November 2019

Have you entered the Pley giveaway to win a  LEGO set or a subscription to rent your favorite sets? EVERYONE who enters gets a code for a 1-month subscription- so don’t forget to enter!

Does anyone else make muffins with dinner?  Or is it just me?

I know muffins are typically a “breakfast” thing or even a “snack” thing, but I love a good muffin with my dinner sometimes.

I have had a recipe for Brown Sugar Muffins for awhile.  They were good, but they weren’t outstanding.  And if I’m going to eat a muffin, I really want it to be worth it, you know?

So I went in search of ideas to improve this muffin recipe, and after making a few small but important changes, I made a muffin that is light, fluffy, and sweet (but not too sweet).

The addition of browned butter and an extra egg just gives it a richness that my recipe was lacking before.  I also used buttermilk instead of my usual plain milk.

These muffins were absolutely delicious right out of the oven.  They are definitely best served warm!

Here’s the recipe: (thanks to A House in Holland for the suggestions!) Browned Butter Brown Sugar Muffins Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter or margarine 2 cups flour  (I used all-purpose) 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk Directions: 1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees 2.  In a small sauce pan, brown the butter, letting it cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes.  Butter should turn a golden brown color and have a slightly nutty taste/smell.  Remove from cooktop and let cool for at least five minutes before using. 3.  Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.  Set off to the side. 4.  In the bowl of a mixer, combine brown sugar and eggs.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Add browned sugar and vanilla. 5.  Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix by hand until combined.  Add the buttermilk and mix.  Then add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined, without any dry ingredients showing. 6.  Divide batter evenly into 12 lined muffin cups.  Bake for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out cleanly.  Serve and enjoy!

Connect with us! You can find us here:

Have you entered the Pley giveaway to win a  LEGO set or a subscription to rent your favorite sets? EVERYONE who enters gets a code for a 1-month subscription- so don’t forget to enter!

Does anyone else make muffins with dinner?  Or is it just me?

I know muffins are typically a “breakfast” thing or even a “snack” thing, but I love a good muffin with my dinner sometimes.

I have had a recipe for Brown Sugar Muffins for awhile.  They were good, but they weren’t outstanding.  And if I’m going to eat a muffin, I really want it to be worth it, you know?

So I went in search of ideas to improve this muffin recipe, and after making a few small but important changes, I made a muffin that is light, fluffy, and sweet (but not too sweet).

The addition of browned butter and an extra egg just gives it a richness that my recipe was lacking before.  I also used buttermilk instead of my usual plain milk.

These muffins were absolutely delicious right out of the oven.  They are definitely best served warm!

Here’s the recipe: (thanks to A House in Holland for the suggestions!) Browned Butter Brown Sugar Muffins Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter or margarine 2 cups flour  (I used all-purpose) 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk Directions: 1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees 2.  In a small sauce pan, brown the butter, letting it cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes.  Butter should turn a golden brown color and have a slightly nutty taste/smell.  Remove from cooktop and let cool for at least five minutes before using. 3.  Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.  Set off to the side. 4.  In the bowl of a mixer, combine brown sugar and eggs.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Add browned sugar and vanilla. 5.  Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix by hand until combined.  Add the buttermilk and mix.  Then add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined, without any dry ingredients showing. 6.  Divide batter evenly into 12 lined muffin cups.  Bake for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out cleanly.  Serve and enjoy!

Connect with us! You can find us here:

Have you entered the Pley giveaway to win a  LEGO set or a subscription to rent your favorite sets? EVERYONE who enters gets a code for a 1-month subscription- so don’t forget to enter!

Does anyone else make muffins with dinner?  Or is it just me?

I know muffins are typically a “breakfast” thing or even a “snack” thing, but I love a good muffin with my dinner sometimes.

I have had a recipe for Brown Sugar Muffins for awhile.  They were good, but they weren’t outstanding.  And if I’m going to eat a muffin, I really want it to be worth it, you know?

So I went in search of ideas to improve this muffin recipe, and after making a few small but important changes, I made a muffin that is light, fluffy, and sweet (but not too sweet).

The addition of browned butter and an extra egg just gives it a richness that my recipe was lacking before.  I also used buttermilk instead of my usual plain milk.

These muffins were absolutely delicious right out of the oven.  They are definitely best served warm!

