I hinted that there was going to be a Craft Dash DT call coming soon and it’s almost here! If you would like your work to be seen by thousands, you’re a fan of a good challenge and post regularly to your blog, stay tuned and/or sign up to receive Pretty Pink Posh via Email so you won’t miss the news!
Okay, now back to our regularly scheduled program…..
With the close of the 10 Minute Craft Dash #17, it’s time to announce the lucky winner and the favorites from this challenge. You all did such a beautiful job with this color palette and it made me happy to read that you liked playing with these colors!
Congratulations to Allyson A!
Ready for some of my favorites? If you’re new to the Craft Dash, I always pick out some entries to showcase and share with you. Be sure to stop by each of the blogs to take a look at the beautiful cards and also peek at their inspiring blogs! {Ladies, feel free to grab the badge below and put it on your blogs!}
If you are interested in getting a head start on the next Craft Dash, I have the colors that will be featured on the Pretty Pink Posh Facebook page. This is EXCLUSIVE to those who like my page. If you go there and go to “exclusives”, you get to see the next 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge a day early!
I shall see some of you on the Pretty Pink Posh Facebook page later today and the rest I hope to see tomorrow for the new challenge that will bring a brand new sponsor! . Thanks for stopping by!
Hi y’all! I am thrilled to be joining sweet Paulina and her wonderful blog! Twice a month, I will be sharing a new and original recipe for something that will likely throw your diet off track, but it will be so worth it! Up first, are these splendid cupcakes. Or are they brownies? Either way, they are absolutely amazing, and provide the perfect combination of textures and flavors. I love anything peanut butter and chocolate, and I hope you do, too! And bonus, they’re super simple to whip up, which means they’ll most likely be your go-to dessert to wow all of your friends :)
Oreo Stuffed Brownie Cupcakes
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 40 mins
Serves: 12
Ingredients
12 cupcake liners
1 box of Ghirardelli brownie mix {plus necessary ingredients}
12 Oreos {I used Mega-Stuffed}
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Prepare the brownie mix according to the back of the box.
Line a muffin tin with liners.
Place an Oreo at the bottom of each lined spot.
Pour brownie batter over the Oreos and into each individual liner until the tins are all 3/4 full. {You should have enough for 12 – if you have extra, just make additional cupcakes until all of the batter is gone}
Bake according to the box directions, or for about 25-30 minutes.
Let cool, remove from pan, and place on wire cooling rack.
Once completely cooled, frost with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Icing!
Notes
I made these with a boxed mix for brownies. This was purely to keep it easy! However, if you have a tried and true brownie recipe, by all means, use it in place of the boxed mix, and just adjust baking temperature and time according to your recipe.
3.2.1753
Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 15 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Serves: 12
Ingredients
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 stick butter, softened
2/3 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp. milk
Mini chocolate chips {for garnish}
Instructions
Using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and butter until completely combined and smooth.
Add peanut butter and mix well.
Blend in vanilla.
Gradually add in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until well incorporated.
Mix in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting forms your desired consistency.
Refrigerate 15-20 minutes before using.
Using icing bags and tips, frost the cooled cupcakes.
Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.
Enjoy!
Notes
For thicker icing, use less milk. For thinner icing, use more milk.
3.2.1753
Thanks for letting me stop by, and I can’t wait to get to know you all better! I’ve heard so many amazing things about Pretty Pink Posh’s loyal fans and followers, and feel so honored to get to be a part of this!
Mother’s Day is on Sunday and I was scrambling to find the energy to create a special card for my mom. With my mom being the owner of a stamp company, I always find the need to “top” the last card I gave to her. Let me tell you, this is not an easy feat and sometimes I fail miserably. However, thanks to my infatuation with sequins {and shakers}, I think she’ll be pleasantly surprised with this card. She’s seen my recent creations and now she gets her very own shaker!
Okay, truth be told, I have already given her this card. I knew she would see it on the blog {since she reads daily}, so I gave her the card a little early. ‘Tis the life of a crafter and blogger!
My mom has a love for pinks and greens, so I definitely made an effort to include them in this card. You would think that after making her cards for all these years I wouldn’t get nervous about doing them, but I still do! I think it’s the desire to want to make her proud that gets to me…. thankfully, despite many flops over the years, she still likes my cards and also has something sweet to say about them.
Some of my readers have been able to meet my mom over the years, and I’m sure you’ll agree she’s a special woman. It’s not easy raising five kids, homeschooling all of them and also running a business. If I ever have the privilege of being a mother, I hope that I’m able to be the amazing example and role model she has been able to be for me.
