( Indie ) Pretty Projects

Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookie Dough Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookie Dough

2012-02-23T11:54:00.000-05:00

Hello! I've been taking a little brain-break from writing this week - I think I'm still recovering from all of the Valentine's Day orders in my shop! This week I've been tackling a lot of home projects though - I'll be sharing those with you next week. Today, please enjoy this versatile cookie dough recipe guest post by Amanda Douglas of The Sweet Details.

Hi! It's Amanda from The Sweet Details!

This recipe on it's own isn't thrilling but I love that from this recipe that give you three other wonderfully tasty recipes to use. I love all the options! Stay tuned for all of those (listed below!)

Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 1/2 cups All Purpose or Unbleached Flour

Directions
In large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir in flour until well blended. Divide dough into thirds; cover with plastic wrap.

Use as directed to make Cherry Chocolate Brown Sugar Shortbread Bars, Jam-Filled Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies or Maple Nut Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies.

(I ended up putting some left over icing on these cookies and it made them a good 80% better then plan. Just a tip!)

Check out more of my yummy recipes here!

Reader Question: How Effective Are Etsy Ads?

2012-02-18T13:50:00.002-05:00

In the last month I have given the new Etsy search ads a try, and was quite pleased with the results. I had a reader recognize my work in search result ads - they wrote to me and asked, "how effective are those Etsy ads? Are they worth the money?"

My answer: yes and no. It completely depends on how you use them. I waited so long to try them because of the very negative feedback regarding ads in Etsy forum threads. "A waste of time, " people were saying, "you're better off spending that money on renewing listings."

Then I would do searches on Etsy, and see ads that were completely irrelevant to what I was searching for. What are the chances that I would click on a listing that has nothing to do with what I was searching for? Zero.

That's when I realized that for the most part, search ads weren't working for people for (at least) three reasons:

1. They were promoting too many items
2. They were using too many tags
3. Their tags were largely irrelevant (ties in to reason #2)

So, with Valentine's Day around the corner, I decided to do a very focused, one week, $5 ad run on Etsy. What I did:

1. Limit my promoted items to 4
2. Limit my tags to 5
3. Make sure every tag applies to every item

Focusing my promotion on just a handful of items concentrates the limited impressions that $5 pays for on just a few items, instead of spreading those impressions across many featured items.

Additionally, limiting your number of promoted items allows you to need fewer tags, and allows those tags to be more relevant.

For example, I could have promoted my entire line of 2012 Valentines, using tags like, "red", "paper goods" "Valentine's Day", "stationery", "cards", "hearts", "love", etc. All of those tags would have been relevant, but they're not specific enough.

Anyone searching for stationery or Valentines could have seen my ads in search results, but what I have to offer may not have been what they were looking for. Super vague and all-encompassing tags like "paper goods", "stationery" or "greeting card" result in wasted impressions. Instead, using tags like, "Paper cut Valentine" or "Paper cut card" is much more specific - people who use those search terms are much more likely to click on my items, heart them, and buy them. I gave them exactly what they were looking for.

Here were my results:

$ spent: $14.93
impressions: 17,604
views: 225
favorites: 13
orders: 5

This means that for every ~78 people that saw my ad, one person clicked. For every ~17 people that clicked on my ad, one person "hearted" it. The best part? For every 2.6 people that "hearted" my item, one person bought. To me, that's fantastic. That is the benefit of very specific tags - it gives people exactly what they were searching for. My normal ratio is 39 hearts for every 1 sale.

The bummer part? My items don't cost a lot. I sell greeting cards, retail valued at $4.50 - $12 each. I spent $14.93 to advertise, and got $50 in sales as a direct result. Etsy traces the sales, and so those 5 sales were a direct result of the ad. I can see people who sell more expensive items getting more bang for their buck.

All-in-all, I spent $15 for three weeks of search ads, resulting in a little over 17,600 impressions. Considering that many blogs offer advertising starting at $30 per month, this doesn't seem bad to me, especially considering the click-through rate was so good. I've been on blogs before that bring in tens of thousands of views a month, but the ad only brought a little over 100 people to my shop, and maybe not even any sales (I couldn't track the sales from other sites).

I would do it again, especially for a big holiday. I don't know if I would do this regularly, but for very specific events, targeted at certain people or certain occasions, I'd do it again.

Are you a reader with a question? You can email me any time at Ashley@IndiePrettyProjects.com

Orange Cappuccino Drop Cookies Recipe

2012-02-16T09:55:00.002-05:00

It's Amanda from The Sweet Details!

I’m not much for coffee, in fact I don’t drink it at all, and most times I don’t even like the smell, but my husband on the other hand he loves it. He’s tried to “convert” me for years but he hasn’t gotten very far.

