Carrot Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Cinnamon Frosting

Fall is definitely in the air, and it's certainly beginning to influence what I cook. Warm soups, and casseroles for dinner, and of course lots of pumpkin flavored desserts. If you're in the mood for something a little sweet, with classic fall flavors, then this dessert is for you.

What you will need

1 1/2 cups of flour

2/3 cup of sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup of oil

2 eggs

1 cup of grated carrots

1 tsp. of vanilla

1/2 cup of Pumpkin spice Jello pudding ( prepared according to pie filling directions)

note: This Jello is only available during the fall season. I purchase this Jello at Wal-Mart. I stock up when it's available.

 1st. Prepare the Jello according to pie directions on the box.

2nd. Mix all dry ingredients

3rd. Mix all wet ingredients except for the Jello Pudding

4th. combine the wet and dry ingredients.

5th. when ingredients are well blended together add the prepared pudding. Mix well

6th. place batter into paper-lined or greased muffin pans.

7th. bake at 350 degrees for about 25min.

MEANWHILE.............................................................................................

What you'll need for the frosting:

1. 8oz. pkg. Philly cream cheese

1/4 cup butter.

3cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1st. Mix cream cheese and butter with mixer until well blended

2nd. continue mixing with a mixer, add the cinnamon and vanilla

3rd. continue mixing with mixer.. add the powdered sugar a little at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Note: this frosting recipe makes more than enough to frost 36 full-size cupcakes. I usually double the recipe for cupcakes.

I hope that you give this recipe a try... and enjoy with family, and friends.

Eph. 5:20

" Giving thanks always for all things unto God"

Blessings,



pumpkin spice jello

My Memories Suite giveaway, and Thanksgiving Place Cards.



I would like to share a product with you, that I've recently enjoyed. It's called MyMemories suite, digital scrapbooking software. Below is an example of what you can do.

I'm not very experienced at digital scrapbooking, but this made scrapbooking much more convenient. I think this is an excellent way to give pictures to family, and friends. Also, scrapbooking is not the only way to make use of this program. You really can use it for so much more. It allows you to create slide shows accompanied by the music of your choice. You can share your pictures in multiple ways, through e-mail, or burn your albums to a dvd, or one of my personal favs. I can craft with it. Here is something that I created using the MyMemories suite.

Place cards for my Thanksgiving dinner! Here's what I did.

first I designed the place cards using the MMS software, just choose your papers, size them up, then add your embellishments.

next, I printed the images onto cardstock

then, cut out the image.

Next, I embellished using Martha Stewart glitters. I just love the extra bling it gives...

and, TA-DA! This was so easy to put together using the MMS program. I have a head full of ideas using this software... 

Give away has ended.

But the best part is that I get to give away the software to one lucky reader!

 Here is what you need to do to enter the give away.

1. Become a follower of my blog, or subscribe by e-mail.

2. go to http://www.mymemories.com/ and choose your favorite digital paper pack or layout, then

3. come back to my blog, and leave a comment telling me what paper pack was your favorite.

The give away will end on Friday. October 14th. So be sure to enter before then. I will announce the winner on Monday, October 17th.

And, if you don't win, you could still buy the program.

My memories is offering my readers $10. off the price of purchase, just enter code STMMMS70145 at checkout. There is no expiration for this offer.

I hope that you enjoy this program as much as I have. Have fun scrappin :)

Blessings,

DIY necklace hanger.

Recently I've been dealing with a problem, nothing of drastic proportions, but a problem none the less. Every necklace that I own is hanging from the door knob of my closet. AAAAAH, I've looked at buying a necklace hanger, but haven't found anything that I loved enough to spend the money on. So, I decided to MAKE a necklace hanger. Making it myself would allow me to customize. I love to customize!  If you need a necklace hanger, or would like to make a unique gift, then, give this project a try. :)

Here is what you'll need to get started:

- Any scrap piece of wood that suites your taste.  ( I used a 2x6 that had been left on my porch for the last 3 months)

-A drawer pull, wood or porcelain, or metal. whichever you prefer. ( I used porcelain, I bought them at my local Habitat For Humanity Restore for .50 a piece.)

- Any images that you want to use. ( I used images from the GraphicsFairy)



First I downloaded the dress stand image from the Graphicsfairy.  I opened the image in Microsoft Word and formatted it to a very small size, small enough to fit the size of the drawer pull. Next, I printed the image onto regular ol' computer paper.   I then cut the image out into a circle, and distressed the edges using Studio G chalk ink (pictured).  This ink sells for only $1 at Micheals.

      

   Next I used Mod Podge to adhere the image to the front of the drawer pull. Allow to dry.  

Sand using a fine 220 grit sand paper, lightly sand down edges of the Mod Podged paper.

Then repeat this process at least 2 more times.... Mod Podge- sand, Mod Podge- sand...

 The more you repeat this process the more that the image appears to be part of the drawer pull.

 It is worth the time.  

In the meantime, while waiting for the Mod Podge to dry on the drawer pulls, I painted my block of wood.

 Any acrylic, or latex paint will do.  I used Kilz cashmere white in satin finish.

 Cover the entire block of wood with paint, allow to dry.

Once the paint is dry, use a course 60-80 grit sand paper to distress the edges and some in the center.

 You could distress the wood as little or as much as you like.

Then I glazed the edges of the wood using Anita's Faux Easy Glaze in Dark Brown.

Just rub the glaze on, then wipe of with a clean cloth, or old piece of t-shirt. If you don't have this glaze,

 you could make your own by adding water to brown paint. Paint the watery solution onto the wood,

then quickly wipe off before the solution dries. It will leave the edges brown.

 Another way to do this is to use a wood stain on the edges.

All three ways will give you slightly different effects.

Try playing around with this to determine what you like best.

Here is the image that I chose for the center of the wood, I downloaded this image from the GraphicsFairy.
 Opened the image in word, then formatted to the size I would need. Printed, then cut out...

and completely covered the back side of the image with pencil. This is called pencil transfer.

Then I taped down the image right side up onto my block, and carefully traced the image with pen. This will leave you with the image transfered onto the block of wood.

Like this.

Now you will have a guide to paint over.  I used Americana acrylic paint for my image.  Once I painted the image, and it had dried, I then lightly sanded the image to give a distressed look to my piece.

Lastly, I adhered the drawer pulls using a construction grade adhesive. This can be found at any home improvement store, and looks like a tube of caulk. 

I can't wait to hang my necklaces from this!  The color and style options are endless. I love making my own home pieces because I have the ability to make it match my home's decor!  I hope have you fun with this project, and make it your own!

Blessings,