I wanted to pay a little homage to my mom, so I have a list of five things my mother has taught and passed along to me over the years. {Why five? Because she has five kids!}…..
A love for creating cards {especially those with pinks and green and lots of bling} all stem from watching my mom do it when I was younger.
A heart to encourage others with small acts of kindness or words were brought on by seeing her do this for numerous people over my lifetime.
An unbreakable bond with family stems from those moments when we had many special family gatherings and holidays growing up. While sometimes we drive each other crazy, we love each other so much and would do anything for one another.
A hunger to keep learning and growing as a person. I can recall many times while going to the library as a kid, seeing her checkout different how-to books. Even now, she continues to have a passion for learning new things– I want to be like that when I’m her age!
A desire to share Christ’s love and hope with people around me from listening and watching her do this countless time with strangers and acquaintances. If you have something so special, why keep it to yourself?
For all of the mothers out there, I hope that you all have a truly blessed Mother’s Day weekend. Each of you has such a special role in a child’s life and I hope that you feel the love and know impact you make on our lives. For all of us kiddos, let’s be sure to shower our moms with love and kindness and share how much they truly mean to us.
Big, big hugs to all of you today. I’m off to a doctors appointment in just a bit and hopefully this one will provide some answers and physical relief! I hope you’ll come back on Monday- Hilari will be here with her very first feature as a contributor to Pretty Pink Posh!
I’m back with another sequin shaker card! When I created my original shaker card {post here}, I was so taken with all the fun sequins shakin’ about, I could resist making a few cards with this technique. Today we’re going under the sea and swimming with some adorable little critters who seem to enjoy the sequins, too!
Since I went girly for the last card, I wanted to go the opposite direction and go bright & bold for this one. Thanks to my large rainbow of sequin colors, I had many colors that would work in this shaker. While I would love to hoard all of these beauties, it’s just so hard to resist adding them to all of my cards!
Oh yes, I pulled out some more chevron twill ribbon for this card. If you’ve been eying these ribbons, be sure to check out Little Free Radical on Etsy! They are a sponsor on my blog this month and their service/ prices are fabulous!
Just in case you missed the video from my earlier post, here’s how I create my sequin shaker cards. Switch out the patterned papers/ stamps and you can create shakers for any occasion!
It warms my heart when you all share that you liked a card or technique I did and tried it out yourself. As a designer who spends quite a bit of time creating, knowing that that hard work is appreciated and well received is such a joy. I already had two gals share their sequin shaker card creations with me and I feel like a proud mama. :) If you give this tutorial a whirl, I’d love to see your creations!
Thanks for spending some time with me today, I hope you were inspired!
Have I mentioned how much I love the 10 Minute Craft Dash #17 colors? These colors make my swoon. My craft room has many aqua elements in it and if I end up finding some perfect coral pieces, I would add them in a heartbeat. Sadly, it doesn’t seem like many decor designers have perfected this perfect color. If you’ve found some items that you think would qualify as coral, I’d love to see pictures or links!
Today I have a card showcasing some of my favorite WPlus9 stamps and the colors for the challenge. How awesome is this sentiment? I’ve never used it before this card, but I know that I’ll definitely be pulling it out for more cards soon.
Time it took to create: 9 minutes 50 seconds
I filmed a video on my mad dash to create this card. Oh boy, this one was a close one- I almost didn’t think I was going to finish in time! Thank goodness for embellishments that already have adhesive on them!
If you haven’t already, I hope that you’ll join in the fun for the 10 Minute Craft Dash #17. There have been so many beautiful entries thus far- I hope you’ll add yours to the list!
At the beginning of the year, I shared that 2013 was going to filled with new and exciting things here on the blog. I’ve had new sponsors, giveaways, hit some record breaking numbers and added my sister, Krista, as a contributor to the blog. As some of you know, she got an amazing job offer in San Francisco a couple months ago and has been living there ever since. She was optimistic that she would still be able to join me occasionally for posts, but alas, her schedule it quite busy. She gave me her blessing to start looking for a new contributor and that led me in the direction of my good friend, Tawsha {the ultimate networking person }. A rundown of information, a couple emails and I became connected with the amazing lady I’m featuring today.
I’m thrilled to be announcing that Hilari from Be Sweet will be joining me as a contributor here at Pretty Pink Posh. The moment I saw her blog, I fell in love. You can tell she’s passionate about what she does, and her recipes all sound so delish {and relatively easy}! I wanted to take the time to allow you all to get to know her and also share a few of her recipes that caught my eye.
Tell us about your blog. When and why did you start it?