I always flip the pages in my cook book to the ones with pictures, and I’m guessing like most people I usually try the recipes with the pictures first. For this recipe the picture looks really really good and I thought of doing them for Marshall so I gave them a try. (It was a good thing we had instant coffee in the house cause I don’t even know how to make coffee right!)

The cookies turned out exactly like in the picture and Marshall says they taste great (I can’t tell cause I don’t like the taste of coffee) so if you’re a coffee lover you’ll love these!

Rating: I give these a 2, only because I don't drink coffee (1 being "I'll never bake them again" and 5 being "They are now one of my favorites")

Cookies:
1 cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
½ cup Butter
2/3 cup Sour Cream
½ cup Strong Coffee
3 oz. Chocolate Chips, melted, cooled (dark chocolate is best)
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Egg
2 cups Flour
½ tsp Baking Soda

Frosting:
2 cups Icing Sugar
2 tbsp Butter
1 ½ tsp Grated Orange Peel
2-3 tbsp Milk

Cookies: Heat oven to 375. combine brown sugar, butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add sour cream, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, and egg; blend well. Add flour and baking soda; mix well. (dough will be very soft). Drop dough by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes. Cool until completely cooled.

Frosting: Combine all ingredients. Add enough milk for desired consistency. Frost cooled cookies.

Tip: Use 2-3 tablespoons of instant coffee in ½ cup boiled water instead of having to make a whole press or pot of coffee.

Have any good ideas, or substitutes for this....share them, leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!!

Check out more of my yummy recipes here!

Project Me: Chocolate is a Food Group

2012-02-15T13:04:00.000-05:00

Alright. Chocolate is not a food group, but I still say that chocolate is still healthy. As long as it is dark chocolate. And in small amounts.

From About.com:

"Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are from flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body. Dark chocolate is also richer and contains less sugar than its milk and white chocolate friends."

There. See? It's good for you.

I've been adding dark chocolate chips (70 calories, 8 g sugar per 30 pieces) to Chobani Vanilla Greek Yogurt (120 calories, 13 g sugar, 16 g protein per 6 ounces) for an ice cream substitute. Basically, it's amazing. I also tend to only use 4 oz yogurt vs. 6 oz.

Another dark chocolate treat I enjoy is dark chocolate kisses and almonds - just a handful. It cures my craving for milk chocolate Hershey bars with almonds. Almonds are a great source of protein, healthy fats, and vitamin E.

An even sweeter, satisfying dessert? Mix dark chocolate with a handful of dried cherries - a great source of fiber and more anti-oxidants!

So the past few weeks have been all about preparing to change for good. I've been trying to cut out the really bad stuff (cheese, donuts) while adding more good stuff (spinach, spinach, more fruit, and more spinach). Later this week starts the scary stuff like weigh-ins and starting measurements.

And one final note... I was hesitant to share all of this because I think there is enough negativity out there regarding weight and self-worth. I just hope that if anyone else out there is struggling with this, especially post-baby, that you are doing it for yourself, and to be healthy. For me, it's about staying healthy in the years to come, to be with my children in life as long as possible. Don't let it be for anyone's reasons but your own.

Indie Shop of the Week: A Plus Design

2012-02-15T09:51:00.001-05:00

I'm smitten with the totally unique jewelry and accessories from A Plus Design. The pieces remind me of a biology lab or nature study with their organic forms. What brought me into the shop was the geometric round beads necklace, but I was delighted to find the crocheted designs, among others.

A Plus Design is the work of Anda from Bucharest, Romania. Anda's day job is being an interior designer with a self-described surplus amount of free time. "Ironically," she says, "when I was a child I never enjoyed such activities but now i'm amazed how many things you can do just crocheting, weaving, modeling..."

As a geography major, I really adore her crocheted and beaded brooches. The one below is inspired by a, "mountain that has a river at his bottoms that ran and ran and ran..." Another brooch reflects "a natural form of relief that resembles to a mountain that are in a valley."

Visit A Plus Design on Etsy, or learn more at their blog, Twitter page, Facebook page, or Pinterest page.

Tuesday Coffee Break: Coffee Brewing Guide at Stumptown Coffee

2012-02-14T13:52:00.000-05:00

I just came across this brewing guide on the Stumptown Coffee Roasters' and I think it's so convenient. Tips for multiple brewing devices - from french press to espresso machines - paired with step-by-step instructions and beautiful photography. I think this one is bookmark worthy! It's a great first step to learn if you want to try my coffee recipes here or on Going Home to Roost a try.

The website also has informational videos, a guide to different coffee bean varieties, and a description of the flavors of different blends based on their region of origin.

Yes, You Can Cut Curtains in Half

2012-02-14T08:58:00.000-05:00

Wow. Curtains can be expensive! I totally underestimated how much it would cost to cover the bay window in our living room. There were curtains up when we moved in, but every time I looked at them, they gave me the willies. Something about the poopy brown color and the fake velvety fabric... ew.

