tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85927614161485582092024-03-12T20:19:57.238-04:00 Coffee, Caramel & Cream The adventures of a girl who can't stay stillCoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-16199960010462348592013-02-27T10:35:00.000-05:002013-02-27T10:35:39.392-05:00Snickers Sundae Ice Cream Cake<br />
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Sorry for the delay in blogging. In January I enrolled in interior design school and have been busy immersing myself the the amazing theories of design and history of architecture. I LOVE my classes and the work doesn't feel like work at all :-)<br />
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Back to blogging world....<br />
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Last Sunday was my husband's birthday. He's not a huge fan of cake. I'll pause here to let that last sentence sink in. <br />
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Yes, I said he is <strong>not</strong> a fan of cake. He doesn't fit in at all with our family. Just kidding :-)<br />
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What he does love is ice cream cake. So each year on his birthday his family has gotten him an ice cream cake (and sometimes even a regular cake for the rest of us ...... his family is pretty awesome like that).<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9sXCILcWoz0/US4jvJflsxI/AAAAAAAABno/GGTckCYGJGE/s1600/cake2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9sXCILcWoz0/US4jvJflsxI/AAAAAAAABno/GGTckCYGJGE/s1600/cake2.jpg" height="320" width="237" /></a></div>
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Over the last few years I have experimented with different forms of homemade ice cream cakes, and after testing and tweaking many, I have come up with the winner. It's so easy to make. It will take you all of 20 minutes.<br />
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What you need:<br />
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<li>24 ice cream sandwiches</li>
<li>3 snickers bars</li>
<li>1 cup salted peanuts</li>
<li>hot fudge topping</li>
<li>caramel topping</li>
<li>8 oz cool whip topping</li>
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Lay out the sandwiches to fill a 9x13 baking dish.</div>
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Place the snickers in a food processor and pulverize!<br />
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Set the snickers crumbles aside and pulverize the peanuts.<br />
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Spread your fudge on top of the sandwiches and follow with the caramel.<br />
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Lick the jars clean even if it is right before dinner time.<br />
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Spread all of the snickers crumbles down, then MOST of the peanut crumbs. (Save some for the garnish).<br />
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Place another layer of sandwiches on top.<br />
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Spread a layer of cool whip on top and garnish with the remainder of the peanut crumbs.</div>
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Cover delicately and put in the freezer for at least 6 hours before eating. I always make this the night before I need it.</div>
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Remove from the freezer and let thaw about 15 minutes before serving.</div>
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MMMMM MMMMM MMMMMM</div>
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This is such a yummy cake. I even tripled this recipe last August and used it as my daughter's birthday cake. It was such a huge hit!! Everyone was asking me what was in it and were so surprised to find out how simple it was.</div>
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Great thing about this cake is you can completely switch out the ingredients to suit your taste. It would be awesome with peanut butter cups, M&Ms, or Oreos. </div>
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oooooo ... good thing my birthday is coming up next month, the peanut butter cups are calling my name.</div>
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Enjoy and have a wonderful day!</div>
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-9666768109344973062013-01-17T15:14:00.001-05:002013-01-17T15:14:12.154-05:00Master Bathroom is Done!!!<br />
And boy are we tired and in need of a shower. We are thrilled to say that the master bathroom is done. Jared and I have never had our own bathroom, so this is going to be hard and wonderful to get used to. I have to keep reminding myself to go there instead of the hall bath.<br />
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So to catch up anyone who missed it a few months ago, we started <a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-office-into-master-bathroom.html" target="_blank">with a nook in our bedroom that was always meant to be a bathroom </a>but for whatever reason the original owners elected not to put it in. Remember that when we<a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012/10/you-never-know-whats-under-your-carpet.html" target="_blank"> ripped up the carpet we found all the lines laid out and saw that the framing was ripped down</a>? Crazy town.<br />
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Here is what we started with...<br />
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And after my carpenter husband worked long weekend hours....<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0vV4S0ChQ-8/UPhWgXwbiRI/AAAAAAAABls/UZml2c01mfg/s1600/tiling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0vV4S0ChQ-8/UPhWgXwbiRI/AAAAAAAABls/UZml2c01mfg/s1600/tiling.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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Sigh........isn't he amazing and dreamy?<br />
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Ok, ok, back to the bathroom.......... here it is!!!!<br />
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I love the cool watery feeling of the paint (Olympic's Oasis at 75%) . The bamboo blinds and woven waste basket help to add texture to a room filled with mostly hard surfaces.<br />
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What's my favorite part? The floor. Hands down, the floor. <br />
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If you remember when we started this project I was in love with the small glass clear penny tile we found and I had plans to add it around the sink as a back splash. However once we had all the elements in, I thought the penny tile would be too much. The floor is now the star of this show.<br />
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This morning I was doing my hair in our new bathroom and I hear Sadie come in behind me. She had carried her potty seat in and wanted to go potty in "our" bathroom. :-) The girl has good taste.<br />
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Thanks to everyone who has been following us along on this adventure. Please let us know what you think, we'd love to hear from you.<br />
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Have a great day!<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-76245073962762555462013-01-15T12:46:00.003-05:002013-01-15T12:55:38.617-05:00How to Paint your Bathroom Vanity<div style="text-align: left;">
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Oh, paint, how I love thee. You can make such a big impact with very little money. You rock.</div>
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Our main bathroom has been getting a mini face lift. Since we are prepping and staging our house to sell, it is important for us to tackle projects that make a huge difference without spending a ton of money. (We have just <a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-office-into-master-bathroom.html" target="_blank">added a master bathroom, where there was none</a>, after all).</div>
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The sink cabinet was your standard, builder basic oak. When we first moved into this house 5 years ago we added the knobs and painted the bright blue walls yellow. That was in my "I love yellow, let's paint every wall in our house a shade of yellow" phase. Recently we replaced the toilet as well. So to update the entire room, I thought a nice espresso shade would work nicely.</div>
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Sorry for the dark "before" pictures. At the time Jared had the power turned off because he was switching all our outlets from almond to white. PS- I LOVE him for that :-)<br />
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I started by removing the knobs and giving the cabinet a good sanding with a sanding wedge.<br />
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After you are done sanding wipe everything down with a slightly damp rag and let dry.</div>
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Paint on a coat of primer. I used Kilz because we had some on hand.</div>
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Let dry for 4-6 hours (or as recommended by the manufacturer.)</div>
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Brush on a coat of paint. I used Olympic One in Star Anise. Get your paint in the glossiest finish they make. Since this is a bathroom, the glossier the paint means the better protection you will have.</div>
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I let that coat dry a day .... actually a week but only because I didn't get back to it until then. You only need to wait about 6-8 hours in between coats.</div>
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Paint your second coat on and let dry 2-3 days before adding the knobs back on. Just because paint is dry to the touch in 4-6 hours doesn't mean it is fully knick proof. That takes a few days so be careful around it for a few days.</div>
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My girls kept jamming their stool up against mine to brush their teeth. </div>
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Do the best you can.</div>
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You can see above how I painted the doors while they were still hanging. Since I was going darker and the hinges were already bronze, I decided to live on the wild side and just used a tiny paintbrush to get into all the small crevices and around the hardware. (Sorry, Dad, I know I've shamed you)</div>
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After you put everything back together it will look like this...</div>
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The walls read really yellow in the the picture above, I promise you they are NOT that bright. I'm just a crappy photographer. The actual color is more like the picture below. We are planning on painting the walls a nice tan , though. </div>
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So easy and so much better!</div>
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Give it a try! You can do it!</div>
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Hope you are a having a great day :-)</div>
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<br />CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-79756517006346424262013-01-10T12:34:00.001-05:002013-01-10T12:34:14.822-05:00Master Bedroom Reveal<br />
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So throughout this whole time of <a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-office-into-master-bathroom.html" target="_blank">creating a master bathroom in our weird bedroom nook</a> , we also have been sprucing up the actual bedroom. I wish I had more before pictures, but this started about last June BTB (before the blog). <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YDxFycRjYDc/UO7qqSdBQyI/AAAAAAAABfY/vjAf-AA4-0Q/s1600/American+Girl+trip!+071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YDxFycRjYDc/UO7qqSdBQyI/AAAAAAAABfY/vjAf-AA4-0Q/s1600/American+Girl+trip!+071.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This is our room about June-ish. We had gotten our bedroom set from a huge furniture clearance. The set included a headboard, 2 night tables, and huge dresser with mirror (not pictured because we are donating to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore) only cost us $600! I wasn't crazy about the color of the wood (honey oak and I have our issues) but I knew down the road I would give them a makeover.<br />
