Sweet Potato Bites - A Quick And Easy Tailgate Recipe

This recipe turned out SO well! I also thought they would be cute as a tailgating or football viewing party recipe. I found some adorable football napkins at TJMaxx, and also found the food serving supplies at Hobby Lobby (links provided below). 

Really excited that I have a new, super easy recipe in my arsenal now :) I love how easy these were to make, and would be such a great idea for a crowd, a side dish for any meal, or would even be perfect an easy and wholesome snack. I used 2 sweet potatoes, and made way too much. So, 1 potato for every 2 people would likely be enough. I also show a little bit of Ketchup here (I love the new Simply Heinz one), but most people prefer honey on their sweet potatoes. So, get creative, and serve these Sweet Potato Bites with just about any sauce, and you're golden. 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with foil or use non-stick spray. I then washed the potatoes, and opted to peel the skins off of the potatoes, but it's possible that leaving the skins on would be just fine. Cut potatoes into small, bite sized pieces, and put them into a bowl with olive oil (enough to coat everything), and seasonings like salt, pepper, a bit of cayenne pepper, and a bit of an Italian seasoning blend that contained a bit of rosemary and parmesan cheese. 

2.) Mix ingredients well, and make sure the potatoes are coated completely. Pour the potatoes onto the lined baking sheet, spread evenly so nothing is overlapping, and bake for 20 minutes, checking on and stirring them on the baking sheet, then baking for another 10 or so minutes. They will start to get brown and crispy around the edges and still be soft and scrumptious. Make a little, or make a lot!

SERVING IDEAS:

I love the trick of using patterned tissue paper (found in the gift wrap section at a craft store), and cutting pieces a little bigger than the container you will serve the food in. It really dresses things up! In this post, I used these food containers (found here), small paper condiment cups (similar here), and patterned tissue paper. I also used some gold utensils (found here), but you could use any color.

The Must Have Booties For Fall - the Orena Bootie by Franco Sarto

Finding that perfect pair of shoes that goes with literally every outfit is such a challenge. When you do have that pair of shoes in your closet, it makes life easier and makes your outfits so polished. Shoes can definitely make or break an outfit, and these Orena Booties by Franco Sarto multi task. 

I’m sharing #DSW in my life as part of a Designer Shoe Warehouse sponsored series for Socialstars™. All opinions and content are my own. #MyDSW.

Super excited to bring you another post for DSW! It's been so fun styling these suede booties for Fall. I love refreshing my wardrobe with versatile items that last forever, and these booties not only look adorable, but are definitely way more comfortable than other similar styles I have tried. They're absolutely gorgeous! Last week, I shared a post where I styled the Orena Bootie by Franco Sarto with a cute printed dress with 3/4 sleeves. This time around, I wanted to pair dark, distressed denim with them. 

I also wanted to bring a bit of that New Western flair into the outfit, so I chose a Southwest-inspired bracelet and necklace that has turquoise and red details. The fringe cardigan is also amazing, and was so super soft.

The booties featured in this post are the Orena Bootie by Franco Sarto, available at DSW. Check out all of the amazing shoes in the Western Edge section of their site. Keep an eye out next week as I share another way to incorporate these gorgeous shoes into another fun outfit. 

Hosting A Food Photography Party For World Arthritis Day

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WhatInconvenience#CollectiveBias

Are you aware that today, October 12th, is World Arthritis Day? I know so many people are afflicted with arthritis, and with so many tasks at hand each day, living life without joint pain is so important. 

Today, I am teaming up with Advil to help spread the word about this important day, and to help raise awareness about Arthritis, that effects an astounding 53 million Americans. And to also help spread the word about the #WhatInconvenience campaign and some of the resources from Advil and the Arthritis Foundation.

My career really inspires those around me, so I thought it would be SO much fun to host an event and provide all of the ingredients and tips to create beautiful food photography. It's so fun to give several people the same materials then to see how everyone interprets the project a bit differently? I love that, and am so excited to present you with this Food Photography Party, in honor of those who experience Arthritis which makes everyday tasks, like preparing food, a challenge. 

Food Photography is SO popular these days, but not everyone understands how to achieve beautiful photos. In addition to good lighting and a decent lens, it's important to create a beautiful scene with lots of greenery and thoughtful styling. This party is a way for me to share these tips and more with those who attend. 

BEtter Living Toolkit
photo get-advil.png

Live life to the fullest, without letting Arthritis pain get in the way. Daily tasks like chopping food or preparing for a party should be done with ease, thanks to the help of Advil, which helps reduce joint pain.  

The EZ Open Cap is in deed, very easy to open, and is perfect for people struggling with Arthritis. Nothing is proven stronger on Arthritis and other joint pain.* (For minor arthritis pain. Among OTC pain relievers).

The medicine in Advil is the one that doctors recommend most for joint pain. More than the medicine in Tylenol or Aleve.** (**Based on a survey of monthly doctor recommendations).

Available at Walmart stores nation wide, making it very easy to stock up on Advil for those days when you wake up with discomfort.

"More than 1 in 5 people over the age of 18 have been diagnosed with Arthritis by a doctor. Almost 300,000 babies and children have Arthritis (that is 1 in 250 children). And, by the year 2030, it is expected that nearly 67 million people will have Arthritis. It's the number one cause of disability" - arthritis.org.

