it's almost halloween!?

This year has completely flown by, hasn't it? Crazy to think that tomorrow is Halloween! This year I've got two costumes to choose from- a corpse bride or Queen of Hearts. Hmm, decisions decisions! Sooo, what are you dressing up as? XO

NEED {the hooded missy}

I die. Want, want, want, want!

The Hooded Missy, $125:

{via little house's etsy shop}

WANT {measure up bowls}

There is this woman inside of me, struggling to come out, who has self control when it comes to eating pasta... Maybe owning a couple of these bowls would help coax her to the surface? Worth a shot.

Not only are these porcelain Measure Up Bowls, which have premeasured portion lines, great for dieters, but I think they would also be great for baking. Arg, there I go again with the sweets. Always on my mind. :P

{via measure up bowl, $13.99 and up}

word{less} wednesday

WANT {flip dolls}

Sorry for the lack of posts this week! I've been busy bust prepping for our event on Thursday. It's times like these that I wish I wasn't such a dang procrastinator. Ugh. I've always worked best under pressure {hello, college,} but jeez! Honestly though, tomorrow is going to be a LOT of fun. I can't wait. :o)

Anywho, back to flip dolls. Found these on Etsy this morning and fell in LOVE. To me, they are super adorable. What do you think? Are they creepy? Cute? Both? XO

George & the Dragon Flip Doll, $60:

George...


...becomes the dragon. Definitely cute. Love George's flip-up helmet & pinstripe suit of armor.

Mild Mannered Super Hero Flip Doll, $60:

Super hero...

...becomes super librarian. Pretty cute.

{dolls via wilson's etsy shop}

Come join us for a fun holiday event!

Hi friends,

To help get our favorite ladies into the holiday spirit, Cristina Garcia of Extraordinary Events and I are hosting a fun little holiday party on Thursday, October 29th in La Jolla Cove. Along with showcasing my latest photography, I'll be teaching crafty do-it-yourself holiday card classes throughout the afternoon.

Extraordinary Events & Weddings, a company owned by my dear friend, Cristina, is thrilled to announce the addition of The Promiscuous Chef and Hacienda de las Rosas Winery. There will be a wine tasting and delicious fair prepared by Chef Craig! Please pass this along to your friends, clients and family!

In additional to all of the fun food and wine festivities, I will be teaching do-it-yourself holiday card making classes. Yay! Please email me at danielle@fromthismomentplanners if you want me to save a spot for you or for more info on the event.

Come on down, mingle, and enjoy yummy wine, appetizers, and desserts with us. Hope to see you there!

PS: If you can't make it, leave a comment and I'll send ya a DIY kit! XO

LOVE {chocolate thumbprint cookies}

Mis cookies favoritas= chocolate thumbprint cookies. When I was a little girl, my mom used to buy these from the bakery of our local grocery store. You can imagine how many nights I spent secretively eating entire boxes of these delicious little treats after she went to bed. Mmm. Looks like I'll be making a batch of these tonight! :o)


Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies, via Technicolor Kitchen

Cookie dough:
½ cup {1 stick} unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, sifted

Filling:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon light corn syrup


Preheat the oven to 350ºF; line two baking sheets with baking paper.

Start by making the dough: in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in flour, beginning on low speed and increasing to medium high, until a dough forms – it won’t be sticky.

Roll dough by teaspoonfuls into balls, and place 1in. apart onto prepared sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven, and press thumb, or the backside of a measuring spoon, into tops of cookies to make indentations. Return to oven, and bake until light brown on the edges, 7 to 9 minutes more. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Make the filling: combine chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a small heatproof bowl. Set over a pot of simmering water; stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly. When cookies are cool, fill the thumbprints with the chocolate mixture – there will be some filling left, even though I halved the filling recipe without halving the dough recipe.

happy monday!

LOVE {scarves}

Baby, it's cold outside {well, by San Diego standards!} Whew, talk about waking up to some chilly weather this morning. Thank goodness for heated seats.

One of my favorite cold weather accessories is a pretty, warm scarf. There's something about being all bundled up that brings a big smile to my face. Check out these adorable options, all from Etsy...

