When I was a little girl there was a cookie shop at the mall my mom would take me to. My absolute favorite cookie was a chocolate cookie with marshmallow filling and creamy chocolate frosting over the top. They closed down and I have never had anything like it since. I have finally come up with about as close of an adaptation as you can get! Years of perfecting it. Trial and error and I am SO happy with my own personal version!


Meet Prudence...my newest addition (awesome birthday present from the hubby! I am in love!). I placed the following ingredients in the mixer:

• 3/4 cup margerine
• 1/2 cup crisco
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup, heaping unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Mixed till combined then with my mixer on the lowest setting I added in 2 cups of flour.


Preheat your oven to 350. Using a medium sized scoop (I wanted my cookies to be more round but you can drop by the rounded spoonful if you do not have a scoop!) I dropped dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 11 minutes and let cool completely.


When cooled drop a dollop of Marshmallow creme in the center of the cookie. A little goes a long way as it will spread a bit! Then dust lightly with unsweetened cocoa powder.


The gooey-ness of the chocolate chips inside of the cookie makes up for the frosting I loved so much. I had no problem finding taste testers in my home and the hubby who doesn't like sweets was caught sneaking a few! I store them without the fluff and add the marshmallow on before eating! Have a sweet...blessed day!

The much anticipated tooth fairy pillow. Well...anticipated by my sweet love! I started the process in November! NO it will not take you 3 months to make. I am just a procrastinator! I figured I had time started a bit and then the night of BAM. No fuss, no butts no coconuts. This mama finished in the nick of time!


I first started out with sparkly thicker felt that I found at Joanne's craft store. I free handed a tooth shape and then using embossing thread I made the face. Simple. yet cute!






Now this is where I got all technical and stuff...OK. Not really! I laid the tooth out on the fabric to what I thought would be a good size and used my scissors to cut the fabric! I then pinned the tooth into place where I wanted and sewed it on (DON'T forget to back stitch!) leaving the top open to act as a pocket.


I then folded the opposite ends together and stitched (again don't forget to back stitch!). Cutting the edges with my scissors to make the pillow get the pointy edges!


Sew the final portion of your pillow leaving enough space for fingers to make their way to stuffin'! And like a broken record...don't forget to back stitch!



Make sure you have cut your corners and then let your partner in crime fill her up. I just used pillow stuffing from Joanne's. We have a few bags of it we keep on hand for projects. Emily Grace enjoyed being a part of the process.


When the pillow is filled to your liking you are going to do an invisible stitch (tutorial HERE). And your pillow is finished. Because Emily Grace is known for her big hair bows we decided we had to add one to her tooth as well!


I used thread to attach to the tooth and then sealed around with fabric glue so that it would stay in place and not fall off when little fingers tug. Growing up I had my own tooth fairy pillow and now my daughter has one that she helped me make and design. It will be something she can pass on one day. OR recreate the memories with her children! Have a blessed day!

Supplies:
Fabric Christmas Flowers (I got mine at the Dollar Store)
Extra Large Bobby Pin
Felt
Hot Glue Gun
Scissors (Not Shown)



Step 1:
Cut the flower away from the stem and cut two circles out of the felt, large enough to cover the plastic portion of the underside of the flower.



Step 2:
Hot glue on felt circle to the underside of the flower.



Step 3:
Sandwich one half of the bobby pin between the two pieces of felt.  The layers should be flower, felt, 1/2 bobby pin, other piece of felt, other half of bobby pin.  Hot glue the two pieces of felt together.



Step 4:
Marvel at your beautiful hair piece.



This is something that can be worn anywhere from a casual day at home, to the office, or even to a holiday cocktail party.  Stop by Simple Moments Stick and let me know where you wore your flower.  I'd love to see pictures if any of you make one too!

Well here is a tiny glimpse into what I have been doing for my bedroom re-do! I LOVE it! I will tell you a new headboard was NOT in the budget! Even if I was to sell like a ton of stuff around my home it was just not going to be possible! So...I thought outside of the box! I have seen so many great fabric tutorials but wanted something simple. Easy. Something I could do with little to no help from my hubby, cause I dunno about you but if I want to do a project and it involves my husband...he probably is not going to be on board! He is the brainy one...I am the crafty one! We complete each other! This ENTIRE project cost me $53.50 which personally I thought was NOT bad! Especially since ones I were looking at online to buy were going to be a few hundred, on sale!


I found the most awesome person to help me at Lowe's! I was completely thrilled with his customer service and how he went above and beyond! Even dealing with a preggo with NO brain! I swear my brain has VANISHED! HA! Anyhow, I found the 1x4x10 boards. I asked him to cut them to be 53 1/2" per board length wise. This would make it exact for my Queen sized bed! I decided I wanted to really be able to see the boards above my heap of pillows...I am known as the Queen of pillows! I bury myself in them while I sleep! I needed 6 boards to achieve this!



I did have Paul set me up a "staining" station in the garage (so then the kids were asleep, I would have no distractions and we DO live in Oregon...so its raining!) I went with Cabot Wood Stain in Ebony. You will need the smallest can for this project as you will only use about 1/4 of the can! I also bought a sponge at Lowe's. I could have saved $3 by purchasing an entire package of sponges at Target or even Michael's but I wanted to just have everything I needed on hand at once! I wore cleaning gloves that were long. I did 2 coats of the ebony on each board. I wanted the natural color to peak through each board too. I love the look of the knots in the boards. The natural streaks etc. (also before you stain make sure you stain the side that has NO writing on it!). I also chose ebony stain so it would match my new furniture! Which you will see in the reveal!