I also thought these DIY Herb Markers, shown below, would make a really whimsical addition to the beautiful herbs I am providing guests. Below, you can see a graphic I created to show you what herbs I am providing people. We are so fortunate to have a community garden, here in Carbondale, so I went ahead and spent a few minutes there gathering herbs and edible flowers that I knew would be perfect for this party.

Below, you can click on the graphic, that contains my Herb Marker Signs and Food Photography Bookmark Printables. Simply save the image to your computer, and print off onto card stock paper. Then, cut out the labels, and, hot glue them to skewer sticks. For the herbs, I found them at our local community garden, and then placed them into clear glass and silver containers that I already had. A FREE project, how great! 

Since I thought it would be great for everyone to have their food photography props provided, I put these Food Photography Gift Boxes together for guests. I found these cute, wooden boxes at a local craft store (although these could literally be either wood, cardboard, metal, or just about any container. Next, I filled them with a cotton kitchen towel, notebook for taking notes and recipes ideas, a wooden cutting board, clear glass bowl (that I later filled with goat cheese), and a knife, so guests could cut radishes and herbs as they liked. Make sure guests take notes on flavors, ingredients, and more. Remember, everyone's skill levels will be different, and everyone has different interpretations of beauty, so just have fun with the party, and look forward to seeing what everyone creates!

Once your guests have arrived, you can give them their gift boxes, find them a seat at the table, and get started! 

INGREDIENTS INCLUDE: French Bread Toast, Goat Cheese In 2 Flavors, Radishes, Fresh Herbs.

I researched lots of images of this same appetizer, and it's always SO beautiful! I figured that this would be the perfect thing for guests to create because ti was simple, elegant, easy to put together, customizable, and would look so pretty in their photographs. Have them choose their favorite herbs, based on look and smell. 

Have you ever tried Goat Cheese before? It's creamy, and comes in several flavors. It has an interesting aftertaste that really sets it apart from other creamy cheeses. 

I always have Advil on-hand, for when any joint pain creeps up. 

Thank you SO very much for stopping by! I hope everyone who is afflicted with Arthritis can find some relief, and I hope you have found a bit of inspiration from this fun, Food Photography Party! 

Celebrate New Starbucks® Caffé Latte K-Cups®! Love These Flavors!

This post has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. This post was sponsored by Starbucks as part of an Influencer Activation. I received compensation and complimentary products to facilitate my review. #StarbucksCaffeLatte #MyStarbucksatHome #CollectiveBias

Cooler temperatures mean it's time to test out some new Caffe Latte coffee flavors! Starbucks® now offers a two-step Caffè Latte that you can create with your Keurig machine at home, and they were delicious. Read on to learn more about this new style of coffee prep. Read on to learn more about incorporating new Starbucks® Caffè Latte K-Cup® pods into your routine!

I also have a clever way to put those K-Cup® pods to use a second time around. Read on to learn about my idea. 

Learn more about the Starbucks® Caffè Latte K-Cup® pods and find lots of drink inspirations on the Starbucks® website.

When I received this Starbucks® Influencer Gift Box in the mail, I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful everything looked. It included: A Glass Starbucks® Mug (which is amazing!!), A Gold Spoon, Confetti popper, three samples of Starbucks® Caffe Latte K-Cup® pods, one (1) 6-Ct box of Caramel Caffè Latte K-Cup® pods. SO excited to have been so lucky to have received something SO nice to sample and ahre with you on my blog. 

I could not wait to open the flavors up and test each one. This two-step method involves adding a packet of whichever flavor sweetened dairy blend (which had the consistency of a packet of hot cocoa), pouring it into a coffee mug, then add the Starbucks® Caffè Latte K-Cup® pods to your Keurig and set it to the 8 oz. setting (the middle of my 3 settings). Then, after it has cooled a tiny bit, stir everything together for a creamy because the product is made from milk. 

Starbucks® Caffè Latte K-Cup® pods are delicious because they are made from milk, with no artificial flavors, and they come in 3 great Starbucks® signature flavors (Caramel, Mocha, and Vanilla) and 2 beloved Starbucks® seasonal flavors (Pumpkin Spice and Peppermint Mocha, available for a limited time).

MY FAVORITE FLAVOR

I tried all 3 flavors while working on this project, and found that my favorite flavor was Caramel! So lucky that I have another box of 6 that came with this gift set. I also received an awesome coupon for 6 more K-Cup® pods at any retailer! The caramel was my favorite because I always feel like caramel coffee drinks can taste a bit fake. Not this one! Every single sip tasted like real caramel, my favorite Fall flavor of all time. Other flavors available include: Caramel flavor, Vanilla flavor, Real Cocoa (Mocha), Real Pumpkin. 

Luckily, these awesome products are available nationally at your local grocery store. And, with this many flavors you will probably want to stock up on every flavor. 

A GOOD REUSE

While these particular Starbucks® Caffè Latte K-Cup® pods came with filters because they are coffee, you can either tear out the filter, or use a K-Cup® from hot cocoa, and then use the cups for individual servings of pre-heated caramel. I heated my caramel in a double boiler, but was surprised at how much caramel each cup actually held! 

