Category Archives: Home

Sunday Sweets! Hot Chocolate

via Tartelette

From the recipe book of Tartelette

Hot Chocolate:
6 oz (180gr) semisweet chocolate (chips or chopped)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
pinch of ground cloves

Place the chocolate in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a large saucepan set over medium heat, bring the milk and cream to a simmer. Remove from the heat and slowly pour the hot liquid over the chocolate. Let the mixture stand for 2 minutes then slowly whisk the mixture until completely smooth. add the spices, stir and serve with the marshmallows.

Vanilla Marshmallows:
1/4 cup (60ml) water
1/4 cup (60ml) light corn syrup
3/4 cup (170 grams) sugar
1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
2 egg whites, room temperature
1 whole vanilla bean, split open and seeded
cornstarch

Line a 8X8 baking pan with plastic wrap. Spray lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with some cornstarch, shake the excess off.
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar, bring to a boil until “soft-ball” stage, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites. Add the vanilla seeds and continue whipping until stiff. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and let set 24 hours at room temperature. Unmold and cut squares with a hot knife.

Enjoy!

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Filed under Great Finds, Home, Sweets, Winter

Tablescape Friday: Twisted Twine

Rustic and Warm all at the same time.

via a desert fete

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Filed under Design, DIY, Home, Inspiration, Tablescape, Winter

(DIY) “Sprinkle Dusted” Garland

The purl bee did an awesome job in creating this colorful garland.  It reminds me of all the good things about growing up; sprinkles, bright colors, playfulness and innocence! Be sure to check out their website for a full tutorial on how to recreate this!

via the purl bee

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Filed under Celebrations, Design, DIY, Great Finds, Home, Kids

While I’m Away..

I’ll be away for a while so I can spend time with family and friends before heading back to Boston.  I hope you have a wonderful New Year and I’ll see you in January!

via She Walks in Beauty

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Filed under Home, Life

Merry Christmas!

Peace, love and happiness from my family to yours…

via Snippet & Ink

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Filed under Celebrations, Holidays, Home, Life, Photography, Winter

Holiday Home Inspiration

With Christmas just under 2 weeks away, I find more and more holiday inspiration that I love!

via Still Life With

via Style Me Pretty via Eclatante Designs

via Olivet

via Better Than Fine

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Filed under Cookies, Home, Inspiration, Life

Packing Day!

Today’s Tablescape Friday has been interrupted so I can get some packing done for our big move on Sunday.  I can’t wait to get settled in our new home.  I think I’m most excited about all of the fires we’ll be able to have on the cold winter nights!

via Snippet & Ink

See you on the flip side!

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Filed under Home, Life

Life is What Happens When You are Busy Making (Wedding) Plans

You won’t believe all of the changes taking place in the Brennan/Power Household within the next month!

Peaches by Plums, Quote, Life, Plans

via In This Instance {source}

In the next two weeks we will be moving to the suburbs of Boston and finally living in a house with a little yard for Bradley.  I cannot wait! It’s happened a little sooner than expected but we are very excited about the move.

We’ve begun searching for a washer and dryer to buy for the house (I was shocked to see how expensive they were) as well as a car for us to get around in.  Not to mention settling in a new town, finding movers, gearing up for the Christmas season and finding out how to get back to Pennsylvania for the holidays with Brad!

The big secret however is that while we are back in my hometown, we will be getting legally married!  I wanted to keep it a secret and share with you after the big day but who was I kidding.  I can’t keep secrets!  Although the “real” wedding ceremony and reception is still in Ireland in August, this will also be very special to us as well.

To make the visa process as easy as possible, we learned that getting civilly married before traveling over to Ireland would be most ideal.  Originally we had thought of doing it after Ger graduated from Grad School however, we soon found out that it could take up to 5 months to process all of the papers.  This is when I had the bright idea of getting married over Christmas and to share the experience with all of my family that aren’t able to make it over to Ireland! Remember my dilemma? Problem solved, right?  I love that we are able to incorporate both of our families into this great celebration and I am even able to wear my first wedding dress!

I’ve always been the type that whenever I wanted to get a new hair style or a hair cut, I needed to do it right away.  It would drive me crazy to wait for days until my appointment and by then, I usually changed my mind anyway.  I admit, I can be quite impulsive at times.  I get so tired of planning and researching EVERYTHING.  Sometimes you just need to go for it, right?

Has anyone else been impulsive when it comes to life and wedding planning?

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Filed under advice, Events, Home, Life, Planning

DIY Faux Fireplace!

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via Apartment Therapy {source}

Isn’t this just the coolest DIY project that you’ve ever seen? For those of us who dream about siting next to a roaring fire in our home, this is certainly the next best thing.  Take a look at these directions, it doesn’t look too difficult to make!

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Filed under Design, DIY, Great Finds, Home