I started thinking about making my own curtains. There are so many beautiful fabrics out there and I thought for sure it would be cheaper than the $55 per panel at West Elm. Nope. Most of the fabrics I liked were $8 per yard, and I'm thinking I would have needed at least 15 yards to cover the whole window. Ouch.

So, I figured I would have to settle for Target at their $5 white window sheers.

Then, lucky me found these beautiful gray and white patterned curtains on clearance for under $15 each (and at checkout they somehow came to $23 TOTAL! I don't know how, but I won't complain). Unfortunately, there were only two of them, which wouldn't be wide enough to cover the entire bay window. Then I found these white, ruffled curtains.

These were not on clearance, but dang I love them. Since it only takes 3 curtains to cover my whole window, I had the awesome idea to cut the white curtain in half. I didn't want white curtains on one side, but not the other, so cutting was the only option since I wanted balance, but didn't want to spend another $20. So, I was able to cover that entire bay window, with curtains that I truly love and didn't have to settle for... all for only $43 total.

It can be a little scary to take scissors to something so pretty and virtually destroy it. Luckily, I'm not really afraid to dive into something like that, and I'm not afraid to guesstimate and use my eyes to cut straight lines.

I folded the curtain in half, creasing the fold...

and took my sharpest scissors to the crease, and just cut down the middle.

Now, to prevent frays, I folded about 1/2" of the cut edges over, creasing for a better fold.

Using fabric glue, I applied a very light layer with a sponge brush - much like how I made my no-sew pillow cover.

You can try what Sherry on Young House Love did and crease the edges over with a hot iron, and sew the hems.

You can also try adhesive tape stripes like on Triangle Honeymoon.

When hanging the curtains, I put the cut and glued edges against the gray curtains, where no one will ever see them - not that they look that terrible anyway.

Necklace Addict: Handmade With Love

2012-02-13T13:04:00.000-05:00

Source: etsy.com via Ashley on Pinterest

This is my pick of the week because it is now part of my collection. It arrived from boorashka in Ukraine a couple of weeks ago, and something about it just makes me so happy. It features "linen yarn and coral red glass seed beads. Finished with a button."

It is rustic chic - can definitely be worn fancy or casual. I'll be wearing it tomorrow for Valentine's Day :) A lot (if not all) of boorashka's pieces are shipping for free right now, which shipping from Europe means quite a good deal.

DIY Personalized Stitched Tags

2012-02-13T09:00:00.001-05:00

A guest post by Rachel Anne Jones

For today's craft I realized I would have to make it a fabric/sewing project. I haven't really done anything with fabric yet on this blog, so for today we are making personalized tags for your gifts, your keys, your purse, labeling glass jars for knicknacks, or just for kicks and giggles. As it is almost Valentine's day I'm sure there's all sorts of cute inside jokes, lymerics, words with friends puzzles or whatever lovers are doing nowadays that can easily stamped onto a little keepsake that surprisingly doesn't take very long.

Materials

-Vinyl, faux-leather, or the real stuff if you're so inclined. (if using vinyl, this project probably won't work with the super-thin stuff. You need vinyl that has that cloth backing to give it some thickness for the stamp to press into)
-embroidery floss
-metal stamps in letter shapes--these are generally meant for stamping soft metal, but today we're going to go crazy and stamp other stuff
-anvil
-hammer
-tapestry needle

I did a heart shape (in honor of V-day) and a square shape here, but feel free to branch into circles, flowers, dinosaurs, or little owls or whatever inspires.

This is very easy to cut with an exacto knife. You'll want to make two pieces so they fit nearly perfectly back to back (it won't be perfect but no worries)

Now put your front side on the anvil and choose letters from your metal stamp kit. They sell these right now at Micheals (including a jewelry sized anvil) but I encourage you to check out the local hardware store, where it'll probably be cheaper.

You may be tempted not to use an anvil, I was tempted at first--until I realized that, without something hard underneath, the words will not press deep enough. In about two whacks with a hammer, I was able to get clear letters from the stamps, but be aware that it might pierce through your fabric if you hit it too hard.

Now sew the two sides together (or if you're feeling like making it even simpler than this tutorial, just glue them together and call yourself done even without the embroidery). I used a normal overhand stitch on the edge of the heart shape, but for the square "hello" tag I decided to try some lacy stuff.

For those that have never made lacy scallops with a needle, it works a lot like making scallops with crochet. In fact, it's much easier. You create scallops on the edge by tying a knot at each stitch along the edge leaving enough slack in the thread to make a round loop (see below.)

