Cinnabun Cake

Since I have been so busy with school, I realized I haven't baked since Easter! Well this morning I got that itch and broke out the ingredients! I had a huge craving for cinnamon buns but I really didn't feel like waiting for dough to rise. Enter, The Cinnabun Cake!! It tastes just like a cinnamon bun but sooo easy! 

Cinnabun Cake

Dough:

3 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla 

1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine ingredients, adding melted last. 

Pour mixture into a greased pan.

Topping:

1 cup of butter, softened

1 cup of brown sugar

2 tablespoons of flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Drop mixture into the pan in spoonfuls. Then swirl the topping into the dough with a knife. Bake for 30 minutes.

Glaze:

2 cups icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 tablespoons milk

Whisk together and set aside.

When the cake comes out, pour glaze into top while it's still hot. 

This cake is delicious!! It totally hit the spot {especially when warm}! 

I added a handful of pecans to my cake just because I felt like it :)

Serene Garden

There is absolutely nothing like a few serene moments in the garden! As a mom to a busy toddler, the times are pretty few and far between where I can actually {literally} stop and smell the roses. 

I noticed yesterday, while B was in her sandbox, that the peonies had started to bloom. That one little colourful flower peeking out, meant there would be more in the near future! 

To my surprise I happened to step out on the deck and see the whole bush of flowers opened!! B is busy with magnets so I snuck out and took these shots. So beautiful!!! 

It's amazing how the simple act of smelling the {insert flower here} can clear your mind and pick up your spirits. Oh the power of beauty!

Bedside Table Makeover

Since before we got married, we had very two very different night stands. And with the bedroom being the last to update (since no one ever sees it), we used these for a couple years. 

I happened to luck out and score two (matching) bedside tables for free on a local Facebook swap and buy group!! They were totally old and ugly and I couldn't wait to redo them. 

The problem was, I had no idea what colour. Being the Pinterest lover I am, I found some inspiration and got to work.

I removed the hardware and spray painted the whole thing silver chrome. I replaced the drawer pulls with glass ones (actually hard to find) and there you have it!

I absolutely LOVE how it turned out! The colour brings out the details and the glass knobs really make it look modern! 

What will you chrome? 

Ikea Hack

Hi y'all!! (Missing the south can you tell?)

I have been dying to have a bench under our huge front window but getting my husband to build me something is like pulling teeth! 

So me and B had an adventure to Ikea and found two bookshelves that would work. What a helper I have!

After a little assembly I had my shelves in place. 

I bought fabric, zippers, and foam pads and made 5 cushions to sit on top. Then I dressed it up with some pillows and voila! 

I am loving this bench... but not as much as my dogs are ;)

Colour and Science Discovery in Bottles!

I have been creating new teaching resources lately while working on my school portfolio. For those of you who don't know, I am still completing my degree. Now that I have detached it from my hip, I have time to post about all my new creations! 

First off I used a mixture of water, food colouring and oil (vegetable in my case but you could use any). There are no measurements, just add until your happy. Try to fill the bottles as full as you can without spilling any when the lid goes on. I used hot glue to secure my lids, as coloured oil is not something I want spilled in my classroom.

Settled Colours

Shake it up!

Since I fell in love with the VOSS bottles I used, I decided to create more! This time I simply collected coloured items including sequins, feathers, paintbrushes, finger puppets, crayons, buttons, marbles, etc. So easy and so fun for the kids to explore!

Have you used VOSS bottles to create an activity?

Kisses, 

K

Paint Madness

Hello all!

Hope you had as wonderful days as I did! Today was paint shopping day for the main floor... A day that I have been waiting for since we moved in! I've known what I have wanted for a year and a half and today I actually had to choose THE shade of blue that would surround us until our house ends back up on the market. And let me tell you, this was no little task. 

After going through my drawer FULL of paint chips in the dining hutch as well as way too many at Home Hardware, I left with two sample cans. Here they are in the first picture (Pale Sky by Home Hardware on the top and Fleur de Sel by Rona but scanned by Home Hardware on the bottom). 

And the winner is...

Home Hardware's version of Rona's Fleur de Sel!!

A special thanks to Style at Home's country colour collection for the cover photo that inspired my choice.

Well our hallway is lined with paint cans so I had better get to it.

Happy Painting!!

Kisses,

K.

A Revolutionary Manicure

I would like to introduce you to my newest obsession:

                        Jamberry!!

 

These awesome nail wraps come in hundreds of different designs and are even customizable! They are made of strong vinyl and actually protect your nails rather than damage them! 

Initially I was sold by the cute designs and but I didn't think they would apply smoothly or last. Honestly, they sat in my nail polish basket for maybe a month before I actually tried them. But I instantly fell in love! They are so easy to apply and allow you to reposition and reseal with a bit more heat. Not to mention you don't need any fancy equipment since it is all possible with just your own hair dryer!

After applying only 2 jamicures I knew I was hooked! I was getting great lasting results even after dishes and cleaning! No polish or sheliac had holding abilities like these! 

So, I decided to buy the kit. I figured if I was going to be wearing these things ALL THE TIME then I may as well get a discount and actually have a reason to spread the good news to my fellow women. 

Oh and the extra cash may actually get me a little vacation :)

LIKE my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/katesjamberry to stay up to date on my online parties

EMAIL me at hollingshead.kate@gmail.com to learn more about getting your own kit

PLACE AN ORDER at www.seethegirlshine.jamberrynails.net 

Off to do my nails! Eeek

K