My blog is called Be Sweet, and its essentially a compilation of everything that makes me smile… which is a lot of things! I used to have a smaller, personal blog, and so many people told me I should make it bigger, better! So that’s what I’m trying to do. My goal is to fill life with joy through all of the things that make me happy. I blog about sweet treats, simplified entertaining, and tips and tricks for adding joy to everyday living! On my site, you will find creative ideas that add joy to my life… and I hope yours, too! Ranging from kitchen to friends, from family to home, and travel to photography, I will share what makes me smile each day. It is my dream to spread joy to others, and by stopping by, I hope Be Sweet can put a smile on your face, if only for a few minutes out of your busy day! I’ve been officially blogging on Be Sweet since January, and I’ve learned so, so much along the way, and continue to learn and soak up as much as I can throughout this adventure!
When you first started your blog, did you have any specific goals or dreams for the future of your blog? If so, what were they?
I still feel like I’m first starting! I think my goals were (and still are) to simply make people happy. I’d love to see where this takes me, book writing, photo styling, magazine editing… the possibilities are limitless. But, I do want to stay true to me, my core, and what fires me up when choosing which future ventures to embark on- I want wherever this might take me to make me and others happy!
You bake so many delicious looking items….is there a specific recipe that’s your favorite?
Without a doubt, my favorite recipe is for Mrs. Schae bars {Here, they’re called Be Sweet Bars}! Growing up, my mom made these for skating competitions, school parties, lunch treats, and so many other wonderful activities. It’s these fabulous memories combined with the sweet and salty flavors that make this hands down, my favorite recipe!
Do you visit other blogs? If so, what are a few of your favorites?
I love to blog-hop, and so value the time, effort, and dedication blogging takes! A few of my favorites are The Be Present Project {Jessica provides such an honest and hopeful view of parenting, raising a family, and staying true to values}, Pomp & Circumstance {a gem I’ve recently discovered!}, and Amber Housley {one of my favorite lifestyle blogs that is incredibly well done!}, just to name a few!
How much time each week to you dedicate to your blog {approximately}?
Weekly, I spend anywhere from 15-20 hours a week dedicated to my blog. This varies depending on if I’m baking, recipe testing, or actively working on a craft or DIY project. All of this, combined with the writing, editing, and photography aspects can really add up! Oh, and social media… enough said :)
What has been your favorite part about blogging?
Definitely connecting with other bloggers! I have been fortunate enough to meet some of my favorite bloggers in person, form wonderful friendships, and really connect on a personal level that is more than just “screen deep.” It’s amazing to me the talent and skills so many women {and men!} have, and I feel lucky to be part of a community surrounded by all of this positivity.
Okay, now onto some fun questions that are non-relevant to blogging…..
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Well, I love to bake. But I think you got that message! My family means the world to me, so we love spending time together, playing games, cooking, and going on adventures. I love to travel and explore the world. I love to run, and am starting to get really into half marathons {thank goodness, otherwise all of those desserts are going to catch up with me!}. I also love just the simplicities of daily life, which include cleaning, laundry, and all of the “boring” things. To me, being organized and ready for the day ahead is one of the things I enjoy most!
You have a free Friday night, how would you spend it?
I’d head to my favorite restaurant, Local Taco, sit outside and enjoy a margarita, chips and salsa, and fish tacos. Then, Grant {the most incredible person in the world} and I would go for a walk, try a new dessert spot, and head home to watch a movie or catch up on our endless TiVo-ed shows! Not too exciting, but so wonderful!
If you could be a celebrity for a day, who would it be? Why?
Reese Witherspoon. I have always considered her a role model of mine {classy, put together, and always cheery!}, and her wardrobe… FAB!
You get to spend an unlimited amount at three stores, which stores would you pick?
1: Nordstrom. My goodness I could {and usually do} go crazy there! 2: Michael’s. I love to craft, use ribbon and glitter, and bake. The perfect store. 3: Sur la Table. Fortunately, there isn’t one in Nashville, otherwise I really would be in trouble! I love their cooking utensils, linens, and fun bakeware!
Name 5 things that you are most passionate about:
Relationships
Healthy Living
Organization
Exploring and seeing all the world has to offer
Positivity and making the most out of each day!
As promised, I have some Be Sweet recipes links to share with you. Beware: you shouldn’t look at her site on an empty stomach. It’s dangerous! :)
As soon as I got connected with Hilari, I followed her everywhere and have loved every single thing I’ve seen. She’s super sweet and I know you all will really enjoy getting to know her.
In addition to all of this, Hilari is part of a great link-up party each week and has many more recipes that I couldn’t include in this post. Stay tuned, her very first contributing post will go live NEXT Monday. In the meantime, be sure to visit her blog and other social media sites!