This foundation will be loose, but once you have that base set up, stitch another layer on that foundation you just made with buttonhole stitches. You could make as many layers of buttonhole stitches as you want, but I just felt like doing one. These buttonhole stitches will make it hold it's shape much better. (and as you can tell I need to practice this stitch a lot more, but it is fun to do, since it doesn't really need a pattern ((unlike most knitting and crochet patterns that I screw up all the time)))

And there you are, with a fancy and personalized tag to put on whatever you want!

A Valentine Party For My Daughters

2012-02-11T15:03:00.000-05:00

Source: poppytalk.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

My little ones are two and three years old, and I am home to take care of them every day. Much like my Grandma threw little parties for me while she took care of me at her house, I'm going to start throwing themed parties for my little girls. To me, they're very sweet and happy memories.

This is what I have planned for Valentine's Day 2012:

A little table, decorated and set for two...

Source: saraspartyperfect.com via Ashley on Pinterest

these adorable little Valentine hats:

Source: crafts.slides.kaboose.com via Ashley on Pinterest

some heart-shaped goodies - nothing too extravagant or over-the-top sugary:

Source: marthastewart.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: coolmompicks.com via Ashley on Pinterest

And if I have the time, I'd love to make this garland:

Source: howaboutorange.blogspot.com via Kasey on Pinterest

We'll make some Valentines and do some activity pages:

Source: indieprettyprojects.com via Ashley on Pinterest

And after we make the Valentines, we'll "deliver" them into homemade Valentine mail boxes:

Source: sweetcharli.blogspot.com via Angela on Pinterest

I have things planned for my husband, but they run more along the lines of steak and wine. Maybe I can get him into one of those party hats? But really, I had better get off the internet and start working on this stuff... have a happy weekend!

Three Things I Love This Thursday 2/9/12

2012-02-09T13:47:00.001-05:00

Etsy is getting more and more irresistible lately, and my wishlist is growing. I'm really interested in art in particular lately, but I don't see an end to my obsession with necklaces and brooches. These are three of my favorites this week:

1. Ring of Fire screen print by MerciBlehBleh
2. Felt flower brooch by Roltinica
3. Ceramic "hi" speech bubble brooch by RossLab

Cardamom Shortbread Wedges

2012-02-09T09:22:00.000-05:00

Hi! It's Amanda from The Sweet Details!

I wasn't too sure what I was going to think of this recipe because I had never baked anything with Cardamom before but wow these are some seriously tasty wedges! I made half a recipe so I used a small (6''?) cheese cake pan and it worked out great. I was sure not to over bake so that they stayed nice and soft. I recipe says just to drizzle the icing over top but I made too much and just spread it over the whole top. It's not has pretty for presentation but they are so tasty I don't think it really matters!

INGREDIENTS

COOKIES
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 1/2 cups All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
1 to 3 teaspoons cardamom
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

GLAZE
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1 to 3 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350°F. Line two 9-inch pie pans with aluminum foil so foil extends over sides of pans; spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir in flour and remaining cookie ingredients; mixwell. Dough will be crumbly. Divide dough in half; press in bottom of lined pans.

Bake at 350°F. for 18 to 22 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool in pan l0 minutes; remove cookies from pan by lifting foil. Cut each shortbread into 16 wedges while warm; run knife around edge of pan to loosen.

In small bowl, combine all glaze ingredients, adding enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Carefully remove from pan. Store in loosely covered container.

Recipe Source

Check out more of my yummy recipes here!

Smalltalk Studio: Indie Shop of the Week

2012-02-08T11:13:00.000-05:00

This week I fell in love with Smalltalk Studio, an art and print shop by Alyssa Nassner. Alyssa's work is just full of color, inspiration, joy - it's a real visual treat. Alyssa is an illustrator, with work that branches out into stationery, sewing, and screenprinting.

I love the vibe at Smalltalk Studio. Says Alyssa, "All items are made with love, and Alyssa strives to keep her products colorful, fun, and affordable. It is Alyssa's ultimate goal to brighten someone's day, and add a bit of fun to the home or work space." I like that it is important to Alyssa for her art to be accessible.

I think my favorite piece is "fortune favors the brave" - words of wisdom for me right now. Which is your favorite at Smalltalk Studio?

Tuesday Coffee Break: Coffee and Kahlua Popsicles

2012-02-07T13:19:00.000-05:00

Source: thekitchenarian.com via Ashley on Pinterest

YES PLEASE!

These would truly be a treat year-round. I see popsicle and automatically think, "Summer", but I really really want one right now. On a below-freezing night in February. Yum.

Project: Me - I'm a vegetarian

2012-02-07T09:51:00.002-05:00

Geraldine Adams

I'm a vegetarian - but I wish I were a vegan. It would make healthy eating so much easier for me. I would HAVE to rely on vegetables, and hopefully that would mean that I really like most vegetables.

