Congrats, Danni!

{laurel mcconnell photography at oh, hello friend}

Danni of Oh, hello, Friend is just the sweetest -- she arranged the fabulous package exchange and has such an inspiring blog and a lovely etsy store -- And she's just gotten engaged!  Pop over and say congrats :)! (and check out the bestest fi -- I don't want to spoil the story, but sooo sweet and thoughtful!  Okay, who am I kidding, the pics are too good -- skip this if you don't want a spoiler!)

{laurel mcconnell photography at oh, hello friend}

{cinnamon roll recipe}

This is delicious.  I know, I say I love food, and yet I don't think I've ever shared a recipe (except that chocolate cake in a mug!) -- But, I have to clean up my work computer, and this was a recipe I snagged from a co-worker, whose cinnamon rolls I absolutely fell in love with.

Her email said it wasn't too much work, but... I don't know.  Regardless, here's to success (and de.licious.cinnamon.rolls.)

edarcy,

via ineedacupcake::allthearmsaroundyou

DOUGH

1 package yeast
1 cup warm milk (not too hot, not too cold)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour

1. Heat milk in the microwave about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. If its too hot, it will kill the yeast; if too cold the yeast won't activate.
2. Pour milk over yeast in large bowl; let set for a few minutes while yeast dissolves in milk.
3. Mix melted butter, sugar, and eggs in small bowl; then add that mixture to the yeast and milk.
4. Gradually stir in flour; add salt.
5. Knead dough about 5 minutes until almost smooth. Form into ball, cover and let rise about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
6. Once dough has risen, roll into a 20x15 rectangle.

FILLING
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/3 cup butter (softened)

HINT: I never actually measure any of the filling ingredient. Once I have the dough rolled out, I smear butter over the top with my hands or a pastry brush (depending on my mood), cover that with brown sugar (generously), and then sprinkle cinnamon all over that.

Roll the dough from the long side (so that you have a 15 inch jelly roll looking thing). You can cut them however thick you want them. I cut a dozen and they make big fat yummy rolls.

Put them in a greased 13x9 baking pan. Let them rise another 30 to 45 minutes. Bake at 400 for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Frosting

7 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 oz. cream cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla

HINT: I use less butter (4-5 tablespoons) and more cream cheese :o)

**Note: I changed a bit of punctuation, but other than that, directly copy-pasted from my co-worker's email.  And remember, I haven't tried to make this, so um you can ask questions, but I probably won't know the answer :D  Maybe we can all try making this together sometime, and pow-wow-virtually about it later, hmm?  Good luck! Let me know your thoughts if you try this!

dolcifelici,

via ineedacupcake::sugarbunni

NB Purge: color explosion

Ahhhh, Notebook Purge. When I saw this riot of color (and the bride's ruffles!) again, I was *so* smitten all over again!

Jose Villa and Alison Hotchkiss, feat. on Style Me Pretty

Happy Monday!

This weekend was fabulous.

(c) Gentl & Hyers, Edge Reps

Work on Saturday, not so fabulous.  But...

I'll just say that Blackberrys are phenomenal! 

(And yes, not the edible kind of Blackberry, but isn't the above too cute?)

And because of phenomenal Blackberrys, I got some incredible relaxation in.

phonecall with my sister.

mm, magazine-reading!

and lotsa sleep...

(c) Gentl & Hyers, Edge Reps

And the perfect amount of shopping at an event featuring local artists and boutiques with a friend, followed with the perfect amount of sewing and painting.

(c) Gentl & Hyers, Edge Reps

(c) Ditte Isager, Edge Reps

Here's to an equally fabulous Monday to all!

Book: via papertissue; blackberry cupcakes by surlygrrrl; phone at happydayvintage; Glamour cover at Mrs. O

What a Treasure Trove! {Lovely Clusters}

I know all of you love pretty things just as much as me (else we wouldn't be friends here, right?) -- And I can't believe it's taken me so long to talk about this, but have you popped over to shop-by-pretties at Lovely Clusters?  I mean yes, Rachel of Lovely Clusters, the blog (and a couple more), runs it with Vicki of Simply Hue -- but this is such a precious site to shop through! Look at these beauties that popped up after I shopped by "multi" color!

WinborgDesigns, SparkleThots, ChristinaWilliams, wanderlustarts

PlumPrettySugar, dedeetsyshop, siiso, winborgdesigns

Masselyn, jzroszell, {unknown}, marysworkshop

Yes, these are like mini-etsy treasuries (though featuring etsy + other indie sellers, I think?), but ones arranged by color or product type that you get to select -- I don't know, "instant pretty" is how I feel about this :D And, you can even create your own clusters, which I imagine is *loads* easier than my fab MS Paint technique :D  Way to go, Rachel and Vicki!

Tough gets pretty {etsy treasures}

ThePeachTree, FleurBonheur, autumntomay 

quotesandnotes, ELEMENT, PrudenceOctavia

juliepeach, mepottery, ClayHaven

 Oh, my, today is going to be a long day, I know this already.  Here we go, procrastination :)!

Le sigh.

I am in. love. 

I've been looking for a fabulous pampering gift for Bee, whose bebe has finally arrived :)  And I stumbled across this beautiful gorgeous line Undrest, that looks like it combines softness (she's big into uber uber soft texture) with prettiness without being frou frou -- like uber natural beautiful.  Which is Bee to a T, I think.
(perhaps not safe for work -- these are all on mannequins, but still)...

My faves (selfishly, hee):

Don't they just look so silky-cottony soft?

Now, contenders for Bee, since I was hoping to get something that was comfy + pretty + a little sexy-cute, and, of course, newborn-baby friendly?

Option #1:

I think Bee would dig the comfyness, but, let's say "accessibility" is not top of the line.

Ditto for option 2, but goodness, so cute-chic!  And you'd just throw it on! 

Wholly impractical, though.

Which leaves what brought me to discovering this line in the first place (Bee, you can look away now...)...

beautiful robes!

I tend to forget that not many of my friends look good in yellow -- it's just so soft and cheery (and not pink, Bee!).  But these... oh, these below had my heart racing, I thought it was Bee Perfection.

Hooded. Robes.

with. ruffles.

so.in.love.

But alas, they were not in the sizes I need.  So I might still stalk these.  Unless, Bee, you're looking + you think they're hideous.  Which would greatly relieve me from this heartbreak, and I could move on.  Hee.  Bebe TB will be in school by the time this package comes around! Le sigh.


**Updated: Okay.  So, this is a smidge more in our post-tenant-moved-out budget:

But... a little flimsy, right?  I was hoping this could be something Bee could seriously lounge in, even around her parents, who are awesomely staying with her + Y).  So... maybe, these...?

but a little too utilitarian, not so much spoiling, right?   But this, below... oh, my, doesn't it look soft -- not fleecy soft, just ... niiiiice?

It's supposed to have lace details, but even magnified it, I don't see it.  But mmm, looks slinky and soft!  We'll see if this makes it in the package...