Light Dusting

I love seeing cats' footprints in the snow. They're so cute but it always makes me wonder where they're heading and if they have somewhere warm to go to (I really hope so!).

It finally snowed again! This is only the second time this winter. I think we got a break this year because of all the blizzards we had last year :) I like the snow so I don't mind it at all. Stay warm!

Mixed Seasons

Spring is in the air! We've had such a mild winter this year. It's nice but I'm also a little concerned about this strange weather pattern. It's suppose to snow this Wednesday so that should bring some normalcy :)

Pretty Ribbons

Oh how I wish I have a craft room with all of these ribbons! Wouldn't it be wonderful? Maybe one day :) These photos were taken at Paper Presentation, my favorite paper store in NYC. I can stay in there for hours. They have an amazing selection of papers, pens, stickers, and all things crafty. A must-visit for anyone who loves pretty papers. My tip is to go in there with a project in mind or else you would want to buy everything in the store. Happy Friday!

Bare Trees

Went on a little hike with my dad and brother the other day. It's always nice to take a break from our crazy lives and breathe in some fresh air. I especially love the trees' silhouettes against the setting sun.

Sky's the Limit

James and I finished our marriage prep class this past weekend. We learned so much about how to communicate better and what we both expect from our marriage. Topics like how many children do you want to have, how do you plan to spend the holidays, etc. may seem very basic but could be problematic if you've never discussed it with your partner. Having been together for so many years, we've talked about many of the topics before but it was nice to revisit them and discuss them further. Through this class, I feel that our relationship can be even better than what it already is and that's very exciting :)

Tickled Pink

Bought this tiny bear at the craft store. I really don't know what I'm going to do with it but it was too cute to pass up at the checkout counter. I guess I got a fun picture out of it!  Happy Friday!

***Btw, I've added the red velvet cupcakes recipes to my posts if you are interested. If you like your red velvet cupcakes really red, click here for the recipe. If you like them a little more chocolaty, click here.***

Beary Stylish

Took this picture sometime last month and forgot to share it. I've always loved teddy bears. These two made me think of me and my sister because our nicknames are little bear and big bear :) Plus, I love their outfits!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I love how the ribbon roses echo the frosting on the cupcakes :)

Hope you all have a lovely and sweet Valentine's Day tomorrow. I had an early celebration with my family and with James this past weekend. I ended up making a different variation of my favorite red velvet cupcakes recipe. The only difference is that I used 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder instead of 2 teaspoons. This made the cupcakes less red but a lot more chocolaty :)

Red Velvet Cupcakes (makes about 18 cupcakes)

Recipe adapted from Sylvia's Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients

2½ cups sifted cake flour

2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk, at room temperature
1 ounce red food coloring
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners; set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 

In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure they are well combined after each addition. On low speed, add the flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the buttermilk (starting and ending with the flour mixture). Add the food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly combined.

Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full. (I like using an ice cream scoop for this. It makes it a lot faster and easier to divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.) Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. They’re done when a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer pans to wire rack and let them cool for about 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pans and let them cool completely on the wire rack before topping them with the frosting.

Cupcakes can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let them get to room temperature (about 20-30 minutes) before serving them.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe adapted from Sylvia's Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract on medium speed until smooth and creamy. On low speed, add the confectioners' sugar and beat until the frosting is smooth.

Secret Prank

James brought these little plushies home for me the other day. They were part of a special promotion for a cell phone company. I'm not sure if I see the connection to the brand but they're so cute. I love how mischievous they look! Have a happy weekend!

Tea Time

The rainbow colors in this box of tea make me happy :)

Unlikely Couple

Bought these cute cookies at Starbucks Coffee the other day :) Do you remember reading "The Owl and the Pussy-Cat" when you were little? It's such a bizarre little story and I can't help but giggle at how the owl addresses the cat in his song with all of those "P" words lol.

So {Wa} Happy!

I'm so happy to announce that I'll be back at SoWa Open Market as a vendor again this year. What's even more exciting is that I'm also selected to sell my jewelry along with my photographs! I have the widest grin on my face right now as I'm typing this. I can't wait for the season to start! Stay tuned for all the dates and additional info :) Happy weekend everyone!

Sweet Love

Red velvet cupcake and toffee cookies that I made a while ago.

It's February and that means Valentine's Day is coming up! It's a perfect day to celebrate love; not only for your significant other but for your friends and family as well. I love those days in elementary school when we gave everybody a Valentine's Day card (I miss those!). It should still be celebrated that way :) I haven't decided on what to make as a sweet treat yet but red velvet cupcakes are definitely on the top of my list.

Red Velvet Cupcakes (makes about 18 cupcakes)

Recipe adapted from Sylvia's Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients

2½ cups sifted cake flour

2 teaspoons Dutch process cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk, at room temperature
1 ounce red food coloring
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners; set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 

In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure they are well combined after each addition. On low speed, add the flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the buttermilk (starting and ending with the flour mixture). Add the food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly combined.

Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full. (I like using an ice cream scoop for this. It makes it a lot faster and easier to divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.) Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. They’re done when a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer pans to wire rack and let them cool for about 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pans and let them cool completely on the wire rack before topping them with the frosting.

Cupcakes can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let them get to room temperature (about 20-30 minutes) before serving them.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe adapted from Sylvia's Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract on medium speed until smooth and creamy. On low speed, add the confectioners' sugar and beat until the frosting is smooth.