I've been a vegetarian since I was 12 years old, and I really don't miss meat. Sure, I had the occasional hamburger when I was pregnant, and I might have stopped by McDonald's on my way back to my apartment from the bars in college, but generally speaking, I never eat meat. This is also surprising because my husband LOVES meat - he loves it all .

I've reached a point now where I'm only eating these foods:

- vegetables
- fruits
- beans and legumes
- nut butters
- nuts
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
- greek yogurt
- eggs

So, I am awfully close to being vegan already. The best part about this is that I don't beat myself up if I have a bean burrito with cheese on it, or a little whipped cream on my soy milk latte (see yesterday's Vanilla Raspberry Latte post!). To me, what counts is that I'm eating more fruits and veggies than ever before, and I LIKE them.

My daily eating has been like this:

Breakfast
- banana with peanut butter OR hard-boiled egg
- clementine

Snack
- fruit

Lunch
- bowl of cooked lentils with spinach, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, and tahini sauce
- greek yogurt

Snack
- nuts

Dinner
- Garbanzo beans in a spinach salad with lemon juice, tahini, salt, and pepper

Dessert
- greek yogurt with frozen blueberries, OR if it's one of those days, chocolate chips

I do add a little salt to my lentil and bean meals, but if you drink enough water daily, I think it's fine. I've been increasing my water in-take, and I've been eating lots of spinach. I could end Project: Me with just those accomplishments and be happy. I won't though! I'm going to keep up with this.

The main downside this week has been exercise. I've been getting so many orders that I focus on those at night and have been skipping the running and walking. I NEED to learn that having lots of work to do is no excuse for not exercising. Little steps.

Valentine Freebies and Tutorials Round-Up

2012-02-06T15:06:00.000-05:00

Somewhere Splendid

Growing up, I think Valentine's Day was my favorite holiday in school. We got to make or cut out little Valentines for our classmates, assigning the perfect card to each person. Then at school, we would make little mailboxes out of paper plates, shoe boxes, or coffee cans. Let's not forget the little conversational candy hearts and frosted cupcakes. Even before school, I loved Valentine's Day:

That's me (left) with my best friend Jessie at my Grandma's house when we were little. Grandma would go all out, having us dress up in little dresses, making us little goodie baskets, tying red heart balloons on our highchairs... I totally believe this explains why I'm a total cornball with a major sweet tooth.

So, I like to go a little crazy with DIY Valentine's Day, and the nice thing is that you don't have to spend a lot or buy in to the whole $15 box of chocolates and $50 rose bouquet thing. You can create a special little Valentine's Party all for yourself, your honey, your friends, or your little ones, without having to spend a ton. These are my top 10 favorite freebies and tutorials out there.

1. DIY Valentine Party by Somewhere Splendid. I found this amazing piece of inspiration via Creature Comforts, who actually took it a step further and sourced the inspiration to things around the house or easily attainable. Visit Creature Comforts to learn how to recreate this party yourself!

Somewhere Splendid via Creature Comforts

2. Also from Creature Comforts are these DIY tea bags. Wouldn't these be the PERFECT thing to hand out to all of your co-workers on Valentine's Day? The grown-up version of the little cards and candy we used to pass around. There is a full tutorial, along with the free printables.

Creature Comforts

3. Now, for the little ones in school or daycare - these free, printable Valentine cards are perfect! I think they're suitable for boys and girls - cute, but without being too mushy. Head on over to Pumpkins and Posies to download your copy and print away!

Pumpkins and Posies

4. This one is actually an Indie Pretty Projects exclusive freebie from last year - these are printable ACEO cards, but they are the perfect size for Valentine's Day cards! They're a more grown-up version of Valentine's cards for children - great for middle school and high school. These are designed by the amazing Martora. Visit this post to download and print!

Indie Pretty Projects

5. Printable coloring pages via Make & Take - these are perfect for a kid's Valentine party. I featured these last year, but they are so cute and a great activity for kids that I have to share them again.

6. DIY paper heart garland - instructions with template from Ellinee. Ellinee actually has a TON of very cute printables for many occasions, but their Valentine's collection is one of my favorites. Go to Ellinee to get the how-to and PDF.

Ellinee heart garland

7. Felt and twig arrows - I saw these and thought just how cute they would be attached to little boxes of candy, to suckers, to cards, or hanging by string to make a whimsical garland. As cute as they would be to hand out to friends or decorate with, I think the real fun would be in making them. Homework has the full details and more pictures!

carolyn's homework

8. This is another Indie Pretty Projects exclusive freebie, a robot girl art print created by Desiree of Cozi Home. I love this because it's a great alternative to a Valentine. Most Valentine's Day cards probably get tossed or recycled, but sized for wall art, this is a printable freebie that can be framed and kept! It's totally not Valentine's Day specific, so it can be displayed year-round. See the full post to access the download.

