Let's Make Valentine's Day Cards!

Whether you have kids or not, homemade cards are fun and the possibilities are only limited by your imagination. So endless, right? Here's a few simple ideas that Luke and I came up with today. First, you need a few supplies like candy, construction paper or any pretty paper, and I even used some nail polish! I'll show you that later.

How about some heart shaped paper doilies? These are fun! If you can find some, pick em up.

First, to make some regular sized cards that would be great for kids to give to friends or even to mail to YOUR friends, fold a sheet of paper in half, unfold and cut along the line you made. Fold each piece in half again and cut so they turn out looking like this in pink:

or red

Let's start with this card.

Now pick the color sheet you'll want to use for the front of your card and cut it a little shorter than the one for the back. Like so.

Now put glue around the two sides and the end where my hand is so the pink end is left open. Then to make the cupcake I just drew the bottom and cut it out, then used it for a template to cut more. Same thing for the frosting. Like this

and if you don't have regular glitter, you can use glitter nail polish for the bottom. These little gems I used to decorate the frosting are from the aisle with the scrap booking things in Target. But you can probably find them almost anywhere scrapbook supplies are sold. But I think you should decorate them however you think they'll be pretty!

Here's another idea. Cut a piece of construction paper in half, then fold it to make a card. Put a heart candy in the center and draw a box around it. Like this.

Then move the candy and cut the box out to make a window. Now glue the candy in place.

Now write inside whatever your heart desires, and decorate! Now here's one more that's super simple and quick. Hold one of the doilies over any color paper you like and cut around it leaving an edge peaking out about a half inch or less.

Put some glue on the back of the heart.

Now glue them together.

Decorate with candy, sprinkles, glitter, whatever!

I glued a little white doiley on too. Be sure to use a non toxic glue like Elmer's if they're for kids especially or better yet attach candy with a homemade icing then you don't have to worry about little ones eating the candy off! I think it's just a combination of powdered sugar and water but I don't know the exact measurements. You can find the recipe online though.

Now last but not least I have to show you this one Luke made for his Grams.

So sweet!

Have a happy Valentine's Day full of love and hugs! Taniya

Birthday Fun!

Today I woke up to this

My little man woke up before me and covered the entrance to my bedroom with streamers!

Here are some of my lovely little presents:

This was from Qiana but Alani wrapped it and I think she did such a nice job I had to share it!

I love the movie Harvey about the giant rabbit that only James Stewart can see Haha!

The make up brush set from Alani I've needed for a long time and it's super cute too! Check out those nail polish colors from Luke. So pretty!

This Bath and Body Works set from Clark Kent in Pink Chiffon smells amazing! And I just love this little cake!

My Mama came over and ate pot roast and veggies with us and brought these;

Baby kale plants to start off my garden! She also brought a fig tree and I'm so excited because I LOVE figs and have wanted one for a long time.

Then today I got a surprise package in the mail;

full of all kinds of fun things

from my dear friend Dawn! Now this little thing she sent I have to show you guys. Just a cute little ladybug right?

Wrong! She turns into a tote bag!

How awesome is that? I can carry it to the store right in my purse. Finally, I'll show you those nail colors on! This is 3 coats of Glow me by Icing

and with a coat of those yummy sparkles Teal Me I'm Awesome

I feel so blessed to have had such a very nice birthday, and a kind loving family and friends! I hope your day was just as amazing! Taniya

New Recipe, Electrical Outage, & Volleyball

The electric company did warn us they may turn the electricity off to "make improvements" today between 9 am & 4pm so I got busy earlier than usual on laundry, made some coffee, and started on this recipe I want to share with you. I had the oven on, had just finished with the mixer, and BOOM! off went the electricity. But the dough had to chill awhile anyway so it worked out just right. While we were waiting for the power to come back on, we went to the volleyball court to practice with Alani.

Scoreboard in the sand.

By the time we got back home the power was back on. Now for our recipe. I got it out of a fitness magazine. I don't know which one because I ripped it out awhile ago but it's a healthy take on traditional shortbread:

Lime-Glazed Shortbread!

For the cookies: 2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup raw sugar

1/3 cup olive oil

1 large egg

2 tbsp. honey

2 tsp.lime zest (finely ground)

For the glaze: 1/2 cup confectioners sugar

2-3 tsp. fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp. lime zest

This is my lime zest:

Preheat oven to 350 and it says to line the baking sheet with parchment but I didn't because I don't have any and they turned out fine.

In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda, & salt. Set aside.

This is just a photo showing the dry ingredients listed above.

In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, egg, & honey (I use raw organic honey. I think it tastes much better. You could probably use agave instead if you wanted.) with an electric mixer for 2 min.

This is after it was mixed and just when I added the zest.

Stir in lime zest and flour mixture until combined (it will be kinda sticky).

On a floured work surface form dough into a log about 8 in. long & 1& 1/2 in. in diameter.

I ended up with two! I don't know why. Ha ha! Mine look like some kind of funny potato.

Wrap in waxed paper & refrigerate for about 15 min. or till firm.

Slice chilled dough about 1/4 in. thick rounds. Mine aren't very round!

Bake about 8 min. or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

In the meantime, in a small bowl, whisk together confectioners sugar, lime juice, & lime zest, adding more juice if necessary to thin the glaze until it's pourable. (I had to add more)

Drizzle or spread glaze over cookies and let set 15 min.

These are a healthier shortbread because of the wheat flour and honey and less sugar. But if you want the recipe even healthier, leave off the glaze. They are still quite good without it!

I hope you enjoy this yummy recipe as much as we do. (Even Clark Kent approves!)

And here's hoping YOUR power stays on all day! Taniya

Just Another Monday.

Some clouds are starting to roll in, so I think we're in for some rain by tomorrow. But that's o.k. because the plants will love it! New leaves are starting to come out on my Mulberry tree.

See that grey sky? And how about some steel grey nails to go with that? This is Revlon's Steel Her Heart.

Even though it's overcast it's still a nice day to be outside! I think my pink flowering bush (I forget it's name ha ha) will enjoy the rain.

Clark Kent is getting some work done on the Firebird he's restoring while he has some time off and before the rain comes too.

He's been pulling it all apart to do body work and paint it and while it's apart, replacing some engine parts too.

It's a sad sight now but eventually it will look WAY better!

Wishing each and every one of you a beautiful day! Taniya

A Day at the Beach.

Even February is a great time for the beach in So. Cal! There were so many people out enjoying the beautiful weather. It was so clear we could easily see Catalina Island. See it out there?

Made this thinking of my Clark Kent!

The water wasn't very cold either.

Qiana and Luke had a great time too.

We missed Alani being with us but she spent the day with friends, and husband was working. Hopefully our next beach day will include our whole family!

Even my coffee got time on the sand! Ha ha ha! Here's hoping your day is full of sunshine. But if you're surrounded by cold weather, keep the sun in your heart! Taniya

A Tea Shop Adventure!

A new tea shop opened up in the neighborhood that we just had to check out called Teavana. Just a little place but so full of teapots, tea cups, and oh so yummy tea!

This is the tea set Qiana liked best.

And I think this one is beautiful!

But I think I would be afraid I'd break off those pretty little flowers! Ha ha ha!

We sampled hot and cold tea and I honestly loved them ALL. But we only bought one, which was actually a combination of two.

We got the Samurai Chai Mate, and the White Ayurvedic Chai. They are loaded with antioxidents and low in caffeine and are great for detoxification. They give you a little pamphlet to read about all the health benefits in each of the different teas. Now to have a cup!

Mmmmm, Splendid! Have a warm, relaxing day! Taniya