Monday, December 31, 2012

Ummm yeah...

So I've been enjoying my vacation. Maybe a little too much. I'm dealing with some family stuff so I got nothing today but I'll be back Wednesday with a little vacay recap. 

Happy New Year!



Monday, December 17, 2012

A Heavy Heart...

I cannot stop myself from keeping up with the coverage. 
As sad as it is I have repeatedly looked at pictures of the victims.
Children who should never have had their lives end in such a heinous way.

The teachers and administrators who died trying to protect their students
 with no regard for their own life.

My heart is truly broken.





Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Juicing...

So the boyfriend bought a juicer a couple months ago and since then he drinks juice about 4 times a week. He doesn't really like a lot of vegetables and definitely doesn't eat enough fruit. So we figured this was the best way to make sure both of us is getting what we need.

We have tried a bunch of different concoctions but I generally make the same one all the time. 

We'll call it the Lean Green Juice. 



This one doesn't have any of the green vegetables that make you think you're drinking a salad.
During our juicing experiment we have discovered the boyfriend is pretty allergic to Kale. Random. 
So I like to stick with this one.

It's just a couple handfuls of spinach, two carrots, and 3 small apples. 

For more of the green color throw in some more spinach. I swear you cannot taste the spinach at all. The apple really sweetens it up.

I have also tried apple and carrot together and it's really good. Or orange and carrot. The boyfriend is worried we're going to turn orange because I use carrot in everything!







Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Tuesday Topics: 6 Instagram Pictures

Hello!

It's another Tuesday for Tuesday Topics and this time it is 6 Instagram pictures. 
I kind of jumped on this train late and still reach for the iPhone camera rather than the Instagram app but I've compiled 6 of my favorites!



I just got these slippers from Bath and Body Works and I looove them. I asked for them for Christmas but I couldn't help myself. It finally feels like winter around here so I needed to keep my tootsies warm!



Buster and Ripley like to snuggle sometimes.


Or Ripley likes to hog the bed for himself! No joke I got up to get ready came back in the bedroom and he was laying in my spot.


Yummy green tea in my favorite new travel mug. 


I got some of my first actual mail orders on my Etsy store so I made these cute little inserts!

Last but not least my favorite picture so far.


All the green is my vacation days! Yay 18 days off!!

Feel free to follow me on Instagram: onecraftycupcake


Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree...

I was pretty behind in the decorations department this year. Usually my tree is up before Thanksgiving. I know I'm one of those people. But this year it didn't make it up until November 28th...then wasn't decorated until like the 30th. Like I was I was WAAAY behind.

For some reason this year I hate all my ornaments. Don't ask me why they just look like chaos to me. 


The ornaments are still there but when the tree is not lit I hate them. My lights are also all kinds of crazy but that's okay. I decided to not wind them this year and instead just draped them up and down. I also added red. We usually only use white. But I love that it finally feels like Christmas.

My favorite decorations this year?

I love these little birds. I picked them up at Target last year at the after Christmas sales. I feel like they definitely need names. Penelope and Stan perhaps? 

They just hang out on my toaster oven and I love them. 


On another note Roxy apparently hates reindeer. This was proven by her attacking a neighbor's yard decorations. Straight up growling/attack bite status on that poor baby reindeer. Thankfully I snatched her back before she was able to latch on. 

What is your favorite Christmas decoration this year or every year?


Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Tuesday Topics: 5 Recipes!

Hello Hello! It's another week of Tuesday Topics and today it's 5 recipes.

These are all Pinterest recipes that I have SUCCESSFULLY made...I say successfully because every once in awhile there is that Pinterest fail.


1. Mini Chocolate Chip Puffins
via: Baker Girl
They're like chocolate chip pancakes but in muffin form. They even have maple syrup. I'm telling you these little things are amazing and addictive.


2. Chocolate Mint Truffle Cookies
via: Lauren's Latest
These were really good. I used Andes mints because I couldn't find the Mint Truffle Hershey Kisses...they were a little too minty for the boyfriend so I might suggest cutting back a little bit if you have to make the same substitution.

3. Peanut Butter Cookies with Homemade Honey Roasted Peanut Butter
via: Kevin and Amanda
These were so good. I looove this blog she always has such amazing recipes and gets to travel all over the place...color me jealous...

4. Oreo Brownies
Picture via: Cup of Jo
There really isn't a recipe for this. I just made my favorite Ghiradelli Double Chocolate Brownies and just threw oreos in between two layers of batter. So good. Like seriously make these now if you haven't already.

5. Sopapilla Cheesecake
Via: My Yellow Umbrella
I made these when I was craving something super sweet and didn't have any cocoa powder or chocolate chips on hand. They did not disappoint my craving. They're so simple but taste awesome.

In other news...my Christmas tree is up! I also have lights outside...Yay for Christmas! Back with pictures tomorrow.



Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Thanksgiving break...

So my Thanksgiving break was filled with a lot of this:


I feel like I never have time to walk Roxy anymore because it's always dark when I get up and dark when I get home. So I walked her every day over the break to try and make up for my slacking. 


She must not have appreciated the exercise though because on Sunday she did this:


Roasted potatoes and corningware everywhere! Oh yeah and melted butter over my freshly mopped floor. She also ate a huge piece of leftover steak, that I was going to use in a salad... The picture is so blurry from pure anger. She was full of steak and potatoes but spent the night in her kennel.

I did manage to clean a little bit. 
Got around to cleaning our closet but out of shame there is no before picture. 


Imagine not being able to see the floor and all of those shoes under the mess on the floor...
it was pretty bad... 
p.s. I might have a shoe problem. These are only the ones without boxes.
I have about 30 more pairs on the shelf above the clothes... 

So minus losing a dish this break was much needed!




Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Tuesday Topics: Anywhere in the world....

Hello! I'm back a day late but it's okay!

Today's Tuesday Topic is:

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Anywhere in the world? Definitely England. I was born there and would really like to see it! My parents always talk about how much they loved it. It's also where they met...fell in love...got married..and had me! 

Specifically I was born on this base:





I'll be back tomorrow to recap my break! Sunday was just not my day...





Wednesday, November 21, 2012

On break...

So I missed Tuesday Topics yesterday but I'll be back next week. 

It's one of those weeks where life is getting in the way of blogging but it's okay and I'll take it! 

Is it just me or does this feel like the longest week ever even though it's only Wednesday? Students have been gone all week so works been busy catching up on the back end of things. 

I got my side tables yesterday and put them together. I like them but the whole room needs to be finished already! 

Can I just say that I cannot wait to decorate for Christmas?!

SO EXCITED! 

I'll probably be out the rest of the week enjoying my time off from work and school. But I'll be back on Monday!

Happy Thanksgiving!


p.s. I really want Santa to bring me this.... 


I'll settle for a extremely less expensive version though!

Oh and I just discovered a really cute blog! The Dime Diary check her out, I really like the outfits she puts together and her daughter is soooo adorable!



Thursday, November 15, 2012

Finally Focused....

So last week I talked about how I usually just bounce around from project to project and quickly lose interest in the one I'm working on. Well I'm here to say I have finally found some focus. I decided to focus on my master bedroom and it's actually working. 

I bought the biggest fluffiest comforter I could find and couldn't be any happier with it. 

Via: Overstock
It's definitely oversized. The boyfriend thinks it might be too big...like that's possible. It's super fluffy and I love it. Yes it's white and yes I have dogs but I came up with a solution for that too. I bought a nice soft blanket to cover it when we're sleeping and the dogs are on the bed. That way it's easy to throw in the wash and it protects the white comforter. 


Via: World Market
I got two of these accent tables to use as night stands. I've been looking everywhere for some affordable options and these are just what I wanted. They match the other table in the room and they're small since we don't have a lot of space on either side of the bed. 

The lamps I currently have may be too big and might not go with the rest of the room. So I might have to replace them which makes me sad since I love them so much. I also need some accent pillows, new curtains, and some art. But I'm making progress and that's all that matters!


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Tuesday Topics: Blog Identity

Hello Hello! Today is the second Tuesday Topics and it's all about blogging!



What is your blog about?
Pretty much whatever floats into my head. I mainly started it as a way to share projects I've completed but it's definitely become more about just life in general.

Why did you start blogging?
The money duh! Just kidding. If I was doing this for the money I'd be in huge trouble right now. I've been reading blogs for a few years now and finally decided to do one myself. I also saw it as a way to promote my Etsy store (24 sales so far!). 

What's something your readers know about you?
They know that I have 3 dogs and a boyfriend. 

What can't you live without?
The boyfriend, the previously mentioned 3 dogs, family, friends, hello kitty, and cupcake stuff!

What inspires your blog posts?
Really anything I'm doing. Sometimes I'll make something for dinner and be like I should put this on the blog. Or if I see cool projects on pinterest that I want to share.

What do you do when you feel uncreative?
Fall off the radar. Well that happens when I'm just busy with school too. But for the most part I don't try to force anything I'm doing this for fun so I figure it can wait.

How has blogging changed you?
Ehh nothing's really changed. I feel guilty about taking pictures with my iPhone instead of whipping out the Canon Rebel. Sometimes I feel a little pressure especially when I talk about all these cool things I want to do and nothing comes from it. But hey that happens sometimes.

What advice do you have for new bloggers?
Don't worry about the numbers. Yes it's still exciting to have a new comment or a new follower but don't stress about getting them. I have 31 lovely followers! I'm glad they're here and I'm not gonna freak out on how I can get more. 