Here’s the recipe: (thanks to A House in Holland for the suggestions!) Browned Butter Brown Sugar Muffins Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter or margarine 2 cups flour  (I used all-purpose) 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk Directions: 1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees 2.  In a small sauce pan, brown the butter, letting it cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes.  Butter should turn a golden brown color and have a slightly nutty taste/smell.  Remove from cooktop and let cool for at least five minutes before using. 3.  Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.  Set off to the side. 4.  In the bowl of a mixer, combine brown sugar and eggs.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Add browned sugar and vanilla. 5.  Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix by hand until combined.  Add the buttermilk and mix.  Then add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined, without any dry ingredients showing. 6.  Divide batter evenly into 12 lined muffin cups.  Bake for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out cleanly.  Serve and enjoy!

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I’d like to introduce you to one of my sponsors this month, a unique Etsy shop called Scarlett and Maria- Handmade Kanzashi Accessories.  She says:

Tsumami Kanzashi are the hair ornaments worn by the Geishas dating back hundreds of years to the Edo period. Scarlett and Maria mixes traditional Japanese Kanzashi technique with an American twist inspired by modern trends, 20th century vintage, & found materials. These flowers are sustainably made with upcycled or vintage materials and buttons. They are folded like origami petal by petal, sewn together, and secured with high quality craft glue, then finally if necessary sprayed with fabric stiffener for the more delicate shapes. Each piece is one of a kind, and this technique renders them highly customizable and adaptable to my clients’ favorite colors and themes. Handmade in St. Louis, Missouri.

These are beautiful!  She has them for your hair, as jewelry, and on trinket boxes and home decorations.  I particularly like these:

The Lilac Dahlia

This Red Fabric Flower Necklace

and this Magenta Flower Ring

Have you entered the Pley giveaway to win a  LEGO set or a subscription to rent your favorite sets? EVERYONE who enters gets a code for a 1-month subscription- so don’t forget to enter!

Does anyone else make muffins with dinner?  Or is it just me?

I know muffins are typically a “breakfast” thing or even a “snack” thing, but I love a good muffin with my dinner sometimes.

I have had a recipe for Brown Sugar Muffins for awhile.  They were good, but they weren’t outstanding.  And if I’m going to eat a muffin, I really want it to be worth it, you know?

So I went in search of ideas to improve this muffin recipe, and after making a few small but important changes, I made a muffin that is light, fluffy, and sweet (but not too sweet).

The addition of browned butter and an extra egg just gives it a richness that my recipe was lacking before.  I also used buttermilk instead of my usual plain milk.

These muffins were absolutely delicious right out of the oven.  They are definitely best served warm!

Here’s the recipe: (thanks to A House in Holland for the suggestions!) Browned Butter Brown Sugar Muffins Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter or margarine 2 cups flour  (I used all-purpose) 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk Directions: 1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees 2.  In a small sauce pan, brown the butter, letting it cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes.  Butter should turn a golden brown color and have a slightly nutty taste/smell.  Remove from cooktop and let cool for at least five minutes before using. 3.  Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.  Set off to the side. 4.  In the bowl of a mixer, combine brown sugar and eggs.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Add browned sugar and vanilla. 5.  Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix by hand until combined.  Add the buttermilk and mix.  Then add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined, without any dry ingredients showing. 6.  Divide batter evenly into 12 lined muffin cups.  Bake for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out cleanly.  Serve and enjoy!

Connect with us! You can find us here:

Have you entered the Pley giveaway to win a  LEGO set or a subscription to rent your favorite sets? EVERYONE who enters gets a code for a 1-month subscription- so don’t forget to enter!

Does anyone else make muffins with dinner?  Or is it just me?

I know muffins are typically a “breakfast” thing or even a “snack” thing, but I love a good muffin with my dinner sometimes.

I have had a recipe for Brown Sugar Muffins for awhile.  They were good, but they weren’t outstanding.  And if I’m going to eat a muffin, I really want it to be worth it, you know?

So I went in search of ideas to improve this muffin recipe, and after making a few small but important changes, I made a muffin that is light, fluffy, and sweet (but not too sweet).

The addition of browned butter and an extra egg just gives it a richness that my recipe was lacking before.  I also used buttermilk instead of my usual plain milk.

These muffins were absolutely delicious right out of the oven.  They are definitely best served warm!