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When we bought the house the walls and ceiling in our room had been painted a blue. It was fine, just not for us. Especially not a ceiling painted anything other than white. I know many designers are all about painting ceilings radical colors, but that is one train that I don't think I could ever hop aboard. I like ceilings white, to me they look crisp, clean, and open.<br />
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Oh yeah, and the carpet was blue too. Well at least it MUST have been blue when they installed it in 1996. Now it was a combination of brown/grey/blue and was worn so bad it felt like we were walking right on the wood sub floor.<br />
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Also, let me remind you that I work from home and since my "office" (the nook in the bedroom) is now a bathroom (the reveal on that soon!) I had my desk shoved in the main part of the room. Experts always say to NOT work out of your bedroom because it hinders your rest since you are always face to face with a mountain of paperwork. I'm here to tell you all that they are 100% correct. <br />
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When we moved in we jumped into projects all over the house, and our bedroom has been last on the list. <br />
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So since June I've been painting the furniture a warm creamy white (Snowbound by Sherwin Williams), getting new window treatments, painting the ceiling white, painting the walls Grey Ghost (Olympic), freshening up the white trim, getting new lamps, and accessories.</div>
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We moved my desk into our finished basement. It's working very nicely there. </div>
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To top it off we got new light tan carpet installed on Tuesday. </div>
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Pheeeww!!</div>
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So here is our new, updated Master Bedroom.</div>
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Can you believe I got that canvas wall art for only $22.00 at HomeGoods? I LOVE that store.</div>
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I wouldn't say the room is <em>done</em>, per say ....... but only because I never feel like a room is done. It's just always <em>evolving</em> and I can't help myself from making little tweaks here and there.<br />
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Hope you are having a great day!!<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-69280835113822917922013-01-02T11:30:00.000-05:002013-01-02T13:45:32.043-05:002013 New Year's Resolution<br />
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Happy 2013!<br />
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I hope everyone had an amazing month filled with family, friends, and so much love your body ran out of hugs and kisses.<br />
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On to the new year!<br />
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I was never one to make New Year's resolutions, but I'm going to make one this year. What I have in mind is going to be difficult, I know .... but so important to me, especially since it involves my 2 daughters ( ages 2 and 4). So here it is....<br />
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This year I will try my very hardest to do "less yelling, more teaching."<br />
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Let me explain...<br />
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I work from home. And my girls are not in daycare. So that means that I am a full time stay at home mom, while I work from home 25-30 hours a week (not including this blog). Now when a lot of people hear that phrase they probably picture me in my jammies all day drinking coffee, talking to friends on the phone with daytime TV blasting in the background. Let me assure you, that is far from my day. Being at home all day with a 2 and 4- year- old is like running in a hamster wheel. You run, run, run, and never seem to make much of a dent in anything. (Didn't I just clean up the living room 20 minutes ago? Where are your pants?)<br />
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I need to work at my desk (which is currently in my bedroom) usually when my girls are napping. It's impossible to get any paperwork done while they are awake and running around. If they don't nap long enough I need to wait until after dinner when my husband is at home, to go upstairs and work at my desk more. If I don't get done, then I work through my weekends since my husband is home. Top that off with keeping my house clean/ picked up/ laundry done and put away/ healthy meals 3 times a day and you have yourself a very crazed Angela.<br />
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Please don't get me wrong, I am eternally grateful to have the job I do and really like it! But most days I feel like there just needs to be way more than 24 hours in a day. I'm overwhelmed.<br />
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My fuse has become short with my precious girls.<br />
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I recognize this and HATE it. I don't want to yell at them. I want to <em>teach</em> them. I've always said that my main goal with my daughters is to guide them to be good people. I don't mind if they don't get straight "A"s in school. I care more about their interactions with their teachers and classmates. I want them to be polite, compassionate, kind, grateful and respectful. Admittedly this is no easy task when dealing with children. I had a hard time getting my very tired 4-year-old to even say "thank you" to my aunt for having us over for dinner on New Years.<br />
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This is crucial to me. I want them to be kind and respectful. They only way they will learn that is for me to be kind and respectful to them. Right now I am ashamed to say that I don't think I always am. When it takes me asking Hailey 15 times to go brush her teeth, or asking Sadie for the 20th time to come over to me so I can wipe her runny nose, I wish I could say that I stay calm and firm. <br />
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I don't.<br />
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I yell, I get aggravated, and even whiny (great example for them, right?) <br />
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So this year, I resolve to keep my cool with my girls. I will remember that they are only tiny humans. I can be firm without yelling. I can do this. I will be a good example for them.<br />
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They are my gifts from God and I love them with every breath I have in me. They deserve more from me.<br />
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<strong>Less YELLING, more teaching.... got that, Angela?</strong><br />
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Did you make a New Year's resolution? I'd love to hear it :-)<br />
<br />CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-16378796644648926862012-12-17T13:15:00.002-05:002012-12-17T13:15:35.337-05:00Heavy Hearts<br />
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My heart feels so heavy, it could almost sink right into the floor. I feel paralyzed with sadness, grief, anger, and fear. I couldn't post a facebook status because words just wouldn't come to me, only tears. <br />
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And yet, what ever I am feeling, I know that it is nothing compared to what the families and community in Connecticut are going through.<br />
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The faces of those sweet children and heroic teachers consume my thoughts and prayers.<br />
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All weekend I was dreading this morning. This morning where I would have to send my oldest off to school. Something that before Friday has been routine to us. I didn't want to. Last night after they fell asleep I sat outside their rooms crying.<br />
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How can I protect them? <br />
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Parents have so much to fear, sending our children off to school should not be one of them.<br />
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How are we, as a society, failing our children so miserably?<br />
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What can we do to stop these horrific tragedies?<br />
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Why are these events so frequent now?<br />
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Things like this didn't happen 30 - 40 years ago, what has changed?<br />
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Assault weapons? Why are they on the street?<br />
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Violent video games and movies? Our children and society are so DESENSITIZED to violence it makes me physically ill. <br />
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I have so many questions, and I have zero answers.<br />
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I can't stop hugging and kissing my girls. Things that used to annoy me, now seem so small, so insignificant. I know I'm not alone. All parents everywhere must be feeling similar.<br />
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I wish I had something inspiration to say to you all. I'm sorry to say that I don't. I don't know where we go from here. My heart hurts for those families.<br />
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I can only offer up a prayer.<br />
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Dear Lord,<br />
Please guide us. Help us to raise compassionate, loving children. Help us to help each other. Help us to love each other. Please be with the community of Newtown, Connecticut, especially those who lost dearly loved ones. Please wrap them in the light of your love and find a path to peace and comfort. I pray that these massacres will stop. Please keep our children safe. Please help us, heavenly Father.<br />
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Amen.<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-81748912109105053052012-12-07T11:53:00.003-05:002012-12-07T11:53:26.738-05:00Sears Kit Homes 101<br />
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If you know me in real life or are Facebook friends with me, you have probably heard me rattle on about Sears Houses. If you ask me a simple question about them, I will talk your ear off and give you way more information that you thought you wanted. I am a bit obsessed with these houses. Ok, a LOT obsessed. I drive around my town looking for them. When I see one I yelp with joy and take pictures.<br />
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Allow to me to share with you some of the Sears homes I have found and to give you some insight on these amazing pieces of American history...<br />
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The invention of the Model T in the early 1900s caused many people to pack up and head out of the crowed city and into the peaceful suburbs. Soldiers were returning home from World War I and many immigrants had come to live out the American Dream. At the time, many young families did not have a home of their own. They either lived with their elders or in boarding houses. <br />
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Houses were in short supply and HIGH demand.<br />
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In 1908 Sears Roebuck Company decided to add houses to their very popular mail-order catalog. Houses in the form of a "kit" that you built YOURSELF. (Now they were not the first company to think of this idea. Others like Aladdin and Montgomery Ward were also in the Kit Home business, however most people only remember Sears). By buying a kit home, you would create immediate equity - around 30%. That was a very affordable and smart choice for many.<br />
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<strong>The Crescent</strong><br />
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Image source: <a href="http://www.antiquehome.org/">http://www.antiquehome.org/</a><br />
House-Plans/1928-Sears/Crescent.htm Whitehall, Pennsylvania<br />