The Mocha Flavor was chocolatey without being overly sweet. I really loved also styling this photo with organic chocolate chips AND chocolate-covered espresso beans. How perfect! Read on to check out how to use this two-step process. 

How To Prepare The New Starbucks® Caffè Latte  K-Cup® pods:

Step 1 - Choose your flavor and pour the packet into your coffee mug. 

Step 2 - Insert a Starbucks® Caffè Latte K-Cup® pod into your Keurig machine, and place your mug with chosen flavor packet in Keurig®. Set to 8 oz setting, and be ready to indulge!

***

BE VERY CAREFUL! These machines make very hot coffee! Stir the drink, wait until it cools to your liking, and enjoy!

2016 Starbucks Corporation. All rights reserved. Keurig, Keurig HOT, K-Cup and the K logo are trademarks of Keurig Green Mountain, Inc., used with permission.

How To Host A Clothing Swap Party!

I'm super excited to bring you this fun idea! Since Fall is my favorite season, and it's definitely a fun time to transition into Fall garb, now is a great time to host a Clothing Swap Party with friends and family members. Have some of your favorite ladies over and serve some tasty coffee drinks and provide lots of snacks. This would be an amazingly fun way to spend an afternoon or evening with those who you enjoy spending time with.

HERE'S HOW:

1.) Gather any clothes you are willing to part with. I love this swap party idea, because I tend to be able to pass along much nicer items if I have a friend in mind. 

2.) Send an invite or e-vite to friends, using this graphic. Feel free to save or even screenshot the image, and just send it to anyone who you want to invite. 

3.) To Make The Banner: Print the 5 pages of provided files (below) in color, and cut out each letter. I used a paper cutter and a pair of scissors. Glue ribbon or decorative pom pom trim to the top of each letter flag, and then tape a length of rope to the back of the letters. Tape to the wall behind your party table - I just love how this turned out! 

4.) Next, gather up food and drinks. I chose to provide some chocolate cookies, maple cookies, other snacks, AND iced coffee drinks! Feel free to use whatever you want here - the sky is the limit! 

PARTY DECOR PRINTABLES:

Print each of these 5 pages once, in color on card stock. Save these images to your computer then print at home or at a copy shop. This costs less than $5 to print on traditional 8.5 x11" card stock.

Page 1

Page 2

Page 4

Page 3

Page 5

MAKING THE BUNTING

I love the how cute these letter flags looked with the pom pom ribbon trim on top. 

SWAPPING CLOTHES...

When everyone arrives, have them place their clothes on a table or in a corner of your room. I would suggest mixing everyone's clothes together, then basically sorting everything by type (pants, dresses, shirts, etc) so it's more of an anonymous way to select new clothes. 

I thought it would be fun to greet guests with this beautiful party tablescape, then after people have grabbed their snacks and coffee, pile the table with everyone's clothes. You can of course let people spread out in your living room or a guest bedroom, and have everyone sit in comfy chairs and on floor pillows. This way, guests can have a comfy seat while swapping out for friends' clothes. 

RATE THE LOOKS:

I thought it would be so fun to let guests rate each other's new clothes they have chosen. By writing a 1-10 on the chalkboard signs, you can help your friends decide whether the clothing they chose honestly looks good or not. Kind of like scoring at the Olympics, ya know?!

An extremely easy refreshment is pre-made iced coffee from the grocer store, topped with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles. 

I also decorated with smaller paper shopping bags and adorable tissue paper!

Boho Boots For Fall - Add Some Western Edge To Your Wardrobe

These shoes are absolutely gorgeous. Super flattering shape, great heel height, they're made of suede, and I love where the shoe meets my ankle. I’m sharing #DSW in my life as part of a Designer Shoe Warehouse sponsored series for Socialstars™. All opinions and content are my own. #MyDSW.

The booties featured in this post are the Orena Bootie by Franco Sarto, available at DSW. Check out all of the amazing shoes in the Western Edge section of their site. Keep an eye out next week as I share another way to incorporate these gorgeous shoes into another fun outfit. 

While I didn't go ALL out on the Western-inspired look, I thought that this dress was the perfect nod to Fall. These boots add such an elegance to anything you wear them with, and they are very well-made. That suede material on the booties is beyond soft. Looking through the DSW Facebook page, I noticed that they are styling their ladies in similar dresses to what I wore, and also adding an adorable denim jacket, a utilitarian olive or tan vest, rolled cuff jeans, and comfy olive pants and a loose fit yet dressy tank top. The outfit possibilities are endless, and I would love to know what you would pair with these Orena Booties by Franco Sarto.

So lucky that the mums were in full bloom when we visited Rendleman Orchards for these photos. What a fun excuse to take a little road trip on a beautiful day around sunset! 

Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) has been providing shoes to men and women since 1991. They're the leading branded footwear and accessory retailer, with lots and lots of styles and sizes for people of all ages. Are you a fan of DSW? I know they tend to carry a few exclusive brands like Mix No. 6 and Crown Vintage, but also arry brands like Marc Fisher, Lucky Brand, and Adidas (check out this last post I did for DSW and my new Adidas NEO Sneakers).