Here’s the recipe: (thanks to A House in Holland for the suggestions!) Browned Butter Brown Sugar Muffins Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter or margarine 2 cups flour  (I used all-purpose) 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk Directions: 1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees 2.  In a small sauce pan, brown the butter, letting it cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes.  Butter should turn a golden brown color and have a slightly nutty taste/smell.  Remove from cooktop and let cool for at least five minutes before using. 3.  Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.  Set off to the side. 4.  In the bowl of a mixer, combine brown sugar and eggs.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Add browned sugar and vanilla. 5.  Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix by hand until combined.  Add the buttermilk and mix.  Then add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined, without any dry ingredients showing. 6.  Divide batter evenly into 12 lined muffin cups.  Bake for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out cleanly.  Serve and enjoy!

Connect with us! You can find us here:

Have you entered the Pley giveaway to win a  LEGO set or a subscription to rent your favorite sets? EVERYONE who enters gets a code for a 1-month subscription- so don’t forget to enter!

Does anyone else make muffins with dinner?  Or is it just me?

I know muffins are typically a “breakfast” thing or even a “snack” thing, but I love a good muffin with my dinner sometimes.

I have had a recipe for Brown Sugar Muffins for awhile.  They were good, but they weren’t outstanding.  And if I’m going to eat a muffin, I really want it to be worth it, you know?

So I went in search of ideas to improve this muffin recipe, and after making a few small but important changes, I made a muffin that is light, fluffy, and sweet (but not too sweet).

The addition of browned butter and an extra egg just gives it a richness that my recipe was lacking before.  I also used buttermilk instead of my usual plain milk.

These muffins were absolutely delicious right out of the oven.  They are definitely best served warm!

Here’s the recipe: (thanks to A House in Holland for the suggestions!) Browned Butter Brown Sugar Muffins Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter or margarine 2 cups flour  (I used all-purpose) 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk Directions: 1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees 2.  In a small sauce pan, brown the butter, letting it cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes.  Butter should turn a golden brown color and have a slightly nutty taste/smell.  Remove from cooktop and let cool for at least five minutes before using. 3.  Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.  Set off to the side. 4.  In the bowl of a mixer, combine brown sugar and eggs.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Add browned sugar and vanilla. 5.  Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix by hand until combined.  Add the buttermilk and mix.  Then add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined, without any dry ingredients showing. 6.  Divide batter evenly into 12 lined muffin cups.  Bake for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out cleanly.  Serve and enjoy!

Connect with us! You can find us here:

I was so inspired by this Bread Box Transformation at Paisley Inspirations.  I had never even considered making over my breadbox until I saw this.  However, we just painted our kitchen red, and I couldn’t really find a patterned paper that went with some of the other elements in our kitchen (like my curtains), so I decided to just keep my bread box redo simpler. Sorry, I don’t have a before picture.  This is a cheapo oak-colored wood breadbox I got 5 or 6 years ago from Target.  I painted it black, slapped on some vinyl cut with my lovely Silhouette, and voila! Again, if you don’t have vinyl, a stencil would work just as well. I don’t think it could get easier than this.  And yet, it looks lovely in my newly painted kitchen. Linking to

I was browsing through the home section at TJ Maxx awhile ago, and saw these adorable throw pillows with tiny green bows on them.  It was so cute, but of course didn’t match anything in my house.  I knew it would be easy to re-create one at home. I made mine more of an oblong lumbar pillow, but you could make this in any shape or size.  Here’s my pillow: To make your own pillow, follow the directions below: 1.  Cut two pieces of fabric to fit your pillow form, plus 1/2 inch on all sides for seams.  I didn’t use a pillow form, so I just kind of chose a size that looked good to me. 2.  Placing your fabric right sides together, sew a 1/2 inch seam around all four sides, leaving an opening to insert the form or stuffing.  Make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end. 3.  Trim your corners and seams, then turn your case right side out.  Use a crochet hook or something similar to poke out the corners, then press your case flat with an iron. 4.  Use a ruler and a fabric marker or pencil to mark where you want your bows.  I did mine in evenly spaced rows, but you could do whatever pattern you want. 5.  Tie tiny “shoelace” bows (just like you tie your shoes).  Even out the ends of the bows so they are all about  the same, and singe the ends very quickly with a lighter to seal them. 6.  Adhere the bows using a few stitches or hot glue.  Hot glue won’t hold up in the wash, so use stitches if you plan to wash your case at some point.

7.  Stuff your pillow or insert the pillow form.  Sew the opening closed using a ladder stitch (or however you prefer).

8.  Place cute pillow on bed and smile!
I am linking up to some of my favorite linky parties:  Go check them out here!