Indie Pretty Projects

9. There are an endless amount of goodies out there for Valentine's, and it is so hard to pick just some to share, but I like these two recipes by The Novice Chef because it's a two-for-one: Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies, and Red Velvet Cheesecake Milkshake. Enough said?

Source: thenovicechefblog.com via Ashley on Pinterest

10. I don't think you're ever too old for a mix-tape/CD/playlist... no matter how dorky your sweetheart thinks you are for doing so. The last time I made my husband a mix CD was 8.5 years ago just before we went our separate ways to different colleges across the state - it might be sweet to do it again. Now, the Chronicle Books Blog has a little printable freebie to help jazz-up your cheese-fest.

Chronicle Books Blog

Raspberry Vanilla Latte - made from scratch!

2012-02-06T09:16:00.000-05:00

You all know how much I love coffee, and this may be one of my favorite homemade coffee drinks of all time! I feel like I say that every time, but this one is no joke. Vanilla Bean Lattes are my staple, my absolutely favorite. I wanted to do something a little extra-special for Valentine's Day this year, so I decided to try to add a natural raspberry flavor to my dependable vanilla syrup. I am so pleased with the results of this treat! If you give it a try, let me know what you think!

I would also like to note that I made two versions of the raspberry latte - one is mocha, one vanilla. This post features the directions for vanilla, but if you're a big fan of mocha, visit Going Home to Roost today to see my tutorial for the chocolate-y version!

Serves 2

Ingredients
- 6 ounces espresso
- 8 ounces milk, soy milk, or rice milk (I used soy)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 ounce package of raspberries
- optional whipped cream

Directions

Start by making the raspberry syrup. Combine sugar and water in a medium sauce pan; bring to a boil. Stir frequently. When a boil has been reached, add vanilla extract. Allow mixture to continue to boil for 2 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat, and add washed raspberries. Allow raspberries to steep in syrup for one hour.

Strain the raspberries from the syrup, allowing the syrup to drip down into a bowl. The leftover raspberries make a very sweet and delicious dessert on their own!

Pour as much syrup as you would like into your mug, up to 1/4 cup. This just depends on how sweet you like your drinks.

Brew your espresso of strong coffee, and froth your milk. Add 3 ounces of espresso to each mug, filling up the rest of the mug with steamed milk, and spoon any leftover foam on top.

1. add syrup
2. add espresso
3. add milk and spoon on leftover foam

For a special occasion (like Valentine's Day! :-), top drink with whipped cream, and treats such as sprinkles, raspberries, cocoa powder, or chocolate chips.

Dear Readers: Home Tours Wanted!

2012-02-03T15:48:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite things about having an online space is getting to know other bloggers, artists, and generally cool people. In the past I have done "Making it Work" - featuring real indie business owners and their daily lives; "Blogger Profiles", featuring some awesome blogs and what makes their founders tick; and "Life Balance" - a thing I no longer believe in, but more on that later.

Aside from my paper goods business, my biggest project right now is turning our new house into a home. I can't get enough of "real" homes (probably thanks to Pinterest).

I would love to do a new series featuring the homes of other people. I really love to read decor magazines, but the problem is that most of what those magazines feature... I feel like I could never do (or at least, afford to do). $4,000 coffee table? Not happening. I'm still paying off college loans!

Real home style comes from making due with what you have. That is when things get exciting - when funds are limited, it takes creativity and resourcefulness. I'm not saying I only want to feature homes that are artsy-fartsy, I'm just talking real, like the house next door. What would your house look like if someone just knocked on the door right now and wanted to take pictures? The beauty is in imperfection.

See? Beautiful, right? :-P

So, I want to feature the homes of real people - you. If you are willing to share, then I am interested. I'd love to see:

- Your before-and-afters
- Your "befores" and your intentions - I've already shared my dining room intentions, as well as a whole-house "before; update us throughout the year with your progress
- your in-progress pictures
- your DIY home updates
- your DIY maintenance and home craft tutorials
- or a round-up to links of any projects you've already tackled

The hope is to inspire people of what is possible, and to prove that imperfection is charming, and even preferable.

If you're interested in sharing your living space, email me at Ashley@IndiePrettyProjects.com and I will send you some interview questions! Hope to hear from you :)

Oatmeal & Candy Cookie Pops

2012-02-02T08:25:00.001-05:00

Hi! It's Amanda from The Sweet Details!

I had no reason to put my cookies on the sticks but I thought I would leave that step in so you all could take it or leave it as you like. It would be fun if you were doing a cookie bouquet or something for kids, but I wasn't doing that either.

I liked these cookies. I ran out of the candy-coated chocolate pieces so I did half chocolate chips, half candy-coated chocolate pieces and I think I would like that better. For some reason I'm not a huge fan of that candy crunch in a cookie. They would make a great on the road or camping cookie.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup candy covered plain chocolate candies
20 wooden popsicle sticks

Directions:

Prep Time: 2 hrs
Total Time: 2 1/4 hrs

In large bowl; combine brown sugar, sugar, and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; blend well. Add flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in oats and chocolate pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.

Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Shape dough into 2-inch balls; insert wooden stick into each ball. Place 4 cookie pops on each greased cookie sheet; flatten to 1/4 inch thickness. If desired, press additional candy coated pieces into the top of each cookie.

Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes and remove from cookie sheets.

Check out more of my yummy recipes here!

Shop of the Week: Willow Ship

2012-02-01T08:49:00.001-05:00

"Naturally beautiful block-printed table linens: cocktail napkins, dinner napkins, table runners, placemats and tea towels. Plus, conversation-starting decorative pillows. All designed, printed, sewn and packaged with care and pride by me in my San Francisco home studio." - Willow Ship

"As the one-woman show behind Willow Ship, I'm so pleased to be a part of the Etsy community. Formerly a graphic designer, I found my design calling shifting in recent years, towards beautiful fabric, sewing, and the joy of making things by hand. I have a deep love for hand-printing and really like how satisfyingly physical the process of making can be. I create natural, eco-friendly linen goods in my home studio. I am a long-time resident of beautiful San Francisco, where I live with my handy husband and our precious toddler son. "

Personally, I LOVE the pillow covers and place mats. Blake Kahn, the artist, has such an eye for not just shapes and patterns, but color combos as well.

Find out more about Willow Ship on her blog.

Project: Me - Little Steps

2012-01-31T12:24:00.002-05:00

Source: lottaagaton.blogspot.com via Bri on Pinterest

The first week of Project: Me went well, but it wasn't without its mistakes. There were some pizza, chocolate cake, and bread sticks involved - oops, but oh well. We finally got a scale so I could track my progress, and it turns out that I weigh a bit less than I thought, so only 28 pounds to my goal!

I am following Dr. Mao's 8-Week Program. No, I do not intend or expect to reach my goal in only eight weeks, but this book is just part of the journey. The intent of the book is to add years to your life. It's not about being thin, it's about a healthier mind and body.

Before starting the book, I made two steps of my own last week:

1. Add more vegetables and fruit to my diet
2. Drink less alcohol

I'm not restricting myself, I'm just trying to make more conscious decisions about alcohol intake. If I have a rough day and crave some wine, I'll think twice about it. If I see my husband pouring a beer, I'll resist the urge to make a rum and coke "just because". I'm really just trying to save the alcohol for social outings and date nights, which, as a mother of two toddlers, doesn't happen that often. It's been just fine cutting out the extra drinks and I'm not missing them.

This week, with Dr. Mao as my guide I am working on:

- drinking 8 glasses of water a day*
- drinking lemon water first thing in the morning**
- take at least a 20 minute walk a day***
- spend some time focusing on breathing or meditating

* I only ever drink water and coffee. The problem is that I don't drink nearly enough, and am probably so thirsty that I don't even realize how thirsty I really am
** lemons are known to aid digestion, cleanse the liver, and maybe even boost metabolism
*** we bought a treadmill and I've been walking, but I am committing to at least 20 minutes of walking a day, whether I have hours or work left to do or not

So, by the end of this week I am hoping to have made drinking water a habit, and basically be addicted to walking. I'm a low-impact kind of girl - jogging in college seems to have ruined my knees a bit, so I stick to yoga, pilates, and walking.

How about you? What is your favorite form of exercise? Is there something you call exercise that you really enjoy?

DIY: Upcycled Napkin Rings

2012-01-31T09:22:00.001-05:00

By contributor Margie of Simple Faithful Open

I am so glad to be back with the Indie Pretty Projects community this year and want to kick off my contributions with a fun tutorial!

You already know I like to use recycled material in my crafts whenever possible, and most of us have toilet paper rolls and old t-shirts readily available. These are perfect for making easy and playful napkin rings to dress up any old table.

These rings could be made with contrasting colors in a crisscross pattern or dip-dyed for a cool ombre effect. But for today, we’ll keep it classically simple with a pleated look.

Begin by cutting horizontal 1.5 inch strips from your colorful t-shirts and gathering the rest of your materials. Any fabric glue will work, I am only using Mod Podge because I have an abundance. Paper towel rolls work just as well as toilet paper.

Cut the tube to the length you want and trim the edges to make sure it is the same width all the way around.

Glue one end of your cotton jersey to the inside edge of the tube with the rolled edges of the fabric facing the cardboard.

Making sure to overlap and open the fabric slightly as you go, wrap the cotton tightly around the tube. Be sure to keep the edges of the cotton rolled in some and to evenly space the overlaps for a smooth and finished look.

Once the roll is completely wrapped, tuck and glue the end of the fabric inside the next to last pleat. Then glue the pleat down over the end.