Peanut Butter + Yogurt "Smoothie" Bowl

I was recently challenged to create something containing a certain cinnamon-flavored peanut butter. I tried the stuff, and it was kind of interesting. I have never imagined a combo like this, and it was pretty good. But, I also had it in my mind to create something like a smoothie bowl that was topped with all sorts of tasty and nourishing things like pumpkin seeds, granola, crushed peanuts, and a few other things. I also love those smoothie bowls I see that have edible flowers on top, and this recipe was the perfect opportunity to "scout" my neighborhood for marigolds to top the smoothie bowl with. 

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1.) For the base: Mix 2 parts vanilla yogurt to 1 part cinnamon (or any flavor) creamy peanut butter. Make sure everything is combined well. Pour into bowl and smooth top with spoon. 

2.) Top with your favorite trail mix (I used a mix of pumpkin seeds, raisins, and sunflower seeds). I also crushed up some peanuts and then sprinkled those in the center, then also added a handful of granola. Lastly. I topped the smoothie bowl with marigolds, for a cute touch of edible flowers. That's it, enjoy! Have fun with your food :)

For the marigolds, I actually looked at 3 different places, and the only flower really available right now is mums. They're all looking gorgeous as ever, but when we visited local farms a couple of weeks ago (post coming soon...), I saw lots of marigolds. I guess it's way too late into the year to find marigolds at any stores, so thankfully as I was driving home, I saw marigolds out of the corner of my eye! I hope the people who grew them don't mind I borrowed just a few :)

Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Chick and Broccoli Bake

The other night I was hungry, surprise, surprise, and knew I wanted to incorporate chicken into my dinner somehow. Well, I scanned the pantry, and am so happy with what I created! 

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 Chicken Breasts

- 1/3 of an onion

- 1 - 2 cloves garlic

- 1 - 2 C. Broccoli

- 1 Jar of Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce 

- Italian Seasonings ( I adore this one)

- 1 box Penne Noodles

- 1 C. Mozzarella Cheese

- Shredded Parmesan Cheese

- Bread Crumbs

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Boil noodles until al dente.

2.) While the noodles are boiling, add a bit of olive oil and chopped onion to a skillet. Season with salt and Italian seasoning. 

3.) Once onions are sautéed nicely, add chopped chicken breasts and garlic. Season generously with the Italian seasonings, and cook chicken until the middle is no longer pink. 

4.) During this time, also boil your chopped broccoli, until tender, and strain. 

4.) In a large bowl (there is a lot to mix, here - just warning...), mix 1 jar of tomato Alfredo sauce, cooked chicken, all of the noodles, mozzarella cheese, part of the parmesan cheese, steamed broccoli, and more seasonings if desired. Mix thoroughly.

5.) Coat a 9"x13" baking dish with non-stick spray, pour the mixture in, and smooth out. Top with bread crumbs, and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes covered with foil, then 5-10 more minutes uncovered to get a crispier top. Let cool and serve! This turned out SO well.

#SoFabSeasons - TONS Of Great Apple Recipes For Fall

Apples are such a huge part of the landscape and economy here in southern Illinois, and I love how versatile apples can be - in recipes, decor, and DIY projects. Have you created anything from apples lately? 

You may remenber my Baked Apple Donuts that I created for this apple-themed post roundup for #SoFabSeasons.
photo donut 1.jpeg

One of my favorite things that brings up memories of fall is Apples! Do you remember apple picking with your family? How about all of those those tasty fall recipes for everything from fresh apple fritters to hot apple cider! We are excited to share with you this collection of amazing apple themed posts from many of our outstanding members here in the Social Fabric community. We know that you will enjoy them and hope that you can create some new fall memories for yourself and the ones you love.
SoFabSeasons Apples  
DESSERT RECIPES (* denotes recipes used in graphic)

*Lily the Wandering Gypsy - Fresh Apple Donuts with Bacon, Caramel Pecan Glaze

Home and Garden Cafe - Apple Pie Coconut Ice Cream

*Joy's Life - Apple Pie Dessert Pizza

*Kitchen Concoctions - Toffee Apple Pie Cookies

The Bandit Lifestyle - Delicious Apple Fritters Perfect for Fall

Roasted Beanz - Easy Crustless Almond Raisin Apple Pie

Wondermom Wannabe - Clean Eating Apple Crisp with Caramel Sauce

Anti June Cleaver - Mini Dutch Apple Pear Pie to Get You Ready for Fall

Basic N Delicious - Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake

Mostly Homemade Mom - Caramel Apple Pie Fudge

Little Blog in the Country - Pressure Cooker Canned Apple Pie Filling

Diana Rambles - Apple Spice Dump Cake

The Tip Toe Fairy - Apple Plum Skillet Cobbler

Five Marigolds - Sweet and Savory Salted Caramel Apple Dip

Intelligent Domestications - Apple Cinnamon Roll Cake & Apple Cream Cheese Icing

Home Maid Simple - Easy Apple Crisp

More or Less Cooking - Best Apple Fritter Coffee Cake

My Big Fat Happy Life - Skinny Caramel Ice Cream

* An Alli Event - Apple Bundt Cake with Praline Frosting

Tobin's Tastes - Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip

Ginger Casa - Delicious Apple Cranberry Pecan Crumble

Sweet Sensations - Apple Cobbler with Oatmeal Muffin Crust

A Labor of Life - How to Make Delicious Apple Roses

Julie Is Coco and Cocoa - Fried Cinnamon and Sugar Apple Rings

Polka Dotted Blue Jay - Mini Carmel Apple Bites

Finding Sanity in Our Crazy Life - No Bake Oatmeal Apple Pecan Cookies

Being Tazim - Strawberry Apple Crumble Vegan and Dairy Free

Upstate Ramblings - Caramel Apple Cake

Rebecca Lately - Baked Apple Recipe

Simple Food 365 - Light and Fluffy Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Mama Plus One - Homemade Apple Cider Donuts

