Author Archive

Posted on November 19, 2010 - by Brie

My Favorite Cookie Cutters

In honor of the fact that Oprah is having her ‘Favorite Things’ episode today I figured that I would round up something a little smaller – some of my favorite cookie cutters – for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Obviously at least one of the above does not require actual baking and while I really do love to mix, roll out, cut, bake and decorate there are times that I only want to decorate. So skipping steps is just fine in my book!

clockwise from top left: pre-baked gingerbread tree kit $10; copper elf cookie cutter $9.75; owl cookie cutter $16.50; bear in stocking cookie cutter $35; star wars cookie cutters (set of 4) $20; squirrel cookie cutter $13; christmas roll and cut cookie cutter $8

I also found these lovely cookie baking pans…so you can mix, bake and decorate without the hassle of having to grab the rolling pins and cookie cutters! I really love these and honestly tend to prefer them when baking since so many times sugar cookies can spread so easily on just a sheet pan.

left to right: christmas cookie pan $12; snowflake cookie pan $13

Finally, in case you just can’t find a cookie cutter to your specific liking…or you just have a fabulous idea for a cookie cutter you can have your own copper cookie cutter made from Copper Cutters!

Cheers to holiday baking!

Posted on November 16, 2010 - by Brie

PUMPKIN BUTTER DESSERT SQUARES

I have made these dessert squares for Thanksgiving for the past I-don’t-know-how-many-years and they are absolutely delicious (and super easy). I usually don’t even like pumpkin that much…but these are amazing! I use the Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter and usually run out at the last minute and grab some from Williams-Sonoma or if you have time you can order it from the Muirhead website. Enjoy!

Pecan Pumpkin Butter Dessert Squares

1 Package yellow cake mix; set aside one cup
1/2 C Melted Butter
3 Large Eggs
1 Jar Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter
2 T Milk
1 T Flour
2 T Sugar
1/4 C Softened Butter
1 t Cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Divide the yellow cake mix, placing all but one cup in a mixing bowl. Stir the melted butter and one egg into the cake mix. Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9×13” pan. Mix the jar of Pecan Pumpkin Butter with two eggs and milk. Pour this result over the cake mix. Stire the reserved cup of cake mix with the flour, sugar, softened butter and cinnamon. Mix together until crumbly. Sprinkle over top of the pumpkin layer. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Serves approx 24.

Finally, if you are looking for a great hostess gift for an autumn treat you can even give the ingredients or the actual dessert squares in this lovely baker from Crate & Barrel.

Posted on November 10, 2010 - by Brie

perfect postcards

So I am sure everyone else probably knows about this site but I just found it and these fabulous postcards. The Felt & Wire Shop is a curated marketplace of designer papergoods. They have note cards, stationery, posters, invitations, etc from lots of different vendors…It’s like Etsy – except only for papergoods. It is my new heaven!

I am particularly in love with the postcards pictured above… BIG, GRAPHIC, SIMPLE & FUN. Everything a postcard should be just to let someone know you are thinking about them. So since I will be ordering some of these…who wants a postcard?

Posted on November 3, 2010 - by Brie

Glowing Planters

These planters from Rotoluxe are so cool. Not only are they made out of 100% recycled plastics – like water bottles and milk jugs – but they glow and are oh so exciting. You can order them in lots of sizes, shapes and colors – in case a custom pantone color  is more of what you are looking for. Plus how fun would it be to have these lighting up your backyard for a party – I understand we are in the middle of fall, however, it is currently really hot in orange county so I thinking of pools. Also, a backyard party is not the only option…

Another Option One – Thanksgiving is coming and having a few in a cluster by your front door accompanied by pumpkins and scarecrows would definitely be inviting to your guests as they arrive for dinner.

Another Option Two – These would probably be really cool in red and white with pine trees in them lining your driveway for a Christmas party. Just thinking of that makes me want to have a really long driveway and lots of Christmas parties.

At any rate – amazing planters…They are going on my Christmas Wish List.

Posted on October 15, 2010 - by Brie

BookBook Mac Book Covers

I always like to keep a running list of possible gift items for birthdays, Christmas and anniversaries – since it aways seems that I can never think of a gift to give when it is actually necessary to give one. Here is my latest addition to this list… the BookBook Hardback Leather Case for the MacBookPro from TwelveSouth. Love, love, love. Now the question is who will receive such a fabulous gift?

