Dr. Seuss Cookies

We had a birthday party for Dr. Seuss back at the beginning of March. I actually found these cookies online and then decided to make my own twist on them... mostly because my cookies broke when I tried to make the lollipop roll, but let's just say I really wanted to get creative.

Make your favorite sugar cookie recipe and split the dough into 5 balls. Dye each ball of dough a different color... I used neon food coloring and loved how they turned out.

Then take a bit from each ball and roll those five colors into their own ball. Place them on your baking pan like this:  

And bam! You've got stinkin' cute cookies! Our whole group loved them and none of us are under the age of 5, so I could imagine kids would enjoy them as well. :)

Enjoy your baking experiences!

-Steph

On a Personal Note ~ The Vow

Mushy love --- I love it, sometimes.

And yesterday was one of those times.

We saw "The Vow" yesterday and loved it!

Number one: It's a true story. Enough said.

Number two: Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams. My faves. Together.

Number three: The home decor was awesome.

 Look at those lighting fixtures!

apartment therapy

 apartment therapy

apartment therapy

This is by far my favorite part of the home! I love the use of color, the open shelving, and the island that serves as a table as well.

Do you ever get ideas from movie decor?


-Steph

On a Personal Note: Cookies

So technically, I'm not a pro.

That's for sure.

But I'm trying something new.

So maybe for Valentine's Day, I'll get more creative because it will be my second round.

Stylish Hardware

We have a design question from one of my favorite people ever!

My mother-in-law, Nancy, has been crafty and creative.

She has been remodeling their beautiful home and is now working on the kitchen.

Here's here email:

"I just had the best weekend for DIY- I painted the island cabinetry and it turned out fabulous.  I cleaned and sanded the old antique cabinet, then painted the whole thing including the new cabinets on the backside in red.  Then I waxed areas that I didn’t want to paint over and painted the whole cabinet black.  The black had just a touch of blue in it, so in some light it looks super dark navy.  The red came through in spots and I LOVE IT!  I know what you are thinking, did I take pictures, sorry no, I just didn’t think about it until I was done.

But I have a question: The other cabinets in the room are going to be red mahogany color and I was going to use black hardware; do I have to use black hardware on the island too?"

pin

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My answer is NO. :) I recommend using different hardware. You could even get some vintage or antique hardware for the black cabinetry. In the two images above, the hardware on the island differs from the hardware on the other cabinets. We love variety!

P.S. In my search for images, I fell in love with this color:

better homes

Dreaming of a White Kitchen

With Thanksgiving and Christmas approaching I can't stop thinking of all the things I want to cook, which has me thinking about kitchens.

Here are a *few* kitchen pictures I've saved for that someday when I'm no longer renting and can have my dream kitchen. You might notice some common themes.


this is Ikea if you can believe it







knight moves



My dream kitchen wish list:

1. white cabinets
(although that one with grey cabinets and a white island has got me thinking)
2. a dark contrast... maybe the island
3. dark wood floors.
not tile. and maybe not as practical, but it's MY dream kitchen
4. subway tile.
maybe in a chevron pattern. have you seen that? it's amazing!
5. tons of natural light!


***sorry not many sources... i accept terrible blogger award***

Chicken-Lickin' Tortilla Soup!

Tip for the Day - Clean a little.

Do you feel that?

It's the urge to clean!

Spring cleaning is right around the corner - at least that's what the weatherman says.

But... get this!

A friend of mine said that she built a snowman on the 4th of July!

Yes, people, that is my town...

My aforementioned friend is 80, and it snowed one year on July 4th when she was a little girl - but still! That was a long time ago, sure, but it shouldn't even be possible.

We are in the midst of "the move" this week, so things are a bit hectic.

I will delve into details later in the week,

but for now, you should enjoy this soup recipe.

We made it over the weekend, and I am in love!

My hubby's friend provided the recipe here.

Ingredients

2 organic boneless chicken breasts (season both sides with lemon pepper)

1 yellow onion chopped chunky

4 cloves minced garlic

1 T olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin

juice from one lime

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 (32 oz) box organic chicken stock

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained & rinsed

2 cups fresh/frozen corn kernels

salt & pepper (generous to taste)

garnish:

fresh cilantro

sliced avocado

crushed blue corn tortilla chips

shredded pepper jack cheese (optional)

Directions

grill chicken breasts seasoned with lemon pepper (on both sides) on a gas/electric grill until cooked through. let chicken rest on a cutting board while you assemble the soup. In a large soup pot, combine olive oil, garlic, and onion. Saute on medium heat until onions are almost translucent. Add all other ingredients (except those for garnishing) and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until ready to serve. Tear cooled chicken with a fork or your fingers and add to soup. Top with fresh cilantro, avocado, tortilla chips, and/or cheese. *don't add sour cream - this dilutes all the flavors in the soup!

Enjoy! I'll be back soon...

First of the Tips

I'm starting something new.

A TIP OF THE DAY!

So today's tip:

Tap into your inner child when designing!

We just watched "The Cat in the Hat" and I L-O-V-E-D the set!

Just take a gander:

Oh the colors and the glass uppers!

I'm a personal fan of dining chairs in multiple colors.

Who needs matchy matchy?

Do you see that wallpaper?

These super tall chairs probably made the biggest impression.

I couldn't stop talking about them through the movie!

(yes, I'm a design nerd -and a math nerd, if you must know)

The house after things went a little crazy:

And who doesn't want this cool ride?

For more photos, click here.

What childhood design would you use?

A Glimpse Into the Future

Kitchens Galore!

House Beautiful posted these amazingly colorful kitchens!

What do you think of the open shelving in this kitchen?

Introducing another color for the interior of the cabinets is a great way to spice up your kitchen.

Notice the open slots for plates near the back of the kitchen in this one:

I am a big fan of the details on the cabinetry:

This kitchen ceiling is beautiful!

I just wouldn't have accentuated the hood as shown...

Again with the accent color in the cabinets...

and notice the reeded glass!

I could totally see my wonderful friend, Risa, cooking away in this kitchen:

This kitchen has some surprising architectural elements.

Look at that awkward near the corner; what would you put in that thing?

More interesting architectural elements:

Photographers are amazing, aren't they?

You almost don't notice how high the ceiling is in this kitchen!

And now...

for my favorite kitchen of the group...

I'm a fan of pot-racks, I love the accent tile in the backsplash,

I would KILL to have a dishwasher right now, the island is somewhat heavenly,

every kitchen needs windows above the sink...

and who doesn't have blue antique candlesticks on their island?