Bento Lunch (dot) net - Caramel Apple Pudding Parfaits

MORE APPLE RECIPES

Broken TeePee - Salmon and Rice Noodles on Apples, Carrots & Zucchini

Revel & Glitter - Autumn Cranberry Apple Pear Salad

* Happy Go Lucky - Bacon Cheddar Apple Dip

Honest and Truly - Delicious and Easy Mini Apple Pancakes

Smiling Notes - Healthy Apple Pie Oat Pancakes

Creative Southern Home - Apple Bread

Beyond Mommying - Apple Bacon Grilled Cheese

Momcrieff - Apple Pancake Rings for Breakfast or Snack

Tiaras and Tantrums - Favorite Autumn Apple Snacks

Injenious Life - Gluten Free Applesauce Muffins

Everyday Party - Simple Caramel Apple Cider

A Paper Arrow - Apple Bread for the Fall

Happy and Blessed Home - Delicious Apple Recipes

Mom Saves Money - DIY Dehydrated Apple Rings

Gluesticks Blog - Baked Apple Chips

Life With Lorelai - Caramel Apple Crumbly Bread Recipe

Ava's Alphabet - Baked Apple Pancake

Life with Lovebugs - Spiced Applesauce and Oatmeal Muffins

For the Love of Crust - Homemade Crockpot Apple Cider

Oat & Sesame - Maple Your Applesauce

Southern Mom Loves - Cheddar and Apple Goldfish Snack Mix Recipe

My Life Cookbook - Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Bread (Gluten Free)

ACTIVITIES

Tales of Mommyhood - Apple Picking Favorite Family Activity

Mama Luvs Books - Apple Picking in Rhode Island

Kori at Home - Apple Tot School Unit with FREE Printables

Jenny at Dapperhouse - DIY Apple Basket Sorting Game

To & Fro - Tips for Apple Picking with Your Family

CRAFTS

Little Mama Jama - Apple Stamping Sensory Activity for Preschoolers

Creative Ramblings - Fabulous Fall Wood Apple Sign

Woods of Bell Trees - Quilted Apple Pillow

For What It's Worth - Apple Themed Party with DIY Apple Craft

The Kennedy Adventures - Paper Plate Apple Craft

Babs Projects - Apple Scented Potpourri Pouches

Great Contradictions - Apple Themed Candy Bar Wrapper Printables

BEAUTY

* Momerish - Apple Pie Sugar Scrub Perfect for Fall Pampering

Can you believe all these incredible Apple themed posts? Bookmark this page so you can come back and try out all the recipes, crafts and activities with you and your family! Check back next month when Social Fabric features posts with a pumpkin theme. You can always search the hashtag #SoFabSeasons to find more of what you're looking for!

The adidas Sneakers I Love For Fall with DSW

I am absolutely thrilled to present you with our latest collaboration - with a company that I love so very much! I’m sharing #DSW in my life as part of a Designer Shoe Warehouse sponsored series for Socialstars™. All opinions and content are my own. #MyDSW

As the weather {finally} starts getting chilly, as much as I love my sandals, I get so excited to wear regular shoes! I love the fact that sneakers are trending so much right now, and I also love the trend of more cropped length jeans with freyed hemlines. The combo of a new pair of sneakers and these jeans makes my heat go pitter patter :) 

These adidas NEO Courtset Sneakers are available on DSW, and I love that the toe box is roomy. I really need to be able to wiggle my toes when I'm wearing sneakers (especially with socks on), and these are perfect. 

I absolutely love the bright, white details on top of the Navy Blue sneakers. They also come in a grey and white color way that is gorgeous! 

I shot some of these images at Twig Floral Design in Carbondale, IL. It's a cute store, with tons of home decor items.

Top 10 Booties For Fall - Starting at $25

SO excited for Fall! Yesterday kind of seemed to mark the first day of cooler, Fall temperatures, which I am thrilled about! So sick of wearing shorts and dresses at this point, and I am super excited to wear leggings, boots/booties, and long sleeves. The southern Illinois heat and humidity really kicked my butt this year, so it's my time to enjoy the weather again {finally}!!!

So, I rounded up some of the cutest booties around, and you can click on the images to shop any of them. Prices start at $25.00 and go up from there. Enjoy!!!

Photography Field Trip: Scratch Beer Book Signing And Bottle Release

We are so fortunate to have such an incredible place like scratch brewing company in southern Illinois. It's definitely a destination brewery, being in Ava, IL, which is about 25 or so minutes outside of Carbondale. It's well worth the scenic drive out there. On September 10, 2016, I visited their brewery, and captured a bit of their book signing, homebrewing day, and a bottle release. I brought home the Single Tree Hickory Sour, and the Spring Tonic (so good!!). We also have a bottle of the Black Trumpet Bier De Mars, but haven't broken that open just yet...

