Raspberry Marble Cake

 Bake a white cake, following directions on box. Cut the top off to make a pourous, flat surface.

Puncture holes into cake with fork or skewer for the jello mix to bleed through.

 Boil one cup water and mix in one 3oz. packet jello mix. Wisk for 2 minutes or until completely dissolved.

 Pour jello mixture evenly over cake, allowing the jello to seep into the pores of the cake.

Cool in refrigerator for at least one hour before frosting.

Turn pan over and release cake onto a cake plate.

 Frost with Buttercream Frosting.

Don't worry about making the frosting perfect. A messy frost will give it a garden chic look.

 Decorate with fresh raspberries and mint leaves. Enjoy!

Hint: Try this cake for Easter, or use lime jello for St. Patrick's Day!



Easy Cheesy Valentine's Day!

What is more romantic than fondue on Valentine's Day? Let me answer that for you-"nothing". It's the perfect excuse to get up close and messy with your Valentine(whether it be your lover or your kids). This oh-so-scrumptious indulgence is the weakness of anyone with taste buds. So pull out one of the ten fondue pots you received as wedding gifts and break it in! This simple 5 ingredient fondue recipe will melt your sweetheart right into your arms.



Cheese Fondue

1 clove garlic, minced

1 lb. shredded Gruyere cheese

3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Toss the cheese with the flour. Combine minced garlic and wine in medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and slowly add the cheese mixture, one handful at a time. Stir in the nutmeg.
Stir over low heat until smooth and cheese is melted and bubbling. Transfer the cheese mixture to a fondue pot and you are ready for dipping.
Use french bread, sausage, apples for dipping. YUM!

Chocolate Fondue

1 lb. premium semisweet chocolate, well chopped

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 tsp real vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan over low heat bring the cream and vanilla to a simmer. Slowly add the chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is melted. Transfer the mixture to a fondue pot and you're ready for dessert!

Use strawberries, cherries, oranges, cheesecake bites, and cubed angel food cake for dipping. Enjoy!!

 

Photo credits: Nugget Market and Indy Posted

Cottage Guest Room

It's important to have a consistent style, but that doesn't mean your whole house has to look the same. Change it up, but be sure to keep a base of similar elements. These elements can be a color, a natural stone or wood, or a metal. In my own home, my consistent element is mirror. I have at least one mirrored piece in every room. This element gives me the wiggle room to play with different styles, from cottage to contemporary, to get the overall look and feel I am looking for. This cottage room started with an antique wing back chair, passed down through my husband's family. I tied it in with several elements found throughout my house, starting with a mirror-framed painting.

This sconce has a mirrored backing and works to tie in wrought iron and black as well.

 Glass elements mimic the reflection of mirror and make the room feel larger.

 Chrome works perfectly as a mirrored element.

 I printed baby pictures of my husband to hang in the room for a homey feel.

The Shoe Closet

The Mission:

 The Inspiration:

 The Weapon:

 The Execution:

 The Result:

I decorate for me. No one else, but me. I choose the things I like and the things that make me happy. Although it may seem like a waste of time to most to paint a closet, it is something I see at least twice a day, and it just brightens my day to pull my shoes out of a giant Tiffany's box! My feet have not grown since I was 11 years old, so over the years I have collected (*a-hem*) a few shoes..... Some of these shoes are 10 years old! Either way, I love them and wear every single pair!

The closet came about when we were newlyweds, with 2 linen closets and no linens! We had 2 towels, 1 set of sheets on each bed, and just not enough closet space. For our one year anniversary in our condo, my wonderful husband built me a shoe closet. When we moved to a larger house, I moved to a larger shoe closet! The closet has become a focal point on our house tour, and it cracks me up to see men's reactions to it! The men love it more than the women, and my husband LOVES showing it off!!

I had the idea to paint the shoe closet when we moved in, but I had many more priorities to take care of. When I found a can of "oops paint" for $5 in the exact color I wanted last weekend, I knew it was a sign that it had to be done! "Oops paint" is paint at hardware stores that were custom mixed for a customer, but the customer decided against it. They then sell them for a deeply discounted price, as low as $1!! They always have fun colors and it's a great option if you're not trying to match something exactly, or not in a hurry for a certain color.

My Big Girl Bed

Today is delivery day for my "Big Girl Bed" (king size!). This beautiful piece of furniture is the Bedford Sleigh Bed from the Aspen line. I am so attracted to the scrolls on the headboard, and I can't wait to have it to finish off our master bedroom!

After years of setting my phone, books, magazines, etc, on the floor, we are finally getting nightstands! They have a built in nightlight and a breakfast tray.

 The dresser has a built-in jewelry box in one of the drawers, and are all cedar lined.

A bedroom set is one of the biggest investments you should make in your home. Although you need to pay for quality, there are simple ways to make the most of your investment.

First, compare prices. I found this set for 65% less than what I originally saw it for in my local furniture store. In addition, I asked the salesman to work with me on the pricing, and got and extra 5% off. If you would prefer to buy it at a specific store out of loyalty, get a quote from another store in writing, and any store will honor it.

Second, don't be afraid to ask for free delivery! This is the easiest money you'll ever save, because most stores are more than willing to offer free delivery to ensure a sale. Remember-it never hurts to ask!

This may seem like a lot of work to shop around, but remember grandpa's old saying, "A penny saved is a penny earned"? When was the last time someone paid you $3670 to shop? Exactly.

Design Your Valentine

 I just died when I saw these adorable Valentine chocolates by 'Love in Chocolate' on Rue La La! They are so original, yet would be SO easy to make!

 Mix drizzle and confetti sprinkles to make an intricate display.

 Cover everything from fruit to graham crackers for the big day of love. Just heat melting chocolate in a sauce pan on low heat, dip, and lay on wax paper! SO EASY!

 Fortune cookies are a breeze to dip!

Craigslist Find- Bassett Bookcase

Did I mention I love Craigslist? That's an understatement. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Craigslist! Last weekend I saw this bookcase and fell in LOVE... The piece was from Bassett furniture, and the man selling it thinks his wife paid about $1,000 for it. Well, I'm pretty sure his wife was pulling the wool over his eyes, because anything similar would run about $3-4,000 at Bassett. He was asking $275 for it, but knowing me... I gave him $150 and not only did he deliver it to my door, but he carried it into the room for me!!

 I found a gorgeous model for this next picture.... ;) Just kidding, it's my husband.

 We moved the compass to the window and it looks really neat as you drive up! I pulled an ottoman from one of the bedrooms to cover a little of our cheap ikea desk we are still looking replace...but as long as we have one beautiful piece of furniture in the office, the rest can wait!