Valentine's Day and My Best Friend's Wedding!

Hey all! I hope your Valentine's Day was filled with all the excitement and giddiness that I normally feel on this wonderful day of L-O-V-E! For me, having been single every Valentine's Day in the last 22 years, I usually end up focusing on the kids in my life. Since I am such a kid at heart anyway, it isn't hard for me! I was able to visit my student teaching class today and see their glowing eyes of excitement on this heart-warming holiday! My kids *ahem* students definitely light up my life! While we are on the topic of love, it is so hard to believe that my best friend, Lauren got married almost a year ago! I was so proud and honored to be standing right next to her as her Maid of Honor on her big day! Her wedding colors were yellow and gray, a great modern combination! For Lauren's bridal shower, I made this card:

I hope you are able to find some inspiration from this card, either for the love of your life or for weddings in the near future! It fits any color combo, and is not the ordinary stamped card with a boarder. If you can't tell already, this is probably my favorite card. ever. 

Happy card making! :)

Melinda

Spring Break Trip to Washington DC!

Coming back from Christmas break, my roommate Nicole and I decided we needed to go on a trip together. Long story short, we ended up booking our flights in January at 12:30 in the morning! Neither of us had been to Washington DC before, so we were excited and ready for an adventure! And what an adventure it was! God lead us every step of the way, and we could not have had an adventure without Him! Here are some pictures from our trip:

At the HARD ROCK CAFE!

 Nicole is snooping in the wax museum!!

 I made it to the moon!! (in the wax museum that is!)

 The Lincoln Memorial

 View at night - breath taking!!

 The White House

 A gorgeous picture of our United States Flag!

 The Smithsonian Castle

 The Capital Building

 Who can go to Washington DC and NOT go to Georgetown

Cupcake?!?! They were the best cupcakes we've ever had!

 Aren't they BEAUTIFUL?

 Arlington National Cemetary

 Iwo Jima Memorial Statue

 View of the Washington Monument from the Smithsonian Castle

What a great trip!! Now, of course, these aren't ALL the pictures; there are about 500 more that I will spare you from seeing :).

Thanks for looking!!
Melinda

Summer and... Skinny White Chocolate Strawberry Cream Pie!

I am back home for summer break! Hopefully I will be able to keep my blog writing going with a summer class and working 60 hours a week! I am so excited to be home doing what I love: making cards, blogging, baking, and my summer job, which I LOVE!

Now for the recipe!
I absolutely love taking recipes and making them my own by transforming them into a more healthy and less calorie treat! This pie is a great treat for any spring or summer occasion! My family has even started making it a tradition for Easter. Doesn't this pie look DELICIOUS?!?! I just love how pretty it looks!

Skinny White Chocolate Strawberry Cream Pie
Crust
1 box Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on the box (or you can make your own crust!)
Filling
1 2/3 cup of milk (I used skim)
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
1 box (4 serving size) sugar free vanilla pudding (not instant)
3/4 cup Hershey's white chocolate baking chips
2 cups free cool whip
Topping
1 lb. strawberries
3 Tbsp Hershey's white chocolate baking chips
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Directions
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Make pie crust as directed on the box for One-Crust Baked Shell using 9-inch glass pie pan. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
2. Meanwhile in a 2 quart sauce pan, mix milk and gelatin; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in pudding mix. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup Hershey's white chocolate baking chips to pudding mixture; stir occasionally until melted. Place lid over surface of pudding, refrigerate 1 hour.
3. Fold free cool whip into cooled pudding mixture. Spoon pudding mixture into cooled pie shell, spreading evenly.
4. Cut stems off strawberries. Place strawberries, pointed ends up, on filling, pressing them gently in.
5. In the microwave, melt 3 Tbsp Hershey's white chocolate baking chips and vegetable oil on high at 20 second intervals, stirring in between. Drizzle over strawberries. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator. Enjoy!
Yield: 1 pie; 8 pieces
Calories per serving: approx. 250

For Easter this year, my family and I ate this pie on our lawn! It was so good, and a great time to relax with family remembering what Christ did for us so long ago! :)
If you have any comments or anything you have tried, please comment!
- Melinda

This great recipe was transformed by Pillsburys original recipe. If you would like the original, here is the link: Pillsbury White Chocolate Strawberry Pie

Christmas Thank You Cards!

Merry Christmas Eve!!
I have recently been in need to make some Christmas Thank You cards. Since I am on my college Christmas Break, I have been crafting away! So, here are three examples of my Thank You cards! I used my Cricut to make these, so between the two pictures of the same card, I will tell you which cartridge I used! I hope these give you inspiration to be crafty and brighten the lives of those around you!

 Cartridges used: Trees- Doodlecharm; Saying- Sophisticated

 Cartridges used: Border- Sophisticated; Saying- Alphalicious

 Cartridges used: Border & Saying- Sophisticated; Braces- Songbird

Thank you for looking!
- Melinda

Donuts!

Tis' the season for good eating and especially good sweets! What better way to start the day than with a fresh, hot homemade donut? I have two fantastic recipes for donuts: one for the "healthy" you and the other for the more "indulgent" you, although my mom says they taste the same! I Hope you are all having a great Christmas season!

Cake Batter Donuts
1 cup level flour
2/3 cup non dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vinegar
1 1/2 tsp egg white
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 Tbsp Light I Can't Believe it's Not Butter! (melted)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
Optional: sprinkles, cinnamon/splenda mix, raisins, chocolate chips, or what ever you like on your donuts!

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Add the vinegar and immediately pour wet into dry. Mix (don't over mix). Spray donut pan with non stick cooking spray, and pour into donut cavities about 3/4ths full. Cook for 12 min. If using sprinkles or cinnamon/splenda mix, spray donut with non stick cooking spray and dip donut into the sweet ingredient! Enjoy!
Yield: 6 donuts
Believe it or not, each donut is approx. 50 calories!!

____________________________________________________________

With Chocolate Frosting!! (Recipe included under donut recipe)

 With Cinnamon Sugar!

Baked Cake Donuts
2 cups flour, sifted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
2 Tbsp butter (melted)

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray donut pa with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add buttermilk, eggs, and butter. Beat until just combined. Fill each donut cavity approx. 3/4 full. Bake 7-9 min, or until donuts spring back when touched.
Yield: 12 donuts

For toppings
Chocolate Frosting: 
1/2 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
2 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
Directions: Melt chocolate chips in microwave (be careful not to burn them). Add milk and powdered sugar. Spread on donuts and dip into sprinkles, if desired.
Cinnamon Sugar: 
1/8 cup cinnamon sugar
3 Tbsp butter (melted)
Directions: Dump cinnamon sugar onto a small plate, and pat down evenly. Dip donut into butter. Dip donut into cinnamon sugar.

***The Wilton Donut Pan can be found at either Hobby Lobby or Michael's for around $10 - but if you use a 40% off coupon it is even cheaper! :)

My mom and I made these for my dad's birthday breakfast in bed, and we sure did enjoy them! I hope you do too!!
- Melinda