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From 1908-1940 there were about <u>370 different house plans</u>. Prices ranges from $450 to $9,000 with the average being about $2,000. There was something for everyone; bungalows, foursquares, tudor revival cottages, and even trailing edge victorians.<br />
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Buyers simply picked out the design of their liking, then Sears sent (by railroad) one or two boxcars filled with the materials to build their dream house (excluding masonry and plumbing materials due to weight). The boxcars contained about 30,000 pieces and a 75 page instruction book written so that "a man of average ability could build the house in 90 days"-that was Sears' promise. Everything was labeled and each piece of lumber was pre-cut and stamped to make the assembly go as easily as possible. <br />
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This was a golden idea. Sears was essentially creating more customers for themselves. After all, all these newly built homes would need ovens, lamps and furniture. In the 1920s Sears hired an interior designer to draw in the ideal furniture placement in all their house plans. It was pretty helpful. <br />
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<strong>The Osborn</strong><br />
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Image source <a href="http://www.arts-crafts.com/archive/sears/page46.html">http://www.arts-crafts.com/archive/sears/page46.html</a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RrMp3H6sDnE/UMEYlTqGVTI/AAAAAAAABX4/F7tjyJiTpVE/s1600/searsosborn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RrMp3H6sDnE/UMEYlTqGVTI/AAAAAAAABX4/F7tjyJiTpVE/s320/searsosborn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Catasauqua, Pennsylvania</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hYBEQAcylPE/UMFMYlg8fbI/AAAAAAAABZU/m85IGOZpq_4/s1600/osborn2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hYBEQAcylPE/UMFMYlg8fbI/AAAAAAAABZU/m85IGOZpq_4/s320/osborn2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Coopersburg, Pennsylvania</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KRkd5YZhylE/UMFMbA-VkwI/AAAAAAAABZc/8O-3UehK3As/s1600/osborn3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KRkd5YZhylE/UMFMbA-VkwI/AAAAAAAABZc/8O-3UehK3As/s320/osborn3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Catasauqua, Pennsylvania</div>
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<br />
In 1911 Sears even started giving out mortgages. There was ONE financial question, "What is your occupation?" If you answered it, you got a mortgage! Horay!<br />
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In the 1920s sales of Sears Kit homes were booming! <br />
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<strong> The Verona</strong><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c6L85Bke8zc/UMEa8IkFnLI/AAAAAAAABYQ/UF-Yh4wUV5k/s1600/verona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c6L85Bke8zc/UMEa8IkFnLI/AAAAAAAABYQ/UF-Yh4wUV5k/s320/verona.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-egwJo-_lwh4/UMEZzbgfgRI/AAAAAAAABYI/DL-606NCzz8/s1600/23sears-verona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-egwJo-_lwh4/UMEZzbgfgRI/AAAAAAAABYI/DL-606NCzz8/s320/23sears-verona.jpg" width="146" /></a></div>
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Image source: <a href="http://antiquehomestyle.com/">http://antiquehomestyle.com/</a></div>
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plans/sears/1923sears/23sears-verona.htm</div>
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Bethlehem, Pennsylvania</div>
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<strong>The Maplewood</strong></div>
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<strong></strong> </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fjvdOgU4ULk/UMFb7EWu7FI/AAAAAAAABcE/WUMyuci0cQE/s1600/maplewood2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fjvdOgU4ULk/UMFb7EWu7FI/AAAAAAAABcE/WUMyuci0cQE/s320/maplewood2.jpg" width="237" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lUlkYu7aaao/UMFbIRvPm_I/AAAAAAAABb8/eni4QESvvng/s1600/maplewood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lUlkYu7aaao/UMFbIRvPm_I/AAAAAAAABb8/eni4QESvvng/s320/maplewood.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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Image source:</div>
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<a href="http://www.searsarchives.com/">http://www.searsarchives.com/</a></div>
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homes/images/1927-1932/1932_3302.jpg Bethlehem, Pennsylvania</div>
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<br />
Unfortunately in 1931 sales plummeted after the Great Depression. Sears was forced to foreclose many of their mortgages. Rosemary Thornton said it best "Think of that public relations nightmare!! Sears was foreclosing their BEST customers on the houses they built with their own HANDS." <br />
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Yikes.<br />
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In 1940 Sears closed their Modern Homes department and destroyed all their records. <br />
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That means that there is no way of knowing where these kit homes are.<br />
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Architectural Historians, like Thornton, have gathered information mainly from old Sears Modern Home catalogs purchased off of places like ebay.<br />
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In total there were about 370 different houses. Thornton says that she tends to find the same 65 houses. (See her book below) It is very possible that some house designs were never purchased.<br />
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<strong>The Dover</strong><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sLvg8Zsr5wM/UMEbyZiYRCI/AAAAAAAABYg/D45s_-tPjpY/s1600/dover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sLvg8Zsr5wM/UMEbyZiYRCI/AAAAAAAABYg/D45s_-tPjpY/s320/dover.jpg" width="238" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i-aqxmw66a0/UMEbmkUq79I/AAAAAAAABYY/nVXQE8EnUX0/s1600/dovercat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i-aqxmw66a0/UMEbmkUq79I/AAAAAAAABYY/nVXQE8EnUX0/s320/dovercat.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
<strong> Image Source: <a href="http://www.arts-crafts.com/archive/sears/page115.html">http://www.arts-crafts.com/archive/sears/page115.html</a></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
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Allentown, Pennsylvania</div>
<strong> </strong><br />
<br />
It is sometimes difficult to identify a Sears house. Think of all the remodeling that may have been done over the last 100 years or so. Plus Sears allowed buyers to customize their houses, adding a few feet to the depth or possibly changing a wall or a window here or there.<br />
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You will find most of them are within 2 miles of a railroad (think of what a pain it was to haul the material from the train station to your building lot).<br />
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Many of them are on the main streets of towns, (think the areas that were heavily built up in the 1920s).<br />
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<strong> The Belmont </strong><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K0yxVt5jUj4/UMFN6iV5ZOI/AAAAAAAABZs/b7Pqef6JiGQ/s1600/belmont.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K0yxVt5jUj4/UMFN6iV5ZOI/AAAAAAAABZs/b7Pqef6JiGQ/s320/belmont.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQxMFv-IHIM/UMFPceJsXiI/AAAAAAAABZ8/Q61cQFMFOVM/s1600/belmont3.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQxMFv-IHIM/UMFPceJsXiI/AAAAAAAABZ8/Q61cQFMFOVM/s320/belmont3.jpg" width="231" /></a> Allentown, Pennsylvania</div>
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Image source: <a href="http://www.arts-crafts.com/">http://www.arts-crafts.com/</a></div>
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archive/sears/page144.html</div>
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Sears allowed you to reverse the floor plan if you wanted.</div>
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Now an important fact to remember is that just because a house looks like a Sears House design, doesn't always mean it is one. The architects Sears used purposely modeled their homes after popular styles of the day. That is why when you look at pictures of Sears houses, they mostly seem like the houses you see everyday! The only way to 100% know if it is a Sears kit home is to see stamped lumber, shipping paperwork on the back of mouldings or trim, or to see the shipping label or mortgage paperwork.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BGT2MwdkZ4k/UMFNNqGp1kI/AAAAAAAABZk/BA-SJRbcALY/s1600/stampedlumber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BGT2MwdkZ4k/UMFNNqGp1kI/AAAAAAAABZk/BA-SJRbcALY/s320/stampedlumber.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Stamped lumber helped the home builder assemble the pieces of the kit house<br />
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<strong> The Fullerton</strong><br />
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<strong> </strong>Whitehall, Pennsylvania<br />
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<strong>The Lewiston</strong><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fhVP4RkeIVI/UMFVTEg-xcI/AAAAAAAABbI/zcMfW3eO28A/s1600/lewiston.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fhVP4RkeIVI/UMFVTEg-xcI/AAAAAAAABbI/zcMfW3eO28A/s320/lewiston.jpg" width="239" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TDt6BWiP-mA/UMFVQXtrQvI/AAAAAAAABbA/bW6K8ueCBro/s1600/lewiston2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TDt6BWiP-mA/UMFVQXtrQvI/AAAAAAAABbA/bW6K8ueCBro/s320/lewiston2.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
Image source: <br />
<a href="http://antiquehomestyle.com/plans/sears/">http://antiquehomestyle.com/plans/sears/</a><br />
1936sears/36sears-lewiston.htm<br />
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Whitehall, Pennsylvania</div>
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Sears sold around 75,000 kit homes from 1908-1940.<br />
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Think you've seen one? Are you maybe living in one?! Please write to me!<br />
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*** 98% of what I know about Sears Kit Houses is from Rosemary Thornton. Her blog <a href="http://www.searshomes.org/">www.searshomes.org</a> and her books <u>"The Houses that Sears Built"</u> and <u>"Finding the Houses that Sears Built"</u> are a WEALTH of knowledge, information, and pictures. She has dedicated her life to finding Sears homes and educating people on them. Most of the people living in kit homes have no idea they are in one!***<br />
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I'd love to hear everyones' thoughts on these beautiful houses. Any questions? This post is just skimming the surface on the topic. Have anything to add? I'm always looking to learn more. If I get enough questions, I'll probably do a follow up post with Q and A's ... how exciting for a house nerd like me!<br />
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Thank you for letting me share one of my passions with you :-)<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-19005167073701369872012-11-30T17:25:00.001-05:002012-11-30T17:25:05.641-05:00Little Christmas Touches<br />
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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....<br />
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So that means I am decking my halls every chance I get. Little green here, little red here, sprinkle in some silver and gold. Glitter? Do you even have to ask?<br />
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I wanted to share a few quick Christmas tweaks I've made to projects you've already seen.<br />