What blogs inspire you?
I tend to read more crafting blogs. One of the first blogs I ever read was Thrifty Decor Chick and I still read her almost 3 years later. I love Lindsay at Better After because she's hilarious and shows you a ton of projects and how you should never pass on an ugly piece of furniture. Katy at Sweet Verbena has some really cute projects and we're around the same age. I also love reading what's going on in Lauren's life at Life.Love.Lauren because I actually know her outside of the blogging world. I seriously frequent a lot of blogs so it's hard just choosing a few. 


And just this has been driving me crazy the past week I will share it...seriously I've done like 10 numbers and it always comes out the same. I know I'm a nerd. 







Monday, November 12, 2012

Let there be....darkness!

We usually keep our house pretty dark. We don't really ever open up blinds or curtains and our room is usually pitch black throughout the day. One thing we could not get around was our back door. The door has a huge window and let in a ton of light into the living room. Usually right onto the TV to create an annoying glare. I always knew I wanted to cover it with some kind of window treatment but just couldn't figure out what to do. I didn't want to drill into the door so I figured it was just something we had to deal with. Until I discovered that there are magnetic curtain rods! 


Via: Lowes
The rods were $13.97 a piece and I needed two. So not the cheapest they could be but it's okay since I saved money in the other part of the project. 

I started looking for curtain panels but all of them were way too long so I would have to hem them up a lot. Then I remembered that some people in blogland were using table cloths as curtains! I headed on over there and picked up a plain brown table cloth that was the exact length I needed. You want to double the width so you can get a good scrunch going on. 

I took everything home and almost got super lucky. The hem on the table cloths was open but a little too small for the rod. Oh well...I pulled out the sewing machine and just folded over the ends to create a rod pocket.  

After I got everything up I was left with this:


Sorry for the crappy picture...it blocks so much light I had to turn on the overhead light. It blocks out so much light, our house is literally dark all day. I've actually been opening the blinds to let a little light in.

The boyfriend loves it...he says I've created the perfect "gaming" environment...he's a nerd.

The dogs have only pulled it down once on top of me. Let me tell you those magnets are heavy duty. 

It was the perfect easy project. Total cost? About $35. The table cloth was only $9 with a coupon. Half the price of a curtain panel and lot less need for adjustments. Plus it will be super simple/cheap if I decide I want to change it out.


Thursday, November 8, 2012

Oh Blogging!

I have really enjoyed blogging these past few months. Little did I realize how much time it takes. 
I have new found respect for all the full-time bloggers I read and love! 
On top of creating the project and meticulously taking pictures then you have to write the post. 
Time consuming. 

I did an easy fix/decorative thing in my living room this last weekend and still have not got around to taking some pictures! It's definitely happening this weekend and I'll have the post out on Monday. 

I always laughed at the idea of me keeping a blog planner but at this point (when I feel like I have nothing to say) it might be a good idea. 


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Tuesday Topics

This Tuesday starts another weekly link-up with Life.Love.Lauren and Austin Family Diary! I really enjoyed the previous link-up am sure I love this one too!


This week is 10 things you would do with a million dollars...

 Pay off my student loans

This would relieve a lot of pressure on me...

Pay off our current house and put what we would pay in mortgage into 
savings for another house...like this!


3. New cars for me and the boyfriend

Tiguan for me...

The boyfriend's favorite car changes every day so he might need a lease...lol


Donate to a local animal rescue...is it weird that if I won one of the big jackpots I would totally open up a pug/german shepherd rescue? 



Invest and Save!
Want to make at least a little bit of it last...

 Go on a few vacations




A million dollars would be nice...
Speaking of which the Powerball is up to 143 million maybe this is a sign I need to play











Friday, November 2, 2012

I'm feeling the itch...

We've been in our house for close to 3 years now and I'm feeling the itch... you know the itch to change EVERYTHING! I cannot go into a room without wanting to change something. My decorating ADD is making it very hard for me to focus on one room. Instead of I'm jumping room to room and not doing anything. Minus cleaning the laundry room. I did do that and believe me it needed it incredibly bad. But I still want to add a new rug put up some new shelving. Maybe a curtain to hide all the supplies. You've heard of people with one track minds mines more like 6 tracks. 

I need to corral this and focus on one room at a time. I think it's going to be our bedroom. 
It's really the only room in the house that has not been decorated. 
How sad is that? I figured no one ever sees our room so what's the point. 
But we see it! Every day. Shouldn't it be a room that we want to go into and relax? 

Here are some of the inspiration pictures I've been looking at

Via: Centsational Girl

Via: Canadian House & Home

Via: House of Turquoise
I'm definitely not painting. Our room is already a nice khaki color so it's not like staring at stark white walls. I think I definitely want a huge fluffy white comforter and definitely some new curtains. I feel like my subconscious is saying I need that mirror, since it appeared in two of the pictures.