Their newly released book, The Homebrewer's Almanac, which contains around 15 recipes for their famous foraged beers. 

"The Homebrewer's Almanacis a practical guide for those who are interested in incorporating fresh and foraged ingredients into their beer, written by the brewers of one of the country’s hottest new breweries. " - Amazon

Below, Aaron and Marika sign copies of their first book. It's always inspiring talking to these two. 

More photos coming soon! Can't wait to share the rest with you. Visit Scratch online, on Instagram, or on Facebook. 

Easy Grilled Squash Recipe

A super easy, super filling vegan recipe to please even the pickiest of eaters. This is great chopped up as a side dish, or as a whole mean in itself. 

Fresh Apple Donuts With Maple, Bacon, Caramel Pecan Glaze!

So, these fresh baked apple donuts turned out great. I adapted this recipe, from A Latte Food just a tiny bit, and they worked out so well. I loved each of the steps involved in this project. I also substituted buttermilk with vanilla yogurt (it worked out great!!). 

This is actually the first time that donuts have actually worked for me. Last time, they did not rise much, they were kind of bland, and I basically put the donut tin in the back of the cabinet to be forgotten for a while. 

But, I was recently invited to join a little blog post link up with some other bloggers, and the only requirement for #SoFabSeasons was that it had to do with apples. Well, off to Pinterest I went, and within minutes, I knew that donuts had to go down.

This was also my first time really making a glaze for donuts, and it turned into more of a caramel because I heated the mixture a bit too long, bringing the sugars to kind of caramelize. Oh well, these are amazing, and I loved topping them with an unexpected ingredient - bacon bits and pecans. That bacony flavor really goes so well with the other flavors, that I am so happy I added the bits. 

Another great thing about living in southern Illinois is that you don't have to go very far to find an apple (or peach tree) orchard. I photographed these apples, below, one day after I visited Flamm Orchards. I am sure they have been picked by now, because this was shot maybe 2 weeks ago :)

Donuts

  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2 Tbsp sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp butter

And, here are the apple crates at Flamm Orchard. I would LOVE to get one of those for a photography prop/surface! 

Maple Glaze

  • 2 Tbsp butter

  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Apples

  • 1 large apple, chopped finely
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Topping

  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 package bacon bits

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. (APPLES) On med-low heat, cook apple filling mixture for about 3-4 minutes. Pull off heat and allow to cool.
  2. (DONUTS) Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a 6-count donut pan liberally with baking spray.
  3. In a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt together.
  4. In a second bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk, sour cream, and vanilla extract together.
  5. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in the wet ingredients. Gently mix the batter until combined.
  6. Add in melted butter and apples and mix until combined.
  7. Spoon the batter into the donut pan, evenly distributing the batter between the 6 donut cavities (you may have enough batter to make 7-8 donuts).
  8. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the donuts are lightly golden and 'spring' back when touched.
  9. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
  10. (MAPLE GLAZE) Melt butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and cinnamon over low heat. Once melted together, pull off the heat. Sift in powdered sugar, and whisk until fully combined. Allow to cool for 8-10 minutes so the glaze can thicken. You want to work kind of quickly on this step, because the glaze can cool kind of quickly, and thickens. 
  11. Dip each donut into the glaze and immediately sprinkle with chopped pecans. The elongated-shaped dish shown in white, is one I got at IKEA, it was the perfect shape. Allow to cool on a wire baking rack.
  12. Enjoy!

PIN IT FOR LATER...

DIY Cheese Markers, Styling A Cheese Plate & Yummy Fruit Bars by Outshine - Live Life Brighter

Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by Outshine but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. #SnackBrighter.

I had so much fun creating a video for Outshine Bars! I thought that a fun way to create this one was to make a Cheese Plate, create some adorable and customizable Cheese Markers, then show how fun and easy it is to also serve these Outshine Bars to guests (or keep them all for yourselves, it's totally up to you!).

Here, I featured the Lime, Mango, and Grape flavors of Outshine Fruit Bars. I love that they're all made from REAL fruit, and taste super good. I love the lime best of all these flavors, and mango is a close second. Your guests will be pleasantly surprised at their dessert option, too! 

And, remember to check out the Outshine Instagram account, it's adorable :)

Build A Better Breakfast And Help Families In Need (Plus A Laminated Placemat DIY Tutorial)

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BetterBreakfast #CollectiveBias

Anyone who knows me will agree that I need a good breakfast to start the day right. Are you one of those sorts of people? My breakfast usually includes milk in some way, whether it's in cereal, or as a glass of milk to accompany my meal. I was super excited about the chance to work with The Great American Milk Drive, Lender's Bagels, and Walmart to help with this meaningful cause.  

Now, you can help feed a childhood when you shop at Walmart – by purchasing 1 or more of these products, you are helping Feeding America provide nutrient- rich milk to kids and families in need.

This campaign is supporting The Great American Milk Drive.

There are lots of families who do not get the opportunity to provide a good breakfast for their kids or themselves each morning. I learned recently that you can actually donate milk to families - I had no idea this was even possible! I love spreading the word about good causes, so read on to learn more. I thought that a DIY Laminated Placemat and a fun twist on the usual bagel toppings would be so fun to share here with you today. 

