Party #1 Features!

Welcome to our first Features post!!

First of all, we want to thank everyone who joined us at our first Give Me The Goods Monday link party last Monday!!  We cannot believe how successful it was.  Everyone was so generous with their time linking up to us and saying hello.  We so appreciate it, ladies!!!  We had a whopping 181 entries!  We're so excited to keep this party going and find new friends along the way. 

Every Sunday we'll be having a features post of our favorite links!  Because there were so many wonderful links, each of us will pick 2.  That's a total of 10 features!  

So let's begin!

The Southern State Of Mind

All we have to say, Heather, is WOWZA!!  Is this not stunning?  What a way to start off our first features post!  Please check out her blog, The Southern State Of Mind to see how you can make this beautiful octopus triptych yourself!

The Vintage Barn

Check out Julie's blog,The Vintage Barn, and her beautiful buttery yellow cabinet and chalkboard.  We love it, Julie!

City Farmhouse

We are in love with Jen's blog, City Farmhouse!  She gives us the paint colors she uses in each of her rooms and makes these adorable swatch tags to take with you for easy decor references.  We love it!!  

Lo and Behold

Check out Lo's {short for Lauren} amazing bathroom reno done in the dormer of her craftsman-style house?!?  I know, it's gorgeous and you'd never know it's a low ceiling!  You had us at Hello, Lo ;)

Craftivity Designs

Check out Lora and Erica's blog, Craftivity Designs, for an amazing DIY painted rug!!  They make it look so easy and it turned out fantastic!!  Way to go girls!

Finding Silver Pennies

Check this out!  Danielle from Finding Silver Pennies collaborated with a photographer to bring this mid-century modern dresser to life!  I have no words, it's amazing!!

Twelve Oaks Manor

Angela, from Twelve Oaks Manor, made this orb!!  She made it?!  Simply gorgeous.  You have to see how she did it.  Way to go, Angela!

Simplicity in the South

Look at how Tricia takes a normally plain part of any house and turns it into something fabulous!!  We love it, Tricia!!!  Now go check out her blog!

Bungalow 47

See how Chantelle from Bungalow 47 takes an old cabinet and old love letters and transforms it into a thing of beauty.  Be still my heart *sigh*.

Pieced Pastimes

Check out how lovely Suzanne's spring mantel is.  Isn't it gorgeous?  She even has a tutorial on how to make this lovely wreath and you'd never guess what it's made from!  We want to make one now!!

And as an added bonus, we'll be adding all your features to our Pinterest board!  You can check out this Pinterest board on any of our five blogs or Pinterest accounts.

Happy Easter!!

Jenna from Rain on a Tin Roof

Jamie from Better With Age

Amber from Dimples and Pigtales

Amy from Commona My House

Chelsea from Married Filing Jointly

Freebie Friday: Daily Planner

I am in serious need of getting better organized!So I hit Pinterest to find a daily task list so that I could better stay on top of things.I found this fabulous one and have been using it for a week, now.My favorite part is that I can literally check things off as I go. It not only gives me that "pat on the back" sense of accomplishment that I, indeed, am getting things done...it also reminds me to hydrate!I just put an X over each glass of water that I've had for the day. I keep it on the fridge and it is keeping me on task in my day to day, very unexpectedly hectic schedule lately....more to come on that!
For now, enjoy this free printable from Life's A Journal!



XXXOOO.

Commona-my Kitchen: Chocolate Carrot Cake

Yes, I said "CHOCOLATE CARROT CAKE".

Why would someone make Chocolate Carrot Cake? Because it is incredible.

A match like a  PB&J sandwhich!

Or a perfect combo like Cherry Coke! Who knew?!

I like Carrot Cake. And I like Chocolate Cake...but Chocolate Carrot Cake had never entered my brain until two years ago, when I was out at one of my favorite Tulsa Restaurants, THE WILD FORK and had to try their Chocolate Carrot Cake..yes, the first I had heard of such a combination. It was divine. The next time I went back (about two months later) they didn't offer it as an option. I decided then and there that I would try to recreate this amazing cake.

