slightly (don't worry, that's completely normal...and believe me, you won't be able to taste it!)

3. In a large bowl, mix flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Mix the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract into the curdled milk.

5. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together then fill your cupcake liners 2/3 full. 

6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a rack and cool completely before frosting.

7. For the frosting: On high speed, beat the butter, sugar, and creamer together until smooth. 

8. Split the vanilla bean lengthways down the center and, with a knife, scrape out all the vanilla seeds. Add those seeds to the frosting mix.

9. Add the instant espresso and beat all together until creamy.

10. Frost your cupcakes and ENJOY!

Sunday Morning Breakfast

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!!

Since we'll be eating

"man food"

the rest of the day...

I thought I would make

a yummy Quiche

with some fresh fruit

for Breakfast.

Confetti Bangle

I hope your
Saturday morning
was as relaxing
as mine was!

I love lazy weekends.

So lets celebrate
this lazy Saturday
with some confetti...

A Confetti Bangle
created by...

Kate Spade

Let's Stick Together

How cute are these

hand carved chalk pieces!

Just perfect to write

little love notes

on a chalk board!

Created by: Somethings Hidden In There

Valentine Violet DIY

There is something about Violets
that just say...

"I Love You".

I think it's because
when I see them
everything just seems
a bit sweeter.

So here is a fun and
 SUPER EASY...

DIY for
Valentine's Day.

 Here is what you need...

1 hole punch
scissors
twine
card punch (in what ever shape you like)
2 pieces of paper
1 paper lunch sac
1 potted violet


Step 1...

With the paper bag still closed,
cut the paper bag to the desired height.
Then cut rounds onto the top of the bag.


Step 2...

With your hole punch,
punch 6 holes into the top of the bag
(evenly spaced).


 Step 3...

Open the paper bag then loop twine through the holes punched.


Step 4...

 Tie the ends of the twine together,
adding your customized paper cut-outs
(so you can write a special note).


Step 5...

 Add the beautiful violet!

This is such a sweet gift
to give to a neighbor on
Valentine's Day.

The Mood of Alt Summit

I have had a lot of people ask me what the

Alt Summit conference was like.

Well, here is a little video

made by Tiger in a Jar

to give you a taste

of what it was like!

Plus...

I'm in the video at

the very end!

The mood of Alt Summit from ALT Summit on Vimeo.

Happy Groundhog Day

Did the groundhog see his shadow?...

Unfortunately, he did.

That means

six more weeks

of winter.

But if you live

in the beautiful 

state of Montana

(where I do)...

Then you know that

on average,

winter lasts until

late April early May

for us anyways.

Envelope Clutch

I am dying for a
Envelope Clutch!

And I love this one from...

YES STYLE

Valentine's Outfit

I've got Valentine's Day
on my mind.

In particular,
my Valentine's Day outfit!

A girls gotta look cute
when she goes out for dinner.

Here is what I'm thinking...

These shorts...

With one of these tops...

But which one do you think

I should choose?

Let me know your thoughts!

Clothing Via: Ruche

True Love in Pictures

Have you seen ...

True Love In Pictures?

If you haven't then you must
jump on over there
and take a look.

Created by Tiffany & Co. ...

It's a gallery of
true love moments
captured  in photos.

Such a sweet start
to this February 1st. 

I think I am going to
upload a photo
onto their site
right now!

Farmhouse Chowder

I was really inspired after my

Brook Farm General Store post today.

So I kept with the farm theme

and made this...

 

Farmhouse Chowder

 

 

Farmhouse Chowder

Adapted from Martha Stewart

 

1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds)
1 large onion

3 carrots

4 stems fresh flat-leaf parsley

10 whole pink peppercorns

2 tbsp chicken bouillon
2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 small rutabaga, diced

4 ounces parsnip, diced

Coarse salt

Ground pepper

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 tbsp fresh sage
1/2 cup heavy cream
Oyster Crackers for a garnish

  

 

1. To make the homemade chicken stock: Place chicken, breast side down, in a large pot. Add enough water to just cover chicken. Add 1/2 of the onion (whole), 1 carrot (halved), parsley, bouillon, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, partially covered. Reduce heat, and simmer gently for 1 hour. 

 

2. Remove chicken, and let cool. Strain broth through a fine sieve, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes to reduce and intensify flavor. 

 

3. Shred chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding bones and skin. 

 

4. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the other halve of the onion (chopped), the rest of the carrots (diced), rutabaga, and parsnips, and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, & sage.

 

5. Stir in flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in reserved chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until root vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. 

 

6. Stir in reserved chicken and the cream, and heat until warmed through, about 1 minute. Serve warm with oyster crackers

Brook Farm General Store

I just love
these items from...

Brook Farm General Store

I can just picture myself
in the kitchen of my dreams
wearing this...

along with wearing these...

Reading this for cooking inspiration...

Cooking a fabulous meal using this...

And these...

And a kitchen isn't complete

without some lovely twine...

And awesome scissors...