Victoriana Scarflette, $79:


Antique Blue Flower Scarflette, $37:


Winter Warmer, $50:

{eye candy}

{all photos via ffffound}

WANT {jalapeño popper dip}

For as long as I can remember, I've been a big dip girl- bean dip, dip for my Olive Garden breadsticks, cheese dip for my tortilla chips... I love me some dip! {Not so great for the diet, blah!}

This Jalapeño Popper Dip looks sooooooo delicious, don't you think? Jalapenos- love. Warm, cheesy goodness- love! Thank for sharing, Kevin from Closet Cooking. I will be making this, and several of your other yummy-sounding recipes, ASAP. :P

{via closet cooking}

Jalapeno Popper Dip
(makes 4 snacks sized servings)

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano
1 (4 ounce) can sliced jalapenos
2 jalapeno peppers (chopped, optional)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano

Directions:
1. Mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, parmigiano reggiano and jalapenos in a bowl and pour into a baking dish.
2. Mix the panko bread crumbs and parmigiano reggiano and sprinkle over the dip.
3. Bake in a 375F oven until bubbling on the sides and golden brown on top, about 10-20 minutes.

WANT {golden lace leather necklace}

Isn't this Golden Lace Leather Necklace from Eninaj's Etsy shop gor-ge-ous?! A piece like this is essential for all those cute strapless holiday dresses... Love it, want it, need it!

{via Etsy, $98}

word{less} wednesday

{images via ffffound}

NEED {these cupcake posters}

Sooooo true. Nothing makes me happier than a perfectly moist, adorably frosted cupcake. Mmm. I wish my besty Jennifer lived closer so we could have a cupcake-making party tonight. <3

{via oh so beautiful paper}

{via ffffound}

{truth}

{via design crush}

ADORE {pics that make me smile}

{all photos via ffffound}

WANT {a lovely art sleep mask}

Lovely Art's Etsy shop is packed full of the most adorable sleep masks, all handmade with love in Barcelona. Each mask is adorned with eyelashes, makeup, and other cute little embellishments.

Some of my faves...






Talk about the most precious stocking stuffer EVER. Which one is your fav? :o)

ADORE {this first anniversary gift idea}

Absolutely ADORE this first anniversary idea from Bird & Banner- a simple piece of card stock with each of your thumbprints overlapping to make a heart. Too precious.

{via design*sponge}

TIP {how to know when your cake is finished baking}

From a very young age, I could be found in the kitchen baking cakes, cookies, and brownies galore. I've always preferred my baked goods on the moist side, so it is not uncommon for my treats to exit the oven littered with several toothpicks holes.

If you're like me and have a tough time telling when your cake is ready for the cooling rack, read on for several great baking tips...

1. When the Sides Pull Away - The cake is usually done when you see the sides of the cake just start to pull away from the pan. The outer edges will look dry and you'll see a gap forming between the edge of the cake and the side of the pan.

2. When the Cake is Pillowy - The middle of the cake should feel springy and pillowy if you gently press your finger against it.

3. When a Cake Tester Comes Out Clean - Any thin skewer can be used as a cake tester, but many bakers just use a simple toothpick. If you insert it into the center of the cake, it should come out clean, with no streaks of batter. A few small crumbs are ok!

4. Take the Internal Temperature - If you're in any doubt, you can always take the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. The cake is done when the temperature in the middle is about 210°.

If you err on either side, err toward under-baking. In my opinion, there is no such thing as an overly moist cake. :o)

{tips via thekitchn}

Do you have any other tricks for telling when a cake is done?

LOVE {oh joy!}

LOVE everything about Oh Joy!'s blog, especially the fun fashion photography. :o)

{via Oh Joy!}

{via Oh Joy!}

NEED {rva's 2010 calendar}

I just died. In case you don't already know, I am a bit obsessed with Red Velvet Art... If I could move into their store in Missouri, I would. The amount of cuteness that place contains should be illegal. Trust.

Ok, so back to the point of this post... Could there be a more adorable calendar for 2010? I think not. Check RVA's website after 8pm CST to purchase this amazing work of preciousness. Yipee!

WANT {vintage wine pumps}

Just this morning I was thinking that I need a cute pair of pumps that fall somewhere between flat and 4" in height... a manageable but cute work shoe. Low and behold, what do I find on Etsy today? These gorgeous 1970's wine bow heels. Aren't they just perfect?!

{via Etsy, $37}

YUM {peanut noodles with shitake mushrooms}

Shitake mushrooms? Udon noodles? Peanut sauce? Yes, please! I just had to share this delicious recipe with ya'll. Click on the image to make it bigger. :o)

{via vital juice}

LOVE {le love blog}

Blog you must check out: Le Love. It's full of love letters, lovey dovey photos, and other amorous what nots. To me, it's the visual equivalent of easy listening. Hehe.

{all images via le love}