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First, I made a Christmas ribbon wreath, just like my fall one. For the<a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012/09/diy-ribbon-wreath.html" target="_blank"> easy as pie directions go here</a>. It seriously only took me 30 minutes to make. I had <a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012_09_01_archive.html" target="_blank">stocked up on Christmas ribbon</a> at The Christmas Tree Shoppes a few months ago.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EFyMC0DHbx8/ULktcmSbazI/AAAAAAAABWw/iMD7rBUahDc/s1600/ChristmaswreathF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EFyMC0DHbx8/ULktcmSbazI/AAAAAAAABWw/iMD7rBUahDc/s1600/ChristmaswreathF.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thanks again for sharing all of the pictures of the ribbon wreaths you have made. I LOVE seeing how you have customized them and made them your own. Please keep sharing :-)<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GxTiac_Ma_c/ULktkjXu68I/AAAAAAAABW4/XX93TJ-NJpg/s1600/Christmaswreath+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GxTiac_Ma_c/ULktkjXu68I/AAAAAAAABW4/XX93TJ-NJpg/s1600/Christmaswreath+007.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Second, I switched out the fall scrapbook paper in my <a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012/10/easy-breezy-art.html" target="_blank">rotating holiday kitchen frames</a>. Now there are festive silver reindeer frolicking in the snow. <br />
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I kept the fall paper directly behind the winter one in the frame. That way I will never misplace one and know it will stay nice and flat.<br />
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Now that it's colder out and getting dark at 4pm, does anyone else never want to leave their house. I just want to snuggle up with a blanket and coffee and watch Christmas movies.<br />
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And that's what I'm about to go do.<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-47018397175232453252012-11-29T14:56:00.001-05:002012-11-29T14:56:48.683-05:00Applesauce Spice Christmas Ornaments<br />
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I saw the idea for these ornaments on Pinterest and right away thought it would be a great project for the girls to do this Christmas. The other day we got the very first snowfall of the season and so it was the PERFECT morning to make our house smell glorious making these adorable, cinnamon decorations.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ObEA7GHoLvc/ULe5Op9BOsI/AAAAAAAABUs/16rtO3V5o5Q/s1600/applesaucespiceF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ObEA7GHoLvc/ULe5Op9BOsI/AAAAAAAABUs/16rtO3V5o5Q/s1600/applesaucespiceF.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
All you will need are:<br />
<ul>
<li>1 cup of applesauce</li>
<li>1 1/4 cup of cinnamon </li>
<li>2 tbsp. ground cloves</li>
<li>2 tbsp. ground nutmeg</li>
<li>cookie cutters </li>
<li>plastic straw</li>
<li>yarn</li>
</ul>
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Pour all ingredients into a bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. You may need to take off your rings and knead with your hands. Just like sugar cookies, if the dough feels sticky, add more cinnamon, if it feels too dry add some more applesauce.<br />
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Sprinkle some cinnamon on a clean surface.<br />
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Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.<br />
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Press cookie cutters firmly into the dough.<br />
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Place shapes onto a cookie pan with either a sil mat or parchment paper. Using a plastic straw, poke holes into the top center of each shape.<br />
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Bake at 225 degrees for 2 hours or until rock hard. Then let them completely cool.<br />
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We were able to make about 40 ornaments! If you don't want to make so many, then simply half the recipe above.<br />
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We tied red and green yarn through the hole to hang them on the tree. On some we even added tiny jingle bells.<br />
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Easy peasy, right?! My girls and I had a blast making them as the snow was falling outside. We hung some on the tree and have the rest hanging by the front door. Any visitor to our house gets to take one home as a keepsake.<br />
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What a great way to kick off the most wonderful time of the year. <br />
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**Just a note to remind you that these are NOT edible. So as much as you may want to, do NOT eat these. Go find yourself another snack.**<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-66807155062325008882012-11-27T13:26:00.002-05:002012-11-27T13:26:11.375-05:00Make It Work<br />
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Oh how I love to quote the fabulous Tim Gun.<br />
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I've been eying up my utensil crock for at least a year now. You see, ever since we painted our kitchen cabinets white last year, I've been slowly trying to make my old accessories work in the space. Sometimes that meant yard saleing the old and getting something different. However, when I can, I like to re-imagine a piece and still use it.<br />
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The problem was that it was just too bright and to, well, yellow. It was the first thing my eye was drawn to when I stepped into the kitchen. It didn't fit. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TwWozhKKdxE/ULUDE7YIMCI/AAAAAAAABTU/6Ehrm4VBv08/s1600/crockpudding+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TwWozhKKdxE/ULUDE7YIMCI/AAAAAAAABTU/6Ehrm4VBv08/s1600/crockpudding+003.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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So out came my good, old friend, spray paint.<br />
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I gave it 2 thin coats of primer and about 3 thin coats of "Heirloom White" paint.<br />
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I let it dry overnight in the garage, while I not so patiently waited.<br />
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So much better!<br />
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Now it feels like it belongs, yet still has a bit of an eclectic touch since it doesn't exactly match the white on the cabinets.<br />
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And yes, those are dog bones :-)<br />
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Now comes the age old question.......... what ELSE in my house can I spray paint?........<br />
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Have a great day!<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-50622133135950791882012-11-26T13:53:00.003-05:002012-11-26T13:53:57.008-05:00Chocolate Chip Rice Pudding<br />
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This recipe was my Everest. It took YEARS to get it just right.<br />
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Let me start at the beginning....<br />
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Once upon a time I lived in New York City during a summer college internship. My roommate, Becky and I shared a teeny, tiny room in the beautiful, historic New Yorker hotel. It was so small our beds practically touched.<br />
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The hotel reserves one entire floor of rooms year-round for college interns. What a great idea! We were able to meet other college students of various career fields to spend our summer with, when we weren't working, that is. We became friends with Danielle and Samantha, two wonderful girls from Arizona.<br />
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It was on one fateful day in June that Danielle asked us if we had ever eaten dessert at Rice to Riches.<br />
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"What is that?"<br />
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Danielle explained to us that it was a little place on Spring St. right above Little Italy at Mulberry St. It was basically like an ice cream shop, except that instead of ice cream they served up a huge variety of unique rice pudding flavors.<br />
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I was hesitant, I didn't even eat regular rice pudding that often, what was I going to think of this place?<br />
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Well, one bite of their "Chocolate Chip Flirt" (all their flavors have super cute names) and I was hooked. I mean, head over heals in LOVE. It was creamy, cold, and delicious.<br />
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Oh look, here we are!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ELrE5rZlr_E/ULOhg_Y9tpI/AAAAAAAABP0/snqolYTih1Q/s1600/r2r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ELrE5rZlr_E/ULOhg_Y9tpI/AAAAAAAABP0/snqolYTih1Q/s1600/r2r.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Becky, me, and Danielle in a booth at Rice to Riches<br />
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As far as I know this is the ONLY location. So until a franchise is available for me to put in my hometown ..... I had to try and re-create my own.<br />
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I tried, and I tried, and I googled and tried longer, over the course of 6-7 years. I can finally now say that it is done. I did it!<br />
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Creamy, cold, delicious!<br />
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The secret is that you have to use Arborio rice (Italian risotto rice). It's a high-starch, short-grain rice that becomes super creamy when it absorbs the milk.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
<ul>
<li>4 cups of whole milk</li>
<li>1.5 cups of heavy whipping cream</li>
<li>1tsp. vanilla</li>
<li>3/4 cups brown sugar</li>
<li>1/2 cup Italian Risotto rice</li>
<li>1 extra large bar of dark chocolate (coarsely chopped) </li>
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Directions:<br />
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Place the milk, cream, vanilla, brown sugar, and rice in a large pot and bring to a simmer.<br />
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Once it's simmering, lower the heat to medium-high, and continue to simmer until the rice is cooked and the mixture is thickened (about 30 minutes). Be sure to stir it frequently.<br />
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This is how it should look.<br />
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Turn off the heat and transfer the pudding to a casserole dish.<br />
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Leave the pudding out on your counter for about 30 minutes to cool down. Stir it every so often.</div>
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Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.</div>
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Coarsly chop your chocolate bar. Then fold into the pudding.</div>
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Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.</div>
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I usually make this the day before I need it, that way it can chill all night.</div>
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This makes about 4- 6 servings. If you make it for a party, double it, because it will be gone before you know it! People will be licking their bowls clean, I know I shamelessly do. </div>
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"Oh, what's that on my face? It's probably chocolate chip rice pudding."</div>
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*****If you are ever in New York and want to try one of their awesome flavors, check out Rice to Riches. It seems they are redesigning their web site right now, but be sure to check back in the future. </div>
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If you don't think you'll be in the city any time soon, they will mail you some!*****</div>
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Enjoy!!</div>
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<br />CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-90013336462627385992012-11-20T07:31:00.003-05:002012-11-20T07:58:58.164-05:00Putting Up Drywall<br />
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There's progress in the <a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-office-into-master-bathroom.html" target="_blank">master bathroom</a>! I can no longer lay in bed and stare right at the shower.<br />