"Childhood should be filled with playing, learning and growing. But for many children who face hunger, even basic staples like milk – and the nutrients that help power childhood activities – are missing".  - MilkLife.com

FUN BAGEL TOPPINGS FOR KIDS + ADULTS:

Strawberry Cream Cheese + Sprinkles

Strawberry Cream Cheese + Fresh Strawberries

Plain Cream Cheese + Sunflower Seeds

- 3 colors of fabric (1/8 yard of the red, 3/8 yard of the deer fabric, and 3/8 of a yard of the black and white plaid for the backing).

- Iron-On Vinyl (Heat & Bond works well)

- Scissors

- Sewing Machine and Thread

- Iron

1.) Cut pieces of fabric as follows:

      - Backing Piece (12" x 18")

      - Red Piece (12" long)

      - Deer Fabric Piece ( 12" x 15")

      - 2 pieces of iron-on vinyl (12" x 18")

2.) Cut and Iron fabrics, and sew the 12" ends of the red fabric and deer fabrics together. Iron and top stitch the seam you just created. 

3.) Peel a bit of the paper backing off of the first piece of vinyl. It's super sticky, so I recommend cutting a 2" wide strip off of the paper backing. Stick this to the exterior of your patchwork piece of fabric, and line the shorter sides up. Press to secure, thankfully it's very easy to reposition. Just make sure no pet hairs make their way under the vinyl :)

4.) Peel the rest of the paper backing off of the vinyl, pressing out any wrinkles as you go. Once vinyl is fully stuck onto the fabric, then take that paper again, grid side up, and iron the vinyl onto the fabric. This works like magic! Slow and steady pressure works best, moving the iron with medium pressure, so it doesn't melt. VINYL IS SUPER HOT, so please be careful!!! 

5.) Iron the vinyl onto the backing material, and line up the fabrics, vinyl sides together, and sew around the edges, leaving a hole about 5" across to turn the placemat right side out.

6.) Turn placemat right side out, then iron with the paper press cloth again. Now, top stitch around the edges, and you are done!! I just LOVE how this project turned out. Perfect for eating breakfast on, and these make for extremely easy cleanup! 

7.) Build A Better Breakfast - Hopefully this awesome new placemat will encourage kids and adults to sit down for a quick breakfast, rather than eating as you rush out the door. Of course, if you are in a hurry, it's a good idea to keep the milk, Lender's Bagels, and Fruit Fusions next to each other in the fridge! 

MORE ABOUT LENDER'S BAGELS:

They're filling – sustaining kids all morning. They have a great range of flavors, like Plain, Blueberry and Cinnamon-Raisin flavors which are kid-friendly & great for the whole family. Lender’s has a bagel for Everyone! Lender's Bagels can help you save time in the mornings, and are easy, tasty, and nutritious! I found these bagels in the refrigerated dairy section. Lender’s bagel products are great as part of a Better Breakfast. Also, great for an after school snack! Crunchy-on-the-outside, everything’s better on a Bagel!

Keep a metal or wicker tray on the counter for easy breakfast prep (see photo above). Add items like Lender's Bagels, Del Monte Fruit + Veggie Fusions, utensils, and cloth napkins. SO easy, because everything is right at hand! 

Now, you can help feed a childhood – by purchasing 1 or more of these products, you are helping Feeding America provide nutrient- rich milk to kids and families in need. Visit milklife.com/give to learn more.

#BuildABetterBreakfast Sweepstakes Learn More On: Facebook: here
Twitter: here
Instagram: here
Pinterest: here
Youtube: here
Lender's Bagels: here , here , and here
  • The combination of milk/bagels/fruit cups give kids protein, carbohydrates, vitamin C and other things that they won’t get with other choices. These 3 products are BETTER TOGETHER.
  • Ease and simplicity should also be part of what makes this a better breakfast. All it takes is to pour a glass of milk, get out a bagel, and open a fruit cup. Everything can be stored in the fridge together.
  • The Lenders’ and Del Monte products also have the benefit of offering so many flavors that every kid can get a “customized” breakfast with all his or her favorites. Lenders can give you cinnamon/raisin, blueberry, etc. Del Monte can give you a dozen varieties of fruits and combinations of fruits. The flavor combinations are huge. 

Fall Favorites with Sahale Snacks - Great For A Fall Adventure

I am so excited that the leaves are changing colors a little bit, and our yard is sprinkled with fallen leaves. Around this time of year, I yearn for Fall adventures here in southern Illinois, and always make sure to bring a bag packed with snacks, bottled water, and a cozy blanket. I love bringing travel sized Sahale Snacks® on my adventures, they're great for grab and go snacking.

Where are your favorite go-to, local places to visit during Fall? Mine would have to be some of our local orchards (Rendleman Orchards and Flamm Orchards are my top picks) here in southern Illinois, Rendleman even has a very nostalgic pumpkin patch - where you can use a red wagon to transport all of your hand-picked pumpkins to the checkout station. J

I’m sharing #SahaleSnackers in my life as part of a Sahale Snacks® sponsored series for Socialstars™.