It’s always an exciting day when you get to spill news that you’ve been holding onto for a while. It’s even more exciting when the news has to do with sequins!
I’m the guest designer over on the Neat & Tangled blog today for the last part of the sequin series. For those who don’t follow that blog, each day this week they have showcased different ideas on how you can incorporate sequins onto a variety of projects. With all of those creative ideas, there was so much pressure to create something amazing. While my idea isn’t something super original, it IS something new and a technique I’ve never tried.
I present my take on a shaker card….with sequins, of course!
I’m sure that many of my readers have created shaker cards before. For some reason, I’ve always been intimidated by the thought of them and never took the time to create one myself. Well, I can cross this off my list- it has now been accomplished!
I hope that you enjoyed today’s card and video and give this technique a try. If you do, feel free to leave your blog link in a comment and I’ll take a peek at your post!
I just love introducing my readers to new {to me} companies and today I get to do just that. I recently stumbled across the company Clearly Besotted Stamps and was in awe of the vast variety of stamps and dies they design. While I had wanted many of their sets, the Full Steam Ahead set and dies caught my eye first. How cute is that little train?!
Truth be told, I actually received this set before, or right around, the time I first got my first batch of sequins. With my excitement of the sequins taking over my craft life, I didn’t immediately pull out this set. Once I got a little more time and was sparked with some creativity, I decided I was going to try to use the train with my sequins and patterned paper.
I had one of those “I can’t believe I made this” moments when I finished this card. It was exactly how I envisioned and I have to rave about these little dies- they work SO well! I have many more ideas for this train, so don’t be surprised if you see it again in the near future. *wink*
I don’t often work with companies that are outside the United States, mostly due to me being so impatient and wanting the products NOW. With that being said, I was SO impressed with how quickly my order was shipped, the great customer service, the quality of items and the fact that they arrived pretty quickly! It’s a win all the way around!
This stamp set and die set are currently out of stock, but I believe they’re being restocked in the future. I’ll see about getting an ETA and I’ll update this post when I do. :)
*The stamps and dies are scheduled to be restocked on Monday, May 6th!
That’s a wrap for today’s post. I will see you tomorrow for some more sequins AND a video!
It’s time for a brand new challenge and I hope you’re ready for some pretty colors. When I had first picked these colors a while back, I had no idea they would be one of the “it” color combos. Whoever chooses these trendy colors knows what they’re doing- they colors are swoon worthy!
Before I showcase this card, I wanted to let you all know that our beloved Jess had to step down from her DT position. Since we’re getting close to the end of the term for the current DT, I won’t be looking to replace this spot. However, there has been some talk that there just might be an upcoming DT call in the future. Stay tuned!
Today we have a returning sponsor, along with some of their talented DT. Please join me in welcoming WPlus9! Many of our beloved Craft Dash participants are fans of this company and I’m so thrilled it worked out for them to sponsor once again. With their growing collection of stamp sets, dies and accessories, I know the winner will enjoy spending this gift certificate!
We have five of the WPlus9 girls joining us for this challenge as special guests. Be sure to visit their blogs and see their beautiful creations using this color palette!
You can pull out your supplies before your timer starts!
* If you aren’t able to stay within the 10 minutes, you can still link up your item! While it won’t quality for the winner spot, it still might be featured in the favorites section!
It’s time to announce the 10 Minute Craft Dash #16 Highlights! Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who joined along in this challenge. Due to personal reasons, I wasn’t able to comment on each entry like I usually do. {I’m sorry!} Thankfully I was still able to take a peek at all of your beautiful entries and with the help of my best friend, we chose a winner!
Congratulations to Wendy Elliot
Please email me (click the contact on the top right) with your contact info to claim your prize. Also, you get to grab the badge below and proudly display it on your blog!
Here are my favorites picks from this last challenge. If you haven’t already, be sure to stop by each of the blogs to take a look at the beautiful cards! {Ladies, feel free to grab the badge below and put it on your blogs!}
If you are interested in getting a head start on the next Craft Dash, I have the colors that will be featured on the Pretty Pink Posh Facebook page. This is EXCLUSIVE to those who like my page. If you go there and go to “exclusives”, you get to see the next 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge a day early!
We have a returning sponsor that I know many of you love sponsoring the new challenge tomorrow. I hope that you’ll be able to join the DT and I for the fun! I shall see some of you on the Pretty Pink Posh Facebook page later. Thanks for stopping by!
I hinted that there was going to be a Craft Dash DT call coming soon and it’s almost here! If you would like your work to be seen by thousands, you’re a fan of a good challenge and post regularly to your blog, stay tuned and/or sign up to receive Pretty Pink Posh via Email so you won’t miss the news!