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Once we passed our framing, plumbing, and electrical inspection last week. Jared got right to putting up the drywall.<br />
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Once he got to the inside of the bathroom, he installed the shower walls. The shower walls ended up being a special order and taking 3 weeks to come in!<br />
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Here's a close up so you can see the slight tile texture of the wall.<br />
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We even had a little helper.</div>
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Jared had to drill out the hole where the shower lever would go. I asked him if that made him nervous, because it sure made me sweat while I watched him. He assured me that it would be perfect. And it was. Thank GOD! I didn't want to wait another 3 weeks for a shower wall.</div>
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The inspector was here yesterday morning and we passed the drywall inspection! He even said it was the best drywall job he's ever seen. Well, he didn't actually SAY that, but I could tell he was thinking it ;-)<br />
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From here the only other inspection takes place when the entire bathroom is done. It's called the Certificate of Occupancy inspection.<br />
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That means no more waiting. Full speed ahead!<br />
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Jared already has the first coat of spackle up on the wall. I wanted to help him but he said he only had one set of spakle tools with him. I wonder if he did that on purpose......<br />
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My room is a disaster, and yes it gives me the shakes whenever I go in. I can't wait to get it organized and make it a relaxing retreat from our zoo .... er, I mean house.<br />
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Be sure to check back for more updates.<br />
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Have a great day!<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-3442494098918070352012-11-14T12:55:00.003-05:002012-11-14T15:01:34.141-05:00And Now There Are Six<br />
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You may have noticed that my posts have been a little scarce these last few weeks. I'm sorry. I have a good reason, though, I promise.<br />
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You see two weeks ago we brought home a new addition to our family! He's super cuddly and only pees on the floor a few times a day.<br />
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Would you like to meet him? <br />
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This is Scout.<br />
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He's a beagle.<br />
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He's a BEAGLE Scout ...... hehe<br />
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Jared and I have been thinking for some time now that we wanted to add another dog to our family. We have a 5-year-old chocolate labrador, Gracie, who is still a big fur ball of energy. She needed a brother.<br />
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"Are you guys crazy!? Don't you already have your hands full?!"<br />
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This is what most people in real life asked us when we shared our news.<br />
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And the truth is ......Yes, we are pretty nuts.<br />
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But when you are already nuts, what's one more? :-)<br />
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I grew up in a house that always had at least 2-3 dogs. It was wonderful. I loved coming home to my dogs, I loved snuggling up to them by the fireplace, I loved the way they played with each other and ran circles around our pool. My home and heart was filled to the brim with dogs and I want the same for my girls.<br />
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Gracie and Scout have become fast friends. First Scout thought Gracie was his mommy, then Gracie thought Scout was her son. Now they have realized they are brother and sister, they enjoy their afternoon races around our yard and games of fetch in our living room.<br />
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We think our family is complete now :-)<br />
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Look at that face!!! Oh cuteness!!!!!!<br />
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Have a great day!<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-58688066764587531422012-11-12T21:49:00.003-05:002012-11-13T08:41:45.253-05:00Comfort and Joy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My girls LOVE to paint. At least once a day one of them comes up to me and begs me to spread newspaper on the kitchen table, bust out the paintbrushes and let them create swirly masterpieces. They make a huge mess, and love every second of it.<br />
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I had an idea to let them paint something that I know wouldn't get tossed. Something Christmasy, something big. </div>
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In my dining room I normally have a big canvas of painted waterlilies. I had the idea to have the girls paint a picture that I could hang during the holidays, not only to add to our holiday decor, but also to have a special keepsake of their "talents".<br />
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Since my girls are only 2 and 4, I had to think of some way to make the art noticeably holiday-ish, but not to be too restrictive (there is no way my 2 year old could paint a Christmas tree... or even color inside the lines of a Christmas tree.)<br />
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Using painter's tape, I spelled out the word "Joy". Then I went around the edge of the letters with scissors to make them smoother.<br />
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First layer, green. Let dry <br />
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Then red. Let Dry.<br />
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I tried to teach the girls how to make "swirls" with their brushes to get a marbled effect. I was only semi successful. In fact to be honest, the perfectionist in me kept loosing my temper and wanting to take over to make it "perfect". But then I kept looking at the word "Joy" and needed to remind myself that this painting wasn't supposed to be "perfect". It was about them, and the joy they bring to our lives. They were having a blast, and that is what I will always remember when I look at this painting, not that the swirls aren't evenly distributed!<br />
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Then gold. Let dry.<br />
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Then if you really want it sparkly (you know I did), do a layer of silver.<br />
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Once that was fully dry. Peel off the painter's tape.<br />
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You could just leave it white (which was my intention in the beginning) however, I felt the white seemed a bit too graphic and "cold". So I painted the letters in the same green I used for the first layer.<br />
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(It is very hard to get a photograph to accurately show the texture and color of how it looks in real life. I am not a great photographer and took about a million pictures of this and I think the closest representation is the picture with the "Joy" letters still in white.)<br />
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Here is a close up for you to really see the marbly texture.<br />
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This may be my single favorite decoration in my house. It's always shimmering and serves as the perfect reminder to take comfort in the big and small joys in life.<br />
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Joann's almost always has their stretched canvas 40% off. I got that huge one for only $23.00!<br />
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Even if you don't have kids, you could make (a much more polished)
painting using the same steps. Try the words "Love" or "Hope"for a picture to keep
up all year long.<br />
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Although, I may keep this one up all year long.<br />
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It's the most wonderful time......of the year :-)<br />
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Take care, friends.<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-87295173074318104022012-11-08T08:28:00.000-05:002012-11-08T13:36:45.046-05:00Italian Stuffed Shells<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My bridal shower was on November 4th, 2007.<br />
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The only reason I remember that date is because my bridesmaids gave all attendees a recipe card (with the date) and asked each person to gift me with one of their favorite recipes. I now keep all those precious cards in my recipe box. Over the years I have LOVED trying them all out, especially when I feel I'm in a cooking rut.<br />
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One of my all time favorites is my husband's grandma's recipe for Italian Stuffed Shells. Grandma may not be Italian in nationality, but boy can she cook a mean dish of pasta.<br />
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We always joke that everything Grandma cooks turns to gold, because seriously EVERYTHING she makes is amazing. She makes a ham and cheese sandwich gourmet. Her nut roll will change your life. <br />
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So when I saw that she had gifted me with her recipe for Italian Stuffed Shells (a dish that I've swooned over the entire time I've known Jared)... I was over the moon excited to make it.<br />
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Ingredients: (serves 6-8)<br />
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<li>1lb ground beef or turkey</li>
<li>1 cup chopped onions</li>
<li>3 garlic cloves minced</li>
<li>2 cups of hot water</li>
<li>1 (12oz) can of tomato paste</li>
<li>1 tbsp. beef bouillon granules</li>
<li>1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano</li>
<li>1 (16) oz carton of cottage cheese</li>
<li>2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese - divided</li>
<li>1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese</li>
<li>1 egg beaten</li>
<li>1 box jumbo pasta shells cooked and drained</li>
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Directions:<br />
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In a large skillet brown beef , onion, and garlic. Drain extra liquid.<br />
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Stir in water, tomato paste, bouillon and oregano<br />
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Simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes (Your house will smell heavenly! Jared came home from work while this was simmering and said he smelled it outside!)<br />
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Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and egg. Mix well<br />
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Stuff the shells with cheese mixture. Nothing will make you feel more like an Italian grandma than stuffing pasta shells :-)<br />
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Arrange the shells in a greased 9x13 baking dish<br />
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Pour meat sauce over the shells<br />
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Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes<br />
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Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese<br />
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Bake 5 minutes or until cheese is melted<br />
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What a beautiful sight. This is such a hearty dish, but you always will want seconds. Enjoy with a nice glass of red wine. Or two or three ... ya know how that goes :-)<br />
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Mangia!<br />
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Wow, has it been two weeks already?? <br />