I let the boards stay as you see above for 24 hours to completely dry! Torture when you want to finish SO badly!!



I wanted EASY to get my clear coat finish. The reason for the finish is so I can wipe if needed! Also then it would seal in the stain and I wouldn't snag blankets etc! I used the cheapest one I could find in a spray can! Double checking it could be used on wood of course! The picture below the spray can looks like I missed as spot with stain but I assure you I did not! I sprayed only one coat over each board (don't forget the sides and ends!) I did leave the unstained back completely bare! Let dry a few hours and you are ready to hang!




I bought 4 packages of the heaviest duty command strips I could find at Target! I should have bought 5 packs as the lower two boards only have 2 on them...the other boards have 3 strips! I stuck my strip up to the board and needed to cut a small portion off the end so wouldn't hang down! I put them about a hands length away from the ends...and then one in the middle, following the directions on the package!



Figure out where you want your first board to start. I wanted it JUST at the top of the bottom pillows I keep on my bed! Use a level on your first board before sticking (as per directions to stick on the package of course!). You will then lay on your other boards directly on top!

For Emily Grace's 3rd party she asked for a Princess party! I agreed, but I need you to know that I am not the traditional go and by a theme at a store kinda mama! I take great pride in the details and I design each and every cake for my children's parties! It brings me joy to watch peoples faces as they step into the party! I also need you to know I have to work on a budget! SO, I have learned to find amazing things at the $1 store or even the $1 section of Michael's! I love me a good deal!


I think I may have mentioned a few billion times that one of my best friends is a photographer! I am VERY spoiled and blessed to have her in my life! She brings such vibrancy and artistic abilities to my life! You can visit Michelle's website at Casual Camera. Her talent is indescribable! You will see many more posts where I share her photography!!

I made the pennants above out of scrapbook paper and used punches to make flower, butterflies and birds to attach. It spelled out Emily Grace. I used strawberry flavored marshmallows dipped in white chocolate and dusted purple sugar sprinkles over top. I also placed a jelly bean in the middle. I had them on a candy stick that I stuck into oasis that was covered with green shredded paper in a white glass dish. Butterflies were placed in various areas around the party.

Party favors were made for boys and girls! Pink bags had fun girly items and blue had...well boy toys! The boys came dressed as princes while the girls donned Princess attire!



I blew up a pool (or shall I say my husband did!) and we made a ball pit in the middle of the party! Pictures were placed in various frames around the tables of my sweet Princess!



I am very proud of how my cake and cupcakes turned out! I drew them out and explained exactly what I was going for. And just like always Ryan nailed it! I always use Ryan or Gus from Lambs Thriftway in Wilsonville! We have a wonderful working relationship now and they get excited for each party to see what I have come up with! I have never been disappointed!



My Princess had a wonderful time and I have such fun pictures to remember the day with! I can hardly believe this party was 2 years ago! Oh how time flies!

I have been M.I.A for the past few days! Sorry guys! I have a shift at Gymboree (not the clothing store but you know the super fun place you can take your kiddos!) and have been training on some stuff so have been completely busy! BUT today is Friday and one thing we love on Friday's is easy meals. Something that takes little to no thought and that the kids can jump in and help with!

Today we are making homemade pizza. I mean entirely from scratch! Please forgive for the horrible photos as I took the pictures when my Canon was still at the camera shop! This camera was HORRIBLE!


My crust recipe you will need a bread machine!

1/2 tsp salt
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp dry yeast
1 cup water
2 Tbsp olive oil

Combine all of the above ingredients into your bread machine. Select the dough setting.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Next up make the sauce!





Open 1 small can of tomato sauce. I prefer Huntz...in my opinion it doesn't have a sharp tin taste! But a trick to counteract that taste is sugar! Anyhow, pour your sauce into the pan and add in a few leaves of fresh basil. I grow some in the garden and a small one inside the house! Next I dump in a small palm full of Italian seasonings, garlic powder, onion powder and some salt and pepper (all combined in your palm that is!) if you rub the Italian seasonings together in the palms of your hands while pouring into the pan it helps crush the seasoning down a bit and also helps bring out the flavors! Heat till low boil then simmer on low till pizza dough is finished in the bread machine.





Once the dough is finished I like to lay it out on my board or pastry mat that is lightly floured. I roll it into a ball and let the kids pound it out. Roll it back into a ball again and then toss it pizza man style into the air and spread on my un-greased pizza stone (Pampered Chef). I then mix a bit of olive oil and a few cloves of minced garlic and spread over my dough.



I then spread the sauce over the top!



We like variety on our pizza! I picked the Bell Pepper from the garden (one of the few things that are growing like crazy!)



I let the kids spread the cheese!


Look over at the baby and make sure she is doing OK!




Let the kids throw the toppings on (sneak in some bites at the same time!)



Bake at 400 about 20 minutes (you will need to lift up the pizza to check the center and make sure its not mushy on the bottom!!

Eat, enjoy, eat some more and open the top button of your jeans!