The problem with Big Lots...

Don't get me wrong...I love me some Big Lots, but shopping there can sometimes leave me frustrated. Big Lots and other stores like it offer great deals but the issue I have run across a few times is that I will find an item I want more than one of and they won't have the amount I need. Don't you just hate that? This has happened recently with a lamp and some pillows. I found a nice blue table lamp that I wanted two of so I could have one for each of the nightstands in our master bedroom and there was only one in the showroom with of course no option to order another as Big Lots isn't that kind of store. On a separate excursion I found two down-filled silk throw pillows to put on our couch in the perfect shade of green to match our living room paint color but couldn't find the other matching pair to put on the loveseat. I actually wanted the pillows bad enough to justify calling about ten other Big Lots stores nearby with the item number to see if they had it! Sadly none of them did since they all receive different merchandise :( I must say after calling I felt a little silly for putting that much effort into finding throw pillows, but my hubby insisted on buying a specific shade of green paint before we had picked out any accessories for the room so finding items to match that paint has proven difficult. Do you know how many shades of green there are?! lol Here's a picture of said pillow:

It's a horrible pic I know, but I promise it's much prettier in person so you will all just have to take my word for it! I guess my idea now is to still use these for the couch and then continue my search for some other pillows that are close enough in color and style to put on the loveseat. Hopefully I find what I'm looking for...and in the right quanitity!

My latest creation

So I haven't used my Cricut Cake quite yet, but I did want to share my latest creation with you. This is the first bow I've made using fondant. I was asked to make a cake for a baby shower so this is my practice cake to see if I could get it to look as realistic as I wanted! I dyed the fondant using a couple drops of food coloring to get it the perfect shade of baby boy blue and I think it turned out pretty great if I can say so myself! I've been asked to make a wedding cake in September so I'll be sure to post pics of that endeavor as well when the time comes around. This is a hobby I just started and it's something I've always been interested in so I'm over the moon that people actually like what I've made and I hope to have more to show off soon!

Here's a view from the top:

And one a little closer up:

A Myles update

Our foster dog Myles has been with us exactly a month now and he is doing great! He's become so well-mannered since coming to our home and I'm finding myself really falling for the little guy. He's learned how to sit and shake and we're now working on getting him to lay down and stay on command. I'm pleased to announce he has also gotten much more obedient and I'm enjoying having him actually listen to me now. Since he likes to chew we choose to keep him in his crate with toys during the day while we're at work. It used to be that I'd have to physically pick him up and put him in the crate because he would run from me when he knew it was time to go in, but now I can simply tell him to get in his kennel and he trots right in! I vowed not to be a foster failure so I'm hoping with his newly learned tricks and calm demeanor he will get adopted soon so I don't have time to get anymore attached than I already am! I'll continue posting about his progress but for now I leave you all with a picture :)

Tasty Tuesday-Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

These cupcakes are absolutely adorable. Perfect for children's birthday parties and equally as awesome for us "big kids" who are young at heart and enjoy a little something out of the ordinary! I get a lot of oohs and ahhs when I show up to an event with these in tow and my youngest cousin still requests them to take to classmates on her birthday every year.

You'll need:

1 package white cake mix along with ingredients to prepare whichever mix you choose

Nonpareils/sprinkles for decorating

24 flat-bottomed ice cream cones

1 container whipped vanilla frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Stand cones in 13x9 inch baking pan or in muffin cups. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each ice cream cone. Bake about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely then frost and decorate. Enjoy!

Happy Anniversary to me :)

I can't believe the hubs and I have been married for two years. Some days it feels like it should be way more and other days it seems like we just tied the knot yesterday! No matter how long or short it feels though, every day spent with my amazing husband is a complete blessing. It's absolutely wonderful to have someone in your life who can fulfill the duty of being your best friend while also connecting with you on the deepest level possible. In our two years of marriage we've celebrated many 'ups' and triumphed through some 'downs' and I'm more in love with him now than ever before because of it. Happy Anniversary, babe!

I got a Cricut Cake!

