Bear Bread + Red Velvet Cake

I was able to almost cross off one of the things on my 102 for 2012 list. As I baked three things inspired/recipes found by/on Pinterest. *grin*

Inspiration for the bear bread. Aren't they just adorable?!?

 The before & after picture of when creating the bear bread {this is also before rising again & baking}. Take a smallish piece of dough {think about dinner roll size} and roll into a ball. You will also need to roll two tiny balls of dough for ears. Attach them to the main dough ball {you will need to pinch them on}. Now add eyes and a mouth with raisins. Place it on a greased cookie sheet to rise again before baking.   

 The finished bear bread + 3 loves of bread. Some of the bears looked more like cats then bears once baked. :p

 Here I poped one of them into a large coffee cup. I can't get over how adorable they are!!

This is my first ever red velvet cake {recipe} I ever baked. I turned out ok. It wasn't as good as the first one I ever had over at a friends house. Now that was amazing. The homemade frosting {recipe} really turned out good for me. I used a piping bag to frost the cake {this was my first time frosting an entire cake with a piping bag} and it turned out kinda cute {I think I need to buy more tips though for different designs though}. 

Inspiration - Fashion/Baking/Crafts

{all pictures were found on pinterest.}

I love all of the outfits in these pictures. I'm really looking forward to copying some of these styles in the coming months. You know what? I find that every year my style changes. What about you? Do you find your style changing? Or, have you already developed your style?

{all pictures from pinterest.}

Why is it when your sick all you want to do is make things? These are just a few things that are tempting me right now: mint brownies, ruffle cake, pretzel bites, doughnut muffins. Just the norm you know. 

 {all pictures from pinterest.}

I've also been really in the mood to sew and craft. It's nuts. I really can't wait to get better now, that way I can do crafts, sew, bake, and style outfits to my heart's content. *smile*

What's been inspiring you lately?

An Outfit, Chocolate Cupcakes, & Etsy Sewing

 Navy Blue Cardigan {Old Navy}, White Blouse {Kohl's}, Yellow Pencil Skirt {Made by me}, White Tights {J.C.Penny}, Tan Boots {Target}, Narnia inspired earrings {made by me}.

Outside today it was freezing. Hence the pictures were taken inside. =) I hope you all don't mind, but I really don't want to freeze. I love the pop of color this pencil skirt gives, except I have trouble wearing it. I'm not used to wearing such colors {my wardrobe used to be filled with safe colors. example: navy, white, more blue, black, denim, cream...}, but now I adore wearing bright colors. =) 

The other day I made these delicious chocolate cupcakes. They are so good! You can find the recipe on Hershey's website, let's see...oh yes, you can view it right here. This has been my favorite cake & frosting recipe for years now. It's that good. =) Are you craving a cupcake yet?

Ah, yes. I've been working on my etsy shop lately. I have several things that are waiting to be photographed before being listed on etsy. Like the above skirt {sorry, the lighting is wonky}.  

Is there any projects/baking you have been doing lately?

~Ashley

I ♥ Thursday {no. 6}

This is what I love for this week. :)

These darling heart earrings I bought yesterday at Maurices. 

And this cute black velvet & lace hair pin/brooch (it doubles as both).

 Having hot chocolate in my new tea cups everyday. :)

The Vintage Sewalong I'm planning on doing in January. 

I'm making a 1780s dress inspired by this one right now. :)

Aren't these the cutest cupcakes you've ever seen?!?!

A darling new children's store I discovered called, Room Seven.

~Ashley

Baking Away.....

Today I did some baking. First order of the day? Cinnamon rolls using a recipe found on Marie Madeline Studio blog. Boy, are they good. They are for breakfast tomorrow, but we just had to try one for a snack this evening. I was given rave reviews saying they taste like they are from a bakery. Which is always good news. =)

I also made some chocolate chip cookies using Lindsay's recipe on her blog. They are wonderful! Each batch I make turns out better then the last and taste even yummier.

What can I say, I used only recipes from blogs today. =) The only changes I made to both recipes is to use freshly ground spelt flour. We have a mostly gluten-free family, myself included, even though Spelt is apart of the wheat family we don't react to it. =) Believe me, they taste simply scrumptious made out of spelt flour. I am the type of girl who didn't use to like healthy foods. Mostly foods not made out of white flour. =) Now, I love healthy foods, including cookies and cinnamon rolls made out spelt flour.

Have any of you been baking lately?

~Ashley