Cravings|| Agave Iced Green Tea

Green Tea! 

I have been addicted to this amazing drink ever since the weather has been warming up. Its something about Iced Green tea and warm sunny days. They just make me smile. I am also a fan of Agave and freshly squeezed lemons...viola! My new favorite not-so-fattening, energy Summer Drink. 

I've decided to share my secrete recipe. I hope you try it out and get hooked to this refreshing, delicious drink...

Note: if you are sensitive to caffeine I would avoid drinking green tea after 5pm. I learned this the hard way. *giggles*

Craftiness||Wall Art

I've seen this project a million times on Pinterest. I loved it. It seemed so fun and awesome but I never really had time to try it out. 

Babbs saw it for the first time on Friday and decided we had to do it. I ran to Hobby Lobby on Saturday and we started the craftiness that night. 

We had so much fun making them that I decided to share some of it in hopes you will try and make one. It was super easy and tons of fun....

This project was inspired and adapted from the amazing A Beautiful Mess Blog 

Supplies Needed:

-Artwork

   -Letter Stickers (I found mine in the art section of Hobby Lobby)

-White Spray Paint

-Scissors

Figure out a piece of artwork that you like but don’t love. Babbs had some awesome canvases that she painted a while ago. They were just sitting in her room collecting dust so they worked great! And they made this project even more amazing! 

Step One-Three:  Cut out and figure out your design.  I found my sticker letters at Hobby Lobby. I used the 3” letters for this project. When you are for sure about the wording and placing, move onto Step Four: Stick the stickers. Place them carefully as you desire. 

Step Five: Cover the entire piece with a thick coat of spray paint. Make sure your paint is dry. We were anxious to see the results so we waited about 5min. 

Carefully pull the letters off using a butter knife or anything with a point. 

Finally, Enjoy! You made an awesome art piece. Voila!

 I love mine and I hope you will like your's too!

Cravings|Gooey Cocoa Brownies

So yesterday I was just minding my own business, when out of nowhere my brain decided to have a craving. 

I couldn't really tell what for. All i knew is that I was wanting something sweet,...it had to be chocolaty and above all it had to be yummy goodness. 

I was determined to find this craving and then create it! While browsing through Pinterest these Gooey Cocoa Brownies were calling my name! Thankfully they were simple and I had all the ingredients. 

Gooey Cocoa Brownies

Adapted from Honey & Jam
Makes 16 larger or 25 smaller brownies

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks, 5 ounces or 141 grams) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (9 7/8 ounces, 280 grams) sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 7/8 ounces, 82 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, cold

1/2 cup (66 grams, 2 3/8 ounces) all-purpose flour

2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.
Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and microwave for 1:30 minutes. Remove and stir until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks fairly gritty at this point, but don’t fret — it smoothes out once the eggs and flour are added.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.

Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Family Shoot|The Payne Family

I love family shoots. I love little kids and their smiling faces! 

Last weekend I had the pleasure to capture this beautiful, fun and spirited family. It was a blast seeing this adorable family in action. 

Enjoy!

Craftiness//Inspired

I can spend all day browsing Pinterest. 

If I have something I want to make I just pop on Pinterest and get inspired! 

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For Birthdays I love making b-day cards. I love them to be amazing! I kinda like people to feel special on this amazing day of their life. ha So of course I found my inspiration on Pinterest....and I love it! 

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My mom and her co-worker are having a work Baby Shower. So fun!
I was asked to make the invite. So of course, I needed ideas. I wanted it to be cute and adorable. I wanted it to be awesome!...and can you guess where I found this idea? On lovely Pinterest. 

Blueberry Pie//Recipe

Blueberries!!!! I love them...a lot. 

I like to cook. I like sweets. So I decided to put all these wonderful things that I love and make a  

Blueberry Pie.

Thankfully this past weekend was such a beautiful day and perfect for making my favorite treat. 

I decided to share some of the magic. You have to try this recipe. I've tried several different recipes for blueberries pies and this is by far my favorite. 

What makes it different?...Well, its mostly blueberries!

Ingredients:
4 cups of Blueberries - fresh or frozen (without syrup)

7 Tablespoons corn starch 
3 Tablespoons water (or grape juice) 
2 Tablespoons lemon juice 
One 9 inch pie crust 
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice 
2/3 cup granulated (ordinary table) Sugar  


Topping:
1/4 cup sugar 
1/2 cup flour 
1/4 cup butter or margarine 

Step 1  - Wash the blueberries

 Preheat oven to 375 F.

Wash the blueberries. Just rinse them in a colander or sieve in cold water.

Step 2-Mix the dry filling ingredients

Combine the 2/3 cup sugar, 7 Tablespoons of corn starch in a bowl  and mix well!  Some people like 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and/or 1/4 teaspoon of allspice, mixed in, also. That's optional, but it is nice!

Step 3  - Mix in the liquids

Add the 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice, and 3 Tablespoons of water (or grape juice) and stir it up. If you use Stevia, my preference (or if you prefer, Splenda), it will be pretty gloppy, rather than drier crumbs, but it still works the same!

Step 4 - Add the blueberries to the pie crust

Add the blueberries to the pie crust.  Just pour them in!  There's lots of air space and it will cook down, so don't worry if they mound up about an inch (2.5 cm) above the edge of the plate.

Step 5- Pour the liquid mix into the pie

Just pour the mixture of sugar, juice, etc. into the pie all over the blueberries. If it is a gloppy liquid, don’t worry, just pour it somewhat evenly over the top. But it doesn’t take perfection; it will smooth itself out in the oven.  

Step 6- Make and add your topping

If you want the crumb topping, just mix - 1/4 cup sugar (OR 1/8 cup sugar and 1/8 cup Stevia, my preference (or if you prefer, Splenda))
- 1/2 cup flour
 - 1/4 cup butter or margarine
 together in a small bowl and sprinkle it over the pie.
If you want to the dough topping instead, roll out a circular section of dough that you made in step 1, to 1/8 inch thick, then place it over the pie.  Seal it against the edges with the pie crust, and make decorative slits with a knife.


Step 7-

Cook the pie at 375 F for 1 hour. 


Hope you enjoy. Let me know if you have any questions

Lovely Mondays//Beautiful Faces

Since Mondays are my lease favorite day I decided to post about some of my favorite things...oh and people. 

March has been full of fun...Fun comes with beautiful people...Beautiful faces.

These are just a few of the beautiful people in my life. I love them. They are so cool. 

 Josh and Jinous are so adorable. I love them!

 Can you believe this gorgeous lady is my Grandma? She is so stinkin cool. She wins the coolest grandma reward. Hats off. 

I am so happy I have a sister like babbs. She is the bestest friend I could ever have. 

Love, Love, Love this girl.   

Shopping is definitely on my list of top 10 favorite things

Hanging out with friends and chatting it up is always a blast. Never a dull moment with these girls!

Talking photography. I love being inspired. These 2 girls are a huge inspiration to me.

 Babbs and Hailey are amazing photographers.

  Isn't she so cute?

Happy Day!

Beautiful Lady!

 Well I hope you had a great Monday and that you found plenty of things to be grateful for. Life is to short to be selfish , prideful or ungrateful...

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe." 

Hebrews 12:28