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I am ecstatic to announce the winner of my prize in A Crafter's Dream Giveaway is.....<br />
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<strong> Mia Jacobs !!!!!!!!!!!</strong></div>
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Congrats, Mia!! You have won a complete set of supplies to make your very own holiday ribbon wreath!<br />
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If you didn't win, but still would like to make your own, totally customizable ribbon wreath, check out my <a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012/09/diy-ribbon-wreath.html" target="_blank">instructions here.</a><br />
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Thank you all for entering!! If you do make one, please post a picture on my Facebook wall ..... it makes my day :-)<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-72367003085839668132012-11-01T08:44:00.000-04:002012-11-01T08:44:48.210-04:00No Sew Fleece Blanket<br />
Think you need to own a sewing machine to make a blanket? Not true! Here is a great option for those who want a new-sew project.<br />
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These blankets are everywhere. You can't even walk through a local craft show without seeing at least 5 vendors with tie-only fleece blankets. So please note that I, in no way, am claiming that this is an original idea. I just think that fleece is sooooooo cozy! <br />
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When I was in college I made my first no sew fleece blanket to use over my comforter. It was brown with pink flowers and super, super warm and snugly. I wonder what ever happened to it. It must have been one of those things that gets lost when you move. (Like my serrated knife... where is that thing?)<br />
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When I was at Joann's I noticed that their fleece was 60% off. There were the cutest patterns. They'd be perfect for a blanket for our friend's new baby. I decided to make her a new sew blanket because babys LOVE the ends of them since they can hold the strings and knots and feel different texture. Sort of the same idea as a "taggy" blanket.<br />
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I picked two coordinating fabrics. (Baby polar bears and penguins wearing winter gear, I heart you.) You could absolutely use just one fabric for both sides also. <br />
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I bought 1 yard of each, however I ended up cutting off about 6 inches to make more of a square. So you'd be fine getting 3/4 of a yard if this is for a baby.</div>
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After washing and drying the fleece, lay them out on the floor and cut them to the size you want.</div>
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Next cut a 5x5" square out each corner.</div>
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Cut strips about 1 inch apart using those 5x5 squares as guides. You can measure if you want, but I just eye-balled it. (You can see I used my pinking shears. You can use regular kitchen scissors too.)<br />
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After you cut the strips on one side, go through and start knotting them. You can tie them in a "shoe-lace" knot if you want a messier look. I tied them neater by holding both pieces together and knotting them.<br />
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I like to tie each of the ends first, then every 5th knot or so, then the remaining. This helps keep the fabric in line.</div>
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After your first side is done, move on to the next one. It doesn't take long at all! </div>
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So plop yourself down in front of your favorite TV show and before you know it, you will have an adorable, cozy blanket.</div>
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My girls had a hard time parting with this one.</div>
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I think I need to go get more fleece. </div>
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Have a great day!</div>
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<3</div>
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-53696548081491288252012-10-28T08:35:00.001-04:002012-10-28T08:35:57.292-04:00Grammy's Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies<br />
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Food is pretty powerful, don't you think?<br />
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For example, the second I bite into these cookies, I close my eyes and am transported into my grandmother's kitchen on Christmas Eve. Even though they aren't red and green or shaped like a reindeer, these cookies mean Christmas to me.<br />
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On Christmas Eve, we would be sure to find them greeting us on her kitchen table on a snowman cookie plate. Sometimes she would have them out even before we ate dinner! Cookies as an appetizer? Don't mind if I do.Thanks Grammy :-)<br />
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The pinwheels are such a gentle blend of chocolate and vanilla flavors, perfect with your cup of coffee, tea, or milk. <br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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<li>1 3/4 cup sifted flour</li>
<li>1/2 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>1/4 tsp. salt</li>
<li>1/2 cup butter at room temperature</li>
<li>1/2 cup sugar</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>1 tsp. vanilla</li>
<li>1 square semi-sweet baking chocolate</li>
<li>wax paper</li>
<li>rolling pin</li>
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Directions:<br />
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Cream butter and sugar<br />
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Add vanilla and egg, beat well.<br />
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In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking powder.<br />
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Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into the butter/sugar/egg mixture.<br />
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Blend well.<br />
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Place half the dough on a sheet of wax paper. Then place in the refrigerator.<br />
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Melt one square of the baking chocolate in the microwave.<br />
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Once melted, blend it in to the remaining dough still in your mixer.<br />
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Place the chocolate dough on wax paper, wrap up, then place in the refrigerator.</div>
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Chill both doughs for 1 hour.</div>
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After an hour take out the dough. </div>
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Roll out the vanilla dough between 2 sheets of floured wax paper, aiming to make about a 10x8 rectangle.<br />
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Separately roll out the chocolate in the same way.</div>
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Peel back the top layer of both the vanilla and chocolate dough. Carefully flip the vanilla rectangle on top of the chocolate one, trying your best to line them up. Do your best! It will all look good in the end.</div>
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Carefully roll the doughs together.</div>
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Wrap up the log in wax paper and chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.<br />
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Once it is done chilling, take out the log and slice it into about 1/4 inch pieces and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.</div>
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Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes.</div>
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One batch makes about 35 cookies. Since 35 cookies last about 3 days in my house, I usually double this recipe ... or triple.... it is the holidays after all!<br />
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PS - Santa loves these cookies, so be sure to leave some out on Christmas Eve.<br />
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Have a great day and give your Grammy a great big hug next time you see her.<br />
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Love you, Grammy!!<br />
<3 <br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-27697288354734619762012-10-24T14:30:00.000-04:002012-10-24T15:38:47.409-04:00Look At Those Studs<br />
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Ever since our building permit came a few days ago, Jared has been hard at work getting our<a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-office-into-master-bathroom.html" target="_blank"> soon to be master bathroom </a>ready for our first inspection. Since the permit took about a month to obtain (2 weeks more than we thought) we were itching to get this bathroom a movin'.<br />
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Just to remind everyone, <a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012/10/you-never-know-whats-under-your-carpet.html" target="_blank">when Jared pulled up the carpet a few weeks ago</a>, he found the holes where plumbing once was. Yep, the builders had already started to put a bathroom in, and then stopped for some reason. So we ended up changing our layout a bit to follow what was already laid out, just to save a bunch of plumbing time.<br />
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Now on to the the dirty part. <br />
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Jared removed most of the drywall.<br />
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Then started framing the shower wall and room wall. <br />
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He then framed the door and put in a header.<br />
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It's really starting to look like a bathroom!!<br />
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A word about my Jared.....<br />
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My hunky husband wasn't always a carpenter. Jared went to college for accounting. After two years working as an accountant, he discovered that it was not for him. He didn't like sitting at a desk all day, and shortly after we got engaged, made the decision to start a new career. My father and brother own a family construction business (it's filled with my uncles and cousins) and offered Jared a chance to come and work for them.<br />
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Jared made the risky move (took a pay cut!) and joined the business. He got zero "special treatment" and started out as a laborer. That means he basically ran for materials, cleaned up sawdust, and did all the crappy jobs no one else wanted to do. He never complained. Over the years he was placed with the company's carpenters ( all of whom are so talented and truly amazing) and little by little learned the trade. He's a perfectionist and would studiously watch them work and ask questions to better his skill and understanding. <br />
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That was almost 6 years ago.<br />
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He is now a carpenter who gets sent to his own jobs. He not only knows carpentry, but is also great with electrical, plumbing, and masonry. He amazes me. I am beyond proud of him... like tears in my eyes, proud. He has spent countless hours improving not only our house, but also helps his family when they need repairs or work done. The best part is, he LOVES what he does. How many people can honestly say that?! He LOVES being a carpenter. I am so, very thankful for that.<br />
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The fact that I am able to have a carpenter at my disposal is just icing on the cake for this DIY loving wife :-)<br />
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Thanks for stopping by!<br />
<3<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-58803076069480168482012-10-22T10:36:00.003-04:002012-10-22T20:57:41.208-04:00Wooden Letter Nursery Decoration<br />
