Spring Has Blossomed

April’s showers have brought May flowers a few weeks early this year. There’s no doubt that we’ve been enjoying the weather, sitting on our patios, lounging in Rittenhouse Square (Philadelphia), or sipping refreshing white wines at Biba (a wine bar in West Philly).

Outdoor living has become less like a campsite and more reminiscent of the living room if you were to look at the catalogues today.

Trends of light colors, bright florals, and exciting stripes are nothing new for spring time.

If you’re on a budget, consider only buying vibrant pieces that are exchangeable and easily stored for a window. Most of these designers chose to bring color with throws and pillows.

Serious. Chocolate.

I have a confession to make: I moved into a new place on February 5th, and my kitchen is still not fully unpacked.

Because I haven’t totally unearthed all of my kitchen tools, and because I just needed some chocolate to help me wallow in the fact that winter is clinging to Philadelphia with every last bit of strength it can summon, I give you the most decadent cookie that my temporarily-limited kitchen could muster!

These are really, really chocolatey but also have enough of the “cookies and cream” flavor going on that they don’t totally overwhelm your palette.  They are perfect with a cup of tea, but would also be delicious with a strong coffee that could stand up to the chocolate but also bring out that extra deliciousness from the cocoa!

Double Fudge Oreo Crunch Cookies

recipe by How Sweet Eats

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup crushed Oreo cookies

Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix until combined.

Fold in chocolate chips and crushed oreos. Refrigerate dough for 2-4 hours (or more). When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350, roll into balls or scoop with an ice cream scooper and set on baking sheet.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely.

These were so delicious, I may just finish unpacking my kitchen tonight!

Enjoy!

C&C

Does your bedroom look like a hotel?

If your bedroom gets a response like “it’s gorgeous – like a hotel room,” don’t be tempted to take it as a compliment. Most hotel rooms trade personality for a whole lot of uniformity.

The first thing I noticed when I see this room is the symmetry – the two night stands are identical. This frames the bed in a way that gives it a very lifeless way. Consider mixing up your choice of the colors, shapes and sizes of your nightstands and lamps. This works especially well for smaller spaces, as you can omit the second night stand or have one  that is considerably smaller than the other. If you share a bed it gives you the opportunity to customize the the sides to the needs of each of each person.

These two examples are from Room & Board:

With Love,

 

J

Cupcakes I’ve Been Eyeing…

As as avid reader of food blogs for inspiration, I always have a long – very long – list of recipes in my “to-make” pile.  It’s no surprise that some of these get lost in the recipe shuffle, and I’m excited for this blog to partly serve as a place to remind myself of these long-lost bookmarked acquaintances.

Cupcakes are one thing that I can never seem to bookmark enough of – and really, there are many cupcakes out there in cyberspace since the cute, versatile little treats have become the darling of the baking world.  (Who doesn’t love a cupcake, after all?!)

And so,

without further ado, here are some of the cupcake recipes I have been itching to try, some of which will no doubt make an appearance here soon!

Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes, courtesy of Fork Spoon Knife

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes, courtesy of Perry’s Plate

Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes, courtesy of Pink Parsley

Joy the Baker’s Favorite Red Velvet Cupcake

And finally, here are some cupcakes that make me very excited for the upcoming warm weather!

Blueberry Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting from Ming Makes Cupcakes (#19)

Enjoy these guys!

C&C

Fabulous Ceiling Lamps

Ceiling lamps are nothing new, but they’ve come a long way since their medieval ancestors. A flat hanging wooden cross with four candles, hardly holds up against the reinvented creations of today.

Pendant lamps not only provide light, but bring together elements of fabric and wood — and sometimes both. Lights Up! showcases a faux wood pendant lamp that seamlessly brings together both of these elements.

 

If you’re looking to work in real wood into your room, consider this pendant lamp from West Elm. At only $150 it’s sure to satisfy your budget.

 

Many friends confess that they feel uncomfortable mixing different wood grains together. My advise: dive in, your missing out on an entire world of possibilities.