Yep, that's right...I'm the proud owner of a new Cricut Cake machine! It was an early birthday present from my wonderful mom who knows my passion for baking and making things pretty all too well. For those of you who are familiar with the Cricut machine for scrapbooking this is the same principle, it just cuts fondant instead of paper. I'm super excited to put this machine to use and rest assured when I do (it won't be long because I'm chomping at the bit to try this thing!) I will post pictures of my creations here.

Thank goodness for my "purple powerhouses"

That's what I call my vacuum and my steam cleaner. With a house full of shedding pets (and one of which that has yet to be housebroken) my carpet would look horrible without this duo. I don't think it's natural for someone to love their vacuum and steam cleaner as much as I do, but when your 14-year-old berber looks brand new thanks to the regular use of these wonderful machines, it's something to get excited about.

This is my vacuum:

It's a Hoover Windtunnel Pet Rewind. If anyone is in the market for a new vacuum cleaner I *highly* recommend this one. The handle folds down for convenient storage, it's bagless with a rinsable hepa filter, comes with some great tools to help lift pet hair off of surfaces like couches and curtains, has a retractable cord that winds into the unit with the push of a button, and features an off switch for the beater brush which is important since between me and the dogs I used to end up cutting hair from around the bar after each room so as not to burn up the motor. I probably sound like an infomercial right now, but this machine is just that great!

And so as not to choose favorites, this is my steamer:

It's a Bissell Proheat pet edition. After cleaning up an 'accident' earlier today, I can tell you I'm not sure how I ever functioned without one of these in my home. Of course it's handy for spot cleaning, but it's always amazing to see how much dirt is lifted in areas that don't even look dirty. I'll run it over my high traffic areas that aren't showing signs of a mess and be astonished at how much brown water I'm seeing in this machine. The best part is that I have access to it for regular cleanings and no longer have to rent an overpriced RugDoctor from the grocery store. Seriously you pay 1/4 of what I got my steamer for and you only get to keep it 24 hours. If you have a lot of carpet and have the means I suggest getting one of these bad boys. Once you see the grime coming out of your carpet you'll thank me!

Tasty Tuesday-Easy Apple Crisp

Who doesn't love apple crisp? It's warm, it's perfectly crispy, it's nutritious...I mean the main ingredient is apples so it has to be healthy right? ;) This recipe is easy (hence the recipe title) and tastes great. Plus apple crisp is versatile. You can use it as a side dish or as a stand-alone dessert!

You'll need:

3-4 Granny Smith apples (peeled and sliced)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup oats

1/4 cup melted butter

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

25 vanilla wafers (crushed)

Toss apples in 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Place in glass dish. Combine oats, another teaspoon of cinnamon, the butter, crushed vanilla wafers, and the rest of the brown sugar in a bowl. When well-mixed, spread over top of apples and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Tasty Tuesday-Broccoli Cornbread

This recipe is from my grandma. Growing up she would make it often to accompany pretty much anything we had for dinner. I was a picky eater as a child so she was always trying to hide vegetables and other nutritious stuff in foods I actually liked so that I had a semi-balanced diet :)

You'll need:

1 package Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 12oz. carton of cottage cheese

1 stick of margarine-softened

1 10oz. package frozen chopped broccoli-thawed and drained

4 eggs

1 tsp salt

1 medium onion, chopped

*Since I love cheese, I sometimes add 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. You can pour into a greased baking dish, iron skillet, or muffin pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Adoption bandanas

I recently took the dogs to the groomer for baths and a nail trim. When I picked them up they all had on bandanas with the business's logo printed on them. It dawned on me that this would be a great way to advertise that my foster dogs are up for adoption! I don't know why I didn't think of this before. Myles is certainly seen enough out in public between trips to PetSmart, dog park visits, and walks through our neighborhood, but unless I get into a conversation with someone people have no way of knowing he's looking for a forever home. I want people to know that if he's so cute you want to take him home...guess what? You can! I also wanted to do something that would help him stand out at adoption events, so I started searching the web for inexpensive doggie bandanas. I discovered thedogperk.com and they had a great variety of fun bandanas. The best part is that they offer them at cost for people who work with rescues, so I got mine for $1.19 a piece. I ordered a couple different ones so I can use some now and have a few more to use with future fosters. Aren't they cute?