Another place I love visiting would be one of our wineries, that also serves hand crafted apple cider (life-changing!!). And, when the weather cools down a bit, we love hiking through the Shawnee National Forest (Pomona Natural Bridge is a short hike, but incredibly majestic). I have learned to never leave the house without a snack, so the Raspberry Crumble Sahale Snacks®, and the Pomegranate Vanilla Flavored Cashews would make a great snack, while adventuring to fun places this Fall. 

I like keeping a couple of these grab and go sized packages of Sahale Snacks® in my car, just for spur of the moment adventures, or of course, days when I run a million errands. Just a couple bites of a snack like this will keep me going. 

I also love bringing along a notebook, so I have somewhere to collect my thoughts, project ideas, but have to admit, love snacking while I journal :)

Where will you take your Sahale Snacks® this Fall? 

Live Life Brighter with Outshine Snacks

Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by Outshine but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. #SnackBrighter.

Do you ever eat a food that literally transports you to another place? Perhaps you tried the best dessert in your whole life, that time you visited Hawaii, and any time you eat something made with lime, it takes you back to that very dessert? Well, these Outshine Fruit Bars in Lime do that to me. These bars bring a rush of taste and chill to my senses, making me think of the awesome food we ate while visiting Waikiki Beach, other places on Oahu, and all around Kauai! This is why Outshine Fruit Bars help me Live Life Brighter! 

Where is your favorite place to escape?

Learn more about Outshine Fruit & Yogurt Bars here! They are made with real fruit juices and are non-GMO, which I find extremely important to the food I eat. 

Find out Where To Buy these bars here - I found mine at Kroger, and I believe they are also available at Walmart and Kroger Banner Stores, like Fry's and others. 

I also LOVE the Outshine Snacks Instagram Account, here. It's full of bright, inspiring images and you can also learn more about the brand's efforts to donate tons and tons of food. 

These Outshine Fruit Bars in Lime taste super good. They are not overly sweet, they are tarty and tangy, just like something made with real lime juice should taste like. I also really enjoyed the consistency and texture of these fruit bars. If you are someone who likes frozen treats that taste like real fruit instead of those fake flavors, these are a great option for you.

Refreshing, lime after lime.

Made with lime juice

Excellent source of Vitamin C

No high fructose corn syrup

Fat-free, Gluten-free

No artificial colors or flavors

70 calories

No GMO Ingredients

Some of my favorite things about these Outshine Fruit Bars are:

Only 70 Calories per bar, 0g Total Fat per bar, and 25% of your daily Vitamin C. 

The Ceramide Difference

Have you ever used a wet-skin lotion before? If not, your'e missing out. Whether you live in a dry climate or a humid one, this Curel® Advanced Ceramide Complex will be a great addition to your skincare routine. I'm also excited to explain Ceramides a bit better to you, so keep reading to learn more. 

I’m sharing #Curel® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER in my life as part of a Curél sponsored series for Socialstars™. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep my blog a beautiful place to showcase my work! 

Curel® Advanced Ceramide Complex makes it easy to incorporate a bit of extra moisture to your skin, and since you use this on wet skin after a shower, it's easy to remember to do it every day. The bottle is attractive, and the pump works really well. The bottle is actually designed with ridges on the sides, so it won't slip out of your hands while your skin is wet!! So thoughtful :) 

This product is unscented, which is amazing. I love the fact that a fragrance isn't an addition ingredient. I am not a fan of anything that is heavily scented (unless it's a baked good, haha!).

I am not sure if you have ever experienced this, but sometimes, I will use lotion, and minutes later, it doesn't seem to have even moisturized my skin. Curel® offers an alternative to that problem. Their Hydratherapy Lotion that you use on wet skin, so it is able to penetrate better, and since warm water opens capillaries in your skin, it makes sense that this product would be able to absorb easier. My skin feels soft and smooth, and is moisturized without feeling greasy. 

I was also lucky enough to receive a FREE sample of this Curel® Hydratherapy lotion from Crowdtap, and I am so excited I've got a travel size now!!

Clinical studies have shown that dry and damaged skin is often linked to depleted ceramide levels. Ceramides are naturally found in skin’s vulnerable outer layer and help skin retain moisture. When skin’s ceramide levels are low, skin has difficulty retaining moisture. While traditional lotions only hydrate skin’s surface, Curél® moisturizers work at the source of dryness to strengthen skin's moisture retaining capacity, not just relieving symptoms, but actually, over time, preventing symptoms from recurring.

I have spent time in both dry climates (like Arizona, Colorado, and Utah), and I feel like the arid climate, intense sunshine, and even water in those places dries my skin out. Well, the idea of applying this lotion to wet skin, if you are in those sorts of locations, seems like an absolute win! 

What are ceramides?

Ceramides are natural lipids and are a major component in surface skin structure. They serve as part of the "glue" that holds surface skin cells together.

Why are ceramides important?

Dry, irritated, and sensitive skin often lacks ceramides. As a result, skin's protective barrier is compromised and becomes more susceptible to environmental factors, changes of season, and other irritants.

Curél® Skincare - The Ceramide Difference

When natural ceramide levels are depleted, our formula works to improve moisture retention of the skin. Locking in moisture for all-day hydration, Curél® lotions and creams not only relieve irritated and dry skin instantly, but also replenish and repair skin by forming a protective barrier and keeping future irritants out.

Thanks so much for checking out my latest post for Curel®, and be sure to check them out on Facebook and on their website!