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Pinterest strikes again!<br />
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I've been seeing these wooden letters "modge- podged" with scrapbook paper ALL over Pinterest and wanted to see how well it worked. Good friends of ours just had a baby girl and since they didn't find out the gender till the birth, I thought they might enjoy something "girly" to hang in her nursery.<br />
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I picked out my letter, ribbon and scrapbook paper from JoAnne's. I chose a purple butterfly paper since the mother's favorite color is purple :-)<br />
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If you already have Modge Podge, you can just use that. I have never used it, so I decided to try and make my own (saw the idea on Pinterest also, of course).<br />
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****To make your own Modge Podge style glue:<br />
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Whisk together 1/3 cup sugar and 1 cup flour. Slowly add water till you get a glue like consistency. Heat this in a saucepan for about 10 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon white vinegar.<br />
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Using a hand mixer, beat the concoction until smooth (adding water if it's too thick).<br />
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Let cool completely before using. Can store in the refrigerator for about 3 weeks.****<br />
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Now, on to your letter.<br />
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Trace the shape on the back of your scrapbook paper.<br />
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Cut the letter out making it about 1/8 inch bigger than your trace line. (This will allow it to wrap down around the wood letter's edge.<br />
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Paint your "glue" onto the wood letter and press the paper letter onto it matching it up. Smooth the paper out.<br />
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Continue putting layers of glue over the paper (don't forget the edges!) letting them dry for about 30 minutes in between coats. I did about 6 coats.<br />
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When completely dry, use a coordinating ribbon to hang it. Or you can mount a picture hanger behind it to hand directly onto the wall. <br />
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So adorable for a baby's nursery! Plus you can customize it thanks to the countless options of scrapbook paper and ribbon.<br />
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Now what else can I use that "glue" on ..........<br />
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Thanks for stopping by!<br />
<3<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-81198882835468188032012-10-21T00:01:00.000-04:002012-10-21T19:21:26.535-04:00A Crafter's Dream Giveaway!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on">
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#ACraftersDream is now Live!!!! </div>
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<a href="http://mymerrymessylife.com/"><img alt="My Merry Messy Life: A Crafter's Dream Giveaway #ACraftersDream" height="261" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bf0rMR412RQ/UHThGPRZq9I/AAAAAAAAGyA/VpS-onKR4Jc/s1600/a-crafters-dream-christmas-giveaway.png" title="My Merry Messy Life: A Crafter's Dream Giveaway #ACraftersDream" width="261" /></a> </div>
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Who's ready to win some prizes?<br />
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I'm so excited to bring you A Crafter's Dream Christmas Giveaway! This giveaway is hosted by <a href="http://mymerrymessylife.com/" target="_blank" title="My Merry Messy Life">MyMerry Messy Life</a>, <a href="http://earning-my-cape.blogspot.com/">Earning-My-Cape</a> and <a href="http://tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com/">Tutus & Tea Parties</a> and has a Christmas, crafting, and supporting small business theme! Each blogger is offering her/his own giveaway worth $25 or more going on now through Sunday, November 4, 2012.</div>
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Christmas is just around the corner, and the time to start crafting our gifts for friends and family is now! Some of the blogs in the giveaway group will be giving away some awesome crafting supplies! Sometimes we want to give a handmade gift, but just don't have the time or know-how to make them ourselves. This is a great opportunity to support small businesses and shops who offer handmade items! <br />
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Remember my directions on <a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012/09/diy-ribbon-wreath.html" target="_blank">how to make a ribbon wreath</a>? I'm giving away an entire set of holiday ribbon, wire ring, and over the door wreath holder. Everything you need to make your own holiday ribbon wreath for your own front door, or for a fantastic gift for someone you love. </div>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cef5750/" id="rc-cef5750" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a></div>
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See all the links below to over 50 other blogs? They are ALL offering their own giveaways valued at $25 or more! Isn't that amazing?! </div>
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Now you can hop from blog to blog entering as many giveaways as you want! <!-- start InLinkz script --></div>
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Good Luck!!</div>
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-80753418320504449842012-10-20T14:22:00.000-04:002012-10-28T14:37:26.767-04:00Bring New Life to an Old Light<br />
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Is your house builder basic like mine? When we moved into this house it was filled with brass, honey oak, brass, and honey oak.<br />
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Oh no, no, no, no.<br />
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Ladies and gentlemen of the internet, I give you Exhibit A.<br />
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I don't mind the shape of it, just the brassiness. Too shiny, too gold, too 1996.<br />
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When I told Jared I wanted to spray paint the fixture he looked at me like I was crazy and asked, "Why don't you just buy a new light?"<br />
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The truth dear friends is that we are casually house hunting. So in all the updates/renovations we do, we are keeping in mind cost and resale value.<br />
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Now, that's not to say that we are doing things carelessly (we follow all codes). However, it does affect my design choices. Would I love to paint our bedroom a dark grey (YES!) But I'm not going too. That is too bold for most buyers. Would I love to buy an awesome lantern style light for the hallway (YES!) But it wouldn't be a wise use of upgrade money. I want to make smart choices that make the biggest impact.<br />
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That light fixture needed to be darker. Our walls are light and airy. The hallway needed some depth to "ground" the room.<br />
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Enter Exhibit B:<br />
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Spray Paint, my old friend. In oil rubbed bronze color.<br />
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Clean off the old fixture with a rag and make sure it is dry and free of dust.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wSnpXPUmUZo/UILqExSpM-I/AAAAAAAAA7E/jbm-7tLaue0/s1600/PumpkinRoll+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wSnpXPUmUZo/UILqExSpM-I/AAAAAAAAA7E/jbm-7tLaue0/s1600/PumpkinRoll+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Spray thin and even coats of paint.<br />
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Let dry about 48 hours.</div>
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Have a hunky carpenter re-connect it. </div>
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Isn't she pretty? </div>
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The oil rubbed broze really updates the entire look of the light. </div>
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Best part was it only cost me $6.00 for the spray paint! The same light is above our washer and dryer, so I did that one as well.</div>
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Two new light fixtures for $6.00? </div>
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That is upgrade dollars well spent.</div>
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Thanks for stopping by!</div>
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<3</div>
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-86574607012853534102012-10-17T13:13:00.003-04:002012-10-17T13:13:26.286-04:00Mom's Pineapple Filling Recipe<br />
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I love Thanksgiving. Want to know what I love the most about it? I'm going to shock you all and tell you that my favorite thing about the holiday is NOT eating (although that is a close second). <br />
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My absolute favorite part about Thanksgiving is going up to my parent's house early in the morning to help my mom cook.<br />
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We put the parade on, drink our morning coffee, put our aprons on, let the guys watch over the kids, and get to work preparing our lunch time feast. Just typing that out fills me with warmth and joy. I cherish that morning with my mom, who over the years has become my best friend. Her strength and wisdom are exactly what I need when I am having a rough day. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lAmzGqeDD7c/UH7mJH5fVjI/AAAAAAAAA6E/RMtq3zisI00/s1600/momthanksfinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lAmzGqeDD7c/UH7mJH5fVjI/AAAAAAAAA6E/RMtq3zisI00/s320/momthanksfinal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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One of my jobs for the morning is peeling the potatoes. I am VERY slow at this, my mom on the other hand can have a whole bag peeled and diced within minutes. One of these days I hope to become a potato peeling ninja like her.<br />
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My other job has been to make the pineapple filling. This is very ironic for me because when I was younger I never even tried it! My mom made it EVERY year for Thanksgiving, but childhoold Angela for some reason thought the combination sounded gross. Adult Angela can't get enough of it! I make it as a side dish throughout the year for my family. Everyone who tries it is so amazed at how amazing it is and how good it goes with not only ham, but turkey and beef as well.<br />
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Ingredients: (this makes a side dish for 4 people, if you are serving it to more people, like at Thanksgiving, than I would double it)<br />
<ul>
<li>1 stick of unsalted butter</li>
<li>3/4 cup sugar</li>
<li>4 eggs</li>
<li>1 can (20oz) of crushed pineapple (mostly drained)</li>
<li>5 slices of bread (ripped into pieces) (I use whole grain)</li>
</ul>
*** For the smaller serving use around an 8x8 size pan, if you double it use a 9x13 pan. <br /><br />
Directions:<br />
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees<br />
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Butter your pan<br />
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Cream together butter and sugar<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tyRVTI6h29Y/UH7czu59EiI/AAAAAAAAA4s/Y3yVDt34yVU/s1600/pineappletotbag+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tyRVTI6h29Y/UH7czu59EiI/AAAAAAAAA4s/Y3yVDt34yVU/s320/pineappletotbag+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Add eggs one at a time<br />
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Stir in pineapple<br />
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Fold in bread pieces<br />
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Bake for 30-35 minutes<br />
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If you double it, you may have to lengthen the cooking time to 40-45 minutes.<br />