You might think, what on earth does this taste like? Well, it is not so far off of Chocolate Zucchini Bread, as a matter of fact. I have tried several Chocolate Carrot Cake recipes that I've found on-line (don't ever try the apple sauce version that is out there in the blogosphere...it was horrible) and on my 5th attempt and tweaking, I knew I almost had it. So, this time, the 6th time, I had everything right...and I added a little secret ingredient: Cinnamon. 

You can make it with plain Cream Cheese Frosting....but let's just say, I don't do anything plain.

So, my cake has a Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.

It is a full, dense cake and you need a cold glass of milk to go with it.

Cake Ingredients

2 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots

2 cups sugar

1-1/4 cups canola oil

4 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup baking cocoa (like Hershey's cocoa)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Frosting

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 cups confectioners sugar

1/4 cup baking cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional in between layers, on top or on side of cake)

Directions

• Line two 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the carrots, sugar, oil and eggs until well blended. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into carrot mixture until blended.
• Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. The cake will start to have bubbles (well, more like little craters) around the edges and/or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. I suggest leaving the waxed paper on the cake and wrapping with seran wrap and freezing the cakes.  It makes frosting the cake layers much easier.
• For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar, cocoa and vanilla until smooth. Make sure frosting is at room temp when frosting the cake.  (This frosting is quite thick...if you refrigerate and then try to frost the cake with cold frosting it will be too stiff to spread for ultimate coverage).
• Place bottom layer on a serving plate; top with half of the frosting. I like to sprinkle the walnuts or pecans in the middle of the layers. Repeat with remaining cake layer. Sprinkle or decorate the side of the cake with nuts. 
• MUST HAVE A COLD GLASS OF MILK WITH THIS CAKE 

That's my Chocolate Carrot Cake.

What do you think? Should I try to come up with a fun name for it? Can you?

XXXOOO.

Wordless Wednesday: Easter Inspiration Favorites

House Guests: Little Jewel Box

We are House Guests in this AMAZING little home that is empty and for sale. But I wanted to sort of strategically share this with you because it gives you the BARE BONES of the home, without being distracted by furnishings.  The choices that these renovators made are EXCELLENT. People want the charming character look, with new clean updates. I'm in love with every decision they made. They have skillfully combined Industrial, Contemporary and Vintage 

and the result = Jewel Box!

Excellent update of front entrance. Contemporary materials,design and color palette give a
fresh look to this already charming home. 

Marble, Stainless and vintage combined. Doesn't that light fixture look familiar?

This is a small space. But keeping the floor varigated and on the lighter side helps this from feeling even smaller and closed in. Notice the fire place tile detail. 

 

Again, updated, clean lines in cabinets and appliances add to the fresh , clean look.
Nice contrast between cabinet and floor.

Top of the line range and what appears to be a water source for filling pots.
Dreamy.

Choice of stainless shelving keeps the kitchen from feeling weighed down with cabinets.
Love the entire wall of subway tile. Streamlined and clean again, keeps this from being uncluttered.
We also have a close up of the faucet- industrial excellence.

This is the pantry door. {I'll be posting more on this trend soon}

Clean lines, timeless materials. Marble. Chrome. Updated double sink.

A shot of vintage inspired bling in the bathroom sconce.

Detail of classic marble tile with chrome faucet and mod sink.

Could have used any old door- but these frosted glass paneled doors keep things light.

They selected classic finishes and infused industrial and more contemporary style choices...i.e. They chose a very classic marble, but they have a modern/contemporary sink style. They selected contemporary cabinets but used classic white subway tile and classic stainless appliances and added a vintage industrial lamp. It is a small home, but their choices would have me bet that any one who walks into this house is seeing themselves living here.
What do you think?
XXXOOO.