Posted on September 23, 2010 - by Brie

Masking Tape Gift Ribbon

I could gift wrap presents all day long. No joke. However, since I have to do other things occasionally I  have to limit myself. Despite my vast hoarding of different types of ribbon I didn’t feel like I had one that would really fit this plain (but fun) teal paper. So out came masking tape, scissors and a teal sharpie! I taped the big strip of masking tape around the present and then wrote the ‘Happy Birthday’ song on the tape with the sharpie. I cut another long strip of masking tape in half  - taping one half down and writing the birthday song again and then the same with the other. Finally I needed to make the bow… So I cut seven pieces of tape and diagonally trimmed the ends so that I could fold the strip in half and then tape the ends together (making sure to leave a little tape exposed to connect it to the other bow pieces). The last piece I twisted around for the center of the bow. Oh!… and before connecting the ends I wrote ‘Happy Birthday’ on each piece.

This was seriously one of my favorite presents to wrap – and I just love that I got to use cost effective resources to make something fun – instead of my normal ribbon expense!

Posted on September 20, 2010 - by Brie

Living Room Campout

Scott’s Dad gave us a tent for Christmas last year and since I am not always big on camping… (there is always way too much work packing and unpacking)…and we had not set the tent up before I decided we would go camping in the living room! Although I am obviously not the first person to do this I did give myself a pat on the back after setting up the tent (all on my own) and not breaking anything in the room (since the tent literally took up at least ninety percent of the space).

For dinner we had a baked potato bar (you eat those on a campout, right?) which included butter, sour cream, cheese, broccoli, and chili. However, my favorite part of the evening was making s’mores (without the campfire)!! Thanks to my Betty Crocker iPhone app for this recipe.

Ingredients
1 Pouch Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
1C Graham Cracker Crumbs (Cinnamon or Regular)
1C Melted Butter
3C Milk Chocolate Chips (18oz)
4 1/2C Mini Marshmellows (10.5oz)

Preheat oven to 375.
Combine cookie mix and crumbs then add melted butter.
Press mixture into ungreased 9×13 glass pan.
Bake 18-20 min.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
Let them begin to melt (about 3-5 min) and then spread evenly over crust.
Sprinkle marshmellows over chocolate.
Turn oven to broil.
Place pan back into oven for 20-30 SECONDS until marshmellows are toasted. (I watched it the entire time to make sure it didn’t go to quickly)
Remove from oven and cool 10 min – Serve warm!

(While it says to serve warm – It is also delicious at room temp)

It was so fun to campout in the living room…And the best part of the night was being able to sleep in our comfy bed when we decided to fall asleep! (Maybe one day soon I will actually let us try the tent in the good ol’ outdoors!)

Posted on June 2, 2010 - by Brie

craft: chocolate bar wrappers

this post is a little late after the event. but hey. so my sister is getting married in eighteen days (aack!) and so in april when everyone was around we had a little bridal shower. i was put in charge of favors – and given that the majority of women in my family are addicted to chocolate – i thought what better than chocolate as a favor!

so i ran (yes ran ) over and picked up some hershey’s bars (you have to get the bigger bars because the smaller ones are wrapped in plastic instead of foil). after carefully removing the wrappers i set up the layout in publisher and got to work designing. then i was off to the copy store to make multiple copies (i was not going to deplete my printer ink). and finally used double sided tape to secure the wrapper ends.

i was so pleased with how these turned out. and i definitely think that i will be using these for future showers and gifts

Posted on June 2, 2010 - by Brie

collect: swizzle sticks!

well since summer has finally arrived and iced drinks are always refreshing in the heat i have decided that swizzle sticks are the thing i am going to collect this summer. i am so excited to have swizzle sticks from all the different restaurants and places we go during the summer. what a cute reminder of all the fun we will have!

(p.s. i am way too sentimental. haha.)

Posted on May 18, 2010 - by Brie

super cute letterpress

i love love love cute letterpress. and the cards from copper willow super cute. copper willow started in 2006 when two friends wanted to be able to work and raise their own kids. not only does copper willow treasure family but they also are super green and make some awesome products that don’t hurt the environment. which makes you feel even better to send a card. two new lines of cards are even made from recycled cotton t-shirts! go check them out. and for those of you in the la area…they are in culver city