And your finished product should look something like this!

Monday Home Love: Stripes on the Walls

2012-01-30T09:08:00.002-05:00

Source: flickr.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Just a little update on my living room redecorating progress! During my "before" home tour a couple of weeks ago I said I would be tackling the living room first. I've made some good progress. I finished painting the built-in shelves - which I will reveal soon - and I got started on my patterned walls.

I went back and forth on chevron, stripes, or solid walls. I decided that if they were to be pattered, they would be striped. I just think stripes are more flexible with wall decor, even if I do love chevron. I was also willing to try stripes because they are low-risk - if I didn't like them, then I can just fill in the un-striped portions and make a solid-colored wall. The top photo is one of the first that I saw with horizontal, rather than vertical stripes, and I loved it.

So here's the sneak peek of my progress - I just have to finish the top stripe. I really love it so far. Because stripes are so unexpected, I decided to keep the color neutral - a light gray - and also flexible for future color schemes.

Stripes may seem intimidating, since you want them to be straight. Here is what I did:

I used my eye to roll my painter's tape evenly across the wall. I think my daily sketching and paper cutting allows me to do this accurately, with ease. I just used a level to check my tape for straightness every few feet. I did this all the way down the wall, spacing the tape evenly for equal-sized stripes.

If you don't feel comfortable using your eye, I recommend this:

- decide if you need to prime the walls. Mine were freshly painted white not long before we moved in, so I just dusted and lightly washed the walls for a clean painting surface.

- If you are keeping your walls white (or whatever color they are now), with another color of stripes, then skip ahead to the next step. If you are painting your stripes two completely new colors, you can do one of two things: 1. Paint your wall entirely the lighter of the two colors all over with a paint roller, and let dry. Then move on to the next step for the stripes. OR 2. Paint one set of stripes. After those stripes dry, re-adjust the painter's tape to protect the newly painted stripes, and stripe the rest of the wall the remaining new stripe color. I personally think it might just be easier to paint the wall the lighter color solid first, and then just do one set of stripes over that (option 1).

- For stripes: start at the top of the wall. Decide on the thickness of your stripes. Using a ruler, go down the wall, measuring every 6" (or however thick the stripes will be). Use a yard stick or other comparatively long, flat surface, to pencil a line across the wall, where the top and bottom of your stripes will be. Use a level as your guide while you draw the lines.

- Place your painter's tape on every line, unrolling carefully to follow the line exactly.

- If your stripes are thick enough, you can use a paint roller to get the job done. I just used a regular brush, and was able to do the job pretty quickly.

- Let dry, and do a second coat if needed. Once dry, peel up the painter's tape. Now you have a bold, patterned wall with little risk and commitment. Don't like it? Just fill in one set of stripes for a solid wall.

Have you done anything similar? Or have you just considered a bold or graphic pattern on your walls? I'd love to see!

I think we're just gonna to have to be secretly in love with each other

2012-01-26T16:06:00.001-05:00

"I think we're just gonna to have to be secretly in love with each other and leave it at that..." - Margot Tenenbaum, The Royal Tenenbaums

This is one of my favorite quotes of all time from one of my favorite movies of all time. There was actually a point in time when I said it to my now husband, who had been my best friend for over two years. It seemed like it could never be anything more than friendship; of course, it was only five months later that we got engaged - I think things seem more dramatic at the time than they really are.

Anyway, I came across this Margot Tenenbaum paper doll print by Claudia Varosio and it made me so nostalgic for the movie.

Claudia has other similar prints featuring actors and characters that I just adore. Besides the Margot Tenenbaum print, she has a Big Lebowski and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind print that I would just love to have on my wall... *sigh*

Custom Shelf Monogram for under $5

2012-01-26T10:38:00.002-05:00

I was so excited to find this metal letter P on clearance at Meijer for $2.50. I had been wanting a monogram of our last initial somewhere in the house, and this was perfect. I do also have a smaller one in our bedroom I will be making over, but nobody ever sees that one but us.

I really wanted this P in the living room, specifically on the shelves that I painted gray and white - the problem was the black metal of the P made it disappear into the shelf, so I decided to spray paint it (I love spray painting things now :).

So, $2.50 for the P, plus a small can of glossy white spray paint for $3.97, plus 40% off of the paint at Hobby Lobby, put this DIY project at under $5.00! For new homeowners, this is just the kind of project we need to keep doing more of to personalize our house.

Remember to:
- lay down newspaper or ads to protect the floor
- wear gloves and even a mask if you can when spray painting
- hold your can far enough away so you don't get globs of painting forming (like mine have!)

Can't find a good deal on a monogram? Most craft stores have these card board letters for $2 - $3 (top photo). You can buy a small can of metallic paint (like mine) in gold or silver, and create a much more expensive monogram!