Simple Lemon Cake

(pictured above, our valentines version of the same cake)

My friend turned 30 this weekend and I was in charge of making a cake for her suprise dinner celebration.

The dinner menu was simple but delicious. And so I thought I'd make a cake with that same theme...simple but delicious!

...................................................................................

We love this lemon cake. I don't typically like lemon desserts. But

I love this one.

Simple Lemon Cake

By Kraft recipes

1 pkg. lemon cake mix

2pkg. (3.4oz) JELL-O Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding

1-1/2 C cold milk

1 container (8oz) Cool Whip topping, thawed

Step 1: Bake 2 (8 or 9in.) round cake layers, as directed on your cake package. Cool completely.

Step 2: Beat Pudding mixes and 1-1/2 C milk with a whisk for 2 min. Immediately spread over tops of each cake. I added it all to the center but you can put half on the top layer too.

Step 3: Stack Cake Layers and Frost with Cool Whip.




Step 4: Garnish with sliced lemons and fresh mint

A cute cake bunting would be darling on top too!

I've made this cake several times and it is always a hit. Typically instant pudding and cool whip frosting would be a turn off for me, but it is suprisingly really good! And oh so simple to make.

So go ahead and make some cake :)

The Best Part of My Day-Unplanned

We didn't have any plans

Our whole family was in the nursery after getting the kids dressed in PJ's

It all started with 3 little monkeys jumping on the bed

And well, the oldest little monkey discovered that she could jump even higher...

And to her and her brother and sister, that was pretty exciting

Belly laughter broke out.
I love those big belly laughs!

Something so simple, yet so fun, turned into the best part of my day today.

............

These moments, such small moments, are the greatest parts of my day.

I love how children discover new creative ways to have fun all day long. The way they can do something over and over and over again, and never tire of it.
They don't have a mental list of "things to do"

They take each moment as it comes

and enjoy each one.

I am grateful for the lessons I learn from my children. I need to be more like them everyday

Crocheted Wooden Hangers

Have you been over to Dottie Angel? She is one talented chica with a great eye for color. Her homemade treasures are beautiful. These wooden crocheted hangers are so pretty.

Via Dottie Angel

Via Dottie Angel



I saw these vintage crocheted hangers on Ashleyannphotography.com as part of her new room's decor.




And here's the one I found this week while out thrifting. I get way too excited over these vintage treasures, I know. But my heart skipped a little beat when I saw this. I think it will go great in someone's room decor. I just love the royal blue color...and I only wish it fit in with my bedroom decor. I would make a photo mobile similar to Ashley's.

Ice Cream Shoppe Valentine

I love valentines day.

I love the hearts, candy, flowers, love notes, parties, pink, red, lace, dates with the hubs. And now I think I'll add ICE CREAM to my list for valentines day LOVES.

The other day while out thrifting I found some great vintage parfait/dessert glasses. I also found this recipe box with Betty Crocker recipes from the 1970s. There was a recipe card in there with a picture of parfaits. Those 1970 pictures get me! Such vintage goodness. Right?

Well as soon as I saw that recipe card an image popped into my head for a product shot for these little lovelies:



A mini-flag banner with pinks, teals, and purples

coupled with my shop's new treasures.

I just didn't know if I could pull it off...


I'm no product photographing expert. I'm a complete amature! But I do love the way these turned out.

So here's what I did.

I cut triangles, about 1"or 2" in size and then hot glued the pieces onto green apple divine twine. Any string, lace, ribbon or jute would work just great.

To get a white background I taped my flag banner onto a large white foam board. And set my dessert glasses on white pieces of paper


I later photoshoped the paper lines out using this technique

Added some heart sprinkles for that special valentine's touch. Then I brightened each picture in Adobe Bridge...LOVE ADOBE BRIDGE!

And well, a good product shot can't go to waste. Oh no. Especially not on valentines day. So these little munchkins (along with a very special man of mine) got to try the "product" out after their baths tonight.

It was my valentines day {end of day} surprise.

And well...I think they liked it :)

An Imperfectly Perfect Pillow

When my twin sister and I were turning 19 my mom wanted to get us something that we could use for our futures as adults. She gave us some suggestions and ulitimately left it up to us. My sister wanted a sewing machine. My only experience with a sewing machine was in jr. high class when I had sewn my boxer shorts leg to part of the wasteband. I just couldn't sew.

Since I hadn't decided on anything my mom got each of us sewing machines. Something I never knew I wanted but am so grateful to have! Ever since then I've wanted to learn how to sew. I just had no clue where to go to start.

Years later I got my first lesson. I learned how to sew my own flannel rag quilt thanks to my sister-in-law walking me through the process step-by-step. Later I sewed my own slip covers for a chair and ottoman in our living room. Complete with piping. My husband was convinced that I was learning how to curse more than I was learning how to sew. It fell apart within the year. EEK. Since then I've sewn lots of things.

But I've never sewn a pillow. I don't know how to sew a pillow. So I made this up...and well, 5 months later it still hasn't fallen apart :)

It's far from perfect. Far from

Ya, see those squares? They are supposed to be lined up. Can someone tell me how that's possible? I tried, I really tried.

But despite all of the imperfections. My daughter loves it in her room. It sits on her little rocking chair and all of the kids love it.

And I love that she has a homemade creation in her room from mom.

And the back of the pillow is a scrap piece of fabric from one of daddy's old work shirts. She LOVES that part.

I don't "really" know how to sew but I've learned that my kids don't know that nor do they care. They just love that I make things for them. There favorite toys and things in our house are the things I've made. They don't notice the imperfections like I do.

I hope I can always see their creations the way they see mine. Imperfectly PERFECT!

*Fabric purchased here

*Flower tutorial here