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Years from now when I make this recipe, it will ALWAYS make me think of Thanksgiving mornings with my wonderful mom, and how blessed and grateful I am to have her.<br />
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Thanks for stopping by today!<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-46721724496085674562012-10-16T11:20:00.003-04:002012-10-16T11:22:06.347-04:00A Blog Award, for ME?!<br />
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Squee!!!!!! <br />
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Yes, Sara Beth over at <a href="http://woodsfamilyofthree.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Our Family of Three</a> has been so kind in awarding me the Sunshine Blogger Award! This is an award given by another blogger who enjoys your blog and feels it helps to brighten their day. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U3U3IAfpbA/UHwUpeWDNpI/AAAAAAAABS4/JW8LJxELWaM/s1600/sunshine+award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_uid_ivcbrj="3" height="298" nea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U3U3IAfpbA/UHwUpeWDNpI/AAAAAAAABS4/JW8LJxELWaM/s400/sunshine+award.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Thank you, thank you, thank you, Sara Beth! This is my very first blog award and my heart is swelling with gratitude. <br />
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<u>RULES</u>:<br />
<br />
Include award logo in blog post and thank the blogger who
gave it to you & include a link back.<br />
Answer 10 questions about yourself
that you have made up yourself.<br />
Nominate 10
bloggers for the award and contact them at their blog site to inform them<br />
<br />
<em><u></u></em><br />
<em><u>So hear are my 10 random questons:</u></em><br />
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What's your favorite thing to eat? <strong>Peanut Butter</strong><br />
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Favorite animal? <strong>Dog</strong><br />
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Favorite Designer: <strong>Sarah Richardson</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
Favorite Design Show:<strong> Any one of Sarah's (Sarah's House, Sarah 101, ect.)</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
Favorite Color to paint a room: <strong>Cream (I like to add color with accessories)</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
Least Favorite House Chore: <strong>Vacuuming the stairs</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
How would you describe your Decorating Style: <strong>This is hard, I would say part Cottage (70%), part Coastal (10%), part Cozy (10%), with maybe 5% Glam.</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
Favorite Room of the House to be in: <strong>The Kitchen</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
Favorite Meal to Make: <strong><a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012/09/cavatappi-rosa-recipie.html" target="_blank">Cavatappi Rosa</a></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
Favorite Movie: <strong>National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<br />
Now for my nominations. Here are the 10 Blogs that make me smile every day.<br />
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1. <a href="http://mymerrymessylife.com/" target="_blank">My Merry, Messy, Life</a><br />
2. <a href="http://www.housetweaking.com/" target="_blank">House Tweaking</a><br />
3.<a href="http://two-in-diapers.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Two in Diapers</a><br />
4. <a href="http://www.hiitsjilly.com/" target="_blank">Hi! It's Jilly</a><br />
5.<a href="http://www.cluckclucksew.com/" target="_blank">Cluck, Cluck Sew</a><br />
6. <a href="http://www.missinformationblog.com/" target="_blank">Miss Information</a><br />
7. <a href="http://earning-my-cape.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Earning My Cape</a><br />
8. <a href="http://www.thechirpingmoms.com/" target="_blank">The Chirping Moms</a><br />
9. <a href="http://www.kammyskorner.com/" target="_blank">Kammy's Korner</a><br />
10. <a href="http://www.delightedmomma.com/" target="_blank">Delighted Momma</a><br />
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Please check out Sara Beth's blog and all other of my 10 nominees.<br />
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Have a great day!<br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks for stopping by!<br />
<3<br />
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8592761416148558209.post-27250124746000382462012-10-15T07:53:00.001-04:002012-10-15T07:53:49.118-04:00How to Make Pumpkin Roll <br />
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Did you know that this past Saturday was a holiday?<br />
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Ok, not a national holiday or anything, but my friend, Jenna, and I dubbed it "Pumpkin Roll Day" in honor of the fact that this was our day (a tradition we started last year) to get together and make pumpkin rolls in bulk to have for the fall holidays. Jenna is a member of the "We are obsessed with the time from September 1st to January 1st because it means all things holiday" <a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012/09/thinking-ahead.html" target="_blank">support group</a> I talked about a few weeks ago. Sadly our other dear friend, Jess, wasn't able to make it because she needed to go into work unexpectedly. Didn't her job know it was a holiday?!</div>
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Last year we made 3 each.</div>
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They were gone within 3 weeks of making them.</div>
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So this year we decided to up the ante to 4 rolls a piece.</div>
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With my house being a mess right now due to the<a href="http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-office-into-master-bathroom.html" target="_blank"> construction in the master bathroom</a> (look for updates later this week!) Jenna graciously offered her kitchen to be our headquarters for the day. </div>
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Boy, Jenna and her husband, Nate, sure do know how to make a girl feel welcome. Check out the fabulous spread they made me for lunch.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MePCkD84om0/UHqv6swyaRI/AAAAAAAAAz8/pd7MZHYOyps/s1600/PumpkinRoll+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MePCkD84om0/UHqv6swyaRI/AAAAAAAAAz8/pd7MZHYOyps/s320/PumpkinRoll+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Whole wheat pumpkin waffles with an apple caramel topping! It was sensational. Such a treat for this tired mommy. I felt like I was at a bed and breakfast and asked if I could sleepover, even if it meant cuddling up on their couch with their labrador, Zoe, whom I fell in love with and baby talked to the entire time I was there.<br />
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We made a trip to the grocery store for our ingredients, got sidetracked at Fresh Market because they were offering samples of pumpkin treats (we may have been the creepy girls stalking the sample table trying to wait nonchalantly for new samples to be sliced up). Then Jenna suggested we go next door and grab a bottle of wine. (Does she know the way to my heart or what?!)<br />
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BTW we decided that a Riesling was the best complement to pumpkin roll. Your thoughts?<br />
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Back at her house we got our supplies in place.<br />
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Now I have been making pumpkin rolls for about 7 years. For some reason this time I wanted to try adding wax paper to the bottom of the pan to help with flipping them off onto the towel. Let me save you some time and aggravation - it did NOT work. It was terrible, stuck to them, and made the rolls burn on the bottom. We had to trash the whole first batch. It broke our little pumpkin loving hearts to do so, but they weren't salvageable. Lesson learned: If it's not broke, don't fix it!!! So please ignore the wax paper you see in some of the pictures. <br />
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Roll Ingredients:<br />
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<ul>
<li>3 eggs</li>
<li>1 cup of sugar</li>
<li>1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. nutmeg</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. salt</li>
<li>2/3 cup pumpkin</li>
<li>1 tsp. baking soda</li>
<li>3/4 cup flour </li>
</ul>
Filling Ingredients:<br />
<ul>
<li>2 tbsp. softened butter</li>
<li>1 block of softened cream cheese </li>
<li>3/4 tsp. vanilla</li>
<li>1 cup powered sugar</li>
</ul>
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Directions:<br />
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Put on some festive holiday music. Jenna asked me if I wanted Sinatra Christmas, Bing Crosby, or Soft Rock Christmas. "Jenna", I sighed, "You had me at Sinatra." <br />
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees (if your oven is usually pretty strong (like Jenna's) you may need to lower the temperature to 360 degrees.<br />
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Butter your jelly roll pan (or cookie sheet with edges).<br />
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Mix together the roll ingredients.<br />
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Pour into the pan and spread evenly. It's going to seem thin, but don't worry it rises and spreads out.<br />
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Bake for 12-15 minutes. We were able to make 4 at one time!<br />
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With a spatula loosen the edges and do the best you can to be sure the bottom is detached from the pan. <br />
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Make a clean (lint free) dish towel wet and squeeze out the extra water. Lay it on the table.<br />
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With care, flip the pan so that the cake falls onto the towel.<br />
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Roll up the cake into the towel.<br />
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Let cool about 20-25 minutes.<br />
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Mix up the filling ingredients.<br />
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Unwrap the towel and spread filling evenly over the cake.<br />
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As tightly as you can, roll the cake (without the towel this time) up.<br />
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Place (seam down) into a sheet of tin foil and tightly wrap it.<br />
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Cool in refrigerator for at least 8 hours before eating. (It has to bond together)<br />
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This recipe makes ONE roll. It is so easy to make multiple rolls at the same time like we did. Just keep one in your refrigerator and the rest in the freezer until you need them. Perfect for the times you have holiday guests or need to bring something to a party!<br />
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Make sure your dog doesn't swipe any of your cream cheese blocks like Zoe did!<br />
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Look at that face!!! How could you even be mad?<br />
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If by chance you have any left over filling, feel free to make creative snacks like Jenna did.<br />
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Yep, that's cream cheese icing on top of a graham cracker with chocolate chips on top. This is why she is one of my best friends. Love that girl!!</div>
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When I got home at the end of the day Jared kissed me hello and asked "Is that cream cheese in your hair?" </div>
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Yes, yes it was.</div>
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It was a great day :-) </div>
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Thanks for stopping by! Hope you come back soon :-)</div>
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<3</div>
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CoffeeandCreamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057670733028487449noreply@blogger.com7